Acts 2:6

2:6 When this sound ¹  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ²  because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

Acts 3:26

3:26 God raised up ³  his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning ⁴  each one of you from your iniquities.” ⁵ 

Acts 17:27

17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around ⁶  for him and find him, ⁷  though he is ⁸  not far from each one of us.

Acts 20:31

20:31 Therefore be alert, ⁹  remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning ¹⁰  each one of you with tears.

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¹ tn Or “this noise.”

² tn Or “was bewildered.”

³ tn Grk “God raising up his servant, sent him.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Some translations (e.g., NIV, NRSV) render this participle as temporal (“when God raised up his servant”).

⁴ sn The picture of turning is again seen as the appropriate response to the message. See v. 19 above. In v. 19 it was “turning to,” here it is “turning away from.” The direction of the two metaphors is important.

⁵ tn For the translation of plural πονηρία (ponhria) as “iniquities,” see G. Harder, TDNT 6:565. The plural is important, since for Luke turning to Jesus means turning away from sins, not just the sin of rejecting Jesus.

⁶ tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.

⁷ sn Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.

⁸ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (Juparconta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

⁹ tn Or “be watchful.”

¹⁰ tn Or “admonishing.”