5:28a
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said:
The Berean Standard Bible put the words he said in the middle of what the high priest said. In many languages, it is more natural to have it first. For example:
He said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name.
We gave you strict orders: In 4:18, the Jewish leaders had told the apostles “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.” The clause here in 5:28 refers to that command. Here are some other ways to translate this:
We strictly commanded you (LEB)
-or-
We commanded you strongly/completely
teach in this name: Here name represents the whole person. So the phrase in this name means “about him” or “by/using his authority.” The apostles taught about Jesus, they taught his teachings, and they taught by his authority.
In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the meaning. For example:
teach about this man and by his authority
-or-
concerning him
-or-
teach by the authority of that man
this name: This refers to the name of Jesus. If people in your language area will not know who this refers to, you may want to explain in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This refers to Jesus.
5:28b
Yet: The Greek is literally “and look.” It commands the listener to pay attention to the words that follow. Here are some other ways to translate this Greek phrase:
And listen,
-or-
Hey/Indeed,
you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching: This clause is a figure of speech that indicates that many people in Jerusalem had heard the apostles teach about Jesus.
In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:
You have taught so much that everyone in Jerusalem has heard your teaching
-or-
You have taught and taught and so everyone in Jerusalem has heard it
5:28c
are determined: The Greek word here means “wish, want, intend, plan.” The high priest thought that the apostles were claiming that the leaders were guilty of murdering Jesus and were wanting the Jews in general to believe they were guilty in that way.
Here are some other ways to translate this Greek word:
intend (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
want (New Living Translation (2004))
to make us responsible for this man’s blood: This clause refers to the apostles accusing the leaders of murdering Jesus. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
accuse of being guilty of that person’s murder
-or-
to make us guilty saying we wrongfully killed him
this man’s blood: Here the word blood refers to a person’s life. In some languages a literal translation would refer only to blood. If that is true in your language, refer to a person’s life. See the examples above.
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