Nehemia 12:27--13:6
Konteks12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, 1 they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived 2 to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 12:28 The singers 3 were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 12:29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. 12:30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
12:31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed 4 on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate. 12:32 Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, 12:33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 12:35 some of the priests 5 with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 12:36 and his colleagues – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani – with musical instruments of 6 David the man of God. (Ezra the scribe led them.) 7 12:37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall. They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east.
12:38 The second choir was proceeding 8 in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 12:39 over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, 9 the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped 10 at the Gate of the Guard.
12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations 11 in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, 12:41 and the priests – Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with their trumpets – 12:42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang loudly 12 under the direction of Jezrahiah. 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from 13 the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah 14 took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 15 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and 16 his son Solomon. 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors 17 for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God. 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel was contributing the portions for the singers and gatekeepers, according to the daily need. 18 They also set aside 19 the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
13:1 On that day the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing 20 of the people. They found 21 written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever enter the assembly of God, 13:2 for they had not met the Israelites with food 22 and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.) 13:3 When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.
13:4 But prior to this time, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been appointed over the storerooms 23 of the temple of our God. 13:5 He made for himself a large storeroom where previously they had been keeping 24 the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil as commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the offering for the priests.
13:6 During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, 25 for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time 26 I had requested leave of the king,
Nehemia 5:14-19
Konteks5:14 From the day that I was appointed 27 governor 28 in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes – twelve years in all – neither I nor my relatives 29 ate the food allotted to the governor. 30 5:15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to 31 forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God. 5:16 I gave myself to the work on this wall, without even purchasing 32 a field. All my associates were gathered there for the work.
5:17 There were 150 Jews and officials who dined with me routinely, 33 in addition to those who came to us from the nations 34 all around us. 5:18 Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.
5:19 Please remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
Nehemia 13:7-31
Konteks13:7 and I returned to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by supplying him with a storeroom in the courts of the temple of God. 13:8 I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the storeroom. 13:9 Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment 35 of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.
13:10 I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields. 13:11 So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions. 36
13:12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms. 13:13 I gave instructions 37 that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of 38 the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, 39 for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues. 40
13:14 Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services!
13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. 13:16 The people from Tyre 41 who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah – and in Jerusalem, of all places! 42 13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors 43 acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”
13:19 When the evening shadows 44 began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered 45 the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned 46 some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. 13:20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21 But I warned them and said, 47 “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” 48 From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. 49 13:22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.
13:23 Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 13:24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned 50 ) and were unable to speak the language of Judah. 13:25 So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, “You will not marry off 51 your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! 13:26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made 52 him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin! 13:27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying 53 foreign wives?”
13:28 Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight.
13:29 Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, 54 and the Levites.
13:30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific 55 duties to the priests and the Levites. 13:31 I also provided for 56 the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits.
Please remember me for good, O my God.
Kisah Para Rasul 1:1--2:9
Konteks1:1 I wrote 57 the former 58 account, 59 Theophilus, 60 about all that Jesus began to do and teach 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, 61 after he had given orders 62 by 63 the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 1:3 To the same apostles 64 also, after his suffering, 65 he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period 66 and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God. 1:4 While he was with them, 67 he declared, 68 “Do not leave Jerusalem, 69 but wait there 70 for what my 71 Father promised, 72 which you heard about from me. 73 1:5 For 74 John baptized with water, but you 75 will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
1:6 So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, 76 “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 1:7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know 77 the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts 78 of the earth.” 1:9 After 79 he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 1:10 As 80 they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly 81 two men in white clothing stood near them 1:11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here 82 looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven 83 will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”
1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem 84 from the mountain 85 called the Mount of Olives 86 (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey 87 away). 1:13 When 88 they had entered Jerusalem, 89 they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter 90 and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there. 91 1:14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 92 1:15 In those days 93 Peter stood up among the believers 94 (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said, 1:16 “Brothers, 95 the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through 96 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.” 97 1:18 (Now this man Judas 98 acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, 99 and falling headfirst 100 he burst open in the middle and all his intestines 101 gushed out. 1:19 This 102 became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language 103 they called that field 104 Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, 105 and let there be no one to live in it,’ 106 and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ 107 1:21 Thus one of the men 108 who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with 109 us, 1:22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he 110 was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 1:23 So they 111 proposed two candidates: 112 Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, 113 “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task 114 of this service 115 and apostleship from which Judas turned aside 116 to go to his own place.” 117 1:26 Then 118 they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; 119 so he was counted with the eleven apostles. 120
2:1 Now 121 when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly 122 a sound 123 like a violent wind blowing 124 came from heaven 125 and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire 126 appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All 127 of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages 128 as the Spirit enabled them. 129
2:5 Now there were devout Jews 130 from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 131 2:6 When this sound 132 occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, 133 because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, 134 “Aren’t 135 all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them 136 in our own native language? 137 2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 138
[12:27] 1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:27] 2 tn Heb “from all their places.” The words “they lived” are implied.
[12:28] 3 tn Heb “the sons of the singers.”
[12:31] 4 tc The translation reads וְהָאַחַת הֹלֶכֶת (vÿha’akhat holekhet, “and one was proceeding”) rather than the MT reading וְתַהֲלֻכֹת (vÿtahalukhot, “and processions”).
[12:35] 5 tn Heb “some of the sons of the priests.”
[12:36] 6 tn Or “prescribed by” (NIV, NLT); TEV “of the kind played by.” The precise relationship of these musical instruments to David is not clear.
[12:36] 7 tn Heb “was before them.”
[12:38] 8 tc The translation reads הוֹלֶכֶת (holekhet, “was proceeding”) rather than the MT הַהוֹלֶכֶת (haholekhet, “the one proceeding”). The MT probably reflects dittography – accidental writing of ה (hey) twice instead of once.
[12:39] 9 tn Or “the Old Gate” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).
[12:39] 10 tn Heb “they stood.”
[12:42] 12 tn Heb “caused to hear.”
[12:44] 13 tc The translation reads מִשְּׂדֶי (missÿde, “from the fields”) rather than the MT reading לִשְׂדֵי (lisdey, “to the fields”).
[12:44] 14 tn Heb “for Judah.” The words “the people of” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, since “Judah” is a proper name as well as a place name.
[12:45] 16 tc With many medieval Hebrew
[12:46] 17 tn Heb “heads.” The translation reads with the Qere the plural רֹאשֵׁי (ro’shey, “heads”) rather than the Kethib singular רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) of the MT.
[12:47] 18 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
[12:47] 19 tn Heb “were sanctifying.”
[13:1] 21 tn Heb “it was found.” The Hebrew verb is passive.
[13:2] 22 tn Heb “bread.” The Hebrew term is generic here, however, referring to more than bread alone.
[13:4] 23 tc The translation reads the plural rather than the singular of the MT.
[13:6] 25 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[13:6] 26 tn Heb “to the end of days.”
[5:14] 27 tc The BHS editors suggest reading צֻוֵּאתִי (tsuvve’ti, “and I was appointed”) rather than the reading of the MT, אֹתִי צִוָּה (tsivvah ’oti, “he appointed me”).
[5:14] 28 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew
[5:14] 30 tn Heb “the food of the governor.” Cf. v. 18.
[5:15] 31 tc The Hebrew term אַחַר (’akhar) is difficult here. It normally means “after,” but that makes no sense here. Some scholars emend it to אַחַד (’akhad) and supply the word “day,” which yields the sense “daily.” Cf. TEV “40 silver coins a day for food and wine.”
[5:16] 32 tn Heb “we did not purchase.”
[5:17] 33 tn Heb “who were gathered around us at my table.”
[5:17] 34 tn Or “from the Gentiles.” The same Hebrew word can refer to “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” Cf. the phrase in 6:16.
[13:9] 35 tn On the usage of this Hebrew word see HALOT 478-79 s.v. כְּלִי.
[13:11] 36 tn Heb “and I stood them on their standing.”
[13:13] 37 tc Probably one should read with the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate וָאֲצַוֶּה (va’atsavveh, “and I commanded”) rather than the rare denominative verb וָאוֹצְרָה (va’otsÿrah, “and I appointed over the storeroom”) of the MT.
[13:13] 39 tn Heb “on their hand.”
[13:16] 41 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[13:16] 42 tn The words “of all places” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation to indicate the emphasis on Jerusalem.
[13:18] 43 tn Heb “your fathers.”
[13:19] 44 tn Heb “the gates of Jerusalem grew dark.”
[13:19] 45 tn Heb “said” (so also in v. 22).
[13:19] 46 tn Heb “caused to stand.”
[13:21] 47 tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.
[13:21] 48 tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”
[13:21] 49 sn This statement contains a great deal of restrained humor. The author clearly takes pleasure in the effectiveness of the measures that he had enacted.
[13:24] 50 tn Heb “people and people.”
[13:27] 53 tn Heb “give a dwelling to.”
[13:29] 54 tc One medieval Hebrew
[13:30] 55 tn Heb “a man in his work.”
[13:31] 56 tn The words “I also provided for” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:1] 57 tn Or “produced,” Grk “made.”
[1:1] 58 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] 59 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] sn The former account refers to the Gospel of Luke, which was “volume one” of the two-volume work Luke-Acts.
[1:1] 60 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] 61 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] 62 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”).
[1:3] 64 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:3] 65 sn After his suffering is a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion and the abuse which preceded it.
[1:3] 66 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.
[1:4] 67 tn Or “While he was assembling with them,” or “while he was sharing a meal with them.” There are three basic options for translating the verb συναλίζω (sunalizw): (1) “Eat (salt) with, share a meal with”; (2) “bring together, assemble”; (3) “spend the night with, stay with” (see BDAG 964 s.v.). The difficulty with the first option is that it does not fit the context, and this meaning is not found elsewhere. The second option is difficult because of the singular number and the present tense. The third option is based on a spelling variation of συναυλιζόμενος (sunaulizomeno"), which some minuscules actually read here. The difference in meaning between (2) and (3) is not great, but (3) seems to fit the context somewhat better here.
[1:4] 68 tn Grk “ordered them”; the command “Do not leave” is not in Greek but is an indirect quotation in the original (see note at end of the verse for explanation).
[1:4] 69 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:4] 70 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text (direct objects in Greek were frequently omitted when clear from the context).
[1:4] 71 tn Grk “the,” with the article used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
[1:4] 72 tn Grk “for the promise of the Father.” Jesus is referring to the promised gift of the Holy Spirit (see the following verse).
[1:4] 73 tn Grk “While he was with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for ‘what my Father promised, which you heard about from me.’” This verse moves from indirect to direct discourse. This abrupt change is very awkward, so the entire quotation has been rendered as direct discourse in the translation.
[1:5] 74 tn In the Greek text v. 5 is a continuation of the previous sentence, which is long and complicated. In keeping with the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:5] 75 tn The pronoun is plural in Greek.
[1:6] 76 tn Grk “they began to ask him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. The imperfect tense of the Greek verb ἠρώτων (hrwtwn) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[1:7] 77 tn Grk “It is not for you to know.”
[1:9] 79 tn Grk “And after.” 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.
[1:10] 80 tn Grk “And as.” 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.
[1:11] 82 tn The word “here” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[1:11] 83 tc Codex Bezae (D) and several other witnesses lack the words εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν (ei" ton ouranon, “into heaven”) here, most likely by way of accidental deletion. In any event, it is hardly correct to suppose that the Western text has intentionally suppressed references to the ascension of Christ here, for the phrase is solidly attested in the final clause of the verse.
[1:11] tn Or “into the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” (vv. 10, 11a) or “heaven” (twice in v. 11b) depending on the context.
[1:12] 84 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:12] 85 tn Or “from the hill.” The Greek term ὄρος (oros) refers to a relatively high elevation of land in contrast with βουνός (bounos, “hill”).
[1:12] 86 sn The Mount of Olives is the traditional name for this mountain, also called Olivet. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 1.8 mi (3 km) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
[1:12] 87 sn The phrase a Sabbath day’s journey refers to the distance the rabbis permitted a person to travel on the Sabbath without breaking the Sabbath, specified in tractate Sotah 5:3 of the Mishnah as 2,000 cubits (a cubit was about 18 inches). In this case the distance was about half a mile (1 km).
[1:13] 88 tn Grk “And when.” 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.
[1:13] 89 tn The word “Jerusalem” is not in the Greek text but is implied (direct objects were often omitted when clear from the context).
[1:13] 90 sn In the various lists of the twelve, Peter (also called Simon) is always mentioned first (see also Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.
[1:13] 91 tn The words “were there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[1:14] 92 sn Jesus’ brothers are mentioned in Matt 13:55 and John 7:3.
[1:15] 93 tn Grk “And in those days.” 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.
[1:15] 94 tn Or “brethren” (but the term includes both male and female believers present in this gathering, as indicated by those named in vv. 13-14).
[1:16] 95 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] 96 tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”
[1:17] 97 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] 98 tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 99 tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”
[1:18] 100 tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”
[1:18] 101 tn Or “all his bowels.”
[1:19] 102 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] 103 sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.
[1:19] 104 tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
[1:20] 105 tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”
[1:20] 106 sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.
[1:20] 107 tn Or “Let another take his office.”
[1:20] sn A quotation from Ps 109:8.
[1:21] 108 tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where a successor to Judas is being chosen, only men were under consideration in the original historical context.
[1:21] 109 tn Grk “the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” According to BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β, “ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ ᾧ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς went in and out among us = associated with us Ac 1:21.”
[1:22] 110 tn Here the pronoun “he” refers to Jesus.
[1:23] 111 tc Codex Bezae (D) and other Western witnesses have “he proposed,” referring to Peter, thus emphasizing his role above the other apostles. The Western text displays a conscious pattern of elevating Peter in Acts, and thus the singular verb here is a palpably motivated reading.
[1:23] 112 tn Grk “So they proposed two.” The word “candidates” was supplied in the text for clarity.
[1:24] 113 tn Grk “And praying, they said.” 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.
[1:25] 114 tn Grk “to take the place.”
[1:25] 115 tn Or “of this ministry.”
[1:25] 116 tn Or “the task of this service and apostleship which Judas ceased to perform.”
[1:25] 117 sn To go to his own place. This may well be a euphemism for Judas’ judged fate. He separated himself from them, and thus separated he would remain.
[1:26] 118 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the continuity with the preceding verse. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.
[1:26] 119 tn Grk “and the lot fell on Matthias.”
[1:26] 120 tn Or “he was counted as one of the apostles along with the eleven.”
[2:1] 121 tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.
[2:2] 122 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.
[2:2] 124 tn While φέρω (ferw) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (feromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoh).
[2:2] 125 tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.
[2:3] 126 tn Or “And divided tongues as of fire.” The precise meaning of διαμερίζομαι (diamerizomai) in Acts 2:3 is difficult to determine. The meaning could be “tongues as of fire dividing up one to each person,” but it is also possible that the individual tongues of fire were divided (“And divided tongues as of fire appeared”). The translation adopted in the text (“tongues spreading out like a fire”) attempts to be somewhat ambiguous.
[2:4] 127 tn Grk “And all.” 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.
[2:4] 128 tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glwssai"), the same word used for the tongues of fire.
[2:4] sn Other languages. Acts 2:6-7 indicates that these were languages understandable to the hearers, a diverse group from “every nation under heaven.”
[2:4] 129 tn Grk “just as the spirit gave them to utter.” The verb ἀποφθέγγομαι (apofqengomai) was used of special utterances in Classical Greek (BDAG 125 s.v.).
[2:5] 130 tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17, 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikew) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (ajnhr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.
[2:5] 131 tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”
[2:5] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:6] 133 tn Or “was bewildered.”
[2:7] 134 tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existhmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).
[2:7] 135 tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[2:8] 136 tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”
[2:8] 137 tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”
[2:9] 138 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
