Textual Variations in Acts 14:31 Translation Decisions
Acts 14:31 is not a verse that appears in most modern English translations of the Bible. The numbering "14:31" refers to a verse in other biblical books, such as Numbers 14:31 [7], Exodus 14:31 [10], Job 14:5 [12], Proverbs 14:29 [13], and John 14:31 [9]. This suggests that the question likely refers to a textual variation or a misunderstanding of the chapter and verse numbering within the book of Acts itself.
When examining the book of Acts, there are several verses that end with "31" in various chapters, each with distinct meanings and contexts:
- Acts 4:31: This verse describes the early Christian community praying, after which "the place where they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (ESV). This event follows Peter and John's release from arrest and their report to the community. The shaking of the place and the filling with the Holy Spirit are seen as direct answers to their prayer for boldness in proclamation [2]. This verse is cross-referenced with other passages about prayer and the Holy Spirit, such as Acts 2:2 and Philippians 1:14 [2].
- Acts 9:31: This verse states, "So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied" (ESV). This verse provides a summary of the church's growth and peace following Saul's conversion and departure to Tarsus. It highlights a period of internal strengthening and expansion, attributed to living in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit [3].
- Acts 13:31: This verse refers to Jesus' post-resurrection appearances: "And for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people" (ESV). Paul mentions this in his sermon in Antioch of Pisidia, emphasizing the numerous witnesses to Jesus' resurrection as a core component of the gospel message [6].
- Acts 16:31: This verse contains the famous declaration to the Philippian jailer: "And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household'" (ESV). This is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Paul and Silas in Philippi, following the earthquake that opened the prison doors. It encapsulates the core message of salvation through faith in Jesus [1].
- Acts 28:31: The final verse of Acts describes Paul's ministry in Rome: "proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance" (ESV). This verse concludes the book by emphasizing Paul's continued, unhindered proclamation of the gospel, even while under house arrest [5].
The absence of an Acts 14:31 in standard biblical texts suggests that the number might be a typographical error or a reference to a non-canonical or variant text not widely accepted. If the intent was to refer to a verse within Acts, the context of the question would be crucial to determine which of the "31" verses is intended. The "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge" and "OpenBible.info" resources, which provide extensive cross-references, do not list an Acts 14:31 as a primary reference point, further supporting the idea that it is not a standard verse [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
John Calvin, in his commentary on Genesis, refers to "the English version" when discussing Genesis 1:31, where God declares all creation "very good" [8, 11]. This highlights the importance of specific verse numbering and translation choices in biblical interpretation. Similarly, John Chrysostom's homilies frequently reference specific verses, such as John 14:31, demonstrating the precise nature of scriptural engagement in early Christian thought [9]. The lack of an Acts 14:31 in such detailed textual analyses further confirms its non-existence in the standard biblical canon.
Sources
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Acts.16.26 → Acts.4.31 (confidence: 14 votes)”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Acts 4:31 cross-references: Isaiah 65:24, Matthew 18:19, Matthew 21:22, John 14:12, John 15:7, John 15:16, John 16:23, Acts 2:2, Acts 2:4, Acts 4:29, Acts 16:25, Philippians 1:14, James 1:5”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: John.14.16 → Acts.9.31 (confidence: 15 votes)”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “1 Timothy 4:4 cross-references: Genesis 1:31, Deuteronomy 32:4, Acts 11:7, Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29, Acts 21:25, Romans 14:14, Romans 14:20, 1 Corinthians 10:23, 1 Corinthians 10:25, 1 Timothy 4:3”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Acts 28:31 cross-references: Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:14, Luke 8:1, Acts 4:29, Acts 4:31, Acts 5:42, Acts 8:12, Acts 20:25, Acts 23:11, Acts 28:23, Ephesians 6:19, Philippians 1:14, Colossians 4:3, 2 Timothy 2:9, 2 Timothy 4:17”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Acts 13:31 cross-references: Matthew 28:16, Mark 16:12, Luke 24:36, Luke 24:48, John 15:27, John 20:19, John 21:1, Acts 1:3, Acts 1:8, Acts 1:11, Acts 1:22, Acts 2:32, Acts 3:15, Acts 5:32, Acts 10:39, Acts 10:41, 1 Corinthians 15:5, Hebrews 2:3”
- Numbers “But your little ones, that you said should be captured or killed, them I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. -- Numbers 14:31”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 20.21: 399 As in the English version.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: 14:23 14:23 14:24 14:24 14:25 14:26 14:26 14:26 14:26 14:26 14:27 14:27 14:27 14:27 14:28 14:28 14:28 14:28 14:28 14:29 14:30 14:30 14:30 14:30 14:31 14:31 14:31 15:1 15:2 15:3 15:3 15:3 15:3 15:4 15:4 15:5 15:5 15:6 15:6 15:7 15:8 15:9 15:9 15:10 15:10 15:11-12 15:13 15:13 15:14 15:14 15:14-15 15:14-15 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:16 15:16 15:17 15:18 15:19 15:19 15:19 15:19 15:19 15:20 15:20 15:21 15:22 15:22 15:22 15:22 15:22 15:23 15:24 15:24 15:25 15:25 15:25 15:26 15:26-27 15:27 16:1 16:2 16:3 16:4 16:4-6 16:6 16:7 16:7 16:7 16:7 16:7 16:8 16:9 ”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 14:31: 14:31 Finally, the people of Israel were moved to put their faith in the Lord: Sadly, it was very short-lived (see 15:24; 16:3). • To be the Lord’s servant is a position of high honor (see Isa 42:1-4; Matt 12:18).”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:11 1:11 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:27 1:27 1:27 1:31 1:31 2:2 2:7 2:17 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:5 3:16 3:24 4 4:9 4:14 6:2 6:3 6:4 6:9 6:12 7:7 8:21 12:1 12:4 12:16 13:10 13:10-11 14:14 14:21-23 15:16 16:5 16:6 17:8 18:11 18:12 18:14 18:21 19:13 19:14 19:24 21:10 21:12 21:12 22:7-8 22:16 22:18 22:18 24:1-67 24:22 24:65 25:21 25:21 26:4 27:46 28:1 28:13 31:42 31:45 32:48 35:18 37:9-10 37:20 39:1 39:6 40:4 40:7 40:8 40:14-15 40:22 41 41:16 42:36 43:14 43:30 45:5 48:15-16 49:9 64:28 Exodus 2:11 2”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 14:5: determined-- (Job 7:1; Isa 10:23; Dan 9:27; Dan 11:36).”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 15:18: (Compare Pro 14:29; Pro 16:32).”