26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, 7 I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,
“The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the ruling authority 23 of his Christ, 24 have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, 25
the one who accuses them day and night 26 before our God,
has been thrown down.
12:11 But 27 they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their lives 28 so much that they were afraid to die.
12:12 Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them!
But 29 woe to the earth and the sea
because the devil has come down to you!
He 30 is filled with terrible anger,
for he knows that he only has a little time!”
1 tn Grk “I will no longer speak many things with you.”
2 sn The ruler of this world is a reference to Satan.
3 tn Grk “in me he has nothing.”
4 sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.
5 tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)
6 tn Or “and an inheritance.”
7 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
8 tn Though προσευχόμενοι (proseucomenoi) is an adverbial participle related to the previous imperative, προσκαρτερεῖτε (proskartereite), it is here translated as an independent clause due to requirements of contemporary English style.
9 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been rendered as substantival here, indicating the content of the prayer rather than the purpose for it. These two ideas are very similar and difficult to differentiate in this passage, but the conjunction ἵνα following a verb of praying is generally regarded as giving the content of the prayer.
10 tn Grk “that God may open for us a door of the word to speak the mystery of Christ.” The construction in Greek is somewhat awkward in this clause. The translation attempts to simplify this structure somewhat and yet communicate exactly what Paul is asking for.
11 tn Or “so that we may speak.”
12 tn Or “in prison.”
13 tn The phrase begins with the ἵνα (Jina) clause and is subordinate to the imperative προσκαρτερεῖτε (proskartereite) in v. 2. The reference to the idea that Paul must make it known indicates that this clause is probably best viewed as purpose and not content, like the ἵνα of v. 3. It is the second purpose stated in the context; the first is expressed through the infinitive λαλῆσαι (lalhsai) in v. 3. The term “pray” at the beginning of the sentence is intended to pick up the imperative of v. 3.
14 tn Grk “walk.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is a common NT idiom for one’s lifestyle, behavior, or manner of conduct (L&N 41.11).
15 tn BDAG 752 s.v. πάλη says, “struggle against…the opponent is introduced by πρός w. the acc.”
16 tn Grk “blood and flesh.”
17 tn BDAG 561 s.v. κοσμοκράτωρ suggests “the rulers of this sinful world” as a gloss.
18 tn BDAG 837 s.v. πνευματικός 3 suggests “the spirit-forces of evil” in Ephesians 6:12.
19 sn The phrase spiritual forces of evil in the heavens serves to emphasize the nature of the forces which oppose believers as well as to indicate the locality from which they originate.
20 tn Here αὐτοῦ (autou) has been translated as a subjective genitive (“he loves”).
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the war in heaven.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
23 tn Or “the right of his Messiah to rule.” See L&N 37.35.
24 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
25 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The translation “fellow believer” would normally apply (L&N 11.23), but since the speaker(s) are not specified in this context, it is not clear if such a translation would be appropriate here. The more generic “brothers and sisters” was chosen to emphasize the fact of a relationship without specifying its type.
26 tn Or “who accuses them continually.”
27 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
28 sn They did not love their lives. See Matt 16:25; Luke 17:33; John 12:25.
29 tn The word “But” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied. This is a case of asyndeton (lack of a connective).
30 tn Grk “and is filled,” a continuation of the previous sentence. Because English tends to use shorter sentences (especially when exclamations are involved), a new sentence was started here in the translation.