Acts 5:15-17

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 5:15 tn This is a continuation of the preceding sentence in Greek, but because this would produce an awkward sentence in English, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
2. Acts 5:16 sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
3. Acts 5:16 tn Literally a relative pronoun, “who.” In English, however, a relative clause (“bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits, who were all being healed”) could be understood to refer only to the second group (meaning only those troubled by unclean spirits were being healed) or even that the unclean spirits were being healed. To avoid this ambiguity the pronoun “they” was used to begin a new English sentence.
4. Acts 5:16 sn They were all being healed. Note how the healings that the apostles provided were comprehensive in their consistency.
5. Acts 5:17 sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.
6. Acts 5:17 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
7. Acts 5:17 sn Filled with jealousy. In Acts, the term “jealousy” (ζήλος, zēlos) occurs only here and in Acts 13:45. It is a key term in Judaism for religiously motivated rage (1 Macc 2:24; 1QH 14:13-15; m. Sanhedrin 9:5). It was a zeal motivated by a desire to maintain the purity of the faith.