5:14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, 1
and grope about 2 in the noontime as if it were night. 3
59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,
we grope like those who cannot see; 7
we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.
Though others are strong, we are like dead men. 8
13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: 14 Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, 15 Lucius the Cyrenian, 16 Manaen (a close friend of Herod 17 the tetrarch 18 from childhood 19 ) and Saul.
1 sn God so confuses the crafty that they are unable to fulfill their plans – it is as if they encounter darkness in broad daylight. This is like the Syrians in 2 Kgs 6:18-23.
2 tn The verb מָשַׁשׁ (mashash) expresses the idea of groping about in the darkness. This is part of the fulfillment of Deut 28:29, which says, “and you shall grope at noonday as the blind grope in darkness.” This image is also in Isa 59:10.
3 sn The verse provides a picture of the frustration and bewilderment in the crafty who cannot accomplish their ends because God thwarts them.
4 tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”
5 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Heb “you will not cause your ways to prosper.”
7 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
8 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
9 tn Grk “And now.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
10 tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.
11 sn The term translated mistiness here appears in the writings of the physician Galen as a medical technical description of a person who is blind. The picture of judgment to darkness is symbolic as well. Whatever power Elymas had, it represented darkness. Magic will again be an issue in Acts 19:18-19. This judgment is like that of Ananias and his wife in Acts 5:1-11.
12 tn Grk “fell on.”
13 tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”
14 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).
15 sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”
16 sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.
17 sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4
18 tn Or “the governor.”
19 tn Or “(a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch).” The meaning “close friend from childhood” is given by L&N 34.15, but the word can also mean “foster brother” (L&N 10.51). BDAG 976 s.v. σύντροφας states, “pert. to being brought up with someone, either as a foster-brother or as a companion/friend,” which covers both alternatives. Context does not given enough information to be certain which is the case here, although many modern translations prefer the meaning “close friend from childhood.”
20 sn Proselytes refers to Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish) converts to Judaism.
21 tn Or “God’s mighty works.” Here the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a subjective genitive.