1:9a

After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up: The clause After He had said this indicates that Jesus spoke the words in 1:7–8, then he was taken up to heaven. For example:

When he had finished saying this, he was taken upward as they watched
-or-
He finished speaking and immediately he was taken up before their very eyes

He was taken up: This phrase is passive. Here are some ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

he was lifted up (Revised Standard Version)

• Use an active verb. God took Jesus to heaven, but God was not visible. For example:

⌊God⌋ took him up
-or-

⌊God⌋ caused him to rise into the sky

up: The apostles saw Jesus go as far as the clouds in the sky above them. In some languages a literal translation would only indicate a little way up. If that is true in your language, include the implied information. For example:

up ⌊toward heaven⌋

1:9b

a cloud hid Him from their sight: There are three ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hid:

(1) It means support from underneath and take upward. For example:

a cloud took him out of their sight (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition)

(2) It means hide. For example:

a cloud hid him from their sight (NET Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, NET Bible, New Century Version)

(3) It means bring into itself. For example:

a cloud received Him out of their sight (New American Standard Bible)

(New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the other two interpretations are not supported by the Greek lexicons. Here are some other ways to translate this clause according to interpretation (1):

a cloud ⌊formed and⌋ continued taking him up so that they could no longer see him
-or-
a cloud ⌊formed and⌋ took him so high that they could no longer see him

from their sight: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sight is literally “eyes.” The phrase probably indicates that Jesus rose until he was too far up to see. The cloud could have also blocked their view at some point in this journey upward. See the above examples.

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