2:22 “Men of Israel, 1 listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, 2 wonders, and miraculous signs 3 that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know –
5:12 Now many miraculous signs 12 and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By 13 common consent 14 they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. 15
19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, 32 Paul resolved 33 to go to Jerusalem, 34 passing through Macedonia 35 and Achaia. 36 He said, 37 “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 38
1 tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, 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.
2 tn Or “miraculous deeds.”
3 tn Again, the context indicates the miraculous nature of these signs, and this is specified in the translation.
4 tn Grk “in his name”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 sn Here is another example of appeal to the person by mentioning the name. See the note on the word name in 3:6.
6 tn Grk “see and know, and the faith.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated.
7 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
sn The faith that is through Jesus. Note how this verse explains how the claim to “faith in Jesus’ name” works and what it means. To appeal to the name is to point to the person. It is not clear that the man expressed faith before the miracle. This could well be a “grace-faith miracle” where God grants power through the apostles to picture how much a gift life is (Luke 17:11-19). Christology and grace are emphasized here.
8 tn Or “in full view.”
9 tn Or “evident.”
10 tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.
11 tn Or “has been done by them.”
12 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.
13 tn Grk “And by.” 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.
14 tn Or “With one mind.”
15 tn Or “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.”
sn Solomon’s Portico was a covered walkway formed by rows of columns supporting a roof and open on the inner side facing the center of the temple complex. Located beside the Court of the Gentiles, it was a very public area.
16 sn This same. The reference to “this one” occurs five times in this speech. It is the way the other speeches in Acts refer to Jesus (e.g., Acts 2:23).
17 sn A quotation from Exod 2:14 (see Acts 7:27). God saw Moses very differently than the people of the nation did. The reference to a ruler and a judge suggests that Stephen set up a comparison between Moses and Jesus, but he never finished his speech to make the point. The reader of Acts, however, knowing the other sermons in the book, recognizes that the rejection of Jesus is the counterpoint.
18 tn Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrwthn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”
19 tn Or simply “through the angel.” Here the “hand” could be understood as a figure for the person or the power of the angel himself. The remark about the angel appearing fits the first century Jewish view that God appears to no one (John 1:14-18; Gal 3:19; Deut 33:2 LXX).
20 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
21 sn The Lord testified to the message by granting the signs described in the following clause.
22 tn Grk “word.”
23 tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.
24 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.
25 tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.
26 tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”
27 tn Or “cities.”
28 tn BDAG 762-63 s.v. παραδίδωμι 3 has “they handed down to them the decisions to observe Ac 16:4.”
29 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
30 tn Grk “for them”; the referent (Gentile believers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Or “observe” or “follow.”
32 tn Grk “all these things had been fulfilled.”
33 tn Grk “Paul purposed in [his] spirit” (an idiom). According to BDAG 1003 s.v. τίθημι 1.b.ε the entire idiom means “to resolve” (or “decide”): “ἔθετο ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῷ πνεύματι w. inf. foll. Paul resolved 19:21.”
34 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
35 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
36 sn Achaia was the Roman province of Achaia located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. Its principal city was Corinth.
37 tn Grk “Achaia, saying.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the awkwardness in English of having two participial clauses following one another (“passing through…saying”), the participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation.
38 sn This is the first time Paul mentions Rome. He realized the message of Christianity could impact that society even at its heights.
map For location see JP4-A1.
39 tn BDAG 841 s.v. ποιέω 5.c, “w. an acc. of time spend, stay.”
40 tn The participle βενομένης (benomenh") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 30.71 has “ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ‘because the Jews had made a plot against him’ Ac 20:3.”
41 sn This plot is one of several noted by Luke (Acts 9:20; 20:19; 23:30).
42 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
43 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 gives “put out to sea” here (as a nautical technical term). However, since the English expression “put out to sea” could be understood to mean Paul was already aboard the ship (which is not clear from the context), the simpler expression “sail” is used at this point in the translation.
44 tn BDAG 199 s.v. γίνομαι 7 has “ἐγένετο γνώμης he decided Ac 20:3.”
45 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.