19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, 3 Paul resolved 4 to go to Jerusalem, 5 passing through Macedonia 6 and Achaia. 7 He said, 8 “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 9
23:11 The following night the Lord 14 stood near 15 Paul 16 and said, “Have courage, 17 for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, 18 so you must also testify in Rome.” 19
1 tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).
2 sn Must be saved. The term used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) reflects the necessity set up by God’s directive plan.
3 tn Grk “all these things had been fulfilled.”
4 tn Grk “Paul purposed in [his] spirit” (an idiom). According to BDAG 1003 s.v. τίθημι 1.b.ε the entire idiom means “to resolve” (or “decide”): “ἔθετο ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῷ πνεύματι w. inf. foll. Paul resolved 19:21.”
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 Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
7 sn Achaia was the Roman province of Achaia located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. Its principal city was Corinth.
8 tn Grk “Achaia, saying.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the awkwardness in English of having two participial clauses following one another (“passing through…saying”), the participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation.
9 sn This is the first time Paul mentions Rome. He realized the message of Christianity could impact that society even at its heights.
5 sn The expression By all these things means “In everything I did.”
6 tn Or “must assist.”
7 tn Or “the sick.” See Eph 4:28.
8 sn The saying is similar to Matt 10:8. Service and generosity should be abundant. Interestingly, these exact words are not found in the gospels. Paul must have known of this saying from some other source.
7 sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.
8 tn Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
9 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Or “Do not be afraid.”
11 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
12 sn Like Jesus went to Jerusalem, Paul would now go to Rome. This trip forms the concluding backdrop to Acts. This is the second notice about going to Rome (see Acts 19:21 for the first).
9 tn Grk “said.”
10 tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
11 tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here. Here of course Paul’s reference to “Caesar’s judgment seat” is a form of metonymy; since Festus is Caesar’s representative, Festus’ judgment seat represents Caesar’s own.
12 tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.
13 sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.
14 tn BDAG 506 s.v. καλῶς 7 states, “comp. κάλλιον (for the superl., as Galen, Protr. 8 p. 24, 19J.=p. 10, 31 Kaibel; s. B-D-F §244, 2) ὡς καί σὺ κ. ἐπιγινώσκεις as also you know very well Ac 25:10.”