Acts 3:13–15

3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,34 the God of our forefathers,35 has glorified36 his servant37 Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected38 in the presence of Pilate after he had decided39 to release him. 3:14 But you rejected40 the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. 3:15 You killed41 the Originator42 of life, whom God raised43 from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses!44

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34	tc ‡ The repetition of ὁ θεός (ho theos, “God”) before the names of Isaac and Jacob is found in 𝔓74 א C (A D without article) 36 104 1175 pc lat. The omission of the second and third ὁ θεός is supported by B E Ψ 33 1739 𝔐 pc. The other time that Exod 3:6 is quoted in Acts (7:32) the best witnesses also lack the repeated ὁ θεός, but the three other times this OT passage is quoted in the NT the full form, with the thrice-mentioned θεός, is used (Matt 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37). Scribes would be prone to conform the wording here to the LXX; the longer reading is thus most likely not authentic. NA 27 has the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.
35	tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.” sn The reference to the God of the patriarchs is a reminder that God is the God of the nation and of promises. The phrase God of our forefathers is from the Hebrew scriptures (Exod 3:6, 15–16; 4:5; see also the Jewish prayer known as “The Eighteen Benedictions”). Once again, event has led to explanation, or what is called the “sign and speech” pattern.
36	sn Has glorified. Jesus is alive, raised and active, as the healing illustrates so dramatically how God honors him.
37	sn His servant. The term servant has messianic connotations given the context of the promise, the note of suffering, and the titles and functions noted in vv. 14–15.
38	tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”
39	tn This genitive absolute construction could be understood as temporal (“when he had decided”) or concessive (“although he had decided”).
40	tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”
41	tn Or “You put to death.”
42	tn Or “Founder,” “founding Leader.”
43	sn Whom God raised. God is the main actor here, as he testifies to Jesus and vindicates him.
44	tn Grk “whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the words “to this fact” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English. sn We are witnesses. Note the two witnesses here, Peter and John (Acts 5:32; Heb 2:3–4).

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