Acts 17:22

17:22 So Paul stood ¹  before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious ²  in all respects. ³ 

Acts 22:28

22:28 The commanding officer ⁴  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ⁵  “But I was even ⁶  born a citizen,” ⁷  Paul replied. ⁸ 

Acts 23:5

23:5 Paul replied, ⁹  “I did not realize, ¹⁰  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ¹¹ 

Acts 23:17

23:17 Paul called ¹²  one of the centurions ¹³  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ¹⁴  for he has something to report to him.”

Acts 23:35

23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing ¹⁵  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ¹⁶  he ordered that Paul ¹⁷  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ¹⁸ 

Acts 26:1

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ¹⁹  said to Paul, “You have permission ²⁰  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ²¹  and began his defense: ²² 

¹ tn Grk “standing…said.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

² tn The term δεισιδαιμονεστέρους (deisidaimonesterou") is difficult. On the one hand it can have the positive sense of “devout,” but on the other hand it can have the negative sense of “superstitious” (BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαίμων). As part of a laudatory introduction (the technical rhetorical term for this introduction was capatatio), the term is probably positive here. It may well be a “backhanded” compliment, playing on the ambiguity.

³ tn BDAG 513 s.v. κατά B.6 translates the phrase κατὰ πάντα (kata panta) as “in all respects.”

⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

⁵ sn Sometimes Roman citizenship was purchased through a bribe (Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.17.4-9). That may well have been the case here.

⁶ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

⁷ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

⁸ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁷ tn Grk “said.”

⁸ tn Or “know.”

⁹ sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.

¹⁰ tn Grk “calling…Paul said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹¹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

¹² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

¹³ tn Or “I will hear your case.” BDAG 231 s.v. διακούω has “as legal t.t. give someone an opportunity to be heard in court, give someone (τινός) a hearing Ac 23:35”; L&N 56.13 has “to give a judicial hearing in a legal matter – ‘to hear a case, to provide a legal hearing, to hear a case in court.’”

¹⁴ tn Grk “ordering.” The participle κελεύσας (keleusas) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence. “Then” has also been supplied to indicate the logical and temporal sequence.

¹⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁶ sn Herod’s palace (Grk “Herod’s praetorium”) was the palace built in Caesarea by Herod the Great. See Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 (15.331). These events belong to the period of a.d. 56-57.

¹⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

¹⁷ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

¹⁸ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

¹⁹ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”