Acts 2:14

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

2:14 But Peter stood up ¹  with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea ²  and all you who live in Jerusalem, ³  know this ⁴  and listen carefully to what I say.

Acts 5:38

5:38 So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, ⁵  it will come to nothing, ⁶ 

Acts 10:33

10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. ⁷  So now we are all here in the presence of God ⁸  to listen ⁹  to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” ¹⁰ 

Acts 21:37

21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, ¹¹  he said ¹²  to the commanding officer, ¹³  “May I say ¹⁴  something to you?” The officer ¹⁵  replied, ¹⁶  “Do you know Greek? ¹⁷ 

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¹ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle σταθείς (staqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

² tn Or “You Jewish men.” “Judea” is preferred here because it is paired with “Jerusalem,” a location. This suggests locality rather than ethnic background is the primary emphasis in the context. As for “men,” 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 “all” who live in Jerusalem are addressed, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

³ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁴ tn Grk “let this be known to you.” The passive construction has been translated as an active for stylistic reasons.

⁵ tn Here ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

⁶ tn Or “it will be put to an end.”

⁷ 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).

⁸ 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.

⁹ tn Or “to hear everything.”

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

¹² tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

¹³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

¹⁴ tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).

¹⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁶ tn Grk “said.”

¹⁷ sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.