Act 8:25 | NETfull | STEP | So after Peter and John had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages as they went.

Acts 8:25

25 So after Peter and John ^{▼▼ Grk “after they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.} had solemnly testified ^{▼▼ 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.} and spoken the word of the Lord, ^{▼▼ 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.} they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming ^{▼▼ 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”).} the good news to many Samaritan villages ^{▼▼ 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. ^{▼▼ “As they went” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the imperfect tense (see [T] above).}