Acts 13:45

13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ¹  and they began to contradict ²  what Paul was saying ³  by reviling him. ⁴ 

Acts 13:2

13:2 While they were serving ⁵  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ⁶  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 3:2

3:2 And a man lame ⁷  from birth ⁸  was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day ⁹  so he could beg for money ¹⁰  from those going into the temple courts. ¹¹ 

Revelation 13:1

The Two Beasts

13:1 Then ¹²  I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It ¹³  had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, ¹⁴  and on its heads a blasphemous name. ¹⁵ 

Revelation 13:5-6

13:5 The beast ¹⁶  was given a mouth speaking proud words ¹⁷  and blasphemies, and he was permitted ¹⁸  to exercise ruling authority ¹⁹  for forty-two months. 13:6 So ²⁰  the beast ²¹  opened his mouth to blaspheme against God – to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, ²²  that is, those who dwell in heaven.

[13:45]  ¹ sn They were filled with jealousy. Their foolish response to the gospel is noted again (see Acts 5:17). The same verb is used in Acts 7:9; 17:5.

[13:45]  ² tn The imperfect verb ἀντέλεγον (antelegon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect in the logical sequence of events: After they were filled with jealousy, the Jewish opponents began to contradict what Paul said.

[13:45]  ³ tn Grk “the things being said by Paul.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:45]  ⁴ tn The participle βλασφημοῦντες (blasfhmounte") has been regarded as indicating the means of the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as a finite verb (“and reviled him”) in keeping with contemporary English style. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 18:6. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). The modern term “slandering” comes close to what was being done to Paul here.

[13:2]  ⁵ tn This term is frequently used in the LXX of the service performed by priests and Levites in the tabernacle (Exod 28:35, 43; 29:30; 30:20; 35:19; 39:26; Num 1:50; 3:6, 31) and the temple (2 Chr 31:2; 35:3; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17, and many more examples). According to BDAG 591 s.v. λειτουργέω 1.b it is used “of other expression of religious devotion.” Since the previous verse described the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, it is probable that the term here describes two of them (Barnabas and Saul) as they were serving in that capacity. Since they were not in Jerusalem where the temple was located, general religious service is referred to here.

[13:2]  ⁶ tn Or “Appoint.”

[3:2]  ⁷ tn Or “crippled.”

[3:2]  ⁸ tn Grk “from his mother’s womb.”

[3:2]  ⁹ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[3:2]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “alms.” The term “alms” is not in common use today, so what the man expected, “money,” is used in the translation instead. The idea is that of money given as a gift to someone who was poor. Giving alms was viewed as honorable in Judaism (Tob 1:3, 16; 12:8-9; m. Pe’ah 1:1). See also Luke 11:41; 12:33; Acts 9:36; 10:2, 4, 31; 24:17.

[3:2]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[13:1]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[13:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “having” (a continuation of the previous sentence). All of the pronouns referring to this beast (along with the second beast appearing in 13:11) could be translated as “it” because the word for beast (θηρίον, qhrion) is neuter gender in Greek and all the pronouns related to it are parsed as neuter in the Gramcord/Accordance database. Nevertheless, most interpreters would agree that the beast ultimately represents a human ruler, so beginning at the end of v. 4 the masculine pronouns (“he,” “him,” etc.) are used to refer to the first beast as well as the second beast appearing in 13:11.

[13:1]  ¹⁴ tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.

[13:1]  ¹⁵ tc ‡ Several mss (A 051 1611 1854 2053 2344 2351 Ï^K) read the plural ὀνόματα (onomata, “[blasphemous] names”), while the singular ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) has somewhat better support (Ì⁴⁷ א C 1006 1841 2329 Ï^A). The plural reading seems motivated by the fact that what is written is written “on its heads.” In the least, it is a clarifying reading. NA²⁷ puts the plural in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[13:5]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “and there was given to him.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:5]  ¹⁷ tn For the translation “proud words” (Grk “great things” or “important things”) see BDAG 624 s.v. μέγας 4.b.

[13:5]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “to it was granted.”

[13:5]  ¹⁹ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

[13:6]  ²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the permission granted to the beast.

[13:6]  ²¹ tn Grk “he” (or “it”); the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:6]  ²² tc The reading “and his dwelling place” does not occur in codex C, but its omission is probably due to scribal oversight since the phrase has the same ending as the phrase before it, i.e., they both end in “his” (αὐτοῦ, autou). This is similar to the mistake this scribe made in 12:14 with the omission of the reading “and half a time” (καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ, kai {hmisu kairou).