Lectionary Year B
April 27, 2003
Acts 4:32-35

Step I: Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

(WL) C. ROUGH TRANSLATION

(32) And the multitude (plethous) having faithed (pistoussanton: 1st aro act ptc.gen.pl.masc) were heart and soul one, and not one of anything that possessed said his alone it was, but to them all things were common. (33) And (with) great (megale) power the apostles were giving (3 p. pl. imperf. act. ind) witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and (te) great (megale) grace was upon all of them. (34) For not anyone impoverished was among them, for as many as owners of a fields or houses were, were selling (and) were bringing (3 p. pl. imperf. act. ind.) the value (timas) of that sold (pres.pass.ptc.gen.pl.m. or n.) (35) and laying (3 p. pl. imperf. act. ind. of tithimi) at the feet of the apostles and it was being distributed (3 p. sing. imperf. mid. ind.) according to the need anyone had. (36) And Joseph (Ioses) who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which is interpreted "Son of encouragement"), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, (37) himself having land, having sold (it), brought brought the money and laid (eteken 3 p. sing. 1 aor. act. ind. of tithemi) (it) at the feet of the apostles.

The stated pericope begins a paragraph. It ends with a break in the Gk. text. It could, and might well be extended by the next two verses. The RSV and NRSV treats 32-37 in a single paragraph. The Jerusalem Bible and the NIV treats vs 36-37 as a separate paragraph. Vs. 36 and 37 os a positive example of what is described in the preceding verses. Chapter 5 which immediately follows is a negative example with its consequences. I choose to extend the pericope to include the next two verses for reasons cited in STEP V.

TEXTUAL VARIANTS:

Vs. 32: some mss include a phrase "and not quarreling among themselves"

Vs. 36: the name given to Joseph by the disciples is reported to be Barabbas. Neither name clearly translates to "son of encouragement (or consolation)"



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