On this verse see 10.45, 47. The same gift is, of course, a reference to the Holy Spirit. An expression such as gave … the same gift is difficult to render literally in many languages. One simply cannot “give a gift.” Under such circumstances one may translate, however, as “God gave to the Gentiles in the same way that he gave to us” or, even more specifically, “God gave the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles in the same way that he gave the Holy Spirit to us.”

As in practically all contexts, an expression such as believed in is to be understood not in terms of “believing what a person has said” but “trusting in” or “committing one’s self to.” This implies “loyalty to” or “adherence to.”

Who was I, then, to try to stop God! translates a Greek construction that is very difficult to explain, but it is agreed that it contains two elements: (1) “who was I to try to stop God?” and (2) “could I stop God?” This final question in a number of languages may require some characterization of the speaker, such as “was I big enough to try to stop God?” or “did I have enough power to try to prevent God?” It may even be necessary to specify what was involved in “preventing God,” for example, “prevent God from doing what he wanted to do.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .