Acts 13:46-48

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 13:46 tn Grk “Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out courageously and said.” The redundancy is removed in the translation and the verb “replied” is used in keeping with the logical sequence of events. The theme of boldness reappears: Acts 4:24-30; 9:27-28.
2. Acts 13:46 tn Grk “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.
3. Acts 13:46 tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”
4. Acts 13:46 tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.
5. Acts 13:46 sn This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.
6. Acts 13:47 tn Here οὕτως (houtōs) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.
7. Acts 13:47 tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).
8. Acts 13:47 sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.
9. Acts 13:47 tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”
10. Acts 13:47 sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)
11. Acts 13:48 tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (echairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.
12. Acts 13:48 tn Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by BDAG 258 s.v. δοξάζω as a translation, it would be misleading here, because the meaning is “to honor in the sense of attributing worth to something,” while in contemporary English usage one speaks of “honoring” a contract in the sense of keeping its stipulations. It is not a synonym for “obey” in this context (“obey the word of the Lord”), but that is how many English readers would understand it.
13. Acts 13:48 sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.