2:29 “Brothers, 4 I can speak confidently 5 to you about our forefather 6 David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
13:42 As Paul and Barnabas 10 were going out, 11 the people 12 were urging 13 them to speak about these things 14 on the next Sabbath.
24:24 Some days later, when Felix 29 arrived with his wife Drusilla, 30 who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak 31 about faith in Christ Jesus. 32
26:1 So Agrippa 33 said to Paul, “You have permission 34 to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand 35 and began his defense: 36
1 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 tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glwssai"), the same word used for the tongues of fire.
sn Other languages. Acts 2:6-7 indicates that these were languages understandable to the hearers, a diverse group from “every nation under heaven.”
3 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.).
4 tn Since this represents a continuation of the address beginning in v.14 and continued in v. 22, “brothers” has been used here rather than a generic expression like “brothers and sisters.”
5 sn Peter’s certainty is based on well-known facts.
6 tn Or “about our noted ancestor,” “about the patriarch.”
7 tn Or “speak no longer.”
8 sn Had them beaten. The punishment was the “forty lashes minus one,” see also Acts 22:19; 2 Cor 11:24; Mark 13:9. The apostles had disobeyed the religious authorities and took their punishment for their “disobedience” (Deut 25:2-3; m. Makkot 3:10-14). In Acts 4:18 they were warned. Now they are beaten. The hostility is rising as the narrative unfolds.
9 tn The word “Then” is supplied as the beginning of a new sentence in the translation. The construction in Greek has so many clauses (most of them made up of participles) that a continuous English sentence would be very awkward.
10 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Or “were leaving.” The participle ἐξιόντων (exiontwn) is taken temporally.
12 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Or “begging,” “inviting.”
14 tn Or “matters.”
15 sn Frequently in Acts such a vision will tell the reader where events are headed. See Acts 10:9-16 and 16:9-10 for other accounts of visions.
16 tn BDAG 682 s.v. νύξ 1.c has “W. prep. ἐν ν. at night, in the night…Ac 18:9.”
17 tn The present imperative here (with negation) is used (as it normally is) of a general condition (BDF §335).
18 tn Or “laid.”
19 sn The coming of the Holy Spirit here is another case where the Spirit comes and prophesy results in Acts (see Acts 2). Paul’s action parallels that of Peter (Acts 8) and not just with Gentiles.
20 tn The imperfect verb ἐλάλουν (elaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
21 tn The imperfect verb ἐπροφήτευον (eprofhteuon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
22 tn Grk “said.”
23 tn Grk “a Jewish man.”
24 tn Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression (BDAG 142 s.v. ἄσημος 1).
25 tn Grk “I beg you.”
26 tn Grk “said.”
27 tn Or “know.”
28 sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.
29 sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.
30 sn It is possible that Drusilla, being Jewish, was the source of Felix’s knowledge about the new movement called Christianity. The youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Agrippa II, she would have been close to 20 years old at the time. She had married the king of a small region in Syria but divorced him at the age of 16 to marry Felix. This was her second marriage and Felix’s third (Josephus, Ant. 19.9.1 [19.354], 20.7.2 [20.141-144]). As a member of Herod’s family, she probably knew about the Way.
31 tn The word “speak” is implied; BDAG 32 s.v. ἀκούω 1.c has “ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς…πίστεως he heard him speak about faith Ac 24:24.”
32 tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
33 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
34 tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”
35 tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).
36 tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”
37 sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).
38 tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
39 tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.
40 tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.