UBS Handbooks

[Λύχνις Δαν]

Hi ya,

 

Might I be an utter pain and prevail upon someone for an example ?

 

I've been tempted by these before - now at $100 dollars ....

 

So would anyone have a moment to let me see what the handbook on Acts says on ch 14:1-18 (if it's short - probably isn't - seems about half a page a verse on average) or some interesting fragment thereof (14:11-18 has some interesting bits in it) ?

 

I've read what I can see in the forums, watched the podcast but I'd like to get a feel for an example with which I have some familiarity and see what it adds.  Please don't paste a ton in as it'll likely violate copyright - but Amazon Look Inside has let me down this time - or just ping a PM at me.

 

Many thanx

D

[PhilT]

If you can wait a few hours, will post when I get home from work (its 12:37 Sydney time)

[Λύχνις Δαν]

Thanx Phil - that would be great.

 

Tx

D

[PhilT]

14.1–7

    The title In Iconium serves quite well in this series in English since it indirectly refers back to the beginning of Chapter 13 and continues the listing of those places in which Barnabas and Paul ministered. However, in a number of languages one simply cannot say merely In Iconium. It may be necessary to make an entire sentence of this, for example, “Paul and Barnabas preached in Iconium,” “Paul and Barnabas Tell the Good News to People in Iconium,” or “The Good News is Told to People in Iconium.”
    This first section can be most conveniently divided into two paragraphs, verses 1 through 4 and then verses 5 through 7. The first paragraph deals with the initial success but anticipates the problems by virtue of the city being divided, some for the Jews and others for the apostles. The second paragraph describes the persecution and the subsequent fleeing of the apostles to Lystra and Derbe where they carry on their work.

14.1
    The same thing happened translates a phrase (literally “it happened according to the same”) that some take in the sense of “together” (see RSV); but though the exact meaning is not clear, it is difficult to see why Luke was concerned to point out that Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue together. On the contrary, one can easily see why he was concerned to indicate that the same thing happened in Iconium as had taken place in Antioch.
    The translation of the clause the same things happened in Iconium is not easy in some languages, since one may not have a convenient substitute such as thing to refer to an event. In some languages the closest equivalent is “in Iconium Paul and Barnabas had the same kind of experience as they had in Antioch of Pisidia.”
    The subject of went is not explicit in the Greek, but since a new section is introduced, it is possible that the English reader may have difficulty in identifying “they” as a reference to Paul and Barnabas; for this reason the TEV has made the subject explicit. Something similar has been done in verse 3 where “they” is rendered apostles.
    The word which the TEV has translated Gentiles literally means “Greeks.” Either Luke intended this word to be taken as a synonym for Gentiles, or else he intended to differentiate the Greeks from the other Gentiles. The first of these possibilities seems more likely, in light of the observation that he mentions only two groups and one of them is Jews.
    The phrase Jewish synagogues may be rendered as “synagogue where Jews met” or as in many languages, “meeting house of Jews” or even “worship house of Jews.”
    In most languages there is a general equivalent of a great number. This is often a term such as “many” and it differs in actual number depending upon the content. In some languages, however, there are several words for “many” and therefore one must indicate whether it is a matter of a few dozen, a few hundred, or several thousand people. It is probable that in this type of circumstance several hundred would be an appropriate equivalent, although it may very well be that even fewer believers would cause a considerable reaction.
    The phrase became believers may need to be made more specific in some languages, “came to believe in Jesus” or “came to believe in the Lord.”

14.2
    Would not believe is literally “disobeyed,” but this word is used throughout Acts and elsewhere in the New Testament as the opposite of “to believe.” The phrase would not believe may be rendered as “refused to believe in Jesus.”
    In the Greek sentence structure their feelings (literally “the souls of the Gentiles”) is actually the object of the both verbs stirred up and turned…against. The verb translated turned…against literally means “mistreat” or “treat badly” (see 7.6), and when used with “soul” as its object means “stir up feelings (in a negative way).” Some translators render the Greek expression as “poisoned their minds against.” Some commentators believe that the verbs in this verse should be taken in the sense of “began to” inasmuch as the apostles stayed for a long while and did not really have any difficulty until the Jewish and Gentile leaders to get together (see v. 5).
    The equivalent of turned their feelings against may be in some languages “caused them to be angry with.” In some instances the equivalent is highly idiomatic, for example, “caused their hearts to be hot against” or “caused them to burn against.”
    The expression the brothers may be difficult to render in this particular context, since it might suggest that Paul and Barnabas were brothers in a physical sense. The meaning of course is “fellow believers,” and this is the way in which it must sometimes be translated in order to avoid an incorrect implication.

14.3
    The TEV has not translated the Greek particle oun “therefore” with which this verse begins since in combination with the particle men it is resumptive, that is, transitional.
    The identification of Paul and Barnabas as apostles should not cause any difficulty since a similar reference is made in 13.51. However in some languages it may be preferable to use the names Paul and Barnabas since this would make the reference somewhat more specific.
    The phrase for a long time may need to be made more specific in some languages, since in a number of instances one must distinguish between time in terms of days, weeks, or months. It is probable in this context that one is dealing with weeks, and therefore one may translate “for several weeks.” However, insofar as possible one should attempt to use a term of indefinite time so as not go to beyond what the text itself suggests.
    The equivalent of boldly generally comes from one of two different perspectives in communication: either from the standpoint of the speaker himself who “speaks fully,” “speaks strongly,” “speaks openly”; or from the standpoint of the receptors, for example, “speaks without concern for who is listening” or “speaks without fear of those who may listen.”
    In some languages it may be necessary to specify “Lord Jesus” since a term for Lord in this particular context might refer to God. However, in view of the total context of Acts there is no special difficulty in most languages with the use of the term Lord at this point to indicate the “Lord Jesus.”
    It seems highly likely in the present context that the verb “to testify to” (RSV “bore witness to”) must be taken in the sense of proved or “showed to be true.”
    The subject of this sentence (the Greek simply has “they”) is either Paul and Barnabas (from v. 1) or the apostles (from v. 3). In any event the same persons are involved.
    The phrase message about his grace come from the expression “word of his grace.” Commentators are generally agreed that “word” must be taken here in the sense of message, and that the genitive construction “of his grace” means about his grace or “concerning his grace.”
    The expression proved that their message about his grace was true is semantically quite complex. First of all, it is the Lord who is the subject of proved. They (Paul and Barnabas) are the subjects of the implied event of proclaiming the message, and the Lord is the subject of the event indicated by the word grace. In some languages this rather complex structure must be put together in a somewhat different form, for example, “the Lord proved that what they were saying was true when they spoke about his grace” or “the Lord proved their message was true, that message was about the Lord’s grace. In some languages an expression such as their message must be rendered as “what they said”; and the phrase his grace is equivalent to “his looking on them for good,” “his being kind to them,” or as in some languages, “his showing them that he loved them.”
    By giving them the power to perform miracles and wonders is based on “granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (RSV, which is a rather literal representation of the Greek), but “through their hands” obviously means “by (means of) them.” Thus when the phrase “by their hands” is combined with the verb “to grant” or “to give,” the meaning is “give (someone) the power (to do something).” On miracles and wonders, see 2.19.
    The phrase giving them the power to perform may be rendered in many languages as “caused them to be able to perform” or even “gave them the strength to perform.” In this latter instance, however, a term for “strength” must not refer merely to physical ability.
    In many languages one “performs miracles” or “does miracles,” but in some other languages a causative is required “to cause miracles to happen” or “to cause people to see miracles.”

14.4
    It is not certain precisely how the phrase the crowd in the city is to be translated. The Greek expression is a reference to the population of the city and does not mean merely some crowd which happened to gather in the city square. Rather, it is a reference to the many people in the city who were divided into two groups, one for the Jew and the other for the apostles. An equivalent of the crowd in the city may be translated in some languages as “the many people of the city.”
    The verb was divided does not refer to “divided thoughts” but to “divided loyalties.” In some languages this can be indicated as “the many people in the city separated into two groups.”
    The expression were for the Jews may be rendered as “approved of what the Jews were saying” or “joined sides with the Jews.” Similarly, the expression for the apostles must be parallel with the phrase chosen to express for the Jews.

14.5
    This verse is rendered quite differently by various translators, primarily because of different interpretations given to one word. The only other place in the New Testament where this particular word occurs is in James 3.4, and it is agreed there that it means something like “intention,” “purpose,” or “desire.” The TEV has translated this noun, together with the verb “happened,” as meaning decided, while most translators employ something like “a movement arose.” Phillipsqualifies the movement as “hostile movement,” basing his translation either on the original meaning of this word or else of the following events. As the context makes clear, the word indicates the formulation of a plan to kill the apostles and not actual realization of this plan.
    With their leaders may be refer either to the Jews, or to the Gentiles and Jews. In the former case the leaders would be leaders of the synagogues, and in the latter case the city officials (see NEB “city authorities”). “Insult” (Phillips) is a possible translation of what the authorities decided to do to the apostles; however, mistreat (RVS “molest”) seems mush better in the present context, because the implication is that they wanted to brings physical injury to the apostles.
    The phrase together with their leaders may be translated either as “their leaders also approved” or “their leaders also joined with them.” As noted above, their may refer either to the Jews or to both the Jews and the Gentiles.
    To mistreat is in most languages “to harm physically,” “to damage them,” or “to wound them.” This is in keeping with the last expression stone them, which in many languages is literally “kill them by throwing stones at them.”

14.6
    Once again the subject “they” must be made explicit for the sake of clarity, the apostles.
    Learned about translates a verb which means “to become aware of or to realize (certain obscure information).” Fled translates a verb meaning “to flee for safety.” The verse suggests that the sudden trip to Lystra and Derbe was not within the original plans of the apostles but that they had to hasten there in order to escape with their lives.
    Lystra was about 18 miles southwest of Iconium and held the rank of a Roman colony. Derbe was a frontier city of the providence of Galatia, though its exact location has not been established. According to some it was about 30 miles southeast of Lystra. Lycaonia was a district in the Roman province of Galatia.
    In some languages there is a problem involved in translating fled to Lystra and Derbe…and to the surrounding territory. It is all right for people to flee to a particular town, but to flee to towns possibly 30 miles apart, and also to the surrounding territory, may seem strange indeed. In some languages the appropriate equivalent is “fled to a territory which included Lystra and Derbe which were cities in Lycaonia.” This would suggest, therefore, that the apostles were relatively free to move about within this territory rather than fleeing first to Lystra, then to Derbe, and on to the surrounding territory. The difficulty with this type of rendering is that in verse 8 the narrative continues in Lystra.

14.7
    The reference implied by there must be to the territory, including both Lystra and Derbe. Therefore in some languages it may be rendered as “in that region they preached.”
    As in so many instances, it may be necessary to specify the goal or content of the Good News, for example, “the Good News about the Lord Jesus.”


14.8–20

    As in the case of the title In Iconium (at v. 1) it may be necessary to indicate what happened in Lystra and Derbe, for example, “Paul and Barnabas Preach in Lystra and Derbe” or “Paul and Barnabas Are Persecuted in Lystra and Flee to Derbe.” One may, however, wish to highlight the experience of Paul in Lystra and simply have as a title “Paul Is Stoned in Lystra.”

14.8
    He had been lame from birth translates the same expression as was used in 3.2 who had been lame all his life. The full details of the man’s situation are given, whose feet were crippled…lame from birth…never been able to walk, in order to emphasize the greatness and reality of the cure.
    By means of the device there was it is possible to introduce the lame man in Lystra as “new information” in this story. In Greek the same kind of information is indicated by the indefinite pronoun tis sometimes translated “a certain” or “one.”
    Terms for crippled vary widely, for example, “twisted,” “weak,” or “shriveled”; but in all languages there are satisfactory equivalents since this is a universal experience.

14.9
    Sitting there comes from verse 8 of the Greek, where its literal translation in combination with the phrase in Lystra would be awkward.
    He listened to Paul’s words may also be rendered “he listened to Paul as he was speaking.”
    Paul saw that he believed and could be healed is literally “(Paul saw) that he had faith to be healed”; this indicates that Luke evidently looked on the man’s ability to be healed as a result of his faith in Paul’s power to heal him. “To be healed” is the same verb used throughout the New Testament in the sense of “to be saved,” but the present context the meaning is obviously related to the man’s physical condition.
    Looked straight at him may be rendered in some languages as “looked directly at him” or even “looked at him and no one else” (see also 1.10).

14.10
    The phrase stand up straight is not a reference to his posture but to the fact that he should stand up fully on his feet rather than lean against something or perhaps crouch over. In some languages this may be equivalent to “stand up fully” or “stand up to your full height.”
    On jumped up and started walking around, see 3.8.

14.11
    They started to shout translates the Hebraic expression “they lifted up their voice,” which means simply “to speak (or to shout) loudly.” Started to shout is an attempt to express the force of the aorist tense of the Greek verb, here indicating the beginning of the action. Of course neither Paul nor Barnabas could understand the regional language, that is, they Lycaonian language.
    The gods have become like men and have come down to us (NEB “the gods have come down to us in human form”) is precisely the meaning of the Greek; the JB seems to have gone too far by standing that the gods came down “disguised as men.”
    Have come down to us need to be more specific, for example “have come down from heaven to us.”

14.12
    Zeus was the chief god of the Greek and Hermes was the messenger of the gods. A writer of the fourth century A.D. refers to Hermes as “the leader of the words,” almost exactly the same expression which appears in the TEV as one who did the speaking. There was a local legend to the effect that an elderly and pious couple by the name of Philemon and Baucis had entertained Jupiter (= Zeus) and Mercury (= Hermes) without knowing that they were gods.
    In many languages it is important to add some kind of note at this point to indicate that Zeus was regarded as the chief god of the Greeks and that Hermes was the messenger of the gods. In some instances, however, a kind of classifier may be used for both Zeus and Hermes and one may have in the text a rendering such as “they called Barnabas by the name of the god Zeus and Paul by the name of the god Hermes.” However, the use of such a classifier to identify who Zeus and Hermes were is not really adequate to provide all of the necessary cultural background which may be required if people are to understand adequately this kind of context.
    The names Zeus and Hermes should be transliterated on the basis of pronunciation and adjusted to the pronunciation of the dominant language in the area, unless the receptor language has its own tradition for dealing with such terms.

14.13
    The god Zeus, whose temple stood just outside the town is the way that most translators understand the meaning of the Greek; however, some think the reference is to the name of a local deity (see JB “Zeus-outside-the-gate”). The flowers (literally “wreaths of flowers”) were draped around animals to be sacrificed. Commentators differ as to whether the gate referred to was the gate of the city, the gate of the temple, or the gate of the house where the apostles were staying; but it seems more in keeping with the story to suppose that the gate referred to was the gate of the temple. The purpose of the sacrifice that the priest wanted to offer is clearly evident in the context; it was to be offered to the apostles, and for this reason the TEV has made the purpose of his intended sacrifice explicit (see vv. 14 ff.).
    The phrase the priest of the god Zeus may need to be somewhat more explicit in some languages; for example, “the priest who served the god Zeus” or even “the priest in the temple of the god Zeus.”
    The phrase whose temple may be translated as “the building in which people worshiped Zeus.”
    The verb brought must frequently be translated by two quite different verbs, one which would apply to “bulls” and another to “flowers.” In the verbs, one which would apply to “bulls” and another to “flowers.” In the first instance it may be “caused to be led” or “caused to be driven,” while in the second it would be either “carried” or perhaps “caused to be carried.”
    In this instance the term gate may often be rendered as merely “entrance” or “place where people went in.”
    For languages which have no sacrificial system. to offer sacrifice to may be translated as “to kill an animal in honor of” or “to kill an animal as a gift to show respect for.” However, there must be direct implication of “worship”; for example, “to kill an animal in order to show worship to.”

14.14
    This verse begins with the phrase “the apostles Barnabas and Paul” (TEV Barnabas and Paul), but since “the apostles” was stated explicitly as the object of the intended sacrifice in the preceding verse, it is unnecessary to repeat this qualifier. In the Greek text the verb heard has no expressed object, but the reference is to all that was described in verse 13; therefore the TEV has given what they were about to do as the object of heard.
    Barnabas and Paul tore their clothes as a protest against the intended action of the crowd. In Jewish rabbinic literature, the tearing of one’s clothes is given as the proper reaction towards blasphemy (see Mark 14.63); but perhaps also the apostles realized that if they behaved in this fashion, they might more easily convince the crowds that they were merely men, and not gods.
    The tearing of clothes obviously has quite different cultural meanings in different societies. It may be necessary to have some kind of marginal note at this point to explain to the reader precisely what involved in this action of tearing the clothes. Such an action might, in fact, suggest to many people that Paul and Barnabas had simply become insane. In some languages one can suggest something of the purpose of tearing the clothes by translating as “they tore their clothes in protest” or “they tore their clothes to show they did not approve of what was happening.” However, this supplement to the text is not sufficient in most instances, and some marginal note is necessary.

14.15
    This verse begins with the participle “and saying” (see KJV “crying out, and saying”). This represents Hebraic usage, but it is redundant for the English reader, and therefore practically all modern translations omit it.
    Human begins like you translates an adjective which means “of similar feelings” or “of the same nature.” In the context the word is employed to show that the apostles are merely human in the same way other men are. It is thus parallel to the previous statement we are just men.
    In some languages it may be useful to reverse the order suggested in the TEV just men, human beings like you. One may have, for example, “we are just like you; we also are men.” This, however, may seem relatively strange in some languages, and therefore a more vivid contrast may be necessary; for example, “we are men like you; we are not gods.” Only in this way can the contrast between their previously given names and their actual humanity be specifically indicated.
    As in other contexts, it may be necessary to specify the content of the Good News; for example, “the Good News about Jesus.”
    These worthless things is a term used in the Septuagintto refer to idols, and it may have that specific meaning in the present context (see JB “empty idols”). Although the definite article “the” does not appear in the Greek text, the translation should be to the living God rather than “to a living God” (RSV), which might imply that there were several living gods, something which could never be true in Jewish or Christian thinking.
    The expression to turn you away from…to… implies considerable ellipsis, and it may be necessary to fill out the implied events and relationships; for example, “to turn you away from worshipping these worthless objects and to cause you to worship the living God” or “to cause you no longer to worship in this way which has no value, but to cause you to worship the living God.”
    The attributive living may be rendered as a qualifying clause, “God who lives” or “God who is alive.”
    The terms heaven, earth, sea represent the three divisions of the universe as recognized by ancient peoples. In many languages it is necessary to distinguish between “heaven” as “the abode of God” and “the sky.” It is this latter meaning which is implied in this context.
    Some languages are not able to employ a general expression such as all that is in them. Rather, they must specify whether these objects are persons, animals, or plans. If in a particular language it is necessary to be more specific, one can then say “persons, animals, and plants,” since this would include the totality of creation. From the biblical viewpoint celestial beings were also included, but it is not necessary to be that specific, particularly in view of the very general way in which the creation is referred to

14.16
    To go their own way means that God permitted them “to go as they pleased,” without a specific revelation of his will for them in Jesus Christ. Paul’s point here, as in 17.30, is that men had been ignorant of the truth about the living God is times past, and God had overlooked their idolatry because of this ignorance, but now that now that the truth had been proclaimed they were obliged to turn from their idols to the living God.
    The idiom to go their own way is useful in English but may be quite misleading in another languages, since it may be refer only to actual movement from one place to another. A more equivalent expression in some languages is “to do as they themselves thought best,” “to determine themselves what was right,” or “to worship.”

14.17
    The Greek particle translated but appears only here and in Hebrews 4.3. In the present context it is used to qualify the statement that God allowed all peoples to go their way in the past, and perhaps denotes concession, “but even though he did this.” The equivalent in some languages is “nevertheless.”
    The clause rendered he has always given proof of himself states positively what the Greek affirms in a negative fashion, “he did not leave himself without proof.” The word translated proof is related to the verb translated proved…true in verse 3. As in the former passage, so in the present, the meaning is that God gives evidence that something is true by the way in which he acts. Here the good things that he does are understood to be the proof that is given of himself.
    In some languages the equivalent of he has always given proof of himself is to state “he has shown very clearly just who he is” or “he has shown people clearly just what kind of God he is.” The find phrase by the good things he does may be related to the previous clause by translating “he has shown this by the good he has done for people.” It is frequently necessary to specify “for people,” since otherwise “good” is too vague and even misleading. However, in some instances the following clauses may be sufficient to provide the proper conditioning for the expression good.
    Crops at the right times translates a phrase which means “harvest seasons,” the seasons in which the fields yield their harvest. The last clause in verse 17 literally reads “filling your hearts with food and happiness,” which the TEV has restructured to read he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness (see JB “he gives you food and makes you happy”). Goodspeed understands the clause to mean “giving you food and happiness to your heart’s content.”
    Gives you rain may be rendered is some languages as “causes the rain to come” or “causes the rain to fall.” In this clause the term heaven specifies the sky, not “the abode of God.”
    In many languages one cannot speak about “giving” crops at the right times, but one can say “he causes plants to produce grain when it is the right time for them” or “he causes trees to produce fruit when they should.”
    As in so many instances, it is not possible to speak of “filling one’s heart.” This is more generally translated as a causative, “causes your hearts to be happy.”

14.18
    Even with these words may be understood either as indicating means, “by saying these things,” or concession, “even though they said these things.” Most translators prefer the latter alternative. The relationship of the phrase with these words to the rest of the clause is not easy to express in some languages. It may even be necessary to say “the apostles spoke these words but they found it difficult to prevent the crowds….”
    The semantic structure of hardly keep the crowds from offering is rather complex. In some languages the equivalent is “only by trying very hard did the apostles prevent the crowds from offering” or “the apostles caused the crowds not to offer a sacrifice to them, but it was not easy for the apostles to prevent them from doing so.”

14.19
    Throughout Acts, Luke is careful to point out that Paul’s troubles are almost always caused by the Jews and that sometimes the Jews come from great distances to cause him trouble. Even though Antioch of Pisidia was about 100 miles from Iconium, the cities did share a close connection, as is indicated by the fact that the people of Lystra once built a statute in Antioch. Some Jews should probably be taken as the subject of all the verbs in this sentence, won, stoned, dragged, thinking; but is possible also to consider the crowds as taking part in the stoning and thinking that Paul was dead.
    The expression won the crowds to their side may be rendered as “caused the crowds to believe what they said,” “…to follow them,” “…to be on their side,” or “…to go along with them.”
    In some languages it may be more appropriate to translate: “dragged his body out of town.” This would reflect more accurately what the people though they were doing, since they regarded Paul as being dead.

14.20
    Luke’s phrase “the disciples” has been rendered as the believers; the reference is to Christians in Antioch. The fact that Paul was able to get up and go back into the town, and the next day go to Derbe, suggest that Luke intended this to be read as a miraculous event.


14.21–28

    The section heading The Return to Antioch in Syria may need to be made into a complete sentence in some languages, “Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria.”

14.21
    Derbe is the final city reached in the course of the first missionary journey. After winning many disciples there, the two apostles returned to Antioch by way of Lystra and Iconium. The expression won many disciples frequently cannot be translated literally. The Greek itself simply means “cause to become disciples,” and it is this form which can most generally be employed. The equivalent in many languages is simply “caused many people to believe in Jesus” or “caused many people to become followers of Jesus.” It is particularly important to avoid a term for disciples which may in any way imply that these people became followers of Paul of Barnabas.

14.22
    The return visit to these cities was to strengthen the believers (literally “strengthening the souls of the disciples”) and to encourage them to remain true to the faith. The faith is used in a way similar to its use in 6.7 and 13.8. Strengthen the believers must, of course, not be understood in a literal sense. Rather, it means “caused the believers to believe more firmly” or “caused those who believed in Jesus to be strong in their faith.” To remain true to the faith may need to be somewhat recast in certain languages as “to remain faithful to what they had believed” or “to continue true in their trust in Jesus.” Here faith is to be understood in this active sense of personal trust in the Lord.
    We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God is direct discourse in the Greek sentence structure (see JB), though a number of translations reproduce this as indirect discourse (see RSV, NEB). We includes both the apostles and their hearers and hence is inclusive. In a more general sense, of course, the pronoun could be applied to all the believers. Paul meant, “All who believe must pass through many troubles in this life in order to enter the Kingdom of God in the age to come.”
    The phrase Kingdom of God is to be understood in terms of the rule of God, not some particular place (see also 1.3). It is related to time, and not essentially to space. In some languages the closest equivalent to the latter part of this admonition to the believers may be rendered as “in order that we may enjoy at last God’s ruling over us.”

14.23
    Although the verb rendered appointed originally meant “to elect by a show of the hands,” it is apparent that in the present context it means “to appoint.” Most translations have “appointed,” while Moffatthas “they (the apostles) chose…for them (the church).” which amounts to the same thing. In New Testament this verb occurs only here and in 2 Corinthians 8.19. The same verb stem with the prefix “before” appears in Acts 10.41, where it refers to the witnesses whom “God had already chosen.” The sense of appointed may be indicated in some languages as simply “chose,” but in other languages it may be necessary to specify the kind of activity which is implied—for example, “gave a task to,” “assigned for work,” of “gave responsibility to.”
    Elders, a term which comes from the Jewish background, is frequently used as an official Christian title in (Acts see 11.30).
    The phrase with prayers and fasting may be taken either with the verb appointed or with commended. Most translations connect it with commended, as does the TEV, though a few connect it with appointed. In translating with prayers and fasting one may need to employ verb expressions—for example, “after praying to God and fasting.” The term fasting may itself require some more specific type of identification—for example, “going without food in order to worship” or “going without food as a part of one’s worship of God.”
    In the clause they commended them to the Lord, it is not certain to whom them refers. Reference may be limited to the elders, but in light of the qualifying statement, in whom they had put their trust, it is most likely to be enlarged to include the entire Christian community. Commended may be rendered literally as “turned them over to.” In some languages it may be rendered more idiomatically as “put them in the hands of” or “placed them under the eyes of.” Basically, this is an expression of “entrusting to the care of.”

14.24–26
    In translating preached the message in Perga, it may be necessary to indicate the persons who received the message—for example, “preached the Good News to people in Perga.”
    Attalia was the chief seaport of Pamphylia. One went down to it when coming from inland
    Commended to the care of God’s grace (literally “commended to the grace of God”) is to be taken in the sense of “to be commended to God’s providence and care” (see NEB and Moffatt “commended to the grace of God,” which is to be referred to Goodspeed “commended to God’s favor”). It is not easy to render satisfactorily the expression commended to the care of God’s grace. It is quite easy to talk about “turning people, over to God” or “entrusting them to God,” but to “entrust a person to God’s grace” may produce certain complications. Therefore, in many languages it is necessary to break this expression into two phrases: “they entrusted them to God for him to care for” or “they entrusted them to God in order that God would show his goodness to them.”
    It is essential that God’s grace be closely related to the work they had now completed, since it is “God’s care for them so that they could do the work which they had finished.”

14.27
    With them is capable of two principal interpretation: it may refer to all that God had done “for them” (Knox”all God had done to aid them”), but more likely it is to be taken in the sense of what God had done “in union with them” (NEB “all that God had done through them”; Zurich “all the great things God, who had been with them, had done”; Goodspeed “how God had worked with them”; Barclay”all that God had done along with them”)
    The rendering he had opened the way for the Gentiles to believe implies that the expression “to open a door of faith” should be interpreted to mean “to give (someone) the opportunity to believe.” The phrase opened the way for may be equivalent in some languages to “showed how it was possible for” or “showed that the Gentiles could believe.”

14.28
    As in the case of so many other translations, the TEV has transformed Luke’s negative phrase, “no little time,” into a positive one, a long time. It is impossible for us to know how long a time is implied, but in many languages the closest equivalent is probably “for a number of months” or “…moons.” The unit of time is certainly more than would be reckoned by days or weeks, but it would probably be wrong to imply “a number of years,” since this would distort the chronology of Paul’s activities.
 

[Λύχνις Δαν]

Thank you Phil.

 

Thx
D

[PhilT]

Hope this helps, for me, I bought when it was cheap and use it all the time