▼ Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.

▼ Grk “were multiplying.”

▼ Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.

▼ The Greek-speaking Jews were the Hellenists, Jews who to a greater or lesser extent had adopted Greek thought, customs, and lifestyle, as well as the Greek language. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was a focal point for them, but they were scattered throughout the Roman Empire.

▼ Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.

▼ The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19–21; 26:12–13; 27:19; Isa 1:17–23; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5.

▼ Or “neglected.”

▼ Grk “in the daily serving.”

▼ The daily distribution of food. The early church saw it as a responsibility to meet the basic needs of people in their group.

▼ The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.

▼ Grk “calling the whole group…together, said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενοι (proskalesamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

▼ Or “the multitude.”

▼ Grk “to serve tables.”

▼ It is not clear from a historical standpoint (but it is unlikely) that women would have been involved in the selection process too. For this reason the translation “brothers” has been retained, rather than “brothers and sisters” (used in contexts where both male and female believers are clearly addressed).

▼ Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).

▼ Or “are of good reputation” (BDAG 618 s.v. μαρτυρέω 2.b).

▼ The translation “put in charge” is given by BDAG 492 s.v. καθίστημι 2.

▼ Grk “of this need”; translated “necessary work” or “needed task” by L&N 42.22.

▼ 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.

▼ The translation “so” has been used to indicate the logical sequence in English.

▼ “With” is smoother English style for an addition like this. Because of differences between Greek and English style, καί (kai), which occurs between each name in the list, has not been translated except preceding the last element.

▼ Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1).

▼ Or “a proselyte.”

▼ For location see Journey of Paul map 1-F2; Journey of Paul map 2-F2; Journey of Paul map 3-F2; Journey of Paul map 4-F2.

▼ Literally this is a participle in the Greek text (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi). It could be translated as a finite verb (“and they prayed and placed their hands on them”) but much smoother English results if the entire coordinate clause is converted to a relative clause that refers back to the apostles.

▼ Who prayed. The prayer indicates their acceptance and commissioning for ministry (cf. Deut 34:9).

▼ Or “laid.”

▼ Grk “kept on spreading”; the verb has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

▼ For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.

▼ Grk “a great multitude.”

▼ A large group. Many Jews, even some religious leaders, were responding.

▼ The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.

▼ A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3–4; m. Berakhot 2).

▼ Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenēs) by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).

▼ Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

▼ Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.

▼ They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11–12; 21:15.

▼ Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.

▼ Grk “heard him”; but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”

▼ Grk “and the,” 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.

▼ Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

▼ Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.

▼ This holy place is a reference to the temple.

▼ The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11. To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God (Deut 28:15–19). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16–18; 20:16; m. Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1-5. Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 may indicate why the temple was mentioned.

▼ Or “practices.”

▼ Will destroy this place and change the customs. Stephen appears to view the temple as a less central place in light of Christ’s work, an important challenge to Jewish religion, since it was at this time a temple-centered state and religion. Unlike Acts 3–4, the issue here is more than Jesus and his resurrection. Now the impact of his resurrection and the temple’s centrality has also become an issue. The “falseness” of the charge may not be that the witnesses were lying, but that they falsely read the truth of Stephen’s remarks.

▼ 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.

▼ Or “Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

▼ Grk “at him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.

▼ Grk “If it is so concerning these things” (see BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a for this use).

▼ Grk “said.”

▼ Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”

▼ A quotation from Gen 12:1.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ The translation “made him move” for the verb μετοικίζω (metoikizō) is given by L&N 85.83. The verb has the idea of “resettling” someone (BDAG 643 s.v.); see v. 43, where it reappears.

▼ 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.

▼ Grk “He did not give him an inheritance in it.” This could be understood to mean that God did not give something else to Abraham as an inheritance while he was living there. The point of the text is that God did not give any of the land to him as an inheritance, and the translation makes this clear.

▼ Grk “a step of a foot” (cf. Deut 2:5).

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ An allusion to Gen 12:7; 13:15; 15:2, 18; 17:8; 24:7; 48:4. On the theological importance of the promise and to his descendants after him, see Rom 4 and Gal 3.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Grk “that his”; the discourse switches from indirect to direct with the following verbs. For consistency the entire quotation is treated as second person direct discourse in the translation.

▼ Or “will be strangers,” that is, one who lives as a noncitizen of a foreign country.

▼ A quotation from Gen 15:13. Exod 12:40 specifies the sojourn as 430 years.

▼ BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α states, “Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish …Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14).”

▼ The words “of there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

▼ A quotation from Gen 15:14.

▼ Or “and serve,” but with religious/cultic overtones (BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω).

▼ An allusion to Exod 3:12.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ God gave…the covenant. Note how the covenant of promise came before Abraham’s entry into the land and before the building of the temple.

▼ Grk “circumcised him on the eighth day,” but many modern readers will not understand that this procedure was done on the eighth day after birth. The temporal clause “when he was eight days old” conveys this idea more clearly. See Gen 17:11–12.

▼ The words “became the father of” are not in the Greek text due to an ellipsis, but must be supplied for the English translation. The ellipsis picks up the verb from the previous clause describing how Abraham fathered Isaac.

▼ The twelve patriarchs refers to the twelve sons of Jacob, the famous ancestors of the Jewish race (see Gen 35:23–26).

▼ 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.

▼ The meaning “sell” for the middle voice of ἀποδίδωμι (apodidōmi) is given by BDAG 110 s.v. 5.a. See Gen 37:12–36, esp. v. 28.

▼ Though the Greek term here is καί (kai), in context this remark is clearly contrastive: Despite the malicious act, God was present and protected Joseph.

▼ Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41–43.

▼ Grk “came upon all Egypt.”

▼ Grk “and,” but logically causal.

▼ Our. Stephen spoke of “our” ancestors (Grk “fathers”) in an inclusive sense throughout the speech until his rebuke in v. 51, where the nation does what “your” ancestors did, at which point an exclusive pronoun is used. This serves to emphasize the rebuke.

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Or possibly “food,” since in a number of extrabiblical contexts the phrase σιτία καὶ ποτά (sitia kai pota) means “food and drink,” where solid food is contrasted with liquid nourishment (L&N 3.42).

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

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

▼ BDAG 194 s.v. γένος 2. gives “family, relatives” here; another alternative is “race” (see v. 19).

▼ The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

▼ Or “Joseph had his father summoned” (BDAG 121 s.v. ἀποστέλλω 2.b).

▼ Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

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

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ “and they.”

▼ See Gen 49:29–32.

▼ Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6–7 above.

▼ Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”

▼ Or simply “did not know.” However, in this context the point is that the new king knew nothing about Joseph, not whether he had known him personally (which is the way “did not know Joseph” could be understood).

▼ Grk “arose,” but in this context it clearly refers to a king assuming power.

▼ A quotation from Exod 1:8.

▼ According to L&N 88.147 it is also possible to translate κατασοφισάμενος (katasofisamenos) as “took advantage by clever words” or “persuaded by sweet talk.”

▼ Or “race.”

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Or “expose” (BDAG 303 s.v. ἔκθετος).

▼ Grk “so that they could not be kept alive,” but in this context the phrase may be translated either “so that they would not continue to live,” or “so that they would die” (L&N 23.89).

▼ Or “was well-formed before God,” or “was well-pleasing to God” (BDAG 145 s.v. ἀστεῖος suggests the meaning is more like “well-bred” as far as God was concerned; see Exod 2:2).

▼ Grk “who was brought up for three months.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation by changing the relative pronoun to a regular pronoun (“he”).

▼ Or “exposed” (see v. 19).

▼ Grk “Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself.” According to BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω, “The pap. exx. involve exposed children taken up and reared as slaves…The rendering ‘adopt’ lacks philological precision and can be used only in a loose sense (as NRSV), esp. when Gr-Rom. terminology relating to adoption procedures is taken into account.” In this instance both the immediate context and the OT account (Exod 2:3–10) do support the normal sense of the English word “adopt,” although it should not be understood to refer to a technical, legal event.

▼ Or “and reared him” (BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b).

▼ Or “instructed.”

▼ Or “was able” (BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b.α).

▼ Grk “heart.”

▼ Grk “brothers.” The translation “compatriot” is given by BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

▼ Grk “the sons of Israel.”

▼ 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.

▼ “Hurt unfairly” conveys a better sense of the seriousness of the offense against the Israelite than “treated unfairly,” which can sometimes refer to slight offenses, or “wronged,” which can refer to offenses that do not involve personal violence, as this one probably did.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Or “he defended,” “he retaliated” (BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμύνομαι).

▼ Grk “his brothers.”

▼ Grk “was granting them deliverance.” The narrator explains that this act pictured what Moses could do for his people.

▼ Grk “by his hand,” where the hand is a metaphor for the entire person.

▼ They did not understand. Here is the theme of the speech. The people did not understand what God was doing through those he chose. They made the same mistake with Joseph at first. See Acts 3:17; 13:27. There is good precedent for this kind of challenging review of history in the ancient scriptures: Ps 106:6–46; Ezek 20; and Neh 9:6–38.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Grk “saw them”; the context makes clear that two individuals were involved (v. 27).

▼ Or “tried to reconcile” (BDAG 964-65 s.v. συναλλάσσω).

▼ Or “repudiated Moses,” “rejected Moses” (BDAG 126-27 s.v. ἀπωθέω 2).

▼ Grk “him”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Or “appointed.”

▼ The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do you?”

▼ A quotation from Exod 2:14. Even though a negative reply was expected, the question still frightened Moses enough to flee, because he knew his deed had become known. This understanding is based on the Greek text, not the Hebrew of the original setting. Yet the negative here expresses the fact that Moses did not want to kill the other man. Once again the people have badly misunderstood the situation.

▼ Grk “At this word,” which could be translated either “when the man said this” or “when Moses heard this.” Since λόγος (logos) refers to the remark made by the Israelite, this translation has followed the first option.

▼ Or “resident alien.” Traditionally πάροικος (paroikos) has been translated “stranger” or “alien,” but the level of specificity employed with “foreigner” or “resident alien” is now necessary in contemporary English because a “stranger” is a person not acquainted with someone, while an “alien” can suggest science fiction imagery.

▼ Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and contemporary English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

▼ Or “wilderness.”

▼ An allusion to Exod 3:2.

▼ Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Grk “and Isaac,” 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.

▼ A quotation from Exod 3:6. The phrase suggests the God of promise, the God of the nation.

▼ Or “to investigate,” “to contemplate” (BDAG 522 s.v. κατανοέω 2).

▼ A quotation from Exod 3:5. The phrase holy ground points to the fact that God is not limited to a particular locale. The place where he is active in revealing himself is a holy place.

▼ Or “mistreatment.”

▼ Or “to set them free.”

▼ 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.

▼ A quotation from Exod 3:7–8, 10.

▼ 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).

▼ 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.

▼ Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrōtēn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”

▼ 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).

▼ Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

▼ Performing wonders and miraculous signs. Again Moses acted like Jesus. The phrase appears 9 times in Acts (2:19, 22, 43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36; 14:3; 15:12).

▼ Or simply “in Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

▼ Grk “and at,” 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.

▼ Or “desert.”

▼ Grk “to the sons of Israel.”

▼ A quotation from Deut 18:15. This quotation sets up Jesus as the “leader-prophet” like Moses (Acts 3:22; Luke 9:35).

▼ This term, ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), is a secular use of the term that came to mean “church” in the epistles. Here a reference to an assembly is all that is intended.

▼ Or “desert.”

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Grk “fathers, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new clause introduced by “and” was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

▼ Or “messages.” This is an allusion to the law given to Moses.

▼ ‡ The first person pronoun ἡμῖν (hēmin, “to us”) is read by A C D E Ψ 33 1739 Maj. lat sy, while the second person pronoun ὑμῖν (humin, “to you”) is read by Ƥ⁷⁴ א B 36 453 al co. The second person pronoun thus has significantly better external support. As well, ὑμῖν is a harder reading in this context, both because it is surrounded by first person pronouns and because Stephen perhaps “does not wish to disassociate himself from those who received God’s revelation in the past, but only from those who misinterpreted and disobeyed that revelation” (TCGNT 307). At the same time, Stephen does associate himself to some degree with his disobedient ancestors in v. 39, suggesting that the decisive break does not really come until v. 51 (where both his present audience and their ancestors are viewed as rebellious). Thus, both externally and internally ὑμῖν is the preferred reading.

▼ Grk “whom our.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ To obey. Again the theme of the speech is noted. The nation disobeyed the way of God and opted for Egypt over the promised land.

▼ Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).

▼ Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

▼ A quotation from Exod 32:1, 23. Doubt (we do not know what has happened to him) expresses itself in unfaithful action. The act is in contrast to God’s promise in Exod 23:20.

▼ Grk “And.” 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.

▼ Grk “In those days.”

▼ Or “a bull calf” (see Exod 32:4–6). The term μοσχοποιέω (moscopoieō) occurs only in Christian writings according to BDAG 660 s.v.

▼ Grk “and brought,” 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.

▼ The imperfect verb εὐφραίνοντο (eufrainonto) has been translated ingressively. See BDAG 414-15 s.v. εὐφραίνω 2.

▼ Or “in what they had done.”

▼ The expression and gave them over suggests similarities to the judgment on the nations described by Paul in Rom 1:18–32.

▼ Or “stars.”

▼ To worship the hosts of heaven. Their action violated Deut 4:19; 17:2–5. See Ps 106:36–43.

▼ The two terms for sacrifices “semantically reinforce one another and are here combined essentially for emphasis” (L&N 53.20).

▼ The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “was it?”

▼ Or “tent.”

▼ A tabernacle was a tent used to house religious objects or a shrine (i.e., a portable sanctuary).

▼ Moloch was a Canaanite deity who was believed to be the god of the sky and the sun.

▼ ‡ Most mss, including several important ones (Ƥ⁷⁴ א A C E Ψ 33 1739 Maj. h p vg sy^h mae bo Cyr), have ὑμῶν (humōn, “your”) here, in conformity with the LXX of Amos 5:26. But other significant and diverse witnesses lack the pronoun: The lack of ὑμῶν in B D 36 453 gig sy^p sa Ir^lat Or is difficult to explain if it is not the original wording here. NA²⁷ has the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

▼ Rephan (῾Ραιφάν, Rhaifan) was a pagan deity. The term was a name for Saturn. It was variously spelled in the mss (BDAG 903 s.v. has Rompha as an alternate spelling). The references cover a range of deities and a history of unfaithfulness.

▼ Or “I will make you move.”

▼ A quotation from Amos 5:25–27. This constituted a prediction of the exile.

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Or “tent.”

▼ The tabernacle was the tent used to house the ark of the covenant before the construction of Solomon’s temple. This is where God was believed to reside, yet the people were still unfaithful.

▼ Or “desert.”

▼ Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ The word “him” 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.

▼ Grk “And.” 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.

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Before our ancestors. Stephen has backtracked here to point out how faithful God had been before the constant move to idolatry just noted.

▼ Grk “In those days.”

▼ Grk “David, 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.

▼ Or “grace.”

▼ Grk “before,” “in the presence of.”

▼ The words “that he could” are not in the Greek text, but are implied as the (understood) subject of the infinitive εὑρεῖν (heurein). This understands David’s request as asking that he might find the dwelling place. The other possibility would be to supply “that God” as the subject of the infinitive: “and asked that God find a dwelling place.” Unfortunately this problem is complicated by the extremely difficult problem with the Greek text in the following phrase (“house of Jacob” vs. “God of Jacob”).

▼ On this term see BDAG 929 s.v. σκήνωμα a (Ps 132:5).

▼ Some mss read θεῷ (qeō, “God”) here, a variant much easier to understand in the context. The reading “God” is supported by א² A C E Ψ 33 1739 Maj. lat sy co. The more difficult οἴκῳ (oikō, “house”) is supported by Ƥ⁷⁴ א* B D H 049 pc. Thus the second reading is preferred both externally because of better ms evidence and internally because it is hard to see how a copyist finding the reading “God” would change it to “house,” while it is easy to see how (given the LXX of Ps 132:5) a copyist might assimilate the reading and change “house” to “God.” However, some scholars think the reading “house” is so difficult as to be unacceptable. Others (like Lachmann and Hort) resorted to conjectural emendation at this point. Others (Ropes) sought an answer in an underlying Aramaic expression. Not everyone thinks the reading “house” is too difficult to be accepted as original (see Lake and Cadbury). A. F. J. Klijn, “Stephen’s Speech - Acts vii.2–53, ” NTS 4 (1957): 25-31, compared the idea of a “house within the house of Israel” with the Manual of Discipline from Qumran, a possible parallel that seems to support the reading “house” as authentic. (For the more detailed discussion from which this note was derived, see TCGNT 308–9.)

▼ See 1 Kgs 8:1–21.

▼ The title the Most High points to God’s majesty (Heb 7:1; Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 16:7).

▼ The phrase made by human hands is negative in the NT: Mark 14:58; Acts 17:24; Eph 2:11; Heb 9:11, 24. It suggests “man-made” or “impermanent.” The rebuke is like parts of the Hebrew scripture where the rebuke is not of the temple, but for making too much of it (1 Kgs 8:27; Isa 57:15; 1 Chr 6:8; Jer 7:1–34).

▼ What kind…resting place? The rhetorical questions suggest mere human beings cannot build a house to contain God.

▼ Or “Did I.” The phrase “my hand” is ultimately a metaphor for God himself.

▼ The question in Greek introduced with οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply.

▼ A quotation from Isa 66:1–2. If God made the heavens, how can a human building contain him?

▼ Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.

▼ The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmētoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.

▼ Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

▼ Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.

▼ Grk “And they.” 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.

▼ The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.

▼ Whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. The harsh critique has OT precedent (1 Kgs 19:10–14; Neh 9:26; 2 Chr 36:16).

▼ Grk “whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, who received the law” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “You” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

▼ Traditionally, “as ordained by angels,” but εἰς (eis) with the accusative here should be understood as instrumental (a substitute for ἐν [en]); so BDAG 291 s.v. εἰς 9, BDF #206. Thus the phrase literally means “received the law by the decrees [orders] of angels” with the genitive understood as a subjective genitive, that is, the angels gave the decrees.

▼ Decrees given by angels. According to Jewish traditions in the first century, the law of Moses was mediated through angels. See also the note on “angel” in 7:35.

▼ The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassō, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.

▼ Or “did not obey it.”

▼ This verb, which also occurs in Acts 5:33, means “cut to the quick” or “deeply infuriated” (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπρίω).

▼ Or “they gnashed their teeth.” This idiom is a picture of violent rage (BDAG 184 s.v. βρύχω). See also Ps 35:16.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Grk “being full,” but the participle ὑπάρχων (huparcōn) has not been translated since it would be redundant in English.

▼ Grk “looking intently toward heaven, saw.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

▼ The picture of Jesus standing (rather than seated) probably indicates his rising to receive his child. By announcing his vision, Stephen thoroughly offended his audience, who believed no one could share God’s place in heaven. The phrase is a variation on Ps 110:1.

▼ Grk “And he said, ‘Look!’” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

▼ They covered their ears to avoid hearing what they considered to be blasphemy.

▼ Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

▼ They began to stone him. The irony of the scene is that the people do exactly what the speech complains about in v. 52.

▼ Or “outer garments.”

▼ Laid their cloaks. The outer garment, or cloak, was taken off and laid aside to leave the arms free (in this case for throwing stones).

▼ Grk “And they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

▼ Grk “Then falling to his knees he cried out.” The participle θείς (qeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

▼ The remarks Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and Lord, do not hold this sin against them recall statements Jesus made on the cross (Luke 23:34, 46).

▼ Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

▼ The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

▼ The term ἀναίρεσις (anairesis) can refer to murder (BDAG 64 s.v.; 2 Macc 5:13; Josephus, Ant. 5.2.12 [5.165]).

▼ Or “severe.”

▼ Grk “Now there happened on that day a great persecution.” It is less awkward to say in English “Now on that day a great persecution began.”

▼ For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.

▼ All. Given that the Jerusalem church is still active after this and that the Hellenists are the focus of Acts 6–8, it is possible to argue that only the Hellenistic Christians were forced to scatter.

▼ Or “countryside.”

▼ “Some” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

▼ Made loud lamentation. For someone who was stoned to death, lamentation was normally not allowed (m. Sanhedrin 6:6). The remark points to an unjust death.

▼ Or “mourned greatly for him.”

▼ Or “began to harm [the church] severely.” If the nuance of this verb is “destroy,” then the imperfect verb ἐλυμαίνετο (elumaineto) is best translated as a conative imperfect as in the translation above. If instead the verb is taken to mean “injure severely” (as L&N 20.24), it should be translated in context as an ingressive imperfect (“began to harm the church severely”). Either option does not significantly alter the overall meaning, since it is clear from the stated actions of Saul in the second half of the verse that he intended to destroy or ravage the church.

▼ The participle σύρων (surōn) has been translated as an finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

▼ BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3.”

▼ The word “main” is supplied in the translation to clarify that “Samaria” is not the name of the city (at least in NT times). See both BDAG 912 s.v. Σαμάρεια, and L&N 93.568.

▼ The main city of Samaria most likely refers to the principal city of Samaria, rebuilt by Herod the Great as Sebaste in honor of Augustus (J. Boehmer, “Studien zur Geographie Palästinas bes. im Neuen Testament,” ZNW 9 [1908]: 216-18; D. Gill and C. Gempf, eds., The Book of Acts in its Graeco-Roman Setting, 272). This is the best option if the article before “city” is taken as original. If the reading without the article is taken as original, then another city may be in view: Gitta, the hometown of Simon Magus according to Justin Martyr (cf. C. K. Barrett, Acts [ICC], 1:402–3; F. F. Bruce, Acts [NICNT], 165).

▼ The imperfect ἐκήρυσσεν (ekērussen) has been translated as an ingressive, since this is probably the first time such preaching took place.

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

▼ See the note on Christ in 2:31.

▼ Grk “to what was being said by Philip,” a passive construction that has been changed to active voice in the translation.

▼ Here the following context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned. This term appears 13 times in Acts, but only twice more after Acts 8:13 (i.e., 14:3; 15:12).

▼ The expression unclean spirits refers to evil supernatural spirits which were ceremonially unclean, and which caused the persons possessed by them to be ceremonially unclean.

▼ Grk “For [in the case of] many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out, crying in a loud voice.”

▼ Grk “and there came about,” but this is somewhat awkward in English.

▼ Great joy. The reason for eschatological joy was that such events pointed to God’s decisive deliverance (Luke 7:22–23). Note how the acts of healing extend beyond the Twelve here.

▼ On the idiom προϋπῆρχεν μαγεύων (proupērcen mageuōn) meaning “had been practicing magic” see BDAG 889 s.v. προϋπάρχω.

▼ Grk “all of them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Or “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” The translation “what is called the Great Power of God” is given by BDAG 263 s.v. δύναμις 5, but the repetition of the article before καλουμένη μεγάλη (kaloumenē megalē) suggests the translation “the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”

▼ The kingdom of God is also what Jesus preached: Acts 1:3. The term reappears in 14:22; 19:8; 28:23, 31.

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

▼ The imperfect verb ἐβαπτίζοντο (ebaptizonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

▼ Or “he kept close company with.”

▼ He was amazed. Now Simon, the one who amazed others, is himself amazed, showing the superiority of Philip’s connection to God. Christ is better than anything the culture has to offer.

▼ For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.

▼ Or “message.”

▼ They sent. The Jerusalem church with the apostles was overseeing the expansion of the church, as the distribution of the Spirit indicates in vv. 15–17.

▼ Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the phrase “these two” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

▼ Grk “For he”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Or “fallen on.”

▼ This is a parenthetical note by the author.

▼ Grk “on them”; the referent (the Samaritans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ They received the Holy Spirit. It is likely this special distribution of the Spirit took place because a key ethnic boundary was being crossed. Here are some of “those far off” of Acts 2:38–40.

▼ Most witnesses (Ƥ^{45, 74} A* C D E Ψ 33 1739 Maj. latt sy bo) here read “the Holy Spirit” (τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, to pneuma to {agion), while a few key mss have simply τὸ πνεῦμα (א A^c B sa mae). Although it is possible that some scribes omitted τὸ ἅγιον because of its perceived superfluity (note vv. 15, 17, 19), it is far more likely that others added the adjective out of pious motives.

▼ Or “ability”; Grk “authority.”

▼ Grk “May your silver together with you be sent into destruction.” This is a strong curse. The gifts of God are sovereignly bestowed and cannot be purchased.

▼ Or “obtain.”

▼ The translation “share or part” is given by L&N 63.13.

▼ Since the semantic range for λόγος (logos) is so broad, a number of different translations could be given for the prepositional phrase here. Something along the lines of “in this thing” would work well, but is too colloquial for the present translation.

▼ Or “and implore the Lord.”

▼ Grk “that if possible the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in contemporary English and has thus been converted to an active construction in the translation.

▼ Grk “in the gall of bitterness,” an idiom meaning to be particularly envious or resentful of someone. In this case Simon was jealous of the apostles’ power to bestow the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, and wanted that power for himself. The literal phrase does not convey this to the modern reader, and in fact some modern translations have simply rendered the phrase as involving bitterness, which misses the point of the envy on Simon’s part. See L&N 88.166. The OT images come from Deut 29:17–18 and Isa 58:6.

▼ Grk “Simon answered and said.”

▼ Given that Simon does not follow Peter’s call for repentance, many interpreters read this reply as flippant rather than sincere. But the exact nature of Simon’s reply is not entirely clear.

▼ Grk “may come upon.”

▼ Grk “after they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and could be taken to refer specifically to the warning given to Simon in the preceding verses. However, a more general reference is more likely, referring to parting exhortations from Peter and John to the entire group of believers.

▼ The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rhēma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; here and in Acts 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

▼ Grk “they were returning to Jerusalem and were proclaiming.” The first imperfect is taken ingressively and the second is viewed iteratively (“proclaiming…as they went”).

▼ By proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages, the apostles now actively share in the broader ministry the Hellenists had started.

▼ “As they went” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the imperfect tense (see [T] above).

▼ Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

▼ Grk “Lord spoke to Philip, saying.” The redundant participle λέγων (legōn) has not been translated.

▼ Or “Get up and go about noon.” The phrase κατὰ μεσημβρίαν (kata mesēmbrian) can be translated either “about noon” (L&N 67.74) or “toward the south” (L&N 82.4). Since the angel’s command appears to call for immediate action (“Get up”) and would not therefore need a time indicator, a directional reference (“toward the south”) is more likely here.

▼ For the location of Jerusalem see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.

▼ Or “wilderness.”

▼ The words “This is a desert road” are probably best understood as a comment by the author of Acts, but it is possible they form part of the angel’s speech to Philip, in which case the verse would read: “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza - the desert road.”

▼ The concluding note about the road appears to be a parenthetical note by the author.

▼ Grk “And,” but καί (kai) carries something of a resultative force in this context because what follows describes Philip’s response to the angel’s command.

▼ Grk “So getting up he went.” The aorist participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

▼ Grk “And there.” 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.

▼ Grk “and behold.” This expression is used to portray Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian in a vivid way. In the English translation this vividness is difficult to convey; it is necessary to supply the words “he met.”

▼ The term eunuch normally referred to a man who had been castrated, but this was not always the case (see Gen 39:1 LXX, where Potiphar is called a eunuch). Such castrated individuals were preferred as court officials in the East, although Judaism opposed the practice. The Mosaic law excluded eunuchs from Israel (Deut 23:1), although God certainly accepted them (Isa 56:3–5; Wis 3:14). This individual was a high official, since he was said to be in charge of all her treasury. He may or may not have been a eunuch physically. He appears to be the first fully Gentile convert to Christianity, since the Samaritans mentioned previously (Acts 8:4–25) were regarded as half-breeds.

▼ Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of the Ethiopians). The term Κανδάκης (Kandakēs) is much more likely a title rather than a proper name (like Pharaoh, which is a title); see L&N 37.77. A few, however, still take the word to be the name of the queen (L&N 93.209). BDAG 507 s.v. Κανδάκη, treats the term as a title and lists classical usage by Strabo (Geography 17.1.54) and others.

▼ Candace was the title of the queen of the Ethiopians. Ethiopia refers to the kingdom of Nubia in the northern Sudan, whose capital was Meroe (not to be confused with Abyssinia, which was later called Ethiopia and converted to Christianity in the 4th century a.d.). Classical writers refer to several queens of Meroe in the 1st century b.c. and 1st century a.d. who had the title Candace (Kandake). The Candace referred to here was probably Amantitere, who ruled a.d. 25–41.

▼ Grk “who was over all her treasury, who.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “he” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

▼ Since this man had come to Jerusalem to worship, he may have been a proselyte to Judaism. This event is a precursor to Acts 10.

▼ Grk “and was sitting.” 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.

▼ Grk “and was reading.” 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.

▼ The fact that this man was reading from a scroll (an expensive item in the first century) indicates his connection to a wealthy house.

▼ The participle προσδραμών (prosdramōn) is regarded as attendant circumstance.

▼ The words “to it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

▼ Grk “heard him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ 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.

▼ Grk “he said”; but since what follows is a question, it is better English style to translate the introduction to the question “he asked him.”

▼ Grk “He”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Grk “How am I able, unless…” The translation is based on the force of the conjunction γάρ (gar) in this context. The translation “How in the world can I?” is given in BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 1.f.

▼ Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

▼ Grk “does.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the first line of the quotation (“he was led like a sheep to slaughter”), which has an aorist passive verb normally translated as a past tense in English.

▼ ‡ Most later mss (C E Ψ 33^vid Maj. sy) read “In his humiliation,” adding αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after ταπεινώσει (tapeinōsei, “humiliation”), while the earlier and better witnesses lack the pronoun (so Ƥ⁷⁴ א A B 1739 pc lat). However, the LXX of Isa 53:8 also lacks the pronoun, supplying motivation for scribes to omit it here. At the same time, scribes would also be motivated to add the pronoun both for clarity’s sake (note the similar impulse that led to the addition of δέ [de] by many of the same mss at the beginning of the next line) and to give balance to the lines (the pronoun is indisputably used five other times in vv. 32–33 in quoting Isa 53). On balance, the shorter reading is preferred.

▼ Or “justice was denied him”; Grk “his justice was taken away.”

▼ Or “family; or “origin.” The meaning of γενεά (genea) in the quotation is uncertain; BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 4 suggests “family history.”

▼ The rhetorical question suggests the insensitivity of this generation for its act against God’s servant, who was slain unjustly as he was silent.

▼ Grk “is taken away.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the rest of the quotation.

▼ A quotation from Isa 53:7–8.

▼ Grk “answered and said.” The redundant participle ἀποκριθείς (apokritheis) has not been translated.

▼ Grk “I beg you,” “I ask you.”

▼ About himself, or about someone else? It is likely in 1st century Judaism this would have been understood as either Israel or Isaiah.

▼ Grk “opening his mouth” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

▼ Beginning with this scripture. The discussion likely included many of the scriptures Acts has already noted for the reader in earlier speeches. At the least, readers of Acts would know what other scriptures might be meant.

▼ Or “What prevents me.” The rhetorical question means, “I should get baptized, right?”

▼ A few later mss (E 36 323 453 945 1739 1891 pc) add, with minor variations, 8:37 “He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ He replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” Verse 37 is lacking in {Ƥ^{45, 74} א A B C 33 614 vg sy^p,h co}. It is clearly not a part of the original text of Acts. The variant is significant in showing how some in the early church viewed a confession of faith. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

▼ Grk “and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch.” Since this is somewhat redundant in English, it was simplified to “and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water.”

▼ Philip baptized. Again, someone beyond the Twelve has ministered an ordinance of faith.

▼ BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 2 indicates that under certain circumstances γάρ (gar) has the same meaning as δέ (de).

▼ Note that the response to the gospel is rejoicing (joy, cf. Acts 11:23; 13:48).

▼ Or “appeared.”

▼ Azotus was a city on the coast of southern Palestine, known as Ashdod in OT times.

▼ The words “the area” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

▼ Or “he preached the gospel.”

▼ Or “cities.”

▼ Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

▼ For location see Map2-C1; Map4-B3; Map5-F2; Map7-A1; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.