As pointed out above, verses 16-18 are actually one sentence in the Greek, and you are to open is, in the Greek sentence structure, an infinitive. The idea of “opening their eyes” in many languages is simply “cause them to see” or even “to remove their blindness.”

To open their eyes reflects Isaiah 42.7, while to turn them from the darkness to the light is an allusion to Isaiah 42.16. In some languages it is relatively meaningless to speak of “turning people from darkness to the light.” One can of course, say “turn them around from looking into the darkness so they will look into the light,” but in a number of languages the equivalent expression is “cause them to come out of the darkness and into the light.”

The remainder of the verse has parallels in Colossians 1.12-13. The expression from the power of Satan to God is translated in some languages as “to cause them to come away from being under Satan’s power and to enter into being under God’s power” or “to cause them to leave the place where Satan rules and to come to the place where God rules.”

Through their faith in me may be equivalent to “because they believe in me.” They will have their sins forgiven may be rendered as “God will forgive their sins.”

Their place among God’s chosen people, though expressed differently in various translations, is without doubt the meaning of the Greek expression here. This final expression in verse 18 may be rendered as “they will occupy the place which they should have among the people whom God has selected.”

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 .