About him translates a phrase which may be either neuter “to this fact,” or masculine “to this one,” that is, about him; most commentaries and translations follow the second alternative.

The expression everyone who believes in him will have his sins forgiven is somewhat difficult to render, especially in languages in which the agent of forgiving must be specified as the subject of such a verb. The equivalent may therefore be “if anyone believes in Jesus, God will forgive that person’s sins.”

The Greek expression “through his name” is in such a context a reference to Jesus himself. In other words, the individual believes in Jesus and it is through Jesus that God forgives sins. In some languages the equivalent is “God will forgive that man’s sins by means of him,” that is, Jesus.

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 .