John 20:31

20:31 But these ¹  are recorded ²  so that you may believe ³  that Jesus is the Christ, ⁴  the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. ⁵ 

Acts 1:1-3

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

1:1 I wrote ⁶  the former ⁷  account, ⁸  Theophilus, ⁹  about all that Jesus began to do and teach 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, ¹⁰  after he had given orders ¹¹  by ¹²  the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 1:3 To the same apostles ¹³  also, after his suffering, ¹⁴  he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period ¹⁵  and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:1

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

1:1 I wrote ¹⁶  the former ¹⁷  account, ¹⁸  Theophilus, ¹⁹  about all that Jesus began to do and teach

Acts 3:16

3:16 And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ ²⁰  name, ²¹  his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The ²²  faith that is through Jesus ²³  has given him this complete health in the presence ²⁴  of you all.

Acts 3:2

3:2 And a man lame ²⁵  from birth ²⁶  was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day ²⁷  so he could beg for money ²⁸  from those going into the temple courts. ²⁹ 

Acts 1:16-19

1:16 “Brothers, ³⁰  the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through ³¹  David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus – 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” ³²  1:18 (Now this man Judas ³³  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ³⁴  and falling headfirst ³⁵  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ³⁶  gushed out. 1:19 This ³⁷  became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language ³⁸  they called that field ³⁹  Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”)

[20:31]  ¹ tn Grk “these things.”

[20:31]  ² tn Grk “are written.”

[20:31]  ³ tc ‡ A difficult textual variant is present at this point in the Greek text. Some mss (Ì^66vid א* B Θ 0250 pc) read the present subjunctive πιστεύητε (pisteuhte) after ἵνα (Jina; thus NEB text, “that you may hold the faith”) while others (א² A C D L W Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï) read the aorist subjunctive πιστεύσητε (pisteushte) after ἵνα (cf. NEB margin, “that you may come to believe”). As reflected by the renderings of the NEB text and margin, it is often assumed that the present tense would suggest ongoing belief (i.e., the Fourth Gospel primarily addressed those who already believed, and was intended to strengthen their faith), while the aorist tense would speak of coming to faith (i.e., John’s Gospel was primarily evangelistic in nature). Both textual variants enjoy significant ms support, although the present subjunctive has somewhat superior witnesses on its behalf. On internal grounds it is hard to decide which is more likely the original. Many resolve this issue on the basis of a reconstruction of the overall purpose of the Gospel, viz., whether it is addressed to unbelievers or believers. However, since elsewhere in the Gospel of John (1) the present tense can refer to both initial faith and continuation in the faith and (2) the aorist tense simply refrains from commenting on the issue, it is highly unlikely that the distinction here would be determinative for the purpose of the Fourth Gospel. The question of purpose cannot be resolved by choosing one textual variant over the other in 20:31, but must be decided on other factors. Nevertheless, if a choice has to be made, the present subjunctive is the preferred reading. NA²⁷ puts the aorist’s sigma in brackets, thus representing both readings virtually equally (so TCGNT 220).

[20:31]  ⁴ tn Or “Jesus is the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[20:31]  ⁵ sn John 20:31. A major question concerning this verse, the purpose statement of the Gospel of John, is whether the author is writing primarily for an audience of unbelievers, with purely evangelistic emphasis, or whether he envisions an audience of believers, whom he wants to strengthen in their faith. Several points are important in this discussion: (1) in the immediate context (20:30), the other signs spoken of by the author were performed in the presence of disciples; (2) in the case of the first of the signs, at Cana, the author makes a point of the effect the miracle had on the disciples (2:11); (3) if the primary thrust of the Gospel is toward unbelievers, it is difficult to see why so much material in chaps. 13-17 (the last meal and Farewell Discourse, concluding with Jesus’ prayer for the disciples), which deals almost exclusively with the disciples, is included; (4) the disciples themselves were repeatedly said to have believed in Jesus throughout the Gospel, beginning with 2:11, yet they still needed to believe after the resurrection (if Thomas’ experience in 20:27-28 is any indication); and (5) the Gospel appears to be written with the assumption that the readers are familiar with the basic story (or perhaps with one or more of the synoptic gospel accounts, although this is less clear). Thus no account of the birth of Jesus is given at all, and although he is identified as being from Nazareth, the words of the Pharisees and chief priests to Nicodemus (7:52) are almost certainly to be taken as ironic, assuming the reader knows where Jesus was really from. Likewise, when Mary is identified in 11:2 as the one who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil, it is apparently assumed that the readers are familiar with the story, since the incident involved is not mentioned in the Fourth Gospel until 12:3. These observations must be set over against the clear statement of purpose in the present verse, 20:31, which seems to have significant evangelistic emphasis. In addition to this there is the repeated emphasis on witness throughout the Fourth Gospel (cf. the witness of John the Baptist in 1:7, 8, 15, 32, and 34, along with 5:33; the Samaritan woman in 4:39; Jesus’ own witness, along with that of the Father who sent him, in 8:14, 18, and 18:37; the disciples themselves in 15:27; and finally the testimony of the author himself in 19:35 and 21:24). In light of all this evidence it seems best to say that the author wrote with a dual purpose: (1) to witness to unbelievers concerning Jesus, in order that they come to believe in him and have eternal life; and (2) to strengthen the faith of believers, by deepening and expanding their understanding of who Jesus is.

[1:1]  ⁶ tn Or “produced,” Grk “made.”

[1:1]  ⁷ tn Or “first.” The translation “former” is preferred because “first” could imply to the modern English reader that the author means that his previous account was the first one to be written down. The Greek term πρῶτος (prwtos) does not necessarily mean “first” in an absolute sense, but can refer to the first in a set or series. That is what is intended here – the first account (known as the Gospel of Luke) as compared to the second one (known as Acts).

[1:1]  ⁸ tn The Greek word λόγος (logos) is sometimes translated “book” (NRSV, NIV) or “treatise” (KJV). A formal, systematic treatment of a subject is implied, but the word “book” may be too specific and slightly misleading to the modern reader, so “account” has been used.

[1:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “O Theophilus,” but the usage of the vocative in Acts with ὦ (w) is unemphatic, following more the classical idiom (see ExSyn 69).

[1:2]  ¹⁰ tn The words “to heaven” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied from v. 11. Several modern translations (NIV, NRSV) supply the words “to heaven” after “taken up” to specify the destination explicitly mentioned later in 1:11.

[1:2]  ¹¹ tn Or “commands.” Although some modern translations render ἐντειλάμενος (enteilameno") as “instructions” (NIV, NRSV), the word implies authority or official sanction (G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:545), so that a word like “orders” conveys the idea more effectively. The action of the temporal participle is antecedent (prior) to the action of the verb it modifies (“taken up”).

[1:2]  ¹² tn Or “through.”

[1:3]  ¹³ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:3]  ¹⁴ sn After his suffering is a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion and the abuse which preceded it.

[1:3]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “during forty days.” The phrase “over a forty-day period” is used rather than “during forty days” because (as the other NT accounts of Jesus’ appearances make clear) Jesus was not continually visible to the apostles during the forty days, but appeared to them on various occasions.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ tn Or “produced,” Grk “made.”

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Or “first.” The translation “former” is preferred because “first” could imply to the modern English reader that the author means that his previous account was the first one to be written down. The Greek term πρῶτος (prwtos) does not necessarily mean “first” in an absolute sense, but can refer to the first in a set or series. That is what is intended here – the first account (known as the Gospel of Luke) as compared to the second one (known as Acts).

[1:1]  ¹⁸ tn The Greek word λόγος (logos) is sometimes translated “book” (NRSV, NIV) or “treatise” (KJV). A formal, systematic treatment of a subject is implied, but the word “book” may be too specific and slightly misleading to the modern reader, so “account” has been used.

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “O Theophilus,” but the usage of the vocative in Acts with ὦ (w) is unemphatic, following more the classical idiom (see ExSyn 69).

[3:16]  ²⁰ tn Grk “in his name”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ²¹ sn Here is another example of appeal to the person by mentioning the name. See the note on the word name in 3:6.

[3:16]  ²² tn Grk “see and know, and the faith.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated.

[3:16]  ²³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ²⁴ tn Or “in full view.”

[3:2]  ²⁵ tn Or “crippled.”

[3:2]  ²⁶ tn Grk “from his mother’s womb.”

[3:2]  ²⁷ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[3:2]  ²⁸ tn Grk “alms.” The term “alms” is not in common use today, so what the man expected, “money,” is used in the translation instead. The idea is that of money given as a gift to someone who was poor. Giving alms was viewed as honorable in Judaism (Tob 1:3, 16; 12:8-9; m. Pe’ah 1:1). See also Luke 11:41; 12:33; Acts 9:36; 10:2, 4, 31; 24:17.

[3:2]  ²⁹ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[1:16]  ³⁰ tn Grk “Men brothers.” In light of the compound phrase ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί (andre" adelfoi, “Men brothers”) Peter’s words are best understood as directly addressed to the males present, possibly referring specifically to the twelve (really ten at this point – eleven minus the speaker, Peter) mentioned by name in v. 13.

[1:16]  ³¹ tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”

[1:17]  ³² tn Or “and was chosen to have a share in this ministry.” The term λαγχάνω (lancanw) here and in 2 Pet 1:1 can be understood as referring to the process of divine choice and thus be translated, “was chosen to have.”

[1:18]  ³³ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ³⁴ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

[1:18]  ³⁵ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

[1:18]  ³⁶ tn Or “all his bowels.”

[1:19]  ³⁷ tn Grk “And this.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:19]  ³⁸ sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.

[1:19]  ³⁹ tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.