Acts 7:39-41

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 7:39 tn 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.
2. Acts 7:39 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
3. Acts 7:39 sn 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.
4. Acts 7:39 sn Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).
5. Acts 7:40 tn Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.
6. Acts 7:40 sn 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.
7. Acts 7:41 tn 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.
8. Acts 7:41 tn Grk “In those days.”
9. Acts 7:41 tn Or “a bull calf” (see Exod 32:4-6). The term μοσχοποιέω (moschopoieō) occurs only in Christian writings according to BDAG 660 s.v.
10. Acts 7:41 tn 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.
11. Acts 7:41 tn The imperfect verb εὐφραίνοντο (euphrainonto) has been translated ingressively. See BDAG 414-15 s.v. εὐφραίνω 2.
12. Acts 7:41 tn Or “in what they had done.”