THE HOLY BIBLE (Darby Translation) Darby's Notes on Acts

1:2a, 1:11a up: The word means 'receiving,' but with the prefix (ana) 'up,' as here, it has the active sense of 'taking up.' It is so translated except in 1Tim. 3:16. The more passive reception is seen in Acts 3:21, where another word is used.
1:5b with: En: see Note c, Matt. 3:11.
1:7c authority, 1:8c power: Exousia; a right one possesses: 'power' is dunamis, see Note, Matt. 10:1.
1:8d earth: Or 'land:' see ch. 13:47 and Note, Matt. 5:5.
1:9e sight: Lit. 'received up from their eyes.'
1:13f chamber: As ch. 9:37, 39; 20:8.
1:16g, 15:7a, 15:13a, 23:1a, 23:6a Brethren: Lit. 'Men brethren.' This is a Hebraism, and means no more than 'brethren.'
1:18a got: The Greek root is used for 'having' by whatever means: see Matt. 10:9; Luke 18:12; and Note, Luke 21:19.
1:20b Psalms: See Ps. 69:25.
1:20c and: See Ps. 109:8.
1:21d which: Or 'at every time that.'
1:22e up: See Note, ver. 2.
2:1f accomplishing: It was come and running its course of fulfilment as a feast.
2:2g blowing: It is not 'wind,' but they heard blowing, as of hard breathing, for which the Greek is used. 'Blast' is too sudden and passing.
2:6h spread: Or 'this voice having taken place ' but I believe what is in the text to be the sense. It was what happened at the place which brought the crowd there: it was not the mighty rushing wind being heard everywhere. The end of the verse goes to confirm this. What struck those who came was hearing their own tongues: Gen. 45:16 and Jer. 50:46 are examples. The rumours of Jacob's coming spread to Pharaoh's house.
2:16a Joel: See Joel 2:28.
2:20b appearing: Though used for 'illustrious,' 'glorious,' the Greek word has in it the sense of 'manifestation, appearing, displaying itself:' see Titus 2:11, 13.
2:20c, 2:21c Lord: 'Jehovah;' so ver 39.
2:22d Israel: Lit. 'Men, Israelites,' as elsewhere, cf. ch. 1:16.
2:22e to: 'Borne witness to, to you,' is not agreeable English; but 'approved,' in the modern use at any rate, is not the sense, and 'among you is feeble. The manifestation or demonstration was to the Jews. The witness was borne to them objectively, to Jesus as its subject.
2:25f him: See Ps. 16:8.
2:26g more: Lit. 'and more also.'
2:27h, 2:31h hades: 'in' (eis) hades: see Note, Matt. 11:23.
2:27i gracious: Or 'holy,' hosios. It corresponds to the Hebrew chasid = merciful, gracious: see Note f, ch. 13:34, 35; 2Chron. 6:42; and Heb. 7:26.
2:31l Christ: Or, 'of Christ. '
2:34a himself: See Ps. 110:1.
2:41b accepted: It means, 'to receive in full,' or 'with satisfaction;' or, as to an opinion or teaching, 'to accept and receive it as true:' see Note, Luke 8:40.
2:42c teaching: As ch. 13:12; 1Cor. 14:26.
2:46d, 3:1d temple: Hieron, the general buildings.
2:47e assembly: See Note g, ch. 3:1.
2:47f saved: The remnant of Israel whom God was sparing. The Lord now added these to the Christian assembly. The present participle as here gives the character instead of the fact; as I might say, 'the being spared ones;' it is the class of persons God was then saving. It is not a doubt as to their being saved, nor a state, but a class: see Luke 13:23.
3:1g together: Some omit 'to the assembly,' ch. 2:47, and link 'together' with the end of ch. 2. Probably we should read 'the Lord added together daily such as should be saved. And Peter (or, 'Now Peter') and John went up into the temple.'
3:15a originator: This word is difficult to render in English. It is a 'leader,' but it is more. It is used for one who begins and sets a matter on. The Greek word occurs four times in the New Testament, here and ch. 5:31; Heb. 2:10; 12:2. In Heb. 12:2 it means, 'he began and finished the whole course;' 'the origin' or 'originator,' though the word is harsh in connexion with life. The word is only used of our Lord.
3:16b by: Epi: see Note, 1Cor. 1:4.
3:21c began: 'Since time began' refers to 'holy prophets:' lit. 'his holy since-time-began prophets.'
3:22d said: See Deut. 18:15, 19.
3:25e Abraham: See Gen. 22:18.
3:26f up: As ver. 22; ch. 13:33.
4:1a temple: Hieron, as ch. 3:1, 8, 10.
4:2b Jesus: Lit. 'in Jesus.' En: see Matt. 3:11.
4:2c among: This is a little more emphatic than usual: 'the resurrection which is from among the dead.'
4:11d stone: Lit. 'head of corner,' see Ps. 118:22.
4:13e were: Or 'had been.' The council recognized them as former companions of Christ.
4:17f severely: Lit. 'with threat.'
4:20g refrain: Lit. 'cannot not speak.'
4:24a Lord: Lit. 'despot,' 'the master' of a slave; 'one having sovereign power,' as Luke 2:29, 1Tim. 6:1, 2, 2Tim. 2:21, Tit. 2:9; 1Pet. 2:18; 2Pet. 2:1; Jude 4; Rev. 6:10.
4:24b God: Or 'thou art God,' i.e. Elohim, the One who is God.
4:25c David: See Ps. 2:1.
5:16a who: Lit. 'who indeed.'
5:17b wrath: Or 'jealousy;' as 'envy,' ch. 13:45.
5:24c priest: i.e. 'the high priest.'
5:30d cross: Lit. 'on wood:' used for stocks, cross, and such ignominious and forcible means of punishment.
5:31e Him: Lit. 'this one.'
5:31f leader: See Note, ch. 3:15.
5:39a lest: See Notes, Matt. 5:25; Mark 4:12.
6:1b Hellenists: * i.e. Greek Jews.
6:2c right: I apprehend that 'right,' 'proper,' is the sense; not merely that it did not please the apostles. 'Pleasing to God,' I understand, but used for man it is arbitrary.
6:8d signs: Or 'great wonders and signs.'
6:9e freedmen: Some translate 'Libertines,' referring it to Libertum, a city in Africa.
6:10a with: Or 'by' the Holy Spirit, but seen as in Stephen, that by which he spoke: 'which' refers grammatically to Spirit, but in sense to wisdom and Spirit both.
7:3b thee: See Gen. 12:1.
7:6c thus: See Gen. 15:13-16.
7:6d them: Lit. 'it,' the seed.
7:7e serve: Latreuo, as ver. 42; Matt. 4:10.
7:14f seventy-five: Quoted from the LXX.
7:17g promised: The Greek means 'openly saying you will give,' Matt. 14:7. But we have no suited word but 'promise.' It is not the same word as in 'the time of promise.'
7:20a exceedingly: Lit. 'fair to God,' a known Hebraism.
7:26b brethren: Lit. 'ye are men, brethren,' see Note at ch. 1:16.
7:31c the: The sentence is without the article and therefore much more emphatic. 'Lord' is a solemn title. The expression amounts to 'there came an utterance of Jehovah.'
7:32d Jacob: See Ex. 3:6-10.
7:34e it: It has the sense of 'taking to or for oneself,' not merely deliverance as by removing the scourge, but by taking the people.
7:35f saying: See Ex. 2:14.
7:37g Israel: See Deut. 18:15-18.
7:40h Aaron: See Ex. 32:1.
7:42a prophets: See Amos 5:25-27.
7:43b Yea: Quoted from the LXX. 'Yea' here has the force of 'Nay, but.'
7:45c possession: Lit. 'in taking possession of.'
7:48d High: See Luke 1:32.
7:48e prophet: See Isa. 66:1, 2.
7:53f who: 'Who are such as.'
7:53g ordained: See Gal. 3:19.
7:59h praying: Lit. 'invoking,' 'calling on,' but in English we must have a word after this, which mars the connexion here. The Authorized Version seems to separate God and the Lord Jesus. 'Calling on the Lord' would leave out God. The Spirit of God, I doubt not, has purposely left out both 'Lord' and 'God'. No one can be called upon really but God, so that the word has great force as used here. I have said 'praying' for want of a better word.
8:10a This: Lit. 'This one.'
8:23b unrighteousness: Or 'iniquity,' as ch. 1:18.
8:25c announced: A continuing work.
8:27a Ethiopian: Lit. 'a man, an Ethiopian.'
8:32b this: See Isa. 53:7-8, LXX.
8:37c *: Ver. 37 in the Authorized Version is recognized as not genuine.
8:40d Azotus: See Note e, Josh. 13:3.
9:2e way: * The Christian way: see Mark 10:32, 52; Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22.
9:3f shone: The word is used for a very brilliant apparition: see Luke 17:24, 'lightens;' 24:4, 'shining.' It is the same Greek root as 'lightning.'
9:4g voice: Phone, accusative; in ver. 7 genitive; in ch. 22:9, 14 accusative; in ch. 22:7 genitive. The genitive is 'to listen to,' or when the voice of a rumour reaches. It is the fact or physical hearing. The accusative is that the thing heard is before the mind.
9:5h persecutest: The rest of ver. 5 and part of ver. 6, as in the A.V., is not found in the best manuscripts.
9:7i voice: Or 'sound.'
9:31a assemblies: Or 'assembly,' as many MSS.
9:31b Spirit: Or 'enjoyed peace ... and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied.'
9:35a who: 'Who also.' They did not merely witness the effect of power, but their seeing it acted on them.
9:36b Dorcas: Meaning, 'a gazelle.'
9:42c on: Epi: this goes on to the idea of confidence. I rest my faith on him, yet with the more general idea of looking to him with confidence. As in chs. 11:17; 16:31; 22:19; Rom. 4:5, 24: see 2Tim. 1:12.
10:11d beholds: Theoreo, 'view with attention,' as John 6:40.
10:22a words, 10:37a testimony: Rhema, as John 17:8.
10:25b now: It was then happening (ginomai).
10:36c preaching: Lit. 'evangelizing.' In ver. 37 John 'heralded.'
10:36d things,): Or 'of all,' Gentile and Jew.
10:39a cross: As ch. 5:30.
10:41b, 10:47b who: As ch. 5:16.
10:44c words: Rhema, see Note to John 17:14.
10:44d word: Logos, as ver. 36. See Note to John 17:14.
11:16a said: See Acts 1:5.
11:17b on: Epi: See Note, ch. 9:42.
11:29c minister: Lit. 'for service,' as Matt. 4:11.
12:9a, 12:11a know: Conscious knowledge.
13:1b Niger: Or 'black.'
13:5a attendant: Huperetes, as Luke 1:2, see Note, 1Cor. 4:1.
13:10b Lord, 13:11b Lord's: Possibly 'Jehovah.'
13:16d Israelites: Lit. 'men Israelites.'
13:20e about: Where the computation begins is not stated. The judges were given after the land's being given by lot, and that order of things reached up to Samuel, to four hundred and fifty years, whenever that four hundred and fifty years began. It might be at the Exodus, and very probably so. But it is not that there were judges during all that time. Indeed, they were only raised up occasionally. I have no difficulty myself as to the chronology, notwithstanding the dicta of some. The main blunder of their computations lies in this: they have taken Eli and Samson as distinct periods from the Philistine oppression, whereas it is perfectly clear the Philistine oppression included both. We have to go on to Mizpeh for the close.
13:22a said: See Ps. 89:20: 1Sam. 13:14.
13:29b cross: As ch. 5:30.
13:31c who: Lit. 'who indeed.'
13:33d second: See Ps. 2:7.
13:34e thus: See Isa. 55:3.
13:34f mercies, 13:35f gracious one: 'Mercies' and 'gracious one' (Hosios) are the same word, only singular and plural. It may, and sometimes does, mean 'holy,' but is not the regular word for it, which is Hagios: here it answers to chasid in Hebrew, which is contrasted in Ps. 89:19 with 'holy' (kadosh), which is applied to Jehovah (ver. 18). The beginning of the psalm speaks of the mercies (chasadim) or gracious ways of the Lord, and then in ver. 19 of that One in whom these graces or mercies are centred and conveyed, the Christ, to whom the apostle here applies it. The word chesed is generally 'grace' and 'loving-kindness' in God; chasid, 'pious,' 'gracious' applied to men, and 'merciful,' 'holy' to God: see Heb. 7:26.
13:35g another: See Ps. 16:10.
13:36h God: Or 'having served his own generation by the will of God.'
13:40k you: See Hab. 1:5.
13:43a worshipping, 13:50a worshippers: The word translated 'worshipping,' 'worshippers,' and 'worshipped' at verses 43 and 50, also at chs. 16:14; 17:4 and 17, and 18:7, signified a numerous class of Gentiles who, acknowledging the vanity of idolatry and detesting its disorders, attended the Jewish worship.
13:47b earth: See Isa. 49:6.
14:13c was: 'Who was' is equivalent to 'which was,' referring to the temple of Jupiter.
15:4a received: 'Received gladly,' or 'with welcome:' see Luke 8:40.
15:7b earliest: Lit. 'from ancient.'
15:9c us: Lit. 'both us.'
15:10d putting: The infinitive, equivalent to 'in putting.' It is explanatory of what precedes.
15:15e written: See Amos 9:11.
15:20f blood: Or 'and of fornication, and of what is strangled, and of blood.'
15:23g brethren: Probably 'The apostles and the elder brethren to,' &c.
15:25h judgment: Or, perhaps, 'assembled with one accord.' I have said 'having arrived at a common judgment' to give the sense of the Greek. 'Having come to one accord' would look like previous disunion. The fact of having arrived at one mind is here stated.
15:34a *: Ver. 34 A.V. is not in the best MSS.
16:4b decrees: Or 'delivered to them the decrees to keep.'
16:6c through, forbidden, 16:7c down: These participles have a causative force, especially thus disunited. 'Such being the case, they attempted to go.'
16:6d country: 'Phrygia and Galatia' are thrown into one by the one article.
16:12e colony: Where the citizens had equal rights with those at the capital -- Rome.
16:14a worshipped: See Note, ch. 13:43.
16:19b gone: Or 'gone out,' referring to the spirit.
16:20c, 16:22fc praetors: The magistrates of colonies: so vers. 36, 38.
16:22d too: Or 'with them' -- that is, with her masters.
16:25e singing: Humneo: see Matt. 26:30.
16:31f on: See Note, ch. 9:42.
16:34g house: An adverb -- 'rejoiced householdly.'
16:35a praetors: The magistrates of colonies: so vers. 36, 38.
16:35b lictors: Attendants on the praetors.
16:40c exhorted: Parakaleo: as 'entreat,' 1Cor. 4:16.
17:4d believed: * Lit. 'were convinced' or 'persuaded,' as Luke 16:31.
17:4e worshipped: See Note, ch. 13:43.
17:6f, 17:8f politarchs: The special title of the city magistrates of Thessalonica.
17:11g receiving: Lit. 'being such as received.'
17:14h as: The use of 'as' here is not of semblance of anything, but of purpose or intention.
17:17a worshipped: See Note. ch. 13:43.
17:19b, 17:22b Areopagus: i.e. 'the hill of Mars.' The tribunal which watched over the morals of the Athenians, and saw that due honour was paid to the gods, held its sessions on Areopagus and was so designated. The word here may therefore refer either to the place, or to the tribunal which met there.
17:22c Athenians: Lit. 'Men Athenians.' The introduction of 'men' in these passages is not merely a Hebraism. It is the accustomed oratorical address in Greek.
17:22d worship: Or 'worship of the gods.'
18:5a of: Or 'earnestly occupied with.' The Greek word is the same as 'constrains,' 2Cor. 5:14.
18:5b Christ: Lit. 'the Christ Jesus;' i.e. the Christ was really come, and that Jesus was he.'
18:6c pure: Or 'I, pure from it from henceforth, will go to the nations.'
18:7d worshipped: See Note, ch. 13:43.
18:22e up: i.e. to Jerusalem.
18:25a exactly: As ver. 26: Luke 1:3, 'accurately.'
18:27b receive: See Luke 8:40.
19:9c way: See Note, ch. 9:2.
19:12d body: Or 'skin.' As 'skin' in Ex. 34:29, 30.
19:15e with: As Mark 14:68, 'understand.'
19:22a ministering: As Matt. 27:55: Luke 8:3.
19:23b way: See Note, ch. 9:2.
19:24c, 19:27c, 19:28c, 19:35c Artemis: Latin, 'Diana.'
19:31d Asiarchs: Honorary magistrates, of the principal persons of the province, specially charged with the public festivals.
19:35e Ephesians: Lit. 'says, men Ephesians.'
19:35f heaven: Or 'from Jupiter.'
19:37g temple-plunderers: As verb, 'commit sacrilege,' Rom. 2:22.
20:2a exhorted: As ch. 16:40: 'comforted,' ver. 12.
20:4b Derbe: Or 'Gaius of Derbe and Timotheus.'
20:9c overpowered: In the act of being so.
20:9d overpowered: 'Having been already overpowered.'
20:10e life: Or 'soul.'
20:11f spoken: Or 'conversed:' as ch. 24:26, 'communed:' Luke 24:14, 15; not as 'discoursed,' ver. 9.
20:19a serving: Lit. 'serving as a bondman.'
20:28b purchased: Middle voice; reflexive: see Note e, Heb. 1:3.
20:28c own: I am fully satisfied that this is the right translation of ver. 28. To make it a question of the divinity of Christ (which I hold to be of the foundation of Christianity) is absurd. It has been questioned whether 'of his own' can be used thus absolutely in the singular. But we have it in John 15:19, and in the neuter singular for material things, Acts 4:32. The torturing of the passage by copyists arose, I believe, from not seeing, the real sense of it; a touching expression of the love of God.
20:35d shewed: Specially, 'to show by example.'
20:37e kissed: 'Covered with kisses,' as Luke 15:20.
21:1f away: An expression of effort: 'torn ourselves away' may be too strong, but it implies force.
21:4a out: Lit. 'diligently searched out,' as Luke 2:16.
21:4b who: Who indeed.
21:16c whom: Or 'to bring us to a certain Mnason, a Cyprian, an old disciple with whom.'
21:28a Israelites: Lit. 'Men Israelites.'
21:31b chiliarch: Commander of 1,000 men.
21:39c Jew: Lit. 'a man a Jew.'
22:6a pass: Lit. 'it came to pass to me:' so ver. 17.
22:7b, 22:9b, 22:14b voice: See Note, ch. 9:4.
22:16c baptised: See Note, 1Cor. 10:2.
22:19d on: As ch. 9:42.
23:5b written: See Ex. 22:28.
23:9c angel: The rest of ver. 9 A.V. is not in the best MSS.
23:34a eparchy: Province: as ch. 25:1.
24:5a For: The speech is elliptical: finding him so, they would have judged him.
24:5b world: Lit. 'habitable world,' as Rev. 12:9.
25:5a man: Or 'if there be anything amiss in the man.'
25:10b knowest: Or 'thou knowest better than that;' that is, than to say, 'wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and be judged?'
25:11c done: Lit. 'I do.' The present tense and characteristic: see Note h, Gal. 2:14.
26:7a serving: As chs. 7:7; 24:14; 27:23.
26:14a voice: As ch. 9:4 (accusative).
26:16b servant: As 1Cor. 4:1.
26:18c inheritance: As Col. 1:12, 'portion.'
26:25d soberness: As 'discretion.' 1Tim. 2:9,15.
27:12a south-east: Lit. 'looking down the south-west (wind) and down the north-west.' Down the wind is the point to which it blows.
27:17b frapping: Cables round the hull.
27:17c Syrtis: * The dreaded quicksands of N. Africa.
27:21d hearkened: As 'obey,' ch. 5:32.
27:23e serve: As ch. 7:7.
27:43a saving, 28:4a saved: 'Save out of and through' a danger: see 1Pet. 3:20.
28:1b Melita: Malta.
28:2c barbarians: * A name applied to all nations not of Greek or Roman descent and speaking a foreign language.
28:4d Nemesis: Lit. 'justice.'
28:5e however: Or 'much rather:' 'however' is weak, but is I believe the best word.
28:7a man: 'The chief man' was an official title: Protos Melitaion. As an individual he was not, for his father was alive.
28:15b Appii Forum: Market of Appius.
28:15c Tres Tabernae: Three Taverns.
28:16d prefect: The commanding officer of the Emperor's bodyguard
28:22f beg: Or 'we should think well.'
28:24a of: 'Assented to them as true.' It is used of giving credit to a person so as to follow him: as in ch. 5:36, 'obeyed.'
28:26b saying: See Isa. 6:9-10.
28:28c salvation: Rather 'that which saves' than salvation itself: see Luke 2:30; 3:6; Eph. 6:17.
28:30d received: As Luke 8:40.
28:31e freedom: As 'boldness,' ch. 4:13, 29, 31.

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