1
Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις· πάντες δὲ διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων.
And Saul was consenting to his killing. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly in Jerusalem, and all were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.
first here Judea Ἰουδαία Ioudaia
first here Samaria Σαμάρεια Samareia
Why this rendering
Acts.8.1 Observation
Syntactic observation
Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν — the young man standing by the garments at 7:58 now gets a verb: was consenting. συνευδοκέω is the verb of Luke 11:48 (you consent to the deeds of your fathers) — Saul stands in the place of those who consented to the fathers' killing of the prophets. διεσπάρησαν, were scattered — the verb of scattering seed (διασπείρω) used of people, and v.4 continues: those who were scattered went about bringing the good news. What persecution scatters becomes seed. The map of 1:8 (Jerusalem — Judea and Samaria — the end of the earth) advances here to its second box: through the regions of Judea and Samaria. πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων — except the apostles. Those who bury Stephen are devout men (εὐλαβεῖς — Simeon's word, Luke 2:25), not apostles.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “were scattered … those who were scattered” — one word for διασπείρω
Basis Vv.1 and 4 join persecution and preaching with one verb; fled would cut the join.
2
συνεκόμισαν δὲ τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς καὶ ⸀ἐποίησαν κοπετὸν μέγαν ἐπ’ αὐτῷ.
And devout men carried Stephen to burial and made great lamentation over him.
3
Σαῦλος δὲ ἐλυμαίνετο τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος, σύρων τε ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας παρεδίδου εἰς φυλακήν.
But Saul was ravaging the assembly, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women he was handing them over to prison.
4
Οἱ μὲν οὖν διασπαρέντες διῆλθον εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν λόγον.
So those who were scattered went about bringing the good news of the word.
5
Φίλιππος δὲ κατελθὼν εἰς ⸀τὴν πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας ἐκήρυσσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν χριστόν.
And Philip, going down to the city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them.
first here Philippi Φίλιππος Philippos
first here Christ Χριστός Christos
6
προσεῖχον ⸀δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐν τῷ ἀκούειν αὐτοὺς καὶ βλέπειν τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει·
And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs he was doing;
7
⸀πολλοὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐχόντων πνεύματα ἀκάθαρτα βοῶντα φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ⸀ἐξήρχοντο, πολλοὶ δὲ παραλελυμένοι καὶ χωλοὶ ἐθεραπεύθησαν·
for from many who had unclean spirits, they came out crying with a loud voice, and many paralysed and lame were healed.
8
⸂ἐγένετο δὲ⸃ ⸂πολλὴ χαρὰ⸃ ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ.
And there was great joy in that city.
9
Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ὀνόματι Σίμων προϋπῆρχεν ἐν τῇ πόλει μαγεύων καὶ ⸀ἐξιστάνων τὸ ἔθνος τῆς Σαμαρείας, λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτὸν μέγαν,
Now a certain man named Simon had been in the city before, practising magic and driving the nation of Samaria out of its senses, saying that he himself was somebody great,
first here Simon Σίμων Simōn
Why this rendering
Acts.8.9 Observation
Syntactic observation
μαγεύων, practising magic — the verb of μάγος (magi, Matt 2:1); the verb μαγεύω is unique in the New Testament. This edition transliterated Matthew's μάγοι as magi; the verb here cannot be transliterated and is rendered by sense, practising magic — the name by sound, the act by meaning, and the split is recorded. ἐξιστάνων, driving out of their senses, is the axis of the paragraph — vv.9, 11 Simon drives the people out of their senses; v.13 Simon is beside himself (ἐξίστατο). The one who astonished is astonished — the same verb, causative then intransitive. The Gospels' fixed family of wonder (ἐξίστημι = beside oneself) carries the reversal as it stands. ἡ Δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ καλουμένη Μεγάλη — the Power of God that is called Great: a divine title, printed capitalised in the base text.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “driving out of their senses” against “beside himself” — one root, two voices
Basis The causative (vv.9, 11) and the intransitive (v.13) kept on one English idea — out of one's senses / beside oneself — so that the reversal is audible.
Lost in translation
That μάγος (magi — by sound) and μαγεύω (practising magic — by sense) share one root — the name and the verb part ways in English.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
10
ᾧ προσεῖχον ⸀πάντες ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου λέγοντες· Οὗτός ἐστιν ἡ Δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ ⸀καλουμένη Μεγάλη.
to whom all were paying attention, from small to great, saying, “This one is the Power of God that is called Great.”
11
προσεῖχον δὲ αὐτῷ διὰ τὸ ἱκανῷ χρόνῳ ταῖς μαγείαις ἐξεστακέναι αὐτούς.
And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had driven them out of their senses with his magic.
12
ὅτε δὲ ἐπίστευσαν τῷ Φιλίππῳ εὐαγγελιζομένῳ ⸀περὶ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐβαπτίζοντο ἄνδρες τε καὶ γυναῖκες.
But when they believed Philip as he brought the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
13
ὁ δὲ Σίμων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίστευσεν, καὶ βαπτισθεὶς ἦν προσκαρτερῶν τῷ Φιλίππῳ, θεωρῶν τε ⸂σημεῖα καὶ δυνάμεις μεγάλας γινομένας⸃ ἐξίστατο.
And Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized he was persisting with Philip; and seeing signs and great works of power happening, he was beside himself.
14
Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἀπόστολοι ὅτι δέδεκται ἡ Σαμάρεια τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς ⸀αὐτοὺς Πέτρον καὶ Ἰωάννην,
Now the apostles in Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria had welcomed the word of God, sent to them Peter and John,
first here Peter Πέτρος Petros
first here John Ἰωάννης Iōannēs
15
οἵτινες καταβάντες προσηύξαντο περὶ αὐτῶν ὅπως λάβωσιν πνεῦμα ἅγιον·
who went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;
16
⸀οὐδέπω γὰρ ἦν ἐπ’ οὐδενὶ αὐτῶν ἐπιπεπτωκός, μόνον δὲ βεβαπτισμένοι ὑπῆρχον εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ⸀κυρίου Ἰησοῦ.
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17
τότε ⸀ἐπετίθεσαν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐλάμβανον πνεῦμα ἅγιον.
Then they laid their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
18
⸀ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Σίμων ὅτι διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τῶν ἀποστόλων δίδοται τὸ ⸀πνεῦμα προσήνεγκεν αὐτοῖς χρήματα
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19
λέγων· Δότε κἀμοὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην ἵνα ᾧ ἐὰν ἐπιθῶ τὰς χεῖρας λαμβάνῃ πνεῦμα ἅγιον.
saying, “Give me also this authority, so that on whomever I lay my hands he may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20
Πέτρος δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Τὸ ἀργύριόν σου σὺν σοὶ εἴη εἰς ἀπώλειαν ὅτι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνόμισας διὰ χρημάτων κτᾶσθαι.
But Peter said to him, “May your silver go with you to destruction, because you supposed the gift of God could be acquired with money.
Why this rendering
Acts.8.20 Observation
Syntactic observation
Τὸ ἀργύριόν σου σὺν σοὶ εἴη εἰς ἀπώλειαν — may your silver go with you to destruction. εἴη is optative — a rare mood in the New Testament, and one Luke likes (Luke 1:38 may it be; 20:16 μὴ γένοιτο). The curse comes as a wish, not a command — not perish but may it go to destruction. ἀργύριον, silver, at v.20; χρήματα, money, at vv.18, 20 — Simon holds out money, and Peter calls it silver. After Judas's wages of unrighteousness (1:18) and Ananias's price (5:2), this is the third place where money loses its name. V.21 μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος, neither part nor lot — κλῆρος returns as the word of 1:17, 26: the share Judas lost went to Matthias by lot, and Simon has neither. εὐθεῖα, straight, is the adjective of the Isaiah citation at Luke 3:4-5 (make straight; will become straight).
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “may your silver go with you to destruction” — the optative as a wish
Basis Perish would be an imperative and change the base text's mood; may … go keeps the wish.
21
οὐκ ἔστιν σοι μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ, ἡ γὰρ καρδία σου οὐκ ἔστιν εὐθεῖα ⸀ἔναντι τοῦ θεοῦ.
You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not straight before God.
22
μετανόησον οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας σου ταύτης, καὶ δεήθητι τοῦ ⸀κυρίου εἰ ἄρα ἀφεθήσεταί σοι ἡ ἐπίνοια τῆς καρδίας σου·
Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and beg the Lord, if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;
23
εἰς γὰρ χολὴν πικρίας καὶ σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας ὁρῶ σε ὄντα.
for I see you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of unrighteousness.”
24
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Σίμων εἶπεν· Δεήθητε ὑμεῖς ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ πρὸς τὸν κύριον ὅπως μηδὲν ἐπέλθῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ὧν εἰρήκατε.
And Simon answered and said, “You beg the Lord for me, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
25
Οἱ μὲν οὖν διαμαρτυράμενοι καὶ λαλήσαντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου ⸀ὑπέστρεφον εἰς ⸀Ἱεροσόλυμα, πολλάς τε κώμας τῶν Σαμαριτῶν ⸀εὐηγγελίζοντο.
So they, having solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, were returning to Jerusalem, and were bringing the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
first here Samaritan Σαμαρίτης Samaritēs
26
Ἄγγελος δὲ κυρίου ἐλάλησεν πρὸς Φίλιππον λέγων· Ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύου κατὰ μεσημβρίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν καταβαίνουσαν ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ εἰς Γάζαν· αὕτη ἐστὶν ἔρημος.
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a wilderness road.
first here Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm
27
καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ Αἰθίοψ εὐνοῦχος δυνάστης ⸀Κανδάκης βασιλίσσης Αἰθιόπων, ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς γάζης αὐτῆς, ὃς ἐληλύθει προσκυνήσων εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ,
And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, an official of Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28
ἦν ⸀τε ὑποστρέφων καὶ καθήμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ ἅρματος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεγίνωσκεν τὸν προφήτην Ἠσαΐαν.
was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
first here Isaiah Ἠσαΐας Ēsaias
29
εἶπεν δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ Φιλίππῳ· Πρόσελθε καὶ κολλήθητι τῷ ἅρματι τούτῳ.
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and be joined to this chariot.”
30
προσδραμὼν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ ἀναγινώσκοντος ⸂Ἠσαΐαν τὸν προφήτην⸃ καὶ εἶπεν· Ἆρά γε γινώσκεις ἃ ἀναγινώσκεις;
And Philip, running up, heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you really know what you are reading?”
31
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην ἐὰν μή τις ⸀ὁδηγήσει με; παρεκάλεσέν τε τὸν Φίλιππον ἀναβάντα καθίσαι σὺν αὐτῷ.
And he said, “How could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32
ἡ δὲ περιοχὴ τῆς γραφῆς ἣν ἀνεγίνωσκεν ἦν αὕτη· Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη, καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ ⸀κείραντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ.
Now the passage of scripture he was reading was this: ‘As a sheep he was led to slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is voiceless, so he does not open his mouth.
Why this rendering
Acts.8.32 Observation
Syntactic observation
Isaiah 53:7-8 is cited as the Septuagint has it — the only place in Acts where Isaiah 53 is quoted in words. πρόβατον, sheep, and ἀμνός, lamb, stand side by side in one verse. This edition fixed ἀμνός as lamb at John 1:29 and πρόβατον as sheep — the two words divide in one verse as the base text divides them. ἄφωνος, voiceless, has only four New Testament places. V.33 ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει — ταπείνωσις is the word of Luke 1:48 (he looked upon the lowliness of his servant): Mary's song and the Servant's song share one word. V.34's question of the eunuch (περὶ τίνος — about whom) is a question the text opens to its reader too, and v.35 records the answer only as the good news of Jesus — how Philip read Isaiah, the base text does not say.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “as a sheep … as a lamb” — two words kept
Basis As fixed — John 1:29 lamb, πρόβατον sheep. One word would merge the two pictures (the sheep to slaughter, the lamb before the shearer).
33
ἐν τῇ ⸀ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· ⸀τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ.
In his lowliness his judgment was taken away. Who will tell of his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.’
34
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ εὐνοῦχος τῷ Φιλίππῳ εἶπεν· Δέομαί σου, περὶ τίνος ὁ προφήτης λέγει ⸀τοῦτο; περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἢ περὶ ἑτέρου τινός;
And the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I beg you, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself, or about someone else?”
35
ἀνοίξας δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς ταύτης εὐηγγελίσατο αὐτῷ τὸν Ἰησοῦν.
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture he brought him the good news of Jesus.
36
ὡς δὲ ἐπορεύοντο κατὰ τὴν ὁδόν, ἦλθον ἐπί τι ὕδωρ, καί φησιν ὁ εὐνοῦχος· Ἰδοὺ ὕδωρ, τί κωλύει με ⸀βαπτισθῆναι;
And as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch says, “Behold, water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
38
καὶ ἐκέλευσεν στῆναι τὸ ἅρμα, καὶ κατέβησαν ἀμφότεροι εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ ὅ τε Φίλιππος καὶ ὁ εὐνοῦχος, καὶ ἐβάπτισεν αὐτόν.
And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39
ὅτε δὲ ἀνέβησαν ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος, πνεῦμα κυρίου ἥρπασεν τὸν Φίλιππον, καὶ οὐκ εἶδεν αὐτὸν οὐκέτι ὁ εὐνοῦχος, ἐπορεύετο γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ χαίρων.
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
Why this rendering
Acts.8.39 Observation
Syntactic observation
πνεῦμα κυρίου ἥρπασεν τὸν Φίλιππον — the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. ἁρπάζω is the word this edition fixed as snatch at John 10:12, 28, 29 (the wolf the sheep; no one out of my hand). A heavenly snatching is the language of 2 Kings 2:16 (Elijah) and Ezekiel; Acts writes it as narration and does not explain it. And there is no v.37 — the base text does not print the Received Text's confession verse (if you believe with all your heart…). This edition follows the base text from v.36 to v.38 and keeps the numbering: the missing number itself shows the manuscript divide. The last word is χαίρων, rejoicing — as great joy came to Samaria at v.8, the eunuch goes on his way rejoicing. The base text records neither his name nor what came after.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted no v.37 — the numbering skips as the base text does
Basis A verse the base text does not print, this edition does not print (as at Matt 17:21, Mark 7:16, Luke 17:36). The numbers are neither closed up nor filled.
40
Φίλιππος δὲ εὑρέθη εἰς Ἄζωτον, καὶ διερχόμενος εὐηγγελίζετο τὰς πόλεις πάσας ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς Καισάρειαν.
But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he was bringing the good news to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
first here Caesarea Καισάρεια Kaisareia