And now introduces the final part of Paul’s speech; since he can no longer be with these people in Ephesus, he places them in the care of God. In some languages the most useful transition at this point is “and finally,” since this would be the normal way of introducing the last section of any discourse. In certain languages, however, the equivalent would be “at this point in what I am saying.” Obviously, the Greek term now is not a reference to time but a transitional device.
Many translations render literally the Greek phrase “the word of his grace.” The Good News Translation has taken “word” in the sense of message: the message of his grace (cf. v. 24). The New English Bible has employed a rather meaningless expression “his gracious word.” It is difficult to decide exactly what this phrase means; it could refer to the Old Testament or to the teachings of Jesus. However, in the present context it seems to refer rather to Paul’s own message which he preached about the grace of God.
It is difficult, in a number of languages, to speak about placing someone in the care of another. One can say “I ask God to take care you” or “I put you in God’s hands so he can take care of you.” However, it is even more difficult to speak of placing someone in the care of the message of his grace, but one can translate “the message about God’s goodness to you will take care of you.”
To build you up must be taken in a spiritual sense of God’s blessings to the believers in the present, while the remainder of the verse refers to the blessings which God will give to his people at the end of time. The word rendered the blessings he keeps is a word which can mean “inheritance,” in the sense of what one leaves to one’s heirs at death. However, in a context which speaks of God’s relationship to his people, it is best understood in the sense of “that which God either promises or gives to his people.” Since in the present context the reference is not to God’s gift in the present but to his gift in the future, the Good News Translation has made it explicit by translating the blessings he keeps. For all his people is literally “in all those who have been set apart (or dedicated) to him.” (On this phrase see the discussion at 9.13.)
The translation of the second sentence in verse 32 is not easy. Frequently one cannot speak of “building up a person.” The act of “building up” can only be applied to a house or some kind of structure. Therefore it may be necessary to say “cause you to become strong” or “cause you to be well in your spirits,” since obviously the reference here is to spiritual strength and blessing.
The second half of this sentence provides even greater difficulties for the translator, since in so many languages one cannot speak of “giving blessings.” One can, however, “bless a person” or “cause a person to have a blessing.” This is literally, in a number of languages, “causing good to come to a person.” Since these blessings refer evidently to some future event, it may be necessary to render this final clause as “he will finally cause good to come to you, the kind of good which he has for all his people.”
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 .
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