Psalms 2:8

2:8 Ask me,

and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, ¹ 

the ends of the earth as your personal property.

Psalms 72:17-19

72:17 May his fame endure! ² 

May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky! ³ 

May they use his name when they formulate their blessings! ⁴ 

May all nations consider him to be favored by God! ⁵ 

72:18 The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise! ⁶ 

He alone accomplishes amazing things! ⁷ 

72:19 His glorious name deserves praise ⁸  forevermore!

May his majestic splendor ⁹  fill the whole earth!

We agree! We agree! ¹⁰ 

Isaiah 49:6

49:6 he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant,

to reestablish the tribes of Jacob,

and restore the remnant ¹¹  of Israel? ¹² 

I will make you a light to the nations, ¹³ 

so you can bring ¹⁴  my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”

Isaiah 60:1-5

Zion’s Future Splendor

60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!

The splendor ¹⁵  of the Lord shines on you!

60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth

and deep darkness covers ¹⁶  the nations,

but the Lord shines on you;

his splendor ¹⁷  appears over you.

60:3 Nations come to your light,

kings to your bright light.

60:4 Look all around you! ¹⁸ 

They all gather and come to you –

your sons come from far away

and your daughters are escorted by guardians.

60:5 Then you will look and smile, ¹⁹ 

you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. ²⁰ 

For the riches of distant lands ²¹  will belong to you

and the wealth of nations will come to you.

Isaiah 60:10-11

60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;

their kings will serve you.

Even though I struck you down in my anger,

I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. ²² 

60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;

they will not be shut during the day or at night,

so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,

with their kings leading the way. ²³ 

Acts 10:1--11:18

Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea ²⁴  named Cornelius, a centurion ²⁵  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. ²⁶  10:2 He ²⁷  was a devout, God-fearing man, ²⁸  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ²⁹  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ³⁰  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ³¹  who came in ³²  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ³³  replied, ³⁴  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ³⁵  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ³⁶  have gone up as a memorial ³⁷  before God. 10:5 Now ³⁸  send men to Joppa ³⁹  and summon a man named Simon, ⁴⁰  who is called Peter. 10:6 This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, ⁴¹  whose house is by the sea.” 10:7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius ⁴²  called two of his personal servants ⁴³  and a devout soldier from among those who served him, ⁴⁴  10:8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9 About noon ⁴⁵  the next day, while they were on their way and approaching ⁴⁶  the city, Peter went up on the roof ⁴⁷  to pray. 10:10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him. ⁴⁸  10:11 He ⁴⁹  saw heaven ⁵⁰  opened ⁵¹  and an object something like a large sheet ⁵²  descending, ⁵³  being let down to earth ⁵⁴  by its four corners. 10:12 In it ⁵⁵  were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles ⁵⁶  of the earth and wild birds. ⁵⁷  10:13 Then ⁵⁸  a voice said ⁵⁹  to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter ⁶⁰  and eat!” 10:14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” ⁶¹  10:15 The voice ⁶²  spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider ⁶³  ritually unclean!” ⁶⁴  10:16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. ⁶⁵ 

10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over ⁶⁶  what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was ⁶⁷  and approached ⁶⁸  the gate. 10:18 They ⁶⁹  called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, ⁷⁰  was staying there as a guest. 10:19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about ⁷¹  the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 10:20 But get up, ⁷²  go down, and accompany them without hesitation, ⁷³  because I have sent them.” 10:21 So Peter went down ⁷⁴  to the men and said, “Here I am, ⁷⁵  the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, ⁷⁶  a righteous ⁷⁷  and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, ⁷⁸  was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message ⁷⁹  from you.” 10:23 So Peter ⁸⁰  invited them in and entertained them as guests.

On the next day he got up and set out ⁸¹  with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa ⁸²  accompanied him. 10:24 The following day ⁸³  he entered Caesarea. ⁸⁴  Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously ⁸⁵  for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 10:25 So when ⁸⁶  Peter came in, Cornelius met ⁸⁷  him, fell ⁸⁸  at his feet, and worshiped ⁸⁹  him. 10:26 But Peter helped him up, ⁹⁰  saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.” ⁹¹  10:27 Peter ⁹²  continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together. ⁹³  10:28 He said to them, “You know that ⁹⁴  it is unlawful ⁹⁵  for a Jew ⁹⁶  to associate with or visit a Gentile, ⁹⁷  yet God has shown me that I should call no person ⁹⁸  defiled or ritually unclean. ⁹⁹  10:29 Therefore when you sent for me, ¹⁰⁰  I came without any objection. Now may I ask why ¹⁰¹  you sent for me?” 10:30 Cornelius ¹⁰²  replied, ¹⁰³  “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, ¹⁰⁴  I was praying in my house, and suddenly ¹⁰⁵  a man in shining clothing stood before me 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity ¹⁰⁶  have been remembered before God. ¹⁰⁷  10:32 Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, ¹⁰⁸  by the sea.’ 10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. ¹⁰⁹  So now we are all here in the presence of God ¹¹⁰  to listen ¹¹¹  to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” ¹¹² 

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: ¹¹³  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, ¹¹⁴  10:35 but in every nation ¹¹⁵  the person who fears him ¹¹⁶  and does what is right ¹¹⁷  is welcomed before him. 10:36 You know ¹¹⁸  the message ¹¹⁹  he sent to the people ¹²⁰  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace ¹²¹  through ¹²²  Jesus Christ ¹²³  (he is Lord ¹²⁴  of all) – 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ¹²⁵  10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, ¹²⁶  that ¹²⁷  God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He ¹²⁸  went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, ¹²⁹  because God was with him. ¹³⁰  10:39 We ¹³¹  are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea ¹³²  and in Jerusalem. ¹³³  They ¹³⁴  killed him by hanging him on a tree, ¹³⁵  10:40 but ¹³⁶  God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, ¹³⁷  10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, ¹³⁸  who ate and drank ¹³⁹  with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He ¹⁴⁰  commanded us to preach to the people and to warn ¹⁴¹  them ¹⁴²  that he is the one ¹⁴³  appointed ¹⁴⁴  by God as judge ¹⁴⁵  of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, ¹⁴⁶  that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins ¹⁴⁷  through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on ¹⁴⁸  all those who heard the message. ¹⁴⁹  10:45 The ¹⁵⁰  circumcised believers ¹⁵¹  who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished ¹⁵²  that ¹⁵³  the gift of the Holy Spirit ¹⁵⁴  had been poured out ¹⁵⁵  even on the Gentiles, 10:46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising ¹⁵⁶  God. Then Peter said, 10:47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, ¹⁵⁷  can he?” ¹⁵⁸  10:48 So he gave orders to have them baptized ¹⁵⁹  in the name of Jesus Christ. ¹⁶⁰  Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Peter Defends His Actions to the Jerusalem Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted ¹⁶¹  the word of God. ¹⁶²  11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ¹⁶³  the circumcised believers ¹⁶⁴  took issue with ¹⁶⁵  him, 11:3 saying, “You went to ¹⁶⁶  uncircumcised men and shared a meal with ¹⁶⁷  them.” 11:4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, ¹⁶⁸  saying, 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, ¹⁶⁹  an object something like a large sheet descending, ¹⁷⁰  being let down from heaven ¹⁷¹  by its four corners, and it came to me. 11:6 As I stared ¹⁷²  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, ¹⁷³  and wild birds. ¹⁷⁴  11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter ¹⁷⁵  and eat!’ 11:8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean ¹⁷⁶  has ever entered my mouth!’ 11:9 But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider ¹⁷⁷  ritually unclean!’ 11:10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11:11 At that very moment, ¹⁷⁸  three men sent to me from Caesarea ¹⁷⁹  approached ¹⁸⁰  the house where we were staying. ¹⁸¹  11:12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers ¹⁸²  also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 11:13 He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 11:14 who will speak a message ¹⁸³  to you by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 11:15 Then as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on ¹⁸⁴  them just as he did ¹⁸⁵  on us at the beginning. ¹⁸⁶  11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, ¹⁸⁷  as he used to say, ¹⁸⁸  ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁸⁹  11:17 Therefore if God ¹⁹⁰  gave them the same gift ¹⁹¹  as he also gave us after believing ¹⁹²  in the Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁹³  who was I to hinder ¹⁹⁴  God?” 11:18 When they heard this, ¹⁹⁵  they ceased their objections ¹⁹⁶  and praised ¹⁹⁷  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance ¹⁹⁸  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” ¹⁹⁹ 

Acts 16:9

16:9 A ²⁰⁰  vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there ²⁰¹  urging him, ²⁰²  “Come over ²⁰³  to Macedonia ²⁰⁴  and help us!”

Acts 22:21

22:21 Then ²⁰⁵  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

Acts 26:17-18

26:17 I will rescue ²⁰⁶  you from your own people ²⁰⁷  and from the Gentiles, to whom ²⁰⁸  I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ²⁰⁹  from darkness to light and from the power ²¹⁰  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ²¹¹  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Romans 10:12-15

10:12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. ²¹² 

10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them ²¹³ ? 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely ²¹⁴  is the arrival ²¹⁵  of those who proclaim the good news.” ²¹⁶ 

Ephesians 2:13-15

2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ²¹⁷  2:14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one ²¹⁸  and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 2:15 when he nullified ²¹⁹  in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man ²²⁰  out of two, ²²¹  thus making peace,

Ephesians 2:19-22

2:19 So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, 2:20 because you have been built ²²²  on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, ²²³  with Christ Jesus himself as ²²⁴  the cornerstone. ²²⁵  2:21 In him ²²⁶  the whole building, ²²⁷  being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 2:22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

[2:8]  ¹ sn I will give you the nations. The Lord promises the Davidic king universal dominion.

[72:17]  ² tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.

[72:17]  ³ tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (yÿnayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.

[72:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (’ashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.

[72:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).

[72:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.

[72:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”

[72:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “[be] blessed.”

[72:19]  ⁹ tn Or “glory.”

[72:19]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’amen vÿ’amen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.

[49:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the protected [or “preserved”] ones.”

[49:6]  ¹² sn The question is purely rhetorical; it does not imply that the servant was dissatisfied with his commission or that he minimized the restoration of Israel.

[49:6]  ¹³ tn See the note at 42:6.

[49:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “be” (so KJV, ASV); CEV “you must take.”

[60:1]  ¹⁵ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).

[60:2]  ¹⁶ tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[60:2]  ¹⁷ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”

[60:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”

[60:5]  ¹⁹ tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[60:5]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”

[60:5]  ²¹ tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.

[60:10]  ²² tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”

[60:11]  ²³ tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.

[10:1]  ²⁴ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]).

[10:1]  ²⁵ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[10:1]  ²⁶ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.

[10:2]  ²⁷ tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  ²⁸ sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  ²⁹ tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  ³⁰ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ³¹ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[10:3]  ³² tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  ³³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ³⁴ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ³⁶ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ³⁷ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[10:5]  ³⁸ tn Grk “And now.” 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.

[10:5]  ³⁹ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.

[10:5]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “a certain Simon.”

[10:6]  ⁴¹ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.

[10:7]  ⁴² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:7]  ⁴³ tn Or “domestic servants.” The Greek word here is οἰκέτης (oiketh"), which technically refers to a member of the household, but usually means a household servant (slave) or personal servant rather than a field laborer.

[10:7]  ⁴⁴ tn The meaning of the genitive participle προσκαρτερούντων (proskarterountwn) could either be “a soldier from the ranks of those who served him” (referring to his entire command) or “a soldier from among his personal staff” (referring to a group of soldiers who were his personal attendants). The translation “from among those who served him” is general enough to cover either possibility.

[10:9]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[10:9]  ⁴⁶ tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (Jodoiporountwn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontwn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.

[10:9]  ⁴⁷ sn Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.

[10:10]  ⁴⁸ tn The traditional translation, “he fell into a trance,” is somewhat idiomatic; it is based on the textual variant ἐπέπεσεν (epepesen, “he fell”) found in the Byzantine text but almost certainly not original.

[10:11]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[10:11]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:11]  ⁵¹ tn On the heavens “opening,” see Matt 3:16; Luke 3:21; Rev 19:11 (cf. BDAG 84 s.v. ἀνοίγω 2). This is the language of a vision or a revelatory act of God.

[10:11]  ⁵² tn Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη).

[10:11]  ⁵³ tn Or “coming down.”

[10:11]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “to the ground.”

[10:12]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “in which.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[10:12]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate. See also Gen 6:20, as well as the law making such creatures unclean food in Lev 11:2-47.

[10:12]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[10:13]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “And there came.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[10:13]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[10:13]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[10:14]  ⁶¹ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqarto") here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:15]  ⁶² tn Grk “And the voice.” 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.

[10:15]  ⁶³ tn Or “declare.”

[10:15]  ⁶⁴ sn For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23; Rom 14:14; Eph 2:11-22. God directed this change in practice.

[10:16]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:17]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).

[10:17]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:17]  ⁶⁸ tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”

[10:18]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the pronoun “they” as the subject of the following verb.

[10:18]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “Simon, the one called Peter.” This qualification was necessary because the owner of the house was also named Simon (Acts 9:43).

[10:19]  ⁷¹ tn The translation “think seriously about” for διενθυμέομαι (dienqumeomai) is given in L&N 30.2. Peter was “pondering” the vision (BDAG 244 s.v.).

[10:20]  ⁷² tn Grk “But getting up, go down.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:20]  ⁷³ tn The term means “without doubting” or “without deliberation.” It is a term of conscience and discernment. In effect, Peter is to listen to them rather than hesitate (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 6).

[10:21]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “Peter going down to the men, said.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:21]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “Behold, it is I whom you seek,” or “Behold, I am the one you seek.” “Here I am” is used to translate ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι (idou egw eimi).

[10:22]  ⁷⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[10:22]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “just.”

[10:22]  ⁷⁸ tn The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English.

[10:22]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “hear words.”

[10:23]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:23]  ⁸¹ tn Or “went forth.”

[10:23]  ⁸² sn Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.

[10:24]  ⁸³ tn Grk “On the next day,” but since this phrase has already occurred in v. 23, it would be redundant in English to use it again here.

[10:24]  ⁸⁴ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi).

[10:24]  ⁸⁵ tn Normally προσδοκάω (prosdokaw) means “to wait with apprehension or anxiety for something,” often with the implication of impending danger or trouble (L&N 25.228), but in this context the anxiety Cornelius would have felt came from the importance of the forthcoming message as announced by the angel.

[10:25]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “So it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[10:25]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “meeting him.” The participle συναντήσας (sunanthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “falling at his feet, worshiped.” The participle πεσών (peswn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ⁸⁹ sn When Cornelius worshiped Peter, it showed his piety and his respect for Peter, but it was an act based on ignorance, as Peter’s remark in v. 26 indicates.

[10:26]  ⁹⁰ tn BDAG 271 s.v. ἐγείρω 3 has “raise, help to rise….Stretched out Ac 10:26.”

[10:26]  ⁹¹ tn Although it is certainly true that Peter was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") has been translated as “mere mortal” because the emphasis in context is not on Peter’s maleness, but his humanity. Contrary to what Cornelius thought, Peter was not a god or an angelic being, but a mere mortal.

[10:27]  ⁹² tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 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.

[10:27]  ⁹³ tn Or “many people assembled.”

[10:28]  ⁹⁴ tn Here ὡς (Jws) is used like ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).

[10:28]  ⁹⁵ tn This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος).

[10:28]  ⁹⁶ tn Grk “a Jewish man” (ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ, andri Ioudaiw).

[10:28]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “a foreigner,” but in this context, “a non-Jew,” that is, a Gentile. This term speaks of intimate association (BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.b.α). On this Jewish view, see John 18:28, where a visit to a Gentile residence makes a Jewish person unclean.

[10:28]  ⁹⁸ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[10:28]  ⁹⁹ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:29]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “Therefore when I was sent for.” The passive participle μεταπεμφθείς (metapemfqei") has been taken temporally and converted to an active construction which is less awkward in English.

[10:29]  ¹⁰¹ tn Grk “ask for what reason.”

[10:30]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “And Cornelius.” 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.

[10:30]  ¹⁰³ tn Grk “said.”

[10:30]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” Again, this is the hour of afternoon prayer.

[10:30]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Grk “and behold.” The interjection ἰδού (idou) is difficult at times to translate into English. Here it has been translated as “suddenly” to convey the force of Cornelius’ account of the angel’s appearance.

[10:31]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:31]  ¹⁰⁷ sn This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4.

[10:32]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname.

[10:33]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “you have done well by coming.” The idiom καλῶς ποιεῖν (kalw" poiein) is translated “be kind enough to do someth.” by BDAG 505-6 s.v. καλῶς 4.a. The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as an English infinitive due to the nature of the English idiom (“kind enough to” + infinitive).

[10:33]  ¹¹⁰ tn The translation “we are here in the presence of God” for ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πάρεσμεν (enwpion tou qeou paresmen) is given by BDAG 773 s.v. πάρειμι 1.a.

[10:33]  ¹¹¹ tn Or “to hear everything.”

[10:33]  ¹¹² tn The words “to say to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Cornelius knows Peter is God’s representative, bringing God’s message.

[10:34]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:34]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.

[10:35]  ¹¹⁵ sn See Luke 24:47.

[10:35]  ¹¹⁶ tn Or “shows reverence for him.”

[10:35]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.

[10:36]  ¹¹⁸ tn The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.

[10:36]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “the word.”

[10:36]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “to the sons.”

[10:36]  ¹²¹ sn Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 9:31. See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17.

[10:36]  ¹²² tn Or “by.”

[10:36]  ¹²³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[10:36]  ¹²⁴ sn He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all, so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.

[10:37]  ¹²⁵ tn Or “proclaimed.”

[10:38]  ¹²⁶ sn The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.

[10:38]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “how.” The use of ὡς (Jws) as an equivalent to ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.

[10:38]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:38]  ¹²⁹ tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.

[10:38]  ¹³⁰ sn See Acts 7:9.

[10:39]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “And we.” 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.

[10:39]  ¹³² tn Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).

[10:39]  ¹³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:39]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:39]  ¹³⁵ tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

[10:40]  ¹³⁶ tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton, or lack of a connective, in Greek.

[10:40]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.

[10:41]  ¹³⁸ tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.

[10:41]  ¹³⁹ sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.

[10:42]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “and he.” 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.

[10:42]  ¹⁴¹ tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.

[10:42]  ¹⁴² tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[10:42]  ¹⁴³ tn Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”

[10:42]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.

[10:42]  ¹⁴⁵ sn Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31; Rom 14:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5.

[10:43]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.

[10:43]  ¹⁴⁷ sn Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31. The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7. The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.

[10:44]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.

[10:44]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or “word.”

[10:45]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[10:45]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”

[10:45]  ¹⁵² sn The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.

[10:45]  ¹⁵³ tn Or “because.”

[10:45]  ¹⁵⁴ tn That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.

[10:45]  ¹⁵⁵ sn The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Compare the account in Acts 2, especially 2:33. Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18.

[10:46]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”

[10:47]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).

[10:47]  ¹⁵⁸ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.

[10:48]  ¹⁵⁹ tn The Greek construction (passive infinitive with accusative subject) could be translated either “he ordered them to be baptized” or “he ordered that they be baptized,” but the implication in English in either case is that Peter was giving orders to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, telling them to get baptized. It is much more likely in the context that Peter was ordering those Jewish Christians who accompanied him to baptize the new Gentile converts. They would doubtless have still had misgivings even after witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit and hearing the tongues. It took Peter’s apostolic authority (“ordered”) to convince them to perform the baptisms.

[10:48]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Jesus’ right to judge as the provider of forgiveness is highlighted here.

[11:1]  ¹⁶¹ tn See BDAG 221 s.v. δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.

[11:1]  ¹⁶² tn Here the phrase “word of God” is another way to describe the gospel (note the preceding verb ἐδέξαντο, edexanto, “accepted”). The phrase could also be translated “the word [message] from God.”

[11:2]  ¹⁶³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.

[11:2]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[11:3]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).

[11:3]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.

[11:4]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Or “to them in logical sequence,” “to them in order.” BDAG 490 s.v. καθεξῆς has “explain to someone point by point” for this phrase. This is the same term used in Luke 1:3.

[11:5]  ¹⁶⁹ tn This term describes a supernatural vision and reflects a clear distinction from something imagined (BDAG 718 s.v. ὅραμα 1). Peter repeated the story virtually word for word through v. 13. The repetition with this degree of detail shows the event’s importance.

[11:5]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Or “coming down.”

[11:5]  ¹⁷¹ tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[11:6]  ¹⁷² tn Grk “Staring I looked into it.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:6]  ¹⁷³ tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate.

[11:6]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[11:7]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[11:8]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. The sentiment Peter expressed is like Ezek 4:14.

[11:9]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.

[11:11]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “And behold.”

[11:11]  ¹⁷⁹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[11:11]  ¹⁸⁰ tn See BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epesthsan) here.

[11:11]  ¹⁸¹ tn The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[11:12]  ¹⁸² sn Six witnesses is three times more than what would normally be required. They could confirm the events were not misrepresented by Peter.

[11:14]  ¹⁸³ tn Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rJhmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.

[11:15]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Or “came down on.”

[11:15]  ¹⁸⁵ tn The words “he did” are not in the Greek text but are implied. They form an ellipsis which must be supplied for the modern English reader. Some modern translations supply “it” rather than “he” because the gender of πνεῦμα (pneuma) in Greek is neuter, but there are sufficient NT contexts that use masculine pronouns to refer to the Spirit to justify the use of a masculine pronoun here in the translation.

[11:15]  ¹⁸⁶ sn At the beginning is an allusion to Acts 2 and Pentecost. The beginning is a way to refer to the start of the period of the realization of Jesus’ promise in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. Peter was arguing that God gave Gentiles the same benefits he gave the Jews at the start of their mission.

[11:16]  ¹⁸⁷ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[11:16]  ¹⁸⁸ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.

[11:16]  ¹⁸⁹ sn John…Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.

[11:17]  ¹⁹⁰ tc Codex Bezae (D) and {a few other Western witnesses} here lack ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.

[11:17]  ¹⁹¹ sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]  ¹⁹² tn Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edwken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.

[11:17]  ¹⁹³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:17]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Or “prevent,” “forbid” (BDAG 580 s.v. κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.

[11:18]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.

[11:18]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  ¹⁹⁸ sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).

[11:18]  ¹⁹⁹ sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[16:9]  ²⁰⁰ tn Grk “And a.” 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.

[16:9]  ²⁰¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:9]  ²⁰² tn The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.

[16:9]  ²⁰³ tn Grk “Coming over.” The participle διαβάς (diabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:9]  ²⁰⁴ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[22:21]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to Paul’s reply in v. 19, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[26:17]  ²⁰⁶ tn Grk “rescuing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ἐξαιρούμενος (exairoumeno") has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 17.

[26:17]  ²⁰⁷ tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:17]  ²⁰⁸ tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.

[26:18]  ²⁰⁹ sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.

[26:18]  ²¹⁰ tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)

[26:18]  ²¹¹ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[10:13]  ²¹² sn A quotation from Joel 2:32.

[10:14]  ²¹³ tn Grk “preaching”; the words “to them” are supplied for clarification.

[10:15]  ²¹⁴ tn The word in this context seems to mean “coming at the right or opportune time” (see BDAG 1103 s.v. ὡραῖος 1); it may also mean “beautiful, attractive, welcome.”

[10:15]  ²¹⁵ tn Grk “the feet.” The metaphorical nuance of “beautiful feet” is that such represent timely news.

[10:15]  ²¹⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15.

[2:13]  ²¹⁷ tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”

[2:14]  ²¹⁸ tn Grk “who made the both one.”

[2:15]  ²¹⁹ tn Or “rendered inoperative.” This is a difficult text to translate because it is not easy to find an English term which communicates well the essence of the author’s meaning, especially since legal terminology is involved. Many other translations use the term “abolish” (so NRSV, NASB, NIV), but this term implies complete destruction which is not the author’s meaning here. The verb καταργέω (katargew) can readily have the meaning “to cause someth. to lose its power or effectiveness” (BDAG 525 s.v. 2, where this passage is listed), and this meaning fits quite naturally here within the author’s legal mindset. A proper English term which communicates this well is “nullify” since this word carries the denotation of “making something legally null and void.” This is not, however, a common English word. An alternate term like “rendered inoperative [or ineffective]” is also accurate but fairly inelegant. For this reason, the translation retains the term “nullify”; it is the best choice of the available options, despite its problems.

[2:15]  ²²⁰ tn In this context the author is not referring to a new individual, but instead to a new corporate entity united in Christ (cf. BDAG 497 s.v. καινός 3.b: “All the Christians together appear as κ. ἄνθρωπος Eph 2:15”). This is clear from the comparison made between the Gentiles and Israel in the immediately preceding verses and the assertion in v. 14 that Christ “made both groups into one.” This is a different metaphor than the “new man” of Eph 4:24; in that passage the “new man” refers to the new life a believer has through a relationship to Christ.

[2:15]  ²²¹ tn Grk “in order to create the two into one new man.” Eph 2:14-16 is one sentence in Greek. A new sentence was started here in the translation for clarity since contemporary English is less tolerant of extended sentences.

[2:20]  ²²² tn Grk “having been built.”

[2:20]  ²²³ sn Apostles and prophets. Because the prophets appear after the mention of the apostles and because they are linked together in 3:5 as recipients of revelation about the church, they are to be regarded not as Old Testament prophets, but as New Testament prophets.

[2:20]  ²²⁴ tn Grk “while Christ Jesus himself is” or “Christ Jesus himself being.”

[2:20]  ²²⁵ tn Or perhaps “capstone” (NAB). The meaning of ἀκρογωνιαῖος (akrogwniaio") is greatly debated. The meaning “capstone” is proposed by J. Jeremias (TDNT 1:792), but the most important text for this meaning (T. Sol. 22:7-23:4) is late and possibly not even an appropriate parallel. The only place ἀκρογωνιαῖος is used in the LXX is Isa 28:16, and there it clearly refers to a cornerstone that is part of a foundation. Furthermore, the imagery in this context has the building growing off the cornerstone upward, whereas if Christ were the capstone, he would not assume his position until the building was finished, which vv. 21-22 argue against.

[2:21]  ²²⁶ tn Grk “in whom” (v. 21 is a relative clause, subordinate to v. 20).

[2:21]  ²²⁷ tc Although several important witnesses (א¹ A C P 6 81 326 1739^c 1881) have πᾶσα ἡ οἰκοδομή (pasa Jh oikodomh), instead of πᾶσα οἰκοδομή (the reading of א* B D F G Ψ 33 1739* Ï), the article is almost surely a scribal addition intended to clarify the meaning of the text, for with the article the meaning is unambiguously “the whole building.”