1:12 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, 7 that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel: 8 1:13 The 9 whole imperial guard 10 and everyone else knows 11 that I am in prison 12 for the sake of Christ, 1:14 and most of the brothers and sisters, 13 having confidence in the Lord 14 because of my imprisonment, now more than ever 15 dare to speak the word 16 fearlessly.
3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, 18 rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
1 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
2 tn Or “openness.”
3 sn Proclaiming…with complete boldness and without restriction. Once again Paul’s imprisonment is on benevolent terms. The word of God is proclaimed triumphantly and boldly in Rome. Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop it, the message goes forth.
4 tn To avoid a lengthy, convoluted sentence in English, the Greek sentence was broken up at this point and the verb “pray” was inserted in the English translation to pick up the participle προσευχόμενοι (proseuxomenoi, “praying”) in v. 18.
5 tn Grk “that a word may be given to me in the opening of my mouth.” Here “word” (λόγος, logo") is used in the sense of “message.”
6 tn The infinitive γνωρίσαι (gnwrisai, “to make known”) is functioning epexegetically to further explain what the author means by the preceding phrase “that I may be given the message when I begin to speak.”
7 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
8 tn Grk “for the advance of the gospel.” The genitive εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou) is taken as objective.
9 tn Grk “so that the whole imperial guard.” The ὥστε (Jwste) clause that begins v. 13 indicates two results of the spread of the gospel: Outsiders know why Paul is imprisoned (v. 13) and believers are emboldened by his imprisonment (v. 14).
10 sn The whole imperial guard (Grk “praetorium”) can refer to the elite troops stationed in Rome or the headquarters of administrators in the provinces (cf. Matt 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:28, 33; 19:9; Acts 23:35). In either case a metonymy is involved, with the place (the praetorium) put for those (soldiers or government officials) who were connected with it or stationed in it.
11 tn Grk “it has become known by the whole imperial guard and all the rest.”
12 tn Grk “my bonds [are].”
13 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
14 tn Or “most of the brothers and sisters in the Lord, having confidence.”
15 tn Grk “even more so.”
16 tc A number of significant
17 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
18 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.