Acts 21:16-22

21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea ¹  came along with us too, and brought us to the house ²  of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, ³  with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ⁴  21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. ⁵  21:19 When Paul ⁶  had greeted them, he began to explain ⁷  in detail ⁸  what God ⁹  had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised ¹⁰  God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews ¹¹  there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers ¹²  of the law. ¹³  21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ¹⁴  among the Gentiles to abandon ¹⁵  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ¹⁶  or live ¹⁷  according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt ¹⁸  hear that you have come.

¹ 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.

² tn Grk “to Mnason…”; the words “the house of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the verb ξενισθῶμεν (xenisqwmen).

³ tn Or perhaps, “Mnason of Cyprus, one of the original disciples.” BDAG 137 s.v. ἀρχαῖος 1 has “ἀ. μαθητής a disciple of long standing (perh. original disc.) Ac 21:16.”

⁴ tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).

⁷ tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹¹ tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

¹² tn BDAG 293 s.v. εἷς 5.e has “καθ᾿ ἕν one after the other (hence τὸ καθ᾿ ἕν ‘a detailed list’: PLille 11, 8 [III bc]; PTebt. 47, 34; 332, 16) J 21:25. Also καθ᾿ ἕν ἕκαστον…Ac 21:19.”

¹³ sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.

¹³ tn Or “glorified.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.”

¹⁵ tn Or “are all zealous for the law.” BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.β has “of thing…τοῦ νόμου an ardent observer of the law Ac 21:20.”

¹⁶ sn That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers (1 Cor 7:18-19; Acts 16:3).

¹⁶ tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.

¹⁷ tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”

¹⁸ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

¹⁹ tn Grk “or walk.”

¹⁹ tn L&N 71.16 has “pertaining to being in every respect certain – ‘certainly, really, doubtless, no doubt.’…‘they will no doubt hear that you have come’ Ac 21:22.”