Acts 16:21

16:21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans.”

Acts 19:39

19:39 But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly.

Acts 22:25

22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen 10  without a proper trial?” 11 

Acts 10:28

10:28 He said to them, “You know that 12  it is unlawful 13  for a Jew 14  to associate with or visit a Gentile, 15  yet God has shown me that I should call no person 16  defiled or ritually unclean. 17 

tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.

tn Or “acknowledge.”

sn Customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice. Ironically, the charges are similar to those made against Jesus in Luke 23:2, where Jews argued he was “twisting” their customs. The charge has three elements: (1) a racial element (Jewish); (2) a social element (unlawful); and (3) a traditional element (not their customs).

tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

tn Or “anything more than this.”

tn Or “resolved.”

tn Or “in a legal meeting of the citizens.” L&N 30.81 has “ἐν τῇ ἐννόμῳ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιλυθήσεται ‘it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of the citizens’ Ac 19:39.” This meeting took place three times a year.

tn Grk “for the thongs” (of which the lash was made). Although often translated as a dative of means (“with thongs”), referring to thongs used to tie the victim to the whipping post, BDAG 474-75 s.v. ἱμάς states that it “is better taken as a dat. of purpose for the thongs, in which case οἱ ἱμάντες = whips (Posidonius: 87 fgm. 5 Jac.; POxy. 1186, 2 τὴν διὰ τῶν ἱμάντων αἰκείαν. – Antiphanes 74, 8, Demosth. 19, 197 and Artem. 1, 70 use the sing. in this way).”

10 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

11 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

12 tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

13 tn Here ὡς (Jws) is used like ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).

14 tn This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος).

15 tn Grk “a Jewish man” (ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ, andri Ioudaiw).

16 tn Grk “a foreigner,” but in this context, “a non-Jew,” that is, a Gentile. This term speaks of intimate association (BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.b.α). On this Jewish view, see John 18:28, where a visit to a Gentile residence makes a Jewish person unclean.

17 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

18 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.