In the same way that the Jews rejected the idea that the Messiah should suffer, so the Greeks refused to believe that someone could be raised from the dead. In some languages it is quite difficult to speak about a raising from death. One can, of course, always speak about “a person being raised from death” or “causing a person to live again.” Therefore it may be necessary to introduce a person as the subject of such a raising from death.

It is impossible to know whether the statement We want to hear you speak about this again is to be taken as an attempt on the part of the people to make fun of Paul, or whether they were serious in their desire to hear further information. The Greek construction would imply that there were two sets of people, those who made fun of Paul and those who wanted to hear more of what he had to say. Again refers to another occasion.

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 .