Acts 13:2-4

13:2 While they were serving ¹  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ²  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ³  and ⁴  prayed and placed their hands ⁵  on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, ⁶  sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, ⁷  and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁸ 

Revelation 11:3-10

11:3 And I will grant my two witnesses authority ⁹  to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth. 11:4 (These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.) ¹⁰  11:5 If ¹¹  anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths ¹²  and completely consumes ¹³  their enemies. If ¹⁴  anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way. 11:6 These two have the power ¹⁵  to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time ¹⁶  they are prophesying. They ¹⁷  have power ¹⁸  to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want. 11:7 When ¹⁹  they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer ²⁰  them and kill them. 11:8 Their ²¹  corpses will lie in the street ²²  of the great city that is symbolically ²³  called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified. 11:9 For three and a half days those from every ²⁴  people, tribe, ²⁵  nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb. ²⁶  11:10 And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

¹ tn This term is frequently used in the LXX of the service performed by priests and Levites in the tabernacle (Exod 28:35, 43; 29:30; 30:20; 35:19; 39:26; Num 1:50; 3:6, 31) and the temple (2 Chr 31:2; 35:3; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17, and many more examples). According to BDAG 591 s.v. λειτουργέω 1.b it is used “of other expression of religious devotion.” Since the previous verse described the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, it is probable that the term here describes two of them (Barnabas and Saul) as they were serving in that capacity. Since they were not in Jerusalem where the temple was located, general religious service is referred to here.

² tn Or “Appoint.”

³ tn The three aorist participles νηστεύσαντες (nhsteusante"), προσευξάμενοι (proseuxamenoi), and ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") are translated as temporal participles. Although they could indicate contemporaneous time when used with an aorist main verb, logically here they are antecedent. On fasting and prayer, see Matt 6:5, 16; Luke 2:37; 5:33; Acts 14:23.

⁴ tn Normally English style, which uses a coordinating conjunction between only the last two elements of a series of three or more, would call for omission of “and” here. However, since the terms “fasting and prayer” are something of a unit, often linked together, the conjunction has been retained here.

⁵ sn The placing of hands on Barnabas and Saul (traditionally known as “the laying on of hands”) refers to an act picturing the commission of God and the church for the task at hand.

⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.

⁸ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

⁹ tn The word “authority” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. “Power” would be another alternative that could be supplied here.

¹⁰ sn This description is parenthetical in nature.

¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹² tn This is a collective singular in Greek.

¹³ tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”

¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁵ tn Or “authority.”

¹⁶ tn Grk “the days.”

¹⁷ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁸ tn Or “authority.”

¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²⁰ tn Or “be victorious over”; traditionally, “overcome.”

²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²² tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).

²³ tn Grk “spiritually.”

²⁴ tn The word “every” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the following list.

²⁵ tn The Greek term καί (kai) has not been translated before this and the following items in the list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

²⁶ tn Or “to be buried.”