Discovery BoxActs 7:35 
Context7:35 This same 1 Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ 2 God sent as both ruler and deliverer 3 through the hand of the angel 4 who appeared to him in the bush.
Acts 9:40
Context9:40 But Peter sent them all outside, 5 knelt down, 6 and prayed. Turning 7 to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 8
Acts 10:17
Context10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over 9 what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was 10 and approached 11 the gate.
Acts 10:33
Context10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. 12 So now we are all here in the presence of God 13 to listen 14 to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” 15
Acts 12:11
Context12:11 When 16 Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued 17 me from the hand 18 of Herod 19 and from everything the Jewish people 20 were expecting to happen.”
Acts 13:15
Context13:15 After the reading from the law and the prophets, 21 the leaders of the synagogue 22 sent them a message, 23 saying, “Brothers, 24 if you have any message 25 of exhortation 26 for the people, speak it.” 27
Acts 15:3
Context15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia 28 and Samaria, they were relating at length 29 the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy 30 to all the brothers.
Acts 24:26
Context24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, 31 and for this reason he sent for Paul 32 as often as possible 33 and talked 34 with him.
1 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).
2 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.
3 tn Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrwthn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”
4 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).
5 tn Grk “Peter, sending them all outside, knelt down.” The participle ἐκβαλών (ekbalwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
6 tn Grk “and kneeling down,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. Instead the “and” is placed before the verb προσηύξατο (proshuxato, “and prayed”). The participle θείς (qeis) is taken as a participle of attendant circumstance.
7 tn Grk “and turning.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
8 sn She sat up. This event is told much like Luke 8:49-56 and Mark 5:35-43. Peter’s ministry mirrored that of Jesus.
9 tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).
10 tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
11 tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”
sn As Peter puzzled over the meaning of the vision, the messengers from Cornelius approached the gate. God’s direction here had a sense of explanatory timing.
12 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).
13 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.
14 tn Or “to hear everything.”
15 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.
16 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.
17 tn Or “delivered.”
18 sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.
19 sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
20 sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).
21 sn After the reading from the law and the prophets. In the 1st century Jewish synagogue, it was customary after the reading of the Torah (law) and prophets for men to give exhortation from the scriptures.
22 tn Normally ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93). Since the term is plural here, however, and it would sound strange to the English reader to speak of “the presidents of the synagogue,” the alternative translation “leaders” is used. “Rulers” would also be acceptable, but does not convey quite the same idea.
23 tn Grk “sent to them”; the word “message” is an understood direct object. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
24 tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.
25 tn Or “word.”
26 tn Or “encouragement.”
27 tn Or “give it.”
28 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.
29 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.
30 tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”
31 tn Grk “he was hoping that money would be given to him by Paul.” To simplify the translation, the passive construction has been converted to an active one.
sn Would give him money. That is, would offer him a bribe in exchange for his release. Such practices were fairly common among Roman officials of the period (Josephus, Ant. 2.12.3 [2.272-274]).
32 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
33 tn “As often as possible” reflects the comparative form of the adjective πυκνός (puknos); see BDAG 897 s.v. πυκνός, which has “Neut. of the comp. πυκνότερον as adv. more often, more frequently and in an elative sense very often, quite frequently…also as often as possible…Ac 24:26.”
34 tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.
