Acts 28:17

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days ¹  Paul ²  called the local Jewish leaders ³  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ⁴  although I had done ⁵  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ⁶  from Jerusalem ⁷  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ⁸ 

Matthew 20:18-19

20:18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. ⁹  They will condemn him to death, 20:19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely ¹⁰  and crucified. ¹¹  Yet ¹²  on the third day, he will be raised.”

Matthew 27:1-2

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

27:1 When ¹³  it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him. 27:2 They ¹⁴  tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate ¹⁵  the governor. ¹⁶ 

¹ tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” 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.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

⁴ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

⁵ tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁷ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁸ tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

⁹ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

¹⁰ tn Traditionally, “scourged” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω (mastigow) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.

¹¹ sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.

¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

¹³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

¹⁵ tc Most mss (A C W Θ 0250 Ë^1,13 Ï latt) have Ποντίῳ (Pontiw, “Pontius”) before Πιλάτῳ (Pilatw, “Pilate”), but there seems to be no reason for omitting the tribal name, either intentionally or unintentionally. Adding “Pontius,” however, is a natural expansion on the text, and is in keeping with several other NT and patristic references to the Roman governor (cf. Luke 3:1; Acts 4:27; 1 Tim 6:13; Ign. Magn. 11.1; Ign. Trall. 9.1; Ign. Smyrn. 1.2; Justin Martyr, passim). The shorter reading, supported by א B L 0281 33 pc co, is thus strongly preferred.

¹⁶ sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it from being used to execute Roman sympathizers.