translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ACT

label: NET translator note

text: In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.


text: Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη ).


text: Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.


text: Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG , 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation , 324-35.


text: The participles εἰσελθόντα ( eiselqonta ) and εἰπόντα ( eiponta ) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον ( angelon ): “an angel who came in and said.”


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.


text: Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “your gifts to the needy.”


text: Grk “And now.” 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.


text: Grk “a certain Simon.”


text: Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ ( bursei ) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.


text: Or “domestic servants.” The Greek word here is οἰκέτης ( oiketh" ), which technically refers to a member of the household, but usually means a household servant (slave) or personal servant rather than a field laborer.


text: The meaning of the genitive participle προσκαρτερούντων ( proskarterountwn ) could either be “a soldier from the ranks of those who served him” (referring to his entire command) or “a soldier from among his personal staff” (referring to a group of soldiers who were his personal attendants). The translation “from among those who served him” is general enough to cover either possibility.


text: Grk “about the sixth hour.”


text: The participles ὁδοιπορούντων ( Jodoiporountwn , “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων ( engizontwn , “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.


text: The traditional translation, “he fell into a trance,” is somewhat idiomatic; it is based on the textual variant ἐπέπεσεν ( epepesen , “he fell”) found in the Byzantine text but almost certainly not original.


text: Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί ( kai ) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.


text: Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).


text: On the heavens “opening,” see Matt 3:16 ; Luke 3:21 ; Rev 19:11 (cf. BDAG 84 s.v. ἀνοίγω 2). This is the language of a vision or a revelatory act of God.


text: Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη ).


text: Or “coming down.”


text: Or “to the ground.”


text: Grk “in which.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.


text: Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30 ) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate. See also Gen 6:20 , as well as the law making such creatures unclean food in Lev 11:2-47 .


text: Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός ( ouranos ) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν ).


text: Grk “And there came.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο ( egeneto , “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


text: Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.


text: Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον ( quson ) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.


text: Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός ( koinos ) and ἀκάθαρτος ( akaqarto" ) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. sn Peter insisted he would not violate the law by eating anything defiled and ritually unclean . These food laws were one of the practices that distinguished Jews from their Gentile neighbors. The practice made table fellowship with Gentiles awkward. For an example of Jewish attitudes to this, see Dan 1:8-16 ; 1 Macc 1:41-64; Letter of Aristeas 142; Tacitus, History 5.5.


text: Grk “And the voice.” 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.


text: Or “declare.”


text: Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).


text: Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω ).


text: Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες ( dierwthsante" ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: 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.


text: Grk “and.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί ( kai ) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the pronoun “they” as the subject of the following verb.


text: Grk “Simon, the one called Peter.” This qualification was necessary because the owner of the house was also named Simon ( Acts 9:43 ).


text: The translation “think seriously about” for διενθυμέομαι ( dienqumeomai ) is given in L&N 30.2. Peter was “pondering” the vision (BDAG 244 s.v.).


text: Grk “But getting up, go down.” The participle ἀναστάς ( anastas ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: The term means “without doubting” or “without deliberation.” It is a term of conscience and discernment. In effect, Peter is to listen to them rather than hesitate (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 6).


text: Grk “Peter going down to the men, said.” The participle καταβάς ( katabas ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: Grk “Behold, it is I whom you seek,” or “Behold, I am the one you seek.” “Here I am” is used to translate ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι ( idou egw eimi ).


text: Or “just.”


text: The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ( tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn ) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English. sn The long introduction of Cornelius by his messengers is an attempt to commend this Gentile to his Jewish counterpart, which would normally be important to do in the culture of the time.


text: Grk “hear words.”


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sn When Peter entertained them as guests , he performed a culturally significant act denoting acceptance.


text: Or “went forth.”


text: Grk “On the next day,” but since this phrase has already occurred in v. 23 , it would be redundant in English to use it again here.


text: Normally προσδοκάω ( prosdokaw ) means “to wait with apprehension or anxiety for something,” often with the implication of impending danger or trouble (L&N 25.228), but in this context the anxiety Cornelius would have felt came from the importance of the forthcoming message as announced by the angel.


text: Grk “So it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο ( egeneto , “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


text: Grk “meeting him.” The participle συναντήσας ( sunanthsa" ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: Grk “falling at his feet, worshiped.” The participle πεσών ( peswn ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: BDAG 271 s.v. ἐγείρω 3 has “ raise, help to rise ….Stretched out Ac 10:26 .”


text: Although it is certainly true that Peter was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpo" ) has been translated as “mere mortal” because the emphasis in context is not on Peter’s maleness, but his humanity. Contrary to what Cornelius thought, Peter was not a god or an angelic being, but a mere mortal.


text: Grk “And he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 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.


text: Or “many people assembled.”


text: Here ὡς ( Jws ) is used like ὅτι ( Joti ) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).


text: This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος ).


text: Grk “a Jewish man” ( ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ , andri Ioudaiw ).


text: Grk “a foreigner,” but in this context, “a non-Jew,” that is, a Gentile. This term speaks of intimate association (BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.b. α ). On this Jewish view, see John 18:28 , where a visit to a Gentile residence makes a Jewish person unclean.


text: This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpo" ).


text: Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός ( koinos ) and ἀκάθαρτος ( akaqartos ) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. sn God has shown me…unclean. Peter sees the significance of his vision as not about food, but about open fellowship between Jewish Christians and Gentiles.


text: Grk “Therefore when I was sent for.” The passive participle μεταπεμφθείς ( metapemfqei" ) has been taken temporally and converted to an active construction which is less awkward in English.


text: Grk “ask for what reason.”


text: Grk “And Cornelius.” 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.


text: Grk “said.”


text: Grk “at the ninth hour.” Again, this is the hour of afternoon prayer.


text: Grk “and behold.” The interjection ἰδού ( idou ) is difficult at times to translate into English. Here it has been translated as “suddenly” to convey the force of Cornelius’ account of the angel’s appearance.


text: Or “your gifts to the needy.”


text: Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ ( bursei ) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname.


text: 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).


text: 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.


text: Or “to hear everything.”


text: 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.


text: Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας ( anoixa" ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης ). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11 ; Eph 2:11-22 ; Col 3:25 ; Jas 2:1 ; 1 Pet 1:17 . This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.


text: Or “shows reverence for him.”


text: Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85. sn Note how faith and response are linked here by the phrase and does what is right .


text: The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.


text: Grk “the word.”


text: Grk “to the sons.”


text: Or “by.”


text: Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”


text: Or “proclaimed.”


text: Or “how.” The use of ὡς ( Jws ) as an equivalent to ὅτι ( Joti ) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.


text: Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.


text: The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22. sn All who were oppressed by the devil. Note how healing is tied to the cosmic battle present in creation. Christ’s power overcomes the devil and his forces, which seek to destroy humanity.


text: Grk “And we.” 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.


text: Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).


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


text: Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.


text: Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23 . The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.


text: The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton , or lack of a connective, in Greek.


text: Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.


text: Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8 .


text: Grk “and he.” 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.


text: The verb διαμαρτύρομαι ( diamarturomai ) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.


text: The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.


text: Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”


text: Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “ the one appointed by God as judge ” for this phrase.


text: Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.


text: Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.


text: Or “word.”


text: Grk “And the.” 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.


text: Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”


text: Or “because.”


text: That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος ( tou pneumato" ) is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.


text: Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”


text: Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).


text: The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.


text: The Greek construction (passive infinitive with accusative subject) could be translated either “he ordered them to be baptized” or “he ordered that they be baptized,” but the implication in English in either case is that Peter was giving orders to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, telling them to get baptized. It is much more likely in the context that Peter was ordering those Jewish Christians who accompanied him to baptize the new Gentile converts. They would doubtless have still had misgivings even after witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit and hearing the tongues. It took Peter’s apostolic authority (“ordered”) to convince them to perform the baptisms.


text: Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Jesus’ right to judge as the provider of forgiveness is highlighted here.