11:27 At that time 1 some 2 prophets 3 came down 4 from Jerusalem 5 to Antioch. 6
14:21 After they had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, 12 to Iconium, 13 and to Antioch. 14
15:30 So when they were dismissed, 15 they went down to Antioch, 16 and after gathering the entire group 17 together, they delivered the letter.
From the apostles 32 and elders, your brothers, 33 to the Gentile brothers and sisters 34 in Antioch, 35 Syria, 36 and Cilicia, greetings!
15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided 43 to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, 44 leaders among the brothers, to Antioch 45 with Paul and Barnabas.
1 tn Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.
2 tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.
3 sn Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.
4 sn Came down from Jerusalem. Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude).
5 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
6 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
7 tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…εἴς τι at someth. a harbor Ac 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”
8 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a sea voyage of 620 mi (990 km).
9 tn Grk “going up and greeting.” The participles ἀναβάς (anabas) and ἀσπασάμενος (aspasameno") are translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.
10 tn The words “at Jerusalem” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the participle ἀναβάς (anabas). The expression “go up” refers almost exclusively to the direction of Jerusalem, while the corresponding “go down” (κατέβη, katebh) refers to directions away from Jerusalem. Both expressions are based on a Hebrew idiom. Assuming Jerusalem is meant, this is another indication of keeping that key church informed. If Jerusalem is not referred to here, then Caesarea is in view. Paul was trying to honor a vow, which also implies a visit to Jerusalem.
11 sn Went down to Antioch. The city of Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude). This marks the end of the second missionary journey which began in Acts 15:36. From Caesarea to Antioch is a journey of 280 mi (450 km).
13 sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) northwest of Derbe.
14 sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) north of Lystra.
15 sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.
19 tn Or “sent away.”
20 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).
21 tn Or “congregation” (referring to the group of believers).
25 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
26 sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.
27 tn Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
28 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
29 sn The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.
31 tn Or “Passing by.”
32 sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.
33 tn Or “at Antioch in Pisidia.”
34 tn Grk “going into the synagogue they sat down.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
35 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
37 sn Antioch was the city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia) from which Paul’s first missionary journey began (see Acts 13:1-4). That first missionary journey ends here, after covering some 1,400 mi (2,240 km).
38 tn Or “committed.” BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 2 gives “commended to the grace of God for the work 14:26” as the meaning for this phrase, although “give over” and “commit” are listed as alternative meanings for this category.
39 tn BDAG 829 s.v. πληρόω 5 has “to bring to completion an activity in which one has been involved from its beginning, complete, finish” as meanings for this category. The ministry to which they were commissioned ends with a note of success.
43 tn Grk “writing by their hand” (an idiom for sending a letter).
44 tn Grk “The apostles.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
45 tn Grk “brothers,” but “your” is supplied to specify the relationship, since without it “brothers” could be understood as vocative in English.
46 tn Grk “to the brothers who are from the Gentiles.”
47 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).
48 tn Grk “and Syria,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
49 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
50 tn Grk “So it happened that” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
51 tn Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
52 tn Grk “a significant crowd.”
53 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
54 sn The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.
55 tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists this verse under the meaning “it seems best to me, I decide, I resolve.”
56 sn Silas. See 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1 (= Silvanus).
57 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).