_The Title_ is simply _Acts_ (Πραξεις) in Aleph, Origen, Tertullian, Didymus, Hilary, Eusebius, Epiphanius. _The Acts of the Apostles_ (Πραξεις αποστολων) is the reading of B D (Aleph in subscription) Athanasius, Origen, Tertullian, Cyprian, Eusebius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Theodoret, Hilary. _The Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THE DAY IN WHICH (αχρ ης ημερας). Incorporation of the antecedent into the relative clause and the change of case η (locative) to ης (genitive).WAS RECEIVED UP (ανελημπθη). First aorist passive indicative of αναλαμβανω. Common verb to lift anything up (Acts 10:16) or person as Paul (Acts 2... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM ALSO (οις κα). He chose them and then also manifested himself to these very same men that they might have personal witness to give.SHEWED HIMSELF ALIVE (παρεστησεν εαυτον ζωντα). To the disciples the first Sunday evening (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25), the second Sunday eveni... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING ASSEMBLED TOGETHER WITH THEM (συναλιζομενος). Present passive participle from συναλιζω, an old verb in Herodotus, Xenophon, etc., from sun, with, and αλιζω, from αλης, crowded. The margin of both the Authorized and the Revised Versions has "eating with them" as if from συν and αλς (salt). S... [ Continue Reading ]
BAPTIZED WITH WATER (εβαπτισεν υδατ)AND WITH THE HOLY GHOST (εν πνευματ βαπτισθησεσθε αγιω). The margin has "in the Holy Ghost" (Spirit, it should be). The American Standard Version renders "in" both with "water" and "Holy Spirit" as do Goodspeed (American Translation) and Mrs. Montgomery (Cente... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THEREFORE (ο μεν ουν). Demonstrative use of ο with μεν ουν without any corresponding δε just as in Acts 1:1 μεν occurs alone. The combination μεν ουν is common in Acts (27 times). Cf. Luke 3:18. The ουν is resumptive and refers to the introductory verses (Acts 1:1-5), which served to connect... [ Continue Reading ]
TIMES OR SEASONS (χρονους η καιρους). "Periods" and "points" of time sometimes and probably so here, but such a distinction is not always maintained. See Acts 17:26 for καιρους in the same sense as χρονους for long periods of time. But here some distinction seems to be called for. It is curious h... [ Continue Reading ]
POWER (δυναμιν). Not the "power" about which they were concerned (political organization and equipments for empire on the order of Rome). Their very question was ample proof of their need of this new "power" (δυναμιν), to enable them (from δυναμα, to be able), to grapple with the spread of the go... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY WERE LOOKING (βλεποντων αυτων). Genitive absolute. The present participle accents the fact that they were looking directly at Jesus.HE WAS TAKEN UP (eprth). First aorist passive indicative of επαιρω, old and common verb meaning to lift up. In Luke 24:51 we have "he was borne up" (ανεφ... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE LOOKING STEADFASTLY (ατενιζοντες ησαν). Periphrastic imperfect active of ατενιζω, a late intensive verb (intensive α and τεινω, to stretch). Common in Acts and also in Luke 4:20; Luke 22:56 as well as Acts 10:4, which see.AS HE WENT (πορευομενου αυτου). Genitive absolute of present middle... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO ALSO (ο κα). Common use of κα pleonastic to show that the two events were parallel. This is the simplest way from Homer on to narrate two parallel events.WHY? (τ). Jesus had told them of his coming Ascension (John 6:62; John 20:17) so that they should have been prepared.THIS JESUS (ουτος... [ Continue Reading ]
OLIVET (Ελαιωνος). Genitive singular. Vulgate _Olivetum_. Made like αμπελων. Here only in the N.T., usually το ορος των Ελαιων (the Mount of Olives), though some MSS. have Olivet in Luke 19:29; Luke 21:37. Josephus (_Ant_. VII. 9, 2) has it also and the papyri (Deissmann, _Light from the Ancient... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE UPPER CHAMBER (εις το υπερωιον). The upstairs or upper room (υπερ is upper or over, the adjective υπερωιος), the room upstairs where the women staid in Homer, then a room up under the flat roof for retirement or prayer (Acts 9:37; Acts 9:39), sometimes a large third story room suitable fo... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ONE ACCORD (ομοθυμαδον). Old adverb in -δον from adjective ομοθυμος and that from ομος, same, and θυμος, mind or spirit, with the same mind or spirit. Common in ancient Greek and papyri. In the N.T. eleven times in Acts and nowhere else save Romans 15:6. See Matthew 18:19.CONTINUED (ησαν π... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN (αδελφων). Codex Bezae has "disciples."MULTITUDE OF PERSONS (οχλος ονοματων). Literally, multitude of names. This Hebraistic use of ονομα=person occurs in the LXX (Numbers 1:2; Numbers 18:20; Numbers 3:40; Numbers 3:43; Numbers 26:53) and in Revelation 3:4; Revelation 11:13.TOGETHER ... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN (ανδρες αδελφο). Literally, men, brethren or brother men. More dignified and respectful than just "brethren." Demosthenes sometimes said Ανδρες Αθηναιο. Cf. our "gentlemen and fellow-citizens." Women are included in this address though ανδρες refers only to men.IT WAS NEEDFUL (εδε). Imp... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS NUMBERED (κατηριθμενος ην). Periphrastic past perfect passive indicative of καταριθμεω, old verb, but here only in the N.T. (perfective use of κατα).RECEIVED HIS PORTION (ελαχεν τον κληρον). Second aorist active indicative of λαγχανω, old verb, to obtain by lot as in Luke 1:9; John 19:24, es... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THIS MAN (Hουτος μεν ουν). Note μεν ουν again without a corresponding δε as in Acts 1:6. Verses Acts 1:18; Acts 1:19 are a long parenthesis of Luke by way of explanation of the fate of Judas. In verse Acts 1:20 Peter resumes and quotes the scripture to which he referred in verse Acts 1:16.OBT... [ Continue Reading ]
LANGUAGE (διαλεκτω). Not a dialect of the Greek, but a different language, the Aramaic. So also in Acts 2:6; Acts 21:40. Διαλεκτος is from διαλεγομα, to converse, to speak between two (δια).AKELDAMA (Hακελδαμαχ). This Aramaic word Peter explains as "the field of blood." Two traditions are prese... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS WRITTEN (γεγραπτα γαρ). Luke here returns to the address of Peter interrupted by verses Acts 1:18; Acts 1:19. Perfect passive indicative, the usual idiom in quoting scripture, stands written. Acts 1:69 is often quoted as Messianic in Matthew and John.HIS HABITATION (η επαυλις αυτου).... [ Continue Reading ]
MUST (δε). Present necessity corresponding to the old necessity (εδε) about Judas (verse Acts 1:16). This sentence in verses Acts 1:21; Acts 1:22 begins with δε.THAT (ω). Locative case of the relative attracted to the case of the antecedent.WENT IN AND WENT OUT (εισηλθεν κα εξηλθεν). Constati... [ Continue Reading ]
BEGINNING (αρξαμενος). Aorist middle participle of αρχω, agreeing (nominative) with ο κυριος Ιησους (the Lord Jesus). The ministry of Jesus began with the ministry of John. Strictly speaking αρξαμενος should be the accusative and agree with μαρτυρα (witness) in verse Acts 1:22, but the constructi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PUT FORWARD TWO (εστησαν δυο). First aorist active indicative (transitive) of ιστημ (not intransitive second aorist, though same form in the third person plural). Somebody nominated two names, Justus and Matthias.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOW US THE ONE WHOM THOU HAST CHOSEN (αναδειξον ον εξελεξω). First aorist active imperative of αναδεικνυμ, to show up, make plain. First aorist middle indicative second person singular of εκλεγω, to pick out, choose, select. In this prayer they assume that God has made a choice. They only wish t... [ Continue Reading ]
APOSTLESHIP (αποστολης). Jesus had called the twelve apostles. An old word for sending away, then for a release, then the office and dignity of an apostle (Acts 1:25; Romans 1:5; 1 Corinthians 9:2; Galatians 2:8).TO HIS OWN PLACE (εις τον τοπον τον ιδιον). A bold and picturesque description of... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS NUMBERED (συνκατεψηφισθη). To the Jews the lot did not suggest gambling, but "the O.T. method of learning the will of Jehovah" (Furneaux). The two nominations made a decision necessary and they appealed to God in this way. This double compound συνκαταψηφιζω occurs here alone in the N.T. and... [ Continue Reading ]