Although the verb rendered appointed originally meant “to elect by a show of the hands,” it is apparent that in the present context it means “to appoint.” Most translations have “appointed,” while Moffatt has “they (the apostles) chose … for them (the church),” which amounts to the same thing. In New Testament this verb occurs only here and in 2 Corinthians 8.19. The same verb stem with the prefix “before” appears in Acts 10.41, where it refers to the witnesses whom “God had already chosen.” The sense of appointed may be indicated in some languages as simply “chose,” but in other languages it may be necessary to specify the kind of activity which is implied—for example, “gave a task to,” “assigned for work,” or “gave responsibility to.”

Elders, a term which comes from the Jewish background, is frequently used as an official Christian title in Acts (see 11.30).

The phrase with prayers and fasting may be taken either with the verb appointed or with commended. Most translations connect it with commended, as does the Good News Translation, though a few connect it with appointed. In translating with prayers and fasting one may need to employ verb expressions—for example, “after praying to God and fasting.” The term fasting may itself require some more specific type of identification—for example, “going without food in order to worship” or “going without food as a part of one’s worship of God.”

In the clause they commended them to the Lord, it is not certain to whom them refers. Reference may be limited to the elders, but in light of the qualifying statement, in whom they had put their trust, it is most likely to be enlarged to include the entire Christian community. Commended may be rendered literally as “turned them over to.” In some languages it may be rendered more idiomatically as “put them in the hands of” or “placed them under the eyes of.” Basically, this is an expression of “entrusting to the care of.”

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 .