2:42a
They: This pronoun refers to all believers here, including the new believers of 2:41a.
devoted themselves to: This phrase refers to being faithful in doing something and persevere in doing it. This action applies to the next four activities: teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. The Greek tense indicates they did this for some time. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
were continually devoting themselves to (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
spent their time (New Century Version)
-or-
persevered in
the apostles’ teaching: The word teaching probably refers to both public preaching and private instruction. The apostles taught about what Jesus did and said and who God said he was.
the fellowship: The word fellowship refers to the believers being closely associated with other believers. This would include meeting together regularly. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
share the common life (Revised English Bible)
-or-
they were like family to each other (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
sharing (New Century Version)
-or-
the community ⌊of believers⌋
2:42b
the breaking of bread: This phrase refers to eating a meal. The kind of bread most often eaten by the Jews was hard, so it would break rather than tear. At meals, the hard loaf was broken and shared among the people eating. Here it probably refers both to eating regular meals together and celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
sharing in the fellowship meals (Good News Translation)
-or-
sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper) (New Living Translation (2004))
to prayer: Here this word refers to the believers gathering together to pray as a group or groups.
prayer: This word refers to what people say to God. It can include both requests and praises.
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