The word law has been made specific by rendering God’s law, so that the English reader would understand the correct meaning of the word in this type of context. God’s law is, of course, “the law that comes from God” or “the law that God gives.” It is rarely translated by a “possessive construction,” for it is not “the law that God possesses.” In some instances the source of the law can be combined with a rendering of received, for example, “the ones to whom God gave the law.”

Although the words translated that was handed down by angels comes from a very difficult Greek expression, most exegetes agree that this is the meaning. As used by Stephen the words are intended to underline the greatness of the significance of the law which the Israelites received, though Paul uses a similar expression in exactly the opposite fashion (see Galatians 3.19). It should be noticed that the Hebrew Old Testament does not mention that God used angels as mediators to give his law to his people, but the Septuagint of Deuteronomy 33.2 adds “angels with him (that is, with the Lord), at his right hand.”

The difference in the role between God who gives the law and the angels who act as mediators may be expressed in some languages as “God gave the law … the angels spoke it to Moses.” On the other hand, one may also say “the law came from God by means of the angels.” This latter translation leaves the specific relationship to the event more ambiguous.

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 .