Acts 12:6-8

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 12:6 tn Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.
2. Acts 12:6 tn Grk “two chains, and.” Logically it makes better sense to translate this as a temporal clause, although technically it is a coordinate clause in Greek.
3. Acts 12:6 tn Or “were guarding.”
4. Acts 12:7 tn Grk “And behold.” 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 interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.
5. Acts 12:7 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.
6. Acts 12:7 tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
7. Acts 12:7 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8. Acts 12:7 tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.
9. Acts 12:8 tn While ζώννυμι (zōnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.
10. Acts 12:8 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11. Acts 12:8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12. Acts 12:8 tn Or “outer garment.”