Acts 2:1--28:31

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

2:1 Now ¹  when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly ²  a sound ³  like a violent wind blowing ⁴  came from heaven ⁵  and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire ⁶  appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All ⁷  of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages ⁸  as the Spirit enabled them. ⁹ 

2:5 Now there were devout Jews ¹⁰  from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. ¹¹  2:6 When this sound ¹²  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ¹³  because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, ¹⁴  “Aren’t ¹⁵  all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ¹⁶  in our own native language? ¹⁷  2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, ¹⁸  2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, ¹⁹  and visitors from Rome, ²⁰  2:11 both Jews and proselytes, ²¹  Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” ²²  2:12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 2:13 But others jeered at the speakers, ²³  saying, “They are drunk on new wine!” ²⁴ 

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

2:14 But Peter stood up ²⁵  with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea ²⁶  and all you who live in Jerusalem, ²⁷  know this ²⁸  and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, ²⁹  for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ³⁰  2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: ³¹ 

2:17 ‘And in the last days ³²  it will be,’ God says,

‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, ³³ 

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

and your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

2:18 Even on my servants, ³⁴  both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ³⁵ 

2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky ³⁶  above

and miraculous signs ³⁷  on the earth below,

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

2:20 The sun will be changed to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the great and glorious ³⁸  day of the Lord comes.

2:21 And then ³⁹  everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ⁴⁰ 

2:22 “Men of Israel, ⁴¹  listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, ⁴²  wonders, and miraculous signs ⁴³  that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – 2:23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed ⁴⁴  by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. ⁴⁵  2:24 But God raised him up, ⁴⁶  having released ⁴⁷  him from the pains ⁴⁸  of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. ⁴⁹  2:25 For David says about him,

‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, ⁵⁰ 

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body ⁵¹  also will live in hope,

2:27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, ⁵² 

nor permit your Holy One to experience ⁵³  decay.

2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ ⁵⁴ 

2:29 “Brothers, ⁵⁵  I can speak confidently ⁵⁶  to you about our forefather ⁵⁷  David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 2:30 So then, because ⁵⁸  he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants ⁵⁹  on his throne, ⁶⁰  2:31 David by foreseeing this ⁶¹  spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, ⁶²  that he was neither abandoned to Hades, ⁶³  nor did his body ⁶⁴  experience ⁶⁵  decay. ⁶⁶  2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. ⁶⁷  2:33 So then, exalted ⁶⁸  to the right hand ⁶⁹  of God, and having received ⁷⁰  the promise of the Holy Spirit ⁷¹  from the Father, he has poured out ⁷²  what you both see and hear. 2:34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my lord,

“Sit ⁷³  at my right hand

2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool ⁷⁴  for your feet.”’ ⁷⁵ 

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt ⁷⁶  that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified ⁷⁷  both Lord ⁷⁸  and Christ.” ⁷⁹ 

The Response to Peter’s Address

2:37 Now when they heard this, ⁸⁰  they were acutely distressed ⁸¹  and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized ⁸²  in the name of Jesus Christ ⁸³  for ⁸⁴  the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ⁸⁵  2:39 For the promise ⁸⁶  is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 2:40 With many other words he testified ⁸⁷  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse ⁸⁸  generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted ⁸⁹  his message ⁹⁰  were baptized, and that day about three thousand people ⁹¹  were added. ⁹² 

The Fellowship of the Early Believers

2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, ⁹³  to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁹⁴  2:43 Reverential awe ⁹⁵  came over everyone, ⁹⁶  and many wonders and miraculous signs ⁹⁷  came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held ⁹⁸  everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling ⁹⁹  their property ¹⁰⁰  and possessions and distributing the proceeds ¹⁰¹  to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day ¹⁰²  they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, ¹⁰³  breaking bread from ¹⁰⁴  house to house, sharing their food with glad ¹⁰⁵  and humble hearts, ¹⁰⁶  2:47 praising God and having the good will ¹⁰⁷  of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day ¹⁰⁸  those who were being saved.

Peter and John Heal a Lame Man at the Temple

3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time ¹⁰⁹  for prayer, ¹¹⁰  at three o’clock in the afternoon. ¹¹¹  3:2 And a man lame ¹¹²  from birth ¹¹³  was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day ¹¹⁴  so he could beg for money ¹¹⁵  from those going into the temple courts. ¹¹⁶  3:3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, ¹¹⁷  he asked them for money. ¹¹⁸  3:4 Peter looked directly ¹¹⁹  at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” 3:5 So the lame man ¹²⁰  paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 3:6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, ¹²¹  but what I do have I give you. In the name ¹²²  of Jesus Christ ¹²³  the Nazarene, stand up and ¹²⁴  walk!” 3:7 Then ¹²⁵  Peter ¹²⁶  took hold ¹²⁷  of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s ¹²⁸  feet and ankles were made strong. ¹²⁹  3:8 He ¹³⁰  jumped up, ¹³¹  stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts ¹³²  with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 3:9 All ¹³³  the people saw him walking and praising God, 3:10 and they recognized him as the man who used to sit and ask for donations ¹³⁴  at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with astonishment and amazement ¹³⁵  at what had happened to him.

Peter Addresses the Crowd

3:11 While the man ¹³⁶  was hanging on to Peter and John, all the people, completely astounded, ran together to them in the covered walkway ¹³⁷  called Solomon’s Portico. ¹³⁸  3:12 When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, “Men of Israel, ¹³⁹  why are you amazed at this? Why ¹⁴⁰  do you stare at us as if we had made this man ¹⁴¹  walk by our own power or piety? 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ¹⁴²  the God of our forefathers, ¹⁴³  has glorified ¹⁴⁴  his servant ¹⁴⁵  Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected ¹⁴⁶  in the presence of Pilate after he had decided ¹⁴⁷  to release him. 3:14 But you rejected ¹⁴⁸  the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. 3:15 You killed ¹⁴⁹  the Originator ¹⁵⁰  of life, whom God raised ¹⁵¹  from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! ¹⁵²  3:16 And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ ¹⁵³  name, ¹⁵⁴  his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The ¹⁵⁵  faith that is through Jesus ¹⁵⁶  has given him this complete health in the presence ¹⁵⁷  of you all. 3:17 And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, ¹⁵⁸  as your rulers did too. 3:18 But the things God foretold ¹⁵⁹  long ago through ¹⁶⁰  all the prophets – that his Christ ¹⁶¹  would suffer – he has fulfilled in this way. 3:19 Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, 3:20 so that times of refreshing ¹⁶²  may come from the presence of the Lord, ¹⁶³  and so that he may send the Messiah ¹⁶⁴  appointed ¹⁶⁵  for you – that is, Jesus. 3:21 This one ¹⁶⁶  heaven must ¹⁶⁷  receive until the time all things are restored, ¹⁶⁸  which God declared ¹⁶⁹  from times long ago ¹⁷⁰  through his holy prophets. 3:22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey ¹⁷¹  him in everything he tells you. ¹⁷²  3:23 Every person ¹⁷³  who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed ¹⁷⁴  from the people.’ ¹⁷⁵  3:24 And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced ¹⁷⁶  these days. 3:25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, ¹⁷⁷  saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants ¹⁷⁸  all the nations ¹⁷⁹  of the earth will be blessed.’ ¹⁸⁰  3:26 God raised up ¹⁸¹  his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning ¹⁸²  each one of you from your iniquities.” ¹⁸³ 

The Arrest and Trial of Peter and John

4:1 While Peter and John ¹⁸⁴  were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander ¹⁸⁵  of the temple guard ¹⁸⁶  and the Sadducees ¹⁸⁷  came up ¹⁸⁸  to them, 4:2 angry ¹⁸⁹  because they were teaching the people and announcing ¹⁹⁰  in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 4:3 So ¹⁹¹  they seized ¹⁹²  them and put them in jail ¹⁹³  until the next day (for it was already evening). 4:4 But many of those who had listened to ¹⁹⁴  the message ¹⁹⁵  believed, and the number of the men ¹⁹⁶  came to about five thousand.

4:5 On the next day, ¹⁹⁷  their rulers, elders, and experts in the law ¹⁹⁸  came together ¹⁹⁹  in Jerusalem. ²⁰⁰  4:6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. ²⁰¹  4:7 After ²⁰²  making Peter and John ²⁰³  stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name ²⁰⁴  did you do this?” 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ²⁰⁵  replied, ²⁰⁶  “Rulers of the people and elders, ²⁰⁷  4:9 if ²⁰⁸  we are being examined ²⁰⁹  today for a good deed ²¹⁰  done to a sick man – by what means this man was healed ²¹¹  – 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ ²¹²  the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. 4:11 This Jesus ²¹³  is the stone that was rejected by you, ²¹⁴  the builders, that has become the cornerstone. ²¹⁵  4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people ²¹⁶  by which we must ²¹⁷  be saved.”

4:13 When they saw the boldness ²¹⁸  of Peter and John, and discovered ²¹⁹  that they were uneducated ²²⁰  and ordinary ²²¹  men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus. 4:14 And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this. ²²²  4:15 But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, ²²³  they began to confer with one another, 4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain ²²⁴  to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign ²²⁵  has come about through them, ²²⁶  and we cannot deny it. 4:17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more ²²⁷  to anyone in this name.” 4:18 And they called them in and ordered ²²⁸  them not to speak or teach at all in the name ²²⁹  of Jesus. 4:19 But Peter and John replied, ²³⁰  “Whether it is right before God to obey ²³¹  you rather than God, you decide, 4:20 for it is impossible ²³²  for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 4:21 After threatening them further, they released them, for they could not find how to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising ²³³  God for what had happened. 4:22 For the man, on whom this miraculous sign ²³⁴  of healing had been performed, ²³⁵  was over forty years old.

The Followers of Jesus Pray for Boldness

4:23 When they were released, Peter and John ²³⁶  went to their fellow believers ²³⁷  and reported everything the high priests and the elders had said to them. 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind ²³⁸  and said, “Master of all, ²³⁹  you who made the heaven, the earth, ²⁴⁰  the sea, and everything that is in them, 4:25 who said by the Holy Spirit through ²⁴¹  your servant David our forefather, ²⁴² 

‘Why do the nations ²⁴³  rage, ²⁴⁴ 

and the peoples plot foolish ²⁴⁵  things?

4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, ²⁴⁶ 

and the rulers assembled together,

against the Lord and against his ²⁴⁷  Christ.’ ²⁴⁸ 

4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against ²⁴⁹  your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ²⁵⁰  4:28 to do as much as your power ²⁵¹  and your plan ²⁵²  had decided beforehand ²⁵³  would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to ²⁵⁴  their threats, and grant ²⁵⁵  to your servants ²⁵⁶  to speak your message ²⁵⁷  with great courage, ²⁵⁸  4:30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs ²⁵⁹  and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 4:31 When ²⁶⁰  they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, ²⁶¹  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak ²⁶²  the word of God ²⁶³  courageously. ²⁶⁴ 

Conditions Among the Early Believers

4:32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, ²⁶⁵  and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. ²⁶⁶  4:33 With ²⁶⁷  great power the apostles were giving testimony ²⁶⁸  to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 4:34 For there was no one needy ²⁶⁹  among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling ²⁷⁰  them ²⁷¹  and bringing the proceeds from the sales 4:35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds ²⁷²  were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 4:36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), ²⁷³  4:37 sold ²⁷⁴  a field ²⁷⁵  that belonged to him and brought the money ²⁷⁶  and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

The Judgment on Ananias and Sapphira

5:1 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. 5:2 He ²⁷⁷  kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought ²⁷⁸  only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled ²⁷⁹  your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of ²⁸⁰  the land? 5:4 Before it was sold, ²⁸¹  did it not ²⁸²  belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money ²⁸³  not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? ²⁸⁴  You have not lied to people ²⁸⁵  but to God!”

5:5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped ²⁸⁶  all who heard about it. 5:6 So the young men came, ²⁸⁷  wrapped him up, ²⁸⁸  carried him out, and buried ²⁸⁹  him. 5:7 After an interval of about three hours, ²⁹⁰  his wife came in, but she did not know ²⁹¹  what had happened. 5:8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you ²⁹²  paid this amount ²⁹³  for the land?” Sapphira ²⁹⁴  said, “Yes, that much.” 5:9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 5:10 At once ²⁹⁵  she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 5:11 Great ²⁹⁶  fear gripped ²⁹⁷  the whole church ²⁹⁸  and all who heard about these things.

The Apostles Perform Miraculous Signs and Wonders

5:12 Now many miraculous signs ²⁹⁹  and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By ³⁰⁰  common consent ³⁰¹  they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. ³⁰²  5:13 None of the rest dared to join them, ³⁰³  but the people held them in high honor. ³⁰⁴  5:14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, ³⁰⁵  crowds of both men and women. 5:15 Thus ³⁰⁶  they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. 5:16 A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem ³⁰⁷  also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. ³⁰⁸  They ³⁰⁹  were all ³¹⁰  being healed.

Further Trouble for the Apostles

5:17 Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadducees ³¹¹ ), ³¹²  and they were filled with jealousy. ³¹³  5:18 They ³¹⁴  laid hands on ³¹⁵  the apostles and put them in a public jail. 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord ³¹⁶  opened ³¹⁷  the doors of the prison, ³¹⁸  led them out, ³¹⁹  and said, 5:20 “Go and stand in the temple courts ³²⁰  and proclaim ³²¹  to the people all the words of this life.” 5:21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courts ³²²  at daybreak and began teaching. ³²³ 

Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin ³²⁴  – that is, the whole high council ³²⁵  of the Israelites ³²⁶  – and sent to the jail to have the apostles ³²⁷  brought before them. ³²⁸  5:22 But the officers ³²⁹  who came for them ³³⁰  did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, ³³¹  5:23 “We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, ³³²  we found no one inside.” 5:24 Now when the commander ³³³  of the temple guard ³³⁴  and the chief priests heard this report, ³³⁵  they were greatly puzzled concerning it, ³³⁶  wondering what this could ³³⁷  be. 5:25 But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts ³³⁸  and teaching ³³⁹  the people!” 5:26 Then the commander ³⁴⁰  of the temple guard ³⁴¹  went with the officers ³⁴²  and brought the apostles ³⁴³  without the use of force ³⁴⁴  (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people). ³⁴⁵ 

5:27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, ³⁴⁶  and the high priest questioned ³⁴⁷  them, 5:28 saying, “We gave ³⁴⁸  you strict orders ³⁴⁹  not to teach in this name. ³⁵⁰  Look, ³⁵¹  you have filled Jerusalem ³⁵²  with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood ³⁵³  on us!” 5:29 But Peter and the apostles replied, ³⁵⁴  “We must obey ³⁵⁵  God rather than people. ³⁵⁶  5:30 The God of our forefathers ³⁵⁷  raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. ³⁵⁸  5:31 God exalted him ³⁵⁹  to his right hand as Leader ³⁶⁰  and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³⁶¹  5:32 And we are witnesses of these events, ³⁶²  and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey ³⁶³  him.”

5:33 Now when they heard this, they became furious ³⁶⁴  and wanted to execute them. ³⁶⁵  5:34 But a Pharisee ³⁶⁶  whose name was Gamaliel, ³⁶⁷  a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up ³⁶⁸  in the council ³⁶⁹  and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 5:35 Then he said to the council, ³⁷⁰  “Men of Israel, ³⁷¹  pay close attention to ³⁷²  what you are about to do to these men. 5:36 For some time ago ³⁷³  Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He ³⁷⁴  was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it. ³⁷⁵  5:37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census, ³⁷⁶  and incited people to follow him in revolt. ³⁷⁷  He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. 5:38 So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, ³⁷⁸  it will come to nothing, ³⁷⁹  5:39 but if ³⁸⁰  it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found ³⁸¹  fighting against God.” He convinced them, ³⁸²  5:40 and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. ³⁸³  Then ³⁸⁴  they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. 5:41 So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy ³⁸⁵  to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. ³⁸⁶  5:42 And every day both in the temple courts ³⁸⁷  and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news ³⁸⁸  that Jesus was the Christ. ³⁸⁹ 

The Appointment of the First Seven Deacons

6:1 Now in those ³⁹⁰  days, when the disciples were growing in number, ³⁹¹  a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews ³⁹²  against the native Hebraic Jews, ³⁹³  because their widows ³⁹⁴  were being overlooked ³⁹⁵  in the daily distribution of food. ³⁹⁶  6:2 So the twelve ³⁹⁷  called ³⁹⁸  the whole group ³⁹⁹  of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. ⁴⁰⁰  6:3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, ⁴⁰¹  seven ⁴⁰²  men who are well-attested, ⁴⁰³  full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge ⁴⁰⁴  of this necessary task. ⁴⁰⁵  6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 6:5 The ⁴⁰⁶  proposal pleased the entire group, so ⁴⁰⁷  they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with ⁴⁰⁸  Philip, ⁴⁰⁹  Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism ⁴¹⁰  from Antioch. ⁴¹¹  6:6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed ⁴¹²  and placed ⁴¹³  their hands on them. 6:7 The word of God continued to spread, ⁴¹⁴  the number of disciples in Jerusalem ⁴¹⁵  increased greatly, and a large group ⁴¹⁶  of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen is Arrested

6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs ⁴¹⁷  among the people. 6:9 But some men from the Synagogue ⁴¹⁸  of the Freedmen (as it was called), ⁴¹⁹  both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, ⁴²⁰  stood up and argued with Stephen. 6:10 Yet ⁴²¹  they were not able to resist ⁴²²  the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 6:11 Then they secretly instigated ⁴²³  some men to say, “We have heard this man ⁴²⁴  speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 6:12 They incited the people, the ⁴²⁵  elders, and the experts in the law; ⁴²⁶  then they approached Stephen, ⁴²⁷  seized him, and brought him before the council. ⁴²⁸  6:13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place ⁴²⁹  and the law. ⁴³⁰  6:14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs ⁴³¹  that Moses handed down to us.” 6:15 All ⁴³²  who were sitting in the council ⁴³³  looked intently at Stephen ⁴³⁴  and saw his face was like the face of an angel. ⁴³⁵ 

Stephen’s Defense Before the Council

7:1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?” ⁴³⁶  7:2 So he replied, ⁴³⁷  “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather ⁴³⁸  Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 7:3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’ ⁴³⁹  7:4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God ⁴⁴⁰  made him move ⁴⁴¹  to this country where you now live. 7:5 He ⁴⁴²  did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, ⁴⁴³  not even a foot of ground, ⁴⁴⁴  yet God ⁴⁴⁵  promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, ⁴⁴⁶  even though Abraham ⁴⁴⁷  as yet had no child. 7:6 But God spoke as follows: ‘Your ⁴⁴⁸  descendants will be foreigners ⁴⁴⁹  in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years. ⁴⁵⁰  7:7 But I will punish ⁴⁵¹  the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there ⁴⁵²  and worship ⁴⁵³  me in this place.’ ⁴⁵⁴  7:8 Then God ⁴⁵⁵  gave Abraham ⁴⁵⁶  the covenant ⁴⁵⁷  of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old, ⁴⁵⁸  and Isaac became the father of ⁴⁵⁹  Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. ⁴⁶⁰  7:9 The ⁴⁶¹  patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold ⁴⁶²  him into Egypt. But ⁴⁶³  God was with him, 7:10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made ⁴⁶⁴  him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 7:11 Then a famine occurred throughout ⁴⁶⁵  Egypt and Canaan, causing ⁴⁶⁶  great suffering, and our ⁴⁶⁷  ancestors ⁴⁶⁸  could not find food. 7:12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain ⁴⁶⁹  in Egypt, he sent our ancestors ⁴⁷⁰  there ⁴⁷¹  the first time. 7:13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family ⁴⁷²  became known to Pharaoh. 7:14 So Joseph sent a message ⁴⁷³  and invited ⁴⁷⁴  his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people ⁴⁷⁵  in all. 7:15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, ⁴⁷⁶  along with our ancestors, ⁴⁷⁷  7:16 and their bones ⁴⁷⁸  were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money ⁴⁷⁹  from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

7:17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, ⁴⁸⁰  the people increased greatly in number ⁴⁸¹  in Egypt, 7:18 until another king who did not know about ⁴⁸²  Joseph ruled ⁴⁸³  over Egypt. ⁴⁸⁴  7:19 This was the one who exploited ⁴⁸⁵  our people ⁴⁸⁶  and was cruel to our ancestors, ⁴⁸⁷  forcing them to abandon ⁴⁸⁸  their infants so they would die. ⁴⁸⁹  7:20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful ⁴⁹⁰  to God. For ⁴⁹¹  three months he was brought up in his father’s house, 7:21 and when he had been abandoned, ⁴⁹²  Pharaoh’s daughter adopted ⁴⁹³  him and brought him up ⁴⁹⁴  as her own son. 7:22 So Moses was trained ⁴⁹⁵  in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful ⁴⁹⁶  in his words and deeds. 7:23 But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind ⁴⁹⁷  to visit his fellow countrymen ⁴⁹⁸  the Israelites. ⁴⁹⁹  7:24 When ⁵⁰⁰  he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, ⁵⁰¹  Moses ⁵⁰²  came to his defense ⁵⁰³  and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian. 7:25 He thought his own people ⁵⁰⁴  would understand that God was delivering them ⁵⁰⁵  through him, ⁵⁰⁶  but they did not understand. ⁵⁰⁷  7:26 The next day Moses ⁵⁰⁸  saw two men ⁵⁰⁹  fighting, and tried to make peace between ⁵¹⁰  them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?’ 7:27 But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed ⁵¹¹  Moses ⁵¹²  aside, saying, ‘Who made ⁵¹³  you a ruler and judge over us? 7:28 You don’t want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ ⁵¹⁴  7:29 When the man said this, ⁵¹⁵  Moses fled and became a foreigner ⁵¹⁶  in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

7:30 “After ⁵¹⁷  forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the desert ⁵¹⁸  of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. ⁵¹⁹  7:31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and when he approached to investigate, there came the voice of the Lord, 7:32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, ⁵²⁰  the God of Abraham, Isaac, ⁵²¹  and Jacob.’ ⁵²²  Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look more closely. ⁵²³  7:33 But the Lord said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ⁵²⁴  7:34 I have certainly seen the suffering ⁵²⁵  of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. ⁵²⁶  Now ⁵²⁷  come, I will send you to Egypt.’ ⁵²⁸  7:35 This same ⁵²⁹  Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ ⁵³⁰  God sent as both ruler and deliverer ⁵³¹  through the hand of the angel ⁵³²  who appeared to him in the bush. 7:36 This man led them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs ⁵³³  in the land of Egypt, ⁵³⁴  at ⁵³⁵  the Red Sea, and in the wilderness ⁵³⁶  for forty years. 7:37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ⁵³⁷  ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’ ⁵³⁸  7:38 This is the man who was in the congregation ⁵³⁹  in the wilderness ⁵⁴⁰  with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, ⁵⁴¹  and he ⁵⁴²  received living oracles ⁵⁴³  to give to you. ⁵⁴⁴  7:39 Our ⁵⁴⁵  ancestors ⁵⁴⁶  were unwilling to obey ⁵⁴⁷  him, but pushed him aside ⁵⁴⁸  and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 7:40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt ⁵⁴⁹  – we do not know what has happened to him!’ ⁵⁵⁰  7:41 At ⁵⁵¹  that time ⁵⁵²  they made an idol in the form of a calf, ⁵⁵³  brought ⁵⁵⁴  a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing ⁵⁵⁵  in the works of their hands. ⁵⁵⁶  7:42 But God turned away from them and gave them over ⁵⁵⁷  to worship the host ⁵⁵⁸  of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices ⁵⁵⁹  forty years in the wilderness, was it, ⁵⁶⁰  house of Israel? 7:43 But you took along the tabernacle ⁵⁶¹  of Moloch ⁵⁶²  and the star of the ⁵⁶³  god Rephan, ⁵⁶⁴  the images you made to worship, but I will deport ⁵⁶⁵  you beyond Babylon.’ ⁵⁶⁶  7:44 Our ancestors ⁵⁶⁷  had the tabernacle ⁵⁶⁸  of testimony in the wilderness, ⁵⁶⁹  just as God ⁵⁷⁰  who spoke to Moses ordered him ⁵⁷¹  to make it according to the design he had seen. 7:45 Our ⁵⁷²  ancestors ⁵⁷³  received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, ⁵⁷⁴  until the time ⁵⁷⁵  of David. 7:46 He ⁵⁷⁶  found favor ⁵⁷⁷  with ⁵⁷⁸  God and asked that he could ⁵⁷⁹  find a dwelling place ⁵⁸⁰  for the house ⁵⁸¹  of Jacob. 7:47 But Solomon built a house ⁵⁸²  for him. 7:48 Yet the Most High ⁵⁸³  does not live in houses made by human hands, ⁵⁸⁴  as the prophet says,

7:49 ‘Heaven is my throne,

and earth is the footstool for my feet.

What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,

or what is my resting place? ⁵⁸⁵ 

7:50 Did my hand ⁵⁸⁶  not make all these things?’ ⁵⁸⁷ 

7:51 “You stubborn ⁵⁸⁸  people, with uncircumcised ⁵⁸⁹  hearts and ears! ⁵⁹⁰  You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors ⁵⁹¹  did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors ⁵⁹²  not persecute? ⁵⁹³  They ⁵⁹⁴  killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, ⁵⁹⁵  whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! ⁵⁹⁶  7:53 You ⁵⁹⁷  received the law by decrees given by angels, ⁵⁹⁸  but you did not obey ⁵⁹⁹  it.” ⁶⁰⁰ 

Stephen is Killed

7:54 When they heard these things, they became furious ⁶⁰¹  and ground their teeth ⁶⁰²  at him. 7:55 But Stephen, ⁶⁰³  full ⁶⁰⁴  of the Holy Spirit, looked intently ⁶⁰⁵  toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing ⁶⁰⁶  at the right hand of God. 7:56 “Look!” he said. ⁶⁰⁷  “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 7:57 But they covered their ears, ⁶⁰⁸  shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. 7:58 When ⁶⁰⁹  they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, ⁶¹⁰  and the witnesses laid their cloaks ⁶¹¹  at the feet of a young man named Saul. 7:59 They ⁶¹²  continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 7:60 Then he fell ⁶¹³  to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” ⁶¹⁴  When ⁶¹⁵  he had said this, he died. ⁶¹⁶  8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing ⁶¹⁷  him.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

Now on that day a great ⁶¹⁸  persecution began ⁶¹⁹  against the church in Jerusalem, ⁶²⁰  and all ⁶²¹  except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions ⁶²²  of Judea and Samaria. 8:2 Some ⁶²³  devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation ⁶²⁴  over him. ⁶²⁵  8:3 But Saul was trying to destroy ⁶²⁶  the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off ⁶²⁷  both men and women and put them in prison. ⁶²⁸ 

Philip Preaches in Samaria

8:4 Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. 8:5 Philip went down to the main city of Samaria ⁶²⁹  and began proclaiming ⁶³⁰  the Christ ⁶³¹  to them. 8:6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, ⁶³²  as they heard and saw the miraculous signs ⁶³³  he was performing. 8:7 For unclean spirits, ⁶³⁴  crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed, ⁶³⁵  and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. 8:8 So there was ⁶³⁶  great joy ⁶³⁷  in that city.

8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic ⁶³⁸  and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people, ⁶³⁹  from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ⁶⁴⁰  8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God ⁶⁴¹  and the name of Jesus Christ, ⁶⁴²  they began to be baptized, ⁶⁴³  both men and women. 8:13 Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to ⁶⁴⁴  Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed. ⁶⁴⁵ 

8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem ⁶⁴⁶  heard that Samaria had accepted the word ⁶⁴⁷  of God, they sent ⁶⁴⁸  Peter and John to them. 8:15 These two ⁶⁴⁹  went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 8:16 (For the Spirit ⁶⁵⁰  had not yet come upon ⁶⁵¹  any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ⁶⁵²  8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, ⁶⁵³  and they received the Holy Spirit. ⁶⁵⁴ 

8:18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit ⁶⁵⁵  was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 8:19 saying, “Give me this power ⁶⁵⁶  too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, ⁶⁵⁷  because you thought you could acquire ⁶⁵⁸  God’s gift with money! 8:21 You have no share or part ⁶⁵⁹  in this matter ⁶⁶⁰  because your heart is not right before God! 8:22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord ⁶⁶¹  that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart. ⁶⁶²  8:23 For I see that you are bitterly envious ⁶⁶³  and in bondage to sin.” 8:24 But Simon replied, ⁶⁶⁴  “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to ⁶⁶⁵  me.”

8:25 So after Peter and John ⁶⁶⁶  had solemnly testified ⁶⁶⁷  and spoken the word of the Lord, ⁶⁶⁸  they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming ⁶⁶⁹  the good news to many Samaritan villages ⁶⁷⁰  as they went. ⁶⁷¹ 

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

8:26 Then an angel of the Lord ⁶⁷²  said to Philip, ⁶⁷³  “Get up and go south ⁶⁷⁴  on the road that goes down from Jerusalem ⁶⁷⁵  to Gaza.” (This is a desert ⁶⁷⁶  road.) ⁶⁷⁷  8:27 So ⁶⁷⁸  he got up ⁶⁷⁹  and went. There ⁶⁸⁰  he met ⁶⁸¹  an Ethiopian eunuch, ⁶⁸²  a court official of Candace, ⁶⁸³  queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He ⁶⁸⁴  had come to Jerusalem to worship, ⁶⁸⁵  8:28 and was returning home, sitting ⁶⁸⁶  in his chariot, reading ⁶⁸⁷  the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up ⁶⁸⁸  to it ⁶⁸⁹  and heard the man ⁶⁹⁰  reading Isaiah the prophet. He ⁶⁹¹  asked him, ⁶⁹²  “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man ⁶⁹³  replied, “How in the world can I, ⁶⁹⁴  unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man ⁶⁹⁵  was reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did ⁶⁹⁶  not open his mouth.

8:33 In humiliation ⁶⁹⁷  justice was taken from him. ⁶⁹⁸ 

Who can describe his posterity? ⁶⁹⁹ 

For his life was taken away ⁷⁰⁰  from the earth.” ⁷⁰¹ 

8:34 Then the eunuch said ⁷⁰²  to Philip, “Please tell me, ⁷⁰³  who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” ⁷⁰⁴  8:35 So Philip started speaking, ⁷⁰⁵  and beginning with this scripture ⁷⁰⁶  proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me ⁷⁰⁷  from being baptized?” 8:37 [[EMPTY]] ⁷⁰⁸  8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, ⁷⁰⁹  and Philip baptized ⁷¹⁰  him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but ⁷¹¹  went on his way rejoicing. ⁷¹²  8:40 Philip, however, found himself ⁷¹³  at Azotus, ⁷¹⁴  and as he passed through the area, ⁷¹⁵  he proclaimed the good news ⁷¹⁶  to all the towns ⁷¹⁷  until he came to Caesarea. ⁷¹⁸ 

The Conversion of Saul

9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats ⁷¹⁹  to murder ⁷²⁰  the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 9:2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues ⁷²¹  in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, ⁷²²  either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners ⁷²³  to Jerusalem. ⁷²⁴  9:3 As he was going along, approaching ⁷²⁵  Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed ⁷²⁶  around him. 9:4 He ⁷²⁷  fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ⁷²⁸  why are you persecuting me?” ⁷²⁹  9:5 So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! 9:6 But stand up ⁷³⁰  and enter the city and you will be told ⁷³¹  what you must do.” 9:7 (Now the men ⁷³²  who were traveling with him stood there speechless, ⁷³³  because they heard the voice but saw no one.) ⁷³⁴  9:8 So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, ⁷³⁵  he could see nothing. ⁷³⁶  Leading him by the hand, his companions ⁷³⁷  brought him into Damascus. 9:9 For ⁷³⁸  three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything. ⁷³⁹ 

9:10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The ⁷⁴⁰  Lord ⁷⁴¹  said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, ⁷⁴²  Lord.” 9:11 Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’ ⁷⁴³  and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, 9:12 and he has seen in a vision ⁷⁴⁴  a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.” 9:13 But Ananias replied, ⁷⁴⁵  “Lord, I have heard from many people ⁷⁴⁶  about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, 9:14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison ⁷⁴⁷  all who call on your name!” ⁷⁴⁸  9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument ⁷⁴⁹  to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. ⁷⁵⁰  9:16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ⁷⁵¹  9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed ⁷⁵²  his hands on Saul ⁷⁵³  and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, ⁷⁵⁴  has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ⁷⁵⁵  9:18 Immediately ⁷⁵⁶  something like scales ⁷⁵⁷  fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He ⁷⁵⁸  got up and was baptized, 9:19 and after taking some food, his strength returned.

For several days ⁷⁵⁹  he was with the disciples in Damascus, 9:20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, ⁷⁶⁰  saying, “This man is the Son of God.” ⁷⁶¹  9:21 All ⁷⁶²  who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not ⁷⁶³  the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging ⁷⁶⁴  those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners ⁷⁶⁵  to the chief priests?” 9:22 But Saul became more and more capable, ⁷⁶⁶  and was causing consternation ⁷⁶⁷  among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving ⁷⁶⁸  that Jesus ⁷⁶⁹  is the Christ. ⁷⁷⁰ 

Saul’s Escape from Damascus

9:23 Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted ⁷⁷¹  together to kill him, 9:24 but Saul learned of their plot against him. ⁷⁷²  They were also watching ⁷⁷³  the city gates ⁷⁷⁴  day and night so that they could kill him. 9:25 But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening ⁷⁷⁵  in the wall by lowering him in a basket. ⁷⁷⁶ 

Saul Returns to Jerusalem

9:26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, ⁷⁷⁷  he attempted to associate ⁷⁷⁸  with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe ⁷⁷⁹  that he was a disciple. 9:27 But Barnabas took ⁷⁸⁰  Saul, ⁷⁸¹  brought ⁷⁸²  him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that ⁷⁸³  the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly ⁷⁸⁴  in the name of Jesus. 9:28 So he was staying with them, associating openly with them ⁷⁸⁵  in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 9:29 He was speaking and debating ⁷⁸⁶  with the Greek-speaking Jews, ⁷⁸⁷  but they were trying to kill him. 9:30 When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea ⁷⁸⁸  and sent him away to Tarsus.

9:31 Then ⁷⁸⁹  the church throughout Judea, Galilee, ⁷⁹⁰  and Samaria experienced ⁷⁹¹  peace and thus was strengthened. ⁷⁹²  Living ⁷⁹³  in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church ⁷⁹⁴  increased in numbers.

Peter Heals Aeneas

9:32 Now ⁷⁹⁵  as Peter was traveling around from place to place, ⁷⁹⁶  he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. ⁷⁹⁷  9:33 He found there a man named Aeneas who had been confined to a mattress for eight years because ⁷⁹⁸  he was paralyzed. 9:34 Peter ⁷⁹⁹  said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ ⁸⁰⁰  heals you. Get up and make your own bed!” ⁸⁰¹  And immediately he got up. 9:35 All ⁸⁰²  those who lived in Lydda ⁸⁰³  and Sharon ⁸⁰⁴  saw him, and they ⁸⁰⁵  turned ⁸⁰⁶  to the Lord.

Peter Raises Dorcas

9:36 Now in Joppa ⁸⁰⁷  there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means ⁸⁰⁸  Dorcas). ⁸⁰⁹  She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. ⁸¹⁰  9:37 At that time ⁸¹¹  she became sick ⁸¹²  and died. When they had washed ⁸¹³  her body, ⁸¹⁴  they placed it in an upstairs room. 9:38 Because Lydda ⁸¹⁵  was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Come to us without delay.” ⁸¹⁶  9:39 So Peter got up and went with them, and ⁸¹⁷  when he arrived ⁸¹⁸  they brought him to the upper room. All ⁸¹⁹  the widows stood beside him, crying and showing him ⁸²⁰  the tunics ⁸²¹  and other clothing ⁸²²  Dorcas used to make ⁸²³  while she was with them. 9:40 But Peter sent them all outside, ⁸²⁴  knelt down, ⁸²⁵  and prayed. Turning ⁸²⁶  to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁸²⁷  9:41 He gave ⁸²⁸  her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called ⁸²⁹  the saints and widows and presented her alive. 9:42 This became known throughout all ⁸³⁰  Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁸³¹  9:43 So ⁸³²  Peter ⁸³³  stayed many days in Joppa with a man named ⁸³⁴  Simon, a tanner. ⁸³⁵ 

Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea ⁸³⁶  named Cornelius, a centurion ⁸³⁷  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. ⁸³⁸  10:2 He ⁸³⁹  was a devout, God-fearing man, ⁸⁴⁰  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ⁸⁴¹  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ⁸⁴²  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ⁸⁴³  who came in ⁸⁴⁴  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ⁸⁴⁵  replied, ⁸⁴⁶  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ⁸⁴⁷  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ⁸⁴⁸  have gone up as a memorial ⁸⁴⁹  before God. 10:5 Now ⁸⁵⁰  send men to Joppa ⁸⁵¹  and summon a man named Simon, ⁸⁵²  who is called Peter. 10:6 This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, ⁸⁵³  whose house is by the sea.” 10:7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius ⁸⁵⁴  called two of his personal servants ⁸⁵⁵  and a devout soldier from among those who served him, ⁸⁵⁶  10:8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9 About noon ⁸⁵⁷  the next day, while they were on their way and approaching ⁸⁵⁸  the city, Peter went up on the roof ⁸⁵⁹  to pray. 10:10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him. ⁸⁶⁰  10:11 He ⁸⁶¹  saw heaven ⁸⁶²  opened ⁸⁶³  and an object something like a large sheet ⁸⁶⁴  descending, ⁸⁶⁵  being let down to earth ⁸⁶⁶  by its four corners. 10:12 In it ⁸⁶⁷  were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles ⁸⁶⁸  of the earth and wild birds. ⁸⁶⁹  10:13 Then ⁸⁷⁰  a voice said ⁸⁷¹  to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter ⁸⁷²  and eat!” 10:14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” ⁸⁷³  10:15 The voice ⁸⁷⁴  spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider ⁸⁷⁵  ritually unclean!” ⁸⁷⁶  10:16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. ⁸⁷⁷ 

10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over ⁸⁷⁸  what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was ⁸⁷⁹  and approached ⁸⁸⁰  the gate. 10:18 They ⁸⁸¹  called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, ⁸⁸²  was staying there as a guest. 10:19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about ⁸⁸³  the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 10:20 But get up, ⁸⁸⁴  go down, and accompany them without hesitation, ⁸⁸⁵  because I have sent them.” 10:21 So Peter went down ⁸⁸⁶  to the men and said, “Here I am, ⁸⁸⁷  the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, ⁸⁸⁸  a righteous ⁸⁸⁹  and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, ⁸⁹⁰  was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message ⁸⁹¹  from you.” 10:23 So Peter ⁸⁹²  invited them in and entertained them as guests.

On the next day he got up and set out ⁸⁹³  with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa ⁸⁹⁴  accompanied him. 10:24 The following day ⁸⁹⁵  he entered Caesarea. ⁸⁹⁶  Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously ⁸⁹⁷  for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 10:25 So when ⁸⁹⁸  Peter came in, Cornelius met ⁸⁹⁹  him, fell ⁹⁰⁰  at his feet, and worshiped ⁹⁰¹  him. 10:26 But Peter helped him up, ⁹⁰²  saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.” ⁹⁰³  10:27 Peter ⁹⁰⁴  continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together. ⁹⁰⁵  10:28 He said to them, “You know that ⁹⁰⁶  it is unlawful ⁹⁰⁷  for a Jew ⁹⁰⁸  to associate with or visit a Gentile, ⁹⁰⁹  yet God has shown me that I should call no person ⁹¹⁰  defiled or ritually unclean. ⁹¹¹  10:29 Therefore when you sent for me, ⁹¹²  I came without any objection. Now may I ask why ⁹¹³  you sent for me?” 10:30 Cornelius ⁹¹⁴  replied, ⁹¹⁵  “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, ⁹¹⁶  I was praying in my house, and suddenly ⁹¹⁷  a man in shining clothing stood before me 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity ⁹¹⁸  have been remembered before God. ⁹¹⁹  10:32 Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, ⁹²⁰  by the sea.’ 10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. ⁹²¹  So now we are all here in the presence of God ⁹²²  to listen ⁹²³  to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” ⁹²⁴ 

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: ⁹²⁵  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, ⁹²⁶  10:35 but in every nation ⁹²⁷  the person who fears him ⁹²⁸  and does what is right ⁹²⁹  is welcomed before him. 10:36 You know ⁹³⁰  the message ⁹³¹  he sent to the people ⁹³²  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace ⁹³³  through ⁹³⁴  Jesus Christ ⁹³⁵  (he is Lord ⁹³⁶  of all) – 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ⁹³⁷  10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, ⁹³⁸  that ⁹³⁹  God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He ⁹⁴⁰  went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, ⁹⁴¹  because God was with him. ⁹⁴²  10:39 We ⁹⁴³  are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea ⁹⁴⁴  and in Jerusalem. ⁹⁴⁵  They ⁹⁴⁶  killed him by hanging him on a tree, ⁹⁴⁷  10:40 but ⁹⁴⁸  God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, ⁹⁴⁹  10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, ⁹⁵⁰  who ate and drank ⁹⁵¹  with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He ⁹⁵²  commanded us to preach to the people and to warn ⁹⁵³  them ⁹⁵⁴  that he is the one ⁹⁵⁵  appointed ⁹⁵⁶  by God as judge ⁹⁵⁷  of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, ⁹⁵⁸  that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins ⁹⁵⁹  through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on ⁹⁶⁰  all those who heard the message. ⁹⁶¹  10:45 The ⁹⁶²  circumcised believers ⁹⁶³  who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished ⁹⁶⁴  that ⁹⁶⁵  the gift of the Holy Spirit ⁹⁶⁶  had been poured out ⁹⁶⁷  even on the Gentiles, 10:46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising ⁹⁶⁸  God. Then Peter said, 10:47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, ⁹⁶⁹  can he?” ⁹⁷⁰  10:48 So he gave orders to have them baptized ⁹⁷¹  in the name of Jesus Christ. ⁹⁷²  Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Peter Defends His Actions to the Jerusalem Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted ⁹⁷³  the word of God. ⁹⁷⁴  11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ⁹⁷⁵  the circumcised believers ⁹⁷⁶  took issue with ⁹⁷⁷  him, 11:3 saying, “You went to ⁹⁷⁸  uncircumcised men and shared a meal with ⁹⁷⁹  them.” 11:4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, ⁹⁸⁰  saying, 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, ⁹⁸¹  an object something like a large sheet descending, ⁹⁸²  being let down from heaven ⁹⁸³  by its four corners, and it came to me. 11:6 As I stared ⁹⁸⁴  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, ⁹⁸⁵  and wild birds. ⁹⁸⁶  11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter ⁹⁸⁷  and eat!’ 11:8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean ⁹⁸⁸  has ever entered my mouth!’ 11:9 But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider ⁹⁸⁹  ritually unclean!’ 11:10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11:11 At that very moment, ⁹⁹⁰  three men sent to me from Caesarea ⁹⁹¹  approached ⁹⁹²  the house where we were staying. ⁹⁹³  11:12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers ⁹⁹⁴  also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 11:13 He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 11:14 who will speak a message ⁹⁹⁵  to you by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 11:15 Then as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on ⁹⁹⁶  them just as he did ⁹⁹⁷  on us at the beginning. ⁹⁹⁸  11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, ⁹⁹⁹  as he used to say, ¹⁰⁰⁰  ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁰⁰¹  11:17 Therefore if God ¹⁰⁰²  gave them the same gift ¹⁰⁰³  as he also gave us after believing ¹⁰⁰⁴  in the Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰⁰⁵  who was I to hinder ¹⁰⁰⁶  God?” 11:18 When they heard this, ¹⁰⁰⁷  they ceased their objections ¹⁰⁰⁸  and praised ¹⁰⁰⁹  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance ¹⁰¹⁰  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” ¹⁰¹¹ 

Activity in the Church at Antioch

11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen ¹⁰¹²  went as far as ¹⁰¹³  Phoenicia, ¹⁰¹⁴  Cyprus, ¹⁰¹⁵  and Antioch, ¹⁰¹⁶  speaking the message ¹⁰¹⁷  to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus ¹⁰¹⁸  and Cyrene ¹⁰¹⁹  among them who came ¹⁰²⁰  to Antioch ¹⁰²¹  and began to speak to the Greeks ¹⁰²²  too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. 11:21 The ¹⁰²³  hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed ¹⁰²⁴  turned ¹⁰²⁵  to the Lord. 11:22 A report ¹⁰²⁶  about them came to the attention ¹⁰²⁷  of the church in Jerusalem, ¹⁰²⁸  and they sent Barnabas ¹⁰²⁹  to Antioch. ¹⁰³⁰  11:23 When ¹⁰³¹  he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true ¹⁰³²  to the Lord with devoted hearts, ¹⁰³³  11:24 because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a significant number of people ¹⁰³⁴  were brought to the Lord. 11:25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to look for Saul, 11:26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. ¹⁰³⁵  So ¹⁰³⁶  for a whole year Barnabas and Saul ¹⁰³⁷  met with the church and taught a significant number of people. ¹⁰³⁸  Now it was in Antioch ¹⁰³⁹  that the disciples were first called Christians. ¹⁰⁴⁰ 

Famine Relief for Judea

11:27 At that time ¹⁰⁴¹  some ¹⁰⁴²  prophets ¹⁰⁴³  came down ¹⁰⁴⁴  from Jerusalem ¹⁰⁴⁵  to Antioch. ¹⁰⁴⁶  11:28 One of them, named Agabus, got up ¹⁰⁴⁷  and predicted ¹⁰⁴⁸  by the Spirit that a severe ¹⁰⁴⁹  famine ¹⁰⁵⁰  was about to come over the whole inhabited world. ¹⁰⁵¹  (This ¹⁰⁵²  took place during the reign of Claudius.) ¹⁰⁵³  11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, ¹⁰⁵⁴  decided ¹⁰⁵⁵  to send relief ¹⁰⁵⁶  to the brothers living in Judea. 11:30 They did so, ¹⁰⁵⁷  sending their financial aid ¹⁰⁵⁸  to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

James is Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12:1 About that time King Herod ¹⁰⁵⁹  laid hands on ¹⁰⁶⁰  some from the church to harm them. ¹⁰⁶¹  12:2 He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. ¹⁰⁶²  12:3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, ¹⁰⁶³  he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) ¹⁰⁶⁴  12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads ¹⁰⁶⁵  of soldiers to guard him. Herod ¹⁰⁶⁶  planned ¹⁰⁶⁷  to bring him out for public trial ¹⁰⁶⁸  after the Passover. 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly ¹⁰⁶⁹  praying to God for him. ¹⁰⁷⁰  12:6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, ¹⁰⁷¹  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while ¹⁰⁷²  guards in front of the door were keeping watch ¹⁰⁷³  over the prison. 12:7 Suddenly ¹⁰⁷⁴  an angel of the Lord ¹⁰⁷⁵  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck ¹⁰⁷⁶  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s ¹⁰⁷⁷  wrists. ¹⁰⁷⁸  12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt ¹⁰⁷⁹  and put on your sandals.” Peter ¹⁰⁸⁰  did so. Then the angel ¹⁰⁸¹  said to him, “Put on your cloak ¹⁰⁸²  and follow me.” 12:9 Peter ¹⁰⁸³  went out ¹⁰⁸⁴  and followed him; ¹⁰⁸⁵  he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, ¹⁰⁸⁶  but thought he was seeing a vision. 12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards, ¹⁰⁸⁷  they came to the iron ¹⁰⁸⁸  gate leading into the city. It ¹⁰⁸⁹  opened for them by itself, ¹⁰⁹⁰  and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, ¹⁰⁹¹  when at once the angel left him. 12:11 When ¹⁰⁹²  Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued ¹⁰⁹³  me from the hand ¹⁰⁹⁴  of Herod ¹⁰⁹⁵  and from everything the Jewish people ¹⁰⁹⁶  were expecting to happen.”

12:12 When Peter ¹⁰⁹⁷  realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, ¹⁰⁹⁸  where many people had gathered together and were praying. 12:13 When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered. ¹⁰⁹⁹  12:14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told ¹¹⁰⁰  them ¹¹⁰¹  that Peter was standing at the gate. 12:15 But they said to her, “You’ve lost your mind!” ¹¹⁰²  But she kept insisting that it was Peter, ¹¹⁰³  and they kept saying, ¹¹⁰⁴  “It is his angel!” ¹¹⁰⁵  12:16 Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door ¹¹⁰⁶  and saw him, they were greatly astonished. ¹¹⁰⁷  12:17 He motioned to them ¹¹⁰⁸  with his hand to be quiet and then related ¹¹⁰⁹  how the Lord had brought ¹¹¹⁰  him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. ¹¹¹¹ 

12:18 At daybreak ¹¹¹²  there was great consternation ¹¹¹³  among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 12:19 When Herod ¹¹¹⁴  had searched ¹¹¹⁵  for him and did not find him, he questioned ¹¹¹⁶  the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. ¹¹¹⁷  Then ¹¹¹⁸  Herod ¹¹¹⁹  went down from Judea to Caesarea ¹¹²⁰  and stayed there.

12:20 Now Herod ¹¹²¹  was having an angry quarrel ¹¹²²  with the people of Tyre ¹¹²³  and Sidon. ¹¹²⁴  So they joined together ¹¹²⁵  and presented themselves before him. And after convincing ¹¹²⁶  Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, ¹¹²⁷  to help them, ¹¹²⁸  they asked for peace, ¹¹²⁹  because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country. 12:21 On a day determined in advance, Herod ¹¹³⁰  put on his royal robes, ¹¹³¹  sat down on the judgment seat, ¹¹³²  and made a speech ¹¹³³  to them. 12:22 But the crowd ¹¹³⁴  began to shout, ¹¹³⁵  “The voice of a god, ¹¹³⁶  and not of a man!” 12:23 Immediately an angel of the Lord ¹¹³⁷  struck ¹¹³⁸  Herod ¹¹³⁹  down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. ¹¹⁴⁰  12:24 But the word of God ¹¹⁴¹  kept on increasing ¹¹⁴²  and multiplying.

12:25 So Barnabas and Saul returned to ¹¹⁴³  Jerusalem ¹¹⁴⁴  when they had completed ¹¹⁴⁵  their mission, ¹¹⁴⁶  bringing along with them John Mark. ¹¹⁴⁷ 

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ¹¹⁴⁸  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ¹¹⁴⁹  Lucius the Cyrenian, ¹¹⁵⁰  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ¹¹⁵¹  the tetrarch ¹¹⁵²  from childhood ¹¹⁵³ ) and Saul. 13:2 While they were serving ¹¹⁵⁴  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ¹¹⁵⁵  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ¹¹⁵⁶  and ¹¹⁵⁷  prayed and placed their hands ¹¹⁵⁸  on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, ¹¹⁵⁹  sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, ¹¹⁶⁰  and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ¹¹⁶¹  13:5 When ¹¹⁶²  they arrived ¹¹⁶³  in Salamis, ¹¹⁶⁴  they began to proclaim ¹¹⁶⁵  the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. ¹¹⁶⁶  (Now they also had John ¹¹⁶⁷  as their assistant.) ¹¹⁶⁸  13:6 When they had crossed over ¹¹⁶⁹  the whole island as far as Paphos, ¹¹⁷⁰  they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ¹¹⁷¹  13:7 who was with the proconsul ¹¹⁷²  Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul ¹¹⁷³  summoned ¹¹⁷⁴  Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear ¹¹⁷⁵  the word of God. 13:8 But the magician Elymas ¹¹⁷⁶  (for that is the way his name is translated) ¹¹⁷⁷  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ¹¹⁷⁸  away from the faith. 13:9 But Saul (also known as Paul), ¹¹⁷⁹  filled with the Holy Spirit, ¹¹⁸⁰  stared straight ¹¹⁸¹  at him 13:10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, ¹¹⁸²  you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹⁸³  13:11 Now ¹¹⁸⁴  look, the hand of the Lord is against ¹¹⁸⁵  you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness ¹¹⁸⁶  and darkness came over ¹¹⁸⁷  him, and he went around seeking people ¹¹⁸⁸  to lead him by the hand. 13:12 Then when the proconsul ¹¹⁸⁹  saw what had happened, he believed, ¹¹⁹⁰  because he was greatly astounded ¹¹⁹¹  at the teaching about ¹¹⁹²  the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch

13:13 Then Paul and his companions put out to sea ¹¹⁹³  from Paphos ¹¹⁹⁴  and came to Perga ¹¹⁹⁵  in Pamphylia, ¹¹⁹⁶  but John ¹¹⁹⁷  left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹¹⁹⁸  13:14 Moving on from ¹¹⁹⁹  Perga, ¹²⁰⁰  they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, ¹²⁰¹  and on the Sabbath day they went into ¹²⁰²  the synagogue ¹²⁰³  and sat down. 13:15 After the reading from the law and the prophets, ¹²⁰⁴  the leaders of the synagogue ¹²⁰⁵  sent them a message, ¹²⁰⁶  saying, “Brothers, ¹²⁰⁷  if you have any message ¹²⁰⁸  of exhortation ¹²⁰⁹  for the people, speak it.” ¹²¹⁰  13:16 So Paul stood up, ¹²¹¹  gestured ¹²¹²  with his hand and said,

“Men of Israel, ¹²¹³  and you Gentiles who fear God, ¹²¹⁴  listen: 13:17 The God of this people Israel ¹²¹⁵  chose our ancestors ¹²¹⁶  and made the people great ¹²¹⁷  during their stay as foreigners ¹²¹⁸  in the country ¹²¹⁹  of Egypt, and with uplifted arm ¹²²⁰  he led them out of it. 13:18 For ¹²²¹  a period of about forty years he put up with ¹²²²  them in the wilderness. ¹²²³  13:19 After ¹²²⁴  he had destroyed ¹²²⁵  seven nations ¹²²⁶  in the land of Canaan, he gave his people their land as an inheritance. ¹²²⁷  13:20 All this took ¹²²⁸  about four hundred fifty years. After this ¹²²⁹  he gave them judges until the time of ¹²³⁰  Samuel the prophet. 13:21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled ¹²³¹  forty years. 13:22 After removing him, God ¹²³²  raised up ¹²³³  David their king. He testified about him: ¹²³⁴  ‘I have found David ¹²³⁵  the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, ¹²³⁶  who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’ ¹²³⁷  13:23 From the descendants ¹²³⁸  of this man ¹²³⁹  God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised. ¹²⁴⁰  13:24 Before ¹²⁴¹  Jesus ¹²⁴²  arrived, John ¹²⁴³  had proclaimed a baptism for repentance ¹²⁴⁴  to all the people of Israel. 13:25 But while John was completing his mission, ¹²⁴⁵  he said repeatedly, ¹²⁴⁶  ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’ ¹²⁴⁷  13:26 Brothers, ¹²⁴⁸  descendants ¹²⁴⁹  of Abraham’s family, ¹²⁵⁰  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ¹²⁵¹  the message ¹²⁵²  of this salvation has been sent to us. 13:27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize ¹²⁵³  him, ¹²⁵⁴  and they fulfilled the sayings ¹²⁵⁵  of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning ¹²⁵⁶  him. ¹²⁵⁷  13:28 Though ¹²⁵⁸  they found ¹²⁵⁹  no basis ¹²⁶⁰  for a death sentence, ¹²⁶¹  they asked Pilate to have him executed. 13:29 When they had accomplished ¹²⁶²  everything that was written ¹²⁶³  about him, they took him down ¹²⁶⁴  from the cross ¹²⁶⁵  and placed him ¹²⁶⁶  in a tomb. 13:30 But God raised ¹²⁶⁷  him from the dead, 13:31 and ¹²⁶⁸  for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied ¹²⁶⁹  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These ¹²⁷⁰  are now his witnesses to the people. 13:32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, ¹²⁷¹  13:33 that this promise ¹²⁷²  God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising ¹²⁷³  Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; ¹²⁷⁴  today I have fathered you.’ ¹²⁷⁵  13:34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus ¹²⁷⁶  from the dead, never ¹²⁷⁷  again to be ¹²⁷⁸  in a state of decay, God ¹²⁷⁹  has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you ¹²⁸⁰  the holy and trustworthy promises ¹²⁸¹  made to David.’ ¹²⁸²  13:35 Therefore he also says in another psalm, ¹²⁸³  ‘You will not permit your Holy One ¹²⁸⁴  to experience ¹²⁸⁵  decay.’ ¹²⁸⁶  13:36 For David, after he had served ¹²⁸⁷  God’s purpose in his own generation, died, ¹²⁸⁸  was buried with his ancestors, ¹²⁸⁹  and experienced ¹²⁹⁰  decay, 13:37 but the one ¹²⁹¹  whom God raised up did not experience ¹²⁹²  decay. 13:38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one ¹²⁹³  forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 13:39 and by this one ¹²⁹⁴  everyone who believes is justified ¹²⁹⁵  from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify ¹²⁹⁶  you. ¹²⁹⁷  13:40 Watch out, ¹²⁹⁸  then, that what is spoken about by ¹²⁹⁹  the prophets does not happen to you:

13:41 ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish! ¹³⁰⁰ 

For I am doing a work in your days,

a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’” ¹³⁰¹ 

13:42 As Paul and Barnabas ¹³⁰²  were going out, ¹³⁰³  the people ¹³⁰⁴  were urging ¹³⁰⁵  them to speak about these things ¹³⁰⁶  on the next Sabbath. 13:43 When the meeting of the synagogue ¹³⁰⁷  had broken up, ¹³⁰⁸  many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes ¹³⁰⁹  followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading ¹³¹⁰  them ¹³¹¹  to continue ¹³¹²  in the grace of God.

13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord. ¹³¹³  13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ¹³¹⁴  and they began to contradict ¹³¹⁵  what Paul was saying ¹³¹⁶  by reviling him. ¹³¹⁷  13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, ¹³¹⁸  “It was necessary to speak the word of God ¹³¹⁹  to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy ¹³²⁰  of eternal life, we ¹³²¹  are turning to the Gentiles. ¹³²²  13:47 For this ¹³²³  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ¹³²⁴  you to be a light ¹³²⁵  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ¹³²⁶  to the ends of the earth.’” ¹³²⁷  13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice ¹³²⁸  and praise ¹³²⁹  the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life ¹³³⁰  believed. 13:49 So the word of the Lord was spreading ¹³³¹  through the entire region. 13:50 But the Jews incited ¹³³²  the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out ¹³³³  of their region. 13:51 So after they shook ¹³³⁴  the dust off their feet ¹³³⁵  in protest against them, they went to Iconium. ¹³³⁶  13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy ¹³³⁷  and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

14:1 The same thing happened in Iconium ¹³³⁸  when Paul and Barnabas ¹³³⁹  went into the Jewish synagogue ¹³⁴⁰  and spoke in such a way that a large group ¹³⁴¹  of both Jews and Greeks believed. 14:2 But the Jews who refused to believe ¹³⁴²  stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds ¹³⁴³  against the brothers. 14:3 So they stayed there ¹³⁴⁴  for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified ¹³⁴⁵  to the message ¹³⁴⁶  of his grace, granting miraculous signs ¹³⁴⁷  and wonders to be performed through their hands. 14:4 But the population ¹³⁴⁸  of the city was divided; some ¹³⁴⁹  sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 14:5 When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made ¹³⁵⁰  an attempt to mistreat ¹³⁵¹  them and stone them, ¹³⁵²  14:6 Paul and Barnabas ¹³⁵³  learned about it ¹³⁵⁴  and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra ¹³⁵⁵  and Derbe ¹³⁵⁶  and the surrounding region. 14:7 There ¹³⁵⁷  they continued to proclaim ¹³⁵⁸  the good news.

Paul and Barnabas at Lystra

14:8 In ¹³⁵⁹  Lystra ¹³⁶⁰  sat a man who could not use his feet, ¹³⁶¹  lame from birth, ¹³⁶²  who had never walked. 14:9 This man was listening to Paul as he was speaking. When Paul ¹³⁶³  stared ¹³⁶⁴  intently at him and saw he had faith to be healed, 14:10 he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” ¹³⁶⁵  And the man ¹³⁶⁶  leaped up and began walking. ¹³⁶⁷  14:11 So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted ¹³⁶⁸  in the Lycaonian language, ¹³⁶⁹  “The gods have come down to us in human form!” ¹³⁷⁰  14:12 They began to call ¹³⁷¹  Barnabas Zeus ¹³⁷²  and Paul Hermes, ¹³⁷³  because he was the chief speaker. 14:13 The priest of the temple ¹³⁷⁴  of Zeus, ¹³⁷⁵  located just outside the city, brought bulls ¹³⁷⁶  and garlands ¹³⁷⁷  to the city gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices to them. ¹³⁷⁸  14:14 But when the apostles ¹³⁷⁹  Barnabas and Paul heard about ¹³⁸⁰  it, they tore ¹³⁸¹  their clothes and rushed out ¹³⁸²  into the crowd, shouting, ¹³⁸³  14:15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures ¹³⁸⁴  just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn ¹³⁸⁵  from these worthless ¹³⁸⁶  things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, ¹³⁸⁷  the sea, and everything that is in them. 14:16 In ¹³⁸⁸  past ¹³⁸⁹  generations he allowed all the nations ¹³⁹⁰  to go their own ways, 14:17 yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, ¹³⁹¹  by giving you rain from heaven ¹³⁹²  and fruitful seasons, satisfying you ¹³⁹³  with food and your hearts with joy.” ¹³⁹⁴  14:18 Even by saying ¹³⁹⁵  these things, they scarcely persuaded ¹³⁹⁶  the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them.

14:19 But Jews came from Antioch ¹³⁹⁷  and Iconium, ¹³⁹⁸  and after winning ¹³⁹⁹  the crowds over, they stoned ¹⁴⁰⁰  Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming him to be dead. 14:20 But after the disciples had surrounded him, he got up and went back ¹⁴⁰¹  into the city. On ¹⁴⁰²  the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ¹⁴⁰³ 

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

14:21 After they had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, ¹⁴⁰⁴  to Iconium, ¹⁴⁰⁵  and to Antioch. ¹⁴⁰⁶  14:22 They strengthened ¹⁴⁰⁷  the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue ¹⁴⁰⁸  in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom ¹⁴⁰⁹  of God through many persecutions.” ¹⁴¹⁰  14:23 When they had appointed elders ¹⁴¹¹  for them in the various churches, ¹⁴¹²  with prayer and fasting ¹⁴¹³  they entrusted them to the protection ¹⁴¹⁴  of the Lord in whom they had believed. 14:24 Then they passed through ¹⁴¹⁵  Pisidia and came into Pamphylia, ¹⁴¹⁶  14:25 and when they had spoken the word ¹⁴¹⁷  in Perga, ¹⁴¹⁸  they went down to Attalia. ¹⁴¹⁹  14:26 From there they sailed back to Antioch, ¹⁴²⁰  where they had been commended ¹⁴²¹  to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. ¹⁴²²  14:27 When they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported ¹⁴²³  all the things God ¹⁴²⁴  had done with them, and that he had opened a door ¹⁴²⁵  of faith for the Gentiles. 14:28 So they spent ¹⁴²⁶  considerable ¹⁴²⁷  time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

15:1 Now some men came down from Judea ¹⁴²⁸  and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised ¹⁴²⁹  according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 15:2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate ¹⁴³⁰  with them, the church ¹⁴³¹  appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with ¹⁴³²  the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ¹⁴³³  about this point of disagreement. ¹⁴³⁴  15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ¹⁴³⁵  and Samaria, they were relating at length ¹⁴³⁶  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ¹⁴³⁷  to all the brothers. 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received ¹⁴³⁸  by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported ¹⁴³⁹  all the things God had done with them. ¹⁴⁴⁰  15:5 But some from the religious party of the Pharisees ¹⁴⁴¹  who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary ¹⁴⁴²  to circumcise the Gentiles ¹⁴⁴³  and to order them to observe ¹⁴⁴⁴  the law of Moses.”

15:6 Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate ¹⁴⁴⁵  about this matter. 15:7 After there had been much debate, ¹⁴⁴⁶  Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago ¹⁴⁴⁷  God chose ¹⁴⁴⁸  me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message ¹⁴⁴⁹  of the gospel ¹⁴⁵⁰  and believe. ¹⁴⁵¹  15:8 And God, who knows the heart, ¹⁴⁵²  has testified ¹⁴⁵³  to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ¹⁴⁵⁴  15:9 and he made no distinction ¹⁴⁵⁵  between them and us, cleansing ¹⁴⁵⁶  their hearts by faith. 15:10 So now why are you putting God to the test ¹⁴⁵⁷  by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke ¹⁴⁵⁸  that neither our ancestors ¹⁴⁵⁹  nor we have been able to bear? 15:11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through ¹⁴⁶⁰  the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.” ¹⁴⁶¹ 

15:12 The whole group kept quiet ¹⁴⁶²  and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs ¹⁴⁶³  and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 15:13 After they stopped speaking, ¹⁴⁶⁴  James replied, ¹⁴⁶⁵  “Brothers, listen to me. 15:14 Simeon ¹⁴⁶⁶  has explained ¹⁴⁶⁷  how God first concerned himself ¹⁴⁶⁸  to select ¹⁴⁶⁹  from among the Gentiles ¹⁴⁷⁰  a people for his name. 15:15 The ¹⁴⁷¹  words of the prophets agree ¹⁴⁷²  with this, as it is written,

15:16 ‘After this ¹⁴⁷³  I ¹⁴⁷⁴  will return,

and I will rebuild the fallen tent ¹⁴⁷⁵  of David;

I will rebuild its ruins and restore ¹⁴⁷⁶  it,

15:17 so that the rest of humanity ¹⁴⁷⁷  may seek the Lord,

namely, ¹⁴⁷⁸  all the Gentiles ¹⁴⁷⁹  I have called to be my own,’ ¹⁴⁸⁰  says the Lord, ¹⁴⁸¹  who makes these things 15:18 known ¹⁴⁸²  from long ago. ¹⁴⁸³ 

15:19 “Therefore I conclude ¹⁴⁸⁴  that we should not cause extra difficulty ¹⁴⁸⁵  for those among the Gentiles ¹⁴⁸⁶  who are turning to God, 15:20 but that we should write them a letter ¹⁴⁸⁷  telling them to abstain ¹⁴⁸⁸  from things defiled ¹⁴⁸⁹  by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled ¹⁴⁹⁰  and from blood. 15:21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, ¹⁴⁹¹  because he is read aloud ¹⁴⁹²  in the synagogues ¹⁴⁹³  every Sabbath.”

15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided ¹⁴⁹⁴  to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, ¹⁴⁹⁵  leaders among the brothers, to Antioch ¹⁴⁹⁶  with Paul and Barnabas. 15:23 They sent this letter with them: ¹⁴⁹⁷ 

From the apostles ¹⁴⁹⁸  and elders, your brothers, ¹⁴⁹⁹  to the Gentile brothers and sisters ¹⁵⁰⁰  in Antioch, ¹⁵⁰¹  Syria, ¹⁵⁰²  and Cilicia, greetings! 15:24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused ¹⁵⁰³  you, upsetting ¹⁵⁰⁴  your minds ¹⁵⁰⁵  by what they said, ¹⁵⁰⁶  15:25 we have unanimously ¹⁵⁰⁷  decided ¹⁵⁰⁸  to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who ¹⁵⁰⁹  have risked their lives ¹⁵¹⁰  for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵¹¹  15:27 Therefore we are sending ¹⁵¹²  Judas and Silas ¹⁵¹³  who will tell you these things themselves in person. ¹⁵¹⁴  15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us ¹⁵¹⁵  not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: ¹⁵¹⁶  15:29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols ¹⁵¹⁷  and from blood and from what has been strangled ¹⁵¹⁸  and from sexual immorality. ¹⁵¹⁹  If you keep yourselves from doing these things, ¹⁵²⁰  you will do well. Farewell. ¹⁵²¹ 

15:30 So when they were dismissed, ¹⁵²²  they went down to Antioch, ¹⁵²³  and after gathering the entire group ¹⁵²⁴  together, they delivered the letter. 15:31 When they read it aloud, ¹⁵²⁵  the people ¹⁵²⁶  rejoiced at its encouragement. ¹⁵²⁷  15:32 Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech. ¹⁵²⁸  15:33 After ¹⁵²⁹  they had spent some time there, ¹⁵³⁰  they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 15:34 [[EMPTY]] ¹⁵³¹  15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, ¹⁵³²  teaching and proclaiming (along with many others) ¹⁵³³  the word of the Lord. ¹⁵³⁴ 

Paul and Barnabas Part Company

15:36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return ¹⁵³⁵  and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord ¹⁵³⁶  to see how they are doing.” ¹⁵³⁷  15:37 Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too, 15:38 but Paul insisted ¹⁵³⁸  that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia ¹⁵³⁹  and had not accompanied them in the work. 15:39 They had ¹⁵⁴⁰  a sharp disagreement, ¹⁵⁴¹  so that they parted company. Barnabas took along ¹⁵⁴²  Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, ¹⁵⁴³  15:40 but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended ¹⁵⁴⁴  to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters. ¹⁵⁴⁵  15:41 He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening ¹⁵⁴⁶  the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16:1 He also came to Derbe ¹⁵⁴⁷  and to Lystra. ¹⁵⁴⁸  A disciple ¹⁵⁴⁹  named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, ¹⁵⁵⁰  but whose father was a Greek. ¹⁵⁵¹  16:2 The brothers in Lystra ¹⁵⁵²  and Iconium ¹⁵⁵³  spoke well ¹⁵⁵⁴  of him. ¹⁵⁵⁵  16:3 Paul wanted Timothy ¹⁵⁵⁶  to accompany him, and he took ¹⁵⁵⁷  him and circumcised ¹⁵⁵⁸  him because of the Jews who were in those places, ¹⁵⁵⁹  for they all knew that his father was Greek. ¹⁵⁶⁰  16:4 As they went through the towns, ¹⁵⁶¹  they passed on ¹⁵⁶²  the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ¹⁵⁶³  for the Gentile believers ¹⁵⁶⁴  to obey. ¹⁵⁶⁵  16:5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day. ¹⁵⁶⁶ 

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian Man

16:6 They went through the region of Phrygia ¹⁵⁶⁷  and Galatia, ¹⁵⁶⁸  having been prevented ¹⁵⁶⁹  by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message ¹⁵⁷⁰  in the province of Asia. ¹⁵⁷¹  16:7 When they came to ¹⁵⁷²  Mysia, ¹⁵⁷³  they attempted to go into Bithynia, ¹⁵⁷⁴  but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow ¹⁵⁷⁵  them to do this, ¹⁵⁷⁶  16:8 so they passed through ¹⁵⁷⁷  Mysia ¹⁵⁷⁸  and went down to Troas. ¹⁵⁷⁹  16:9 A ¹⁵⁸⁰  vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there ¹⁵⁸¹  urging him, ¹⁵⁸²  “Come over ¹⁵⁸³  to Macedonia ¹⁵⁸⁴  and help us!” 16:10 After Paul ¹⁵⁸⁵  saw the vision, we attempted ¹⁵⁸⁶  immediately to go over to Macedonia, ¹⁵⁸⁷  concluding that God had called ¹⁵⁸⁸  us to proclaim the good news to them.

Arrival at Philippi

16:11 We put out to sea ¹⁵⁸⁹  from Troas ¹⁵⁹⁰  and sailed a straight course ¹⁵⁹¹  to Samothrace, ¹⁵⁹²  the next day to Neapolis, ¹⁵⁹³  16:12 and from there to Philippi, ¹⁵⁹⁴  which is a leading city of that district ¹⁵⁹⁵  of Macedonia, ¹⁵⁹⁶  a Roman colony. ¹⁵⁹⁷  We stayed in this city for some days. 16:13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down ¹⁵⁹⁸  and began to speak ¹⁵⁹⁹  to the women ¹⁶⁰⁰  who had assembled there. ¹⁶⁰¹  16:14 A ¹⁶⁰²  woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth ¹⁶⁰³  from the city of Thyatira, ¹⁶⁰⁴  a God-fearing woman, listened to us. ¹⁶⁰⁵  The Lord opened her heart to respond ¹⁶⁰⁶  to what Paul was saying. 16:15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ¹⁶⁰⁷  “If ¹⁶⁰⁸  you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, ¹⁶⁰⁹  come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded ¹⁶¹⁰  us.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

16:16 Now ¹⁶¹¹  as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. ¹⁶¹²  She ¹⁶¹³  brought her owners ¹⁶¹⁴  a great profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁶¹⁵  16:17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, ¹⁶¹⁶  “These men are servants ¹⁶¹⁷  of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way ¹⁶¹⁸  of salvation.” ¹⁶¹⁹  16:18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed, ¹⁶²⁰  and turned ¹⁶²¹  and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ ¹⁶²²  to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once. ¹⁶²³  16:19 But when her owners ¹⁶²⁴  saw their hope of profit ¹⁶²⁵  was gone, they seized ¹⁶²⁶  Paul and Silas and dragged ¹⁶²⁷  them into the marketplace before the authorities. 16:20 When ¹⁶²⁸  they had brought them ¹⁶²⁹  before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. ¹⁶³⁰  They are ¹⁶³¹  Jews 16:21 and are advocating ¹⁶³²  customs that are not lawful for us to accept ¹⁶³³  or practice, ¹⁶³⁴  since we are ¹⁶³⁵  Romans.”

16:22 The crowd joined the attack ¹⁶³⁶  against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes ¹⁶³⁷  off Paul and Silas ¹⁶³⁸  and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ¹⁶³⁹  16:23 After they had beaten them severely, ¹⁶⁴⁰  they threw them into prison and commanded ¹⁶⁴¹  the jailer to guard them securely. 16:24 Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell ¹⁶⁴²  and fastened their feet in the stocks. ¹⁶⁴³ 

16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying ¹⁶⁴⁴  and singing hymns to God, ¹⁶⁴⁵  and the rest of ¹⁶⁴⁶  the prisoners were listening to them. 16:26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds ¹⁶⁴⁷  of all the prisoners came loose. 16:27 When the jailer woke up ¹⁶⁴⁸  and saw the doors of the prison standing open, ¹⁶⁴⁹  he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, ¹⁶⁵⁰  because he assumed ¹⁶⁵¹  the prisoners had escaped. 16:28 But Paul called out loudly, ¹⁶⁵²  “Do not harm yourself, ¹⁶⁵³  for we are all here!” 16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer ¹⁶⁵⁴  rushed in and fell down ¹⁶⁵⁵  trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside ¹⁶⁵⁶  and asked, “Sirs, what must ¹⁶⁵⁷  I do to be saved?” 16:31 They replied, ¹⁶⁵⁸  “Believe ¹⁶⁵⁹  in the Lord Jesus ¹⁶⁶⁰  and you will be saved, you and your household.” 16:32 Then ¹⁶⁶¹  they spoke the word of the Lord ¹⁶⁶²  to him, along with all those who were in his house. 16:33 At ¹⁶⁶³  that hour of the night he took them ¹⁶⁶⁴  and washed their wounds; ¹⁶⁶⁵  then ¹⁶⁶⁶  he and all his family ¹⁶⁶⁷  were baptized right away. ¹⁶⁶⁸  16:34 The jailer ¹⁶⁶⁹  brought them into his house and set food ¹⁶⁷⁰  before them, and he rejoiced greatly ¹⁶⁷¹  that he had come to believe ¹⁶⁷²  in God, together with his entire household. ¹⁶⁷³  16:35 At daybreak ¹⁶⁷⁴  the magistrates ¹⁶⁷⁵  sent their police officers, ¹⁶⁷⁶  saying, “Release those men.” 16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ¹⁶⁷⁷  “The magistrates have sent orders ¹⁶⁷⁸  to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” ¹⁶⁷⁹  16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, ¹⁶⁸⁰  “They had us beaten in public ¹⁶⁸¹  without a proper trial ¹⁶⁸²  – even though we are Roman citizens ¹⁶⁸³  – and they threw us ¹⁶⁸⁴  in prison. And now they want to send us away ¹⁶⁸⁵  secretly? Absolutely not! They ¹⁶⁸⁶  themselves must come and escort us out!” ¹⁶⁸⁷  16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas ¹⁶⁸⁸  were Roman citizens ¹⁶⁸⁹  16:39 and came ¹⁶⁹⁰  and apologized to them. After ¹⁶⁹¹  they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly ¹⁶⁹²  to leave the city. 16:40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then ¹⁶⁹³  departed.

Paul and Silas at Thessalonica

17:1 After they traveled through ¹⁶⁹⁴  Amphipolis ¹⁶⁹⁵  and Apollonia, ¹⁶⁹⁶  they came to Thessalonica, ¹⁶⁹⁷  where there was a Jewish synagogue. ¹⁶⁹⁸  17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, ¹⁶⁹⁹  as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed ¹⁷⁰⁰  them from the scriptures, 17:3 explaining and demonstrating ¹⁷⁰¹  that the Christ ¹⁷⁰²  had to suffer and to rise from the dead, ¹⁷⁰³  saying, ¹⁷⁰⁴  “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” ¹⁷⁰⁵  17:4 Some of them were persuaded ¹⁷⁰⁶  and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group ¹⁷⁰⁷  of God-fearing Greeks ¹⁷⁰⁸  and quite a few ¹⁷⁰⁹  prominent women. 17:5 But the Jews became jealous, ¹⁷¹⁰  and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, ¹⁷¹¹  they formed a mob ¹⁷¹²  and set the city in an uproar. ¹⁷¹³  They attacked Jason’s house, ¹⁷¹⁴  trying to find Paul and Silas ¹⁷¹⁵  to bring them out to the assembly. ¹⁷¹⁶  17:6 When they did not find them, they dragged ¹⁷¹⁷  Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, ¹⁷¹⁸  screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble ¹⁷¹⁹  throughout the world ¹⁷²⁰  have come here too, 17:7 and ¹⁷²¹  Jason has welcomed them as guests! They ¹⁷²²  are all acting against Caesar’s ¹⁷²³  decrees, saying there is another king named ¹⁷²⁴  Jesus!” ¹⁷²⁵  17:8 They caused confusion among ¹⁷²⁶  the crowd and the city officials ¹⁷²⁷  who heard these things. 17:9 After ¹⁷²⁸  the city officials ¹⁷²⁹  had received bail ¹⁷³⁰  from Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul and Silas at Berea

17:10 The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea ¹⁷³¹  at once, during the night. When they arrived, ¹⁷³²  they went to the Jewish synagogue. ¹⁷³³  17:11 These Jews ¹⁷³⁴  were more open-minded ¹⁷³⁵  than those in Thessalonica, ¹⁷³⁶  for they eagerly ¹⁷³⁷  received ¹⁷³⁸  the message, examining ¹⁷³⁹  the scriptures carefully every day ¹⁷⁴⁰  to see if these things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed, along with quite a few ¹⁷⁴¹  prominent ¹⁷⁴²  Greek women and men. 17:13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica ¹⁷⁴³  heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God ¹⁷⁴⁴  in Berea, ¹⁷⁴⁵  they came there too, inciting ¹⁷⁴⁶  and disturbing ¹⁷⁴⁷  the crowds. 17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast ¹⁷⁴⁸  at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. ¹⁷⁴⁹  17:15 Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, ¹⁷⁵⁰  and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. ¹⁷⁵¹ 

Paul at Athens

17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, ¹⁷⁵²  his spirit was greatly upset ¹⁷⁵³  because he saw ¹⁷⁵⁴  the city was full of idols. 17:17 So he was addressing ¹⁷⁵⁵  the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles ¹⁷⁵⁶  in the synagogue, ¹⁷⁵⁷  and in the marketplace every day ¹⁷⁵⁸  those who happened to be there. 17:18 Also some of the Epicurean ¹⁷⁵⁹  and Stoic ¹⁷⁶⁰  philosophers were conversing ¹⁷⁶¹  with him, and some were asking, ¹⁷⁶²  “What does this foolish babbler ¹⁷⁶³  want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” ¹⁷⁶⁴  (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ¹⁷⁶⁵  17:19 So they took Paul and ¹⁷⁶⁶  brought him to the Areopagus, ¹⁷⁶⁷  saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? 17:20 For you are bringing some surprising things ¹⁷⁶⁸  to our ears, so we want to know what they ¹⁷⁶⁹  mean.” 17:21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time ¹⁷⁷⁰  in nothing else than telling ¹⁷⁷¹  or listening to something new.) ¹⁷⁷² 

17:22 So Paul stood ¹⁷⁷³  before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious ¹⁷⁷⁴  in all respects. ¹⁷⁷⁵  17:23 For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, ¹⁷⁷⁶  I even found an altar with this inscription: ¹⁷⁷⁷  ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, ¹⁷⁷⁸  this I proclaim to you. 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, ¹⁷⁷⁹  who is ¹⁷⁸⁰  Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, ¹⁷⁸¹  17:25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, ¹⁷⁸²  because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone. ¹⁷⁸³  17:26 From one man ¹⁷⁸⁴  he made every nation of the human race ¹⁷⁸⁵  to inhabit the entire earth, ¹⁷⁸⁶  determining their set times ¹⁷⁸⁷  and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, ¹⁷⁸⁸  17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around ¹⁷⁸⁹  for him and find him, ¹⁷⁹⁰  though he is ¹⁷⁹¹  not far from each one of us. 17:28 For in him we live and move about ¹⁷⁹²  and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ ¹⁷⁹³  17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity ¹⁷⁹⁴  is like gold or silver or stone, an image ¹⁷⁹⁵  made by human ¹⁷⁹⁶  skill ¹⁷⁹⁷  and imagination. ¹⁷⁹⁸  17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked ¹⁷⁹⁹  such times of ignorance, ¹⁸⁰⁰  he now commands all people ¹⁸⁰¹  everywhere to repent, ¹⁸⁰²  17:31 because he has set ¹⁸⁰³  a day on which he is going to judge the world ¹⁸⁰⁴  in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, ¹⁸⁰⁵  having provided proof to everyone by raising ¹⁸⁰⁶  him from the dead.”

17:32 Now when they heard about ¹⁸⁰⁷  the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, ¹⁸⁰⁸  but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 17:33 So Paul left the Areopagus. ¹⁸⁰⁹  17:34 But some people ¹⁸¹⁰  joined him ¹⁸¹¹  and believed. Among them ¹⁸¹²  were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, ¹⁸¹³  a woman ¹⁸¹⁴  named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul at Corinth

18:1 After this ¹⁸¹⁵  Paul ¹⁸¹⁶  departed from ¹⁸¹⁷  Athens ¹⁸¹⁸  and went to Corinth. ¹⁸¹⁹  18:2 There he ¹⁸²⁰  found ¹⁸²¹  a Jew named Aquila, ¹⁸²²  a native of Pontus, ¹⁸²³  who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius ¹⁸²⁴  had ordered all the Jews to depart from ¹⁸²⁵  Rome. ¹⁸²⁶  Paul approached ¹⁸²⁷  them, 18:3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them ¹⁸²⁸  (for they were tentmakers ¹⁸²⁹  by trade). ¹⁸³⁰  18:4 He addressed ¹⁸³¹  both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue ¹⁸³²  every Sabbath, attempting to persuade ¹⁸³³  them.

18:5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived ¹⁸³⁴  from Macedonia, ¹⁸³⁵  Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming ¹⁸³⁶  the word, testifying ¹⁸³⁷  to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ¹⁸³⁸  18:6 When they opposed him ¹⁸³⁹  and reviled him, ¹⁸⁴⁰  he protested by shaking out his clothes ¹⁸⁴¹  and said to them, “Your blood ¹⁸⁴²  be on your own heads! I am guiltless! ¹⁸⁴³  From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 18:7 Then Paul ¹⁸⁴⁴  left ¹⁸⁴⁵  the synagogue ¹⁸⁴⁶  and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, ¹⁸⁴⁷  whose house was next door to the synagogue. 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, ¹⁸⁴⁸  believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it ¹⁸⁴⁹  believed and were baptized. 18:9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision ¹⁸⁵⁰  in the night, ¹⁸⁵¹  “Do not be afraid, ¹⁸⁵²  but speak and do not be silent, 18:10 because I am with you, and no one will assault ¹⁸⁵³  you to harm ¹⁸⁵⁴  you, because I have many people in this city.” 18:11 So he stayed there ¹⁸⁵⁵  a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. ¹⁸⁵⁶ 

Paul Before the Proconsul Gallio

18:12 Now while Gallio ¹⁸⁵⁷  was proconsul ¹⁸⁵⁸  of Achaia, ¹⁸⁵⁹  the Jews attacked Paul together ¹⁸⁶⁰  and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹⁸⁶¹  18:13 saying, “This man is persuading ¹⁸⁶²  people to worship God in a way contrary to ¹⁸⁶³  the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, ¹⁸⁶⁴  Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, ¹⁸⁶⁵  I would have been justified in accepting the complaint ¹⁸⁶⁶  of you Jews, ¹⁸⁶⁷  18:15 but since it concerns points of disagreement ¹⁸⁶⁸  about words and names and your own law, settle ¹⁸⁶⁹  it yourselves. I will not be ¹⁸⁷⁰  a judge of these things!” 18:16 Then he had them forced away ¹⁸⁷¹  from the judgment seat. ¹⁸⁷²  18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, ¹⁸⁷³  and began to beat ¹⁸⁷⁴  him in front of the judgment seat. ¹⁸⁷⁵  Yet none of these things were of any concern ¹⁸⁷⁶  to Gallio.

Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria

18:18 Paul, after staying ¹⁸⁷⁷  many more days in Corinth, ¹⁸⁷⁸  said farewell to ¹⁸⁷⁹  the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by ¹⁸⁸⁰  Priscilla and Aquila. ¹⁸⁸¹  He ¹⁸⁸²  had his hair cut off ¹⁸⁸³  at Cenchrea ¹⁸⁸⁴  because he had made a vow. ¹⁸⁸⁵  18:19 When they reached Ephesus, ¹⁸⁸⁶  Paul ¹⁸⁸⁷  left Priscilla and Aquila ¹⁸⁸⁸  behind there, but he himself went ¹⁸⁸⁹  into the synagogue ¹⁸⁹⁰  and addressed ¹⁸⁹¹  the Jews. 18:20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, ¹⁸⁹²  18:21 but said farewell to ¹⁸⁹³  them and added, ¹⁸⁹⁴  “I will come back ¹⁸⁹⁵  to you again if God wills.” ¹⁸⁹⁶  Then ¹⁸⁹⁷  he set sail from Ephesus, 18:22 and when he arrived ¹⁸⁹⁸  at Caesarea, ¹⁸⁹⁹  he went up and greeted ¹⁹⁰⁰  the church at Jerusalem ¹⁹⁰¹  and then went down to Antioch. ¹⁹⁰²  18:23 After he spent ¹⁹⁰³  some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia ¹⁹⁰⁴  and Phrygia, ¹⁹⁰⁵  strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Begins His Ministry

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. ¹⁹⁰⁶  He was an eloquent speaker, ¹⁹⁰⁷  well-versed ¹⁹⁰⁸  in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in ¹⁹⁰⁹  the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm ¹⁹¹⁰  he spoke and taught accurately the facts ¹⁹¹¹  about Jesus, although he knew ¹⁹¹²  only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly ¹⁹¹³  in the synagogue, ¹⁹¹⁴  but when Priscilla and Aquila ¹⁹¹⁵  heard him, they took him aside ¹⁹¹⁶  and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 18:27 When Apollos ¹⁹¹⁷  wanted to cross over to Achaia, ¹⁹¹⁸  the brothers encouraged ¹⁹¹⁹  him ¹⁹²⁰  and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he ¹⁹²¹  assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 18:28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously ¹⁹²²  in public debate, ¹⁹²³  demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ ¹⁹²⁴  was Jesus. ¹⁹²⁵ 

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus

19:1 While ¹⁹²⁶  Apollos was in Corinth, ¹⁹²⁷  Paul went through the inland ¹⁹²⁸  regions ¹⁹²⁹  and came to Ephesus. ¹⁹³⁰  He ¹⁹³¹  found some disciples there ¹⁹³²  19:2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” ¹⁹³³  They replied, ¹⁹³⁴  “No, we have not even ¹⁹³⁵  heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 19:3 So Paul ¹⁹³⁶  said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. ¹⁹³⁷  19:4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, ¹⁹³⁸  that is, in Jesus.” 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, 19:6 and when Paul placed ¹⁹³⁹  his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came ¹⁹⁴⁰  upon them, and they began to speak ¹⁹⁴¹  in tongues and to prophesy. ¹⁹⁴²  19:7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.) ¹⁹⁴³ 

Paul Continues to Minister at Ephesus

19:8 So Paul ¹⁹⁴⁴  entered ¹⁹⁴⁵  the synagogue ¹⁹⁴⁶  and spoke out fearlessly ¹⁹⁴⁷  for three months, addressing ¹⁹⁴⁸  and convincing ¹⁹⁴⁹  them about the kingdom of God. ¹⁹⁵⁰  19:9 But when ¹⁹⁵¹  some were stubborn ¹⁹⁵²  and refused to believe, reviling ¹⁹⁵³  the Way ¹⁹⁵⁴  before the congregation, he left ¹⁹⁵⁵  them and took the disciples with him, ¹⁹⁵⁶  addressing ¹⁹⁵⁷  them every day ¹⁹⁵⁸  in the lecture hall ¹⁹⁵⁹  of Tyrannus. 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, ¹⁹⁶⁰  both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. ¹⁹⁶¹ 

The Seven Sons of Sceva

19:11 God was performing extraordinary ¹⁹⁶²  miracles by Paul’s hands, 19:12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body ¹⁹⁶³  were brought ¹⁹⁶⁴  to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. ¹⁹⁶⁵  19:13 But some itinerant ¹⁹⁶⁶  Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name ¹⁹⁶⁷  of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by ¹⁹⁶⁸  evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn ¹⁹⁶⁹  you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 19:14 (Now seven sons of a man named ¹⁹⁷⁰  Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) ¹⁹⁷¹  19:15 But the evil spirit replied to them, ¹⁹⁷²  “I know about Jesus ¹⁹⁷³  and I am acquainted with ¹⁹⁷⁴  Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁹⁷⁵  19:16 Then the man who was possessed by ¹⁹⁷⁶  the evil spirit jumped on ¹⁹⁷⁷  them and beat them all into submission. ¹⁹⁷⁸  He prevailed ¹⁹⁷⁹  against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 19:17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, ¹⁹⁸⁰  both Jews and Greeks; fear came over ¹⁹⁸¹  them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. ¹⁹⁸²  19:18 Many of those who had believed came forward, ¹⁹⁸³  confessing and making their deeds known. ¹⁹⁸⁴  19:19 Large numbers ¹⁹⁸⁵  of those who had practiced magic ¹⁹⁸⁶  collected their books ¹⁹⁸⁷  and burned them up in the presence of everyone. ¹⁹⁸⁸  When ¹⁹⁸⁹  the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. ¹⁹⁹⁰  19:20 In this way the word of the Lord ¹⁹⁹¹  continued to grow in power ¹⁹⁹²  and to prevail. ¹⁹⁹³ 

A Riot in Ephesus

19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, ¹⁹⁹⁴  Paul resolved ¹⁹⁹⁵  to go to Jerusalem, ¹⁹⁹⁶  passing through Macedonia ¹⁹⁹⁷  and Achaia. ¹⁹⁹⁸  He said, ¹⁹⁹⁹  “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²⁰⁰⁰  19:22 So after sending ²⁰⁰¹  two of his assistants, ²⁰⁰²  Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, ²⁰⁰³  he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. ²⁰⁰⁴ 

19:23 At ²⁰⁰⁵  that time ²⁰⁰⁶  a great disturbance ²⁰⁰⁷  took place concerning the Way. ²⁰⁰⁸  19:24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines ²⁰⁰⁹  of Artemis, ²⁰¹⁰  brought a great deal ²⁰¹¹  of business ²⁰¹²  to the craftsmen. 19:25 He gathered ²⁰¹³  these ²⁰¹⁴  together, along with the workmen in similar trades, ²⁰¹⁵  and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity ²⁰¹⁶  comes from this business. 19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded ²⁰¹⁷  and turned away ²⁰¹⁸  a large crowd, ²⁰¹⁹  not only in Ephesus ²⁰²⁰  but in practically all of the province of Asia, ²⁰²¹  by saying ²⁰²²  that gods made by hands are not gods at all. ²⁰²³  19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, ²⁰²⁴  but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis ²⁰²⁵  will be regarded as nothing, ²⁰²⁶  and she whom all the province of Asia ²⁰²⁷  and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” ²⁰²⁸ 

19:28 When ²⁰²⁹  they heard ²⁰³⁰  this they became enraged ²⁰³¹  and began to shout, ²⁰³²  “Great is Artemis ²⁰³³  of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The ²⁰³⁴  city was filled with the uproar, ²⁰³⁵  and the crowd ²⁰³⁶  rushed to the theater ²⁰³⁷  together, ²⁰³⁸  dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 19:30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, ²⁰³⁹  the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities ²⁰⁴⁰  who were his friends sent ²⁰⁴¹  a message ²⁰⁴²  to him, urging him not to venture ²⁰⁴³  into the theater. 19:32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. ²⁰⁴⁴  19:33 Some of the crowd concluded ²⁰⁴⁵  it was about ²⁰⁴⁶  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ²⁰⁴⁷  Alexander, gesturing ²⁰⁴⁸  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ²⁰⁴⁹  before the public assembly. ²⁰⁵⁰  19:34 But when they recognized ²⁰⁵¹  that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, ²⁰⁵²  “Great is Artemis ²⁰⁵³  of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. ²⁰⁵⁴  19:35 After the city secretary ²⁰⁵⁵  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ²⁰⁵⁶  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ²⁰⁵⁷  of the temple of the great Artemis ²⁰⁵⁸  and of her image that fell from heaven? ²⁰⁵⁹  19:36 So because these facts ²⁰⁶⁰  are indisputable, ²⁰⁶¹  you must keep quiet ²⁰⁶²  and not do anything reckless. ²⁰⁶³  19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers ²⁰⁶⁴  nor blasphemers of our goddess. ²⁰⁶⁵  19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint ²⁰⁶⁶  against someone, the courts are open ²⁰⁶⁷  and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. ²⁰⁶⁸  19:39 But if you want anything in addition, ²⁰⁶⁹  it will have to be settled ²⁰⁷⁰  in a legal assembly. ²⁰⁷¹  19:40 For ²⁰⁷²  we are in danger of being charged with rioting ²⁰⁷³  today, since there is no cause we can give to explain ²⁰⁷⁴  this disorderly gathering.” ²⁰⁷⁵  19:41 After ²⁰⁷⁶  he had said ²⁰⁷⁷  this, ²⁰⁷⁸  he dismissed the assembly. ²⁰⁷⁹ 

Paul Travels Through Macedonia and Greece

20:1 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging ²⁰⁸⁰  them and saying farewell, ²⁰⁸¹  he left to go to Macedonia. ²⁰⁸²  20:2 After he had gone through those regions ²⁰⁸³  and spoken many words of encouragement ²⁰⁸⁴  to the believers there, ²⁰⁸⁵  he came to Greece, ²⁰⁸⁶  20:3 where he stayed ²⁰⁸⁷  for three months. Because the Jews had made ²⁰⁸⁸  a plot ²⁰⁸⁹  against him as he was intending ²⁰⁹⁰  to sail ²⁰⁹¹  for Syria, he decided ²⁰⁹²  to return through Macedonia. ²⁰⁹³  20:4 Paul ²⁰⁹⁴  was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, ²⁰⁹⁵  Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, ²⁰⁹⁶  Gaius ²⁰⁹⁷  from Derbe, ²⁰⁹⁸  and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. ²⁰⁹⁹  20:5 These had gone on ahead ²¹⁰⁰  and were waiting for us in Troas. ²¹⁰¹  20:6 We ²¹⁰²  sailed away from Philippi ²¹⁰³  after the days of Unleavened Bread, ²¹⁰⁴  and within five days ²¹⁰⁵  we came to the others ²¹⁰⁶  in Troas, ²¹⁰⁷  where we stayed for seven days. 20:7 On the first day ²¹⁰⁸  of the week, when we met ²¹⁰⁹  to break bread, Paul began to speak ²¹¹⁰  to the people, and because he intended ²¹¹¹  to leave the next day, he extended ²¹¹²  his message until midnight. 20:8 (Now there were many lamps ²¹¹³  in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) ²¹¹⁴  20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, ²¹¹⁵  was sinking ²¹¹⁶  into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak ²¹¹⁷  for a long time. Fast asleep, ²¹¹⁸  he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 20:10 But Paul went down, ²¹¹⁹  threw himself ²¹²⁰  on the young man, ²¹²¹  put his arms around him, ²¹²²  and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” ²¹²³  20:11 Then Paul ²¹²⁴  went back upstairs, ²¹²⁵  and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them ²¹²⁶  a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly ²¹²⁷  comforted.

The Voyage to Miletus

20:13 We went on ahead ²¹²⁸  to the ship and put out to sea ²¹²⁹  for Assos, ²¹³⁰  intending ²¹³¹  to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. ²¹³²  He ²¹³³  himself was intending ²¹³⁴  to go there by land. ²¹³⁵  20:14 When he met us in Assos, ²¹³⁶  we took him aboard ²¹³⁷  and went to Mitylene. ²¹³⁸  20:15 We set sail ²¹³⁹  from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. ²¹⁴⁰  The next day we approached ²¹⁴¹  Samos, ²¹⁴²  and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. ²¹⁴³  20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus ²¹⁴⁴  so as not to spend time ²¹⁴⁵  in the province of Asia, ²¹⁴⁶  for he was hurrying ²¹⁴⁷  to arrive in Jerusalem, ²¹⁴⁸  if possible, ²¹⁴⁹  by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus ²¹⁵⁰  he sent a message ²¹⁵¹  to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. ²¹⁵² 

20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived ²¹⁵³  the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot ²¹⁵⁴  in the province of Asia, ²¹⁵⁵  20:19 serving the Lord with all humility ²¹⁵⁶  and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots ²¹⁵⁷  of the Jews. 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming ²¹⁵⁸  to you anything that would be helpful, ²¹⁵⁹  and from teaching you publicly ²¹⁶⁰  and from house to house, 20:21 testifying ²¹⁶¹  to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. ²¹⁶²  20:22 And now, ²¹⁶³  compelled ²¹⁶⁴  by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem ²¹⁶⁵  without knowing what will happen to me there, ²¹⁶⁶  20:23 except ²¹⁶⁷  that the Holy Spirit warns ²¹⁶⁸  me in town after town ²¹⁶⁹  that ²¹⁷⁰  imprisonment ²¹⁷¹  and persecutions ²¹⁷²  are waiting for me. 20:24 But I do not consider my life ²¹⁷³  worth anything ²¹⁷⁴  to myself, so that ²¹⁷⁵  I may finish my task ²¹⁷⁶  and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news ²¹⁷⁷  of God’s grace.

20:25 “And now ²¹⁷⁸  I know that none ²¹⁷⁹  of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom ²¹⁸⁰  will see me ²¹⁸¹  again. 20:26 Therefore I declare ²¹⁸²  to you today that I am innocent ²¹⁸³  of the blood of you all. ²¹⁸⁴  20:27 For I did not hold back from ²¹⁸⁵  announcing ²¹⁸⁶  to you the whole purpose ²¹⁸⁷  of God. 20:28 Watch out for ²¹⁸⁸  yourselves and for all the flock of which ²¹⁸⁹  the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, ²¹⁹⁰  to shepherd the church of God ²¹⁹¹  that he obtained ²¹⁹²  with the blood of his own Son. ²¹⁹³  20:29 I know that after I am gone ²¹⁹⁴  fierce wolves ²¹⁹⁵  will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group ²¹⁹⁶  men ²¹⁹⁷  will arise, teaching perversions of the truth ²¹⁹⁸  to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert, ²¹⁹⁹  remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning ²²⁰⁰  each one of you with tears. 20:32 And now I entrust ²²⁰¹  you to God and to the message ²²⁰²  of his grace. This message ²²⁰³  is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 20:33 I have desired ²²⁰⁴  no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine ²²⁰⁵  provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 20:35 By all these things, ²²⁰⁶  I have shown you that by working in this way we must help ²²⁰⁷  the weak, ²²⁰⁸  and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ²²⁰⁹ 

20:36 When ²²¹⁰  he had said these things, he knelt down ²²¹¹  with them all and prayed. 20:37 They all began to weep loudly, ²²¹²  and hugged ²²¹³  Paul and kissed him, ²²¹⁴  20:38 especially saddened ²²¹⁵  by what ²²¹⁶  he had said, that they were not going to see him ²²¹⁷  again. Then they accompanied ²²¹⁸  him to the ship.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21:1 After ²²¹⁹  we ²²²⁰  tore ourselves away ²²²¹  from them, we put out to sea, ²²²²  and sailing a straight course, ²²²³  we came to Cos, ²²²⁴  on the next day to Rhodes, ²²²⁵  and from there to Patara. ²²²⁶  21:2 We found ²²²⁷  a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, ²²²⁸  went aboard, ²²²⁹  and put out to sea. ²²³⁰  21:3 After we sighted Cyprus ²²³¹  and left it behind on our port side, ²²³²  we sailed on to Syria and put in ²²³³  at Tyre, ²²³⁴  because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located ²²³⁵  the disciples, we stayed there ²²³⁶  seven days. They repeatedly told ²²³⁷  Paul through the Spirit ²²³⁸  not to set foot ²²³⁹  in Jerusalem. ²²⁴⁰  21:5 When ²²⁴¹  our time was over, ²²⁴²  we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied ²²⁴³  us outside of the city. After ²²⁴⁴  kneeling down on the beach and praying, ²²⁴⁵  21:6 we said farewell ²²⁴⁶  to one another. ²²⁴⁷  Then ²²⁴⁸  we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. ²²⁴⁹  21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre ²²⁵⁰  and arrived at Ptolemais, ²²⁵¹  and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left ²²⁵²  and came to Caesarea, ²²⁵³  and entered ²²⁵⁴  the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, ²²⁵⁵  and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried ²²⁵⁶  daughters who prophesied.) ²²⁵⁷ 

21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, ²²⁵⁸  a prophet named Agabus ²²⁵⁹  came down from Judea. 21:11 He came ²²⁶⁰  to us, took ²²⁶¹  Paul’s belt, ²²⁶²  tied ²²⁶³  his own hands and feet with it, ²²⁶⁴  and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over ²²⁶⁵  to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people ²²⁶⁶  begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking ²²⁶⁷  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, ²²⁶⁸  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, ²²⁶⁹  we said no more except, ²²⁷⁰  “The Lord’s will be done.” ²²⁷¹ 

21:15 After these days we got ready ²²⁷²  and started up ²²⁷³  to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea ²²⁷⁴  came along with us too, and brought us to the house ²²⁷⁵  of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, ²²⁷⁶  with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ²²⁷⁷  21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. ²²⁷⁸  21:19 When Paul ²²⁷⁹  had greeted them, he began to explain ²²⁸⁰  in detail ²²⁸¹  what God ²²⁸²  had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised ²²⁸³  God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews ²²⁸⁴  there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers ²²⁸⁵  of the law. ²²⁸⁶  21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ²²⁸⁷  among the Gentiles to abandon ²²⁸⁸  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ²²⁸⁹  or live ²²⁹⁰  according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt ²²⁹¹  hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what ²²⁹²  we tell you: We have four men ²²⁹³  who have taken ²²⁹⁴  a vow; ²²⁹⁵  21:24 take them and purify ²²⁹⁶  yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ²²⁹⁷  so that they may have their heads shaved. ²²⁹⁸  Then ²²⁹⁹  everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told ²³⁰⁰  about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with ²³⁰¹  the law. ²³⁰²  21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided ²³⁰³  that they should avoid ²³⁰⁴  meat that has been sacrificed to idols ²³⁰⁵  and blood and what has been strangled ²³⁰⁶  and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, ²³⁰⁷  and after he had purified himself ²³⁰⁸  along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice ²³⁰⁹  of the completion of the days of purification, ²³¹⁰  when ²³¹¹  the sacrifice would be offered for each ²³¹²  of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, ²³¹³  the Jews from the province of Asia ²³¹⁴  who had seen him in the temple area ²³¹⁵  stirred up the whole crowd ²³¹⁶  and seized ²³¹⁷  him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, ²³¹⁸  help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, ²³¹⁹  and this sanctuary! ²³²⁰  Furthermore ²³²¹  he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple ²³²²  and made this holy place ritually unclean!” ²³²³  21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and ²³²⁴  they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) ²³²⁵  21:30 The whole city was stirred up, ²³²⁶  and the people rushed together. ²³²⁷  They seized ²³²⁸  Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, ²³²⁹  and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying ²³³⁰  to kill him, a report ²³³¹  was sent up ²³³²  to the commanding officer ²³³³  of the cohort ²³³⁴  that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ²³³⁵  21:32 He ²³³⁶  immediately took ²³³⁷  soldiers and centurions ²³³⁸  and ran down to the crowd. ²³³⁹  When they saw ²³⁴⁰  the commanding officer ²³⁴¹  and the soldiers, they stopped beating ²³⁴²  Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer ²³⁴³  came up and arrested ²³⁴⁴  him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; ²³⁴⁵  he ²³⁴⁶  then asked who he was and what ²³⁴⁷  he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, ²³⁴⁸  and when the commanding officer ²³⁴⁹  was unable ²³⁵⁰  to find out the truth ²³⁵¹  because of the disturbance, ²³⁵²  he ordered Paul ²³⁵³  to be brought into the barracks. ²³⁵⁴  21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul ²³⁵⁵  had to be carried ²³⁵⁶  by the soldiers because of the violence ²³⁵⁷  of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people ²³⁵⁸  followed them, ²³⁵⁹  screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, ²³⁶⁰  he said ²³⁶¹  to the commanding officer, ²³⁶²  “May I say ²³⁶³  something to you?” The officer ²³⁶⁴  replied, ²³⁶⁵  “Do you know Greek? ²³⁶⁶  21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion ²³⁶⁷  and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ ²³⁶⁸  into the wilderness ²³⁶⁹  some time ago?” ²³⁷⁰  21:39 Paul answered, ²³⁷¹  “I am a Jew ²³⁷²  from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. ²³⁷³  Please ²³⁷⁴  allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer ²³⁷⁵  had given him permission, ²³⁷⁶  Paul stood ²³⁷⁷  on the steps and gestured ²³⁷⁸  to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, ²³⁷⁹  he addressed ²³⁸⁰  them in Aramaic, ²³⁸¹ 

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ²³⁸²  that I now ²³⁸³  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ²³⁸⁴  that he was addressing ²³⁸⁵  them in Aramaic, ²³⁸⁶  they became even ²³⁸⁷  quieter.) ²³⁸⁸  Then ²³⁸⁹  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ²³⁹⁰  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ²³⁹¹  in this city, educated with strictness ²³⁹²  under ²³⁹³  Gamaliel ²³⁹⁴  according to the law of our ancestors, ²³⁹⁵  and was ²³⁹⁶  zealous ²³⁹⁷  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ²³⁹⁸  persecuted this Way ²³⁹⁹  even to the point of death, ²⁴⁰⁰  tying up ²⁴⁰¹  both men and women and putting ²⁴⁰²  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ²⁴⁰³  can testify about me. From them ²⁴⁰⁴  I also received ²⁴⁰⁵  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ²⁴⁰⁶  to make arrests there and bring ²⁴⁰⁷  the prisoners ²⁴⁰⁸  to Jerusalem ²⁴⁰⁹  to be punished. 22:6 As ²⁴¹⁰  I was en route and near Damascus, ²⁴¹¹  about noon a very bright ²⁴¹²  light from heaven ²⁴¹³  suddenly flashed ²⁴¹⁴  around me. 22:7 Then I ²⁴¹⁵  fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 22:8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 22:9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand ²⁴¹⁶  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ²⁴¹⁷  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ²⁴¹⁸  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ²⁴¹⁹  that you have been designated ²⁴²⁰  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ²⁴²¹  the brilliance ²⁴²²  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ²⁴²³  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ²⁴²⁴  a devout man according to the law, ²⁴²⁵  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ²⁴²⁶  22:13 came ²⁴²⁷  to me and stood beside me ²⁴²⁸  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ²⁴²⁹  And at that very moment ²⁴³⁰  I looked up and saw him. ²⁴³¹  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ²⁴³²  has already chosen ²⁴³³  you to know his will, to see ²⁴³⁴  the Righteous One, ²⁴³⁵  and to hear a command ²⁴³⁶  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ²⁴³⁷  to all people ²⁴³⁸  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ²⁴³⁹  Get up, ²⁴⁴⁰  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ²⁴⁴¹  calling on his name.’ ²⁴⁴²  22:17 When ²⁴⁴³  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ²⁴⁴⁴  22:18 and saw the Lord ²⁴⁴⁵  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ²⁴⁴⁶  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ²⁴⁴⁷  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ²⁴⁴⁸  Stephen was shed, ²⁴⁴⁹  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ²⁴⁵⁰  and guarding the cloaks ²⁴⁵¹  of those who were killing him.’ ²⁴⁵²  22:21 Then ²⁴⁵³  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ²⁴⁵⁴  was listening to him until he said this. ²⁴⁵⁵  Then ²⁴⁵⁶  they raised their voices and shouted, ²⁴⁵⁷  “Away with this man ²⁴⁵⁸  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ²⁴⁵⁹  22:23 While they were screaming ²⁴⁶⁰  and throwing off their cloaks ²⁴⁶¹  and tossing dust ²⁴⁶²  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ²⁴⁶³  ordered Paul ²⁴⁶⁴  to be brought back into the barracks. ²⁴⁶⁵  He told them ²⁴⁶⁶  to interrogate Paul ²⁴⁶⁷  by beating him with a lash ²⁴⁶⁸  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ²⁴⁶⁹  was shouting at Paul ²⁴⁷⁰  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ²⁴⁷¹  Paul said to the centurion ²⁴⁷²  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ²⁴⁷³  without a proper trial?” ²⁴⁷⁴  22:26 When the centurion ²⁴⁷⁵  heard this, ²⁴⁷⁶  he went to the commanding officer ²⁴⁷⁷  and reported it, ²⁴⁷⁸  saying, “What are you about to do? ²⁴⁷⁹  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ²⁴⁸⁰  22:27 So the commanding officer ²⁴⁸¹  came and asked ²⁴⁸²  Paul, ²⁴⁸³  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ²⁴⁸⁴  He replied, ²⁴⁸⁵  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ²⁴⁸⁶  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ²⁴⁸⁷  “But I was even ²⁴⁸⁸  born a citizen,” ²⁴⁸⁹  Paul replied. ²⁴⁹⁰  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ²⁴⁹¹  from him, and the commanding officer ²⁴⁹²  was frightened when he realized that Paul ²⁴⁹³  was ²⁴⁹⁴  a Roman citizen ²⁴⁹⁵  and that he had had him tied up. ²⁴⁹⁶ 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ²⁴⁹⁷  wanted to know the true reason ²⁴⁹⁸  Paul ²⁴⁹⁹  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ²⁵⁰⁰  to assemble. He then brought ²⁵⁰¹  Paul down and had him stand before them.

23:1 Paul looked directly ²⁵⁰²  at the council ²⁵⁰³  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ²⁵⁰⁴  before God to this day.” 23:2 At that ²⁵⁰⁵  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ²⁵⁰⁶  Paul ²⁵⁰⁷  to strike ²⁵⁰⁸  him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ²⁵⁰⁹  Do ²⁵¹⁰  you sit there judging me according to the law, ²⁵¹¹  and in violation of the law ²⁵¹²  you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him ²⁵¹³  said, “Do you dare insult ²⁵¹⁴  God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, ²⁵¹⁵  “I did not realize, ²⁵¹⁶  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ²⁵¹⁷ 

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ²⁵¹⁸  that part of them were Sadducees ²⁵¹⁹  and the others Pharisees, ²⁵²⁰  he shouted out in the council, ²⁵²¹  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ²⁵²²  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ²⁵²³  an argument ²⁵²⁴  began ²⁵²⁵  between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) ²⁵²⁶  23:9 There was a great commotion, ²⁵²⁷  and some experts in the law ²⁵²⁸  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ²⁵²⁹  and protested strongly, ²⁵³⁰  “We find nothing wrong ²⁵³¹  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became ²⁵³²  so great the commanding officer ²⁵³³  feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, ²⁵³⁴  he ordered the detachment ²⁵³⁵  to go down, take him away from them by force, ²⁵³⁶  and bring him into the barracks. ²⁵³⁷ 

23:11 The following night the Lord ²⁵³⁸  stood near ²⁵³⁹  Paul ²⁵⁴⁰  and said, “Have courage, ²⁵⁴¹  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ²⁵⁴²  so you must also testify in Rome.” ²⁵⁴³ 

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ²⁵⁴⁴  the Jews formed ²⁵⁴⁵  a conspiracy ²⁵⁴⁶  and bound themselves with an oath ²⁵⁴⁷  not to eat or drink anything ²⁵⁴⁸  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ²⁵⁴⁹  23:14 They ²⁵⁵⁰  went ²⁵⁵¹  to the chief priests ²⁵⁵²  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ²⁵⁵³  not to partake ²⁵⁵⁴  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ²⁵⁵⁵  request the commanding officer ²⁵⁵⁶  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ²⁵⁵⁷  his case ²⁵⁵⁸  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ²⁵⁵⁹  We are ready to kill him ²⁵⁶⁰  before he comes near this place.” ²⁵⁶¹ 

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, ²⁵⁶²  he came and entered ²⁵⁶³  the barracks ²⁵⁶⁴  and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called ²⁵⁶⁵  one of the centurions ²⁵⁶⁶  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ²⁵⁶⁷  for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion ²⁵⁶⁸  took him and brought him to the commanding officer ²⁵⁶⁹  and said, “The prisoner Paul called ²⁵⁷⁰  me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer ²⁵⁷¹  took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want ²⁵⁷²  to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, ²⁵⁷³  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ²⁵⁷⁴  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ²⁵⁷⁵  because more than forty of them ²⁵⁷⁶  are lying in ambush ²⁵⁷⁷  for him. They ²⁵⁷⁸  have bound themselves with an oath ²⁵⁷⁹  not to eat or drink anything ²⁵⁸⁰  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ²⁵⁸¹  23:22 Then the commanding officer ²⁵⁸²  sent the young man away, directing him, ²⁵⁸³  “Tell no one that you have reported ²⁵⁸⁴  these things to me.” 23:23 Then ²⁵⁸⁵  he summoned ²⁵⁸⁶  two of the centurions ²⁵⁸⁷  and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea ²⁵⁸⁸  along with seventy horsemen ²⁵⁸⁹  and two hundred spearmen ²⁵⁹⁰  by ²⁵⁹¹  nine o’clock tonight, ²⁵⁹²  23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride ²⁵⁹³  so that he may be brought safely to Felix ²⁵⁹⁴  the governor.” ²⁵⁹⁵  23:25 He wrote ²⁵⁹⁶  a letter that went like this: ²⁵⁹⁷ 

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor ²⁵⁹⁸  Felix, ²⁵⁹⁹  greetings. 23:27 This man was seized ²⁶⁰⁰  by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ²⁶⁰¹  when I came up ²⁶⁰²  with the detachment ²⁶⁰³  and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ²⁶⁰⁴  a Roman citizen. ²⁶⁰⁵  23:28 Since I wanted to know ²⁶⁰⁶  what charge they were accusing him of, ²⁶⁰⁷  I brought him down to their council. ²⁶⁰⁸  23:29 I found he ²⁶⁰⁹  was accused with reference to controversial questions ²⁶¹⁰  about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. ²⁶¹¹  23:30 When I was informed ²⁶¹²  there would be a plot ²⁶¹³  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ²⁶¹⁴  against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, ²⁶¹⁵  took ²⁶¹⁶  Paul and brought him to Antipatris ²⁶¹⁷  during the night. 23:32 The next day they let ²⁶¹⁸  the horsemen ²⁶¹⁹  go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. ²⁶²⁰  23:33 When the horsemen ²⁶²¹  came to Caesarea ²⁶²²  and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented ²⁶²³  Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor ²⁶²⁴  had read ²⁶²⁵  the letter, ²⁶²⁶  he asked ²⁶²⁷  what province he was from. ²⁶²⁸  When he learned ²⁶²⁹  that he was from Cilicia, ²⁶³⁰  23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing ²⁶³¹  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ²⁶³²  he ordered that Paul ²⁶³³  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ²⁶³⁴ 

The Accusations Against Paul

24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias ²⁶³⁵  came down with some elders and an attorney ²⁶³⁶  named ²⁶³⁷  Tertullus, and they ²⁶³⁸  brought formal charges ²⁶³⁹  against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul ²⁶⁴⁰  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ²⁶⁴¹  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ²⁶⁴²  of peace through your rule, ²⁶⁴³  and reforms ²⁶⁴⁴  are being made in this nation ²⁶⁴⁵  through your foresight. ²⁶⁴⁶  24:3 Most excellent Felix, ²⁶⁴⁷  we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way ²⁶⁴⁸  with all gratitude. ²⁶⁴⁹  24:4 But so that I may not delay ²⁶⁵⁰  you any further, I beg ²⁶⁵¹  you to hear us briefly ²⁶⁵²  with your customary graciousness. ²⁶⁵³  24:5 For we have found ²⁶⁵⁴  this man to be a troublemaker, ²⁶⁵⁵  one who stirs up riots ²⁶⁵⁶  among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader ²⁶⁵⁷  of the sect of the Nazarenes. ²⁶⁵⁸  24:6 He ²⁶⁵⁹  even tried to desecrate ²⁶⁶⁰  the temple, so we arrested ²⁶⁶¹  him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] ²⁶⁶²  24:8 When you examine ²⁶⁶³  him yourself, you will be able to learn from him ²⁶⁶⁴  about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” ²⁶⁶⁵  24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, ²⁶⁶⁶  claiming ²⁶⁶⁷  that these things were true.

Paul’s Defense Before Felix

24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know ²⁶⁶⁸  that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. ²⁶⁶⁹  24:11 As you can verify ²⁶⁷⁰  for yourself, not more than twelve days ago ²⁶⁷¹  I went up to Jerusalem ²⁶⁷²  to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing ²⁶⁷³  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ²⁶⁷⁴  in the temple courts ²⁶⁷⁵  or in the synagogues ²⁶⁷⁶  or throughout the city, ²⁶⁷⁷  24:13 nor can they prove ²⁶⁷⁸  to you the things ²⁶⁷⁹  they are accusing me of doing. ²⁶⁸⁰  24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship ²⁶⁸¹  the God of our ancestors ²⁶⁸²  according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law ²⁶⁸³  and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have ²⁶⁸⁴  a hope in God (a hope ²⁶⁸⁵  that ²⁶⁸⁶  these men ²⁶⁸⁷  themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ²⁶⁸⁸  24:16 This is the reason ²⁶⁸⁹  I do my best to always ²⁶⁹⁰  have a clear ²⁶⁹¹  conscience toward God and toward people. ²⁶⁹²  24:17 After several years ²⁶⁹³  I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor ²⁶⁹⁴  and to present offerings, ²⁶⁹⁵  24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, ²⁶⁹⁶  without a crowd or a disturbance. ²⁶⁹⁷  24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia ²⁶⁹⁸  who should be here before you and bring charges, ²⁶⁹⁹  if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here ²⁷⁰⁰  should tell what crime ²⁷⁰¹  they found me guilty of ²⁷⁰²  when I stood before the council, ²⁷⁰³  24:21 other than ²⁷⁰⁴  this one thing ²⁷⁰⁵  I shouted out while I stood before ²⁷⁰⁶  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ²⁷⁰⁷ 

24:22 Then Felix, ²⁷⁰⁸  who understood the facts ²⁷⁰⁹  concerning the Way ²⁷¹⁰  more accurately, ²⁷¹¹  adjourned their hearing, ²⁷¹²  saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” ²⁷¹³  24:23 He ordered the centurion ²⁷¹⁴  to guard Paul, ²⁷¹⁵  but to let him have some freedom, ²⁷¹⁶  and not to prevent any of his friends ²⁷¹⁷  from meeting his needs. ²⁷¹⁸ 

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24:24 Some days later, when Felix ²⁷¹⁹  arrived with his wife Drusilla, ²⁷²⁰  who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak ²⁷²¹  about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷²²  24:25 While Paul ²⁷²³  was discussing ²⁷²⁴  righteousness, self-control, ²⁷²⁵  and the coming judgment, Felix ²⁷²⁶  became ²⁷²⁷  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ²⁷²⁸  I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ²⁷²⁹  and for this reason he sent for Paul ²⁷³⁰  as often as possible ²⁷³¹  and talked ²⁷³²  with him. 24:27 After two years ²⁷³³  had passed, Porcius Festus ²⁷³⁴  succeeded Felix, ²⁷³⁵  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ²⁷³⁶ 

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25:1 Now ²⁷³⁷  three days after Festus ²⁷³⁸  arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem ²⁷³⁹  from Caesarea. ²⁷⁴⁰  25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men ²⁷⁴¹  of the Jews brought formal charges ²⁷⁴²  against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ²⁷⁴³  they urged Festus ²⁷⁴⁴  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ²⁷⁴⁵  to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus ²⁷⁴⁶  replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, ²⁷⁴⁷  and he himself intended to go there ²⁷⁴⁸  shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders ²⁷⁴⁹  go down there ²⁷⁵⁰  with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, ²⁷⁵¹  they may bring charges ²⁷⁵²  against him.”

25:6 After Festus ²⁷⁵³  had stayed ²⁷⁵⁴  not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, ²⁷⁵⁵  and the next day he sat ²⁷⁵⁶  on the judgment seat ²⁷⁵⁷  and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, ²⁷⁵⁸  bringing many serious ²⁷⁵⁹  charges that they were not able to prove. ²⁷⁶⁰  25:8 Paul said in his defense, ²⁷⁶¹  “I have committed no offense ²⁷⁶²  against the Jewish law ²⁷⁶³  or against the temple or against Caesar.” ²⁷⁶⁴  25:9 But Festus, ²⁷⁶⁵  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ²⁷⁶⁶  before me there on these charges?” ²⁷⁶⁷  25:10 Paul replied, ²⁷⁶⁸  “I am standing before Caesar’s ²⁷⁶⁹  judgment seat, ²⁷⁷⁰  where I should be tried. ²⁷⁷¹  I have done nothing wrong ²⁷⁷²  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ²⁷⁷³  25:11 If then I am in the wrong ²⁷⁷⁴  and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, ²⁷⁷⁵  but if not one of their charges against me is true, ²⁷⁷⁶  no one can hand me over to them. ²⁷⁷⁷  I appeal to Caesar!” ²⁷⁷⁸  25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, ²⁷⁷⁹  Festus ²⁷⁸⁰  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ²⁷⁸¹  to Caesar ²⁷⁸²  you will go!” ²⁷⁸³ 

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ²⁷⁸⁴  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ²⁷⁸⁵  to pay their respects ²⁷⁸⁶  to Festus. ²⁷⁸⁷  25:14 While ²⁷⁸⁸  they were staying there many days, Festus ²⁷⁸⁹  explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, ²⁷⁹⁰  saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, ²⁷⁹¹  the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed ²⁷⁹²  me about him, ²⁷⁹³  asking for a sentence of condemnation ²⁷⁹⁴  against him. 25:16 I answered them ²⁷⁹⁵  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ²⁷⁹⁶  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ²⁷⁹⁷  and had been given ²⁷⁹⁸  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ²⁷⁹⁹  25:17 So after they came back here with me, ²⁸⁰⁰  I did not postpone the case, ²⁸⁰¹  but the next day I sat ²⁸⁰²  on the judgment seat ²⁸⁰³  and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge ²⁸⁰⁴  him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. ²⁸⁰⁵  25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement ²⁸⁰⁶  with him about their own religion ²⁸⁰⁷  and about a man named Jesus ²⁸⁰⁸  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ²⁸⁰⁹  to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss ²⁸¹⁰  how I could investigate these matters, ²⁸¹¹  I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried ²⁸¹²  there on these charges. ²⁸¹³  25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, ²⁸¹⁴  I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” ²⁸¹⁵  25:22 Agrippa ²⁸¹⁶  said to Festus, ²⁸¹⁷  “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, ²⁸¹⁸  “you will hear him.”

Paul Before King Agrippa and Bernice

25:23 So the next day Agrippa ²⁸¹⁹  and Bernice came with great pomp ²⁸²⁰  and entered the audience hall, ²⁸²¹  along with the senior military officers ²⁸²²  and the prominent men of the city. When Festus ²⁸²³  gave the order, ²⁸²⁴  Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus ²⁸²⁵  said, “King Agrippa, ²⁸²⁶  and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace ²⁸²⁷  petitioned ²⁸²⁸  me both in Jerusalem ²⁸²⁹  and here, ²⁸³⁰  shouting loudly ²⁸³¹  that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, ²⁸³²  and when he appealed ²⁸³³  to His Majesty the Emperor, ²⁸³⁴  I decided to send him. ²⁸³⁵  25:26 But I have nothing definite ²⁸³⁶  to write to my lord ²⁸³⁷  about him. ²⁸³⁸  Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ²⁸³⁹  so that after this preliminary hearing ²⁸⁴⁰  I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating ²⁸⁴¹  the charges against him.”

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ²⁸⁴²  said to Paul, “You have permission ²⁸⁴³  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ²⁸⁴⁴  and began his defense: ²⁸⁴⁵ 

26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ²⁸⁴⁶  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially ²⁸⁴⁷  familiar with all the customs and controversial issues ²⁸⁴⁸  of the Jews. Therefore I ask ²⁸⁴⁹  you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived ²⁸⁵⁰  from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people ²⁸⁵¹  and in Jerusalem. ²⁸⁵²  26:5 They know, ²⁸⁵³  because they have known ²⁸⁵⁴  me from time past, ²⁸⁵⁵  if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party ²⁸⁵⁶  of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. ²⁸⁵⁷  26:6 And now I stand here on trial ²⁸⁵⁸  because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ²⁸⁵⁹  26:7 a promise ²⁸⁶⁰  that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God ²⁸⁶¹  night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, ²⁸⁶²  Your Majesty! ²⁸⁶³  26:8 Why do you people ²⁸⁶⁴  think ²⁸⁶⁵  it is unbelievable ²⁸⁶⁶  that ²⁸⁶⁷  God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, ²⁸⁶⁸  I myself was convinced ²⁸⁶⁹  that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received ²⁸⁷⁰  from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote ²⁸⁷¹  against them when they were sentenced to death. ²⁸⁷²  26:11 I punished ²⁸⁷³  them often in all the synagogues ²⁸⁷⁴  and tried to force ²⁸⁷⁵  them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ²⁸⁷⁶  at them, I went to persecute ²⁸⁷⁷  them even in foreign cities.

26:12 “While doing this very thing, ²⁸⁷⁸  as I was going ²⁸⁷⁹  to Damascus with authority and complete power ²⁸⁸⁰  from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, ²⁸⁸¹  I saw a light from heaven, ²⁸⁸²  brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around ²⁸⁸³  me and those traveling with me. 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ²⁸⁸⁴  ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself ²⁸⁸⁵  by kicking against the goads.’ ²⁸⁸⁶  26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ²⁸⁸⁷  ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance ²⁸⁸⁸  as a servant and witness ²⁸⁸⁹  to the things ²⁸⁹⁰  you have seen ²⁸⁹¹  and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue ²⁸⁹²  you from your own people ²⁸⁹³  and from the Gentiles, to whom ²⁸⁹⁴  I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ²⁸⁹⁵  from darkness to light and from the power ²⁸⁹⁶  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ²⁸⁹⁷  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, ²⁸⁹⁸  I was not disobedient ²⁸⁹⁹  to the heavenly ²⁹⁰⁰  vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ²⁹⁰¹  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ²⁹⁰²  performing deeds consistent with ²⁹⁰³  repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts ²⁹⁰⁴  and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced ²⁹⁰⁵  help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except ²⁹⁰⁶  what the prophets and Moses said ²⁹⁰⁷  was going to happen: 26:23 that ²⁹⁰⁸  the Christ ²⁹⁰⁹  was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people ²⁹¹⁰  and to the Gentiles.” ²⁹¹¹ 

26:24 As Paul ²⁹¹²  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ²⁹¹³  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ²⁹¹⁴  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, ²⁹¹⁵  “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ²⁹¹⁶  but am speaking ²⁹¹⁷  true and rational ²⁹¹⁸  words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ²⁹¹⁹  to him, ²⁹²⁰  because I cannot believe ²⁹²¹  that any of these things has escaped his notice, ²⁹²²  for this was not done in a corner. ²⁹²³  26:27 Do you believe the prophets, ²⁹²⁴  King Agrippa? ²⁹²⁵  I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa ²⁹²⁶  said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” ²⁹²⁷  26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time ²⁹²⁸  not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” ²⁹²⁹ 

26:30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 26:31 and as they were leaving they said to one another, ²⁹³⁰  “This man is not doing anything deserving ²⁹³¹  death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa ²⁹³²  said to Festus, ²⁹³³  “This man could have been released ²⁹³⁴  if he had not appealed to Caesar.” ²⁹³⁵ 

Paul and Company Sail for Rome

27:1 When it was decided we ²⁹³⁶  would sail to Italy, ²⁹³⁷  they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion ²⁹³⁸  of the Augustan Cohort ²⁹³⁹  named Julius. 27:2 We went on board ²⁹⁴⁰  a ship from Adramyttium ²⁹⁴¹  that was about to sail to various ports ²⁹⁴²  along the coast of the province of Asia ²⁹⁴³  and put out to sea, ²⁹⁴⁴  accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian ²⁹⁴⁵  from Thessalonica. ²⁹⁴⁶  27:3 The next day we put in ²⁹⁴⁷  at Sidon, ²⁹⁴⁸  and Julius, treating Paul kindly, ²⁹⁴⁹  allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed. ²⁹⁵⁰  27:4 From there we put out to sea ²⁹⁵¹  and sailed under the lee ²⁹⁵²  of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed across the open sea ²⁹⁵³  off Cilicia and Pamphylia, ²⁹⁵⁴  we put in ²⁹⁵⁵  at Myra ²⁹⁵⁶  in Lycia. ²⁹⁵⁷  27:6 There the centurion ²⁹⁵⁸  found ²⁹⁵⁹  a ship from Alexandria ²⁹⁶⁰  sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly ²⁹⁶¹  for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. ²⁹⁶²  Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, ²⁹⁶³  we sailed under the lee ²⁹⁶⁴  of Crete off Salmone. ²⁹⁶⁵  27:8 With difficulty we sailed along the coast ²⁹⁶⁶  of Crete ²⁹⁶⁷  and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. ²⁹⁶⁸ 

Caught in a Violent Storm

27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous ²⁹⁶⁹  because the fast ²⁹⁷⁰  was already over, ²⁹⁷¹  Paul advised them, ²⁹⁷²  27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end ²⁹⁷³  in disaster ²⁹⁷⁴  and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ²⁹⁷⁵  27:11 But the centurion ²⁹⁷⁶  was more convinced ²⁹⁷⁷  by the captain ²⁹⁷⁸  and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. ²⁹⁷⁹  27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided ²⁹⁸⁰  to put out to sea ²⁹⁸¹  from there. They hoped that ²⁹⁸²  somehow they could reach ²⁹⁸³  Phoenix, ²⁹⁸⁴  a harbor of Crete facing ²⁹⁸⁵  southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought ²⁹⁸⁶  they could carry out ²⁹⁸⁷  their purpose, so they weighed anchor ²⁹⁸⁸  and sailed close along the coast ²⁹⁸⁹  of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force ²⁹⁹⁰  wind called the northeaster ²⁹⁹¹  blew down from the island. ²⁹⁹²  27:15 When the ship was caught in it ²⁹⁹³  and could not head into ²⁹⁹⁴  the wind, we gave way to it and were driven ²⁹⁹⁵  along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of ²⁹⁹⁶  a small island called Cauda, ²⁹⁹⁷  we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat ²⁹⁹⁸  under control. 27:17 After the crew ²⁹⁹⁹  had hoisted it aboard, ³⁰⁰⁰  they used supports ³⁰⁰¹  to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground ³⁰⁰²  on the Syrtis, ³⁰⁰³  they lowered the sea anchor, ³⁰⁰⁴  thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, ³⁰⁰⁵  they began throwing the cargo overboard, ³⁰⁰⁶  27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear ³⁰⁰⁷  overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent ³⁰⁰⁸  storm continued to batter us, ³⁰⁰⁹  we finally abandoned all hope of being saved. ³⁰¹⁰ 

27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, ³⁰¹¹  Paul ³⁰¹²  stood up ³⁰¹³  among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me ³⁰¹⁴  and not put out to sea ³⁰¹⁵  from Crete, thus avoiding ³⁰¹⁶  this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise ³⁰¹⁷  you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. ³⁰¹⁸  27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong ³⁰¹⁹  and whom I serve ³⁰²⁰  came to me ³⁰²¹  27:24 and said, ³⁰²²  ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before ³⁰²³  Caesar, ³⁰²⁴  and God has graciously granted you the safety ³⁰²⁵  of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God ³⁰²⁶  that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must ³⁰²⁷  run aground on some island.”

27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven ³⁰²⁸  across the Adriatic Sea, ³⁰²⁹  about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. ³⁰³⁰  27:28 They took soundings ³⁰³¹  and found the water was twenty fathoms ³⁰³²  deep; when they had sailed a little farther ³⁰³³  they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms ³⁰³⁴  deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid ³⁰³⁵  that we would run aground on the rocky coast, ³⁰³⁶  they threw out ³⁰³⁷  four anchors from the stern and wished ³⁰³⁸  for day to appear. ³⁰³⁹  27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending ³⁰⁴⁰  that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion ³⁰⁴¹  and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you ³⁰⁴²  cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes ³⁰⁴³  of the ship’s boat and let it drift away. ³⁰⁴⁴ 

27:33 As day was about to dawn, ³⁰⁴⁵  Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense ³⁰⁴⁶  and have gone ³⁰⁴⁷  without food; you have eaten nothing. ³⁰⁴⁸  27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important ³⁰⁴⁹  for your survival. ³⁰⁵⁰  For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul ³⁰⁵¹  took bread ³⁰⁵²  and gave thanks to God in front of them all, ³⁰⁵³  broke ³⁰⁵⁴  it, and began to eat. 27:36 So all of them were encouraged and took food themselves. 27:37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six ³⁰⁵⁵  persons on the ship.) ³⁰⁵⁶  27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, ³⁰⁵⁷  they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat ³⁰⁵⁸  into the sea.

Paul is Shipwrecked

27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed ³⁰⁵⁹  a bay ³⁰⁶⁰  with a beach, ³⁰⁶¹  where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped ³⁰⁶²  the anchors ³⁰⁶³  and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage ³⁰⁶⁴  that bound the steering oars ³⁰⁶⁵  together. Then they hoisted ³⁰⁶⁶  the foresail ³⁰⁶⁷  to the wind and steered toward ³⁰⁶⁸  the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents ³⁰⁶⁹  and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force ³⁰⁷⁰  of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners ³⁰⁷¹  so that none of them would escape by swimming away. ³⁰⁷²  27:43 But the centurion, ³⁰⁷³  wanting to save Paul’s life, ³⁰⁷⁴  prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, ³⁰⁷⁵  27:44 and the rest were to follow, ³⁰⁷⁶  some on planks ³⁰⁷⁷  and some on pieces of the ship. ³⁰⁷⁸  And in this way ³⁰⁷⁹  all were brought safely to land.

Paul on Malta

28:1 After we had safely reached shore, ³⁰⁸⁰  we learned that the island was called Malta. ³⁰⁸¹  28:2 The local inhabitants ³⁰⁸²  showed us extraordinary ³⁰⁸³  kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain ³⁰⁸⁴  and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood ³⁰⁸⁵  and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 28:4 When the local people ³⁰⁸⁶  saw the creature hanging from Paul’s ³⁰⁸⁷  hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself ³⁰⁸⁸  has not allowed him to live!” ³⁰⁸⁹  28:5 However, ³⁰⁹⁰  Paul ³⁰⁹¹  shook ³⁰⁹²  the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up ³⁰⁹³  or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited ³⁰⁹⁴  a long time and had seen ³⁰⁹⁵  nothing unusual happen ³⁰⁹⁶  to him, they changed their minds ³⁰⁹⁷  and said he was a god. ³⁰⁹⁸ 

28:7 Now in the region around that place ³⁰⁹⁹  were fields belonging to the chief official ³¹⁰⁰  of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father ³¹⁰¹  of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him ³¹⁰²  and after praying, placed ³¹⁰³  his hands on him and healed ³¹⁰⁴  him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick ³¹⁰⁵  also came and were healed. ³¹⁰⁶  28:10 They also bestowed many honors, ³¹⁰⁷  and when we were preparing to sail, ³¹⁰⁸  they gave ³¹⁰⁹  us all the supplies we needed. ³¹¹⁰ 

Paul Finally Reaches Rome

28:11 After three months we put out to sea ³¹¹¹  in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” ³¹¹²  as its figurehead. ³¹¹³  28:12 We put in ³¹¹⁴  at Syracuse ³¹¹⁵  and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off ³¹¹⁶  and arrived at Rhegium, ³¹¹⁷  and after one day a south wind sprang up ³¹¹⁸  and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ³¹¹⁹  28:14 There ³¹²⁰  we found ³¹²¹  some brothers ³¹²²  and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. ³¹²³  28:15 The brothers from there, ³¹²⁴  when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius ³¹²⁵  and Three Taverns ³¹²⁶  to meet us. When he saw them, ³¹²⁷  Paul thanked God and took courage. 28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live ³¹²⁸  by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days ³¹²⁹  Paul ³¹³⁰  called the local Jewish leaders ³¹³¹  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ³¹³²  although I had done ³¹³³  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ³¹³⁴  from Jerusalem ³¹³⁵  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ³¹³⁶  28:18 When ³¹³⁷  they had heard my case, ³¹³⁸  they wanted to release me, ³¹³⁹  because there was no basis for a death sentence ³¹⁴⁰  against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, ³¹⁴¹  I was forced to appeal to Caesar ³¹⁴²  – not that I had some charge to bring ³¹⁴³  against my own people. ³¹⁴⁴  28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” ³¹⁴⁵  28:21 They replied, ³¹⁴⁶  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ³¹⁴⁷  and reported or said anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know ³¹⁴⁸  that people ³¹⁴⁹  everywhere speak against ³¹⁵⁰  it.”

28:23 They set ³¹⁵¹  a day to meet with him, ³¹⁵²  and they came to him where he was staying ³¹⁵³  in even greater numbers. ³¹⁵⁴  From morning until evening he explained things ³¹⁵⁵  to them, ³¹⁵⁶  testifying ³¹⁵⁷  about the kingdom of God ³¹⁵⁸  and trying to convince ³¹⁵⁹  them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced ³¹⁶⁰  by what he said, ³¹⁶¹  but others refused ³¹⁶²  to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, ³¹⁶³  unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors ³¹⁶⁴  through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will keep on hearing, ³¹⁶⁵  but will never understand,

and you will keep on looking, ³¹⁶⁶  but will never perceive.

28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, ³¹⁶⁷ 

and their ears are hard of hearing, ³¹⁶⁸ 

and they have closed their eyes,

so that they would not see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their heart

and turn, ³¹⁶⁹  and I would heal them.”’ ³¹⁷⁰ 

28:28 “Therefore be advised ³¹⁷¹  that this salvation from God ³¹⁷²  has been sent to the Gentiles; ³¹⁷³  they ³¹⁷⁴  will listen!”

28:29 [[EMPTY]] ³¹⁷⁵ 

28:30 Paul ³¹⁷⁶  lived ³¹⁷⁷  there two whole years in his own rented quarters ³¹⁷⁸  and welcomed ³¹⁷⁹  all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ³¹⁸⁰  with complete boldness ³¹⁸¹  and without restriction. ³¹⁸² 

[2:1]  ¹ tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.

[2:2]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.

[2:2]  ³ tn Or “a noise.”

[2:2]  ⁴ tn While φέρω (ferw) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (feromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoh).

[2:2]  ⁵ tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.

[2:3]  ⁶ tn Or “And divided tongues as of fire.” The precise meaning of διαμερίζομαι (diamerizomai) in Acts 2:3 is difficult to determine. The meaning could be “tongues as of fire dividing up one to each person,” but it is also possible that the individual tongues of fire were divided (“And divided tongues as of fire appeared”). The translation adopted in the text (“tongues spreading out like a fire”) attempts to be somewhat ambiguous.

[2:4]  ⁷ tn Grk “And all.” 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.

[2:4]  ⁸ tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glwssai"), the same word used for the tongues of fire.

[2:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “just as the spirit gave them to utter.” The verb ἀποφθέγγομαι (apofqengomai) was used of special utterances in Classical Greek (BDAG 125 s.v.).

[2:5]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17, 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikew) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (ajnhr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.

[2:5]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”

[2:6]  ¹² tn Or “this noise.”

[2:6]  ¹³ tn Or “was bewildered.”

[2:7]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existhmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).

[2:7]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:8]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”

[2:8]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”

[2:9]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[2:10]  ¹⁹ tn According to BDAG 595 s.v. Λιβύη, the western part of Libya, Libya Cyrenaica, is referred to here (see also Josephus, Ant. 16.6.1 [16.160] for a similar phrase).

[2:10]  ²⁰ map For location see JP4 A1.

[2:11]  ²¹ sn Proselytes refers to Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish) converts to Judaism.

[2:11]  ²² tn Or “God’s mighty works.” Here the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a subjective genitive.

[2:13]  ²³ tn The words “the speakers” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[2:13]  ²⁴ tn Grk “They are full of new wine!”

[2:14]  ²⁵ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle σταθείς (staqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[2:14]  ²⁶ tn Or “You Jewish men.” “Judea” is preferred here because it is paired with “Jerusalem,” a location. This suggests locality rather than ethnic background is the primary emphasis in the context. As for “men,” the Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where “all” who live in Jerusalem are addressed, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[2:14]  ²⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:14]  ²⁸ tn Grk “let this be known to you.” The passive construction has been translated as an active for stylistic reasons.

[2:15]  ²⁹ tn Grk “These men are not drunk, as you suppose.”

[2:15]  ³⁰ tn Grk “only the third hour.”

[2:16]  ³¹ sn Note how in the quotation that follows all genders, ages, and classes are included. The event is like a hope Moses expressed in Num 11:29.

[2:17]  ³² sn The phrase in the last days is not quoted from Joel, but represents Peter’s interpretive explanation of the current events as falling “in the last days.”

[2:17]  ³³ tn Grk “on all flesh.”

[2:18]  ³⁴ tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is not conspicuous here; hence, the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[2:18]  ³⁵ sn The words and they will prophesy in Acts 2:18 are not quoted from Joel 2:29 at this point but are repeated from earlier in the quotation (Acts 2:17) for emphasis. Tongues speaking is described as prophecy, just like intelligible tongues are described in 1 Cor 14:26-33.

[2:19]  ³⁶ tn Or “in the heaven.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context. Here, in contrast to “the earth below,” a reference to the sky is more likely.

[2:19]  ³⁷ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned; this is made explicit in the translation.

[2:20]  ³⁸ tn Or “and wonderful.”

[2:21]  ³⁹ tn Grk “And it will be that.”

[2:21]  ⁴⁰ sn A quotation from Joel 2:28-32.

[2:22]  ⁴¹ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[2:22]  ⁴² tn Or “miraculous deeds.”

[2:22]  ⁴³ tn Again, the context indicates the miraculous nature of these signs, and this is specified in the translation.

[2:23]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “you killed.”

[2:23]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “at the hands of lawless men.” At this point the term ἄνομος (anomo") refers to non-Jews who live outside the Jewish (Mosaic) law, rather than people who broke any or all laws including secular laws. Specifically it is a reference to the Roman soldiers who carried out Jesus’ crucifixion.

[2:24]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “Whom God raised up.”

[2:24]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “having freed.”

[2:24]  ⁴⁸ sn The term translated pains is frequently used to describe pains associated with giving birth (see Rev 12:2). So there is irony here in the mixed metaphor.

[2:24]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “for him to be held by it” (in either case, “it” refers to death’s power).

[2:25]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “always before me.”

[2:26]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “my flesh.”

[2:27]  ⁵² tn Or “will not abandon my soul to Hades.” Often “Hades” is the equivalent of the Hebrew term Sheol, the place of the dead.

[2:27]  ⁵³ tn Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[2:28]  ⁵⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 16:8-11.

[2:29]  ⁵⁵ tn Since this represents a continuation of the address beginning in v.14 and continued in v. 22, “brothers” has been used here rather than a generic expression like “brothers and sisters.”

[2:29]  ⁵⁶ sn Peter’s certainty is based on well-known facts.

[2:29]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “about our noted ancestor,” “about the patriarch.”

[2:30]  ⁵⁸ tn The participles ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) and εἰδώς (eidw") are translated as causal adverbial participles.

[2:30]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “one from the fruit of his loins.” “Loins” is the traditional translation of ὀσφῦς (osfu"), referring to the male genital organs. A literal rendering like “one who came from his genital organs” would be regarded as too specific and perhaps even vulgar by many contemporary readers. Most modern translations thus render the phrase “one of his descendants.”

[2:30]  ⁶⁰ sn An allusion to Ps 132:11 and 2 Sam 7:12-13, the promise in the Davidic covenant.

[2:31]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “David foreseeing spoke.” The participle προϊδών (proidwn) is taken as indicating means. It could also be translated as a participle of attendant circumstance: “David foresaw [this] and spoke.” The word “this” is supplied in either case as an understood direct object (direct objects in Greek were often omitted, but must be supplied for the modern English reader).

[2:31]  ⁶² tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:31]  ⁶³ tn Or “abandoned in the world of the dead.” The translation “world of the dead” for Hades is suggested by L&N 1.19. The phrase is an allusion to Ps 16:10.

[2:31]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “flesh.” See vv. 26b-27. The reference to “body” in this verse picks up the reference to “body” in v. 26. The Greek term σάρξ (sarx) in both verses literally means “flesh”; however, the translation “body” stresses the lack of decay of his physical body. The point of the verse is not merely the lack of decay of his flesh alone, but the resurrection of his entire person, as indicated by the previous parallel line “he was not abandoned to Hades.”

[2:31]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[2:31]  ⁶⁶ sn An allusion to Ps 16:10.

[2:32]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “of him”; Grk “of which [or whom] we are all witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

[2:33]  ⁶⁸ tn The aorist participle ὑψωθείς (Juywqei") could be taken temporally: “So then, after he was exalted…” In the translation the more neutral “exalted” (a shorter form of “having been exalted”) was used to preserve the ambiguity of the original Greek.

[2:33]  ⁶⁹ sn The expression the right hand of God represents supreme power and authority. Its use here sets up the quotation of Ps 110:1 in v. 34.

[2:33]  ⁷⁰ tn The aorist participle λαβών (labwn) could be taken temporally: “So then, after he was exalted…and received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit.” In the translation the more neutral “having received” was used to preserve the ambiguity of the original Greek.

[2:33]  ⁷¹ tn Here the genitive τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the promise consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:33]  ⁷² sn The use of the verb poured out looks back to 2:17-18, where the same verb occurs twice.

[2:34]  ⁷³ sn Sit at my right hand. The word “sit” alludes back to the promise of “seating one on his throne” in v. 30.

[2:35]  ⁷⁴ sn The metaphor make your enemies a footstool portrays the complete subjugation of the enemies.

[2:35]  ⁷⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 110:1, one of the most often-cited OT passages in the NT, pointing to the exaltation of Jesus.

[2:36]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “know for certain.” This term is in an emphatic position in the clause.

[2:36]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” The clause has been simplified in the translation by replacing the pronoun “him” with the explanatory clause “this Jesus whom you crucified” which comes at the end of the sentence.

[2:36]  ⁷⁸ sn Lord. This looks back to the quotation of Ps 110:1 and the mention of “calling on the Lord” in 2:21. Peter’s point is that the Lord on whom one calls for salvation is Jesus, because he is the one mediating God’s blessing of the Spirit as a sign of the presence of salvation and the last days.

[2:36]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “and Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:37]  ⁸⁰ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[2:37]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “they were pierced to the heart” (an idiom for acute emotional distress).

[2:38]  ⁸² tn The verb is a third person imperative, but the common translation “let each of you be baptized” obscures the imperative force in English, since it sounds more like a permissive (“each of you may be baptized”) to the average English reader.

[2:38]  ⁸³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:38]  ⁸⁴ tn There is debate over the meaning of εἰς in the prepositional phrase εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν (eis afesin twn Jamartiwn Jumwn, “for/because of/with reference to the forgiveness of your sins”). Although a causal sense has been argued, it is difficult to maintain here. ExSyn 369-71 discusses at least four other ways of dealing with the passage: (1) The baptism referred to here is physical only, and εἰς has the meaning of “for” or “unto.” Such a view suggests that salvation is based on works – an idea that runs counter to the theology of Acts, namely: (a) repentance often precedes baptism (cf. Acts 3:19; 26:20), and (b) salvation is entirely a gift of God, not procured via water baptism (Acts 10:43 [cf. v. 47]; 13:38-39, 48; 15:11; 16:30-31; 20:21; 26:18); (2) The baptism referred to here is spiritual only. Although such a view fits well with the theology of Acts, it does not fit well with the obvious meaning of “baptism” in Acts – especially in this text (cf. 2:41); (3) The text should be repunctuated in light of the shift from second person plural to third person singular back to second person plural again. The idea then would be, “Repent for/with reference to your sins, and let each one of you be baptized…” Such a view is an acceptable way of handling εἰς, but its subtlety and awkwardness count against it; (4) Finally, it is possible that to a first-century Jewish audience (as well as to Peter), the idea of baptism might incorporate both the spiritual reality and the physical symbol. That Peter connects both closely in his thinking is clear from other passages such as Acts 10:47 and 11:15-16. If this interpretation is correct, then Acts 2:38 is saying very little about the specific theological relationship between the symbol and the reality, only that historically they were viewed together. One must look in other places for a theological analysis. For further discussion see R. N. Longenecker, “Acts,” EBC 9:283-85; B. Witherington, Acts, 154-55; F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 129-30; BDAG 290 s.v. εἰς 4.f.

[2:38]  ⁸⁵ tn Here the genitive τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος (tou Jagiou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:39]  ⁸⁶ sn The promise refers to the promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus received from the Father in 2:33 and which he now pours out on others. The promise consists of the Holy Spirit (see note in 2:33). Jesus is the active mediator of God’s blessing.

[2:40]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “warned.”

[2:40]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “crooked” (in a moral or ethical sense). See Luke 3:5.

[2:41]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “who acknowledged the truth of.”

[2:41]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “word.”

[2:41]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

[2:41]  ⁹² tn Or “were won over.”

[2:42]  ⁹³ sn Fellowship refers here to close association involving mutual involvement and relationships.

[2:42]  ⁹⁴ tn Grk “prayers.” This word was translated as a collective singular in keeping with English style.

[2:43]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “Fear.”

[2:43]  ⁹⁶ tn Grk “on every soul” (here “soul” is an idiom for the whole person).

[2:43]  ⁹⁷ tn In this context the miraculous nature of these signs is implied. Cf. BDAG 920 s.v. σημεῖον 2.a.

[2:44]  ⁹⁸ tn Grk “had.”

[2:45]  ⁹⁹ tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive (“began…”). Since in context this is a description of the beginning of the community of believers, it is more likely that these statements refer to the start of various activities and practices that the early church continued for some time.

[2:45]  ¹⁰⁰ tn It is possible that the first term for property (κτήματα, kthmata) refers to real estate (as later usage seems to indicate) while the second term (ὑπάρξεις, Juparxeis) refers to possessions in general, but it may also be that the two terms are used together for emphasis, simply indicating that all kinds of possessions were being sold. However, if the first term is more specifically a reference to real estate, it foreshadows the incident with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11.

[2:45]  ¹⁰¹ tn Grk “distributing them” (αὐτά, auta). The referent (the proceeds of the sales) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:46]  ¹⁰² tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[2:46]  ¹⁰³ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[2:46]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Here κατά (kata) is used as a distributive (BDAG 512 s.v. B.1.d).

[2:46]  ¹⁰⁵ sn The term glad (Grk “gladness”) often refers to joy brought about by God’s saving acts (Luke 1:14, 44; also the related verb in 1:47; 10:21).

[2:46]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “with gladness and humbleness of hearts.” It is best to understand καρδίας (kardias) as an attributed genitive, with the two nouns it modifies actually listing attributes of the genitive noun which is related to them.

[2:47]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “the favor.”

[2:47]  ¹⁰⁸ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[3:1]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “hour.”

[3:1]  ¹¹⁰ sn Going up to the temple at the time for prayer. The earliest Christians, being of Jewish roots, were still participating in the institutions of Judaism at this point. Their faith in Christ did not make them non-Jewish in their practices.

[3:1]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” This is calculated from sunrise (Josephus, Ant. 14.4.3 [14.65]; Dan 9:21).

[3:2]  ¹¹² tn Or “crippled.”

[3:2]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “from his mother’s womb.”

[3:2]  ¹¹⁴ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[3:2]  ¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[3:3]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[3:3]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “alms.” See the note on the word “money” in the previous verse.

[3:4]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “Peter, looking directly at him, as did John, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[3:5]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “So he”; the referent (the lame man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:6]  ¹²¹ tn Or “I have no money.” L&N 6.69 classifies the expression ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον (argurion kai crusion) as an idiom that is a generic expression for currency, thus “money.”

[3:6]  ¹²² sn In the name. Note the authority in the name of Jesus the Messiah. His presence and power are at work for the man. The reference to “the name” is not like a magical incantation, but is designed to indicate the agent who performs the healing. The theme is quite frequent in Acts (2:38 plus 21 other times).

[3:6]  ¹²³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[3:6]  ¹²⁴ tc The words “stand up and” (ἔγειρε καί, egeire kai) are not in a few mss (א B D sa), but are included in A C E Ψ 095 33 1739 Ï lat sy mae bo. The external testimony is thus fairly evenly divided, with few but important representatives of the Alexandrian and Western texttypes supporting the shorter reading. Internally, the words look like a standard scribal emendation, and may have been motivated by other healing passages where Jesus gave a similar double command (cf. Matt 9:5; Mark 2:9, [11]; Luke 5:23; [6:8]; John 5:8). On the other hand, there is some motivation for deleting ἔγειρε καί here, namely, unlike Jesus’ healing miracles, Peter raises (ἤγειρεν, hgeiren) the man to his feet (v. 7) rather than the man rising on his own. In light of the scribal tendency to harmonize, especially in immediate context, the longer reading is slightly preferred.

[3:7]  ¹²⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to reflect the sequence of events.

[3:7]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:7]  ¹²⁷ tn Grk “Peter taking hold of him…raised him up.” The participle πιάσας (piasas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[3:7]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “his”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:7]  ¹²⁹ sn At once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. Note that despite the past lameness, the man is immediately able to walk. The restoration of his ability to walk pictures the presence of a renewed walk, a fresh start at life; this was far more than money would have given him.

[3:8]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[3:8]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “Jumping up, he stood.” The participle ἐξαλλόμενος (exallomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. It is possible that the paralyzed man actually jumped off the ground, but more probably this term simply refers to the speed with which he stood up. See L&N 15.240.

[3:8]  ¹³² tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[3:9]  ¹³³ tn Grk “And all.” 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.

[3:10]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “alms,” but this term is not in common use today, so the closest modern equivalent, “donations,” is used instead. The idea is that of a donation to charity.

[3:10]  ¹³⁵ sn Amazement is a frequent response to miracles of Jesus or the apostles. These took the ancients by as much surprise as they would people today. But in terms of response to what God is doing, amazement does not equal faith (Luke 4:36; 5:9, 26; 7:16).

[3:11]  ¹³⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:11]  ¹³⁷ tn Or “portico,” “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.” The translation “covered walkway” (a descriptive translation) was used here because the architectural term “portico” or “colonnade” is less familiar. However, the more technical term “portico” was retained in the actual name that follows.

[3:11]  ¹³⁸ sn Solomon’s Portico was a covered walkway formed by rows of columns supporting a roof and open on the inner side facing the center of the temple complex. It was located on the east side of the temple (Josephus, Ant. 15.11.3-5 [15.391-420], 20.9.7 [20.221]) and was a place of commerce and conversation.

[3:12]  ¹³⁹ tn Or perhaps “People of Israel,” since this was taking place in Solomon’s Portico and women may have been present. The Greek ἄνδρες ᾿Ισραηλῖται (andre" Israhlitai) used in the plural would normally mean “men, gentlemen” (BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 1.a).

[3:12]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “or why.”

[3:12]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:13]  ¹⁴² tc ‡ The repetition of ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) before the names of Isaac and Jacob is found in Ì⁷⁴ א C (A D without article) 36 104 1175 pc lat. The omission of the second and third ὁ θεός is supported by B E Ψ 33 1739 Ï pc. The other time that Exod 3:6 is quoted in Acts (7:32) the best witnesses also lack the repeated ὁ θεός, but the three other times this OT passage is quoted in the NT the full form, with the thrice-mentioned θεός, is used (Matt 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37). Scribes would be prone to conform the wording here to the LXX; the longer reading is thus most likely not authentic. NA²⁷ has the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

[3:13]  ¹⁴³ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

[3:13]  ¹⁴⁴ sn Has glorified. Jesus is alive, raised and active, as the healing illustrates so dramatically how God honors him.

[3:13]  ¹⁴⁵ sn His servant. The term servant has messianic connotations given the context of the promise, the note of suffering, and the titles and functions noted in vv. 14-15.

[3:13]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”

[3:13]  ¹⁴⁷ tn This genitive absolute construction could be understood as temporal (“when he had decided”) or concessive (“although he had decided”).

[3:14]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”

[3:15]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or “You put to death.”

[3:15]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Or “Founder,” “founding Leader.”

[3:15]  ¹⁵¹ sn Whom God raised. God is the main actor here, as he testifies to Jesus and vindicates him.

[3:15]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the words “to this fact” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[3:16]  ¹⁵³ tn Grk “in his name”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ¹⁵⁴ sn Here is another example of appeal to the person by mentioning the name. See the note on the word name in 3:6.

[3:16]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Grk “see and know, and the faith.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated.

[3:16]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Or “in full view.”

[3:17]  ¹⁵⁸ sn The ignorance Peter mentions here does not excuse them from culpability. It was simply a way to say “you did not realize the great mistake you made.”

[3:18]  ¹⁵⁹ sn God foretold. Peter’s topic is the working out of God’s plan and promise through events the scriptures also note.

[3:18]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).

[3:18]  ¹⁶¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[3:20]  ¹⁶² tn Or “relief.”

[3:20]  ¹⁶³ tn The words “so that…Lord” are traditionally placed in v. 19 by most English translations, but in the present translation the verse division follows the standard critical editions of the Greek text (NA²⁷, UBS⁴).

[3:20]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Or “the Christ”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[3:20]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Or “designated in advance.”

[3:21]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Grk “whom,” continuing the sentence from v. 20.

[3:21]  ¹⁶⁷ sn The term must used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) is a key Lukan term to point to the plan of God and what must occur.

[3:21]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “until the times of the restoration of all things.” Because of the awkward English style of the extended genitive construction, and because the following relative clause has as its referent the “time of restoration” rather than “all things,” the phrase was translated “until the time all things are restored.”

[3:21]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Or “spoke.”

[3:21]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Or “from all ages past.”

[3:22]  ¹⁷¹ tn Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw; see L&N 36.14) and the following context (v. 23) makes it clear that failure to “obey” the words of this “prophet like Moses” will result in complete destruction.

[3:22]  ¹⁷² sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. By quoting Deut 18:15 Peter declared that Jesus was the eschatological “prophet like [Moses]” mentioned in that passage, who reveals the plan of God and the way of God.

[3:23]  ¹⁷³ tn Grk “every soul” (here “soul” is an idiom for the whole person).

[3:23]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Or “will be completely destroyed.” In Acts 3:23 the verb ἐξολεθρεύω (exoleqreuw) is translated “destroy and remove” by L&N 20.35.

[3:23]  ¹⁷⁵ sn A quotation from Deut 18:19, also Lev 23:29. The OT context of Lev 23:29 discusses what happened when one failed to honor atonement. One ignored the required sacrifice of God at one’s peril.

[3:24]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Or “proclaimed.”

[3:25]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[3:25]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Or “in your offspring”; Grk “in your seed.”

[3:25]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Or “families.” The Greek word πατριά (patria) can indicate persons of succeeding generations who are related by birth (“lineage,” “family”) but it can also indicate a relatively large unit of people who make up a sociopolitical group and who share a presumed biological descent. In many contexts πατριά is very similar to ἔθνος (eqnos) and λαός (laos). In light of the context of the OT quotation, it is better to translate πατριά as “nations” here.

[3:25]  ¹⁸⁰ sn A quotation from Gen 22:18.

[3:26]  ¹⁸¹ tn Grk “God raising up his servant, sent him.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Some translations (e.g., NIV, NRSV) render this participle as temporal (“when God raised up his servant”).

[3:26]  ¹⁸² sn The picture of turning is again seen as the appropriate response to the message. See v. 19 above. In v. 19 it was “turning to,” here it is “turning away from.” The direction of the two metaphors is important.

[3:26]  ¹⁸³ tn For the translation of plural πονηρία (ponhria) as “iniquities,” see G. Harder, TDNT 6:565. The plural is important, since for Luke turning to Jesus means turning away from sins, not just the sin of rejecting Jesus.

[4:1]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Grk “While they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:1]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Or “captain.”

[4:1]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[4:1]  ¹⁸⁷ sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 3:7; 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.

[4:1]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “approached.” This verb often denotes a sudden appearing (BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1).

[4:2]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Or “greatly annoyed,” “provoked.”

[4:2]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Or “proclaiming.”

[4:3]  ¹⁹¹ tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the logical sequence of events.

[4:3]  ¹⁹² tn Or “they arrested”; Grk “they laid hands on.”

[4:3]  ¹⁹³ tn Or “prison,” “custody.”

[4:4]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Or “had heard.”

[4:4]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Or “word.”

[4:4]  ¹⁹⁶ tn In the historical setting it is likely that only men are referred to here. The Greek term ἀνήρ (anhr) usually refers to males or husbands rather than people in general. Thus to translate “of the people” would give a false impression of the number, since any women and children were apparently not included in the count.

[4:5]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “It happened that on the next day.” 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.

[4:5]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Or “and scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

[4:5]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Or “law assembled,” “law met together.”

[4:5]  ²⁰⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[4:6]  ²⁰¹ sn The high priest’s family. This family controlled the high priesthood as far back as a.d. 6. Annas, Caiaphas, and Alexander were all high priests at one time (though Alexander held that office after this event).

[4:7]  ²⁰² tn Grk “And after.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new sentence is begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 7.

[4:7]  ²⁰³ tn Grk “making them”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:7]  ²⁰⁴ sn By what name. The issue of the “name” comes up again here. This question, meaning “by whose authority,” surfaces an old dispute (see Luke 20:1-8). Who speaks for God about the ancient faith?

[4:8]  ²⁰⁵ sn Filled with the Holy Spirit. The narrator’s remark about the Holy Spirit indicates that Peter speaks as directed by God and for God. This fulfills Luke 12:11-12 (1 Pet 3:15).

[4:8]  ²⁰⁶ tn Grk “Spirit, said to them.”

[4:8]  ²⁰⁷ tc The Western and Byzantine texts, as well as one or two Alexandrian witnesses, read τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ (tou Israhl, “of Israel”) after πρεσβύτεροι (presbuteroi, “elders”; so D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï it), while most of the better witnesses, chiefly Alexandrian (Ì⁷⁴ א A B 0165 1175 vg sa bo), lack this modifier. The longer reading was most likely added by scribes to give literary balance to the addressees in that “Rulers” already had an adjunct while “elders” was left absolute.

[4:9]  ²⁰⁸ tn This clause is a first class condition. It assumes for the sake of argument that this is what they were being questioned about.

[4:9]  ²⁰⁹ tn Or “questioned.” The Greek term ἀνακρίνω (anakrinw) points to an examination similar to a legal one.

[4:9]  ²¹⁰ tn Or “for an act of kindness.”

[4:9]  ²¹¹ tn Or “delivered” (σέσωται [seswtai], from σώζω [swzw]). See 4:12.

[4:10]  ²¹² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[4:11]  ²¹³ tn Grk “This one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:11]  ²¹⁴ tn The word “you” is inserted into the quotation because Peter is making a direct application of Ps 118:22 to his hearers. Because it is not in the OT, it has been left as normal type (rather than bold italic). The remarks are like Acts 2:22-24 and 3:12-15.

[4:11]  ²¹⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 which combines the theme of rejection with the theme of God’s vindication/exaltation.

[4:12]  ²¹⁶ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[4:12]  ²¹⁷ sn Must be saved. The term used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) reflects the necessity set up by God’s directive plan.

[4:13]  ²¹⁸ tn Or “courage.”

[4:13]  ²¹⁹ tn Or “and found out.”

[4:13]  ²²⁰ sn Uneducated does not mean “illiterate,” that is, unable to read or write. Among Jews in NT times there was almost universal literacy, especially as the result of widespread synagogue schools. The term refers to the fact that Peter and John had no formal rabbinic training and thus, in the view of their accusers, were not qualified to expound the law or teach publicly. The objection is like Acts 2:7.

[4:13]  ²²¹ tn For the translation of ἰδιῶται (idiwtai) as “ordinary men” see L&N 27.26.

[4:14]  ²²² tn Or “nothing to say in opposition.”

[4:15]  ²²³ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[4:16]  ²²⁴ tn Or “evident.”

[4:16]  ²²⁵ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.

[4:16]  ²²⁶ tn Or “has been done by them.”

[4:17]  ²²⁷ tn Or “speak no longer.”

[4:18]  ²²⁸ tn Or “commanded.”

[4:18]  ²²⁹ sn In the name of Jesus. Once again, the “name” reflects the person. The person of Jesus and his authority is the “troubling” topic that, as far as the Jewish leadership is concerned, needs controlling.

[4:19]  ²³⁰ tn Grk “answered and said to them.”

[4:19]  ²³¹ tn Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw; see L&N 36.14).

[4:20]  ²³² tn Grk “for we are not able not to speak about what we have seen and heard,” but the double negative, which cancels out in English, is emphatic in Greek. The force is captured somewhat by the English translation “it is impossible for us not to speak…” although this is slightly awkward.

[4:21]  ²³³ tn Or “glorifying.”

[4:22]  ²³⁴ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. See also the note on this word in v. 16.

[4:22]  ²³⁵ tn Or “had been done.”

[4:23]  ²³⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity, since a new topic begins in v. 23 and the last specific reference to Peter and John in the Greek text is in 4:19.

[4:23]  ²³⁷ tn Grk “to their own [people].” In context this phrase is most likely a reference to other believers rather than simply their own families and/or homes, since the group appears to act with one accord in the prayer that follows in v. 24. At the literary level, this phrase suggests how Jews were now splitting into two camps, pro-Jesus and anti-Jesus.

[4:24]  ²³⁸ sn With one mind. Compare Acts 1:14.

[4:24]  ²³⁹ tn Or “Lord of all.”

[4:24]  ²⁴⁰ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[4:25]  ²⁴¹ tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).

[4:25]  ²⁴² tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”

[4:25]  ²⁴³ tn Or “Gentiles.”

[4:25]  ²⁴⁴ sn The Greek word translated rage includes not only anger but opposition, both verbal and nonverbal. See L&N 88.185.

[4:25]  ²⁴⁵ tn Or “futile”; traditionally, “vain.”

[4:26]  ²⁴⁶ tn Traditionally, “The kings of the earth took their stand.”

[4:26]  ²⁴⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[4:26]  ²⁴⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 2:1-2.

[4:27]  ²⁴⁹ sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.

[4:27]  ²⁵⁰ sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”

[4:28]  ²⁵¹ tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.

[4:28]  ²⁵² tn Or “purpose,” “will.”

[4:28]  ²⁵³ tn Or “had predestined.” Since the term “predestine” is something of a technical theological term, not in wide usage in contemporary English, the translation “decide beforehand” was used instead (see L&N 30.84). God’s direction remains as the major theme.

[4:29]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “Lord, take notice of.”

[4:29]  ²⁵⁵ sn Grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage. The request is not for a stop to persecution or revenge on the opponents, but for boldness (great courage) to carry out the mission of proclaiming the message of what God is doing through Jesus.

[4:29]  ²⁵⁶ tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18.

[4:29]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “word.”

[4:29]  ²⁵⁸ tn Or “with all boldness.”

[4:30]  ²⁵⁹ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.

[4:31]  ²⁶⁰ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[4:31]  ²⁶¹ sn The place where they were assembled…was shaken. This signifies that God is in their midst. See Acts 16:26; Exod 19:18; Ps 114:7; Isa 6:4.

[4:31]  ²⁶² tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to speak”). Logical sequencing suggests that their speaking began after they were filled with the Spirit. The prayer was answered immediately.

[4:31]  ²⁶³ tn Or “speak God’s message.”

[4:31]  ²⁶⁴ tn Or “with boldness.”

[4:32]  ²⁶⁵ tn Grk “soul.”

[4:32]  ²⁶⁶ tn Grk “but all things were to them in common.”

[4:33]  ²⁶⁷ tn Grk “And with.” 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.

[4:33]  ²⁶⁸ tn Or “were witnessing.”

[4:34]  ²⁶⁹ tn Or “poor.”

[4:34]  ²⁷⁰ tn Grk “houses, selling them were bringing.” The participle πωλοῦντες (pwlounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[4:34]  ²⁷¹ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[4:35]  ²⁷² tn Grk “It” (or “They,” plural). The referent of the understood pronoun subject, the proceeds from the sales, of the verb διεδίδετο (diedideto) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:36]  ²⁷³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Note how the actions of Barnabas are in keeping with the meaning of his nickname. He stands in contrast to Ananias and Sapphira in 5:1-11.

[4:37]  ²⁷⁴ tn Grk “selling a field that belonged to him, brought” The participle πωλήσας (pwlhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[4:37]  ²⁷⁵ tn Or “a farm.”

[4:37]  ²⁷⁶ tn Normally a reference to actual coins (“currency”). See L&N 6.68.

[5:2]  ²⁷⁷ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[5:2]  ²⁷⁸ tn The participle ἐνέγκας (enenka") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:3]  ²⁷⁹ sn This is a good example of the Greek verb fill (πληρόω, plhrow) meaning “to exercise control over someone’s thought and action” (cf. Eph 5:18).

[5:3]  ²⁸⁰ tn The words “from the sale of” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the meaning, since the phrase “proceeds from the land” could possibly be understood as crops rather than money from the sale.

[5:4]  ²⁸¹ tn Grk “Remaining to you.”

[5:4]  ²⁸² tn The negative interrogative particle οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply to this question and the following one (“And when it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”).

[5:4]  ²⁸³ tn Grk “it”; the referent of the pronoun (the money generated from the sale of the land) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:4]  ²⁸⁴ tn Grk “How is it that you have [or Why have you] placed this deed in your heart?” Both of these literal translations differ from the normal way of expressing the thought in English.

[5:4]  ²⁸⁵ tn Grk “to men.” If Peter’s remark refers only to the apostles, the translation “to men” would be appropriate. But if (as is likely) the action was taken to impress the entire congregation (who would presumably have witnessed the donation or been aware of it) then the more general “to people” is more appropriate, since the audience would have included both men and women.

[5:5]  ²⁸⁶ tn Or “fear came on,” “fear seized”; Grk “fear happened to.”

[5:6]  ²⁸⁷ tn Or “arose.”

[5:6]  ²⁸⁸ tn The translation “wrapped up” for συνέστειλαν (sunesteilan) is suggested by L&N 79.119, but another interpretation is possible. The same verb could also be translated “removed” (see L&N 15.200), although that sense appears somewhat redundant and out of sequence with the following verb and participle (“carried him out and buried him”).

[5:6]  ²⁸⁹ sn Buried. Same day burial was a custom in the Jewish world of the first century (cf. also Deut 21:23).

[5:7]  ²⁹⁰ tn Grk “It happened that after an interval of about three hours.” 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.

[5:7]  ²⁹¹ tn Grk “came in, not knowing.” The participle has been translated with concessive or adversative force: “although she did not know.” In English, the adversative conjunction (“but”) conveys this nuance more smoothly.

[5:8]  ²⁹² tn The words “the two of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to indicate that the verb (ἀπέδοσθε, apedosqe) is plural and thus refers to both Ananias and Sapphira.

[5:8]  ²⁹³ tn Grk “so much,” “as much as this.”

[5:8]  ²⁹⁴ tn Grk “She”; the referent (Sapphira) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:10]  ²⁹⁵ tn Grk “And at once.” 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.

[5:11]  ²⁹⁶ tn Grk “And great.” 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.

[5:11]  ²⁹⁷ tn Or “fear came on,” “fear seized”; Grk “fear happened to.”

[5:11]  ²⁹⁸ sn This is the first occurrence of the term church (ἐκκλησία, ekklhsia) in Acts. It refers to an assembly of people.

[5:12]  ²⁹⁹ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.

[5:12]  ³⁰⁰ tn Grk “And by.” 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.

[5:12]  ³⁰¹ tn Or “With one mind.”

[5:12]  ³⁰² tn Or “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.”

[5:13]  ³⁰³ tn Or “to associate with them.” The group was beginning to have a controversial separate identity. People were cautious about joining them. The next verse suggests that the phrase “none of the rest” in this verse is rhetorical hyperbole.

[5:13]  ³⁰⁴ tn Or “the people thought very highly of them.”

[5:14]  ³⁰⁵ tn Or “More and more believers were added to the Lord.”

[5:15]  ³⁰⁶ tn This is a continuation of the preceding sentence in Greek, but because this would produce an awkward sentence in English, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[5:16]  ³⁰⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:16]  ³⁰⁸ sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.

[5:16]  ³⁰⁹ tn Literally a relative pronoun, “who.” In English, however, a relative clause (“bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits, who were all being healed”) could be understood to refer only to the second group (meaning only those troubled by unclean spirits were being healed) or even that the unclean spirits were being healed. To avoid this ambiguity the pronoun “they” was used to begin a new English sentence.

[5:16]  ³¹⁰ sn They were all being healed. Note how the healings that the apostles provided were comprehensive in their consistency.

[5:17]  ³¹¹ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[5:17]  ³¹² sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[5:17]  ³¹³ sn Filled with jealousy. In Acts, the term “jealousy” (ζήλος, zhlos) occurs only here and in Acts 13:45. It is a key term in Judaism for religiously motivated rage (1 Macc 2:24; 1QH 14:13-15; m. Sanhedrin 9:5). It was a zeal motivated by a desire to maintain the purity of the faith.

[5:18]  ³¹⁴ tn Grk “jealousy, and they.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but a new sentence has been started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[5:18]  ³¹⁵ tn Or “they arrested.”

[5:19]  ³¹⁶ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[5:19]  ³¹⁷ tn Grk “opening the doors of the prison.” The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to the requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:19]  ³¹⁸ tn Greek φυλακῆς (fulakh"), a different word from the one in v. 18 (τήρησις, thrhsi", “jail”).

[5:19]  ³¹⁹ tn Or “brought them out.” Grk “and leading them out, said.” The participle ἐξαγαγών (exagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:20]  ³²⁰ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[5:20]  ³²¹ tn Or “speak.”

[5:21]  ³²² tn Grk “the temple.” See the note on the same phrase in the preceding verse.

[5:21]  ³²³ tn The imperfect verb ἐδίδασκον (edidaskon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[5:21]  ³²⁴ tn Or “the council” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[5:21]  ³²⁵ tn A hendiadys (two different terms referring to a single thing) is likely here (a reference to a single legislative body rather than two separate ones) because the term γερουσίαν (gerousian) is used in both 1 Macc 12:6 and Josephus, Ant. 13.5.8 (13.166) to refer to the Sanhedrin.

[5:21]  ³²⁶ tn Grk “sons of Israel.”

[5:21]  ³²⁷ tn Grk “have them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:21]  ³²⁸ tn The words “before them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[5:22]  ³²⁹ tn The Greek term ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") generally means “servant,” but in the NT is used for many different types of servants, like attendants to a king, the officers of the Sanhedrin (as here), assistants to magistrates, and (especially in the Gospel of John) Jewish guards in the Jerusalem temple (see L&N 35.20).

[5:22]  ³³⁰ tn The words “for them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[5:22]  ³³¹ tn Grk “reported, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[5:23]  ³³² tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[5:24]  ³³³ tn Or “captain.”

[5:24]  ³³⁴ tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[5:24]  ³³⁵ tn Grk “heard these words.”

[5:24]  ³³⁶ tn Grk “concerning them,” agreeing with the plural antecedent “these words.” Since the phrase “these words” was translated as the singular “this report,” the singular “concerning it” is used here.

[5:24]  ³³⁷ tn The optative verb here expresses confused uncertainty.

[5:25]  ³³⁸ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[5:25]  ³³⁹ sn Obeying God (see v. 29), the apostles were teaching again (4:18-20; 5:20). They did so despite the risk.

[5:26]  ³⁴⁰ tn Or “captain.”

[5:26]  ³⁴¹ tn Grk “the official [of the temple],” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[5:26]  ³⁴² tn The Greek term ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") generally means “servant,” but in the NT is used for many different types of servants. See the note on the word “officers” in v. 22.

[5:26]  ³⁴³ tn Grk “brought them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:26]  ³⁴⁴ tn Or “without violence.” It is clear, as well, that the apostles did not resist arrest.

[5:26]  ³⁴⁵ tn Grk “for they feared lest they be stoned by the people.” The translation uses a less awkward English equivalent. This is an explanatory note by the author.

[5:27]  ³⁴⁶ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[5:27]  ³⁴⁷ tn Or “interrogated,” “asked.”

[5:28]  ³⁴⁸ tc ‡ The majority of mss, including a few important witnesses (א² D E [Ψ] 1739 Ï sy sa), have the negative particle οὐ (ou) here, effectively turning the high priest’s words into a question: “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name?” But the earliest and most important mss, along with some others (Ì⁷⁴ א* A B 1175 lat bo), lack the particle, making this a strong statement rather than a question. Scribes may have been tempted to omit the particle to strengthen the contrast between official Judaism and the new faith, but the fact that v. 27 introduces the quotation with ἐπηρώτησεν (ephrwthsen, “he questioned”) may well have prompted scribes to add οὐ to convert the rebuke into a question. Further, that excellent witnesses affirm the shorter reading is sufficient ground for accepting it as most probably authentic. NA²⁷ includes the particle in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[5:28]  ³⁴⁹ tn Grk “We commanded you with a commandment” (a Semitic idiom that is emphatic).

[5:28]  ³⁵⁰ sn The name (i.e., person) of Jesus is the constant issue of debate.

[5:28]  ³⁵¹ tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[5:28]  ³⁵² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:28]  ³⁵³ sn To bring this man’s blood on us is an idiom meaning “you intend to make us guilty of this man’s death.”

[5:29]  ³⁵⁴ tn Grk “apostles answered and said.”

[5:29]  ³⁵⁵ sn Obey. See 4:19. This response has Jewish roots (Dan 3:16-18; 2 Macc 7:2; Josephus, Ant. 17.6.3 [17.159].

[5:29]  ³⁵⁶ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[5:30]  ³⁵⁷ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

[5:30]  ³⁵⁸ tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the first century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

[5:31]  ³⁵⁹ tn Grk “This one God exalted” (emphatic).

[5:31]  ³⁶⁰ tn Or “Founder” (of a movement).

[5:31]  ³⁶¹ tn Or “to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

[5:32]  ³⁶² tn Or “things.” They are preaching these things even to the hostile leadership.

[5:32]  ³⁶³ sn Those who obey. The implication, of course, is that the leadership is disobeying God.

[5:33]  ³⁶⁴ sn The only other use of this verb for anger (furious) is Acts 7:54 after Stephen’s speech.

[5:33]  ³⁶⁵ sn Wanted to execute them. The charge would surely be capital insubordination (Exod 22:28).

[5:34]  ³⁶⁶ sn A Pharisee was a member of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.

[5:34]  ³⁶⁷ sn Gamaliel was a famous Jewish scholar and teacher mentioned here in v. 34 and in Acts 22:3. He had a grandson of the same name and is referred to as “Gamaliel the Elder” to avoid confusion. He is quoted a number of times in the Mishnah, was given the highest possible title for Jewish teachers, Rabba (cf. John 20:16), and was highly regarded in later rabbinic tradition.

[5:34]  ³⁶⁸ tn Grk “standing up in the council, ordered.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:34]  ³⁶⁹ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[5:35]  ³⁷⁰ tn Grk “said to them”; the referent (the council) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:35]  ³⁷¹ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is highly unlikely that this is a generic usage, since Gamaliel was addressing the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council, which would have been exclusively male.

[5:35]  ³⁷² tn Or “men, be careful.”

[5:36]  ³⁷³ tn Grk “For before these days.”

[5:36]  ³⁷⁴ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point.

[5:36]  ³⁷⁵ tn Grk “and they came to nothing.” Gamaliel’s argument is that these two insurrectionists were taken care of by natural events.

[5:37]  ³⁷⁶ tn Or “registration.”

[5:37]  ³⁷⁷ tn The verb ἀφίστημι (afisthmi) as a transitive means “cause to revolt” as used in Josephus, Ant. 8.7.5 (8.198), 20.5.2 (20.102); see BDAG 157 s.v. 1.

[5:38]  ³⁷⁸ tn Here ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[5:38]  ³⁷⁹ tn Or “it will be put to an end.”

[5:39]  ³⁸⁰ tn This is expressed in a first class condition, in contrast to the condition in v. 38b, which is third class. As such, v. 39 is rhetorically presented as the more likely option.

[5:39]  ³⁸¹ tn According to L&N 39.32, the verb εὑρεθῆτε (Jeureqhte, an aorist passive subjunctive) may also be translated “find yourselves” – “lest you find yourselves fighting against God.” The Jewish leader Gamaliel is shown contemplating the other possible alternative about what is occurring.

[5:39]  ³⁸² tn Grk “They were convinced by him.” This passive construction was converted to an active one (“He convinced them”) in keeping with contemporary English style. The phrase “He convinced them” is traditionally placed in Acts 5:40 by most English translations; the standard Greek critical text (represented by NA²⁷ and UBS⁴) places it at the end of v. 39.

[5:40]  ³⁸³ sn Had them beaten. The punishment was the “forty lashes minus one,” see also Acts 22:19; 2 Cor 11:24; Mark 13:9. The apostles had disobeyed the religious authorities and took their punishment for their “disobedience” (Deut 25:2-3; m. Makkot 3:10-14). In Acts 4:18 they were warned. Now they are beaten. The hostility is rising as the narrative unfolds.

[5:40]  ³⁸⁴ tn The word “Then” is supplied as the beginning of a new sentence in the translation. The construction in Greek has so many clauses (most of them made up of participles) that a continuous English sentence would be very awkward.

[5:41]  ³⁸⁵ sn That is, considered worthy by God. They “gloried in their shame” of honoring Jesus with their testimony (Luke 6:22-23; 2 Macc 6:30).

[5:41]  ³⁸⁶ sn The name refers to the name of Jesus (cf. 3 John 7).

[5:42]  ³⁸⁷ tn Grk “temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper and has been translated accordingly.

[5:42]  ³⁸⁸ tn Grk “teaching and evangelizing.” They were still obeying God, not men (see 4:18-20; 5:29).

[5:42]  ³⁸⁹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[6:1]  ³⁹⁰ tn Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.

[6:1]  ³⁹¹ tn Grk “were multiplying.”

[6:1]  ³⁹² tn Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.

[6:1]  ³⁹³ tn Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.

[6:1]  ³⁹⁴ sn The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13; 27:19; Isa 1:17-23; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5.

[6:1]  ³⁹⁵ tn Or “neglected.”

[6:1]  ³⁹⁶ tn Grk “in the daily serving.”

[6:2]  ³⁹⁷ sn The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.

[6:2]  ³⁹⁸ tn Grk “calling the whole group…together, said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενοι (proskalesamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[6:2]  ³⁹⁹ tn Or “the multitude.”

[6:2]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “to serve tables.”

[6:3]  ⁴⁰¹ tn It is not clear from a historical standpoint (but it is unlikely) that women would have been involved in the selection process too. For this reason the translation “brothers” has been retained, rather than “brothers and sisters” (used in contexts where both male and female believers are clearly addressed).

[6:3]  ⁴⁰² sn Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).

[6:3]  ⁴⁰³ tn Or “are of good reputation” (BDAG 618 s.v. μαρτυρέω 2.b).

[6:3]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn The translation “put in charge” is given by BDAG 492 s.v. καθίστημι 2.

[6:3]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Grk “of this need”; translated “necessary work” or “needed task” by L&N 42.22.

[6:5]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[6:5]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn The translation “so” has been used to indicate the logical sequence in English.

[6:5]  ⁴⁰⁸ tn “With” is smoother English style for an addition like this. Because of differences between Greek and English style, καί (kai), which occurs between each name in the list, has not been translated except preceding the last element.

[6:5]  ⁴⁰⁹ sn Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1).

[6:5]  ⁴¹⁰ tn Or “a proselyte.”

[6:5]  ⁴¹¹ map For location see JP1 F2; JP2 F2; JP3 F2; JP4 F2.

[6:6]  ⁴¹² tn Literally this is a participle in the Greek text (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi). It could be translated as a finite verb (“and they prayed and placed their hands on them”) but much smoother English results if the entire coordinate clause is converted to a relative clause that refers back to the apostles.

[6:6]  ⁴¹³ tn Or “laid.”

[6:7]  ⁴¹⁴ tn Grk “kept on spreading”; the verb has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

[6:7]  ⁴¹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:7]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Grk “a great multitude.”

[6:8]  ⁴¹⁷ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.

[6:9]  ⁴¹⁸ sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).

[6:9]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenh") by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).

[6:9]  ⁴²⁰ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[6:10]  ⁴²¹ tn Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.

[6:10]  ⁴²² sn They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15.

[6:11]  ⁴²³ tn Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.

[6:11]  ⁴²⁴ tn Grk “heard him”; but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”

[6:12]  ⁴²⁵ tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[6:12]  ⁴²⁶ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[6:12]  ⁴²⁷ tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:12]  ⁴²⁸ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.

[6:13]  ⁴²⁹ sn This holy place is a reference to the temple.

[6:13]  ⁴³⁰ sn The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11. To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God (Deut 28:15-19). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16-18; 20:16; m. Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1-5. Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 may indicate why the temple was mentioned.

[6:14]  ⁴³¹ tn Or “practices.”

[6:15]  ⁴³² tn Grk “And all.” 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.

[6:15]  ⁴³³ tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[6:15]  ⁴³⁴ tn Grk “at him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:15]  ⁴³⁵ sn His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.

[7:1]  ⁴³⁶ tn Grk “If it is so concerning these things” (see BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a for this use).

[7:2]  ⁴³⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[7:2]  ⁴³⁸ tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”

[7:3]  ⁴³⁹ sn A quotation from Gen 12:1.

[7:4]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:4]  ⁴⁴¹ tn The translation “made him move” for the verb μετοικίζω (metoikizw) is given by L&N 85.83. The verb has the idea of “resettling” someone (BDAG 643 s.v.); see v. 43, where it reappears.

[7:5]  ⁴⁴² tn Grk “And he.” 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.

[7:5]  ⁴⁴³ tn Grk “He did not give him an inheritance in it.” This could be understood to mean that God did not give something else to Abraham as an inheritance while he was living there. The point of the text is that God did not give any of the land to him as an inheritance, and the translation makes this clear.

[7:5]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn Grk “a step of a foot” (cf. Deut 2:5).

[7:5]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:5]  ⁴⁴⁶ sn An allusion to Gen 12:7; 13:15; 15:2, 18; 17:8; 24:7; 48:4. On the theological importance of the promise and to his descendants after him, see Rom 4 and Gal 3.

[7:5]  ⁴⁴⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:6]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Grk “that his”; the discourse switches from indirect to direct with the following verbs. For consistency the entire quotation is treated as second person direct discourse in the translation.

[7:6]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Or “will be strangers,” that is, one who lives as a noncitizen of a foreign country.

[7:6]  ⁴⁵⁰ sn A quotation from Gen 15:13. Exod 12:40 specifies the sojourn as 430 years.

[7:7]  ⁴⁵¹ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α states, “Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish …Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14).”

[7:7]  ⁴⁵² tn The words “of there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[7:7]  ⁴⁵³ tn Or “and serve,” but with religious/cultic overtones (BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω).

[7:7]  ⁴⁵⁴ sn An allusion to Exod 3:12.

[7:8]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:8]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:8]  ⁴⁵⁷ sn God gave…the covenant. Note how the covenant of promise came before Abraham’s entry into the land and before the building of the temple.

[7:8]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn Grk “circumcised him on the eighth day,” but many modern readers will not understand that this procedure was done on the eighth day after birth. The temporal clause “when he was eight days old” conveys this idea more clearly. See Gen 17:11-12.

[7:8]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn The words “became the father of” are not in the Greek text due to an ellipsis, but must be supplied for the English translation. The ellipsis picks up the verb from the previous clause describing how Abraham fathered Isaac.

[7:8]  ⁴⁶⁰ sn The twelve patriarchs refers to the twelve sons of Jacob, the famous ancestors of the Jewish race (see Gen 35:23-26).

[7:9]  ⁴⁶¹ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[7:9]  ⁴⁶² tn The meaning “sell” for the middle voice of ἀποδίδωμι (apodidwmi) is given by BDAG 110 s.v. 5.a. See Gen 37:12-36, esp. v. 28.

[7:9]  ⁴⁶³ tn Though the Greek term here is καί (kai), in context this remark is clearly contrastive: Despite the malicious act, God was present and protected Joseph.

[7:10]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41-43.

[7:11]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Grk “came upon all Egypt.”

[7:11]  ⁴⁶⁶ tn Grk “and,” but logically causal.

[7:11]  ⁴⁶⁷ sn Our. Stephen spoke of “our” ancestors (Grk “fathers”) in an inclusive sense throughout the speech until his rebuke in v. 51, where the nation does what “your” ancestors did, at which point an exclusive pronoun is used. This serves to emphasize the rebuke.

[7:11]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:12]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Or possibly “food,” since in a number of extrabiblical contexts the phrase σιτία καὶ ποτά (sitia kai pota) means “food and drink,” where solid food is contrasted with liquid nourishment (L&N 3.42).

[7:12]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:12]  ⁴⁷¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[7:13]  ⁴⁷² tn BDAG 194 s.v. γένος 2. gives “family, relatives” here; another alternative is “race” (see v. 19).

[7:14]  ⁴⁷³ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[7:14]  ⁴⁷⁴ tn Or “Joseph had his father summoned” (BDAG 121 s.v. ἀποστέλλω 2.b).

[7:14]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

[7:15]  ⁴⁷⁶ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[7:15]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:16]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn “and they.”

[7:16]  ⁴⁷⁹ sn See Gen 49:29-32.

[7:17]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6-7 above.

[7:17]  ⁴⁸¹ tn Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”

[7:18]  ⁴⁸² tn Or simply “did not know.” However, in this context the point is that the new king knew nothing about Joseph, not whether he had known him personally (which is the way “did not know Joseph” could be understood).

[7:18]  ⁴⁸³ tn Grk “arose,” but in this context it clearly refers to a king assuming power.

[7:18]  ⁴⁸⁴ sn A quotation from Exod 1:8.

[7:19]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn According to L&N 88.147 it is also possible to translate κατασοφισάμενος (katasofisameno") as “took advantage by clever words” or “persuaded by sweet talk.”

[7:19]  ⁴⁸⁶ tn Or “race.”

[7:19]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:19]  ⁴⁸⁸ tn Or “expose” (BDAG 303 s.v. ἔκθετος).

[7:19]  ⁴⁸⁹ tn Grk “so that they could not be kept alive,” but in this context the phrase may be translated either “so that they would not continue to live,” or “so that they would die” (L&N 23.89).

[7:20]  ⁴⁹⁰ tn Or “was well-formed before God,” or “was well-pleasing to God” (BDAG 145 s.v. ἀστεῖος suggests the meaning is more like “well-bred” as far as God was concerned; see Exod 2:2).

[7:20]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Grk “who was brought up for three months.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation by changing the relative pronoun to a regular pronoun (“he”).

[7:21]  ⁴⁹² tn Or “exposed” (see v. 19).

[7:21]  ⁴⁹³ tn Grk “Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself.” According to BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω, “The pap. exx. involve exposed children taken up and reared as slaves…The rendering ‘adopt’ lacks philological precision and can be used only in a loose sense (as NRSV), esp. when Gr-Rom. terminology relating to adoption procedures is taken into account.” In this instance both the immediate context and the OT account (Exod 2:3-10) do support the normal sense of the English word “adopt,” although it should not be understood to refer to a technical, legal event.

[7:21]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn Or “and reared him” (BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b).

[7:22]  ⁴⁹⁵ tn Or “instructed.”

[7:22]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Or “was able” (BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b.α).

[7:23]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Grk “heart.”

[7:23]  ⁴⁹⁸ tn Grk “brothers.” The translation “compatriot” is given by BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

[7:23]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Grk “the sons of Israel.”

[7:24]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[7:24]  ⁵⁰¹ tn “Hurt unfairly” conveys a better sense of the seriousness of the offense against the Israelite than “treated unfairly,” which can sometimes refer to slight offenses, or “wronged,” which can refer to offenses that do not involve personal violence, as this one probably did.

[7:24]  ⁵⁰² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:24]  ⁵⁰³ tn Or “he defended,” “he retaliated” (BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμύνομαι).

[7:25]  ⁵⁰⁴ tn Grk “his brothers.”

[7:25]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “was granting them deliverance.” The narrator explains that this act pictured what Moses could do for his people.

[7:25]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Grk “by his hand,” where the hand is a metaphor for the entire person.

[7:25]  ⁵⁰⁷ sn They did not understand. Here is the theme of the speech. The people did not understand what God was doing through those he chose. They made the same mistake with Joseph at first. See Acts 3:17; 13:27. There is good precedent for this kind of challenging review of history in the ancient scriptures: Ps 106:6-46; Ezek 20; and Neh 9:6-38.

[7:26]  ⁵⁰⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:26]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Grk “saw them”; the context makes clear that two individuals were involved (v. 27).

[7:26]  ⁵¹⁰ tn Or “tried to reconcile” (BDAG 964-65 s.v. συναλλάσσω).

[7:27]  ⁵¹¹ tn Or “repudiated Moses,” “rejected Moses” (BDAG 126-27 s.v. ἀπωθέω 2).

[7:27]  ⁵¹² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:27]  ⁵¹³ tn Or “appointed.”

[7:28]  ⁵¹⁴ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do you?”

[7:29]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Grk “At this word,” which could be translated either “when the man said this” or “when Moses heard this.” Since λόγος (logos) refers to the remark made by the Israelite, this translation has followed the first option.

[7:29]  ⁵¹⁶ tn Or “resident alien.” Traditionally πάροικος (paroiko") has been translated “stranger” or “alien,” but the level of specificity employed with “foreigner” or “resident alien” is now necessary in contemporary English because a “stranger” is a person not acquainted with someone, while an “alien” can suggest science fiction imagery.

[7:30]  ⁵¹⁷ tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and contemporary English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[7:30]  ⁵¹⁸ tn Or “wilderness.”

[7:30]  ⁵¹⁹ sn An allusion to Exod 3:2.

[7:32]  ⁵²⁰ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:32]  ⁵²¹ tn Grk “and Isaac,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[7:32]  ⁵²² sn A quotation from Exod 3:6. The phrase suggests the God of promise, the God of the nation.

[7:32]  ⁵²³ tn Or “to investigate,” “to contemplate” (BDAG 522 s.v. κατανοέω 2).

[7:33]  ⁵²⁴ sn A quotation from Exod 3:5. The phrase holy ground points to the fact that God is not limited to a particular locale. The place where he is active in revealing himself is a holy place.

[7:34]  ⁵²⁵ tn Or “mistreatment.”

[7:34]  ⁵²⁶ tn Or “to set them free.”

[7:34]  ⁵²⁷ 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.

[7:34]  ⁵²⁸ sn A quotation from Exod 3:7-8, 10.

[7:35]  ⁵²⁹ sn This same. The reference to “this one” occurs five times in this speech. It is the way the other speeches in Acts refer to Jesus (e.g., Acts 2:23).

[7:35]  ⁵³⁰ sn A quotation from Exod 2:14 (see Acts 7:27). God saw Moses very differently than the people of the nation did. The reference to a ruler and a judge suggests that Stephen set up a comparison between Moses and Jesus, but he never finished his speech to make the point. The reader of Acts, however, knowing the other sermons in the book, recognizes that the rejection of Jesus is the counterpoint.

[7:35]  ⁵³¹ tn Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrwthn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”

[7:35]  ⁵³² tn Or simply “through the angel.” Here the “hand” could be understood as a figure for the person or the power of the angel himself. The remark about the angel appearing fits the first century Jewish view that God appears to no one (John 1:14-18; Gal 3:19; Deut 33:2 LXX).

[7:36]  ⁵³³ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

[7:36]  ⁵³⁴ tn Or simply “in Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

[7:36]  ⁵³⁵ tn Grk “and at,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[7:36]  ⁵³⁶ tn Or “desert.”

[7:37]  ⁵³⁷ tn Grk “to the sons of Israel.”

[7:37]  ⁵³⁸ sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. This quotation sets up Jesus as the “leader-prophet” like Moses (Acts 3:22; Luke 9:35).

[7:38]  ⁵³⁹ tn This term, ἐκκλησία (ekklhsia), is a secular use of the term that came to mean “church” in the epistles. Here a reference to an assembly is all that is intended.

[7:38]  ⁵⁴⁰ tn Or “desert.”

[7:38]  ⁵⁴¹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:38]  ⁵⁴² tn Grk “fathers, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new clause introduced by “and” was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[7:38]  ⁵⁴³ tn Or “messages.” This is an allusion to the law given to Moses.

[7:38]  ⁵⁴⁴ tc ‡ The first person pronoun ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “to us”) is read by A C D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat sy, while the second person pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”) is read by Ì⁷⁴ א B 36 453 al co. The second person pronoun thus has significantly better external support. As well, ὑμῖν is a harder reading in this context, both because it is surrounded by first person pronouns and because Stephen perhaps “does not wish to disassociate himself from those who received God’s revelation in the past, but only from those who misinterpreted and disobeyed that revelation” (TCGNT 307). At the same time, Stephen does associate himself to some degree with his disobedient ancestors in v. 39, suggesting that the decisive break does not really come until v. 51 (where both his present audience and their ancestors are viewed as rebellious). Thus, both externally and internally ὑμῖν is the preferred reading.

[7:39]  ⁵⁴⁵ tn Grk “whom our.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.

[7:39]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:39]  ⁵⁴⁷ sn To obey. Again the theme of the speech is noted. The nation disobeyed the way of God and opted for Egypt over the promised land.

[7:39]  ⁵⁴⁸ sn Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).

[7:40]  ⁵⁴⁹ tn Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

[7:40]  ⁵⁵⁰ sn A quotation from Exod 32:1, 23. Doubt (we do not know what has happened to him) expresses itself in unfaithful action. The act is in contrast to God’s promise in Exod 23:20.

[7:41]  ⁵⁵¹ tn Grk “And.” 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.

[7:41]  ⁵⁵² tn Grk “In those days.”

[7:41]  ⁵⁵³ tn Or “a bull calf” (see Exod 32:4-6). The term μοσχοποιέω (moscopoiew) occurs only in Christian writings according to BDAG 660 s.v.

[7:41]  ⁵⁵⁴ tn Grk “and brought,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[7:41]  ⁵⁵⁵ tn The imperfect verb εὐφραίνοντο (eufrainonto) has been translated ingressively. See BDAG 414-15 s.v. εὐφραίνω 2.

[7:41]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn Or “in what they had done.”

[7:42]  ⁵⁵⁷ sn The expression and gave them over suggests similarities to the judgment on the nations described by Paul in Rom 1:18-32.

[7:42]  ⁵⁵⁸ tn Or “stars.”

[7:42]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn The two terms for sacrifices “semantically reinforce one another and are here combined essentially for emphasis” (L&N 53.20).

[7:42]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “was it?”

[7:43]  ⁵⁶¹ tn Or “tent.”

[7:43]  ⁵⁶² sn Moloch was a Canaanite deity who was believed to be the god of the sky and the sun.

[7:43]  ⁵⁶³ tc ‡ Most mss, including several important ones (Ì⁷⁴ א A C E Ψ 33 1739 Ï h p vg sy^h mae bo Cyr), have ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) here, in conformity with the LXX of Amos 5:26. But other significant and diverse witnesses lack the pronoun: The lack of ὑμῶν in B D 36 453 gig sy^p sa Ir^lat Or is difficult to explain if it is not the original wording here. NA²⁷ has the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[7:43]  ⁵⁶⁴ sn Rephan (῾Ραιφάν, RJaifan) was a pagan deity. The term was a name for Saturn. It was variously spelled in the mss (BDAG 903 s.v. has Rompha as an alternate spelling). The references cover a range of deities and a history of unfaithfulness.

[7:43]  ⁵⁶⁵ tn Or “I will make you move.”

[7:43]  ⁵⁶⁶ sn A quotation from Amos 5:25-27. This constituted a prediction of the exile.

[7:44]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:44]  ⁵⁶⁸ tn Or “tent.”

[7:44]  ⁵⁶⁹ tn Or “desert.”

[7:44]  ⁵⁷⁰ tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:44]  ⁵⁷¹ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[7:45]  ⁵⁷² tn Grk “And.” 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.

[7:45]  ⁵⁷³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:45]  ⁵⁷⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:45]  ⁵⁷⁵ tn Grk “In those days.”

[7:46]  ⁵⁷⁶ tn Grk “David, who” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[7:46]  ⁵⁷⁷ tn Or “grace.”

[7:46]  ⁵⁷⁸ tn Grk “before,” “in the presence of.”

[7:46]  ⁵⁷⁹ tn The words “that he could” are not in the Greek text, but are implied as the (understood) subject of the infinitive εὑρεῖν (Jeurein). This understands David’s request as asking that he might find the dwelling place. The other possibility would be to supply “that God” as the subject of the infinitive: “and asked that God find a dwelling place.” Unfortunately this problem is complicated by the extremely difficult problem with the Greek text in the following phrase (“house of Jacob” vs. “God of Jacob”).

[7:46]  ⁵⁸⁰ tn On this term see BDAG 929 s.v. σκήνωμα a (Ps 132:5).

[7:46]  ⁵⁸¹ tc Some mss read θεῷ (qew, “God”) here, a variant much easier to understand in the context. The reading “God” is supported by א² A C E Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat sy co. The more difficult οἴκῳ (oikw, “house”) is supported by Ì⁷⁴ א* B D H 049 pc. Thus the second reading is preferred both externally because of better ms evidence and internally because it is hard to see how a copyist finding the reading “God” would change it to “house,” while it is easy to see how (given the LXX of Ps 132:5) a copyist might assimilate the reading and change “house” to “God.” However, some scholars think the reading “house” is so difficult as to be unacceptable. Others (like Lachmann and Hort) resorted to conjectural emendation at this point. Others (Ropes) sought an answer in an underlying Aramaic expression. Not everyone thinks the reading “house” is too difficult to be accepted as original (see Lake and Cadbury). A. F. J. Klijn, “Stephen’s Speech – Acts vii.2-53,” NTS 4 (1957): 25-31, compared the idea of a “house within the house of Israel” with the Manual of Discipline from Qumran, a possible parallel that seems to support the reading “house” as authentic. (For the more detailed discussion from which this note was derived, see TCGNT 308-9.)

[7:47]  ⁵⁸² sn See 1 Kgs 8:1-21.

[7:48]  ⁵⁸³ sn The title the Most High points to God’s majesty (Heb 7:1; Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 16:7).

[7:48]  ⁵⁸⁴ sn The phrase made by human hands is negative in the NT: Mark 14:58; Acts 17:24; Eph 2:11; Heb 9:11, 24. It suggests “man-made” or “impermanent.” The rebuke is like parts of the Hebrew scripture where the rebuke is not of the temple, but for making too much of it (1 Kgs 8:27; Isa 57:15; 1 Chr 6:8; Jer 7:1-34).

[7:49]  ⁵⁸⁵ sn What kind…resting place? The rhetorical questions suggest mere human beings cannot build a house to contain God.

[7:50]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn Or “Did I.” The phrase “my hand” is ultimately a metaphor for God himself.

[7:50]  ⁵⁸⁷ tn The question in Greek introduced with οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply.

[7:51]  ⁵⁸⁸ sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.

[7:51]  ⁵⁸⁹ tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.

[7:51]  ⁵⁹⁰ tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)

[7:51]  ⁵⁹¹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:52]  ⁵⁹² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:52]  ⁵⁹³ sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.

[7:52]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Grk “And they.” 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.

[7:52]  ⁵⁹⁵ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.

[7:52]  ⁵⁹⁶ sn Whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. The harsh critique has OT precedent (1 Kgs 19:10-14; Neh 9:26; 2 Chr 36:16).

[7:53]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Grk “whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, who received the law” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “You” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[7:53]  ⁵⁹⁸ tn Traditionally, “as ordained by angels,” but εἰς (eis) with the accusative here should be understood as instrumental (a substitute for ἐν [en]); so BDAG 291 s.v. εἰς 9, BDF §206. Thus the phrase literally means “received the law by the decrees [orders] of angels” with the genitive understood as a subjective genitive, that is, the angels gave the decrees.

[7:53]  ⁵⁹⁹ tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.

[7:53]  ⁶⁰⁰ tn Or “did not obey it.”

[7:54]  ⁶⁰¹ tn This verb, which also occurs in Acts 5:33, means “cut to the quick” or “deeply infuriated” (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπρίω).

[7:54]  ⁶⁰² tn Or “they gnashed their teeth.” This idiom is a picture of violent rage (BDAG 184 s.v. βρύχω). See also Ps 35:16.

[7:55]  ⁶⁰³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:55]  ⁶⁰⁴ tn Grk “being full,” but the participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has not been translated since it would be redundant in English.

[7:55]  ⁶⁰⁵ tn Grk “looking intently toward heaven, saw.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[7:55]  ⁶⁰⁶ sn The picture of Jesus standing (rather than seated) probably indicates his rising to receive his child. By announcing his vision, Stephen thoroughly offended his audience, who believed no one could share God’s place in heaven. The phrase is a variation on Ps 110:1.

[7:56]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn Grk “And he said, ‘Look!’” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

[7:57]  ⁶⁰⁸ sn They covered their ears to avoid hearing what they considered to be blasphemy.

[7:58]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

[7:58]  ⁶¹⁰ sn They began to stone him. The irony of the scene is that the people do exactly what the speech complains about in v. 52.

[7:58]  ⁶¹¹ tn Or “outer garments.”

[7:59]  ⁶¹² tn Grk “And they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

[7:60]  ⁶¹³ tn Grk “Then falling to his knees he cried out.” The participle θείς (qeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[7:60]  ⁶¹⁴ sn The remarks Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and Lord, do not hold this sin against them recall statements Jesus made on the cross (Luke 23:34, 46).

[7:60]  ⁶¹⁵ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

[7:60]  ⁶¹⁶ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

[8:1]  ⁶¹⁷ tn The term ἀναίρεσις (anairesi") can refer to murder (BDAG 64 s.v.; 2 Macc 5:13; Josephus, Ant. 5.2.12 [5.165]).

[8:1]  ⁶¹⁸ tn Or “severe.”

[8:1]  ⁶¹⁹ tn Grk “Now there happened on that day a great persecution.” It is less awkward to say in English “Now on that day a great persecution began.”

[8:1]  ⁶²⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:1]  ⁶²¹ sn All. Given that the Jerusalem church is still active after this and that the Hellenists are the focus of Acts 6-8, it is possible to argue that only the Hellenistic Christians were forced to scatter.

[8:1]  ⁶²² tn Or “countryside.”

[8:2]  ⁶²³ tn “Some” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[8:2]  ⁶²⁴ sn Made loud lamentation. For someone who was stoned to death, lamentation was normally not allowed (m. Sanhedrin 6:6). The remark points to an unjust death.

[8:2]  ⁶²⁵ tn Or “mourned greatly for him.”

[8:3]  ⁶²⁶ tn Or “began to harm [the church] severely.” If the nuance of this verb is “destroy,” then the imperfect verb ἐλυμαίνετο (elumaineto) is best translated as a conative imperfect as in the translation above. If instead the verb is taken to mean “injure severely” (as L&N 20.24), it should be translated in context as an ingressive imperfect (“began to harm the church severely”). Either option does not significantly alter the overall meaning, since it is clear from the stated actions of Saul in the second half of the verse that he intended to destroy or ravage the church.

[8:3]  ⁶²⁷ tn The participle σύρων (surwn) has been translated as an finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:3]  ⁶²⁸ tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3.”

[8:5]  ⁶²⁹ tn The word “main” is supplied in the translation to clarify that “Samaria” is not the name of the city (at least in NT times). See both BDAG 912 s.v. Σαμάρεια, and L&N 93.568.

[8:5]  ⁶³⁰ tn The imperfect ἐκήρυσσεν (ekhrussen) has been translated as an ingressive, since this is probably the first time such preaching took place.

[8:5]  ⁶³¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[8:6]  ⁶³² tn Grk “to what was being said by Philip,” a passive construction that has been changed to active voice in the translation.

[8:6]  ⁶³³ tn Here the following context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned. This term appears 13 times in Acts, but only twice more after Acts 8:13 (i.e., 14:3; 15:12).

[8:7]  ⁶³⁴ sn The expression unclean spirits refers to evil supernatural spirits which were ceremonially unclean, and which caused the persons possessed by them to be ceremonially unclean.

[8:7]  ⁶³⁵ tn Grk “For [in the case of] many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out, crying in a loud voice.”

[8:8]  ⁶³⁶ tn Grk “and there came about,” but this is somewhat awkward in English.

[8:8]  ⁶³⁷ sn Great joy. The reason for eschatological joy was that such events pointed to God’s decisive deliverance (Luke 7:22-23). Note how the acts of healing extend beyond the Twelve here.

[8:9]  ⁶³⁸ tn On the idiom προϋπῆρχεν μαγεύων (prouphrcen mageuwn) meaning “had been practicing magic” see BDAG 889 s.v. προϋπάρχω.

[8:10]  ⁶³⁹ tn Grk “all of them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:10]  ⁶⁴⁰ tn Or “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” The translation “what is called the Great Power of God” is given by BDAG 263 s.v. δύναμις 5, but the repetition of the article before καλουμένη μεγάλη (kaloumenh megalh) suggests the translation “the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”

[8:12]  ⁶⁴¹ sn The kingdom of God is also what Jesus preached: Acts 1:3. The term reappears in 14:22; 19:8; 28:23, 31.

[8:12]  ⁶⁴² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[8:12]  ⁶⁴³ tn The imperfect verb ἐβαπτίζοντο (ebaptizonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[8:13]  ⁶⁴⁴ tn Or “he kept close company with.”

[8:13]  ⁶⁴⁵ sn He was amazed. Now Simon, the one who amazed others, is himself amazed, showing the superiority of Philip’s connection to God. Christ is better than anything the culture has to offer.

[8:14]  ⁶⁴⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:14]  ⁶⁴⁷ tn Or “message.”

[8:14]  ⁶⁴⁸ sn They sent. The Jerusalem church with the apostles was overseeing the expansion of the church, as the distribution of the Spirit indicates in vv. 15-17.

[8:15]  ⁶⁴⁹ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the phrase “these two” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[8:16]  ⁶⁵⁰ tn Grk “For he”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:16]  ⁶⁵¹ tn Or “fallen on.”

[8:16]  ⁶⁵² sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[8:17]  ⁶⁵³ tn Grk “on them”; the referent (the Samaritans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:17]  ⁶⁵⁴ sn They received the Holy Spirit. It is likely this special distribution of the Spirit took place because a key ethnic boundary was being crossed. Here are some of “those far off” of Acts 2:38-40.

[8:18]  ⁶⁵⁵ tc Most witnesses (Ì^45,74 A* C D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï latt sy bo) here read “the Holy Spirit” (τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, to pneuma to {agion), while a few key mss have simply τὸ πνεῦμα (א A^c B sa mae). Although it is possible that some scribes omitted τὸ ἅγιον because of its perceived superfluity (note vv. 15, 17, 19), it is far more likely that others added the adjective out of pious motives.

[8:19]  ⁶⁵⁶ tn Or “ability”; Grk “authority.”

[8:20]  ⁶⁵⁷ tn Grk “May your silver together with you be sent into destruction.” This is a strong curse. The gifts of God are sovereignly bestowed and cannot be purchased.

[8:20]  ⁶⁵⁸ tn Or “obtain.”

[8:21]  ⁶⁵⁹ tn The translation “share or part” is given by L&N 63.13.

[8:21]  ⁶⁶⁰ tn Since the semantic range for λόγος (logos) is so broad, a number of different translations could be given for the prepositional phrase here. Something along the lines of “in this thing” would work well, but is too colloquial for the present translation.

[8:22]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Or “and implore the Lord.”

[8:22]  ⁶⁶² tn Grk “that if possible the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in contemporary English and has thus been converted to an active construction in the translation.

[8:23]  ⁶⁶³ tn Grk “in the gall of bitterness,” an idiom meaning to be particularly envious or resentful of someone. In this case Simon was jealous of the apostles’ power to bestow the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, and wanted that power for himself. The literal phrase does not convey this to the modern reader, and in fact some modern translations have simply rendered the phrase as involving bitterness, which misses the point of the envy on Simon’s part. See L&N 88.166. The OT images come from Deut 29:17-18 and Isa 58:6.

[8:24]  ⁶⁶⁴ tn Grk “Simon answered and said.”

[8:24]  ⁶⁶⁵ tn Grk “may come upon.”

[8:25]  ⁶⁶⁶ tn Grk “after they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:25]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and could be taken to refer specifically to the warning given to Simon in the preceding verses. However, a more general reference is more likely, referring to parting exhortations from Peter and John to the entire group of believers.

[8:25]  ⁶⁶⁸ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[8:25]  ⁶⁶⁹ tn Grk “they were returning to Jerusalem and were proclaiming.” The first imperfect is taken ingressively and the second is viewed iteratively (“proclaiming…as they went”).

[8:25]  ⁶⁷⁰ sn By proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages, the apostles now actively share in the broader ministry the Hellenists had started.

[8:25]  ⁶⁷¹ tn “As they went” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the imperfect tense (see tn above).

[8:26]  ⁶⁷² tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[8:26]  ⁶⁷³ tn Grk “Lord spoke to Philip, saying.” The redundant participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated.

[8:26]  ⁶⁷⁴ tn Or “Get up and go about noon.” The phrase κατὰ μεσημβρίαν (kata meshmbrian) can be translated either “about noon” (L&N 67.74) or “toward the south” (L&N 82.4). Since the angel’s command appears to call for immediate action (“Get up”) and would not therefore need a time indicator, a directional reference (“toward the south”) is more likely here.

[8:26]  ⁶⁷⁵ map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:26]  ⁶⁷⁶ tn Or “wilderness.”

[8:26]  ⁶⁷⁷ tn The words “This is a desert road” are probably best understood as a comment by the author of Acts, but it is possible they form part of the angel’s speech to Philip, in which case the verse would read: “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza – the desert road.”

[8:27]  ⁶⁷⁸ tn Grk “And,” but καί (kai) carries something of a resultative force in this context because what follows describes Philip’s response to the angel’s command.

[8:27]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Grk “So getting up he went.” The aorist participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:27]  ⁶⁸⁰ tn Grk “And there.” 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.

[8:27]  ⁶⁸¹ tn Grk “and behold.” This expression is used to portray Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian in a vivid way. In the English translation this vividness is difficult to convey; it is necessary to supply the words “he met.”

[8:27]  ⁶⁸² sn The term eunuch normally referred to a man who had been castrated, but this was not always the case (see Gen 39:1 LXX, where Potiphar is called a eunuch). Such castrated individuals were preferred as court officials in the East, although Judaism opposed the practice. The Mosaic law excluded eunuchs from Israel (Deut 23:1), although God certainly accepted them (Isa 56:3-5; Wis 3:14). This individual was a high official, since he was said to be in charge of all her treasury. He may or may not have been a eunuch physically. He appears to be the first fully Gentile convert to Christianity, since the Samaritans mentioned previously (Acts 8:4-25) were regarded as half-breeds.

[8:27]  ⁶⁸³ tn Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of the Ethiopians). The term Κανδάκης (Kandakh") is much more likely a title rather than a proper name (like Pharaoh, which is a title); see L&N 37.77. A few, however, still take the word to be the name of the queen (L&N 93.209). BDAG 507 s.v. Κανδάκη, treats the term as a title and lists classical usage by Strabo (Geography 17.1.54) and others.

[8:27]  ⁶⁸⁴ tn Grk “who was over all her treasury, who.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “he” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[8:27]  ⁶⁸⁵ sn Since this man had come to Jerusalem to worship, he may have been a proselyte to Judaism. This event is a precursor to Acts 10.

[8:28]  ⁶⁸⁶ tn Grk “and was sitting.” 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.

[8:28]  ⁶⁸⁷ tn Grk “and was reading.” 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.

[8:30]  ⁶⁸⁸ tn The participle προσδραμών (prosdramwn) is regarded as attendant circumstance.

[8:30]  ⁶⁸⁹ tn The words “to it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[8:30]  ⁶⁹⁰ tn Grk “heard him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:30]  ⁶⁹¹ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[8:30]  ⁶⁹² tn Grk “he said”; but since what follows is a question, it is better English style to translate the introduction to the question “he asked him.”

[8:31]  ⁶⁹³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:31]  ⁶⁹⁴ tn Grk “How am I able, unless…” The translation is based on the force of the conjunction γάρ (gar) in this context. The translation “How in the world can I?” is given in BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 1.f.

[8:32]  ⁶⁹⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:32]  ⁶⁹⁶ tn Grk “does.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the first line of the quotation (“he was led like a sheep to slaughter”), which has an aorist passive verb normally translated as a past tense in English.

[8:33]  ⁶⁹⁷ tc ‡ Most later mss (C E Ψ 33^vid Ï sy) read “In his humiliation,” adding αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after ταπεινώσει (tapeinwsei, “humiliation”), while the earlier and better witnesses lack the pronoun (so Ì⁷⁴ א A B 1739 pc lat). However, the LXX of Isa 53:8 also lacks the pronoun, supplying motivation for scribes to omit it here. At the same time, scribes would also be motivated to add the pronoun both for clarity’s sake (note the similar impulse that led to the addition of δέ [de] by many of the same mss at the beginning of the next line) and to give balance to the lines (the pronoun is indisputably used five other times in vv. 32-33 in quoting Isa 53). On balance, the shorter reading is preferred.

[8:33]  ⁶⁹⁸ tn Or “justice was denied him”; Grk “his justice was taken away.”

[8:33]  ⁶⁹⁹ tn Or “family; or “origin.” The meaning of γενεά (genea) in the quotation is uncertain; BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 4 suggests “family history.”

[8:33]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn Grk “is taken away.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the rest of the quotation.

[8:33]  ⁷⁰¹ sn A quotation from Isa 53:7-8.

[8:34]  ⁷⁰² tn Grk “answered and said.” The redundant participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqei") has not been translated.

[8:34]  ⁷⁰³ tn Grk “I beg you,” “I ask you.”

[8:34]  ⁷⁰⁴ sn About himself, or about someone else? It is likely in 1st century Judaism this would have been understood as either Israel or Isaiah.

[8:35]  ⁷⁰⁵ tn Grk “opening his mouth” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:35]  ⁷⁰⁶ sn Beginning with this scripture. The discussion likely included many of the scriptures Acts has already noted for the reader in earlier speeches. At the least, readers of Acts would know what other scriptures might be meant.

[8:36]  ⁷⁰⁷ tn Or “What prevents me.” The rhetorical question means, “I should get baptized, right?”

[8:37]  ⁷⁰⁸ tc A few later mss (E 36 323 453 945 1739 1891 pc) add, with minor variations, 8:37 “He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ He replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” Verse 37 is lacking in {Ì^45,74 א A B C 33 614 vg sy^p,h co}. It is clearly not a part of the original text of Acts. The variant is significant in showing how some in the early church viewed a confession of faith. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[8:38]  ⁷⁰⁹ tn Grk “and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch.” Since this is somewhat redundant in English, it was simplified to “and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water.”

[8:38]  ⁷¹⁰ sn Philip baptized. Again, someone beyond the Twelve has ministered an ordinance of faith.

[8:39]  ⁷¹¹ tn BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 2 indicates that under certain circumstances γάρ (gar) has the same meaning as δέ (de).

[8:39]  ⁷¹² sn Note that the response to the gospel is rejoicing (joy, cf. Acts 11:23; 13:48).

[8:40]  ⁷¹³ tn Or “appeared.”

[8:40]  ⁷¹⁴ sn Azotus was a city on the coast of southern Palestine, known as Ashdod in OT times.

[8:40]  ⁷¹⁵ tn The words “the area” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[8:40]  ⁷¹⁶ tn Or “he preached the gospel.”

[8:40]  ⁷¹⁷ tn Or “cities.”

[8:40]  ⁷¹⁸ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[9:1]  ⁷¹⁹ tn Or “Saul, making dire threats.”

[9:1]  ⁷²⁰ tn The expression “breathing out threats and murder” is an idiomatic expression for “making threats to murder” (see L&N 33.293). Although the two terms “threats” and “murder” are syntactically coordinate, the second is semantically subordinate to the first. In other words, the content of the threats is to murder the disciples.

[9:2]  ⁷²¹ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[9:2]  ⁷²² sn The expression “the way” in ancient religious literature refers at times to “the whole way of life fr. a moral and spiritual viewpoint” (BDAG 692 s.v. ὁδός 3.c), and it has been so used of Christianity and its teachings in the book of Acts (see also 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It is a variation of Judaism’s idea of two ways, the true and the false, where “the Way” is the true one (1 En. 91:18; 2 En. 30:15).

[9:2]  ⁷²³ tn Grk “bring them bound”; the translation “bring someone as prisoner” for δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά (dedemenon agein tina) is given by BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b.

[9:2]  ⁷²⁴ sn From Damascus to Jerusalem was a six-day journey. Christianity had now expanded into Syria.

[9:3]  ⁷²⁵ tn Grk “As he was going along, it happened that when he was approaching.” The 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.

[9:3]  ⁷²⁶ tn Or “shone” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαστράπτω). The light was more brilliant than the sun according to Acts 26:13.

[9:4]  ⁷²⁷ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[9:4]  ⁷²⁸ tn The double vocative suggests emotion.

[9:4]  ⁷²⁹ sn Persecuting me. To persecute the church is to persecute Jesus.

[9:6]  ⁷³⁰ tn Or “But arise.”

[9:6]  ⁷³¹ tn Literally a passive construction, “it will be told to you.” This has been converted to another form of passive construction in the translation.

[9:7]  ⁷³² tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which is used only rarely in a generic sense of both men and women. In the historical setting here, Paul’s traveling companions were almost certainly all males.

[9:7]  ⁷³³ tn That is, unable to speak because of fear or amazement. See BDAG 335 s.v. ἐνεός.

[9:7]  ⁷³⁴ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Acts 22:9 appears to indicate that they saw the light but did not hear a voice. They were “witnesses” that something happened.

[9:8]  ⁷³⁵ tn Grk “his eyes being open,” a genitive absolute construction that has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[9:8]  ⁷³⁶ sn He could see nothing. This sign of blindness, which was temporary until v. 18, is like the sign of deafness experienced by Zechariah in Luke 1. It allowed some time for Saul (Paul) to reflect on what had happened without distractions.

[9:8]  ⁷³⁷ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Saul’s companions) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:9]  ⁷³⁸ tn Grk “And for.” 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.

[9:9]  ⁷³⁹ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader. The fasting might indicate an initial realization of Luke 5:33-39. Fasting was usually accompanied by reflective thought.

[9:10]  ⁷⁴⁰ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[9:10]  ⁷⁴¹ sn The Lord is directing all the events leading to the expansion of the gospel as he works on both sides of the meeting between Paul and Ananias. “The Lord” here refers to Jesus (see v. 17).

[9:10]  ⁷⁴² tn Grk “behold, I,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).

[9:11]  ⁷⁴³ sn The noting of the detail of the locale, ironically called ‘Straight’ Street, shows how directive and specific the Lord was.

[9:12]  ⁷⁴⁴ tc ‡ The words ἐν ὀράματι (en oramati, “in a vision”) are not found in some of the earliest and best mss (Ì⁷⁴ א A 81 pc lat sa bo), but are implied from the context. The phrase is included, although sometimes in a different order with ἄνδρα (andra, “man”) or omitting ἄνδρα altogether, by B C E Ψ 33 1175 1739 Ï. The order of words in NA²⁷, ἄνδρα ἐν ὁράματι, is supported only by B C 1175. Generally speaking, when there are three or more variants, with one an omission and the others involving rearrangements, the longer readings are later scribal additions. Further, the reading looks like a clarifying note, for an earlier vision is explicitly mentioned in v. 10. On the other hand, it is possible that some scribes deleted the words because of perceived repetition, though this is unlikely since it is a different vision two verses back. It is also possible that some scribes could have confused ὁράματι with ὀνόματι (onomati, “name”); TCGNT 319 notes that several mss place ονόματι before ᾿Ανανίαν (Ananian, “Ananias”) while a few others drop ὀνόματι altogether. The Sahidic mss are among those that drop the word, however, and they also lack ἐν ὁράματι; all that is left is one version and father that drops ὀνόματι. Perhaps the best argument for the authenticity of the phrase is that B C 1175 preserve a rare, distinctively Lukan word order, but this is not nearly as harsh or unusual as what Luke does elsewhere. A decision is difficult in this case, but on balance the omission of the phrase seems to be authentic. The words are nevertheless added in the translation because of contextual considerations. NA²⁷ places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

[9:13]  ⁷⁴⁵ sn Ananias replied. Past events might have suggested to Ananias that this was not good counsel, but like Peter in Acts 10, Ananias’ intuitions were wrong.

[9:13]  ⁷⁴⁶ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[9:14]  ⁷⁴⁷ tn Grk “to bind.”

[9:14]  ⁷⁴⁸ sn The expression “those who call on your name” is a frequent description of believers (Acts 2:21; 1 Cor 1:2; Rom 10:13).

[9:15]  ⁷⁴⁹ tn Or “tool.”

[9:15]  ⁷⁵⁰ tn Grk “the sons of Israel.” In Acts, Paul is a minister to all nations, including Israel (Rom 1:16-17).

[9:16]  ⁷⁵¹ tn Or “because of my name.” BDAG 1031 s.v. ὑπέρ 2 lists Acts 9:16 as an example of ὑπέρ (Juper) used to indicate “the moving cause or reason, because of, for the sake of, for.”

[9:17]  ⁷⁵² tn Grk “and placing his hands on Saul, he said.” The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the same reason καί (kai) has not been translated before the participle.

[9:17]  ⁷⁵³ tn Grk “on him”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:17]  ⁷⁵⁴ tn Grk “on the road in which you came,” but the relative clause makes for awkward English style, so it was translated as a temporal clause (“as you came here”).

[9:17]  ⁷⁵⁵ sn Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Here someone who is not an apostle (Ananias) commissions another person with the Spirit.

[9:18]  ⁷⁵⁶ tn Grk “And immediately.” 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.

[9:18]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn The comparison to “scales” suggests a crusty covering which peeled away (cf. BDAG 592 s.v. λεπίς 2).

[9:18]  ⁷⁵⁸ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence was started, with “and” placed before the final element of the previous clause as required by English style.

[9:19]  ⁷⁵⁹ tn Grk “It happened that for several 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.

[9:20]  ⁷⁶⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[9:20]  ⁷⁶¹ tn The ὅτι (Joti) is understood to introduce direct (“This man is the Son of God”) rather than indirect discourse (“that this man is the Son of God”) because the pronoun οὗτος (Jouto") combined with the present tense verb ἐστιν (estin) suggests the contents of what was proclaimed are a direct (albeit summarized) quotation.

[9:21]  ⁷⁶² tn Grk “And all.” 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.

[9:21]  ⁷⁶³ tn The Greek interrogative particle used in this verse (οὐχ, ouc) expects a positive reply. They all knew about Saul’s persecutions.

[9:21]  ⁷⁶⁴ tn Normally, “destroying,” but compare 4 Macc 4:23; 11:4 and MM 529 s.v. πορθέω for examples from Koine papyri. See also BDAG 853 s.v. πορθέω.

[9:21]  ⁷⁶⁵ tn Grk “bring them bound”; the translation “bring someone as prisoner” for δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά (dedemenon agein tina) is given by BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b.

[9:22]  ⁷⁶⁶ tn Grk “was becoming stronger,” but this could be understood in a physical sense, while the text refers to Saul’s growing ability to demonstrate to fellow Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. The translation “to become capable” for ἐνδυναμόω (endunamow) is given in L&N 74.7, with this specific verse as an example.

[9:22]  ⁷⁶⁷ tn Or “was confounding.” For the translation “to cause consternation” for συγχέω (suncew) see L&N 25.221.

[9:22]  ⁷⁶⁸ tn Or “by showing for certain.”

[9:22]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn Grk “that this one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:22]  ⁷⁷⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Note again the variation in the titles used.

[9:23]  ⁷⁷¹ sn Fitting the pattern emphasized earlier with Stephen and his speech in Acts 7, some Jews plotted to kill God’s messenger (cf. Luke 11:53-54).

[9:24]  ⁷⁷² tn The words “against him” are implied, as suggested by L&N 30.71.

[9:24]  ⁷⁷³ tn Or “guarding.” This is a negative term in Luke-Acts (Luke 6:7; 14:1; 20:20).

[9:24]  ⁷⁷⁴ tn The word πύλη (pulh) may refer to a house door or gate, or to the large gates used in a palace, temple, or city wall. Here the context clearly indicates a reference to the latter, so the translation “city gates” is used.

[9:25]  ⁷⁷⁵ tn The opening in the wall is not specifically mentioned here, but the parallel account in 2 Cor 11:33 mentions a “window” or “opening” (θυρίς, quris) in the city wall through which Paul was lowered. One alternative to introducing mention of the opening is to translate Acts 9:25 “they let him down over the wall,” as suggested in L&N 7.61. This option is not employed by many translations, however, because for the English reader it creates an (apparent) contradiction between Acts 9:25 and 2 Cor 11:33. In reality the account here is simply more general, omitting the detail about the window.

[9:25]  ⁷⁷⁶ tn On the term for “basket” used here, see BDAG 940 s.v. σπυρίς.

[9:26]  ⁷⁷⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:26]  ⁷⁷⁸ tn Or “join.”

[9:26]  ⁷⁷⁹ tn The participle πιστεύοντες (pisteuonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[9:27]  ⁷⁸⁰ tn Grk “taking Saul, brought him.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενος (epilabomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:27]  ⁷⁸¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:27]  ⁷⁸² tn Grk “and brought,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[9:27]  ⁷⁸³ tn Grk “and that,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[9:27]  ⁷⁸⁴ tn On this verb which is used 7 times in Acts, see BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1. See also v. 28.

[9:28]  ⁷⁸⁵ tn Grk “he was with them going in and going out in Jerusalem.” The expression “going in and going out” is probably best taken as an idiom for association without hindrance. Some modern translations (NASB, NIV) translate the phrase “moving about freely in Jerusalem,” although the NRSV retains the literal “he went in and out among them in Jerusalem.”

[9:29]  ⁷⁸⁶ tn Or “arguing.” BDAG 954 s.v. συζητέω 2 gives “dispute, debate, argue…τινί ‘w. someone’” for συνεζήτει (sunezhtei).

[9:29]  ⁷⁸⁷ tn Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.

[9:30]  ⁷⁸⁸ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine, south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[9:31]  ⁷⁸⁹ tn Or “Therefore.” This verse is another summary text in Acts (cf. 2:41-47; 4:32-37; 5:12-16; 6:7).

[9:31]  ⁷⁹⁰ tn Grk “and Galilee,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[9:31]  ⁷⁹¹ tn Grk “had.”

[9:31]  ⁷⁹² tn Or “Built up.” The participle οἰκοδομουμένη (oikodomoumenh) has been translated as a participle of result related to εἶχεν (eicen). It could also be understood as adverbial to ἐπληθύνετο (eplhquneto): “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace. Strengthened and living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” Although some scholars do not regard the participle of result as a legitimate category, it is actually fairly common (see ExSyn 637-39).

[9:31]  ⁷⁹³ tn Grk “And living.” 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.

[9:31]  ⁷⁹⁴ tn Grk “it”; the referent (the church) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:32]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Grk “Now it happened that.” 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.

[9:32]  ⁷⁹⁶ tn Grk “As Peter was going through all [the places],” which is somewhat awkward in English. The meaning is best expressed by a phrase like “going around from place to place” or “traveling around from place to place.”

[9:32]  ⁷⁹⁷ sn Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem on the way to Joppa. It was about 10.5 miles (17 km) southeast of Joppa.

[9:33]  ⁷⁹⁸ tn Since the participle κατακείμενον (katakeimenon), an adjectival participle modifying Αἰνέαν (Ainean), has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who had been confined to a mattress”), it would be awkward to follow with a second relative clause (Grk “who was paralyzed”). Furthermore, the relative pronoun here has virtually a causal force, giving the reason for confinement to the mattress, so it is best translated “because.”

[9:34]  ⁷⁹⁹ tn Grk “And Peter.” 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.

[9:34]  ⁸⁰⁰ tc ‡ Several variants occur at this juncture. Some of the earliest and best witnesses (Ì⁷⁴ א B* C Ψ 33^vid Did^pt) read “Jesus Christ” (᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός, Ihsou" Cristo"); others ([A] 36 1175 it) have “the Lord Jesus Christ” (ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός, Jo kurio" Ihsou" Cristo"); a few read simply ὁ Χριστός (614 1241 1505); the majority of mss (B² E 1739 Ï Did^pt) have “Jesus the Christ” ( ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ Χριστός). Although the pedigree of this last reading is relatively weak, it draws strength from the fact that (a) the other readings are much more natural and thus more predictable, and (b) there are several variants for this text. It seems hardly likely that scribes would intentionally change a more common expression into a title that is used nowhere else in the NT (although 1 John 2:22; 5:1 come close with “Jesus is the Christ”), nor would they unintentionally change a frequently used designation into an unusual one. Thus, in spite of the external evidence (which is nevertheless sufficient to argue for authenticity), ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ Χριστός is the reading that best explains the rise of the others.

[9:34]  ⁸⁰¹ tn The translation “make your own bed” for στρῶσον σεαυτῷ (strwson seautw) is given by BDAG 949 s.v. στρωννύω 1. Naturally this involves some adaptation, since a pallet or mat would not be ‘made up’ in the sense that a modern bed would be. The idea may be closer to “straighten” or “rearrange,” and the NIV’s “take care of your mat” attempts to reflect this, although this too probably conveys a slightly different idea to the modern English reader.

[9:35]  ⁸⁰² tn Grk “And all.” 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.

[9:35]  ⁸⁰³ sn Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem on the way to Joppa.

[9:35]  ⁸⁰⁴ sn Sharon refers to the plain of Sharon, a region along the coast of Palestine.

[9:35]  ⁸⁰⁵ tn Repetition of the pronoun “they” as subject of ἐπέστρεψαν (epestreyan) is not strictly necessary in English, but emphasizes slightly the resultative nature of the final clause: They turned to the Lord as a result of seeing Aeneas after he was healed.

[9:35]  ⁸⁰⁶ sn They turned. To “turn” is a good summary term for the response to the gospel.

[9:36]  ⁸⁰⁷ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa. “Though Joppa never became a major seaport, it was of some importance as a logistical base and an outlet to the Mediterranean” (A. F. Rainey, ISBE 2:1118-19).

[9:36]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Grk “which being translated is called.” In English this would normally be expressed “which is translated as” or “which in translation means.” The second option is given by L&N 33.145.

[9:36]  ⁸⁰⁹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Dorcas is the Greek translation of the Aramaic name Tabitha. Dorcas in Greek means “gazelle” or “deer.”

[9:36]  ⁸¹⁰ tn Or “and helping the poor.” Grk “She was full of good deeds and acts of charity which she was continually doing.” Since it is somewhat redundant in English to say “she was full of good deeds…which she was continually doing,” the translation has been simplified to “she was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity.” The imperfect verb ἐποίει (epoiei) has been translated as a progressive imperfect (“was continually doing”).

[9:37]  ⁸¹¹ tn Grk “It happened that in those 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.

[9:37]  ⁸¹² tn Grk “becoming sick, she died.” The participle ἀσθενήσασαν (asqenhsasan) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:37]  ⁸¹³ tn The participle λούσαντες (lousante") is taken temporally.

[9:37]  ⁸¹⁴ tn Grk “washed her,” but the reference is to her corpse.

[9:38]  ⁸¹⁵ sn Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem on the way to Joppa.

[9:38]  ⁸¹⁶ tn Grk “Do not delay to come to us.” It is somewhat smoother to say in English, “Come to us without delay.”

[9:39]  ⁸¹⁷ tn Grk “who.” The relative clause makes for awkward English style here, so the following clause was made coordinate with the conjunction “and” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun.

[9:39]  ⁸¹⁸ tn The participle παραγενόμενον (paragenomenon) is taken temporally.

[9:39]  ⁸¹⁹ tn Grk “and all.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[9:39]  ⁸²⁰ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[9:39]  ⁸²¹ tn Or “shirts” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.

[9:39]  ⁸²² tn Grk “and garments,” referring here to other types of clothing besides the tunics just mentioned.

[9:39]  ⁸²³ tn The verb ἐποίει (epoiei) has been translated as a customary imperfect.

[9:40]  ⁸²⁴ tn Grk “Peter, sending them all outside, knelt down.” The participle ἐκβαλών (ekbalwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:40]  ⁸²⁵ tn Grk “and kneeling down,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. Instead the “and” is placed before the verb προσηύξατο (proshuxato, “and prayed”). The participle θείς (qeis) is taken as a participle of attendant circumstance.

[9:40]  ⁸²⁶ tn Grk “and turning.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[9:40]  ⁸²⁷ sn She sat up. This event is told much like Luke 8:49-56 and Mark 5:35-43. Peter’s ministry mirrored that of Jesus.

[9:41]  ⁸²⁸ tn Grk “Giving her his hand, he helped her.” The participle δούς (dous) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:41]  ⁸²⁹ tn Grk “Then calling the saints…he presented her.” The participle φωνήσας (fwnhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style; it could also be taken temporally (“After he called”).

[9:42]  ⁸³⁰ tn Or “known all over.” BDAG 511 s.v. κατά A.1.c. has “became known throughout all Joppa” for γνωστὸν γενέσθαι καθ᾿ ὅλης ᾿Ιόππης (gnwston genesqai kaq’ {olh" Iopph").

[9:42]  ⁸³¹ sn This became known…many believed in the Lord. This is a “sign” miracle that pictures how the Lord can give life.

[9:43]  ⁸³² tn Grk “So it happened that.” 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.

[9:43]  ⁸³³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:43]  ⁸³⁴ tn Grk “with a certain Simon.”

[9:43]  ⁸³⁵ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.

[10:1]  ⁸³⁶ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]).

[10:1]  ⁸³⁷ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[10:1]  ⁸³⁸ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.

[10:2]  ⁸³⁹ tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  ⁸⁴⁰ sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  ⁸⁴¹ tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  ⁸⁴² tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ⁸⁴³ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[10:3]  ⁸⁴⁴ tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  ⁸⁴⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁸⁴⁶ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ⁸⁴⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁸⁴⁸ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ⁸⁴⁹ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[10:5]  ⁸⁵⁰ 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.

[10:5]  ⁸⁵¹ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.

[10:5]  ⁸⁵² tn Grk “a certain Simon.”

[10:6]  ⁸⁵³ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.

[10:7]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:7]  ⁸⁵⁵ tn Or “domestic servants.” The Greek word here is οἰκέτης (oiketh"), which technically refers to a member of the household, but usually means a household servant (slave) or personal servant rather than a field laborer.

[10:7]  ⁸⁵⁶ tn The meaning of the genitive participle προσκαρτερούντων (proskarterountwn) could either be “a soldier from the ranks of those who served him” (referring to his entire command) or “a soldier from among his personal staff” (referring to a group of soldiers who were his personal attendants). The translation “from among those who served him” is general enough to cover either possibility.

[10:9]  ⁸⁵⁷ tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[10:9]  ⁸⁵⁸ tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (Jodoiporountwn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontwn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.

[10:9]  ⁸⁵⁹ sn Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.

[10:10]  ⁸⁶⁰ tn The traditional translation, “he fell into a trance,” is somewhat idiomatic; it is based on the textual variant ἐπέπεσεν (epepesen, “he fell”) found in the Byzantine text but almost certainly not original.

[10:11]  ⁸⁶¹ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[10:11]  ⁸⁶² tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:11]  ⁸⁶³ tn On the heavens “opening,” see Matt 3:16; Luke 3:21; Rev 19:11 (cf. BDAG 84 s.v. ἀνοίγω 2). This is the language of a vision or a revelatory act of God.

[10:11]  ⁸⁶⁴ tn Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη).

[10:11]  ⁸⁶⁵ tn Or “coming down.”

[10:11]  ⁸⁶⁶ tn Or “to the ground.”

[10:12]  ⁸⁶⁷ tn Grk “in which.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[10:12]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate. See also Gen 6:20, as well as the law making such creatures unclean food in Lev 11:2-47.

[10:12]  ⁸⁶⁹ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[10:13]  ⁸⁷⁰ tn Grk “And there came.” 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.

[10:13]  ⁸⁷¹ tn Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[10:13]  ⁸⁷² tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[10:14]  ⁸⁷³ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqarto") here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:15]  ⁸⁷⁴ tn Grk “And the voice.” 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.

[10:15]  ⁸⁷⁵ tn Or “declare.”

[10:15]  ⁸⁷⁶ sn For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23; Rom 14:14; Eph 2:11-22. God directed this change in practice.

[10:16]  ⁸⁷⁷ tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:17]  ⁸⁷⁸ tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).

[10:17]  ⁸⁷⁹ tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:17]  ⁸⁸⁰ tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”

[10:18]  ⁸⁸¹ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the pronoun “they” as the subject of the following verb.

[10:18]  ⁸⁸² tn Grk “Simon, the one called Peter.” This qualification was necessary because the owner of the house was also named Simon (Acts 9:43).

[10:19]  ⁸⁸³ tn The translation “think seriously about” for διενθυμέομαι (dienqumeomai) is given in L&N 30.2. Peter was “pondering” the vision (BDAG 244 s.v.).

[10:20]  ⁸⁸⁴ tn Grk “But getting up, go down.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:20]  ⁸⁸⁵ tn The term means “without doubting” or “without deliberation.” It is a term of conscience and discernment. In effect, Peter is to listen to them rather than hesitate (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 6).

[10:21]  ⁸⁸⁶ tn Grk “Peter going down to the men, said.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:21]  ⁸⁸⁷ tn Grk “Behold, it is I whom you seek,” or “Behold, I am the one you seek.” “Here I am” is used to translate ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι (idou egw eimi).

[10:22]  ⁸⁸⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[10:22]  ⁸⁸⁹ tn Or “just.”

[10:22]  ⁸⁹⁰ tn The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English.

[10:22]  ⁸⁹¹ tn Grk “hear words.”

[10:23]  ⁸⁹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:23]  ⁸⁹³ tn Or “went forth.”

[10:23]  ⁸⁹⁴ sn Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.

[10:24]  ⁸⁹⁵ tn Grk “On the next day,” but since this phrase has already occurred in v. 23, it would be redundant in English to use it again here.

[10:24]  ⁸⁹⁶ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi).

[10:24]  ⁸⁹⁷ tn Normally προσδοκάω (prosdokaw) means “to wait with apprehension or anxiety for something,” often with the implication of impending danger or trouble (L&N 25.228), but in this context the anxiety Cornelius would have felt came from the importance of the forthcoming message as announced by the angel.

[10:25]  ⁸⁹⁸ tn Grk “So it happened that when.” 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.

[10:25]  ⁸⁹⁹ tn Grk “meeting him.” The participle συναντήσας (sunanthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ⁹⁰⁰ tn Grk “falling at his feet, worshiped.” The participle πεσών (peswn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ⁹⁰¹ sn When Cornelius worshiped Peter, it showed his piety and his respect for Peter, but it was an act based on ignorance, as Peter’s remark in v. 26 indicates.

[10:26]  ⁹⁰² tn BDAG 271 s.v. ἐγείρω 3 has “raise, help to rise….Stretched out Ac 10:26.”

[10:26]  ⁹⁰³ tn Although it is certainly true that Peter was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") has been translated as “mere mortal” because the emphasis in context is not on Peter’s maleness, but his humanity. Contrary to what Cornelius thought, Peter was not a god or an angelic being, but a mere mortal.

[10:27]  ⁹⁰⁴ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 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.

[10:27]  ⁹⁰⁵ tn Or “many people assembled.”

[10:28]  ⁹⁰⁶ tn Here ὡς (Jws) is used like ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).

[10:28]  ⁹⁰⁷ tn This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος).

[10:28]  ⁹⁰⁸ tn Grk “a Jewish man” (ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ, andri Ioudaiw).

[10:28]  ⁹⁰⁹ tn Grk “a foreigner,” but in this context, “a non-Jew,” that is, a Gentile. This term speaks of intimate association (BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.b.α). On this Jewish view, see John 18:28, where a visit to a Gentile residence makes a Jewish person unclean.

[10:28]  ⁹¹⁰ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[10:28]  ⁹¹¹ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:29]  ⁹¹² tn Grk “Therefore when I was sent for.” The passive participle μεταπεμφθείς (metapemfqei") has been taken temporally and converted to an active construction which is less awkward in English.

[10:29]  ⁹¹³ tn Grk “ask for what reason.”

[10:30]  ⁹¹⁴ tn Grk “And Cornelius.” 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.

[10:30]  ⁹¹⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[10:30]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” Again, this is the hour of afternoon prayer.

[10:30]  ⁹¹⁷ tn Grk “and behold.” The interjection ἰδού (idou) is difficult at times to translate into English. Here it has been translated as “suddenly” to convey the force of Cornelius’ account of the angel’s appearance.

[10:31]  ⁹¹⁸ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:31]  ⁹¹⁹ sn This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4.

[10:32]  ⁹²⁰ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname.

[10:33]  ⁹²¹ tn Grk “you have done well by coming.” The idiom καλῶς ποιεῖν (kalw" poiein) is translated “be kind enough to do someth.” by BDAG 505-6 s.v. καλῶς 4.a. The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as an English infinitive due to the nature of the English idiom (“kind enough to” + infinitive).

[10:33]  ⁹²² tn The translation “we are here in the presence of God” for ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πάρεσμεν (enwpion tou qeou paresmen) is given by BDAG 773 s.v. πάρειμι 1.a.

[10:33]  ⁹²³ tn Or “to hear everything.”

[10:33]  ⁹²⁴ tn The words “to say to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Cornelius knows Peter is God’s representative, bringing God’s message.

[10:34]  ⁹²⁵ tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:34]  ⁹²⁶ tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.

[10:35]  ⁹²⁷ sn See Luke 24:47.

[10:35]  ⁹²⁸ tn Or “shows reverence for him.”

[10:35]  ⁹²⁹ tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.

[10:36]  ⁹³⁰ tn The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.

[10:36]  ⁹³¹ tn Grk “the word.”

[10:36]  ⁹³² tn Grk “to the sons.”

[10:36]  ⁹³³ sn Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 9:31. See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17.

[10:36]  ⁹³⁴ tn Or “by.”

[10:36]  ⁹³⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[10:36]  ⁹³⁶ sn He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all, so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.

[10:37]  ⁹³⁷ tn Or “proclaimed.”

[10:38]  ⁹³⁸ sn The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.

[10:38]  ⁹³⁹ tn Or “how.” The use of ὡς (Jws) as an equivalent to ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.

[10:38]  ⁹⁴⁰ tn Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:38]  ⁹⁴¹ tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.

[10:38]  ⁹⁴² sn See Acts 7:9.

[10:39]  ⁹⁴³ tn Grk “And we.” 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.

[10:39]  ⁹⁴⁴ tn Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).

[10:39]  ⁹⁴⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:39]  ⁹⁴⁶ tn Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:39]  ⁹⁴⁷ tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

[10:40]  ⁹⁴⁸ tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton, or lack of a connective, in Greek.

[10:40]  ⁹⁴⁹ tn Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.

[10:41]  ⁹⁵⁰ tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.

[10:41]  ⁹⁵¹ sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.

[10:42]  ⁹⁵² tn Grk “and he.” 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.

[10:42]  ⁹⁵³ tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.

[10:42]  ⁹⁵⁴ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[10:42]  ⁹⁵⁵ tn Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”

[10:42]  ⁹⁵⁶ tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.

[10:42]  ⁹⁵⁷ sn Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31; Rom 14:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5.

[10:43]  ⁹⁵⁸ tn Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.

[10:43]  ⁹⁵⁹ sn Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31. The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7. The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.

[10:44]  ⁹⁶⁰ tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.

[10:44]  ⁹⁶¹ tn Or “word.”

[10:45]  ⁹⁶² tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[10:45]  ⁹⁶³ tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”

[10:45]  ⁹⁶⁴ sn The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.

[10:45]  ⁹⁶⁵ tn Or “because.”

[10:45]  ⁹⁶⁶ tn That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.

[10:45]  ⁹⁶⁷ sn The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Compare the account in Acts 2, especially 2:33. Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18.

[10:46]  ⁹⁶⁸ tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”

[10:47]  ⁹⁶⁹ tn Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).

[10:47]  ⁹⁷⁰ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.

[10:48]  ⁹⁷¹ tn The Greek construction (passive infinitive with accusative subject) could be translated either “he ordered them to be baptized” or “he ordered that they be baptized,” but the implication in English in either case is that Peter was giving orders to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, telling them to get baptized. It is much more likely in the context that Peter was ordering those Jewish Christians who accompanied him to baptize the new Gentile converts. They would doubtless have still had misgivings even after witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit and hearing the tongues. It took Peter’s apostolic authority (“ordered”) to convince them to perform the baptisms.

[10:48]  ⁹⁷² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Jesus’ right to judge as the provider of forgiveness is highlighted here.

[11:1]  ⁹⁷³ tn See BDAG 221 s.v. δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.

[11:1]  ⁹⁷⁴ tn Here the phrase “word of God” is another way to describe the gospel (note the preceding verb ἐδέξαντο, edexanto, “accepted”). The phrase could also be translated “the word [message] from God.”

[11:2]  ⁹⁷⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ⁹⁷⁶ tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.

[11:2]  ⁹⁷⁷ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[11:3]  ⁹⁷⁸ tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).

[11:3]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.

[11:4]  ⁹⁸⁰ tn Or “to them in logical sequence,” “to them in order.” BDAG 490 s.v. καθεξῆς has “explain to someone point by point” for this phrase. This is the same term used in Luke 1:3.

[11:5]  ⁹⁸¹ tn This term describes a supernatural vision and reflects a clear distinction from something imagined (BDAG 718 s.v. ὅραμα 1). Peter repeated the story virtually word for word through v. 13. The repetition with this degree of detail shows the event’s importance.

[11:5]  ⁹⁸² tn Or “coming down.”

[11:5]  ⁹⁸³ tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[11:6]  ⁹⁸⁴ tn Grk “Staring I looked into it.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:6]  ⁹⁸⁵ tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate.

[11:6]  ⁹⁸⁶ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[11:7]  ⁹⁸⁷ tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[11:8]  ⁹⁸⁸ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. The sentiment Peter expressed is like Ezek 4:14.

[11:9]  ⁹⁸⁹ tn Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.

[11:11]  ⁹⁹⁰ tn Grk “And behold.”

[11:11]  ⁹⁹¹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[11:11]  ⁹⁹² tn See BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epesthsan) here.

[11:11]  ⁹⁹³ tn The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[11:12]  ⁹⁹⁴ sn Six witnesses is three times more than what would normally be required. They could confirm the events were not misrepresented by Peter.

[11:14]  ⁹⁹⁵ tn Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rJhmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.

[11:15]  ⁹⁹⁶ tn Or “came down on.”

[11:15]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn The words “he did” are not in the Greek text but are implied. They form an ellipsis which must be supplied for the modern English reader. Some modern translations supply “it” rather than “he” because the gender of πνεῦμα (pneuma) in Greek is neuter, but there are sufficient NT contexts that use masculine pronouns to refer to the Spirit to justify the use of a masculine pronoun here in the translation.

[11:15]  ⁹⁹⁸ sn At the beginning is an allusion to Acts 2 and Pentecost. The beginning is a way to refer to the start of the period of the realization of Jesus’ promise in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. Peter was arguing that God gave Gentiles the same benefits he gave the Jews at the start of their mission.

[11:16]  ⁹⁹⁹ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[11:16]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.

[11:16]  ¹⁰⁰¹ sn John…Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.

[11:17]  ¹⁰⁰² tc Codex Bezae (D) and {a few other Western witnesses} here lack ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.

[11:17]  ¹⁰⁰³ sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ tn Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edwken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.

[11:17]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:17]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn Or “prevent,” “forbid” (BDAG 580 s.v. κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.

[11:18]  ¹⁰⁰⁷ tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  ¹⁰⁰⁸ tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.

[11:18]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  ¹⁰¹⁰ sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).

[11:18]  ¹⁰¹¹ sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[11:19]  ¹⁰¹² sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.

[11:19]  ¹⁰¹³ tn Or “finally reached.” The translations “went as far as” and “finally reached” for διῆλθον (dihlqon) in this verse are given in L&N 15.17.

[11:19]  ¹⁰¹⁴ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[11:19]  ¹⁰¹⁵ tn Grk “and Cyprus,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[11:19]  ¹⁰¹⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). This was probably the third largest city in the Greco-Roman world (Alexandria in Egypt was the second largest, and Rome the largest) and was the seat of government in Syria. Five miles away was a major temple to Artemis, Apollo, and Astarte, major pagan deities.

[11:19]  ¹⁰¹⁷ tn Grk “word.”

[11:20]  ¹⁰¹⁸ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[11:20]  ¹⁰¹⁹ sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.

[11:20]  ¹⁰²⁰ tn Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:20]  ¹⁰²¹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:20]  ¹⁰²² sn The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.

[11:21]  ¹⁰²³ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[11:21]  ¹⁰²⁴ tn The participle πιστεύσας (pisteusa") is articular and thus cannot be adverbial. It is adjectival, modifying ἀριθμός (ariqmo"), but has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who believed”).

[11:21]  ¹⁰²⁵ sn Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.

[11:22]  ¹⁰²⁶ tn Grk “Word.”

[11:22]  ¹⁰²⁷ tn Grk “was heard in the ears,” an idiom. L&N 24.67 states that the idiom means “to hear in secret” (which it certainly does in Matt 10:27), but secrecy does not seem to be part of the context here, and there is no particular reason to suggest the report was made in secret.

[11:22]  ¹⁰²⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:22]  ¹⁰²⁹ tc ‡ Most mss read the infinitive “to travel” after “Barnabas.” διελθεῖν (dielqein) is found before ἕως (Jews) in D E Ψ 33 Ï and some versional mss. It is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B 81 1739 pc and some versional mss. Although the infinitive with ἕως fits Lukan style, it has the appearance of a scribal clarification. The infinitive has the earmarks of a Western expansion on the text and thus is unlikely to be original. NA²⁷ has the infinitive in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.

[11:22]  ¹⁰³⁰ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19. Again the Jerusalem church exercised an oversight role.

[11:23]  ¹⁰³¹ tn Grk “Antioch, who when.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:23]  ¹⁰³² tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse.

[11:23]  ¹⁰³³ tn Grk “with purpose of heart”; BDAG 869 s.v. πρόθεσις 2.a translates this phrase “purpose of heart, i.e. devotion” here.

[11:24]  ¹⁰³⁴ tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  ¹⁰³⁵ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn Grk “So it happened that” 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.

[11:26]  ¹⁰³⁷ tn Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:26]  ¹⁰³⁸ tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  ¹⁰³⁹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ sn The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.

[11:27]  ¹⁰⁴¹ tn Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.

[11:27]  ¹⁰⁴² tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.

[11:27]  ¹⁰⁴³ sn Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.

[11:27]  ¹⁰⁴⁴ sn Came down from Jerusalem. Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude).

[11:27]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁴⁷ tn Grk “getting up, predicted.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ tn Or “made clear”; Grk “indicated beforehand” (BDAG 920 s.v. σημαίνω 2).

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁴⁹ tn Grk “great.”

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁵⁰ sn This famine is one of the firmly fixed dates in Acts. It took place from a.d. 45-48. The events described in chap. 11 of Acts occurred during the early part of that period.

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁵¹ tn Or “whole Roman Empire.” While the word οἰκουμένη (oikoumenh) does occasionally refer specifically to the Roman Empire, BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουνένη 2 does not list this passage (only Acts 24:5 and 17:6).

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁵² tn Grk “world, which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “this” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:28]  ¹⁰⁵³ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Claudius was the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54.

[11:29]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.

[11:29]  ¹⁰⁵⁵ tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”

[11:29]  ¹⁰⁵⁶ tn Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters.

[11:30]  ¹⁰⁵⁷ tn Grk “Judea, which they did.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:30]  ¹⁰⁵⁸ tn The words “their financial aid” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:1]  ¹⁰⁵⁹ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great). His mediocre career is summarized in Josephus, Ant. 18-19. This event took place in a.d. 42 or 43.

[12:1]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ tn Or “King Herod had some from the church arrested.”

[12:1]  ¹⁰⁶¹ tn Or “to cause them injury.”

[12:2]  ¹⁰⁶² sn The expression executed with a sword probably refers to a beheading. James was the first known apostolic martyr (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 2.9.1-3). On James, not the Lord’s brother, see Luke 5:10; 6:14. This death ended a short period of peace noted in Acts 9:31 after the persecution mentioned in 8:1-3.

[12:3]  ¹⁰⁶³ tn This could be a reference to the Jewish people (so CEV) or to the Jewish leaders (so NLT). The statement in v. 4 that Herod intended to bring Peter “out to the people” (i.e., for a public trial) may suggest the former is somewhat more likely.

[12:3]  ¹⁰⁶⁴ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[12:4]  ¹⁰⁶⁵ sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.

[12:4]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ tn Grk “guard him, planning to bring him out.” The Greek construction continues with a participle (βουλόμενος, boulomeno") and an infinitive (ἀναγαγεῖν, anagagein), but this creates an awkward and lengthy sentence in English. Thus a reference to Herod was introduced as subject and the participle translated as a finite verb (“Herod planned”).

[12:4]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”

[12:4]  ¹⁰⁶⁸ tn Grk “to bring him out to the people,” but in this context a public trial (with certain condemnation as the result) is doubtless what Herod planned. L&N 15.176 translates this phrase “planning to bring him up for a public trial after the Passover.”

[12:5]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ tn Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:14 and Acts 26:7.

[12:5]  ¹⁰⁷⁰ tn Grk “but earnest prayer was being made by the church to God for him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to follow English style, and the somewhat awkward passive “prayer was being made” has been changed to the simpler active verb “were praying.” Luke portrays what follows as an answer to prayer.

[12:6]  ¹⁰⁷¹ tn Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.

[12:6]  ¹⁰⁷² tn Grk “two chains, and.” Logically it makes better sense to translate this as a temporal clause, although technically it is a coordinate clause in Greek.

[12:6]  ¹⁰⁷³ tn Or “were guarding.”

[12:7]  ¹⁰⁷⁴ tn Grk “And behold.” 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. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.

[12:7]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:7]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:7]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:7]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

[12:8]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ tn While ζώννυμι (zwnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.

[12:8]  ¹⁰⁸⁰ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ¹⁰⁸¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ¹⁰⁸² tn Or “outer garment.”

[12:9]  ¹⁰⁸³ tn Grk “And going out he followed.”

[12:9]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ tn Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:9]  ¹⁰⁸⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:9]  ¹⁰⁸⁶ tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

[12:10]  ¹⁰⁸⁷ tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”

[12:10]  ¹⁰⁸⁸ sn The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).

[12:10]  ¹⁰⁸⁹ tn Grk “which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[12:10]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).

[12:10]  ¹⁰⁹¹ tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).

[12:11]  ¹⁰⁹² tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[12:11]  ¹⁰⁹³ tn Or “delivered.”

[12:11]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

[12:11]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:11]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

[12:12]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:12]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[12:13]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ tn Or “responded.”

[12:14]  ¹¹⁰⁰ tn Or “informed.”

[12:14]  ¹¹⁰¹ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:15]  ¹¹⁰² sn “You’ve lost your mind!” Such a response to the miraculous is not unusual in Luke-Acts. See Luke 24:11; Acts 26:25. The term μαίνομαι (mainomai) can have the idea of being “raving mad” or “totally irrational” (BDAG 610 s.v.). It is a strong expression.

[12:15]  ¹¹⁰³ tn Grk “she kept insisting that the situation was thus” (cf. BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a). Most translations supply a less awkward English phrase like “it was so”; the force of her insistence, however, is that “it was Peter,” which was the point under dispute.

[12:15]  ¹¹⁰⁴ tn The two imperfect tense verbs, διϊσχυρίζετο (diiscurizeto) and ἔλεγον (elegon), are both taken iteratively. The picture is thus virtually a shouting match between Rhoda and the rest of the believers.

[12:15]  ¹¹⁰⁵ sn The assumption made by those inside, “It is his angel,” seems to allude to the idea of an attending angel (cf. Gen 48:16 LXX; Matt 18:10; Test. Jacob 1:10).

[12:16]  ¹¹⁰⁶ tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see Acts 12:13).

[12:16]  ¹¹⁰⁷ sn That they were greatly astonished is a common response in Luke-Acts to God’s work (Luke 8:56; Acts 2:7, 12; 8:13; 9:21; 10:45).

[12:17]  ¹¹⁰⁸ tn Or “He gave them a signal.” Grk “Giving them a signal…he related to them.” The participle κατασείσας (kataseisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:17]  ¹¹⁰⁹ tc ‡ Most mss, including some of the most important ones (B D E Ψ Ï sy), read αὐτοῖς (autoi", “to them”) here, while some excellent and early witnesses (Ì^45vid,74vid א A 33 81 945 1739 pc) lack the pronoun. Although it is possible that the pronoun was deleted because it was seen as superfluous, it is also possible that it was added as a natural expansion on the text, strengthening the connection between Peter and his listeners. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading is slightly preferred. NA²⁷ puts the pronoun in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[12:17]  ¹¹¹⁰ tn Or “led.”

[12:17]  ¹¹¹¹ sn He…went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.

[12:18]  ¹¹¹² tn BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a has “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse.

[12:18]  ¹¹¹³ tn Grk “no little consternation.” The translation given for τάραχος (taraco") in this verse by BDAG 991 s.v. τάραχος 1 is “mental agitation.” The situation indicated by the Greek word is described in L&N 25.243 as “a state of acute distress and great anxiety, with the additional possible implications of dismay and confusion – ‘great distress, extreme anxiety.’” The English word “consternation” is preferred here because it conveys precisely such a situation of anxiety mixed with fear. The reason for this anxiety is explained in the following verse.

[12:19]  ¹¹¹⁴ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:19]  ¹¹¹⁵ tn Or “had instigated a search” (Herod would have ordered the search rather than conducting it himself).

[12:19]  ¹¹¹⁶ tn “Questioned” is used to translate ἀνακρίνας (anakrina") here because a possible translation offered by BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω for this verse is “examined,” which could be understood to mean Herod inspected the guards rather than questioned them. The translation used by the NIV, “cross-examined,” also avoids this possible misunderstanding.

[12:19]  ¹¹¹⁷ tn The meaning “led away to execution” for ἀπαχθῆναι (apacqhnai) in this verse is given by BDAG 95 s.v. ἀπάγω 2.c. Although an explicit reference to execution is lacking here, it is what would usually occur in such a case (Acts 16:27; 27:42; Code of Justinian 9.4.4). “Led away to torture” is a less likely option (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10, 96, 8).

[12:19]  ¹¹¹⁸ tn Grk “and,” but the sequence of events is better expressed in English by “then.” A new sentence is begun in the translation because of the length of the sentence in Greek, which exceeds normal English sentence length.

[12:19]  ¹¹¹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Since Herod has been the subject of the preceding material, and the circumstances of his death are the subject of the following verses (20-23), it is best to understand Herod as the subject here. This is especially true since according to Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 [19.343-352], Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44, and vv. 20-23 here describe his death. Thus the end of v. 19 provides Luke’s transition to explain how Herod got from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he died. In spite of all this evidence, the NRSV translates this phrase “Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there,” understanding the referent to be Peter rather than Herod Agrippa I.

[12:19]  ¹¹²⁰ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[12:20]  ¹¹²¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:20]  ¹¹²² tn Or “was extremely angry.” L&N 33.453 gives the meaning “be angry and quarrel, quarrel angrily” here. However, in L&N 88.180 the alternative “to be violently angry, to be furious” is given. The term is used only once in the NT (BDAG 461 s.v. θυμομαχέω).

[12:20]  ¹¹²³ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[12:20]  ¹¹²⁴ sn Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre (BDAG 923 s.v. Σιδών).

[12:20]  ¹¹²⁵ tn Or “with one accord.”

[12:20]  ¹¹²⁶ tn Or “persuading.”

[12:20]  ¹¹²⁷ tn On the term translated “personal assistant” BDAG 554 s.v. κοιτῶν states, “used as part of a title: ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος the one in charge of the bed-chamber, the chamberlain.” This individual was not just a domestic servant or butler, but a highly respected person who had considerable responsibility for the king’s living quarters and personal affairs. The English word “chamberlain” corresponds very closely to this meaning but is not in common use today. The term “personal assistant,” while it might convey more business associations than management of personal affairs, nevertheless communicates the concept well in contemporary English.

[12:20]  ¹¹²⁸ tn The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:20]  ¹¹²⁹ tn Or “for a reconciliation.” There were grave political risks in having Herod angry at them. The detail shows the ruler’s power.

[12:21]  ¹¹³⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:21]  ¹¹³¹ tn Or “apparel.” On Herod’s robes see Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.344), summarized in the note at the end of v. 23.

[12:21]  ¹¹³² tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “speaker’s platform” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“rostrum,” NASB; “platform,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[12:21]  ¹¹³³ tn Or “delivered a public address.”

[12:22]  ¹¹³⁴ tn The translation “crowd” is given by BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος; the word often means a gathering of citizens to conduct public business. Here it is simply the group of people gathered to hear the king’s speech.

[12:22]  ¹¹³⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἐπεφώνει (epefwnei) is taken ingressively in the sequence of events. Presumably the king had started his speech when the crowd began shouting.

[12:22]  ¹¹³⁶ sn The voice of a god. Contrast the response of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:13-15.

[12:23]  ¹¹³⁷ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:23]  ¹¹³⁸ sn On being struck…down by an angel, see Acts 23:3; 1 Sam 25:28; 2 Sam 12:15; 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Chr 13:20; 2 Macc 9:5.

[12:23]  ¹¹³⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:23]  ¹¹⁴⁰ sn He was eaten by worms and died. Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.343-352), states that Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44. The account by Josephus, while not identical to Luke’s account, is similar in many respects: On the second day of a festival, Herod Agrippa appeared in the theater with a robe made of silver. When it sparkled in the sun, the people cried out flatteries and declared him to be a god. The king, carried away by the flattery, saw an owl (an omen of death) sitting on a nearby rope, and immediately was struck with severe stomach pains. He was carried off to his house and died five days later. The two accounts can be reconciled without difficulty, since while Luke states that Herod was immediately struck down by an angel, his death could have come several days later. The mention of worms with death adds a humiliating note to the scene. The formerly powerful ruler had been thoroughly reduced to nothing (cf. Jdt 16:17; 2 Macc 9:9; cf. also Josephus, Ant. 17.6.5 [17.168-170], which details the sickness which led to Herod the Great’s death).

[12:24]  ¹¹⁴¹ sn A metonymy for the number of adherents to God’s word.

[12:24]  ¹¹⁴² tn Or “spreading.”

[12:25]  ¹¹⁴³ tc There are a number of variants at this point in the text: εἰς (eis, “to”) in א B Ï sa^ms sy^hmg; ἀπό (apo, “from”) in D E Ψ 36 323 453 614 1175 al; ἐξ (ex, “from”) in Ì⁷⁴ A 33 945 1739 al; ἐξ ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν (ex Ierousalhm ei" Antioceian, “from Jerusalem to Antioch”) in {a few later manuscripts and part of the Itala}. A decision on this problem is very difficult, but for several reasons εἰς can be preferred. It is the most difficult reading by far in light of the context, since Paul and Barnabas were going to Jerusalem in 11:30. It is found in better witnesses, א and B being very strong evidence. The other readings, ἐξ and ἀπό, are different from εἰς yet bear essentially the same meaning as each other; this seems to suggest that scribes had problems with εἰς and tried to choose an acceptable revision. If εἰς is the earliest reading, ἀπό may be a clarification of ἐξ, and ἐξ could have arisen through confusion of letters. Or ἐξ and ἀπό could both have independently arisen from εἰς as a more acceptable preposition. Despite such arguments, however, the case for εἰς is not airtight: either ἐξ or ἀπό could be preferred on other lines of reasoning. The reading ἐξ enjoys the earliest support, and εἰς could have arisen through the same confusion of letters mentioned above. The immediate and wider context seems to mitigate against εἰς as the original reading: The aorist participle πληρώσαντες (plhrwsante", “when they had completed”) seems to signal the end of the mission to Jerusalem with the famine relief, so it would make sense in the context for the team to be coming from Jerusalem (to Antioch) rather than to Jerusalem, and 13:1 certainly presents the scene at Antioch. The later addition εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν after ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ in some mss seems to be a clarification in light of 13:1 (notice that some of the mss that read ἐξ add εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν [945 1739], and some that read ἀπό also add εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν [E 323 1175]). Thus, the idea of spatial separation from Jerusalem is strongly implied by the context. This problem is so difficult that some scholars resort to conjectural emendation to determine the original reading. All in all, the reading εἰς should be preferred as original, recognizing that there is a good measure of uncertainty with this solution. For additional discussion, see TCGNT 350-52.

[12:25]  ¹¹⁴⁴ sn That is, from Jerusalem to Antioch (see Acts 11:29-30).

[12:25]  ¹¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “fulfilled.”

[12:25]  ¹¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “ministry” or “service.”

[12:25]  ¹¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[13:1]  ¹¹⁴⁸ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  ¹¹⁴⁹ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ¹¹⁵⁰ sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ¹¹⁵¹ sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, who had John the Baptist beheaded, and who is mentioned a number of times in the gospels.

[13:1]  ¹¹⁵² tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  ¹¹⁵³ 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.”

[13:2]  ¹¹⁵⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁵ tn Or “Appoint.”

[13:3]  ¹¹⁵⁶ tn The three aorist participles νηστεύσαντες (nhsteusante"), προσευξάμενοι (proseuxamenoi), and ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") are translated as temporal participles. Although they could indicate contemporaneous time when used with an aorist main verb, logically here they are antecedent. On fasting and prayer, see Matt 6:5, 16; Luke 2:37; 5:33; Acts 14:23.

[13:3]  ¹¹⁵⁷ tn Normally English style, which uses a coordinating conjunction between only the last two elements of a series of three or more, would call for omission of “and” here. However, since the terms “fasting and prayer” are something of a unit, often linked together, the conjunction has been retained here.

[13:3]  ¹¹⁵⁸ sn The placing of hands on Barnabas and Saul (traditionally known as “the laying on of hands”) refers to an act picturing the commission of God and the church for the task at hand.

[13:4]  ¹¹⁵⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:4]  ¹¹⁶⁰ sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.

[13:4]  ¹¹⁶¹ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶² tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶³ tn The participle γενόμενοι (genomenoi) is taken temporally.

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶⁴ sn Salamis was a city on the southeastern coast of the island of Cyprus. This was a commercial center and a center of Judaism.

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶⁵ tn The imperfect verb κατήγγελλον (kathngellon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶⁷ sn John refers here to John Mark (see Acts 12:25).

[13:5]  ¹¹⁶⁸ tn The word ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") usually has the meaning “servant,” but it is doubtful John Mark fulfilled that capacity for Barnabas and Saul. He was more likely an apprentice or assistant to them.

[13:6]  ¹¹⁶⁹ tn Or “had passed through,” “had traveled through.”

[13:6]  ¹¹⁷⁰ sn Paphos. A city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. It was the seat of the Roman proconsul.

[13:6]  ¹¹⁷¹ sn Named Bar-Jesus. “Jesus” is the Latin form of the name “Joshua.” The Aramaic “bar” means “son of,” so this man was surnamed “son of Joshua.” The scene depicts the conflict between Judaism and the emerging new faith at a cosmic level, much like the Simon Magus incident in Acts 8:9-24. Paul’s ministry looks like Philip’s and Peter’s here.

[13:7]  ¹¹⁷² sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:7]  ¹¹⁷³ tn Grk “This one”; the referent (the proconsul) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:7]  ¹¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “summoning Barnabas and Saul, wanted to hear.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:7]  ¹¹⁷⁵ sn The proconsul…wanted to hear the word of God. This description of Sergius Paulus portrays him as a sensitive, secular Gentile leader.

[13:8]  ¹¹⁷⁶ tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.

[13:8]  ¹¹⁷⁷ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ¹¹⁷⁸ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:9]  ¹¹⁷⁹ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:9]  ¹¹⁸⁰ sn This qualifying clause in the narrative indicates who represented God in the dispute.

[13:9]  ¹¹⁸¹ tn Or “gazed intently.”

[13:10]  ¹¹⁸² tn Or “unscrupulousness.”

[13:10]  ¹¹⁸³ sn “You who…paths of the Lord?” This rebuke is like ones from the OT prophets: Jer 5:27; Gen 32:11; Prov 10:7; Hos 14:9. Five separate remarks indicate the magician’s failings. The closing rhetorical question of v. 10 (“will you not stop…?”) shows how opposed he is to the way of God.

[13:11]  ¹¹⁸⁴ 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.

[13:11]  ¹¹⁸⁵ tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.

[13:11]  ¹¹⁸⁶ 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.

[13:11]  ¹¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “fell on.”

[13:11]  ¹¹⁸⁸ tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”

[13:12]  ¹¹⁸⁹ sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.

[13:12]  ¹¹⁹⁰ sn He believed. The faith of the proconsul in the face of Jewish opposition is a theme of the rest of Acts. Paul has indeed become “a light to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:47).

[13:12]  ¹¹⁹¹ tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplhssomeno") is given by L&N 25.219.

[13:12]  ¹¹⁹² tn Grk “of,” but this could give the impression the Lord himself had done the teaching (a subjective genitive) when actually the Lord was the object of the teaching (an objective genitive).

[13:13]  ¹¹⁹³ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[13:13]  ¹¹⁹⁴ sn Paphos was a city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. See Acts 13:6.

[13:13]  ¹¹⁹⁵ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor. The journey from Paphos to Perga is about 105 mi (175 km).

[13:13]  ¹¹⁹⁶ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor.

[13:13]  ¹¹⁹⁷ sn That is, John Mark.

[13:13]  ¹¹⁹⁸ sn Returned to Jerusalem. John Mark had originally accompanied them from Jerusalem (see Acts 12:25). John Mark’s decision to leave became an issue later for Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:36-39).

[13:14]  ¹¹⁹⁹ tn Or “Passing by.”

[13:14]  ¹²⁰⁰ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[13:14]  ¹²⁰¹ tn Or “at Antioch in Pisidia.”

[13:14]  ¹²⁰² tn Grk “going into the synagogue they sat down.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:14]  ¹²⁰³ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:15]  ¹²⁰⁴ sn After the reading from the law and the prophets. In the 1st century Jewish synagogue, it was customary after the reading of the Torah (law) and prophets for men to give exhortation from the scriptures.

[13:15]  ¹²⁰⁵ tn Normally ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93). Since the term is plural here, however, and it would sound strange to the English reader to speak of “the presidents of the synagogue,” the alternative translation “leaders” is used. “Rulers” would also be acceptable, but does not convey quite the same idea.

[13:15]  ¹²⁰⁶ tn Grk “sent to them”; the word “message” is an understood direct object. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[13:15]  ¹²⁰⁷ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:15]  ¹²⁰⁸ tn Or “word.”

[13:15]  ¹²⁰⁹ tn Or “encouragement.”

[13:15]  ¹²¹⁰ tn Or “give it.”

[13:16]  ¹²¹¹ tn This participle, ἀναστάς (anasta"), and the following one, κατασείσας (kataseisa"), are both translated as adverbial participles of attendant circumstance.

[13:16]  ¹²¹² tn Or “motioned.”

[13:16]  ¹²¹³ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context involving an address to a synagogue gathering, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Paul’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[13:16]  ¹²¹⁴ tn Grk “and those who fear God,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44.

[13:17]  ¹²¹⁵ tn Or “people of Israel.”

[13:17]  ¹²¹⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[13:17]  ¹²¹⁷ tn That is, in both numbers and in power. The implication of greatness in both numbers and in power is found in BDAG 1046 s.v. ὑψόω 2.

[13:17]  ¹²¹⁸ tn Or “as resident aliens.”

[13:17]  ¹²¹⁹ tn Or “land.”

[13:17]  ¹²²⁰ sn Here uplifted arm is a metaphor for God’s power by which he delivered the Israelites from Egypt. See Exod 6:1, 6; 32:11; Deut 3:24; 4:34; Ps 136:11-12.

[13:18]  ¹²²¹ tn Grk “And for.” 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.

[13:18]  ¹²²² tn For this verb, see BDAG 1017 s.v. τροποφορέω (cf. also Deut 1:31; Exod 16:35; Num 14:34).

[13:18]  ¹²²³ tn Or “desert.”

[13:19]  ¹²²⁴ tn Grk “And after.” 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.

[13:19]  ¹²²⁵ tn The participle καθελών (kaqelwn) is taken temporally.

[13:19]  ¹²²⁶ sn Seven nations. See Deut 7:1.

[13:19]  ¹²²⁷ tn Grk “he gave their land as an inheritance.” The words “his people” are supplied to complete an ellipsis specifying the recipients of the land.

[13:20]  ¹²²⁸ tn The words “all this took” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to make a complete statement in English. There is debate over where this period of 450 years fits and what it includes: (1) It could include the years in Egypt, the conquest of Canaan, and the distribution of the land; (2) some connect it with the following period of the judges. This latter approach seems to conflict with 1 Kgs 6:1; see also Josephus, Ant. 8.3.1 (8.61).

[13:20]  ¹²²⁹ tn Grk “And after these things.” 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.

[13:20]  ¹²³⁰ tn The words “the time of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[13:21]  ¹²³¹ tn The words “who ruled” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. They have been supplied as a clarification for the English reader. See Josephus, Ant. 6.14.9 (6.378).

[13:22]  ¹²³² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:22]  ¹²³³ sn The expression raised up refers here to making someone king. There is a wordplay here: “raising up” refers to bringing someone onto the scene of history, but it echoes with the parallel to Jesus’ resurrection.

[13:22]  ¹²³⁴ tn Grk “about whom.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek. The verb εἶπεν (eipen) has not been translated (literally “he said testifying”) because it is redundant when combined with the participle μαρτυρήσας (marturhsa", “testifying”). Instead the construction of verb plus participle has been translated as a single English verb (“testified”).

[13:22]  ¹²³⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 89:20.

[13:22]  ¹²³⁶ sn A quotation from 1 Sam 13:14.

[13:22]  ¹²³⁷ tn Or “who will perform all my will,” “who will carry out all my wishes.”

[13:23]  ¹²³⁸ tn Or “From the offspring”; Grk “From the seed.”

[13:23]  ¹²³⁹ sn The phrase this man is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

[13:23]  ¹²⁴⁰ tn Grk “according to [his] promise.” The comparative clause “just as he promised” is less awkward in English.

[13:24]  ¹²⁴¹ tn Grk “John having already proclaimed before his coming a baptism…,” a genitive absolute construction which is awkward in English. A new sentence was begun in the translation at this point.

[13:24]  ¹²⁴² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the context for clarity, since God is mentioned in the preceding context and John the Baptist in the following clause.

[13:24]  ¹²⁴³ sn John refers here to John the Baptist.

[13:24]  ¹²⁴⁴ tn Grk “a baptism of repentance”; the genitive has been translated as a genitive of purpose.

[13:25]  ¹²⁴⁵ tn Or “task.”

[13:25]  ¹²⁴⁶ tn The verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) has been translated as an iterative imperfect, since John undoubtedly said this or something similar on numerous occasions.

[13:25]  ¹²⁴⁷ tn Literally a relative clause, “of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of his feet.” Because of the awkwardness of this construction in English, a new sentence was begun here.

[13:26]  ¹²⁴⁸ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:26]  ¹²⁴⁹ tn Grk “sons”

[13:26]  ¹²⁵⁰ tn Or “race.”

[13:26]  ¹²⁵¹ tn Grk “and those among you who fear God,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Note how Paul includes God-fearing Gentiles as recipients of this promise.

[13:26]  ¹²⁵² tn Grk “word.”

[13:27]  ¹²⁵³ tn BDAG 12-13 s.v. ἀγνοέω 1.b gives “not to know w. acc. of pers.” as the meaning here, but “recognize” is a better translation in this context because recognition of the true identity of the one they condemned is the issue. See Acts 2:22-24; 4:26-28.

[13:27]  ¹²⁵⁴ tn Grk “this one.”

[13:27]  ¹²⁵⁵ tn Usually φωνή (fwnh) means “voice,” but BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c has “Also of sayings in scripture…Ac 13:27.”

[13:27]  ¹²⁵⁶ tn The participle κρίναντες (krinante") is instrumental here.

[13:27]  ¹²⁵⁷ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[13:28]  ¹²⁵⁸ tn Grk “And though.” 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.

[13:28]  ¹²⁵⁹ tn The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[13:28]  ¹²⁶⁰ sn No basis. Luke insists on Jesus’ innocence again and again in Luke 23:1-25.

[13:28]  ¹²⁶¹ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[13:29]  ¹²⁶² tn Or “carried out.”

[13:29]  ¹²⁶³ sn That is, everything that was written in OT scripture.

[13:29]  ¹²⁶⁴ tn Grk “taking him down from the cross, they placed him.” The participle καθελόντες (kaqelonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:29]  ¹²⁶⁵ tn Grk “tree,” but frequently figurative for a cross. The allusion is to Deut 21:23. See Acts 5:30; 10:39.

[13:29]  ¹²⁶⁶ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[13:30]  ¹²⁶⁷ sn See the note on the phrase “raised up” in v. 22, which is the same Greek verb used here.

[13:31]  ¹²⁶⁸ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the conjunction “and” and the pronoun “he” at this point to improve the English style.

[13:31]  ¹²⁶⁹ sn Those who had accompanied him refers to the disciples, who knew Jesus in ministry. Luke is aware of resurrection appearances in Galilee though he did not relate any of them in Luke 24.

[13:31]  ¹²⁷⁰ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “these” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who for many days appeared” and “who are now his witnesses”) following one another.

[13:32]  ¹²⁷¹ tn Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”

[13:33]  ¹²⁷² tn Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:33]  ¹²⁷³ tn Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") is taken as instrumental here.

[13:33]  ¹²⁷⁴ sn You are my Son. The key to how the quotation is used is the naming of Jesus as “Son” to the Father. The language is that of kingship, as Ps 2 indicates. Here is the promise about what the ultimate Davidic heir would be.

[13:33]  ¹²⁷⁵ tn Grk “I have begotten you.” The traditional translation for γεγέννηκα (gegennhka, “begotten”) is misleading to the modern English reader because it is no longer in common use. Today one speaks of “fathering” a child in much the same way speakers of English formerly spoke of “begetting a child.”

[13:34]  ¹²⁷⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ¹²⁷⁷ tn Although μηκέτι (mhketi) can mean “no longer” or “no more,” the latter is more appropriate here, since to translate “no longer” in this context could give the reader the impression that Jesus did experience decay before his resurrection. Since the phrase “no more again to be” is somewhat awkward in English, the simpler phrase “never again to be” was used instead.

[13:34]  ¹²⁷⁸ tn The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (Jupostrefw) is given in L&N 13.24.

[13:34]  ¹²⁷⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ¹²⁸⁰ tn The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.

[13:34]  ¹²⁸¹ tn Or “the trustworthy decrees made by God to David.” The phrase τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά (ta Josia Dauid ta pista) is “compressed,” that is, in a very compact or condensed form. It could be expanded in several different ways. BDAG 728 s.v. ὅσιος 3 understands it to refer to divine decrees: “I will grant you the sure decrees of God relating to David.” BDAG then states that this quotation from Isa 55:3 is intended to show that the following quotation from Ps 16:10 could not refer to David himself, but must refer to his messianic descendant (Jesus). L&N 33.290 render the phrase “I will give to you the divine promises made to David, promises that can be trusted,” although they also note that τὰ ὅσια in Acts 13:34 can mean “divine decrees” or “decrees made by God.” In contemporary English it is less awkward to translate πιστά as an adjective (“trustworthy”). The concept of “divine decrees,” not very understandable to the modern reader, has been replaced by “promises,” and since God is the implied speaker in the context, it is clear that these promises were made by God.

[13:34]  ¹²⁸² sn A quotation from Isa 55:3. The point of this citation is to make clear that the promise of a Davidic line and blessings are made to the people as well.

[13:35]  ¹²⁸³ tn Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[13:35]  ¹²⁸⁴ tn The Greek word translated “Holy One” here (ὅσιόν, {osion) is related to the use of ὅσια (Josia) in v. 34. The link is a wordplay. The Holy One, who does not die, brings the faithful holy blessings of promise to the people.

[13:35]  ¹²⁸⁵ tn Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[13:35]  ¹²⁸⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 16:10.

[13:36]  ¹²⁸⁷ tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (Juphrethsa") is taken temporally.

[13:36]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

[13:36]  ¹²⁸⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).

[13:36]  ¹²⁹⁰ tn Grk “saw,” but the literal translation of the phrase “saw decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “looked at decay,” while here “saw decay” is really figurative for “experienced decay.” This remark explains why David cannot fulfill the promise.

[13:37]  ¹²⁹¹ sn The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.

[13:37]  ¹²⁹² tn Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “did not see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “did not look at decay,” while here “did not see decay” is really figurative for “did not experience decay.”

[13:38]  ¹²⁹³ tn That is, Jesus. This pronoun is in emphatic position in the Greek text. Following this phrase in the Greek text is the pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”), so that the emphasis for the audience is that “through Jesus to you” these promises have come.

[13:39]  ¹²⁹⁴ sn This one refers here to Jesus.

[13:39]  ¹²⁹⁵ tn Or “is freed.” The translation of δικαιωθῆναι (dikaiwqhnai) and δικαιοῦται (dikaioutai) in Acts 13:38-39 is difficult. BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 3 categorizes δικαιωθῆναι in 13:38 (Greek text) under the meaning “make free/pure” but categorizes δικαιοῦται in Acts 13:39 as “be found in the right, be free of charges” (BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 2.b.β). In the interest of consistency both verbs are rendered as “justified” in this translation.

[13:39]  ¹²⁹⁶ tn Or “could not free.”

[13:39]  ¹²⁹⁷ tn Grk “from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation, with “by the law of Moses” becoming the subject of the final clause. The words “from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you” are part of v. 38 in the Greek text, but due to English style and word order must be placed in v. 39 in the translation.

[13:40]  ¹²⁹⁸ sn The speech closes with a warning, “Watch out,” that also stresses culpability.

[13:40]  ¹²⁹⁹ tn Or “in.”

[13:41]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn Or “and die!”

[13:41]  ¹³⁰¹ sn A quotation from Hab 1:5. The irony in the phrase even if someone tells you, of course, is that Paul has now told them. So the call in the warning is to believe or else face the peril of being scoffers whom God will judge. The parallel from Habakkuk is that the nation failed to see how Babylon’s rising to power meant perilous judgment for Israel.

[13:42]  ¹³⁰² tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ¹³⁰³ tn Or “were leaving.” The participle ἐξιόντων (exiontwn) is taken temporally.

[13:42]  ¹³⁰⁴ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ¹³⁰⁵ tn Or “begging,” “inviting.”

[13:42]  ¹³⁰⁶ tn Or “matters.”

[13:43]  ¹³⁰⁷ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:43]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn BDAG 607 s.v. λύω 3 has “λυθείσης τ. συναγωγῆς when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up Ac 13:43.”

[13:43]  ¹³⁰⁹ tn Normally the phrase σεβόμενοι τὸν θεόν (sebomenoi ton qeon) refers to Gentiles (“God-fearers”) who believed in God, attended the synagogue, and followed the Mosaic law to some extent, but stopped short of undergoing circumcision. BDAG 918 s.v. σέβω 1.b lists in this category references in Acts 16:14; 18:7; with σεβόμενοι alone, Acts 13:50; 17:4, 17; the phrase is also found in Josephus, Ant. 14.7.2 (14.110). Unique to this particular verse is the combination σεβόμενοι προσηλύτων (sebomenoi proshlutwn). Later rabbinic discussion suggests that to be regarded as a proper proselyte, a Gentile male had to submit to circumcision. If that is the case here, these Gentiles in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch should be regarded as full proselytes who had converted completely to Judaism and undergone circumcision. It is probably more likely, however, that προσηλύτων is used here in a somewhat looser sense (note the use of σεβομένας [sebomena"] alone to refer to women in Acts 13:50) and that these Gentiles were still in the category commonly called “God-fearers” without being full, technical proselytes to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Regardless, the point is that many Gentiles, as well as Jews, came to faith.

[13:43]  ¹³¹⁰ tn This is the meaning given for ἔπειθον (epeiqon) in this verse by BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b.

[13:43]  ¹³¹¹ tn Grk “who, as they were speaking with them, were persuading them.”

[13:43]  ¹³¹² tn The verb προμένειν (promenein) is similar in force to the use of μένω (menw, “to reside/remain”) in the Gospel and Epistles of John.

[13:44]  ¹³¹³ tc Most mss (B* C E Ψ Ï sy bo) read θεοῦ (qeou, “of God”) here instead of κυρίου (kuriou, “of the Lord”). Other mss, among them some important early witnesses (Ì⁷⁴ א A B² 33 81 323 945 1175 1739 al sa), read κυρίου. The external evidence favors κυρίου, though not decisively. Internally, the mention of “God” in v. 43, and especially “the word of God” in v. 46, would provide some temptation for scribes to assimilate the wording in v. 44 to these texts.

[13:45]  ¹³¹⁴ 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]  ¹³¹⁵ 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]  ¹³¹⁶ 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]  ¹³¹⁷ 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.

[13:46]  ¹³¹⁸ tn Grk “Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out courageously and said.” The redundancy is removed in the translation and the verb “replied” is used in keeping with the logical sequence of events. The theme of boldness reappears: Acts 4:24-30; 9:27-28.

[13:46]  ¹³¹⁹ tn Grk “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:46]  ¹³²⁰ tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”

[13:46]  ¹³²¹ tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.

[13:46]  ¹³²² sn This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.

[13:47]  ¹³²³ tn Here οὕτως (Joutws) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.

[13:47]  ¹³²⁴ tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).

[13:47]  ¹³²⁵ sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.

[13:47]  ¹³²⁶ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

[13:47]  ¹³²⁷ sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)

[13:48]  ¹³²⁸ tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (ecairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.

[13:48]  ¹³²⁹ tn Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by BDAG 258 s.v. δοξάζω as a translation, it would be misleading here, because the meaning is “to honor in the sense of attributing worth to something,” while in contemporary English usage one speaks of “honoring” a contract in the sense of keeping its stipulations. It is not a synonym for “obey” in this context (“obey the word of the Lord”), but that is how many English readers would understand it.

[13:48]  ¹³³⁰ sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.

[13:49]  ¹³³¹ tn BDAG 239 s.v. διαφέρω 1 has “spread” for διαφέρετο (diafereto) in connection with a teaching. This is the first summary since Acts 9:31.

[13:50]  ¹³³² tn For the translation of παρώτρυναν (parwtrunan) as “incited” see BDAG 780 s.v. παροτρύνω.

[13:50]  ¹³³³ tn BDAG 299 s.v. ἐκβάλλω 1 has “throw out.” Once again, many Jews reacted to the message (Acts 5:17, 33; 6:11; 13:45).

[13:51]  ¹³³⁴ tn The participle ἐκτιναξάμενοι (ektinaxamenoi) is taken temporally. It could also be translated as a participle of attendant circumstance (“So they shook…and went”).

[13:51]  ¹³³⁵ sn Shaking the dust off their feet was a symbolic gesture commanded by Jesus to his disciples, Matt 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5. It shows a group of people as culpable before God.

[13:51]  ¹³³⁶ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 90 mi (145 km) east southeast of Pisidian Antioch. It was the easternmost city of Phrygia.

[13:52]  ¹³³⁷ sn The citizens of Pisidian Antioch were not discouraged by the persecution, but instead were filled with joy.

[14:1]  ¹³³⁸ sn Iconium. See the note in 13:51.

[14:1]  ¹³³⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:1]  ¹³⁴⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[14:1]  ¹³⁴¹ tn Or “that a large crowd.”

[14:2]  ¹³⁴² tn Or “who would not believe.”

[14:2]  ¹³⁴³ tn Or “embittered their minds” (Grk “their souls”). BDAG 502 s.v. κακόω 2 has “make angry, embitter τὰς ψυχάς τινων κατά τινος poison the minds of some persons against another Ac 14:2.”

[14:3]  ¹³⁴⁴ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[14:3]  ¹³⁴⁵ sn The Lord testified to the message by granting the signs described in the following clause.

[14:3]  ¹³⁴⁶ tn Grk “word.”

[14:3]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

[14:4]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ has this translation for πλῆθος (plhqo").

[14:4]  ¹³⁴⁹ tn These clauses are a good example of the contrastive μὲν…δέ (men…de) construction: Some “on the one hand” sided with the Jews, but some “on the other hand” sided with the apostles.

[14:5]  ¹³⁵⁰ tn Grk “So there came about an attempt” 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.

[14:5]  ¹³⁵¹ tn On this verb see BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑβρίζω.

[14:5]  ¹³⁵² tn The direct object “them” is repeated after both verbs in the translation for stylistic reasons, although it occurs only after λιθοβολῆσαι (liqobolhsai) in the Greek text.

[14:6]  ¹³⁵³ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:6]  ¹³⁵⁴ tn Grk “learning about it, fled.” The participle συνιδόντες (sunidonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. It could also be taken temporally (“when they learned about it”) as long as opening clause of v. 5 is not translated as a temporal clause too, which results in a redundancy.

[14:6]  ¹³⁵⁵ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) south of Iconium, a Roman colony that was not on the main roads of Lycaonia. Because of its relative isolation, its local character was able to be preserved.

[14:6]  ¹³⁵⁶ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra.

[14:7]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn Grk “region, and there.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[14:7]  ¹³⁵⁸ tn The periphrastic construction εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ἦσαν (euangelizomenoi hsan) has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

[14:8]  ¹³⁵⁹ tn Grk “And in.” 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.

[14:8]  ¹³⁶⁰ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) south of Iconium.

[14:8]  ¹³⁶¹ tn Grk “powerless in his feet,” meaning he was unable to use his feet to walk.

[14:8]  ¹³⁶² tn Grk “lame from his mother’s womb” (an idiom).

[14:9]  ¹³⁶³ tn Grk “speaking, who.” The relative pronoun has been replaced by the noun “Paul,” and a new sentence begun in the translation because an English relative clause would be very awkward here.

[14:9]  ¹³⁶⁴ tn Or “looked.”

[14:10]  ¹³⁶⁵ tn BDAG 722 s.v. ὀρθός 1.a has “stand upright on your feet.”

[14:10]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:10]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn This verb is imperfect tense in contrast to the previous verb, which is aorist. It has been translated ingressively, since the start of a sequence is in view here.

[14:11]  ¹³⁶⁸ tn Grk “they lifted up their voice” (an idiom).

[14:11]  ¹³⁶⁹ tn Grk “in Lycaonian, saying.” The word “language” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[14:11]  ¹³⁷⁰ tn So BDAG 707 s.v. ὁμοιόω 1. However, L&N 64.4 takes the participle ὁμοιωθέντες (Jomoiwqente") as an adjectival participle modifying θεοί (qeoi): “the gods resembling men have come down to us.”

[14:12]  ¹³⁷¹ tn The imperfect verb ἐκάλουν (ekaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[14:12]  ¹³⁷² sn Zeus was the chief Greek deity, worshiped throughout the Greco-Roman world (known to the Romans as Jupiter).

[14:12]  ¹³⁷³ sn Hermes was a Greek god who (according to Greek mythology) was the messenger of the gods and the god of oratory (equivalent to the Roman god Mercury).

[14:13]  ¹³⁷⁴ tn The words “the temple of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. The translation “the priest of (the temple/shrine of) Zeus located before the city” is given for this phrase by BDAG 426 s.v. Ζεύς.

[14:13]  ¹³⁷⁵ sn See the note on Zeus in the previous verse.

[14:13]  ¹³⁷⁶ tn Or “oxen.”

[14:13]  ¹³⁷⁷ tn Or “wreaths.”

[14:13]  ¹³⁷⁸ tn The words “to them” are not in the Greek text, but are clearly implied by the response of Paul and Barnabas in the following verse.

[14:14]  ¹³⁷⁹ sn The apostles Barnabas and Paul. This is one of only two places where Luke calls Paul an apostle, and the description here is shared with Barnabas. This is a nontechnical use here, referring to a commissioned messenger.

[14:14]  ¹³⁸⁰ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is taken temporally.

[14:14]  ¹³⁸¹ tn Grk “tearing their clothes they rushed out.” The participle διαρρήξαντες (diarrhxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This action is a Jewish response to blasphemy (m. Sanhedrin 7.5; Jdt 14:16-17).

[14:14]  ¹³⁸² tn So BDAG 307 s.v. ἐκπηδάω 1, “rush (lit. ‘leap’) out…εἰς τὸν ὄχλον into the crowd Ac 14:14.”

[14:14]  ¹³⁸³ tn Grk “shouting and saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes, in v. 15) has not been translated because it is redundant.

[14:15]  ¹³⁸⁴ tn Grk “with the same kinds of feelings,” L&N 25.32. BDAG 706 s.v. ὁμοιοπαθής translates the phrase “with the same nature τινί as someone.” In the immediate context, the contrast is between human and divine nature, and the point is that Paul and Barnabas are mere mortals, not gods.

[14:15]  ¹³⁸⁵ tn Grk “in order that you should turn,” with ἐπιστρέφειν (epistrefein) as an infinitive of purpose, but this is somewhat awkward contemporary English. To translate the infinitive construction “proclaim the good news, that you should turn,” which is much smoother English, could give the impression that the infinitive clause is actually the content of the good news, which it is not. The somewhat less formal “to get you to turn” would work, but might convey to some readers manipulativeness on the part of the apostles. Thus “proclaim the good news, so that you should turn,” is used, to convey that the purpose of the proclamation of good news is the response by the hearers. The emphasis here is like 1 Thess 1:9-10.

[14:15]  ¹³⁸⁶ tn Or “useless,” “futile.” The reference is to idols and idolatry, worshiping the creation over the Creator (Rom 1:18-32). See also 1 Kgs 16:2, 13, 26; 2 Kgs 17:15; Jer 2:5; 8:19; 3 Macc 6:11.

[14:15]  ¹³⁸⁷ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[14:16]  ¹³⁸⁸ tn Grk “them, who in.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the pronoun “he” (“In past generations he”) and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who made the heaven” and “who in past generations”) following one another.

[14:16]  ¹³⁸⁹ tn On this term see BDAG 780 s.v. παροίχομαι. The word is a NT hapax legomenon.

[14:16]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same). The plural here alludes to the variety of false religions in the pagan world.

[14:17]  ¹³⁹¹ tn The participle ἀγαθουργῶν (agaqourgwn) is regarded as indicating means here, parallel to the following participles διδούς (didou") and ἐμπιπλῶν (empiplwn). This is the easiest way to understand the Greek structure. Semantically, the first participle is a general statement, followed by two participles giving specific examples of doing good.

[14:17]  ¹³⁹² tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[14:17]  ¹³⁹³ tn Grk “satisfying [filling] your hearts with food and joy.” This is an idiomatic expression; it strikes the English reader as strange to speak of “filling one’s heart with food.” Thus the additional direct object “you” has been supplied, separating the two expressions somewhat: “satisfying you with food and your hearts with joy.”

[14:17]  ¹³⁹⁴ sn God’s general sovereignty and gracious care in the creation are the way Paul introduces the theme of the goodness of God. He was trying to establish monotheism here. It is an OT theme (Gen 8:22; Ps 4:7; 145:15-16; 147:8-9; Isa 25:6; Jer 5:24) which also appears in the NT (Luke 12:22-34).

[14:18]  ¹³⁹⁵ tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is regarded as indicating means.

[14:18]  ¹³⁹⁶ tn BDAG 524 s.v. καταπαύω 2.b gives both “restrain” and “dissuade someone fr. someth.,” but “they scarcely dissuaded the crowds from offering sacrifice,” while accurate, is less common in contemporary English than saying “they scarcely persuaded the crowds not to offer sacrifice.” Paganism is portrayed as a powerful reality that is hard to reverse.

[14:19]  ¹³⁹⁷ sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.

[14:19]  ¹³⁹⁸ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) north of Lystra. Note how Jews from other cities were chasing Paul (2 Cor 11:4-6; Gal 2:4-5; Acts 9:16).

[14:19]  ¹³⁹⁹ tn The participle πείσαντες (peisante") is taken temporally (BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.c).

[14:19]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “stoning Paul they dragged him.” The participle λιθάσαντες (liqasante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[14:20]  ¹⁴⁰¹ tn Grk “and entered”; the word “back” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[14:20]  ¹⁴⁰² tn Grk “And on.” 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.

[14:20]  ¹⁴⁰³ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. This was the easternmost point of the journey.

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁰⁴ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) northwest of Derbe.

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) north of Lystra.

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.

[14:22]  ¹⁴⁰⁷ tn Grk “to Antioch, strengthening.” Due to the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here. This participle (ἐπιστηρίζοντες, episthrizonte") and the following one (παρακαλοῦντες, parakalounte") have been translated as finite verbs connected by the coordinating conjunction “and.”

[14:22]  ¹⁴⁰⁸ sn And encouraged them to continue. The exhortations are like those noted in Acts 11:23; 13:43. An example of such a speech is found in Acts 20:18-35. Christianity is now characterized as “the faith.”

[14:22]  ¹⁴⁰⁹ sn This reference to the kingdom of God clearly refers to its future arrival.

[14:22]  ¹⁴¹⁰ tn Or “sufferings.”

[14:23]  ¹⁴¹¹ sn Appointed elders. See Acts 20:17.

[14:23]  ¹⁴¹² tn The preposition κατά (kata) is used here in a distributive sense; see BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d.

[14:23]  ¹⁴¹³ tn Literally with a finite verb (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi) rather than a noun, “praying with fasting,” but the combination “prayer and fasting” is so familiar in English that it is preferable to use it here.

[14:23]  ¹⁴¹⁴ tn BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 3.b has “entrust someone to the care or protection of someone” for this phrase. The reference to persecution or suffering in the context (v. 22) suggests “protection” is a better translation here. This looks at God’s ultimate care for the church.

[14:24]  ¹⁴¹⁵ tn Grk “Then passing through Pisidia they came.” The participle διελθόντες (dielqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[14:24]  ¹⁴¹⁶ sn Pamphylia was a province along the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[14:25]  ¹⁴¹⁷ tn Or “message.”

[14:25]  ¹⁴¹⁸ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[14:25]  ¹⁴¹⁹ sn Attalia was a seaport in the province of Pamphylia on the southern coast of Asia Minor, about 12 mi (20 km) southwest of Perga.

[14:26]  ¹⁴²⁰ sn Antioch was the city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia) from which Paul’s first missionary journey began (see Acts 13:1-4). That first missionary journey ends here, after covering some 1,400 mi (2,240 km).

[14:26]  ¹⁴²¹ tn Or “committed.” BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 2 gives “commended to the grace of God for the work 14:26” as the meaning for this phrase, although “give over” and “commit” are listed as alternative meanings for this category.

[14:26]  ¹⁴²² tn BDAG 829 s.v. πληρόω 5 has “to bring to completion an activity in which one has been involved from its beginning, complete, finish” as meanings for this category. The ministry to which they were commissioned ends with a note of success.

[14:27]  ¹⁴²³ tn Or “announced.”

[14:27]  ¹⁴²⁴ sn Note that God is the subject of the activity. The outcome of this mission is seen as a confirmation of the mission to the Gentiles.

[14:27]  ¹⁴²⁵ sn On the image of opening, or of the door, see 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3.

[14:28]  ¹⁴²⁶ tn BDAG 238 s.v. διατρίβω gives the meaning as “spend” when followed by an accusative τὸν χρόνον (ton cronon) which is the case here.

[14:28]  ¹⁴²⁷ tn Grk “no little (time)” (an idiom).

[15:1]  ¹⁴²⁸ sn That is, they came down from Judea to Antioch in Syria.

[15:1]  ¹⁴²⁹ tc Codex Bezae (D) and a few other witnesses have “and walk” here (i.e., instead of τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως [tw eqei tw Mwu>sew"] they read καὶ τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως περιπατῆτε [kai tw eqei tw Mwu>sew" peripathte]). This is a decidedly stronger focus on obedience to the Law. As well, D expands vv. 1-5 in various places with the overall effect of being “more sympathetic to the local tradition of the church at Jerusalem” while the Alexandrian witnesses are more sympathetic to Paul (TCGNT 377). Codex D is well known for having a significantly longer text in Acts, but modern scholarship is generally of the opinion that the text of D expands on the original wording of Acts, with a theological viewpoint that especially puts Peter in a more authoritarian light. The expansion in these five verses is in keeping with that motif even though Peter is not explicitly in view.

[15:2]  ¹⁴³⁰ tn Grk “no little argument and debate” (an idiom).

[15:2]  ¹⁴³¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the church, or the rest of the believers at Antioch) has been specified to avoid confusion with the Judaizers mentioned in the preceding clause.

[15:2]  ¹⁴³² tn Grk “go up to,” but in this context a meeting is implied.

[15:2]  ¹⁴³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[15:2]  ¹⁴³⁴ tn Or “point of controversy.” It is unclear whether this event parallels Gal 2:1-10 or that Gal 2 fits with Acts 11:30. More than likely Gal 2:1-10 is to be related to Acts 11:30.

[15:3]  ¹⁴³⁵ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ¹⁴³⁶ tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.

[15:3]  ¹⁴³⁷ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

[15:4]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn BDAG 761 s.v. παραδέχομαι 2 has “receive, accept” for the meaning here.

[15:4]  ¹⁴³⁹ tn Or “announced.”

[15:4]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ tn “They reported all the things God had done with them” – an identical phrase occurs in Acts 14:27. God is always the agent.

[15:5]  ¹⁴⁴¹ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[15:5]  ¹⁴⁴² sn The Greek word used here (δεῖ, dei) is a strong term that expresses divine necessity. The claim is that God commanded the circumcision of Gentiles.

[15:5]  ¹⁴⁴³ tn Grk “them”; the referent (the Gentiles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:5]  ¹⁴⁴⁴ tn Or “keep.”

[15:6]  ¹⁴⁴⁵ tn The translation for ἰδεῖν (idein) in this verse is given by BDAG 279-80 s.v. εἶδον 3 as “deliberate concerning this matter.” A contemporary idiom would be to “look into” a matter.

[15:7]  ¹⁴⁴⁶ tn Or “discussion.” This term is repeated from v. 2.

[15:7]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ tn Or “long ago” (an idiom, literally “from ancient days”). According to L&N 67.26, “this reference to Peter having been chosen by God sometime before to bring the gospel to the Gentiles can hardly be regarded as a reference to ancient times, though some persons understand this to mean that God’s decision was made at the beginning of time. The usage of ἀφ᾿ ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων is probably designed to emphasize the established nature of God’s decision for Peter to take the gospel to the Gentiles beginning with the centurion Cornelius. The fact that this was relatively early in the development of the church may also serve to explain the use of the idiom.”

[15:7]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ sn God chose. The theme of God’s sovereign choice is an important point, because 1st century Jews believed Israel’s unique position and customs were a reflection of God’s choice.

[15:7]  ¹⁴⁴⁹ tn Or “word.”

[15:7]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tn Or “of the good news.”

[15:7]  ¹⁴⁵¹ tn Grk “God chose among you from my mouth the Gentiles to hear the message of the gospel and to believe.” The sense of this sentence in Greek is difficult to render in English. The Greek verb ἐκλέγομαι (eklegomai, “choose”) normally takes a person or thing as a direct object; in this verse the verb has neither clearly stated. The translation understands the phrase “from my mouth,” referring to Peter, as a description of both who God chose and the task to be done. This coupled with the following statement about Gentiles hearing the message of the gospel leads to the more dynamic rendering in the translation.

[15:8]  ¹⁴⁵² sn The expression who knows the heart means “who knows what people think.”

[15:8]  ¹⁴⁵³ tn Or “has borne witness.”

[15:8]  ¹⁴⁵⁴ sn By giving them…just as he did to us. The allusion is to the events of Acts 10-11, esp. 10:44-48 and Peter’s remarks in 11:15-18.

[15:9]  ¹⁴⁵⁵ tn BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “to conclude that there is a difference, make a distinction, differentiate.”

[15:9]  ¹⁴⁵⁶ tn Or “purifying.”

[15:10]  ¹⁴⁵⁷ tn According to BDAG 793 s.v. πειράζω 2.c, “In Ac 15:10 the πειράζειν τὸν θεόν consists in the fact that after God’s will has been clearly made known through granting of the Spirit to the Gentiles (v. 8), some doubt and make trial to see whether God’s will really becomes operative.” All testing of God in Luke is negative: Luke 4:2; 11:16.

[15:10]  ¹⁴⁵⁸ sn A yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals like oxen or horses so that they can pull a wagon, plow, etc. together. Here it is used figuratively of the restriction that some in the early church wanted to place on Gentile converts to Christianity of observing the law of Moses and having males circumcised. The yoke is a decidedly negative image: Matt 23:4, but cf. Matt 11:29-30.

[15:10]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[15:11]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ tn Or “by.”

[15:11]  ¹⁴⁶¹ tn Or “Jesus, just as they are.” BDAG 1016-17 s.v. τρόπος 1 translates καθ᾿ ὃν τρόπον (kaq’ Jon tropon) here as “in the same way as.”

[15:12]  ¹⁴⁶² tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.a lists this passage under the meaning “say nothing, keep still, keep silent.”

[15:12]  ¹⁴⁶³ tn Here in connection with τέρατα (terata) the miraculous nature of these signs is indicated.

[15:13]  ¹⁴⁶⁴ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “stop speaking, become silent.”

[15:13]  ¹⁴⁶⁵ tn Grk “answered, saying”; the redundant participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated.

[15:14]  ¹⁴⁶⁶ sn Simeon is a form of the apostle Peter’s Aramaic name. James uses Peter’s “Jewish” name here.

[15:14]  ¹⁴⁶⁷ tn Or “reported,” “described.”

[15:14]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ tn BDAG 378 s.v. ἐπισκέπτομαι 3 translates this phrase in Acts 15:14, “God concerned himself about winning a people fr. among the nations.”

[15:14]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ tn Grk “to take,” but in the sense of selecting or choosing (accompanied by the preposition ἐκ [ek] plus a genitive specifying the group selected from) see Heb 5:1; also BDAG 584 s.v. λαμβάνω 6.

[15:14]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ sn In the Greek text the expression “from among the Gentiles” is in emphatic position.

[15:15]  ¹⁴⁷¹ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[15:15]  ¹⁴⁷² sn The term agree means “match” or “harmonize with.” James’ point in the introduction argues that many of the OT prophets taught this. He gives one example (which follows).

[15:16]  ¹⁴⁷³ tn Grk “After these things.”

[15:16]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ sn The first person pronoun I refers to God and his activity. It is God who is doing this.

[15:16]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ tn Or more generally, “dwelling”; perhaps, “royal tent.” According to BDAG 928 s.v. σκηνή the word can mean “tent” or “hut,” or more generally “lodging” or “dwelling.” In this verse (a quotation from Amos 9:11) BDAG refers this to David’s ruined kingdom; it is possibly an allusion to a king’s tent (a royal tent). God is at work to reestablish David’s line (Acts 2:30-36; 13:32-39).

[15:16]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ tn BDAG 86 s.v. ἀνορθόω places this verb under the meaning “to build someth. up again after it has fallen, rebuild, restore,” but since ἀνοικοδομέω (anoikodomew, “rebuild”) has occurred twice in this verse already, “restore” is used here.

[15:17]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ tn Or “so that all other people.” The use of this term follows Amos 9:11 LXX.

[15:17]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ tn Here καί (kai) introduces an explanatory clause that explains the preceding phrase “the rest of humanity.” The clause introduced by καί (kai) could also be punctuated in English as a parenthesis.

[15:17]  ¹⁴⁷⁹ tn Or “all the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:17]  ¹⁴⁸⁰ tn Grk “all the Gentiles on whom my name has been called.” Based on well-attested OT usage, the passive of ἐπικαλέω (epikalew) here indicates God’s ownership (“all the Gentiles who belong to me”) or calling (“all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own”). See L&N 11.28.

[15:17]  ¹⁴⁸¹ sn A quotation from Amos 9:11-12 LXX. James demonstrated a high degree of cultural sensitivity when he cited a version of the text (the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that Gentiles would use.

[15:18]  ¹⁴⁸² sn Who makes these things known. The remark emphasizes how God’s design of these things reaches back to the time he declared them.

[15:18]  ¹⁴⁸³ sn An allusion to Isa 45:21.

[15:19]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ tn Or “I have decided,” “I think.” The verb κρίνω (krinw) has a far broader range of meaning than the often-used English verb “judge.” BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 3 places this use in Acts 15:19 in the category “judge, think, consider, look upon” followed by double accusative of object and predicate. However, many modern translations give the impression that a binding decision is being handed down by James: “it is my judgment” (NASB, NIV); “I have reached the decision” (NRSV). L&N 22.25, on the other hand, translate the phrase here “I think that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles.” This gives more the impression of an opinion than a binding decision. The resolution of this lies not so much in the lexical data as in how one conceives James’ role in the leadership of the Jerusalem church, plus the dynamics of the specific situation where the issue of Gentile inclusion in the church was being discussed. The major possibilities are: (1) James is handing down a binding decision to the rest of the church as the one who has ultimate authority to decide this matter; (2) James is offering his own personal opinion in the matter, which is not binding on the church; (3) James is voicing a consensus opinion of all the apostles and elders, although phrasing it as if it were his own; (4) James is making a suggestion to the rest of the leadership as to what course they should follow. In light of the difficulty in reconstructing the historical situation in detail, it is best to use a translation which maintains as many of the various options as possible. For this reason the translation “Therefore I conclude” has been used, leaving open the question whether in reaching this conclusion James is speaking only for himself or for the rest of the leadership.

[15:19]  ¹⁴⁸⁵ tn Or “trouble.” This term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 775 s.v. παρενοχλέω).

[15:19]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ tn Or “among the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:20]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ tn The translation “to write a letter, to send a letter to” for ἐπιστέλλω (epistellw) is given in L&N 33.49.

[15:20]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ tn Three of the four prohibitions deal with food (the first, third and fourth) while one prohibition deals with behavior (the second, refraining from sexual immorality). Since these occur in the order they do, the translation “abstain from” is used to cover both sorts of activity (eating food items, immoral behavior).

[15:20]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ tn Or “polluted.”

[15:20]  ¹⁴⁹⁰ sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14), Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the following provision in Acts 15:20, and from blood).

[15:21]  ¹⁴⁹¹ tn Grk “from generations of old”; the translation “fr. ancient times” is given by BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 3.b.

[15:21]  ¹⁴⁹² tn The translation “read aloud” is used to indicate the actual practice; translating as “read” could be misunderstood to mean private, silent reading.

[15:21]  ¹⁴⁹³ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[15:22]  ¹⁴⁹⁴ tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists this verse under the meaning “it seems best to me, I decide, I resolve.”

[15:22]  ¹⁴⁹⁵ sn Silas. See 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1 (= Silvanus).

[15:22]  ¹⁴⁹⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ¹⁴⁹⁷ tn Grk “writing by their hand” (an idiom for sending a letter).

[15:23]  ¹⁴⁹⁸ tn Grk “The apostles.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[15:23]  ¹⁴⁹⁹ tn Grk “brothers,” but “your” is supplied to specify the relationship, since without it “brothers” could be understood as vocative in English.

[15:23]  ¹⁵⁰⁰ tn Grk “to the brothers who are from the Gentiles.”

[15:23]  ¹⁵⁰¹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ¹⁵⁰² tn Grk “and Syria,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[15:24]  ¹⁵⁰³ tn Here BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2 states, “Of mental confusion caused by false teachings ταρ. τινά Ac 15:24 (w. λόγοις foll.).”

[15:24]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ tn BDAG 71 s.v. ἀνασκευάζω describes this verb with a figurative meaning: “to cause inward distress, upset, unsettle.”

[15:24]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “souls.”

[15:24]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ tn Grk “by words”; L&N 25.231 translates the phrase “they troubled and upset you by what they said.”

[15:25]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ tn Grk “having become of one mind, we have decided.” This has been translated “we have unanimously decided” to reduce the awkwardness in English.

[15:25]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists this verse under the meaning “it seems best to me, I decide, I resolve.”

[15:26]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ tn Grk “men who”; but this can be misleading because in English the referent could be understood to be the men sent along with Barnabas and Paul rather than Barnabas and Paul themselves. This option does not exist in the Greek original, however, since ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") is dative and must agree with “Barnabas and Paul,” while ἄνδρας (andra") is accusative. By omitting the word “men” from the translation here, it is clear in English that the phrase refers to the immediately preceding nouns “Barnabas and Paul.”

[15:26]  ¹⁵¹⁰ tn Grk “who have risked their souls”; the equivalent English idiom is “risk one’s life.” The descriptions commend Barnabas and Paul as thoroughly trustworthy.

[15:26]  ¹⁵¹¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[15:27]  ¹⁵¹² tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

[15:27]  ¹⁵¹³ sn Judas and Silas were the “two witnesses” who would vouch for the truth of the recommendation.

[15:27]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn Grk “by means of word” (an idiom for a verbal report).

[15:28]  ¹⁵¹⁵ tn This is the same expression translated “decided” in Acts 15:22, 25. BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists “decide” as a possible gloss for this verse, and this translation would be consistent with the translation of the same expression in Acts 15:22, 25. However, the unusually awkward “the Holy Spirit and we have decided” would result. Given this approach, it would be more natural in English to say “We and the Holy Spirit have decided,” but changing the order removes the emphasis the Greek text gives to the Holy Spirit. Thus, although the similarity to the phrases in 15:22, 25 is obscured, it is better to use the alternate translation “it seems best to me” (also given by BDAG): “it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us.” Again the scope of agreement is highlighted.

[15:28]  ¹⁵¹⁶ tn L&N 71.39 translates “indispensable (rules)” while BDAG 358 s.v. ἐπάναγκες has “the necessary things.”

[15:29]  ¹⁵¹⁷ tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.

[15:29]  ¹⁵¹⁸ tc Codex Bezae (D) and a few other witnesses lack the restriction “and from what has been strangled” (καὶ πνικτῶν, kai pniktwn), though the words are supported by a wide variety of early and important witnesses otherwise and should be considered authentic.

[15:29]  ¹⁵¹⁹ tc Codex Bezae (D) as well as 323 614 945 1739 1891 sa and other witnesses have after “sexual immorality” the following statement: “And whatever you do not want to happen to yourselves, do not do to another/others.” By adding this negative form of the Golden Rule, these witnesses effectively change the Apostolic Decree from what might be regarded as ceremonial restrictions into more ethical demands. The issues here are quite complicated, and beyond the scope of this brief note. Suffice it to say that D and its allies here are almost surely an expansion and alteration of the original text of Acts. For an excellent discussion of the exegetical and textual issues, see TCGNT 379-83.

[15:29]  ¹⁵²⁰ tn Grk “from which things keeping yourselves.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (ὧν, |wn) has been replaced by a pronoun (“these things”) and a new English sentence begun. The participle διατηροῦντες (diathrounte") has been translated as a conditional adverbial participle (“if you keep yourselves”). See further L&N 13.153.

[15:29]  ¹⁵²¹ tn The phrase ἔρρωσθε (errwsqe) may be understood as a stock device indicating a letter is complete (“good-bye,” L&N 33.24) or as a sincere wish that the persons involved may fare well (“may you fare well,” L&N 23.133).

[15:30]  ¹⁵²² tn Or “sent away.”

[15:30]  ¹⁵²³ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:30]  ¹⁵²⁴ tn Or “congregation” (referring to the group of believers).

[15:31]  ¹⁵²⁵ tn Grk “read it.” The translation “read aloud” is used to indicate the actual practice of public reading; translating as “read” could be misunderstood to mean private, silent, or individual reading.

[15:31]  ¹⁵²⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:31]  ¹⁵²⁷ tn Or “at its encouraging message.”

[15:32]  ¹⁵²⁸ tn Here λόγου (logou) is singular. BDAG 599-600 s.v. λόγος 1.a.β has “in a long speech” for this phrase.

[15:33]  ¹⁵²⁹ tn Grk “And after.” 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.

[15:33]  ¹⁵³⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[15:34]  ¹⁵³¹ tc A few mss add 15:34 “But Silas decided to stay there.” Verse 34 is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B E Ψ Ï bo. It is included in a shorter form, with a few minor variations, by (C) 33 36 323 453 614 (945) 1175 1739 1891 al sa, and in a longer form (“But Silas decided to stay with them, and only Judas departed”) by D l. The verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, but was added to harmonize with the statement about Silas in v. 40. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[15:35]  ¹⁵³² sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:35]  ¹⁵³³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[15:35]  ¹⁵³⁴ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in v. 36; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[15:36]  ¹⁵³⁵ tn Grk “Returning let us visit.” The participle ἐπιστρέψαντες (epistreyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[15:36]  ¹⁵³⁶ tn See the note on the phrase “word of the Lord” in v. 35.

[15:36]  ¹⁵³⁷ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.b has “how they are” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ¹⁵³⁸ tn BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 2.a has “he insisted (impf.) that they should not take him along” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ¹⁵³⁹ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor. See Acts 13:13, where it was mentioned previously.

[15:39]  ¹⁵⁴⁰ tn Grk “There happened a sharp disagreement.” 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.

[15:39]  ¹⁵⁴¹ tn BDAG 780 s.v. παροξυσμός 2 has “sharp disagreement” here; L&N 33.451 has “sharp argument, sharp difference of opinion.”

[15:39]  ¹⁵⁴² tn Grk “taking along Mark sailed.” The participle παραλαβόντα (paralabonta) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[15:39]  ¹⁵⁴³ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[15:40]  ¹⁵⁴⁴ tn Or “committed.” BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 2 gives “be commended by someone to the grace of the Lord” as the meaning for this phrase, although “give over” and “commit” are listed as alternatives for this category.

[15:40]  ¹⁵⁴⁵ tn Grk “by the brothers.” Here it it is highly probable that the entire congregation is in view, not just men, so the translation “brothers and sisters” has been used for the plural ἀδελφῶν (adelfwn),.

[15:41]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ sn Strengthening. See Acts 14:22; 15:32; 18:23.

[16:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁷ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. It was about 90 mi (145 km) from Tarsus.

[16:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁸ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁹ tn Grk “And behold, a disciple.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[16:1]  ¹⁵⁵⁰ tn L&N 31.103 translates this phrase “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer.”

[16:1]  ¹⁵⁵¹ sn His father was a Greek. Timothy was the offspring of a mixed marriage between a Jewish woman (see 2 Tim 1:5) and a Gentile man. On mixed marriages in Judaism, see Neh 13:23-27; Ezra 9:1-10:44; Mal 2:10-16; Jub. 30:7-17; m. Qiddushin 3.12; m. Yevamot 7.5.

[16:2]  ¹⁵⁵² sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:2]  ¹⁵⁵³ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 110 mi (175 km) east of Pisidian Antioch.

[16:2]  ¹⁵⁵⁴ tn For this sense of μαρτυρέω (marturew), see BDAG 618 s.v. 2.b.

[16:2]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ tn Grk “who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who was a believer…who was well spoken of”) and the awkwardness of the passive verb (“was well spoken of”), the relative pronoun at the beginning of 16:2 (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“him”) and the construction converted from passive to active at the same time a new sentence was started in the translation.

[16:3]  ¹⁵⁵⁶ tn Grk “this one”; the referent (Timothy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:3]  ¹⁵⁵⁷ tn Grk “and taking him he circumcised him.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Paul’s cultural sensitivity showed in his action here. He did not want Timothy’s lack of circumcision to become an issue (1 Cor 9:15-23).

[16:3]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ tn The verb περιέτεμεν (perietemen) here may be understood as causative (cf. ExSyn 411-12) if Paul did not personally perform the circumcision.

[16:3]  ¹⁵⁵⁹ tn Or “who lived in the area.”

[16:3]  ¹⁵⁶⁰ tn The anarthrous predicate nominative has been translated as qualitative (“Greek”) rather than indefinite (“a Greek”).

[16:4]  ¹⁵⁶¹ tn Or “cities.”

[16:4]  ¹⁵⁶² tn BDAG 762-63 s.v. παραδίδωμι 3 has “they handed down to them the decisions to observe Ac 16:4.”

[16:4]  ¹⁵⁶³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[16:4]  ¹⁵⁶⁴ tn Grk “for them”; the referent (Gentile believers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:4]  ¹⁵⁶⁵ tn Or “observe” or “follow.”

[16:5]  ¹⁵⁶⁶ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[16:6]  ¹⁵⁶⁷ sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia.

[16:6]  ¹⁵⁶⁸ sn Galatia refers to either (1) the region of the old kingdom of Galatia in the central part of Asia Minor (North Galatia), or (2) the Roman province of Galatia, whose principal cities in the 1st century were Ancyra and Pisidian Antioch (South Galatia). The exact extent and meaning of this area has been a subject of considerable controversy in modern NT studies.

[16:6]  ¹⁵⁶⁹ tn Or “forbidden.”

[16:6]  ¹⁵⁷⁰ tn Or “word.”

[16:6]  ¹⁵⁷¹ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[16:7]  ¹⁵⁷² tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.b has “to Mysia” here.

[16:7]  ¹⁵⁷³ sn Mysia was a province in northwest Asia Minor.

[16:7]  ¹⁵⁷⁴ sn Bithynia was a province in northern Asia Minor northeast of Mysia.

[16:7]  ¹⁵⁷⁵ tn Or “permit”; see BDAG 269 s.v. ἐάω 1.

[16:7]  ¹⁵⁷⁶ tn The words “do this” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons, since English handles ellipses differently than Greek.

[16:8]  ¹⁵⁷⁷ tn Although the normal meaning for παρέρχομαι (parercomai) is “pass by, go by,” it would be difficult to get to Troas from where Paul and his companions were without going through rather than around Mysia. BDAG 776 s.v. παρέρχομαι 6 list some nonbiblical examples of the meaning “go through, pass through,” and give that meaning for the usage here.

[16:8]  ¹⁵⁷⁸ sn Mysia was a province in northwest Asia Minor.

[16:8]  ¹⁵⁷⁹ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor, near ancient Troy.

[16:9]  ¹⁵⁸⁰ tn Grk “And a.” 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.

[16:9]  ¹⁵⁸¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:9]  ¹⁵⁸² tn The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.

[16:9]  ¹⁵⁸³ tn Grk “Coming over.” The participle διαβάς (diabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:9]  ¹⁵⁸⁴ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:10]  ¹⁵⁸⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:10]  ¹⁵⁸⁶ tn Grk “sought.”

[16:10]  ¹⁵⁸⁷ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:10]  ¹⁵⁸⁸ tn Or “summoned.”

[16:11]  ¹⁵⁸⁹ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[16:11]  ¹⁵⁹⁰ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. See v. 8.

[16:11]  ¹⁵⁹¹ tn BDAG 406 s.v. εὐθυδρομέω has “of a ship run a straight course” here; L&N 54.3 has “to sail a straight course, sail straight to.”

[16:11]  ¹⁵⁹² sn Samothrace is an island in the northern part of the Aegean Sea.

[16:11]  ¹⁵⁹³ sn Neapolis was a seaport on the southern coast of Macedonia. It was 10 mi (16 km) from Philippi.

[16:12]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[16:12]  ¹⁵⁹⁵ tc ‡ Or perhaps, “a city in the first district” (there are a number of textual variants). L&N 1.85 follow the text of UBS⁴ and NA²⁷ here: “In Ac 16:12…the Greek New Testament published by the United Bible Societies has adopted a conjectural emendation, since the more traditional text, πρώτη τῆς μερίδος, literally ‘first of the district,’ is not only misleading in meaning but does not reflect the historical fact that Philippi was a city in one of the four districts of Macedonia but was not a capital city.” The original text is probably πρώτη τῆς μερίδος (prwth th" merido", “first of that district”) as found in Ì⁷⁴ א A C Ψ 33^vid 36 81 323 945 1175 1891 pc. This has traditionally been translated to give the impression that Philippi was the capital city of the district, but it does not necessarily have to be translated this way. The translation of the article before μερίδος as “that” acknowledges that there were other districts in the province of Macedonia.

[16:12]  ¹⁵⁹⁶ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:12]  ¹⁵⁹⁷ sn A Roman colony was a city whose residents were regarded as Roman citizens, since such cities were originally colonized by citizens of Rome. From Troas to Philippi was 130 mi (208 km).

[16:13]  ¹⁵⁹⁸ tn Grk “and sitting down we began to speak.” The participle καθίσαντες (kaqisante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:13]  ¹⁵⁹⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἐλαλοῦμεν (elaloumen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[16:13]  ¹⁶⁰⁰ sn To the women. Apparently there were not enough Jews present in Philippi to have a synagogue (ten men would have been required to have one).

[16:13]  ¹⁶⁰¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:14]  ¹⁶⁰² tn Grk “And a.” 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.

[16:14]  ¹⁶⁰³ tn On the term translated “a dealer in purple cloth” see BDAG 855 s.v. πορφυρόπωλις.

[16:14]  ¹⁶⁰⁴ sn Thyatira was a city in the province of Lydia in Asia Minor.

[16:14]  ¹⁶⁰⁵ tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[16:14]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ tn Although BDAG 880 s.v. προσέχω 2.b gives the meaning “pay attention to” here, this could be misunderstood by the modern English reader to mean merely listening intently. The following context, however, indicates that Lydia responded positively to Paul’s message, so the verb here was translated “to respond.”

[16:15]  ¹⁶⁰⁷ tn Grk “urged us, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[16:15]  ¹⁶⁰⁸ tn This is a first class condition in Greek, with the statement presented as real or true for the sake of the argument.

[16:15]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ tn Or “faithful to the Lord.” BDAG 821 s.v. πίστος 2 states concerning this verse, “Of one who confesses the Christian faith believing or a believer in the Lord, in Christ, in God πιστ. τῷ κυρίῳ Ac 16:15.” L&N 11.17 has “one who is included among the faithful followers of Christ – ‘believer, Christian, follower.’”

[16:15]  ¹⁶¹⁰ tn Although BDAG 759 s.v. παραβιάζομαι has “urge strongly, prevail upon,” in contemporary English “persuade” is a more frequently used synonym for “prevail upon.”

[16:16]  ¹⁶¹¹ tn Grk “Now it happened that.” 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.

[16:16]  ¹⁶¹² tn Or “who had a spirit of divination”; Grk “who had a spirit of Python.” According to BDAG 896-97 s.v. πύθων, originally Πύθων (Puqwn) was the name of the serpent or dragon that guarded the Delphic oracle. According to Greek mythology, it lived at the foot of Mount Parnassus and was killed by Apollo. From this, the word came to designate a person who was thought to have a spirit of divination. Pagan generals, for example, might consult someone like this. So her presence here suggests a supernatural encounter involving Paul and her “spirit.” W. Foerster, TDNT 6:920, connects the term with ventriloquism but states: “We must assume, however, that for this girl, as for those mentioned by Origen…, the art of ventriloquism was inseparably connected with a (supposed or authentic) gift of soothsaying.” It should also be noted that if the girl in question here were only a ventriloquist, the exorcism performed by Paul in v. 18 would not have been effective.

[16:16]  ¹⁶¹³ tn Grk “who.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who had a spirit…who brought her owners a great profit”) the relative pronoun here (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“she”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[16:16]  ¹⁶¹⁴ tn Or “masters.”

[16:16]  ¹⁶¹⁵ tn On this term see BDAG 616 s.v. μαντεύομαι. It was used of those who gave oracles.

[16:17]  ¹⁶¹⁶ tn Grk “crying out, saying”; the participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant in English and has not been translated. The imperfect verb ἔκραζεν (ekrazen) has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

[16:17]  ¹⁶¹⁷ tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18. The translation “servants” was used here because in this context there appears to be more emphasis on the activity of Paul and his companions (“proclaiming to you the way of salvation”) than on their status as “slaves of the Most High God.”

[16:17]  ¹⁶¹⁸ tn Or “a way.” The grammar of this phrase is a bit ambiguous. The phrase in Greek is ὁδὸν σωτηρίας (Jodon swthria"). Neither the head noun nor the genitive noun has the article; this is in keeping with Apollonius’ Canon (see ExSyn 239-40). Since both nouns are anarthrous, this construction also fits Apollonius’ Corollary (see ExSyn 250-54); since the genitive noun is abstract it is most naturally qualitative, so the head noun could either be definite or indefinite without being unusual as far as the grammar is concerned. Luke’s usage of ὁδός elsewhere is indecisive as far as this passage is concerned. However, when one looks at the historical background it is clear that (1) the woman is shut up (via exorcism) not because her testimony is false but because of its source (analogous to Jesus’ treatment of demons perhaps), and (b) “the way” is a par excellence description of the new faith throughout Acts. It thus seems that at least in Luke’s presentation “the way of salvation” is the preferred translation.

[16:17]  ¹⁶¹⁹ sn Proclaiming to you the way of salvation. The remarks were an ironic recognition of Paul’s authority, but he did not desire such a witness, possibly for fear of confusion. Her expression the Most High God might have been understood as Zeus by the audience.

[16:18]  ¹⁶²⁰ tn Grk “becoming greatly annoyed.” The participle διαπονηθείς (diaponhqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. The aorist has been translated as an ingressive aorist (entry into a state or condition). See BDAG 235 s.v. διαπονέομαι.

[16:18]  ¹⁶²¹ tn Grk “and turning.” The participle ἐπιστρέψας (epistreya") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:18]  ¹⁶²² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[16:18]  ¹⁶²³ tn BDAG 1102-3 s.v. ὥρα 2.c has “at that very time, at once, instantly” for the usage in this verse.

[16:19]  ¹⁶²⁴ tn Or “masters.”

[16:19]  ¹⁶²⁵ tn On this use of ἐργασία (ergasia), see BDAG 390 s.v. 4. It is often the case that destructive practices and commerce are closely tied together.

[16:19]  ¹⁶²⁶ tn Grk “was gone, seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:19]  ¹⁶²⁷ tn On the term ἕλκω ({elkw) see BDAG 318 s.v. 1.

[16:20]  ¹⁶²⁸ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[16:20]  ¹⁶²⁹ tn Grk “having brought them.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been taken temporally. It is also possible in English to translate this participle as a finite verb: “they brought them before the magistrates and said.”

[16:20]  ¹⁶³⁰ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἐκταράσσω has “agitate, cause trouble to, throw into confusion” for the meaning of this verb.

[16:20]  ¹⁶³¹ tn Grk “being Jews, and they are proclaiming.” The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:21]  ¹⁶³² tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.

[16:21]  ¹⁶³³ tn Or “acknowledge.”

[16:21]  ¹⁶³⁴ sn Customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice. Ironically, the charges are similar to those made against Jesus in Luke 23:2, where Jews argued he was “twisting” their customs. The charge has three elements: (1) a racial element (Jewish); (2) a social element (unlawful); and (3) a traditional element (not their customs).

[16:21]  ¹⁶³⁵ tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[16:22]  ¹⁶³⁶ tn L&N 39.50 has “the crowd joined the attack against them” for συνεπέστη (sunepesth) in this verse.

[16:22]  ¹⁶³⁷ tn Grk “tearing the clothes off them, the magistrates ordered.” The participle περιρήξαντες (perirhxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Although it may be possible to understand the aorist active participle περιρήξαντες in a causative sense (“the magistrates caused the clothes to be torn off Paul and Silas”) in the mob scene that was taking place, it is also possible that the magistrates themselves actively participated. This act was done to prepare them for a public flogging (2 Cor 11:25; 1 Thess 2:2).

[16:22]  ¹⁶³⁸ tn Grk “off them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:22]  ¹⁶³⁹ tn The infinitive ῥαβδίζειν (rJabdizein) means “to beat with rods or sticks” (as opposed to fists or clubs, BDAG 902 s.v. ῥαβδίζω).

[16:23]  ¹⁶⁴⁰ tn Grk “Having inflicted many blows on them.” The participle ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") has been taken temporally. BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 1.a.β has “inflict blows upon someone” for this expression, but in this context it is simpler to translate in English as “they had beaten them severely.”

[16:23]  ¹⁶⁴¹ tn Grk “commanding.” The participle παραγγείλαντες (parangeilante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:24]  ¹⁶⁴² tn Or “prison.”

[16:24]  ¹⁶⁴³ tn L&N 6.21 has “stocks” for εἰς τὸ ξύλον (ei" to xulon) here, as does BDAG 685 s.v. ξύλον 2.b. However, it is also possible (as mentioned in L&N 18.12) that this does not mean “stocks” but a block of wood (a log or wooden column) in the prison to which prisoners’ feet were chained or tied. Such a possibility is suggested by v. 26, where the “bonds” (“chains”?) of the prisoners loosened.

[16:25]  ¹⁶⁴⁴ tn Grk “praying, were singing.” The participle προσευχόμενοι (proseucomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:25]  ¹⁶⁴⁵ sn Praying and singing hymns to God. Tertullian said, “The legs feel nothing in the stocks when the heart is in heaven” (To the Martyrs 2; cf. Rom 5:3; Jas 1:2; 1 Pet 5:6). The presence of God means the potential to be free (cf. v. 26).

[16:25]  ¹⁶⁴⁶ tn The words “the rest of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[16:26]  ¹⁶⁴⁷ tn Or perhaps, “chains.” The translation of τὰ δεσμά (ta desma) is to some extent affected by the understanding of ξύλον (xulon, “stocks”) in v. 24. It is possible (as mentioned in L&N 18.12) that this does not mean “stocks” but a block of wood (a log or wooden column) in the prison to which prisoners’ feet were chained or tied.

[16:27]  ¹⁶⁴⁸ tn L&N 23.75 has “had awakened” here. It is more in keeping with contemporary English style, however, to keep the two verbal ideas parallel in terms of tense (“when the jailer woke up and saw”) although logically the second action is subsequent to the first.

[16:27]  ¹⁶⁴⁹ tn The additional semantic component “standing” is supplied (“standing open”) to convey a stative nuance in English.

[16:27]  ¹⁶⁵⁰ sn Was about to kill himself. The jailer’s penalty for failing to guard the prisoners would have been death, so he contemplated saving the leaders the trouble (see Acts 12:19; 27:42).

[16:27]  ¹⁶⁵¹ tn Or “thought.”

[16:28]  ¹⁶⁵² tn Grk “But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying.” The dative phrase μεγάλῃ φωνῇ (megalh fwnh) has been simplified as an English adverb (“loudly”), and the participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated since it is redundant in English.

[16:28]  ¹⁶⁵³ sn Do not harm yourself. Again the irony is that Paul is the agent through whom the jailer is spared.

[16:29]  ¹⁶⁵⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:29]  ¹⁶⁵⁵ tn Or “and prostrated himself.”

[16:30]  ¹⁶⁵⁶ tn Grk “And bringing them outside, he asked.” The participle προαγαγών (proagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the conjunction “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[16:30]  ¹⁶⁵⁷ tn The Greek term (δεῖ, dei) is used by Luke to represent divine necessity.

[16:31]  ¹⁶⁵⁸ tn Grk “said.”

[16:31]  ¹⁶⁵⁹ sn Here the summary term of response is a call to believe. In this context it refers to trusting the sovereign God’s power to deliver, which events had just pictured for the jailer.

[16:31]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ tc The majority of mss add Χριστόν (Criston, “Christ”) here (C D E Ψ 1739 Ï sy sa), but the best and earliest witnesses read simply τὸν κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν (ton kurion Ihsoun, “the Lord Jesus”; Ì^74vid א A B 33 81 pc bo). The addition of “Christ” to “Lord Jesus” is an obviously motivated reading. Thus on both external and internal grounds, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.

[16:32]  ¹⁶⁶¹ tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the continuity with the preceding verse. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.

[16:32]  ¹⁶⁶² sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[16:33]  ¹⁶⁶³ tn Grk “And at.” 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.

[16:33]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ tn Grk “taking them…he washed.” The participle παραλαβών (paralabwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:33]  ¹⁶⁶⁵ tn On this phrase BDAG 603 s.v. λούω 1 gives a literal translation as “by washing he freed them from the effects of the blows.”

[16:33]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[16:33]  ¹⁶⁶⁷ sn All his family. It was often the case in the ancient world that conversion of the father led to the conversion of all those in the household.

[16:33]  ¹⁶⁶⁸ tn Or “immediately.”

[16:34]  ¹⁶⁶⁹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:34]  ¹⁶⁷⁰ tn Grk “placed [food] on the table” (a figurative expression). Since the actual word for food is not specified, it would also be possible to translate “set a meal before them,” but since this is taking place in the middle of the night, the preparations necessary for a full meal would probably not have been made. More likely Paul and Silas were given whatever was on hand that needed little or no preparation.

[16:34]  ¹⁶⁷¹ tn Or “he was overjoyed.”

[16:34]  ¹⁶⁷² tn The translation “come to believe” reflects more of the resultative nuance of the perfect tense here.

[16:34]  ¹⁶⁷³ tn The phrase “together with his entire household” is placed at the end of the English sentence so that it refers to both the rejoicing and the belief. A formal equivalence translation would have “and he rejoiced greatly with his entire household that he had come to believe in God,” but the reference to the entire household being baptized in v. 33 presumes that all in the household believed.

[16:35]  ¹⁶⁷⁴ tn The translation “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse is given by BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a.

[16:35]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ tn On the term translated “magistrates,” see BDAG 947-48 s.v. στρατηγός 1. These city leaders were properly called duoviri, but were popularly known as praetors (στρατηγοί, strathgoi). They were the chief officials of Philippi. The text leaves the impression that they came to the decision to release Paul and Silas independently. God was at work everywhere.

[16:35]  ¹⁶⁷⁶ tn On the term ῥαβδοῦχος (rJabdouco") see BDAG 902 s.v. The term was used of the Roman lictor and roughly corresponds to contemporary English “constable, policeman.”

[16:36]  ¹⁶⁷⁷ tn The word “saying” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; it is necessary in English because the content of what the jailer said to Paul and Silas is not the exact message related to him by the police officers, but is a summary with his own additions.

[16:36]  ¹⁶⁷⁸ tn The word “orders” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[16:36]  ¹⁶⁷⁹ tn Grk “So coming out now go in peace.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸⁰ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸¹ tn Grk “Having us beaten in public.” The participle δείραντες (deirante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸² tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸³ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (Juparconta") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸⁴ tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸⁵ tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸⁶ tn Grk “But they.”

[16:37]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ sn They themselves must come and escort us out! Paul was asking for the injustice he and Silas suffered to be symbolically righted. It was a way of publicly taking their actions off the record and showing the apostles’ innocence, a major public statement. Note the apology given in v. 39.

[16:38]  ¹⁶⁸⁸ tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:38]  ¹⁶⁸⁹ sn Roman citizens. This fact was disturbing to the officials because due process was a right for a Roman citizen, well established in Roman law. To flog a Roman citizen was considered an abomination. Such punishment was reserved for noncitizens.

[16:39]  ¹⁶⁹⁰ tn Grk “and coming, they apologized.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:39]  ¹⁶⁹¹ tn Grk “and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[16:39]  ¹⁶⁹² tn The verb ἐρώτων (erwtwn) has been translated as an iterative imperfect; the English adverb “repeatedly” brings out the iterative force in the translation.

[16:40]  ¹⁶⁹³ tn “Then” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the logical sequence in the translation.

[17:1]  ¹⁶⁹⁴ tn BDAG 250 s.v. διοδεύω 1 has “go, travel through” for this verse.

[17:1]  ¹⁶⁹⁵ sn Amphipolis. The capital city of the southeastern district of Macedonia (BDAG 55 s.v. ᾿Αμφίπολις). It was a military post. From Philippi this was about 33 mi (53 km).

[17:1]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ sn Apollonia was a city in Macedonia about 27 mi (43 km) west southwest of Amphipolis.

[17:1]  ¹⁶⁹⁷ sn Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was a city in Macedonia about 33 mi (53 km) west of Apollonia. It was the capital of Macedonia. The road they traveled over was called the Via Egnatia. It is likely they rode horses, given their condition in Philippi. The implication of v. 1 is that the two previously mentioned cities lacked a synagogue.

[17:1]  ¹⁶⁹⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:2]  ¹⁶⁹⁹ tn Grk “he went in to them”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:2]  ¹⁷⁰⁰ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 17:2. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[17:3]  ¹⁷⁰¹ tn BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 2.b has “demonstrate, point out” here.

[17:3]  ¹⁷⁰² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[17:3]  ¹⁷⁰³ sn The Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead. These two points (suffering and resurrection) would have been among the more controversial aspects of Paul’s messianic preaching. The term translated “had to” (δεῖ, dei) shows how divine design and scripture corresponded here.

[17:3]  ¹⁷⁰⁴ tn The Greek words used here (καὶ ὅτι, kai {oti, “and that”) mark the switch from indirect to direct discourse. Contemporary English requires the use of an introductory verb of speaking or saying to make this transition.

[17:3]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[17:4]  ¹⁷⁰⁶ tn Or “convinced.”

[17:4]  ¹⁷⁰⁷ tn Or “a large crowd.”

[17:4]  ¹⁷⁰⁸ tn Or “of devout Greeks,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Luke frequently mentions such people (Acts 13:43, 50; 16:14; 17:17; 18:7).

[17:4]  ¹⁷⁰⁹ tn Grk “not a few”; this use of negation could be misleading to the modern English reader, however, and so has been translated as “quite a few” (which is the actual meaning of the expression).

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹⁰ tn Grk “becoming jealous.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. So elsewhere in Acts (5:17; 7:9; 13:45).

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹¹ tn Literally ἀγοραῖος (agoraio") refers to the crowd in the marketplace, although BDAG 14-15 s.v. ἀγοραῖος 1 gives the meaning, by extension, as “rabble.” Such a description is certainly appropriate in this context. L&N 15.127 translates the phrase “worthless men from the streets.”

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹² tn On this term, which is a NT hapax legomenon, see BDAG 745 s.v. ὀχλοποιέω.

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹³ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θορυβέω 1 has “set the city in an uproar, start a riot in the city” for the meaning of ἐθορύβουν (eqoruboun) in this verse.

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹⁴ sn The attack took place at Jason’s house because this was probably the location of the new house church.

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹⁵ tn Grk “them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:5]  ¹⁷¹⁶ tn BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2 has “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly προάγειν εἰς τὸν δ. Ac 17:5.”

[17:6]  ¹⁷¹⁷ tn See BDAG 977-78 s.v. σύρω on this verb. It was used in everyday speech of dragging in fish by a net, or dragging away someone’s (presumably) dead body (Paul in Acts 14:19).

[17:6]  ¹⁷¹⁸ tn L&N 37.93 defines πολιτάρχης (politarch") as “a public official responsible for administrative matters within a town or city and a member of the ruling council of such a political unit – ‘city official’” (see also BDAG 845 s.v.).

[17:6]  ¹⁷¹⁹ tn Or “rebellion.” BDAG 72 s.v. ἀναστατόω has “disturb, trouble, upset,” but in light of the references in the following verse to political insurrection, “stirred up rebellion” would also be appropriate.

[17:6]  ¹⁷²⁰ tn Or “the empire.” This was a way of referring to the Roman empire (BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 2.b).

[17:7]  ¹⁷²¹ tn Grk “whom.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who have stirred up trouble…whom Jason has welcomed”) the relative pronoun here (“whom”) has been replaced by the conjunction “and,” creating a clause that is grammatically coordinate but logically subordinate in the translation.

[17:7]  ¹⁷²² tn Grk “and they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[17:7]  ¹⁷²³ tn Or “the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[17:7]  ¹⁷²⁴ tn The word “named” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.

[17:7]  ¹⁷²⁵ sn Acting…saying…Jesus. The charges are serious, involving sedition (Luke 23:2). If the political charges were true, Rome would have to react.

[17:8]  ¹⁷²⁶ tn Grk “They troubled the crowd and the city officials”; but this could be understood to mean “they bothered” or “they annoyed.” In reality the Jewish instigators managed to instill doubt and confusion into both the mob and the officials by their false charges of treason. Verse 8 suggests the charges raised again Paul, Silas, Jason, and the others were false.

[17:8]  ¹⁷²⁷ tn L&N 37.93 defines πολιτάρχης (politarch") as “a public official responsible for administrative matters within a town or city and a member of the ruling council of such a political unit – ‘city official.’”

[17:9]  ¹⁷²⁸ tn Grk “And after.” 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.

[17:9]  ¹⁷²⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the city officials) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:9]  ¹⁷³⁰ tn That is, “a payment” or “a pledge of security” (BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 1) for which “bail” is the most common contemporary English equivalent.

[17:10]  ¹⁷³¹ sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) west of Thessalonica.

[17:10]  ¹⁷³² tn Grk “who arriving there, went to.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (οἵτινες, Joitine") has been left untranslated and a new English sentence begun. The participle παραγενόμενοι (paragenomenoi) has been taken temporally.

[17:10]  ¹⁷³³ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:11]  ¹⁷³⁴ tn Grk “These”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue at Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:11]  ¹⁷³⁵ tn Or “more willing to learn.” L&N 27.48 and BDAG 404 s.v. εὐγενής 2 both use the term “open-minded” here. The point is that they were more receptive to Paul’s message.

[17:11]  ¹⁷³⁶ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:11]  ¹⁷³⁷ tn Or “willingly,” “readily”; Grk “with all eagerness.”

[17:11]  ¹⁷³⁸ tn Grk “who received.” Here the relative pronoun (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“they”) preceded by a semicolon, which is less awkward in contemporary English than a relative clause at this point.

[17:11]  ¹⁷³⁹ tn This verb (BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 1) refers to careful examination.

[17:11]  ¹⁷⁴⁰ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[17:12]  ¹⁷⁴¹ tn Grk “not a few”; this use of negation could be misleading to the modern English reader, however, and so has been translated as “quite a few” (which is the actual meaning of the expression).

[17:12]  ¹⁷⁴² tn Or “respected.”

[17:13]  ¹⁷⁴³ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁴ tn Grk “that the word of God had also been proclaimed by Paul.” This passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁵ sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) from Thessalonica.

[17:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁶ tn BDAG 911 s.v. σαλεύω 2 has “incite” for σαλεύοντες (saleuonte") in Acts 17:13.

[17:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁷ tn Or “stirring up” (BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2). The point is the agitation of the crowds.

[17:14]  ¹⁷⁴⁸ tn Grk “to the sea.” Here ἕως ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ({ew" epi thn qalassan) must mean “to the edge of the sea,” that is, “to the coast.” Since there is no mention of Paul taking a ship to Athens, he presumably traveled overland. The journey would have been about 340 mi (550 km).

[17:14]  ¹⁷⁴⁹ tn Grk “remained there”; the referent (Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:15]  ¹⁷⁵⁰ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:15]  ¹⁷⁵¹ sn They left. See 1 Thess 3:1-2, which shows they went from here to Thessalonica.

[17:16]  ¹⁷⁵² map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:16]  ¹⁷⁵³ tn Grk “greatly upset within him,” but the words “within him” were not included in the translation because they are redundant in English. See L&N 88.189. The term could also be rendered “infuriated.”

[17:16]  ¹⁷⁵⁴ tn Or “when he saw.” The participle θεωροῦντος (qewrounto") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle; it could also be translated as temporal.

[17:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁵ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 17:17. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[17:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁶ tn Or “and the devout,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44, and the note on the phrase “God-fearing Greeks” in 17:4.

[17:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁷ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁸ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁵⁹ sn An Epicurean was a follower of the philosophy of Epicurus, who founded a school in Athens about 300 b.c. Although the Epicureans saw the aim of life as pleasure, they were not strictly hedonists, because they defined pleasure as the absence of pain. Along with this, they desired the avoidance of trouble and freedom from annoyances. They saw organized religion as evil, especially the belief that the gods punished evildoers in an afterlife. In keeping with this, they were unable to accept Paul’s teaching about the resurrection.

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁶⁰ sn A Stoic was a follower of the philosophy founded by Zeno (342-270 b.c.), a Phoenician who came to Athens and modified the philosophical system of the Cynics he found there. The Stoics rejected the Epicurean ideal of pleasure, stressing virtue instead. The Stoics emphasized responsibility for voluntary actions and believed risks were worth taking, but thought the actual attainment of virtue was difficult. They also believed in providence.

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁶¹ tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβάλλω 1 has “converse, confer” here.

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁶² tn Grk “saying.”

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁶³ tn Or “ignorant show-off.” The traditional English translation of σπερμολόγος (spermologo") is given in L&N 33.381 as “foolish babbler.” However, an alternate view is presented in L&N 27.19, “(a figurative extension of meaning of a term based on the practice of birds in picking up seeds) one who acquires bits and pieces of relatively extraneous information and proceeds to pass them off with pretense and show – ‘ignorant show-off, charlatan.’” A similar view is given in BDAG 937 s.v. σπερμολόγος: “in pejorative imagery of persons whose communication lacks sophistication and seems to pick up scraps of information here and there scrapmonger, scavenger…Engl. synonyms include ‘gossip’, ‘babbler’, chatterer’; but these terms miss the imagery of unsystematic gathering.”

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁶⁴ tn The meaning of this phrase is not clear. Literally it reads “strange deities” (see BDAG 210 s.v. δαιμόνιον 1). The note of not being customary is important. In the ancient world what was new was suspicious. The plural δαιμονίων (daimoniwn, “deities”) shows the audience grappling with Paul’s teaching that God was working through Jesus.

[17:18]  ¹⁷⁶⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[17:19]  ¹⁷⁶⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:19]  ¹⁷⁶⁷ tn Or “to the council of the Areopagus.” See also the term in v. 22.

[17:20]  ¹⁷⁶⁸ tn BDAG 684 s.v. ξενίζω 2 translates the substantival participle ξενίζοντα (xenizonta) as “astonishing things Ac 17:20.”

[17:20]  ¹⁷⁶⁹ tn Grk “these things”; but since the referent (“surprising things”) is so close, the repetition of “these things” sounds redundant in English, so the pronoun “they” was substituted in the translation.

[17:21]  ¹⁷⁷⁰ tn The imperfect verb ηὐκαίρουν (hukairoun) has been translated as a customary or habitual imperfect.

[17:21]  ¹⁷⁷¹ tn BDAG 406-7 s.v. εὐκαιρέω has “used to spend their time in nothing else than telling Ac 17:21.”

[17:21]  ¹⁷⁷² sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. The reference to newness may be pejorative.

[17:22]  ¹⁷⁷³ tn Grk “standing…said.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[17:22]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ tn The term δεισιδαιμονεστέρους (deisidaimonesterou") is difficult. On the one hand it can have the positive sense of “devout,” but on the other hand it can have the negative sense of “superstitious” (BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαίμων). As part of a laudatory introduction (the technical rhetorical term for this introduction was capatatio), the term is probably positive here. It may well be a “backhanded” compliment, playing on the ambiguity.

[17:22]  ¹⁷⁷⁵ tn BDAG 513 s.v. κατά B.6 translates the phrase κατὰ πάντα (kata panta) as “in all respects.”

[17:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁶ tn Or “your sanctuaries.” L&N 53.54 gives “sanctuary” (place of worship) as an alternate meaning for the word σεβάσματα (sebasmata).

[17:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁷ tn Grk “on which was written,” but since it would have been carved in stone, it is more common to speak of an “inscription” in English. To simplify the English the relative construction with a passive verb (“on which was inscribed”) was translated as a prepositional phrase with a substantive (“inscription”).

[17:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁸ tn BDAG 13 s.v. ἀγνοέω 1.b has “Abs. ὅ ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε what you worship without knowing it (on the subject matter Maximus Tyr. 11, 5e: all sorts of philosophers ἴσασιν οὐκ ἑκόντες καὶ λέγουσιν ἄκοντες sc. τὸ θεῖον = they know and name God without intending to do so) Ac 17:23.” Paul, in typical Jewish Christian style, informs them of the true God, of whom their idols are an ignorant reflection.

[17:24]  ¹⁷⁷⁹ tn Grk “all the things that are in it.” The speech starts with God as Creator, like 14:15.

[17:24]  ¹⁷⁸⁰ tn Or “because he is.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) could be either adjectival, modifying οὗτος (Joutos, “who is Lord…”) or adverbial of cause (“because he is Lord…”). Since the participle διδούς (didou") in v. 25 appears to be clearly causal in force, it is preferable to understand ὑπάρχων as adjectival in this context.

[17:24]  ¹⁷⁸¹ sn On the statement does not live in temples made by human hands compare Acts 7:48. This has implications for idols as well. God cannot be represented by them or, as the following clause also suggests, served by human hands.

[17:25]  ¹⁷⁸² tn L&N 57.45 has “nor does he need anything more that people can supply by working for him.”

[17:25]  ¹⁷⁸³ tn Grk “he himself gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.”

[17:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁴ sn The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).

[17:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁵ tn Or “mankind.” BDAG 276 s.v. ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”

[17:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ tn Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”

[17:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ tn BDAG 884-85 s.v. προστάσσω has “(οἱ) προστεταγμένοι καιροί (the) fixed times Ac 17:26” here, but since the following phrase is also translated “fixed limits,” this would seem redundant in English, so the word “set” has been used instead.

[17:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁸ tn Grk “the boundaries of their habitation.” L&N 80.5 has “fixed limits of the places where they would live” for this phrase.

[17:27]  ¹⁷⁸⁹ tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.

[17:27]  ¹⁷⁹⁰ sn Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.

[17:27]  ¹⁷⁹¹ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (Juparconta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[17:28]  ¹⁷⁹² tn According to L&N 15.1, “A strictly literal translation of κινέω in Ac 17:28 might imply merely moving from one place to another. The meaning, however, is generalized movement and activity; therefore, it may be possible to translate κινούμεθα as ‘we come and go’ or ‘we move about’’ or even ‘we do what we do.’”

[17:28]  ¹⁷⁹³ sn This quotation is from Aratus (ca. 310-245 b.c.), Phaenomena 5. Paul asserted a general relationship and accountability to God for all humanity.

[17:29]  ¹⁷⁹⁴ tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.

[17:29]  ¹⁷⁹⁵ tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.

[17:29]  ¹⁷⁹⁶ tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[17:29]  ¹⁷⁹⁷ tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).

[17:29]  ¹⁷⁹⁸ tn Or “thought.” BDAG 336 s.v. ἐνθύμησις has “thought, reflection, idea” as the category of meaning here, but in terms of creativity (as in the context) the imaginative faculty is in view.

[17:30]  ¹⁷⁹⁹ tn Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”

[17:30]  ¹⁸⁰⁰ tn Or “times when people did not know.”

[17:30]  ¹⁸⁰¹ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[17:30]  ¹⁸⁰² sn He now commands all people everywhere to repent. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded.

[17:31]  ¹⁸⁰³ tn Or “fixed.”

[17:31]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ sn The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.

[17:31]  ¹⁸⁰⁵ tn Or “appointed.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “of persons appoint, designate, declare: God judges the world ἐν ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὥρισεν through a man whom he has appointed Ac 17:31.”

[17:31]  ¹⁸⁰⁶ tn The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") indicates means here.

[17:32]  ¹⁸⁰⁷ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[17:32]  ¹⁸⁰⁸ tn L&N 33.408 has “some scoffed (at him) Ac 17:32” for ἐχλεύαζον (ecleuazon) here; the imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to scoff”).

[17:33]  ¹⁸⁰⁹ tn Grk “left out of their midst”; the referent (the Areopagus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:34]  ¹⁸¹⁰ tn Although the Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which normally refers to males, husbands, etc., in this particular context it must have a generic force similar to that of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), since “a woman named Damaris” is mentioned specifically as being part of this group (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 1.a).

[17:34]  ¹⁸¹¹ tn Grk “joining him, believed.” The participle κολληθέντες (kollhqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the use of this verb in Acts, see 5:13; 8:29; 9:26; 10:28.

[17:34]  ¹⁸¹² tn Grk “among whom.” Due to the length of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been translated as a third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[17:34]  ¹⁸¹³ tn Grk “the Areopagite” (a member of the council of the Areopagus). The noun “Areopagite” is not in common usage today in English. It is clearer to use a descriptive phrase “a member of the Areopagus” (L&N 11.82). However, this phrase alone can be misleading in English: “Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris” could be understood to refer to three people (Dionysius, an unnamed member of the Areopagus, and Damaris) rather than only two. Converting the descriptive phrase to a relative clause in English (“who was a member of the Areopagus”) removes the ambiguity.

[17:34]  ¹⁸¹⁴ tn Grk “and a woman”; but this καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[18:1]  ¹⁸¹⁵ tn Grk “After these things.”

[18:1]  ¹⁸¹⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ¹⁸¹⁷ tn Or “Paul left.”

[18:1]  ¹⁸¹⁸ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:1]  ¹⁸¹⁹ sn Corinth was the capital city of the senatorial province of Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul. It was located 55 mi (88 km) west of Athens. Corinth was a major rival to Athens and was the largest city in Greece at the time.

[18:2]  ¹⁸²⁰ tn Grk “And he.” 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. The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[18:2]  ¹⁸²¹ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:2]  ¹⁸²² sn On Aquila and his wife Priscilla see also Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. This author uses the full name Priscilla, while Paul uses the diminutive form Prisca.

[18:2]  ¹⁸²³ sn Pontus was a region in the northeastern part of Asia Minor. It was a Roman province.

[18:2]  ¹⁸²⁴ sn Claudius refers to the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54. The edict expelling the Jews from Rome was issued in a.d. 49 (Suetonius, Claudius 25.4).

[18:2]  ¹⁸²⁵ tn Or “to leave.”

[18:2]  ¹⁸²⁶ map For location see JP4 A1.

[18:2]  ¹⁸²⁷ tn Or “went to.”

[18:3]  ¹⁸²⁸ tn The prepositional phrase “with them” occurs only once in the Greek text, but since it occurs between the two finite verbs (ἔμενεν, emenen, and ἠργάζετο, hrgazeto) it relates (by implication) to both of them.

[18:3]  ¹⁸²⁹ tn On the term translated “tentmakers,” see BDAG 928-29 s.v. σκνηοποιός. Paul apparently manufactured tents. In contrast to the Cynic philosophers, Paul at times labored to support himself (see also v. 5).

[18:3]  ¹⁸³⁰ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:4]  ¹⁸³¹ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:4. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[18:4]  ¹⁸³² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:4]  ¹⁸³³ tn Grk “Addressing in the synagogue every Sabbath, he was attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.” Because in English the verb “address” is not used absolutely but normally has an object specified, the direct objects of the verb ἔπειθεν (epeiqen) have been moved forward as the objects of the English verb “addressed,” and the pronoun “them” repeated in the translation as the object of ἔπειθεν. The verb ἔπειθεν has been translated as a conative imperfect.

[18:5]  ¹⁸³⁴ tn Grk “came down.”

[18:5]  ¹⁸³⁵ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[18:5]  ¹⁸³⁶ tn BDAG 971 s.v. συνέχω 6 states, “συνείχετο τῷ λόγῳ (Paul) was wholly absorbed in preaching Ac 18:5…in contrast to the activity cited in vs. 3.” The imperfect συνείχετο (suneiceto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“became wholly absorbed…”), stressing the change in Paul’s activity once Silas and Timothy arrived. At this point Paul apparently began to work less and preach more.

[18:5]  ¹⁸³⁷ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 2 has “testify of, bear witness to solemnly (orig. under oath)…W. acc. and inf. foll. Ac 18:5.”

[18:5]  ¹⁸³⁸ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[18:6]  ¹⁸³⁹ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[18:6]  ¹⁸⁴⁰ tn The participle βλασφημούντων (blasfhmountwn) has been taken temporally. 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 13:45. 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). What they were doing was more like slander or defamation of character.

[18:6]  ¹⁸⁴¹ tn Grk “shaking out his clothes, he said to them.” L&N 16:8 translates Acts 18:6 “when they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes.” The addition of the verb “protested by” in the translation is necessary to clarify for the modern reader that this is a symbolic action. It is similar but not identical to the phrase in Acts 13:51, where the dust from the feet is shaken off. The participle ἐκτιναξάμενος (ektinaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:6]  ¹⁸⁴² sn Your blood be on your own heads! By invoking this epithet Paul declared himself not responsible for their actions in rejecting Jesus whom Paul preached (cf. Ezek 33:4; 3:6-21; Matt 23:35; 27:25).

[18:6]  ¹⁸⁴³ tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”

[18:7]  ¹⁸⁴⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:7]  ¹⁸⁴⁵ tn Grk “Then leaving from there he went.” The participle μεταβάς (metabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:7]  ¹⁸⁴⁶ tn Grk “from there”; the referent (the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:7]  ¹⁸⁴⁷ tn Grk “a worshiper of God.” The clarifying phrase “a Gentile” has been supplied for clarity, and is indicated by the context, since Paul had parted company with the Jews in the previous verse. The participle σεβομένου (sebomenou) is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44.

[18:8]  ¹⁸⁴⁸ tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).

[18:8]  ¹⁸⁴⁹ tn Or “who heard him,” or “who heard Paul.” The ambiguity here results from the tendency of Greek to omit direct objects, which must be supplied from the context. The problem is that no less than three different ones may be supplied here: (1) “him,” referring to Crispus, but this is not likely because there is no indication in the context that Crispus began to speak out about the Lord; this is certainly possible and even likely, but more than the text here affirms; (2) “Paul,” who had been speaking in the synagogue and presumably, now that he had moved to Titius Justus’ house, continued speaking to the Gentiles; or (3) “about it,” that is, the Corinthians who heard about Crispus’ conversion became believers. In the immediate context this last is most probable, since the two incidents are juxtaposed. Other, less obvious direct objects could also be supplied, such as “heard the word of God,” “heard the word of the Lord,” etc., but none of these are obvious in the immediate context.

[18:9]  ¹⁸⁵⁰ sn Frequently in Acts such a vision will tell the reader where events are headed. See Acts 10:9-16 and 16:9-10 for other accounts of visions.

[18:9]  ¹⁸⁵¹ tn BDAG 682 s.v. νύξ 1.c has “W. prep. ἐν ν. at night, in the night…Ac 18:9.”

[18:9]  ¹⁸⁵² tn The present imperative here (with negation) is used (as it normally is) of a general condition (BDF §335).

[18:10]  ¹⁸⁵³ tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 2 has “to set upon, attack, lay a hand on” here, but “assault” is a contemporary English equivalent very close to the meaning of the original.

[18:10]  ¹⁸⁵⁴ tn Or “injure.”

[18:11]  ¹⁸⁵⁵ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[18:11]  ¹⁸⁵⁶ tn See BDAG 326-27 s.v. ἐν 1.d. However, it is also possible that ἐν (en) followed by the dative here stands for the ordinary dative (“to them”).

[18:12]  ¹⁸⁵⁷ sn Gallio was proconsul of Achaia from a.d. 51-52. This date is one of the firmly established dates in Acts. Lucius Junius Gallio was the son of the rhetorician Seneca and the brother of Seneca the philosopher. The date of Gallio’s rule is established from an inscription (W. Dittenberger, ed., Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum 2.3 no. 8). Thus the event mentioned here is probably to be dated July-October a.d. 51.

[18:12]  ¹⁸⁵⁸ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[18:12]  ¹⁸⁵⁹ sn Achaia was a Roman province created in 146 b.c. that included the most important parts of Greece (Attica, Boeotia, and the Peloponnesus).

[18:12]  ¹⁸⁶⁰ tn Grk “with one accord.”

[18:12]  ¹⁸⁶¹ 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), there is no need for an alternative translation here since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time.

[18:13]  ¹⁸⁶² tn Or “inciting.”

[18:13]  ¹⁸⁶³ tn Grk “worship God contrary to.” BDAG 758 s.v. παρά C.6 has “against, contrary to” for Acts 18:13. The words “in a way” are not in the Greek text, but are a necessary clarification to prevent the misunderstanding in the English translation that worshiping God was in itself contrary to the law. What is under dispute is the manner in which God was being worshiped, that is, whether Gentiles were being required to follow all aspects of the Mosaic law, including male circumcision. There is a hint of creating public chaos or disturbing Jewish custom here since Jews were the ones making the complaint. Luke often portrays the dispute between Christians and Jews as within Judaism.

[18:14]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).

[18:14]  ¹⁸⁶⁵ tn BDAG 902 s.v. ῥᾳδιούργημα states, “From the sense ‘prank, knavery, roguish trick, slick deed’ it is but a short step to that of a serious misdeed, crime, villainy…a serious piece of villainy Ac 18:14 (w. ἀδίκημα).”

[18:14]  ¹⁸⁶⁶ tn According to BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνέχω 3 this is a legal technical term: “Legal t.t. κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν I would have been justified in accepting your complaint Ac 18:14.”

[18:14]  ¹⁸⁶⁷ tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”

[18:15]  ¹⁸⁶⁸ tn Or “dispute.”

[18:15]  ¹⁸⁶⁹ tn Grk “see to it” (an idiom).

[18:15]  ¹⁸⁷⁰ tn Or “I am not willing to be.” Gallio would not adjudicate their religious dispute.

[18:16]  ¹⁸⁷¹ tn Grk “driven away,” but this could result in a misunderstanding in English (“driven” as in a cart or wagon?). “Forced away” conveys the idea; Gallio rejected their complaint. In contemporary English terminology the case was “thrown out of court.” The verb ἀπήλασεν (aphlasen) has been translated as a causative since Gallio probably did not perform this action in person, but ordered his aides or officers to remove the plaintiffs.

[18:16]  ¹⁸⁷² sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁷³ tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁷⁴ tn The imperfect verb ἔτυπτον (etupton) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁷⁵ sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁷⁶ tn L&N 25.223 has “‘none of these things were of any concern to Gallio’ Ac 18:17.”

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁷⁷ tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁷⁸ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁷⁹ tn Or “Corinth, took leave of.” Grk “saying farewell to”; the participle ἀποταξάμενος (apotaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁸⁰ tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁸¹ sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁸² tn Or “Aquila, who.” The relationship of the participle κειράμενος (keirameno") is difficult to determine. Traditionally it is taken to refer to Paul, meaning that Paul had his hair cut off because of the vow. However, due to the proximity of the noun ᾿Ακύλας (Akula") and the reversal of the normal order (Aquila and Priscilla, Acts 17:34), the participle is taken as adjectival referring to Aquila by H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, n. 11. The later references to Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:23) do not resolve the problem, because the cutting of Paul’s own hair, while it may be implied, is not specifically mentioned in connection with the completion of the vows made by the other four.

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁸³ tn The word “off” is supplied in the translation to indicate that this was not a normal haircut, but the shaving of the head connected with taking the vow (see Acts 21:24).

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁸⁴ tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”

[18:18]  ¹⁸⁸⁵ sn He had made a vow. It is debated whether this vow is a private vow of thanksgiving or the Nazirite vow, because it is not clear whether the Nazirite vow could be taken outside Jerusalem. Some have cited the Mishnah (m. Nazir 3:6, 5:4) to argue that the shaving of the hair can occur outside Jerusalem, and Josephus, J. W. 2.15.1 (2.313) is sometimes suggested as a parallel, but these references are not clear. H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, is certain that this refers to the Nazirite vow. Regardless, it is clear that Paul reflected his pious dependence on God.

[18:19]  ¹⁸⁸⁶ sn Ephesus was an influential city in Asia Minor. It was the location of the famous temple of Artemis. In 334 b.c. control of the city had passed to Alexander the Great, who contributed a large sum to the building of a new and more elaborate temple of Artemis, which became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and lasted until destroyed by the Goths in a.d. 263. This major port city would be reached from Corinth by ship. It was 250 mi (400 km) east of Corinth by sea.

[18:19]  ¹⁸⁸⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ¹⁸⁸⁸ tn Grk “left them”; the referents (Priscilla and Aquila) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ¹⁸⁸⁹ tn Grk “going”; the participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:19]  ¹⁸⁹⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:19]  ¹⁸⁹¹ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:19. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[18:20]  ¹⁸⁹² sn He would not consent. Paul probably refused because he wanted to reach Jerusalem for the festival season before the seas became impassable during the winter.

[18:21]  ¹⁸⁹³ tn Or “but took leave of.”

[18:21]  ¹⁸⁹⁴ tn Grk “and saying”; the participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as “added” rather than “said” to avoid redundancy with the previous “said farewell.” The participle εἰπών has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:21]  ¹⁸⁹⁵ tn Or “will return.”

[18:21]  ¹⁸⁹⁶ tn The participle θέλοντος (qelontos), a genitive absolute construction, has been translated as a conditional adverbial participle. Again Paul acts in dependence on God.

[18:21]  ¹⁸⁹⁷ tn A new sentence was begun here in the translation due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the requirements of contemporary English style, which generally uses shorter sentences.

[18:22]  ¹⁸⁹⁸ tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…εἴς τι at someth. a harbor Ac 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[18:22]  ¹⁸⁹⁹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a sea voyage of 620 mi (990 km).

[18:22]  ¹⁹⁰⁰ tn Grk “going up and greeting.” The participles ἀναβάς (anabas) and ἀσπασάμενος (aspasameno") are translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:22]  ¹⁹⁰¹ tn The words “at Jerusalem” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the participle ἀναβάς (anabas). The expression “go up” refers almost exclusively to the direction of Jerusalem, while the corresponding “go down” (κατέβη, katebh) refers to directions away from Jerusalem. Both expressions are based on a Hebrew idiom. Assuming Jerusalem is meant, this is another indication of keeping that key church informed. If Jerusalem is not referred to here, then Caesarea is in view. Paul was trying to honor a vow, which also implies a visit to Jerusalem.

[18:22]  ¹⁹⁰² sn Went down to Antioch. The city of Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude). This marks the end of the second missionary journey which began in Acts 15:36. From Caesarea to Antioch is a journey of 280 mi (450 km).

[18:23]  ¹⁹⁰³ tn Grk “Having spent”; the participle ποιήσας (poihsas) is taken temporally.

[18:23]  ¹⁹⁰⁴ sn Galatia refers to either (1) the region of the old kingdom of Galatia in the central part of Asia Minor, or (2) the Roman province of Galatia, whose principal cities in the 1st century were Ancyra and Pisidian Antioch. The exact extent and meaning of this area has been a subject of considerable controversy in modern NT studies.

[18:23]  ¹⁹⁰⁵ sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia. See Acts 16:6.

[18:24]  ¹⁹⁰⁶ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[18:24]  ¹⁹⁰⁷ tn Or “was a learned man.” In this verse λόγιος (logios) can refer to someone who was an attractive and convincing speaker, a rhetorician (L&N 33.32), or it can refer to the person who has acquired a large part of the intellectual heritage of a given culture (“learned” or “cultured,” L&N 27.20, see also BDAG 598 s.v. λόγιος which lists both meanings as possible here). The description of Apollos’ fervent speaking in the following verses, as well as implications from 1 Cor 1-4, where Paul apparently compares his style and speaking ability with that of Apollos, suggests that eloquent speaking ability or formal rhetorical skill are in view here. This clause has been moved from its order in the Greek text (Grk “a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus, who was powerful in the scriptures”) and paired with the last element (“powerful in the scriptures”) due to the demands of clarity and contemporary English style.

[18:24]  ¹⁹⁰⁸ tn Grk “powerful.” BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b has “in the Scriptures = well-versed 18:24.”

[18:25]  ¹⁹⁰⁹ tn Or “had been taught.”

[18:25]  ¹⁹¹⁰ tn Grk “and boiling in spirit” (an idiom for great eagerness or enthusiasm; BDAG 426 s.v. ζέω).

[18:25]  ¹⁹¹¹ tn Grk “the things.”

[18:25]  ¹⁹¹² tn Grk “knowing”; the participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistameno") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[18:26]  ¹⁹¹³ tn Or “boldly.” This is a frequent term in Acts (9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26).

[18:26]  ¹⁹¹⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:26]  ¹⁹¹⁵ sn Priscilla and Aquila. This key couple, of which Priscilla was an important enough figure to be mentioned by name, instructed Apollos about the most recent work of God. See also the note on Aquila in 18:2.

[18:26]  ¹⁹¹⁶ tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσλαμβάνω 3 has “take aside, mid. τινά someone…So prob. also Ac 18:26: Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside to teach him undisturbed.”

[18:27]  ¹⁹¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Apollos) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:27]  ¹⁹¹⁸ sn To cross over to Achaia. Achaia was organized by the Romans as a separate province in 27 b.c. and was located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. The city of Corinth was in Achaia.

[18:27]  ¹⁹¹⁹ tn Grk “encouraging [him], the brothers wrote.” The participle προτρεψάμενοι (protreyamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This was the typical letter of commendation from the Ephesians to the Achaeans.

[18:27]  ¹⁹²⁰ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[18:27]  ¹⁹²¹ tn Grk “who, when he arrived.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced with the pronoun “he” and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[18:28]  ¹⁹²² tn Or “vehemently.” BDAG 414 s.v. εὐτόνως has “vigorously, vehemently…εὐ. διακατελέγχεσθαί τινι refute someone vigorously Ac 18:28.”

[18:28]  ¹⁹²³ tn L&N 33.442 translates the phrase τοῖς ᾿Ιουδαίοις διακατηλέγχετο δημοσίᾳ (toi" Ioudaioi" diakathlenceto dhmosia) as “he defeated the Jews in public debate.” On this use of the term δημόσιος (dhmosio") see BDAG 223 s.v. 2.

[18:28]  ¹⁹²⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Again the issue is identifying the Christ as Jesus (see 5:42; 8:5; 9:22; 18:5).

[18:28]  ¹⁹²⁵ tn Although many English translations have here “that Jesus was the Christ,” in the case of two accusatives following a copulative infinitive, the first would normally be the subject and the second the predicate nominative. Additionally, the first accusative here (τὸν χριστόν, ton criston) has the article, a further indication that it should be regarded as subject of the infinitive.

[19:1]  ¹⁹²⁶ tn Grk “It happened that while.” 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.

[19:1]  ¹⁹²⁷ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[19:1]  ¹⁹²⁸ tn Or “interior.”

[19:1]  ¹⁹²⁹ tn BDAG 92 s.v. ἀνωτερικός has “upper τὰ ἀ. μέρη the upper (i.e. inland) country, the interior Ac 19:1.”

[19:1]  ¹⁹³⁰ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:1]  ¹⁹³¹ tn Grk “and found.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the sequencing with the following verse the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[19:1]  ¹⁹³² tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[19:2]  ¹⁹³³ tn The participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") is taken temporally.

[19:2]  ¹⁹³⁴ tn Grk “they [said] to him” (the word “said” is implied in the Greek text).

[19:2]  ¹⁹³⁵ tn This use of ἀλλά (alla) is ascensive and involves an ellipsis (BDAG 45 s.v. ἀλλά 3): “No, [not only did we not receive the Spirit,] but also we have not heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” However, this is lengthy and somewhat awkward in English, and the ascensive meaning can be much more easily represented by including the word “even” after the negation. Apparently these disciples were unaware of the provision of the Spirit that is represented in baptism. The language sounds like they did not know about a Holy Spirit, but this seems to be only linguistic shorthand for not knowing about the Spirit’s presence (Luke 3:15-18). The situation is parallel to that of Apollos. Apollos and these disciples represent those who “complete” their transition to messianic faith as Jews.

[19:3]  ¹⁹³⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:3]  ¹⁹³⁷ tn Grk “they said.”

[19:4]  ¹⁹³⁸ sn These disciples may have had their contact with John early on in the Baptist’s ministry before Jesus had emerged. This is the fifth time Luke links John the Baptist and Jesus (Acts 1:5; 11:16; 13:25; 18:25).

[19:6]  ¹⁹³⁹ tn Or “laid.”

[19:6]  ¹⁹⁴⁰ sn The coming of the Holy Spirit here is another case where the Spirit comes and prophesy results in Acts (see Acts 2). Paul’s action parallels that of Peter (Acts 8) and not just with Gentiles.

[19:6]  ¹⁹⁴¹ tn The imperfect verb ἐλάλουν (elaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[19:6]  ¹⁹⁴² tn The imperfect verb ἐπροφήτευον (eprofhteuon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[19:7]  ¹⁹⁴³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁴⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁴⁵ tn Grk “So entering the synagogue, he spoke out fearlessly.” The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁴⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁴⁷ tn Or “boldly.”

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 19:8. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁴⁹ tn Or “addressing them persuasively.” The two participles διαλεγόμενος and πείθων (dialegomeno" and peiqwn) can be understood as a hendiadys (so NIV, NRSV), thus, “addressing them persuasively.”

[19:8]  ¹⁹⁵⁰ sn To talk about Jesus as the Christ who has come is to talk about the kingdom of God. This is yet another summary of the message like that in 18:28.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵¹ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b lists this use as a temporal conjunction.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵² tn Or “some became hardened.” See BDAG 930 s.v. σκληρύνω b and Acts 7:51-53.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵³ tn Or “speaking evil of.” BDAG 500 s.v. κακολογέω has “speak evil of, revile, insult…τὶ someth. τὴν ὁδόν the Way (i.e. Christian way of life) Ac 19:9.”

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁴ sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity). Luke frequently refers to it as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁵ tn Grk “leaving them, he took.” The participle ἀποστάς (apostas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁶ tn The words “with him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁷ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 19:9. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁸ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[19:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁹ tn The “lecture hall” was a place where teachers and pupils met. The term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 982 s.v. σχολή). L&N 7.14 notes, “it is better to use a translation such as ‘lecture hall’ rather than ‘school,’ since one does not wish to give the impression of the typical classroom situation characteristic of present-day schools.”

[19:10]  ¹⁹⁶⁰ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[19:10]  ¹⁹⁶¹ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[19:11]  ¹⁹⁶² tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11.”

[19:12]  ¹⁹⁶³ tn Or “skin” (the outer surface of the body).

[19:12]  ¹⁹⁶⁴ tn Or “were taken.” It might be that as word went out into the region that since the sick could not come to Paul, healing was brought to them this way. The “handkerchiefs” are probably face cloths for wiping perspiration (see BDAG 934 s.v. σουδάριον) while the “aprons” might be material worn by workmen (BDAG 923-24 s.v. σιμικίνθιον).

[19:12]  ¹⁹⁶⁵ tn The words “of them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁶ tn Grk “some Jewish exorcists who traveled about.” The adjectival participle περιερχομένων (periercomenwn) has been translated as “itinerant.”

[19:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁷ tn Grk “to name the name.”

[19:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁸ tn Grk “who had.” Here ἔχω (ecw) is used of demon possession, a common usage according to BDAG 421 s.v. ἔχω 7.a.α.

[19:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁹ sn The expression I sternly warn you means “I charge you as under oath.”

[19:14]  ¹⁹⁷⁰ tn Grk “a certain Sceva.”

[19:14]  ¹⁹⁷¹ sn Within the sequence of the narrative, this amounts to a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:15]  ¹⁹⁷² tn Grk “answered and said to them.” The expression, redundant in English, has been simplified to “replied.”

[19:15]  ¹⁹⁷³ tn Grk “Jesus I know about.” Here ᾿Ιησοῦν (Ihsoun) is in emphatic position in Greek, but placing the object first is not normal in contemporary English style.

[19:15]  ¹⁹⁷⁴ tn BDAG 380 s.v. ἐπίσταμαι 2 has “know, be acquainted with τινά…τὸν Παῦλον Ac 19:15.” Here the translation “be acquainted with” was used to differentiate from the previous phrase which has γινώσκω (ginwskw).

[19:15]  ¹⁹⁷⁵ sn But who are you? This account shows how the power of Paul was so distinct that parallel claims to access that power were denied. In fact, such manipulation, by those who did not know Jesus, was judged (v. 16). The indirect way in which the exorcists made the appeal shows their distance from Jesus.

[19:16]  ¹⁹⁷⁶ tn Grk “in whom the evil spirit was.”

[19:16]  ¹⁹⁷⁷ tn Grk “the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them.” The participle ἐφαλόμενος (efalomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 15.239 has “ἐφαλόμενος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ‘the man jumped on them’ Ac 19:16.”

[19:16]  ¹⁹⁷⁸ tn Grk “and beating them all into submission.” The participle κατακυριεύσας (katakurieusa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. According to W. Foerster, TDNT 3:1098, the word means “the exercise of dominion against someone, i.e., to one’s own advantage.” These exorcists were shown to be powerless in comparison to Jesus who was working through Paul.

[19:16]  ¹⁹⁷⁹ tn BDAG 484 s.v. ἰσχύω 3 has “win out, prevail…κατά τινος over, against someone Ac 19:16.”

[19:17]  ¹⁹⁸⁰ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:17]  ¹⁹⁸¹ tn Grk “fell on.” BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 2 has “φόβος ἐ. ἐπί τινα fear came upon someone…Ac 19:17.”

[19:17]  ¹⁹⁸² tn Or “exalted.”

[19:18]  ¹⁹⁸³ tn Grk “came”; the word “forward” is supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning and to conform to the contemporary English idiom.

[19:18]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ tn Or “confessing and disclosing their deeds.” BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναγγέλλω 2 has “W. ἐξομολογεῖσθαι: ἀ. τὰς πράξεις αὐτο'ν make their deeds known Ac 19:18.”

[19:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁵ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 4.a has “many, quite a few” for ἱκανοί (Jikanoi) in this verse.

[19:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁶ tn On this term see BDAG 800 s.v. περίεργος 2.

[19:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁷ tn Or “scrolls.”

[19:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁸ tn Or “burned them up publicly.” L&N 14.66 has “‘they brought their books together and burned them up in the presence of everyone’ Ac 19:19.”

[19:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁹ tn Grk “and when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[19:19]  ¹⁹⁹⁰ tn Or “fifty thousand silver drachmas” (about $10,000 US dollars). BDAG 128 s.v. ἀργύριον 2.c states, “ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε 50,000 (Attic silver) drachmas Ac 19:19.” Another way to express the value would be in sheep: One drachma could buy one sheep. So this many drachmas could purchase a huge flock of sheep. A drachma also equals a denarius, or a day’s wage for the average worker. So this amount would be equal to 50,000 work days or in excess of 8,300 weeks of labor (the weeks are calculated at six working days because of the Jewish cultural context). The impact of Christianity on the Ephesian economy was considerable (note in regard to this the concerns expressed in 19:26-27).

[19:20]  ¹⁹⁹¹ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[19:20]  ¹⁹⁹² tn The imperfect verb ηὔξανεν (huxanen) has been translated as a progressive imperfect, as has the following verb ἴσχυεν (iscuen).

[19:20]  ¹⁹⁹³ sn The word of the Lord…to prevail. Luke portrays the impact of Christianity in terms of the Lord’s transforming power in the lives of individuals.

[19:21]  ¹⁹⁹⁴ tn Grk “all these things had been fulfilled.”

[19:21]  ¹⁹⁹⁵ 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.”

[19:21]  ¹⁹⁹⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[19:21]  ¹⁹⁹⁷ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[19:21]  ¹⁹⁹⁸ sn Achaia was the Roman province of Achaia located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. Its principal city was Corinth.

[19:21]  ¹⁹⁹⁹ 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.

[19:21]  ²⁰⁰⁰ sn This is the first time Paul mentions Rome. He realized the message of Christianity could impact that society even at its heights.

[19:22]  ²⁰⁰¹ tn The aorist participle ἀποστείλας (aposteila") has been taken temporally reflecting action antecedent to that of the main verb (ἐπέσχεν, epescen).

[19:22]  ²⁰⁰² tn Grk “two of those who ministered to him.”

[19:22]  ²⁰⁰³ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[19:22]  ²⁰⁰⁴ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[19:23]  ²⁰⁰⁵ tn Grk “There happened at that time.” 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. Instead the verb “took place” has been supplied in the translation.

[19:23]  ²⁰⁰⁶ tn BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.2.a, “in definite indications of time…Of the past: κ. ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρόν at that time, then…Ac 12:1; 19:23.”

[19:23]  ²⁰⁰⁷ tn Grk “no little disturbance” (an idiom; see BDAG 991 s.v. τάραχος 2).

[19:23]  ²⁰⁰⁸ sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity).

[19:24]  ²⁰⁰⁹ tn BDAG 665 s.v. ναός 1.a states, “Specif. of temples: of replicas of the temple of Artemis at Ephesus 19:24…but here, near ἱερόν vs. 27…ναός can be understood in the more restricted sense shrine, where the image of the goddess stood.”

[19:24]  ²⁰¹⁰ sn Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:24]  ²⁰¹¹ tn Grk “brought not a little business” (an idiom).

[19:24]  ²⁰¹² sn A great deal of business. The charge that Christianity brought economic and/or social upheaval was made a number of times in Acts: 16:20-21; 17:6-7; 18:13.

[19:25]  ²⁰¹³ tn Grk “gathering.” The participle συναθροίσας (sunaqroisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:25]  ²⁰¹⁴ tn Grk “whom”; because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a pronoun (“these”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[19:25]  ²⁰¹⁵ sn Workmen in similar trades. In effect, Demetrius gathered the Ephesian chamber of commerce together to hear about the threat to their prosperity.

[19:25]  ²⁰¹⁶ tn Another possible meaning is “that this business is an easy way for us to earn a living.”

[19:26]  ²⁰¹⁷ tn Grk “persuading.” The participle πείσας (peisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:26]  ²⁰¹⁸ tn Or “misled.”

[19:26]  ²⁰¹⁹ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.a has “of pers. ὄχλος a large crowd…Ac 11:24, 26; 19:26.”

[19:26]  ²⁰²⁰ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:26]  ²⁰²¹ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:26]  ²⁰²² tn The participle λέγων (legwn) has been regarded as indicating instrumentality.

[19:26]  ²⁰²³ tn The words “at all” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[19:27]  ²⁰²⁴ tn Or “come under public criticism.” BDAG 101 s.v. ἀπελεγμός has “come into disrepute Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ²⁰²⁵ sn Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:27]  ²⁰²⁶ tn BDAG 597 s.v. λογίζομαι 1.b has “εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι be looked upon as nothing…Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ²⁰²⁷ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:27]  ²⁰²⁸ tn Or “her magnificence.” BDAG 488 s.v. καθαιρέω 2.b has “καθαιρεῖσθαι τῆς μεγαλειότητος αὐτῆς suffer the loss of her magnificence Ac 19:27”; L&N 13.38 has “‘and to have her greatness done away with’ Ac 19:27.”

[19:28]  ²⁰²⁹ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[19:28]  ²⁰³⁰ tn Grk “And hearing.” The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[19:28]  ²⁰³¹ tn Grk “they became filled with rage” (an idiom). The reaction of the Ephesians here is like that of the Jews earlier, though Luke referred to “zeal” or “jealousy” in the former case (Acts 7:54).

[19:28]  ²⁰³² tn Grk “and began shouting, saying.” The imperfect verb ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[19:28]  ²⁰³³ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:29]  ²⁰³⁴ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[19:29]  ²⁰³⁵ tn L&N 39.43 has “‘the uproar spread throughout the whole city’ (literally ‘the city was filled with uproar’) Ac 19:29.” BDAG 954 s.v. σύγχυσις has “confusion, tumult.”

[19:29]  ²⁰³⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:29]  ²⁰³⁷ sn To the theater. This location made the event a public spectacle. The Grand Theater in Ephesus (still standing today) stood facing down the main thoroughfare of the city toward the docks. It had a seating capacity of 25,000.

[19:29]  ²⁰³⁸ tn Grk “to the theater with one accord.”

[19:30]  ²⁰³⁹ tn Or “enter the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δ. go into the assembly 19:30.”

[19:31]  ²⁰⁴⁰ tn Grk “Asiarchs” (high-ranking officials of the province of Asia).

[19:31]  ²⁰⁴¹ tn Grk “sending”; the participle πέμψαντες (pemyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:31]  ²⁰⁴² tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[19:31]  ²⁰⁴³ tn BDAG 242-43 s.v. δίδωμι 11 has “to cause (oneself) to go, go, venture somewhere (cp. our older ‘betake oneself’)…Ac 19:31.” The desire of these sympathetic authorities was surely to protect Paul’s life. The detail indicates how dangerous things had become.

[19:32]  ²⁰⁴⁴ tn Or “had assembled.”

[19:33]  ²⁰⁴⁵ tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”

[19:33]  ²⁰⁴⁶ tn The words “it was about” are not in the Greek text but are implied; ᾿Αλέξανδρον (Alexandron) is taken to be an accusative of general reference.

[19:33]  ²⁰⁴⁷ tn BDAG 865 s.v. προβάλλω 1 has “to cause to come forward, put forward…τινά someone…push someone forward to speak in the theater…Ac 19:33.”

[19:33]  ²⁰⁴⁸ tn Or “motioning.”

[19:33]  ²⁰⁴⁹ sn The nature of Alexander’s defense is not clear. It appears he was going to explain, as a Jew, that the problem was not caused by Jews, but by those of “the Way.” However, he never got a chance to speak.

[19:33]  ²⁰⁵⁰ tn Or “before the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…ἀπολογεῖσθαι τῷ δ. make a defense before the assembly vs. 33.”

[19:34]  ²⁰⁵¹ tn Grk “But recognizing.” The participle ἐπιγνόντες (epignonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:34]  ²⁰⁵² tn Grk “[they shouted] with one voice from all of them” (an idiom).

[19:34]  ²⁰⁵³ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus, 1.25 mi (2 km) northeast of the Grand Theater. Dimensions were 418 ft by 239 ft (125 m by 72 m) for the platform; the temple proper was 377 ft by 180 ft (113 m by 54 m). The roof was supported by 117 columns, each 60 ft (18 m) high by 6 ft (1.8 m) in diameter. The Emperor Justinian of Byzantium later took these columns for use in construction of the Hagia Sophia, where they still exist (in modern day Istanbul).

[19:34]  ²⁰⁵⁴ sn They all shouted…for about two hours. The extent of the tumult shows the racial and social tensions of a cosmopolitan city like Ephesus, indicating what the Christians in such locations had to face.

[19:35]  ²⁰⁵⁵ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ²⁰⁵⁶ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ²⁰⁵⁷ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ²⁰⁵⁸ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:35]  ²⁰⁵⁹ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[19:36]  ²⁰⁶⁰ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:36]  ²⁰⁶¹ tn The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὄντων (ontwn) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. On the term translated “indisputable” see BDAG 68-69 s.v. ἀναντίρρητος which has “not to be contradicted, undeniable.”

[19:36]  ²⁰⁶² tn Grk “it is necessary that you be quiet.”

[19:36]  ²⁰⁶³ tn L&N 88.98 has “pertaining to impetuous and reckless behavior – ‘reckless, impetuous.’…‘so then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless’ Ac 19:36.” The city secretary was asking that order be restored.

[19:37]  ²⁰⁶⁴ tn Or perhaps, “desecrators of temples.”

[19:37]  ²⁰⁶⁵ sn Nor blasphemers of our goddess. There was no formal crime with which Paul could be charged. He had the right to his religion as long as he did not act physically against the temple. Since no overt act had taken place, the official wanted the community to maintain the status quo on these religious matters. The remarks suggest Paul was innocent of any civil crime.

[19:38]  ²⁰⁶⁶ tn BDAG 600 s.v. λόγος 1.a.ε has “ἔχειν πρός τινα λόγον have a complaint against someone…19:38.”

[19:38]  ²⁰⁶⁷ tn L&N 56.1 has ‘if Demetrius and his workers have an accusation against someone, the courts are open’ Ac 19:38.”

[19:38]  ²⁰⁶⁸ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The official’s request is that the legal system be respected.

[19:39]  ²⁰⁶⁹ tn Or “anything more than this.”

[19:39]  ²⁰⁷⁰ tn Or “resolved.”

[19:39]  ²⁰⁷¹ tn Or “in a legal meeting of the citizens.” L&N 30.81 has “ἐν τῇ ἐννόμῳ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιλυθήσεται ‘it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of the citizens’ Ac 19:39.” This meeting took place three times a year.

[19:40]  ²⁰⁷² tn Grk “For indeed.” The ascensive force of καί (kai) would be awkward to translate here.

[19:40]  ²⁰⁷³ tn The term translated “rioting” refers to a revolt or uprising (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 2, 3). This would threaten Roman rule and invite Roman intervention.

[19:40]  ²⁰⁷⁴ tn Or “to account for.” Grk “since there is no cause concerning which we can give account concerning this disorderly gathering.” The complexity of the Greek relative clause (“which”) and the multiple prepositions (“concerning”) have been simplified in the translation consistent with contemporary English style.

[19:40]  ²⁰⁷⁵ tn Or “commotion.” BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 gives the meaning “a tumultuous gathering of people, disorderly/seditious gathering or commotion…Ac 19:40.”

[19:41]  ²⁰⁷⁶ tn Grk “And after.” 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.

[19:41]  ²⁰⁷⁷ tn Grk “And saying.” The participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:41]  ²⁰⁷⁸ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:41]  ²⁰⁷⁹ sn Verse 41 in the English text is included as part of verse 40 in the standard critical editions of the Greek NT.

[20:1]  ²⁰⁸⁰ tn Or “exhorting.”

[20:1]  ²⁰⁸¹ tn Or “and taking leave of them.”

[20:1]  ²⁰⁸² sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[20:2]  ²⁰⁸³ tn BDAG 633 s.v. μέρος 1.b.γ gives the meanings “the parts (of a geographical area), region, district,” but the use of “district” in this context probably implies too much specificity.

[20:2]  ²⁰⁸⁴ tn Grk “and encouraging them with many words.” The participle παρακαλέσας (parakalesa", “encouraging”) has been translated by the phrase “spoken…words of encouragement” because the formal equivalent is awkward in contemporary English.

[20:2]  ²⁰⁸⁵ tn Grk “[to] them”; the referent (the believers there) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:2]  ²⁰⁸⁶ tn In popular usage the term translated “Greece” here could also refer to the Roman province officially known as Achaia (BDAG 318 s.v. ῾Ελλάς).

[20:3]  ²⁰⁸⁷ tn BDAG 841 s.v. ποιέω 5.c, “w. an acc. of time spend, stay.”

[20:3]  ²⁰⁸⁸ tn The participle βενομένης (benomenh") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 30.71 has “ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ‘because the Jews had made a plot against him’ Ac 20:3.”

[20:3]  ²⁰⁸⁹ sn This plot is one of several noted by Luke (Acts 9:20; 20:19; 23:30).

[20:3]  ²⁰⁹⁰ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:3]  ²⁰⁹¹ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 gives “put out to sea” here (as a nautical technical term). However, since the English expression “put out to sea” could be understood to mean Paul was already aboard the ship (which is not clear from the context), the simpler expression “sail” is used at this point in the translation.

[20:3]  ²⁰⁹² tn BDAG 199 s.v. γίνομαι 7 has “ἐγένετο γνώμης he decided Ac 20:3.”

[20:3]  ²⁰⁹³ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[20:4]  ²⁰⁹⁴ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:4]  ²⁰⁹⁵ sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) from Thessalonica.

[20:4]  ²⁰⁹⁶ tn Grk “of the Thessalonians.”

[20:4]  ²⁰⁹⁷ tn Grk “and Gaius,” but this καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[20:4]  ²⁰⁹⁸ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 30 mi (50 km) southeast of Lystra.

[20:4]  ²⁰⁹⁹ tn Grk “the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus.” In the NT “Asia” always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[20:5]  ²¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “These, having gone on ahead, were waiting.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:5]  ²¹⁰¹ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor.

[20:6]  ²¹⁰² sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.

[20:6]  ²¹⁰³ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[20:6]  ²¹⁰⁴ sn The days of Unleavened Bread refer to the week following Passover. Originally an agricultural festival commemorating the beginning of harvest, it was celebrated for seven days beginning on the fifteenth day of the month Nisan (March-April). It was later combined with Passover (Exod 12:1-20; Ezek 45:21-24; Matt 26:17; Luke 22:1).

[20:6]  ²¹⁰⁵ tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.a.α has “ἄ. ἡμερῶν πέντε within five days Ac 20:6.”

[20:6]  ²¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the others mentioned in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:6]  ²¹⁰⁷ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. From Philippi to Troas was about 125 mi (200 km).

[20:7]  ²¹⁰⁸ sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).

[20:7]  ²¹⁰⁹ tn Or “assembled.”

[20:7]  ²¹¹⁰ tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[20:7]  ²¹¹¹ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:7]  ²¹¹² tn Or “prolonged.”

[20:8]  ²¹¹³ tn More commonly λαμπάς (lampa") means “torch,” but here according to BDAG 585 s.v. λαμπάς 2, “lamp…w. a wick and space for oil.”

[20:8]  ²¹¹⁴ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.

[20:9]  ²¹¹⁵ tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).

[20:9]  ²¹¹⁶ tn Grk “sinking into a deep sleep.” BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ sink into a deep sleep…Ac 20:9a.” The participle καταφερόμενος (kataferomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:9]  ²¹¹⁷ tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.

[20:9]  ²¹¹⁸ tn BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὔπνου overwhelmed by sleep vs. 9b,” but this expression is less common in contemporary English than phrases like “fast asleep” or “sound asleep.”

[20:10]  ²¹¹⁹ tn Grk “going down.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:10]  ²¹²⁰ tn BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 1.b has “ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ he threw himself upon him Ac 20:10.”

[20:10]  ²¹²¹ tn Grk “on him”; the referent (the young man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:10]  ²¹²² tn BDAG 959 s.v. συμπεριλαμβάνω has “to throw one’s arms around, embrace w. acc. to be supplied Ac 20:10.” However, “embraced the young man” might be taken (out of context) to have erotic implications, while “threw his arms around him” would be somewhat redundant since “threw” has been used in the previous phrase.

[20:10]  ²¹²³ tn Grk “for his life is in him” (an idiom).

[20:11]  ²¹²⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:11]  ²¹²⁵ tn Grk “going back upstairs.” The participle ἀναβάς (anabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:11]  ²¹²⁶ tn Grk “talking with them.” The participle ὁμιλήσας (Jomilhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:12]  ²¹²⁷ tn Grk “were not to a moderate degree” (an idiom). L&N 78.11 states: “μετρίως: a moderate degree of some activity or state – ‘moderately, to a moderate extent.’ ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα, καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίωθς ‘they took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted’ Ac 20:12. In Ac 20:12 the phrase οὐ μετρίως, literally ‘not to a moderate degree,’ is equivalent to a strong positive statement, namely, ‘greatly’ or ‘to a great extent.’”

[20:13]  ²¹²⁸ tn Grk “going on ahead.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:13]  ²¹²⁹ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[20:13]  ²¹³⁰ sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.

[20:13]  ²¹³¹ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:13]  ²¹³² tn Or “for he told us to do this.” Grk “for having arranged it this way, he.” The participle διατεταγμένος (diatetagmeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. BDAG 237 s.v. διατάσσω 1 has “οὕτως διατεταγμένος ἦν he had arranged it so Ac 20:13.” L&N 15.224 has “‘he told us to do this.”

[20:13]  ²¹³³ tn A new sentence was begun here in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence; in Greek this is part of the preceding sentence beginning “We went on ahead.”

[20:13]  ²¹³⁴ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:13]  ²¹³⁵ tn Or “there on foot.”

[20:14]  ²¹³⁶ sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.

[20:14]  ²¹³⁷ tn Grk “taking him aboard, we.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:14]  ²¹³⁸ sn Mitylene was the most important city on the island of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea. It was about 44 mi (70 km) from Assos.

[20:15]  ²¹³⁹ tn Grk “setting sail from there.” The participle ἀποπλεύσαντες (apopleusante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:15]  ²¹⁴⁰ tn Or “offshore from Chios.”

[20:15]  ²¹⁴¹ tn Or “crossed over to,” “arrived at.” L&N 54.12 has “παραβάλλω: (a technical, nautical term) to sail up to or near – ‘to approach, to arrive at, to sail to.’ παρεβάλομεν εἰς Σάμον ‘we approached Samos’ or ‘we arrived at Samos’ Ac 20:15.”

[20:15]  ²¹⁴² sn Samos is an island in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of Asia Minor.

[20:15]  ²¹⁴³ sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 40 mi (70 km) south of Ephesus. From Mitylene to Miletus was about 125 mi (200 km).

[20:16]  ²¹⁴⁴ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[20:16]  ²¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “so that he might not have to spend time.” L&N 67.79 has “ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ ᾿Ασίᾳ ‘so as not to spend any time in the province of Asia’ Ac 20:16.”

[20:16]  ²¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[20:16]  ²¹⁴⁷ tn Or “was eager.”

[20:16]  ²¹⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[20:16]  ²¹⁴⁹ tn Grk “if it could be to him” (an idiom).

[20:17]  ²¹⁵⁰ sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 45 mi (72 km) south of Ephesus.

[20:17]  ²¹⁵¹ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[20:17]  ²¹⁵² tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text but are implied. L&N 33.311 has for the verb μετακαλέομαι (metakaleomai) “to summon someone, with considerable insistence and authority – ‘to summon, to tell to come.’”

[20:18]  ²¹⁵³ tn Grk “You yourselves know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time.” This could be understood to mean “how I stayed with you the whole time,” but the following verses make it clear that Paul’s lifestyle while with the Ephesians is in view here. Thus the translation “how I lived the whole time I was with you” makes this clear.

[20:18]  ²¹⁵⁴ tn Or “I arrived.” BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω 2, “set foot in…εἰς τ. ᾿Ασίαν set foot in Asia Ac 20:18.” However, L&N 15.83 removes the idiom: “you know that since the first day that I came to Asia.”

[20:18]  ²¹⁵⁵ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 16.

[20:19]  ²¹⁵⁶ sn On humility see 2 Cor 10:1; 11:7; 1 Thess 2:6; Col 3:12; Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3-11.

[20:19]  ²¹⁵⁷ sn These plots are mentioned in Acts 9:24; 20:13.

[20:20]  ²¹⁵⁸ tn Or “declaring.”

[20:20]  ²¹⁵⁹ tn Or “profitable.” BDAG 960 s.v. συμφέρω 2.b.α has “τὰ συμφέροντα what advances your best interests or what is good for you Ac 20:20,” but the broader meaning (s.v. 2, “to be advantageous, help, confer a benefit, be profitable/useful”) is equally possible in this context.

[20:20]  ²¹⁶⁰ tn Or “openly.”

[20:21]  ²¹⁶¹ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…of repentance to Judeans and Hellenes Ac 20:21.”

[20:21]  ²¹⁶² tc Several mss, including some of the more important ones (Ì⁷⁴ א Α C [D] E 33 36 323 945 1175 1241 1505 1739 pm and a number of versions), read Χριστόν (Criston, “Christ”) at the end of this verse. This word is lacking in B H L P Ψ 614 pm. Although the inclusion is supported by many earlier and better mss, internal evidence is on the side of the omission: In Acts, both “Lord Jesus” and “Lord Jesus Christ” occur, though between 16:31 and the end of the book “Lord Jesus Christ” appears only in 28:31, perhaps as a kind of climactic assertion. Thus, the shorter reading is to be preferred.

[20:22]  ²¹⁶³ tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[20:22]  ²¹⁶⁴ tn Grk “bound.”

[20:22]  ²¹⁶⁵ sn This journey to Jerusalem suggests a parallel between Paul and Jesus, since the “Jerusalem journey” motif figures so prominently in Luke’s Gospel (9:51-19:44).

[20:22]  ²¹⁶⁶ tn BDAG 965 s.v. συναντάω 2 has τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ συναντήσοντα ἐμοὶ μὴ εἰδώς without knowing what will happen to me there Ac 20:22.”

[20:23]  ²¹⁶⁷ tn BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 1.d has “πλὴν ὅτι except that…Ac 20:23.”

[20:23]  ²¹⁶⁸ tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn” (BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 2 has “solemnly urge, exhort, warn…w. dat. of pers. addressed”), and this meaning better fits the context here, although BDAG categorizes Acts 20:23 under the meaning “testify of, bear witness to” (s.v. 1).

[20:23]  ²¹⁶⁹ tn The Greek text here reads κατὰ πόλιν (kata polin).

[20:23]  ²¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “saying that,” but the participle λέγον (legon) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[20:23]  ²¹⁷¹ tn Grk “bonds.”

[20:23]  ²¹⁷² tn Or “troubles,” “suffering.” See Acts 19:21; 21:4, 11.

[20:24]  ²¹⁷³ tn Grk “soul.”

[20:24]  ²¹⁷⁴ tn Or “I do not consider my life worth a single word.” According to BDAG 599 s.v. λόγος 1.a.α, “In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’).”

[20:24]  ²¹⁷⁵ tn BDAG 1106 s.v. ὡς 9 describes this use as “a final particle, expressing intention/purpose, with a view to, in order to.”

[20:24]  ²¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “course.” See L&N 42.26, “(a figurative extension of meaning of δρόμος ‘race’) a task or function involving continuity, serious, effort, and possibly obligation – ‘task, mission’…Ac 20:24.” On this Pauline theme see also Phil 1:19-26; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 4:6-7.

[20:24]  ²¹⁷⁷ tn Or “to the gospel.”

[20:25]  ²¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[20:25]  ²¹⁷⁹ tn Grk “all of you…will not see.” Greek handles its negation somewhat differently from English, and the translation follows English grammatical conventions.

[20:25]  ²¹⁸⁰ sn Note how Paul’s usage of the expression proclaiming the kingdom is associated with (and intertwined with) his testifying to the good news of God’s grace in v. 24. For Paul the two concepts were interrelated.

[20:25]  ²¹⁸¹ tn Grk “will see my face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

[20:26]  ²¹⁸² tn Or “testify.”

[20:26]  ²¹⁸³ tn Grk “clean, pure,” thus “guiltless” (BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a).

[20:26]  ²¹⁸⁴ tn That is, “that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible” (an idiom). According to L&N 33.223, the meaning of the phrase “that I am innocent of the blood of all of you” is “that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.” However, due to the length of this phrase and its familiarity to many modern English readers, the translation was kept closer to formal equivalence in this case. The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; Paul is addressing the Ephesian congregation (in the person of its elders) in both v. 25 and 27.

[20:27]  ²¹⁸⁵ tn Or “did not avoid.” BDAG 1041 s.v. ὑποστέλλω 2.b has “shrink from, avoid implying fear…οὐ γὰρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι I did not shrink from proclaiming Ac 20:27”; L&N 13.160 has “to hold oneself back from doing something, with the implication of some fearful concern – ‘to hold back from, to shrink from, to avoid’…‘for I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God’ Ac 20:27.”

[20:27]  ²¹⁸⁶ tn Or “proclaiming,” “declaring.”

[20:27]  ²¹⁸⁷ tn Or “plan.”

[20:28]  ²¹⁸⁸ tn Or “Be on your guard for” (cf. v. 29). Paul completed his responsibility to the Ephesians with this warning.

[20:28]  ²¹⁸⁹ tn Grk “in which.”

[20:28]  ²¹⁹⁰ tn Or “guardians.” BDAG 379-80 s.v. ἐπίσκοπος 2 states, “The term was taken over in Christian communities in ref. to one who served as overseer or supervisor, with special interest in guarding the apostolic tradition…Ac 20:28.” This functional term describes the role of the elders (see v. 17). They were to guard and shepherd the congregation.

[20:28]  ²¹⁹¹ tc The reading “of God” (τοῦ θεοῦ, tou qeou) is found in א B 614 1175 1505 al vg sy; other witnesses have “of the Lord” (τοῦ κυρίου, tou kuriou) here (so Ì⁷⁴ A C* D E Ψ 33 1739 al co), while the majority of the later minuscule mss conflate these two into “of the Lord and God” (τοῦ κυρίου καὶ [τοῦ] θεοῦ, tou kuriou kai [tou] qeou). Although the evidence is evenly balanced between the first two readings, τοῦ θεοῦ is decidedly superior on internal grounds. The final prepositional phrase of this verse, διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἰδίου (dia tou {aimato" tou idiou), could be rendered “through his own blood” or “through the blood of his own.” In the latter translation, the object that “own” modifies must be supplied (see tn below for discussion). But this would not be entirely clear to scribes; those who supposed that ἰδίου modified αἵματος would be prone to alter “God” to “Lord” to avoid the inference that God had blood. In a similar way, later scribes would be prone to conflate the two titles, thereby affirming the deity (with the construction τοῦ κυρίου καὶ θεοῦ following the Granville Sharp rule and referring to a single person [see ExSyn 272, 276-77, 290]) and substitutionary atonement of Christ. For these reasons, τοῦ θεοῦ best explains the rise of the other readings and should be considered authentic.

[20:28]  ²¹⁹² tn Or “acquired.”

[20:28]  ²¹⁹³ tn Or “with his own blood”; Grk “with the blood of his own.” The genitive construction could be taken in two ways: (1) as an attributive genitive (second attributive position) meaning “his own blood”; or (2) as a possessive genitive, “with the blood of his own.” In this case the referent is the Son, and the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. See further C. F. DeVine, “The Blood of God,” CBQ 9 (1947): 381-408.

[20:29]  ²¹⁹⁴ tn Grk “after my departure.”

[20:29]  ²¹⁹⁵ tn That is, people like fierce wolves. See BDAG 167-68 s.v. βαρύς 4 on the term translated “fierce.” The battle that will follow would be a savage one.

[20:30]  ²¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “from among yourselves.”

[20:30]  ²¹⁹⁷ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only rarely is used in a generic sense to refer to both males and females. Since Paul is speaking to the Ephesian elders at this point and there is nothing in the context to suggest women were included in that group (“from among your own group”), it is most likely Paul was not predicting that these false teachers would include women.

[20:30]  ²¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “speaking crooked things”; BDAG 237 s.v. διαστρέφω 2 has “λαλεῖν διεστραμμένα teach perversions (of the truth) Ac 20:30.”

[20:31]  ²¹⁹⁹ tn Or “be watchful.”

[20:31]  ²²⁰⁰ tn Or “admonishing.”

[20:32]  ²²⁰¹ tn Or “commend.” BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 3.b has “τινά τινι entrust someone to the care or protection of someone…Of divine protection παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ Ac 14:23; cp. 20:32.”

[20:32]  ²²⁰² tn Grk “word.”

[20:32]  ²²⁰³ tn Grk “the message of his grace, which.” The phrase τῷ δυναμένῳ οἰκοδομῆσαι… (tw dunamenw oikodomhsai…) refers to τῷ λόγω (tw logw), not τῆς χάριτος (ths caritos); in English it could refer to either “the message” or “grace,” but in Greek, because of agreement in gender, the referent can only be “the message.” To make this clear, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the referent “the message” was repeated at the beginning of this new sentence.

[20:33]  ²²⁰⁴ tn Traditionally, “coveted.” BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιθυμέω 1 has “to have a strong desire to do or secure someth., desire, long for w. gen. of the thing desired…silver, gold, clothing Ac 20:33.” The traditional term “covet” is not in common usage and difficult for many modern English readers to understand. The statement affirms Paul’s integrity. He was not doing this for personal financial gain.

[20:34]  ²²⁰⁵ tn The words “of mine” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify whose hands Paul is referring to.

[20:35]  ²²⁰⁶ sn The expression By all these things means “In everything I did.”

[20:35]  ²²⁰⁷ tn Or “must assist.”

[20:35]  ²²⁰⁸ tn Or “the sick.” See Eph 4:28.

[20:35]  ²²⁰⁹ 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.

[20:36]  ²²¹⁰ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[20:36]  ²²¹¹ tn Grk “kneeling down…he prayed.” The participle θείς (qeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:37]  ²²¹² tn Grk “weeping a great deal,” thus “loudly” (BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός and BDAG 546 s.v. κλαυθμός).

[20:37]  ²²¹³ tn Grk “fell on Paul’s neck” (an idiom, see BDAG 1014 s.v. τράχηλος).

[20:37]  ²²¹⁴ sn The Ephesians elders kissed Paul as a sign of both affection and farewell. The entire scene shows how much interrelationship Paul had in his ministry and how much he and the Ephesians meant to each other.

[20:38]  ²²¹⁵ tn Or “pained.”

[20:38]  ²²¹⁶ tn Grk “by the word that he had said.”

[20:38]  ²²¹⁷ tn Grk “to see his face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

[20:38]  ²²¹⁸ tn BDAG 873 s.v. προπέμπω 1 has “they accompanied him to the ship Ac 20:38.”

[21:1]  ²²¹⁹ tn Grk “It happened that when.” 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. Since the action described by the participle ἀποσπασθέντας (apospasqenta", “tearing ourselves away”) is prior to the departure of the ship, it has been translated as antecedent action (“after”).

[21:1]  ²²²⁰ sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.

[21:1]  ²²²¹ tn BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποσπάω 2.b has “pass. in mid. sense ἀ. ἀπό τινος tear oneself away Ac 21:1”; LSJ 218 gives several illustrations of this verb meaning “to tear or drag away from.”

[21:1]  ²²²² tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[21:1]  ²²²³ tn BDAG 406 s.v. εὐθυδρομέω has “of a ship run a straight course”; L&N 54.3 has “to sail a straight course, sail straight to.”

[21:1]  ²²²⁴ sn Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea.

[21:1]  ²²²⁵ sn Rhodes was an island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.

[21:1]  ²²²⁶ sn Patara was a city in Lycia on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. The entire journey was about 185 mi (295 km).

[21:2]  ²²²⁷ tn Grk “and finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun in the translation.

[21:2]  ²²²⁸ sn Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[21:2]  ²²²⁹ tn Grk “going aboard, we put out to sea.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:2]  ²²³⁰ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[21:3]  ²²³¹ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[21:3]  ²²³² sn The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.

[21:3]  ²²³³ tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[21:3]  ²²³⁴ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage.

[21:4]  ²²³⁵ tn BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνευρίσκω has “look/search for (w. finding presupposed) τινά…τοὺς μαθητάς Ac 21:4.” The English verb “locate,” when used in reference to persons, has the implication of both looking for and finding someone. The participle ἀνευρόντες (aneuronte") has been taken temporally.

[21:4]  ²²³⁶ tn BDAG 154 s.v. αὐτοῦ states, “deictic adv. designating a position relatively near or far…there…Ac 21:4.”

[21:4]  ²²³⁷ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγον (elegon) has been taken iteratively.

[21:4]  ²²³⁸ sn Although they told this to Paul through the Spirit, it appears Paul had a choice here (see v. 14). Therefore this amounted to a warning: There was risk in going to Jerusalem, so he was urged not to go.

[21:4]  ²²³⁹ tn BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω places Ac 21:4 under 1, “go up/upon, mount, board…πλοίῳ…Ac 27:2…Abs. go on board, embark…21:1 D, 2. – So perh. also ἐ. εἰς ᾿Ιεροσόλυμα embark for Jerusalem (i.e. to the seaport of Caesarea) vs. 4.” BDAG notes, however, “But this pass. may also belong to 2. to move to an area and be there, set foot in.” Because the message from the disciples to Paul through the Holy Spirit has the character of a warning, the latter meaning has been adopted for this translation.

[21:4]  ²²⁴⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:5]  ²²⁴¹ tn Grk “It happened that when.” 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.

[21:5]  ²²⁴² tn Grk “When our days were over.” L&N 67.71 has “ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἡμᾶς ἐξαρτίσαι τὰς ἡμέρας ‘when we brought that time to an end’ or ‘when our time with them was over’ Ac 21:5.”

[21:5]  ²²⁴³ tn Grk “accompanying.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the participle προπεμπόντων (propempontwn) translated as a finite verb.

[21:5]  ²²⁴⁴ tn Grk “city, and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[21:5]  ²²⁴⁵ sn On praying in Acts, see 1:14, 24; 2:47; 4:23; 6:6; 10:2; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 16:25.

[21:6]  ²²⁴⁶ tn BDAG 98 s.v. ἀπασπάζομαι has “take leave of, say farewell to τινά someone…ἀπησπασάμεθα ἀλλήλους we said farewell to one another Ac 21:6.”

[21:6]  ²²⁴⁷ sn These words are part of v. 5 in the standard critical Greek text.

[21:6]  ²²⁴⁸ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[21:6]  ²²⁴⁹ tn Grk “to their own”; the word “homes” is implied.

[21:7]  ²²⁵⁰ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[21:7]  ²²⁵¹ sn Ptolemais was a seaport on the coast of Palestine about 30 mi (48 km) south of Tyre.

[21:8]  ²²⁵² tn Grk “On the next day leaving, we came.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8]  ²²⁵³ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was another 40 mi (65 km).

[21:8]  ²²⁵⁴ tn Grk “and entering…we stayed.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8]  ²²⁵⁵ sn Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-7).

[21:9]  ²²⁵⁶ tn Grk “virgin.” While the term παρθένος (parqeno") can refer to a woman who has never had sexual relations, the emphasis in this context seems to be on the fact that Philip’s daughters were not married (L&N 9.39).

[21:9]  ²²⁵⁷ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Luke again noted women who were gifted in the early church (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.31; 3.39).

[21:10]  ²²⁵⁸ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.α has “ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους for a (large) number of days, for many days…Ac 13:31. – 21:10…24:17; 25:14; 27:20.”

[21:10]  ²²⁵⁹ sn Agabus also appeared in Acts 11:28. He was from Jerusalem, so the two churches were still in contact with one another.

[21:11]  ²²⁶⁰ tn Grk “And coming.” 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. The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ²²⁶¹ tn Grk “and taking.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. The participle ἄρας (aras) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ²²⁶² sn The belt was a band or sash used to keep money as well as to gird up the tunic (BDAG 431 s.v. ζώνη).

[21:11]  ²²⁶³ tn The participle δήσας (dhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ²²⁶⁴ tn The words “with it” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[21:11]  ²²⁶⁵ tn Grk “and will deliver him over into the hands of” (a Semitic idiom).

[21:12]  ²²⁶⁶ tn Or “the people there.”

[21:13]  ²²⁶⁷ tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

[21:13]  ²²⁶⁸ tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.

[21:14]  ²²⁶⁹ tn The participle πειθομένου (peiqomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[21:14]  ²²⁷⁰ tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”

[21:14]  ²²⁷¹ sn “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.

[21:15]  ²²⁷² tn Or “we made preparations.”

[21:15]  ²²⁷³ tn Grk “were going up”; the imperfect verb ἀνεβαίνομεν (anebainomen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:16]  ²²⁷⁴ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[21:16]  ²²⁷⁵ tn Grk “to Mnason…”; the words “the house of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the verb ξενισθῶμεν (xenisqwmen).

[21:16]  ²²⁷⁶ tn Or perhaps, “Mnason of Cyprus, one of the original disciples.” BDAG 137 s.v. ἀρχαῖος 1 has “ἀ. μαθητής a disciple of long standing (perh. original disc.) Ac 21:16.”

[21:17]  ²²⁷⁷ tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).

[21:18]  ²²⁷⁸ tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”

[21:19]  ²²⁷⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:19]  ²²⁸⁰ tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:19]  ²²⁸¹ tn BDAG 293 s.v. εἷς 5.e has “καθ᾿ ἕν one after the other (hence τὸ καθ᾿ ἕν ‘a detailed list’: PLille 11, 8 [III bc]; PTebt. 47, 34; 332, 16) J 21:25. Also καθ᾿ ἕν ἕκαστον…Ac 21:19.”

[21:19]  ²²⁸² sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.

[21:20]  ²²⁸³ tn Or “glorified.”

[21:20]  ²²⁸⁴ tn Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.”

[21:20]  ²²⁸⁵ tn Or “are all zealous for the law.” BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.β has “of thing…τοῦ νόμου an ardent observer of the law Ac 21:20.”

[21:20]  ²²⁸⁶ sn That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers (1 Cor 7:18-19; Acts 16:3).

[21:21]  ²²⁸⁷ tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.

[21:21]  ²²⁸⁸ tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”

[21:21]  ²²⁸⁹ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21]  ²²⁹⁰ tn Grk “or walk.”

[21:22]  ²²⁹¹ tn L&N 71.16 has “pertaining to being in every respect certain – ‘certainly, really, doubtless, no doubt.’…‘they will no doubt hear that you have come’ Ac 21:22.”

[21:23]  ²²⁹² tn Grk “do this that.”

[21:23]  ²²⁹³ tn Grk “There are four men here.”

[21:23]  ²²⁹⁴ tn L&N 33.469 has “‘there are four men here who have taken a vow’ or ‘we have four men who…’ Ac 21:23.”

[21:23]  ²²⁹⁵ tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.

[21:24]  ²²⁹⁶ sn That is, undergo ritual cleansing. Paul’s cleansing would be necessary because of his travels in “unclean” Gentile territory. This act would represent a conciliatory gesture. Paul would have supported a “law-free” mission to the Gentiles as an option, but this gesture would represent an attempt to be sensitive to the Jews (1 Cor 9:15-22).

[21:24]  ²²⁹⁷ tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”

[21:24]  ²²⁹⁸ tn The future middle indicative has causative force here. BDAG 686 s.v. ξυράω has “mid. have oneself shaved…τὴν κεφαλήν have one’s head shaved…Ac 21:24.”

[21:24]  ²²⁹⁹ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[21:24]  ²³⁰⁰ tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).

[21:24]  ²³⁰¹ tn Grk “adhere to the keeping of the law.” L&N 41.12 has “στοιχέω: to live in conformity with some presumed standard or set of customs – ‘to live, to behave in accordance with.’”

[21:24]  ²³⁰² sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:25]  ²³⁰³ tn L&N 13.154 has “‘having decided that they must keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from an animal that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality’ Ac 21:25.”

[21:25]  ²³⁰⁴ tn This is a different Greek word than the one used in Acts 15:20, 29. BDAG 1068 s.v. φυλάσσω 3 has “to be on one’s guard against, look out for, avoid…w. acc. of pers. or thing avoided…Ac 21:25.” The Greek word used in Acts 15:20, 29 is ἀπέχω (apecw). The difference in meaning, although slight, has been maintained in the translation.

[21:25]  ²³⁰⁵ tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.

[21:25]  ²³⁰⁶ sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14) Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the preceding provision in this verse, and blood).

[21:26]  ²³⁰⁷ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 11.b.β has “temporal, to be next, immediately following…τῇ ἐχομένῃ…on the next day Lk 13:33…Ac 20:15; w. ἡμέρᾳ added…21:26.”

[21:26]  ²³⁰⁸ tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.

[21:26]  ²³⁰⁹ tn Grk “entered the temple, giving notice.” The participle διαγγέλλων (diangellwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:26]  ²³¹⁰ sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.

[21:26]  ²³¹¹ tn Grk “until” (BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.β.א), but since in English it is somewhat awkward to say “the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice would be offered,” the temporal clause was translated “when the sacrifice would be offered.” The point is that the sacrifice would be offered when the days were completed. Paul honored the request of the Jewish Christian leadership completely. As the following verse makes clear, the vow was made for seven days.

[21:26]  ²³¹² tn Grk “for each one.”

[21:27]  ²³¹³ tn BDAG 975 s.v. συντελέω 4 has “to come to an end of a duration, come to an end, be over…Ac 21:27.”

[21:27]  ²³¹⁴ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[21:27]  ²³¹⁵ tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:27]  ²³¹⁶ tn Or “threw the whole crowd into consternation.” L&N 25.221 has “συνέχεον πάντα τὸν ὄχλον ‘they threw the whole crowd into consternation’ Ac 21:27. It is also possible to render the expression in Ac 21:27 as ‘they stirred up the whole crowd.’”

[21:27]  ²³¹⁷ tn Grk “and laid hands on.”

[21:28]  ²³¹⁸ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage since “the whole crowd” is mentioned in v. 27, although it can also be argued that these remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[21:28]  ²³¹⁹ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:28]  ²³²⁰ tn Grk “this place.”

[21:28]  ²³²¹ tn BDAG 400 s.v. ἔτι 2.b has “ἔ. δὲ καί furthermore…al. ἔ. τε καί…Lk 14:26; Ac 21:28.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek, but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[21:28]  ²³²² tn Grk “into the temple.” The specific reference is to the Court of the Sons of Israel (see the note following the term “unclean” at the end of this verse). To avoid giving the modern reader the impression that they entered the temple building itself, the phrase “the inner courts of the temple” has been used in the translation.

[21:28]  ²³²³ tn Or “and has defiled this holy place.”

[21:29]  ²³²⁴ tn Grk “whom.”

[21:29]  ²³²⁵ tn On the phrase “inner temple courts” see the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:30]  ²³²⁶ tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.

[21:30]  ²³²⁷ tn Or “the people formed a mob.” BDAG 967 s.v. συνδρομή has “formation of a mob by pers. running together, running together…ἐγένετο σ. τοῦ λαοῦ the people rushed together Ac 21:30.”

[21:30]  ²³²⁸ tn Grk “and seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[21:30]  ²³²⁹ tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:31]  ²³³⁰ tn Grk “seeking.”

[21:31]  ²³³¹ tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).

[21:31]  ²³³² tn Grk “went up”; this verb is used because the report went up to the Antonia Fortress where the Roman garrison was stationed.

[21:31]  ²³³³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[21:31]  ²³³⁴ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.

[21:31]  ²³³⁵ tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”

[21:32]  ²³³⁶ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated as a pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[21:32]  ²³³⁷ tn Grk “taking…ran down.” The participle κατέδραμεν (katedramen) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:32]  ²³³⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[21:32]  ²³³⁹ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:32]  ²³⁴⁰ tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.

[21:32]  ²³⁴¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:32]  ²³⁴² sn The mob stopped beating Paul because they feared the Romans would arrest them for disturbing the peace and for mob violence. They would let the Roman officials take care of the matter from this point on.

[21:33]  ²³⁴³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:33]  ²³⁴⁴ tn Grk “seized.”

[21:33]  ²³⁴⁵ tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).

[21:33]  ²³⁴⁶ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been replaced with a semicolon. “Then” has been supplied after “he” to clarify the logical sequence.

[21:33]  ²³⁴⁷ tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”

[21:34]  ²³⁴⁸ tn L&N 33.77 has “ἄλλοι δὲ ἄλλο τι ἐπεφώνουν ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ ‘some in the crowd shouted one thing; others, something else’ Ac 21:34.”

[21:34]  ²³⁴⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ²³⁵⁰ tn This genitive absolute construction has been translated temporally; it could also be taken causally: “and since the commanding officer was unable to find out the truth.”

[21:34]  ²³⁵¹ tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).

[21:34]  ²³⁵² tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).

[21:34]  ²³⁵³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ²³⁵⁴ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[21:35]  ²³⁵⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:35]  ²³⁵⁶ sn Paul had to be carried. Note how the arrest really ended up protecting Paul. The crowd is portrayed as irrational at this point.

[21:35]  ²³⁵⁷ tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).

[21:36]  ²³⁵⁸ tn Grk “the multitude of people.” While πλῆθος (plhqo") is articular, it has been translated “a crowd” since it was probably a subset of the larger mob that gathered in v. 30.

[21:36]  ²³⁵⁹ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[21:37]  ²³⁶⁰ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[21:37]  ²³⁶¹ tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

[21:37]  ²³⁶² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:37]  ²³⁶³ tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).

[21:37]  ²³⁶⁴ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37]  ²³⁶⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[21:37]  ²³⁶⁶ sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.

[21:38]  ²³⁶⁷ tn L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”

[21:38]  ²³⁶⁸ tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”

[21:38]  ²³⁶⁹ tn Or “desert.”

[21:38]  ²³⁷⁰ tn Grk “before these days.”

[21:39]  ²³⁷¹ tn Grk “said.”

[21:39]  ²³⁷² tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[21:39]  ²³⁷³ tn Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression (BDAG 142 s.v. ἄσημος 1).

[21:39]  ²³⁷⁴ tn Grk “I beg you.”

[21:40]  ²³⁷⁵ tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[21:40]  ²³⁷⁶ tn Grk “Giving him permission.” The participle ἐπιτρέψαντος (epitreyanto") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40]  ²³⁷⁷ tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40]  ²³⁷⁸ tn Or “motioned.”

[21:40]  ²³⁷⁹ tn γενομένης (genomenhs) has been taken temporally. BDAG 922 s.v. σιγή has “πολλῆς σιγῆς γενομένης when a great silence had fallen = when they had become silent Ac 21:40.”

[21:40]  ²³⁸⁰ tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”

[21:40]  ²³⁸¹ tn Grk “in the Hebrew dialect, saying.” This refers to the Aramaic spoken in Palestine in the 1st century (BDAG 270 s.v. ῾Εβραΐς). The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[22:1]  ²³⁸² sn Listen to my defense. This is the first of several speeches Paul would make in his own defense: Acts 24:10ff.; 25:8, 16; and 26:1ff. For the use of such a speech (“apologia”) in Greek, see Josephus, Ag. Ap. 2.15 [2.147]; Wis 6:10.

[22:1]  ²³⁸³ tn The adverb νυνί (nuni, “now”) is connected with the phrase τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας (th" pro" Juma" nuni apologia") rather than the verb ἀκούσατε (akousate), and the entire construction (prepositional phrase plus adverb) is in first attributive position and thus translated into English by a relative clause.

[22:2]  ²³⁸⁴ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ²³⁸⁵ tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”

[22:2]  ²³⁸⁶ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ²³⁸⁷ tn BDAG 613-14 s.v. μᾶλλον 1 “Abs. μ. can mean to a greater degree (than before), even more, now more than ever Lk 5:15; Jn 5:18; 19:8; Ac 5:14; 22:2; 2 Cor 7:7.”

[22:2]  ²³⁸⁸ tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”

[22:2]  ²³⁸⁹ tn Grk “and.” Since this represents a continuation of the speech begun in v. 1, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[22:3]  ²³⁹⁰ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ²³⁹¹ tn BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b has “of mental and spiritual nurture bring up, rear, train…ἀνατεθραμμένος ἐν τ. πόλει ταύτῃ 22:3.”

[22:3]  ²³⁹² tn Or “with precision.” Although often translated “strictly” this can be misunderstood for “solely” in English. BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκρίβεια gives the meaning as “exactness, precision.” To avoid the potential misunderstanding the translation “with strictness” is used, although it is slightly more awkward than “strictly.”

[22:3]  ²³⁹³ tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ²³⁹⁴ tn Or “brought up in this city under Gamaliel, educated with strictness…” The phrase παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ (para tou" poda" Gamalihl) could be understood with what precedes or with what follows. The punctuation of NA²⁷ and UBS⁴, which place a comma after ταύτῃ (tauth), has been followed in the translation.

[22:3]  ²³⁹⁵ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ²³⁹⁶ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ²³⁹⁷ tn BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.α has “of pers. …ζ. τοῦ θεοῦ one who is loyal to God Ac 22:3.”

[22:4]  ²³⁹⁸ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the first person pronoun (“I”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[22:4]  ²³⁹⁹ sn That is, persecuted the Christian movement (Christianity). The Way is also used as a description of the Christian faith in Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22).

[22:4]  ²⁴⁰⁰ tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ²⁴⁰¹ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ²⁴⁰² tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “W. local εἰς…εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3; cp. 22:4.”

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰³ tn That is, the whole Sanhedrin. BDAG 861 s.v. πρεσβυτέριον has “an administrative group concerned with the interests of a specific community, council of elders – a. of the highest Judean council in Jerusalem, in our lit. usu. called συνέδριον…ὁ ἀρχιερεύς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρ. Ac 22:5.”

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰⁴ tn Grk “from whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰⁵ tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰⁶ tn Grk “letters to the brothers, [and] I was going to Damascus.” Such a translation, however, might be confusing since the term “brother” is frequently used of a fellow Christian. In this context, Paul is speaking about fellow Jews.

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰⁷ tn Grk “even there and bring…” or “there and even bring…” The ascensive καί (kai) shows that Paul was fervent in his zeal against Christians, but it is difficult to translate for it really belongs with the entire idea of arresting and bringing back the prisoners.

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰⁸ tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ²⁴⁰⁹ tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”

[22:6]  ²⁴¹⁰ tn Grk “It happened that as.” 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.

[22:6]  ²⁴¹¹ tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”

[22:6]  ²⁴¹² tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ²⁴¹³ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ²⁴¹⁴ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ²⁴¹⁵ tn This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the connective τέ (te), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. To indicate the logical sequence for the modern English reader, τέ was translated as “then.”

[22:9]  ²⁴¹⁶ tn Grk “did not hear” (but see Acts 9:7). BDAG 38 s.v. ἀκούω 7 has “W. acc. τὸν νόμον understand the law Gal 4:21; perh. Ac 22:9; 26:14…belong here.” If the word has this sense here, then a metonymy is present, since the lack of effect is put for a failure to appreciate what was heard.

[22:10]  ²⁴¹⁷ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ²⁴¹⁸ tn Grk “Getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.

[22:10]  ²⁴¹⁹ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ²⁴²⁰ tn Or “assigned,” “ordered.” BDAG 991 s.v. τάσσω 2.a has “act. and pass., foll. by acc. w. inf.…περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι concerning everything that you have been ordered to do 22:10.” There is an allusion to a divine call and commission here.

[22:11]  ²⁴²¹ tn BDAG 106 s.v. ἀπό 5.a has “οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτός I could not see because of the brilliance of the light Ac 22:11.”

[22:11]  ²⁴²² tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ²⁴²³ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ²⁴²⁴ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ²⁴²⁵ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ²⁴²⁶ tn BDAG 534 s.v. κατοικέω 1.a translates this present participle “ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν (sc. ἐκεῖ) κατοικούντων ᾿Ιουδαίων by all the Jews who live there Ac 22:12.”

[22:13]  ²⁴²⁷ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ²⁴²⁸ tn Grk “coming to me and standing beside [me] said to me.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ²⁴²⁹ tn Grk “Brother Saul, look up” (here an idiom for regaining one’s sight). BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβλέπω places this usage under 1, “look up Ac 22:13a. W. εἰς αὐτόν to show the direction of the glance…22:13b; but perh. this vs. belongs under 2a.” BDAG 59 s.v. 2.a.α states, “of blind persons, who were formerly able to see, regain sight.” The problem for the translator is deciding between the literal and the idiomatic usage and at the same time attempting to retain the wordplay in Acts 22:13: “[Ananias] said to me, ‘Look up!’ and at that very moment I looked up to him.” The assumption of the command is that the effort to look up will be worth it (through the regaining of sight).

[22:13]  ²⁴³⁰ tn Grk “hour,” but ὥρα (Jwra) is often used for indefinite short periods of time (so BDAG 1102-3 s.v. ὥρα 2.c: “αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ at that very time, at once, instantly…Lk 2:38, 24:33; Ac 16:18; 22:13”). A comparison with the account in Acts 9:18 indicates that this is clearly the meaning here.

[22:13]  ²⁴³¹ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ²⁴³² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[22:14]  ²⁴³³ tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance’…‘the God of our ancestors has already chosen you to know his will’ Ac 22:14.”

[22:14]  ²⁴³⁴ tn Grk “and to see.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[22:14]  ²⁴³⁵ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ²⁴³⁶ tn Or “a solemn declaration”; Grk “a voice.” BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c states, “that which the voice gives expression to: call, cry, outcry, loud or solemn declaration (… = order, command)…Cp. 22:14; 24:21.”

[22:15]  ²⁴³⁷ tn Or “a witness to him.”

[22:15]  ²⁴³⁸ tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ²⁴³⁹ tn L&N 67.121 has “to extend time unduly, with the implication of lack of decision – ‘to wait, to delay.’ νῦν τί μέλλεις… ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι ‘what are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized’ Ac 22:16.”

[22:16]  ²⁴⁴⁰ tn Grk “getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.

[22:16]  ²⁴⁴¹ sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ²⁴⁴² sn The expression calling on his name describes the confession of the believer: Acts 2:17-38, esp. v. 38; Rom 10:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2.

[22:17]  ²⁴⁴³ tn Grk “It happened to me that.” 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.

[22:17]  ²⁴⁴⁴ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ²⁴⁴⁵ tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ²⁴⁴⁶ tn Grk “And I said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai, in καγώ [kagw]) has not been translated here.

[22:19]  ²⁴⁴⁷ tn For the distributive sense of the expression κατὰ τὰς συναγωγάς (kata ta" sunagwga") BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d has “of places viewed serially, distributive use w. acc.…κατ᾿ οἶκαν from house to house…Ac 2:46b; 5:42…Likew. the pl.…κ. τὰς συναγωγάς 22:19.” See also L&N 37.114.

[22:20]  ²⁴⁴⁸ sn Now Paul referred to Stephen as your witness, and he himself had also become a witness. The reversal was now complete; the opponent had now become a proponent.

[22:20]  ²⁴⁴⁹ sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ²⁴⁵⁰ tn Grk “and approving.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[22:20]  ²⁴⁵¹ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:20]  ²⁴⁵² tn Or “who were putting him to death.” For the translation of ἀναιρούντων (anairountwn) as “putting to death” see BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2.

[22:21]  ²⁴⁵³ tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to Paul’s reply in v. 19, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[22:22]  ²⁴⁵⁴ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ²⁴⁵⁵ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ²⁴⁵⁶ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ²⁴⁵⁷ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ²⁴⁵⁸ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ²⁴⁵⁹ tn BDAG 491 s.v. καθήκω has “to be appropriate, come/reach to, be proper/fitting…Usu. impers. καθήκει it comes (to someone)…foll. by acc. and inf….οὐ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν he should not be allowed to live Ac 22:22.”

[22:23]  ²⁴⁶⁰ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ²⁴⁶¹ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ²⁴⁶² sn The crowd’s act of tossing dust in the air indicated they had heard something disturbing and offensive. This may have been a symbolic gesture, indicating Paul’s words deserved to be thrown to the wind, or it may have simply resulted from the fact they had nothing else to throw at him at the moment.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶⁵ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶⁶ tn Grk “into the barracks, saying.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the participle εἴπας (eipas), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. The direct object “them” has been supplied; it is understood in Greek.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶⁸ sn To interrogate Paul by beating him with a lash. Under the Roman legal system it was customary to use physical torture to extract confessions or other information from prisoners who were not Roman citizens and who were charged with various crimes, especially treason or sedition. The lashing would be done with a whip of leather thongs with pieces of metal or bone attached to the ends.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁶⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁷⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ²⁴⁷¹ tn Grk “for the thongs” (of which the lash was made). Although often translated as a dative of means (“with thongs”), referring to thongs used to tie the victim to the whipping post, BDAG 474-75 s.v. ἱμάς states that it “is better taken as a dat. of purpose for the thongs, in which case οἱ ἱμάντες = whips (Posidonius: 87 fgm. 5 Jac.; POxy. 1186, 2 τὴν διὰ τῶν ἱμάντων αἰκείαν. – Antiphanes 74, 8, Demosth. 19, 197 and Artem. 1, 70 use the sing. in this way).”

[22:25]  ²⁴⁷² sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ²⁴⁷³ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ²⁴⁷⁴ tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁷⁵ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁷⁶ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁷⁷ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁷⁸ tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁷⁹ tn Or perhaps, “What do you intend to do?” Although BDAG 627 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.α lists this phrase under the category “be about to, be on the point of,” it is possible it belongs under 1.c.γ, “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; what do you intend to do?”

[22:26]  ²⁴⁸⁰ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁴⁸¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ²⁴⁸² tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ²⁴⁸³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁴⁸⁴ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁴⁸⁵ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ²⁴⁸⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ²⁴⁸⁷ sn Sometimes Roman citizenship was purchased through a bribe (Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.17.4-9). That may well have been the case here.

[22:28]  ²⁴⁸⁸ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ²⁴⁸⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:28]  ²⁴⁹⁰ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ²⁴⁹¹ tn BDAG 158 s.v. ἀφίστημι 2.b has “keep away…ἀπό τινος… Lk 4:13; Ac 5:38; 2 Cor 12:8…cp. Ac 22:29.” In context, the point would seem to be not that the interrogators departed or withdrew, but that they held back from continuing the flogging.

[22:29]  ²⁴⁹² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ²⁴⁹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ²⁴⁹⁴ tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.

[22:29]  ²⁴⁹⁵ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ²⁴⁹⁶ sn Had him tied up. Perhaps a reference to the chains in Acts 21:33, or the preparations for the lashing in Acts 22:25. A trial would now be needed to resolve the matter. The Roman authorities’ hesitation to render a judgment in the case occurs repeatedly: Acts 22:30; 23:28-29; 24:22; 25:20, 26-27. The legal process begun here would take the rest of Acts and will be unresolved at the end. The process itself took four years of Paul’s life.

[22:30]  ²⁴⁹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ²⁴⁹⁸ tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”

[22:30]  ²⁴⁹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ²⁵⁰⁰ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ²⁵⁰¹ tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.

[23:1]  ²⁵⁰² tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:1]  ²⁵⁰³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ²⁵⁰⁴ tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”

[23:2]  ²⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ²⁵⁰⁶ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ²⁵⁰⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ²⁵⁰⁸ tn Or “hit” (‘strike’ maintains the wordplay with the following verse). The action was probably designed to indicate a rejection of Paul’s claim to a clear conscience in the previous verse.

[23:3]  ²⁵⁰⁹ sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.

[23:3]  ²⁵¹⁰ tn Grk “And do.” 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.

[23:3]  ²⁵¹¹ tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3]  ²⁵¹² tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4]  ²⁵¹³ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4]  ²⁵¹⁴ tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”

[23:5]  ²⁵¹⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ²⁵¹⁶ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ²⁵¹⁷ sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.

[23:6]  ²⁵¹⁸ tn BDAG 200 s.v. γινώσκω 4 has “to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize”; this is further clarified by section 4.c: “w. ὅτι foll….Ac 23:6.”

[23:6]  ²⁵¹⁹ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ²⁵²⁰ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ²⁵²¹ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ²⁵²² tn That is, concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected. Grk “concerning the hope and resurrection.” BDAG 320 s.v. ἐλπίς 1.b.α states, “Of Israel’s messianic hope Ac 23:6 (ἐ. καὶ ἀνάστασις for ἐ. τῆς ἀν. [obj. gen] as 2 Macc 3:29 ἐ. καὶ σωτηρία).” With an objective genitive construction, the resurrection of the dead would be the “object” of the hope.

[23:7]  ²⁵²³ tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ²⁵²⁴ tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ²⁵²⁵ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ²⁵²⁶ tn BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφότεροι 2 has “all, even when more than two are involved…Φαρισαῖοι ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀ. believe in them all 23:8.” On this belief see Josephus, J. W. 2.8.14 (2.163); Ant. 18.1.3 (18.14).

[23:9]  ²⁵²⁷ tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9]  ²⁵²⁸ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ²⁵²⁹ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ²⁵³⁰ tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.

[23:9]  ²⁵³¹ sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.

[23:10]  ²⁵³² tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10]  ²⁵³³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[23:10]  ²⁵³⁴ tn Grk “that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.” BDAG 236 s.v. διασπάω has “of an angry mob μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν that Paul would be torn in pieces by them Ac 23:10.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been converted to an equivalent active construction in the translation.

[23:10]  ²⁵³⁵ tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.

[23:10]  ²⁵³⁶ tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10]  ²⁵³⁷ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[23:11]  ²⁵³⁸ sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11]  ²⁵³⁹ tn Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:11]  ²⁵⁴⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11]  ²⁵⁴¹ tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11]  ²⁵⁴² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11]  ²⁵⁴³ 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).

[23:12]  ²⁵⁴⁴ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ²⁵⁴⁵ tn Grk “forming a conspiracy, bound.” The participle ποιήσαντες (poihsantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:12]  ²⁵⁴⁶ tn L&N 30.72 has ‘some Jews formed a conspiracy’ Ac 23:12”; BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 has “Judeans came together in a mob 23:12. But in the last pass. the word may also mean – 2. the product of a clandestine gathering, plot, conspiracy” (see also Amos 7:10; Ps 63:3).

[23:12]  ²⁵⁴⁷ tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” On such oaths see m. Shevi’it 3:1-5. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[23:12]  ²⁵⁴⁸ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:13]  ²⁵⁴⁹ tn L&N 30.73 defines συνωμοσία (sunwmosia) as “a plan for taking secret action someone or some institution, with the implication of an oath binding the conspirators – ‘conspiracy, plot.’ …‘there were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy’ Ac 23:13.”

[23:14]  ²⁵⁵⁰ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[23:14]  ²⁵⁵¹ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ²⁵⁵² sn They went to the chief priests. The fact that the high priest knew of this plot and did nothing shows the Jewish leadership would even become accomplices to murder to stop Paul. They would not allow Roman justice to take its course. Paul’s charge in v. 3 of superficially following the law is thus shown to be true.

[23:14]  ²⁵⁵³ tn Or “bound ourselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” The pleonastic use ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (literally “we have cursed ourselves with a curse”) probably serves as an intensifier following Semitic usage, and is represented in the translation by the word “solemn.” On such oaths see m. Nedarim 3:1, 3.

[23:14]  ²⁵⁵⁴ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ²⁵⁵⁵ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15]  ²⁵⁵⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15]  ²⁵⁵⁷ tn Or “decide.” BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω has “ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ to make a more thorough examination of his case Ac 23:15.”

[23:15]  ²⁵⁵⁸ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ²⁵⁵⁹ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ²⁵⁶⁰ sn “We are ready to kill him.” Now those Jews involved in the conspiracy, along with the leaders as accomplices, are going to break one of the ten commandments.

[23:15]  ²⁵⁶¹ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16]  ²⁵⁶² tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16]  ²⁵⁶³ tn Grk “coming and entering…, he told.” The participles παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") and εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:16]  ²⁵⁶⁴ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[23:17]  ²⁵⁶⁵ tn Grk “calling…Paul said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:17]  ²⁵⁶⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17]  ²⁵⁶⁷ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ²⁵⁶⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ²⁵⁶⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ²⁵⁷⁰ tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19]  ²⁵⁷¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19]  ²⁵⁷² tn Grk “you have,” but the expression “have to report” in English could be understood to mean “must report” rather than “possess to report.” For this reason the nearly equivalent expression “want to report,” which is not subject to misunderstanding, was used in the translation.

[23:20]  ²⁵⁷³ tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20]  ²⁵⁷⁴ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21]  ²⁵⁷⁵ tn Grk “do not be persuaded by them.” The passive construction μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς (mh peisqh" autoi") has been converted to an active construction in the translation, and the phrase “to do this” supplied to indicate more clearly the object of their persuasion.

[23:21]  ²⁵⁷⁶ tn Grk “forty men of them.” In the expression ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες (ex autwn andre") “men” is somewhat redundant and has not been included in the English translation.

[23:21]  ²⁵⁷⁷ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ²⁵⁷⁸ tn Grk “for him, who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[23:21]  ²⁵⁷⁹ tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone… ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.”

[23:21]  ²⁵⁸⁰ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:21]  ²⁵⁸¹ tn Grk “waiting for your approval,” “waiting for your agreement.” Since it would be possible to misunderstand the literal translation “waiting for your approval” to mean that the Jews were waiting for the commander’s approval to carry out their plot or to kill Paul (as if he were to be an accomplice to their plot), the object of the commander’s approval (their request to bring Paul to the council) has been specified in the translation as “their request.”

[23:22]  ²⁵⁸² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22]  ²⁵⁸³ tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγγέλλω has “to make an announcement about someth. that must be done, give orders, command, instruct, direct of all kinds of persons in authority, worldly rulers, Jesus, the apostles…παραγγέλλειν w. an inf. and μή comes to mean forbid to do someth.: π. τινί w. aor. inf. Lk 5:14; 8:56; without the dat., which is easily supplied fr. the context Ac 23:22.” However, if the direct discourse which follows is to be retained in the translation, a different translation must be used since it is awkward to introduce direct discourse with the verb to forbid. Thus the alternative to direct was used.

[23:22]  ²⁵⁸⁴ tn On this verb, see BDAG 325-26 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 2. The term was frequently used of an official report to authorities. In modern terms, this was a police tip.

[23:23]  ²⁵⁸⁵ tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to the reported ambush, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[23:23]  ²⁵⁸⁶ tn Grk “summoning…he said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:23]  ²⁵⁸⁷ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23]  ²⁵⁸⁸ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a journey of about 65 mi (just over 100 km).

[23:23]  ²⁵⁸⁹ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23]  ²⁵⁹⁰ tn A military technical term of uncertain meaning. BDAG 217 s.v. δεξιολάβος states, “a word of uncertain mng., military t.t., acc. to Joannes Lydus…and Theophyl. Sim., Hist. 4, 1 a light-armed soldier, perh. bowman, slinger; acc. to a scholion in CMatthaei p. 342 body-guard….Spearman Goodspd., NRSV; ‘security officer’, GDKilpatrick, JTS 14, ’63, 393f.”

[23:23]  ²⁵⁹¹ tn Grk “from.”

[23:23]  ²⁵⁹² tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24]  ²⁵⁹³ tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”

[23:24]  ²⁵⁹⁴ sn Felix the governor was Antonius Felix, a freedman of Antonia, mother of the Emperor Claudius. He was the brother of Pallas and became procurator of Palestine in a.d. 52/53. His administration was notorious for its corruption, cynicism, and cruelty. According to the historian Tacitus (History 5.9) Felix “reveled in cruelty and lust, and wielded the power of a king with the mind of a slave.”

[23:24]  ²⁵⁹⁵ tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25]  ²⁵⁹⁶ tn Grk “writing.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation, supplying “he” (referring to the commanding officer, Claudius Lysias) as subject. The participle γράψας (grayas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:25]  ²⁵⁹⁷ tn Grk “having this form,” “having this content.” L&N 33.48 has “γράψσς ἐπιστολὴν ἔχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον ‘then he wrote a letter that went like this’ Ac 23:25. It is also possible to understand ἐπιστολή in Ac 23:25 not as a content or message, but as an object (see 6.63).”

[23:26]  ²⁵⁹⁸ tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26]  ²⁵⁹⁹ sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27]  ²⁶⁰⁰ tn The participle συλλημφθέντα (sullhmfqenta) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. The remark reviews events of Acts 21:27-40.

[23:27]  ²⁶⁰¹ tn Grk “and was about to be killed by them.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:27]  ²⁶⁰² tn Or “approached.”

[23:27]  ²⁶⁰³ tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.

[23:27]  ²⁶⁰⁴ tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27]  ²⁶⁰⁵ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[23:28]  ²⁶⁰⁶ tn Or “determine.”

[23:28]  ²⁶⁰⁷ tn Grk “to know the charge on account of which they were accusing him.” This has been simplified to eliminate the prepositional phrase and relative pronoun δι᾿ ἣν (di’ }hn) similar to L&N 27.8 which has “‘I wanted to find out what they were accusing him of, so I took him down to their Council’ Ac 23:28.”

[23:28]  ²⁶⁰⁸ tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29]  ²⁶⁰⁹ tn Grk “whom I found.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been changed to a personal pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at this point.

[23:29]  ²⁶¹⁰ tn BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19. – In 23:29, since περί had already been used, the subj. of the discussion is added in the gen. ζ. τοῦ νόμου αὐτῶν.”

[23:29]  ²⁶¹¹ tn Grk “but having no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.” BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 has “legal t.t.…ἔ. ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν a charge deserving death or imprisonment 23:29.”

[23:30]  ²⁶¹² tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30]  ²⁶¹³ tn The term translated “plot” here is a different one than the one in Acts 23:16 (see BDAG 368 s.v. ἐπιβουλή).

[23:30]  ²⁶¹⁴ tn Grk “the things against him.” This could be rendered as “accusations,” “grievances,” or “charges,” but since “ordered his accusers to state their accusations” sounds redundant in English, “charges” was used instead.

[23:31]  ²⁶¹⁵ tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31]  ²⁶¹⁶ tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31]  ²⁶¹⁷ sn Antipatris was a city in Judea about 35 mi (55 km) northwest of Jerusalem (about halfway to Caesarea). It was mentioned several times by Josephus (Ant. 13.15.1 [13.390]; J. W. 1.4.7 [1.99]).

[23:32]  ²⁶¹⁸ tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32]  ²⁶¹⁹ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32]  ²⁶²⁰ tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”

[23:33]  ²⁶²¹ tn Grk “who, coming to Caesarea.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek construction, a new sentence was begun here in the translation. The relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced with the referent (the horsemen) in the translation for clarity.

[23:33]  ²⁶²² sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. It was about 30 mi (50 km) from Antipatris.

[23:33]  ²⁶²³ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.b has “present, represent – α. lit. τινά τινι someone to someone παρέστησαν τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ Ac 23:33.”

[23:34]  ²⁶²⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34]  ²⁶²⁵ tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ²⁶²⁶ tn The words “the letter” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:34]  ²⁶²⁷ tn Grk “and asking.” The participle ἐπερωτήσας (eperwthsa") has been translated as a finite verb and καί (kai) left untranslated due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ²⁶²⁸ sn Governor Felix asked what province he was from to determine whether he had legal jurisdiction over Paul. He could have sent him to his home province for trial, but decided to hear the case himself.

[23:34]  ²⁶²⁹ tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ²⁶³⁰ sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35]  ²⁶³¹ tn Or “I will hear your case.” BDAG 231 s.v. διακούω has “as legal t.t. give someone an opportunity to be heard in court, give someone (τινός) a hearing Ac 23:35”; L&N 56.13 has “to give a judicial hearing in a legal matter – ‘to hear a case, to provide a legal hearing, to hear a case in court.’”

[23:35]  ²⁶³² tn Grk “ordering.” The participle κελεύσας (keleusas) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence. “Then” has also been supplied to indicate the logical and temporal sequence.

[23:35]  ²⁶³³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35]  ²⁶³⁴ sn Herod’s palace (Grk “Herod’s praetorium”) was the palace built in Caesarea by Herod the Great. See Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 (15.331). These events belong to the period of a.d. 56-57.

[24:1]  ²⁶³⁵ sn Ananias was in office from a.d. 47-59.

[24:1]  ²⁶³⁶ tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).

[24:1]  ²⁶³⁷ tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”

[24:1]  ²⁶³⁸ tn Grk “who” (plural). Because in English the relative pronoun “who” could be understood to refer only to the attorney Tertullus and not to the entire group, it has been replaced with the third person plural pronoun “they.” “And” has been supplied to provide the connection to the preceding clause.

[24:1]  ²⁶³⁹ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴¹ tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴² tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴³ tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴⁴ tn This term is used only once in the NT (a hapax legomenon). It refers to improvements in internal administration (BDAG 251 s.v. διόρθωμα).

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴⁵ tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ²⁶⁴⁶ sn References to peaceful rule, reforms, and the governor’s foresight in the opening address by Tertullus represent an attempt to praise the governor and thus make him favorable to the case. Actual descriptions of his rule portray him as inept (Tacitus, Annals 12.54; Josephus, J. W. 2.13.2-7 [2.253-270]).

[24:3]  ²⁶⁴⁷ sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.

[24:3]  ²⁶⁴⁸ tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”

[24:3]  ²⁶⁴⁹ tn Or “with complete thankfulness.” BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχαριστία 1 has “μετὰ πάσης εὐ.…with all gratitude Ac 24:3.” L&N 31.26 has “‘we acknowledge this anywhere and everywhere with complete thankfulness’ Ac 24:3.”

[24:4]  ²⁶⁵⁰ tn Or “may not weary.” BDAG 274 s.v. ἐγκόπτω states, “ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖόν σε ἐγκόπτω Ac 24:4 is understood by Syr. and Armen. versions to mean in order not to weary you any further; cp. ἔγκοπος weary Diog. L. 4, 50; LXX; and ἔγκοπον ποιεῖν to weary Job 19:2; Is 43:23. But impose on is also prob.; detain NRSV.”

[24:4]  ²⁶⁵¹ tn Or “request.”

[24:4]  ²⁶⁵² tn This term is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 976 s.v. συντόμως 2). Tertullus was asking for a brief hearing, and implying to the governor that he would speak briefly and to the point.

[24:4]  ²⁶⁵³ tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”

[24:5]  ²⁶⁵⁴ tn Grk “For having found.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:5]  ²⁶⁵⁵ tn L&N 22.6 has “(a figurative extension of meaning of λοιμός ‘plague,’ 23.158) one who causes all sorts of trouble – ‘troublemaker, pest.’ … ‘for we have found this man to be a troublemaker” Ac 24:5.”

[24:5]  ²⁶⁵⁶ tn Or “dissensions.” While BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3 translates this phrase “κινεῖν στάσεις (v.l. στάσιν) τισί create dissension among certain people Ac 24:5,” it is better on the basis of the actual results of Paul’s ministry to categorize this usage under section 2, “uprising, riot, revolt, rebellion” (cf. the use in Acts 19:40).

[24:5]  ²⁶⁵⁷ tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).

[24:5]  ²⁶⁵⁸ sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.

[24:6]  ²⁶⁵⁹ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[24:6]  ²⁶⁶⁰ tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.

[24:6]  ²⁶⁶¹ tn Or “seized.” Grk “whom also we arrested.” Because of the awkwardness of a relative clause in English at this point, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the pronoun “him” as object of the verb.

[24:7]  ²⁶⁶² tc Some later mss include some material at the end of v. 6, all of 24:7, and some material at the beginning of v. 8: “and we wanted to judge him according to our law. 24:7 But Lysias the commanding officer came and took him out of our hands with a great deal of violence, 24:8 ordering those who accused him to come before you.” Acts 24:6b, 7, and 8a are lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B H L P 049 81 1175 1241 pm and a few versional witnesses. They are included (with a few minor variations) in E Ψ 33 323 614 945 1505 1739 pm and a few versional witnesses. This verse (and parts of verses) is most likely not a part of the original text of Acts, for not only is it lacking from the better witnesses, there is no easy explanation as to how such could be missing from them. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[24:8]  ²⁶⁶³ tn Or “question.”

[24:8]  ²⁶⁶⁴ tn Grk “From whom when you examine him yourself, you will be able to learn…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun at the beginning of v. 8 in the translation.

[24:8]  ²⁶⁶⁵ tn Grk “about all these things of which we are accusing him.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“of which”) in the translation.

[24:9]  ²⁶⁶⁶ tn Grk “joined in the attack,” but the adjective “verbal” has been supplied to clarify that this was not another physical assault on Paul. The verb is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 969 s.v. συνεπιτίθημι).

[24:9]  ²⁶⁶⁷ tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).

[24:10]  ²⁶⁶⁸ tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[24:10]  ²⁶⁶⁹ sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.

[24:11]  ²⁶⁷⁰ tn BDAG 369 s.v. ἐπιγινώσκω 2.c has “notice, perceive, learn of, ascertain…Also as legal t.t. ascertain (2 Macc 14:9) τὶ Ac 23:28; cp. 24:8. W. ὅτι foll. Ac 24:11.” “Verify” is an English synonym for “ascertain.”

[24:11]  ²⁶⁷¹ tn Grk “it is not more than twelve days from when.” This has been simplified to “not more than twelve days ago.”

[24:11]  ²⁶⁷² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:12]  ²⁶⁷³ tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”

[24:12]  ²⁶⁷⁴ tn BDAG 381 s.v. ἐπίστασις 2 has “ἐ. ποιεῖν ὄχλου to cause a crowd to gather Ac 24:12.” Roman authorities would not allow a mob to gather and threaten the peace, and anyone suspected of instigating a mob would certainly be arrested.

[24:12]  ²⁶⁷⁵ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[24:12]  ²⁶⁷⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[24:12]  ²⁶⁷⁷ sn A second part of Paul’s defense is that he did nothing while he was in Jerusalem to cause unrest, neither arguing nor stirring up a crowd in the temple courts or in the synagogues or throughout the city.

[24:13]  ²⁶⁷⁸ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.f has “οὐδὲ παραστῆσαι δύνανταί σοι περὶ ὧν νυνὶ κατηγοροῦσίν μου nor can they prove to you the accusations they are now making against me Ac 24:13.”

[24:13]  ²⁶⁷⁹ tn The words “the things” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[24:13]  ²⁶⁸⁰ tn Grk “nor can they prove to you [the things] about which they are now accusing me.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“which”) in the translation.

[24:14]  ²⁶⁸¹ tn Or “serve.”

[24:14]  ²⁶⁸² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[24:14]  ²⁶⁸³ sn That is, the law of Moses. Paul was claiming that he legitimately worshiped the God of Israel. He was arguing that this amounted to a religious dispute rather than a political one, so that the Roman authorities need not concern themselves with it.

[24:15]  ²⁶⁸⁴ tn Grk “having.” The participle ἔχων (ecwn) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.

[24:15]  ²⁶⁸⁵ sn This mention of Paul’s hope sets up his appeal to the resurrection of the dead. At this point Paul was ignoring the internal Jewish dispute between the Pharisees (to which he had belonged) and the Sadducees (who denied there would be a resurrection of the dead).

[24:15]  ²⁶⁸⁶ tn Grk “a hope in God (which these [men] themselves accept too).” Because the antecedent of the relative pronoun “which” is somewhat unclear in English, the words “a hope” have been repeated at the beginning of the parenthesis for clarity.

[24:15]  ²⁶⁸⁷ tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:15]  ²⁶⁸⁸ tn Or “the unjust.”

[24:16]  ²⁶⁸⁹ tn BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 9.a, “ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν this is the reason why we believe Jn 16:30; cp. Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ²⁶⁹⁰ tn BDAG 224 s.v. διά 2.a, “διὰ παντός…always, continually, constantly…Ac 2:25 (Ps 15:8); 10:2; 24:16.” However, the positioning of the adverb “always” in the English translation is difficult; the position used is one of the least awkward.

[24:16]  ²⁶⁹¹ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ²⁶⁹² tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:17]  ²⁶⁹³ tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”

[24:17]  ²⁶⁹⁴ tn Grk “to bring alms,” but the term “alms” is not in common use today, so the closest modern equivalent, “gifts for the poor,” is used instead.

[24:17]  ²⁶⁹⁵ tn Or “sacrifices.” BDAG 887 s.v. προσφορά 1 has “προσφοράς ποιεῖν have sacrifices made Ac 24:17,” but this may be overly specific. It is not clear from the immediate context whether the offering of sacrificial animals (so BDAG assumes) or offerings of some other sort (such as financial gifts) are in view. The combination with ἐλεημοσύνας (elehmosuna") in the preceding clause may suggest monetary offerings. Some have suggested this is an allusion to the payments made by Paul on behalf of the four other men mentioned in Acts 21:23-26, but the text here seems to suggest something Paul had planned to do before he came, while the decision to pay for the expenses of the men in 21:23ff. was made at the suggestion of the Jerusalem leadership after he arrived. In either case, Paul was portraying himself as a pious worshiper of his God.

[24:18]  ²⁶⁹⁶ sn Ritually purified. Paul’s claim here is that he was honoring the holiness of God by being sensitive to issues of ritual purity. Not only was he not guilty of the charges against him, but he was thoroughly devout.

[24:18]  ²⁶⁹⁷ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”

[24:19]  ²⁶⁹⁸ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[24:19]  ²⁶⁹⁹ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω (kathgorew), “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”

[24:20]  ²⁷⁰⁰ tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”

[24:20]  ²⁷⁰¹ tn Or “unrighteous act.”

[24:20]  ²⁷⁰² tn The words “me guilty of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. L&N 88.23 has “αὐτοὶ οὗτοι εἰπάτωσαν τί εὗρον ἀδίκημα στάντος μου ‘let these men themselves tell what unrighteous act they found me guilty of’ Ac 24:20.”

[24:20]  ²⁷⁰³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[24:21]  ²⁷⁰⁴ tn BDAG 433 s.v. ἤ 2.c has “οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἤ nothing else than…Ac 17:21. τί…ἤ what other…than…24:21.”

[24:21]  ²⁷⁰⁵ tn Grk “one utterance.”

[24:21]  ²⁷⁰⁶ tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”

[24:21]  ²⁷⁰⁷ sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?

[24:22]  ²⁷⁰⁸ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:22]  ²⁷⁰⁹ tn Grk “the things.”

[24:22]  ²⁷¹⁰ tn That is, concerning Christianity.

[24:22]  ²⁷¹¹ tn BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκριβῶς has “Comp. ἀκριβέστερον more exactly…ἀ. ἐκτίθεσθαι explain more exactly Ac 18:26, cp. 23:15, 20; also more accurately…24:22.” Felix knew more about the Christian movement than what the Jewish leaders had told him.

[24:22]  ²⁷¹² tn L&N 56.18 s.v. ἀναβάλλω has “to adjourn a court proceeding until a later time – ‘to adjourn a hearing, to stop a hearing and put it off until later.’…‘then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned their hearing’ Ac 24:22.”

[24:22]  ²⁷¹³ tn BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω 2 states, “to make a judicial decision, decide/hear (a case)…τὰ καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς decide your case Ac 24:22.”

[24:23]  ²⁷¹⁴ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[24:23]  ²⁷¹⁵ tn Grk “that he was to be guarded.” The passive construction (τηρεῖσθαι, threisqai) has been converted to an active one in parallel with the following clauses, and the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:23]  ²⁷¹⁶ tn BDAG 77 s.v. ἄνεσις 1 states, “lit. relaxation of custodial control, some liberty, ἀ. ἔχειν have some freedom Ac 24:23.”

[24:23]  ²⁷¹⁷ tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).

[24:23]  ²⁷¹⁸ tn Grk “from serving him.”

[24:24]  ²⁷¹⁹ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:24]  ²⁷²⁰ sn It is possible that Drusilla, being Jewish, was the source of Felix’s knowledge about the new movement called Christianity. The youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Agrippa II, she would have been close to 20 years old at the time. She had married the king of a small region in Syria but divorced him at the age of 16 to marry Felix. This was her second marriage and Felix’s third (Josephus, Ant. 19.9.1 [19.354], 20.7.2 [20.141-144]). As a member of Herod’s family, she probably knew about the Way.

[24:24]  ²⁷²¹ tn The word “speak” is implied; BDAG 32 s.v. ἀκούω 1.c has “ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς…πίστεως he heard him speak about faith Ac 24:24.”

[24:24]  ²⁷²² tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:25]  ²⁷²³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ²⁷²⁴ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ²⁷²⁵ tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[24:25]  ²⁷²⁶ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ²⁷²⁷ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ²⁷²⁸ tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”

[24:26]  ²⁷²⁹ tn Grk “he was hoping that money would be given to him by Paul.” To simplify the translation, the passive construction has been converted to an active one.

[24:26]  ²⁷³⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:26]  ²⁷³¹ tn “As often as possible” reflects the comparative form of the adjective πυκνός (puknos); see BDAG 897 s.v. πυκνός, which has “Neut. of the comp. πυκνότερον as adv. more often, more frequently and in an elative sense very often, quite frequently…also as often as possible…Ac 24:26.”

[24:26]  ²⁷³² tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.

[24:27]  ²⁷³³ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ²⁷³⁴ sn Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ²⁷³⁵ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ²⁷³⁶ tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:1]  ²⁷³⁷ tn BDAG 736-37 s.v. οὖν 2.b states, “οὖν serves to indicate a transition to someth. new…now, then, well…Ac 25:1.”

[25:1]  ²⁷³⁸ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:1]  ²⁷³⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:1]  ²⁷⁴⁰ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a journey of 65 mi (just over 100 km).

[25:2]  ²⁷⁴¹ tn BDAG 893-94 s.v. πρῶτος 2.a.β has “οἱ πρῶτοι the most prominent men, the leading men w. gen. of the place…or of a group…οἱ πρ. τοῦ λαοῦ…Lk 19:47; cp. Ac 25:2; 28:17.”

[25:2]  ²⁷⁴² tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[25:3]  ²⁷⁴³ tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.

[25:3]  ²⁷⁴⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.

[25:3]  ²⁷⁴⁵ sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.

[25:4]  ²⁷⁴⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:4]  ²⁷⁴⁷ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:4]  ²⁷⁴⁸ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[25:5]  ²⁷⁴⁹ tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).

[25:5]  ²⁷⁵⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[25:5]  ²⁷⁵¹ tn Grk “and if there is anything wrong with this man,” but this could be misunderstood in English to mean a moral or physical defect, while the issue in context is the commission of some crime, something legally improper (BDAG 149 s.v. ἄτοπος 2).

[25:5]  ²⁷⁵² tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.”

[25:6]  ²⁷⁵³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:6]  ²⁷⁵⁴ tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.

[25:6]  ²⁷⁵⁵ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:6]  ²⁷⁵⁶ tn Grk “sitting down…he ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:6]  ²⁷⁵⁷ 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 bhma was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:7]  ²⁷⁵⁸ tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”

[25:7]  ²⁷⁵⁹ tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).

[25:7]  ²⁷⁶⁰ tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).

[25:8]  ²⁷⁶¹ tn Grk “Paul saying in his defense”; the participle ἀπολογουμένου (apologoumenou) could be taken temporally (“when Paul said…”), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation. BDAG 116-17 s.v. ἀπολογέομαι has “W. ὅτι foll. τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου, ὅτι when Paul said in his defense (direct quot. foll.) Ac 25:8.”

[25:8]  ²⁷⁶² tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”

[25:8]  ²⁷⁶³ tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[25:8]  ²⁷⁶⁴ tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:9]  ²⁷⁶⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ²⁷⁶⁶ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ²⁷⁶⁷ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[25:10]  ²⁷⁶⁸ tn Grk “said.”

[25:10]  ²⁷⁶⁹ tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:10]  ²⁷⁷⁰ 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.

[25:10]  ²⁷⁷¹ tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.

[25:10]  ²⁷⁷² sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.

[25:10]  ²⁷⁷³ 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.”

[25:11]  ²⁷⁷⁴ tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”

[25:11]  ²⁷⁷⁵ tn BDAG 764 s.v. παραιτέομαι 2.b.β, “οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν I am not trying to escape death Ac 25:11 (cp. Jos., Vi. 141).” To avoid redundancy in the translation, the English gerund “dying” is used to translate the Greek infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (apoqanein).

[25:11]  ²⁷⁷⁶ tn Or “but if there is nothing to their charges against me.” Both “if” clauses in this verse are first class conditions. Paul stated the options without prejudice, assuming in turn the reality of each for the sake of the argument.

[25:11]  ²⁷⁷⁷ sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.

[25:11]  ²⁷⁷⁸ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ²⁷⁷⁹ tn That is, with his advisers.

[25:12]  ²⁷⁸⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:12]  ²⁷⁸¹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ²⁷⁸² tn Or “to the emperor.”

[25:12]  ²⁷⁸³ sn “To Caesar you will go!” In all probability Festus was pleased to send Paul on to Rome and get this political problem out of his court.

[25:13]  ²⁷⁸⁴ sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (a.d. 27-92/93), son of Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1). He ruled over parts of Palestine from a.d. 53 until his death. His sister Bernice was widowed when her second husband, Herod King of Chalcis, died in a.d. 48. From then she lived with her brother. In an attempt to quiet rumors of an incestuous relationship between them, she resolved to marry Polemo of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to Herod Agrippa II. Their incestuous relationship became the gossip of Rome according to Josephus (Ant. 20.7.3 [20.145-147]). The visit of Agrippa and Bernice gave Festus the opportunity to get some internal Jewish advice. Herod Agrippa II was a trusted adviser because he was known to be very loyal to Rome (Josephus, J. W. 2.16.4 [2.345-401]).

[25:13]  ²⁷⁸⁵ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:13]  ²⁷⁸⁶ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ²⁷⁸⁷ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ²⁷⁸⁸ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b states, “w. pres. or impf. while, when, as long as…Ac 1:10; 7:23; 9:23; 10:17; 13:25; 19:9; 21:27; 25:14.”

[25:14]  ²⁷⁸⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ²⁷⁹⁰ tn Grk “Festus laid Paul’s case before the king for consideration.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατίθημι 2 states, “otherw. only mid. to lay someth. before someone for consideration, declare, communicate, refer w. the added idea that the pers. to whom a thing is ref. is asked for his opinion lay someth. before someone for consideration…Ac 25:14.”

[25:15]  ²⁷⁹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:15]  ²⁷⁹² tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “to convey a formal report about a judicial matter, present evidence, bring charges…ἐ. περί τινος concerning someone 25:15.”

[25:15]  ²⁷⁹³ tn Grk “about whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 15 (where the phrase περὶ οὗ [peri Jou] occurs in the Greek text).

[25:15]  ²⁷⁹⁴ tn BDAG 516 s.v. καταδίκη states, “condemnation, sentence of condemnation, conviction, guilty verdict…αἰτεῖσθαι κατά τινος κ. ask for a conviction of someone Ac 25:15.”

[25:16]  ²⁷⁹⁵ tn Grk “to whom I answered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 16.

[25:16]  ²⁷⁹⁶ tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ²⁷⁹⁷ tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ²⁷⁹⁸ tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ²⁷⁹⁹ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklhma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone – ‘indictment, accusation, case.’ …‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

[25:17]  ²⁸⁰⁰ tn BDAG 969-70 s.v. συνέρχομαι 2 states, “συνελθόντων ἐνθάδε prob. means (because of συνκαταβάντες 25:5) they came back here with (me) 25:17.”

[25:17]  ²⁸⁰¹ tn BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβολή states, “‘delay’…legal t.t. postponement…ἀ. μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενος I did not postpone the matter Ac 25:17.” “Case” has been supplied instead of “matter” since it is more specific to the context. The participle ποιησάμενος (poihsameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ²⁸⁰² tn Grk “sitting…I ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ²⁸⁰³ 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.

[25:18]  ²⁸⁰⁴ tn Grk “they brought no charge of any of the evil deeds.” BDAG 31 s.v. αἰτία 3.b has “αἰτίαν φέρειν…bring an accusation Ac 25:18.” Since κατήγοροι (kathgoroi, “accusers”) in the previous clause is somewhat redundant with this, “charge” was used instead.

[25:18]  ²⁸⁰⁵ tn Or “I was expecting.”

[25:19]  ²⁸⁰⁶ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19.”

[25:19]  ²⁸⁰⁷ tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.

[25:19]  ²⁸⁰⁸ tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”

[25:19]  ²⁸⁰⁹ tn Or “asserted.”

[25:20]  ²⁸¹⁰ tn Or “Because I was undecided.” Grk “Being at a loss.” The participle ἀπορούμενος (aporoumeno") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[25:20]  ²⁸¹¹ tn L&N 27.34 states, “ἀπορούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν περὶ τούτων ζήτησιν ‘I was undecided about how I could get information on these matters’ Ac 25:20. The clause ‘about how I could get information on these matters’ may also be rendered as ‘about how I should try to find out about these matters’ or ‘about how I could learn about these matters.’”

[25:20]  ²⁸¹² tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:20]  ²⁸¹³ tn Grk “on these things.”

[25:21]  ²⁸¹⁴ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).” It was a translation into Greek of the Latin “Augustus.”

[25:21]  ²⁸¹⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:22]  ²⁸¹⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:22]  ²⁸¹⁷ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:22]  ²⁸¹⁸ tn Grk “said.”

[25:23]  ²⁸¹⁹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:23]  ²⁸²⁰ tn Or “great pageantry” (BDAG 1049 s.v. φαντασία; the term is a NT hapax legomenon).

[25:23]  ²⁸²¹ tn Or “auditorium.” “Auditorium” may suggest to the modern English reader a theater where performances are held. Here it is the large hall where a king or governor would hold audiences. Paul once spoke of himself as a “spectacle” to the world (1 Cor 4:8-13).

[25:23]  ²⁸²² tn Grk “the chiliarchs” (officers in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[25:23]  ²⁸²³ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:23]  ²⁸²⁴ tn Grk “and Festus ordering, Paul was brought in.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has not been translated. The participle κελεύσαντος (keleusanto") has been taken temporally.

[25:24]  ²⁸²⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:24]  ²⁸²⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:24]  ²⁸²⁷ tn Probably best understood as rhetorical hyperbole. BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ states, “people, populace, population…τὸ πλῆθος the populace…ἅπαν τὸ πλ. τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων Ac 25:24.” However, the actions of the leadership are seen by Luke as representing the actions of the entire nation, so the remark is not inaccurate.

[25:24]  ²⁸²⁸ tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).

[25:24]  ²⁸²⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:24]  ²⁸³⁰ sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”

[25:24]  ²⁸³¹ tn Or “screaming.”

[25:25]  ²⁸³² sn He had done nothing that deserved death. Festus’ opinion of Paul’s guilt is like Pilate’s of Jesus (Luke 23:4, 14, 22).

[25:25]  ²⁸³³ tn The participle ἐπικαλεσαμένου (epikalesamenou) has been taken temporally. It could also be translated as causal: “and because he appealed…”

[25:25]  ²⁸³⁴ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).”

[25:25]  ²⁸³⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[25:26]  ²⁸³⁶ sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.

[25:26]  ²⁸³⁷ sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”

[25:26]  ²⁸³⁸ tn Grk “about whom I have nothing definite…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 26.

[25:26]  ²⁸³⁹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:26]  ²⁸⁴⁰ tn Or “investigation.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνάκρισις has “a judicial hearing, investigation, hearing, esp. preliminary hearing…τῆς ἀ. γενομένης Ac 25:26.” This is technical legal language.

[25:27]  ²⁸⁴¹ tn L&N 33.153 s.v. σημαίνω, “to cause something to be both specific and clear – ‘to indicate clearly, to make clear’… ‘for it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him’ Ac 25:27.”

[26:1]  ²⁸⁴² sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:1]  ²⁸⁴³ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

[26:1]  ²⁸⁴⁴ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

[26:1]  ²⁸⁴⁵ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”

[26:2]  ²⁸⁴⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:3]  ²⁸⁴⁷ tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”

[26:3]  ²⁸⁴⁸ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19.”

[26:3]  ²⁸⁴⁹ tn BDAG 218 s.v. δέομαι states, “In our lit. only w. the mng. to ask for something pleadingly, ask, request,” and then in section a.α states, “w. inf. foll.…Ac 26:3.”

[26:4]  ²⁸⁵⁰ tn Grk “my manner of life.”

[26:4]  ²⁸⁵¹ tn Or “nation.”

[26:4]  ²⁸⁵² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[26:5]  ²⁸⁵³ tn These words are repeated from v. 4 (“all the Jews know”). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, it was necessary to begin a new sentence at the beginning of v. 5 in the translation, but for this to make sense, the main verb ἵσασι ({isasi) has to be repeated to connect with the ὅτι (Joti) clause (indirect discourse) in v. 5.

[26:5]  ²⁸⁵⁴ tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[26:5]  ²⁸⁵⁵ tn BDAG 866 s.v. προγινώσκω 2 has “Know from time past…προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν Ac 26:5.” L&N 28.6 states, “‘they have already known me beforehand, if they are willing to testify’ Ac 26:5.”

[26:5]  ²⁸⁵⁶ tn That is, strictest religious party. “Party” alone is used in the translation because “the strictest religious party of our religion” would be redundant.

[26:5]  ²⁸⁵⁷ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[26:6]  ²⁸⁵⁸ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.a.α has “κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τινι be on trial because of a thing Ac 26:6.”

[26:6]  ²⁸⁵⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[26:7]  ²⁸⁶⁰ tn Grk “to which [promise] our twelve tribes…” The antecedent of the relative pronoun (the promise in v. 6) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:7]  ²⁸⁶¹ tn Or “earnestly worship.” The object of this service, God, is omitted but implied: BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω states, “Without the dat. of the one to whom service is given: ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν λ. serve (God) earnestly night and day Ac 26:7.” Although clear from the context in Greek, “God” must be supplied as the recipient of the service for the modern English reader.

[26:7]  ²⁸⁶² tn Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.

[26:7]  ²⁸⁶³ tn Grk “O King!”

[26:8]  ²⁸⁶⁴ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate that the second person pronoun (“you”) is plural (others in addition to King Agrippa are being addressed).

[26:8]  ²⁸⁶⁵ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 3 states, “τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν; why do you think it is incredible? Ac 26:8.” The passive construction (“why is it thought unbelievable…”) has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[26:8]  ²⁸⁶⁶ tn Or “incredible.” BDAG 103 s.v. ἄπιστος 1 states, “unbelievable, incredible…τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν…; why does it seem incredible to you? Ac 26:8.”

[26:8]  ²⁸⁶⁷ tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.

[26:9]  ²⁸⁶⁸ tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 3 states, “It has been proposed that some traces of older Gk. usage in which οὖν is emphatic, = certainly, really, to be sure etc. (s. L-S-J-M s.v. 1) remain in the pap…and in the NT…indeed, of course Ac 26:9.”

[26:9]  ²⁸⁶⁹ tn Grk “I thought to myself.” BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.a has “ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ δεῖν πρᾶξαι = Lat. mihi videbar I was convinced that it was necessary to do Ac 26:9.”

[26:10]  ²⁸⁷⁰ tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.

[26:10]  ²⁸⁷¹ tn Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone – ‘to vote against.’ …‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”

[26:10]  ²⁸⁷² tn Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).

[26:11]  ²⁸⁷³ tn Grk “and punishing…I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timwrwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. 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.

[26:11]  ²⁸⁷⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[26:11]  ²⁸⁷⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἠνάγκαζον (hnankazon) has been translated as a conative imperfect (so BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 1, which has “ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11”).

[26:11]  ²⁸⁷⁶ tn Or “was so insanely angry with them.” BDAG 322 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged…περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind – ‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ …‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”

[26:11]  ²⁸⁷⁷ tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”

[26:12]  ²⁸⁷⁸ tn Grk “in which [activity].” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 in the translation. The referent of the relative pronoun (“which”) was specified as “this very thing” for clarity.

[26:12]  ²⁸⁷⁹ tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.

[26:12]  ²⁸⁸⁰ tn L&N 37.40 s.v. ἐπιτροπή states, “the full authority to carry out an assignment or commission – ‘authority, complete power.’ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ‘going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the high priests’ Ac 26:12. In Ac 26:12 the combination of ἐξουσία and ἐπιτροπή serves to reinforce the sense of complete authority.”

[26:13]  ²⁸⁸¹ tn Grk “O King.”

[26:13]  ²⁸⁸² tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[26:13]  ²⁸⁸³ tn The word “everywhere” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning of περιλάμψαν (perilamyan). Otherwise the modern reader might think that each of the individuals were encircled by lights or halos. See also Acts 9:7; 22:6, 9.

[26:14]  ²⁸⁸⁴ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.

[26:14]  ²⁸⁸⁵ tn Grk “It is hard for you.”

[26:14]  ²⁸⁸⁶ tn “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.

[26:15]  ²⁸⁸⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[26:16]  ²⁸⁸⁸ tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”

[26:16]  ²⁸⁸⁹ sn As a servant and witness. The commission is similar to Acts 1:8 and Luke 1:2. Paul was now an “eyewitness” of the Lord.

[26:16]  ²⁸⁹⁰ tn BDAG 719 s.v. ὁράω A.1.b states, “W. attraction of the relative ὧν = τούτων ἅ Lk 9:36; Ac 22:15. The attraction may be due to colloq. breviloquence in μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες με ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι a witness to the things in which you saw me and to those in which I shall appear to you Ac 26:16b.”

[26:16]  ²⁸⁹¹ tc ‡ Some mss read “of the things in which you have seen me.” The accusative object με (me, “me”) is found after εἶδές (eide") in B C*^vid 614 945 1175 1505 1739 1891 2464 pc sy sa; it is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A C² E Ψ 096 Ï latt bo. The external evidence is relatively evenly divided, though there is a slight preference for the omission. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[26:17]  ²⁸⁹² tn Grk “rescuing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ἐξαιρούμενος (exairoumeno") has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 17.

[26:17]  ²⁸⁹³ tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:17]  ²⁸⁹⁴ tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.

[26:18]  ²⁸⁹⁵ 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.

[26:18]  ²⁸⁹⁶ 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)

[26:18]  ²⁸⁹⁷ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[26:19]  ²⁸⁹⁸ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:19]  ²⁸⁹⁹ sn I was not disobedient. Paul’s defense is that he merely obeyed the risen Jesus. He was arrested for obeying heavenly direction and preaching the opportunity to turn to God.

[26:19]  ²⁹⁰⁰ tn According to L&N 1.5, “In Ac 26:19 the adjective οὐράνιος could be interpreted as being related simply to the meaning of οὐρανός^a ‘sky,’ but it seems preferable to regard οὐράνιος in this context as meaning simply ‘from heaven’ or ‘heavenly.’”

[26:20]  ²⁹⁰¹ tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”

[26:20]  ²⁹⁰² sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ²⁹⁰³ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.

[26:21]  ²⁹⁰⁴ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[26:22]  ²⁹⁰⁵ tn Grk “So experiencing…I stand.” The participle τυχών (tucwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[26:22]  ²⁹⁰⁶ tn BDAG 311 s.v. ἐκτός 3.b, “functions as prep. w. gen. οὐδὲν ἐ. ὧν nothing except what (cf. 1 Ch 29:3; 2 Ch 17:19; TestNapht. 6:2) Ac 26:22.”

[26:22]  ²⁹⁰⁷ sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.

[26:23]  ²⁹⁰⁸ tn BDAG 277-78 s.v. εἰ 2 has “marker of an indirect question as content, that…Sim. also (Procop. Soph., Ep. 123 χάριν ἔχειν εἰ = that) μαρτυρόμενος…εἰ παθητὸς ὁ Χριστός testifying…that the Christ was to suffer…Ac 26:23.”

[26:23]  ²⁹⁰⁹ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[26:23]  ²⁹¹⁰ tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:23]  ²⁹¹¹ sn Note how the context of Paul’s gospel message about Jesus, resurrection, and light both to Jews and to the Gentiles is rooted in the prophetic message of the OT scriptures. Paul was guilty of following God’s call and preaching the scriptural hope.

[26:24]  ²⁹¹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:24]  ²⁹¹³ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:24]  ²⁹¹⁴ tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”

[26:25]  ²⁹¹⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[26:25]  ²⁹¹⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:25]  ²⁹¹⁷ tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”

[26:25]  ²⁹¹⁸ tn BDAG 987 s.v. σωφροσύνη 1 has “gener. soundness of mind, reasonableness, rationality…ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα true and rational words (opp. μαίνομαι) Ac 26:25.”

[26:26]  ²⁹¹⁹ tn BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1 states, “speak freely, openly, fearlessly…likew. in the ptc. w. a verb of saying foll.…παρρησιασάμενοι εἶπαν 13:46. – 26:26.” This could refer to boldness in speaking here.

[26:26]  ²⁹²⁰ tn Grk “to whom I am speaking freely.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“him”) to simplify the translation.

[26:26]  ²⁹²¹ tn Grk “I cannot convince myself.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.a states, “οὐ πείθομαι w. acc. and inf. I cannot believe Ac 26:26” (see also BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω).

[26:26]  ²⁹²² tn BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω states, “λανθάνειν αὐτὸν τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν I cannot bring myself to believe that any of these things has escaped his notice Ac 26:26.”

[26:26]  ²⁹²³ tn This term refers to a hidden corner (BDAG 209 s.v. γωνία). Paul’s point is that these events to which he refers were not done in a secret, hidden place, tucked away outside of view. They were done in public for all the world to see.

[26:27]  ²⁹²⁴ sn “Do you believe the prophets?” Note how Paul made the issue believing the OT prophets and God’s promise which God fulfilled in Christ. He was pushing King Agrippa toward a decision not for or against Paul’s guilt of any crime, but concerning Paul’s message.

[26:27]  ²⁹²⁵ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ²⁹²⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ²⁹²⁷ tn Or “In a short time you will make me a Christian.” On the difficulty of the precise nuances of Agrippa’s reply in this passage, see BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b. The idiom is like 1 Kgs 21:7 LXX. The point is that Paul was trying to persuade Agrippa to accept his message. If Agrippa had let Paul persuade him, he would have converted to Christianity.

[26:29]  ²⁹²⁸ tn BDAG 703 s.v. ὀλίγος 2.b.β has “καὶ ἐν ὀλ. καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ whether in a short or a long time vs. 29 (cf. B-D-F §195; GWhitaker, The Words of Agrippa to St. Paul: JTS 15, 1914, 82f; AFridrichsen, SymbOsl 14, ’35, 50; Field, Notes 141-43; s. Rob. 653).”

[26:29]  ²⁹²⁹ sn Except for these chains. The chains represented Paul’s unjust suffering for the sake of the message. His point was, in effect, “I do not care how long it takes. I only hope you and everyone else hearing this would become believers in Christ, but without my unjust suffering.”

[26:31]  ²⁹³⁰ tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[26:31]  ²⁹³¹ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”

[26:32]  ²⁹³² sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:32]  ²⁹³³ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:32]  ²⁹³⁴ tn Or “set free.”

[26:32]  ²⁹³⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:1]  ²⁹³⁶ sn The last “we” section in Acts begins here and extends to 28:16 (the previous one ended at 21:18).

[27:1]  ²⁹³⁷ sn Sail to Italy. This voyage with its difficulty serves to show how God protected Paul on his long journey to Rome. From the perspective of someone in Palestine, this may well picture “the end of the earth” quite literally (cf. Acts 1:8).

[27:1]  ²⁹³⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:1]  ²⁹³⁹ tn According to BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός, “In σπεῖρα Σεβαστή 27:1 (cp. OGI 421) Σεβαστή is likew. an exact transl. of Lat. Augusta, an honorary title freq. given to auxiliary troops (Ptolem. renders it Σεβαστή in connection w. three legions that bore it: 2, 3, 30; 2, 9, 18; 4, 3, 30) imperial cohort.” According to W. Foerster (TDNT 7:175), “In Ac. 27:1 the σπεῖρα Σεβαστή is an expression also found elsewhere for ‘auxiliary troops.’” In no case would this refer to a special imperial bodyguard, and to translate “imperial regiment” or “imperial cohort” might give this impression. There is some archaeological evidence for a Cohors Augusta I stationed in Syria during the time of Augustus, but whether this is the same unit is very debatable.

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴⁰ tn Grk “Going on board.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴¹ sn Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia on the western coast of Asia Minor.

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴² tn Grk “places.”

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴³ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴⁴ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 states, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴⁵ sn A Macedonian. The city of Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was in the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[27:2]  ²⁹⁴⁶ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[27:3]  ²⁹⁴⁷ tn BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Σιδῶνα Ac 27:3.”

[27:3]  ²⁹⁴⁸ sn Sidon is another seaport 75 mi (120 km) north of Caesarea.

[27:3]  ²⁹⁴⁹ tn BDAG 1056 s.v. φιλανθρώπως states, “benevolently, kindly φιλανθρώπως χρῆσθαί (τινι) treat someone in kindly fashion…Ac 27:3.”

[27:3]  ²⁹⁵⁰ tn Grk “to go to his friends to be cared for.” The scene is an indication of Christian hospitality.

[27:4]  ²⁹⁵¹ tn Grk “putting out to sea.” The participle ἀναχθέντες (anacqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 states, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:4]  ²⁹⁵² tn BDAG 1040 s.v. ὑποπλέω states, “sail under the lee of an island, i.e. in such a way that the island protects the ship fr. the wind Ac 27:4, 7.” Thus they were east and north of the island.

[27:5]  ²⁹⁵³ tn Grk “the depths,” the deep area of a sea far enough from land that it is not protected by the coast (L&N 1.73).

[27:5]  ²⁹⁵⁴ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor; it was west of Cilicia (see BDAG 753 s.v. Παμφυλία).

[27:5]  ²⁹⁵⁵ tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “Of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’: arrive, put in…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[27:5]  ²⁹⁵⁶ sn Myra was a city on the southern coast of Lycia in Asia Minor. This journey from Sidon (v. 3) was 440 mi (700 km) and took about 15 days.

[27:5]  ²⁹⁵⁷ sn Lycia was the name of a peninsula on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia.

[27:6]  ²⁹⁵⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:6]  ²⁹⁵⁹ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:6]  ²⁹⁶⁰ sn Alexandria (modern Alexandria) was a great city of northern Egypt which was a center for grain trade to Rome. Therefore this type of travel connection was common at the time. For a winter journey (considered hazardous) there were special bonuses and insurance provided (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18.1-2).

[27:7]  ²⁹⁶¹ tn The participle βραδυπλοοῦντες (braduploounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:7]  ²⁹⁶² sn Cnidus was the name of a peninsula on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. This was about 130 mi (210 km) from Myra.

[27:7]  ²⁹⁶³ tn This genitive absolute construction with προσεῶντος (prosewnto") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 13.139 translates the phrase μὴ προσεῶντος ἡμᾶς τοῦ ἀνέμου (mh prosewnto" Jhma" tou anemou) as “the wind would not let us go any farther.”

[27:7]  ²⁹⁶⁴ tn BDAG 1040 s.v. ὑποπλέω states, “sail under the lee of an island, i.e. in such a way that the island protects the ship fr. the wind Ac 27:4, 7.”

[27:7]  ²⁹⁶⁵ sn Salmone was the name of a promontory on the northeastern corner of the island of Crete. This was about 100 mi (160 km) farther along.

[27:8]  ²⁹⁶⁶ tn Grk “sailing along the coast…we came.” The participle παραλεγόμενοι (paralegomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 54.8, “παραλέγομαι: (a technical, nautical term) to sail along beside some object – ‘to sail along the coast, to sail along the shore.’ …‘they sailed along the coast of Crete’ Ac 27:13.”

[27:8]  ²⁹⁶⁷ tn Grk “it”; the referent (Crete) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[27:8]  ²⁹⁶⁸ sn Lasea was a city on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 60 mi (96 km) farther.

[27:9]  ²⁹⁶⁹ tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.

[27:9]  ²⁹⁷⁰ sn The fast refers to the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It was now into October and the dangerous winter winds would soon occur (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18; Josephus, J. W. 1.14.2-3 [1.279-281]).

[27:9]  ²⁹⁷¹ tn The accusative articular infinitive παρεληλυθέναι (parelhluqenai) after the preposition διά (dia) is causal. BDAG 776 s.v. παρέρχομαι 2 has “διὰ τὸ τὴν νηστείαν ἤδη παρεληλυθέναι because the fast was already over Ac 27:9.”

[27:9]  ²⁹⁷² tn Grk “Paul advised, saying to them.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated. On the term translated “advised,” see BDAG 764 s.v. παραινέω, which usually refers to recommendations.

[27:10]  ²⁹⁷³ tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”

[27:10]  ²⁹⁷⁴ tn Or “hardship,” “damage.” BDAG 1022 s.v. ὕβρις 3 states, “fig. hardship, disaster, damage caused by the elements…w. ζημία Ac 27:10.”

[27:10]  ²⁹⁷⁵ tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).

[27:11]  ²⁹⁷⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:11]  ²⁹⁷⁷ tn Or “persuaded.”

[27:11]  ²⁹⁷⁸ tn BDAG 456 s.v. κυβερνήτης 1 has “one who is responsible for the management of a ship, shipmaster…W. ναύκληρος, the ‘shipowner’…Ac 27:11” See further L. Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, 316-18.

[27:11]  ²⁹⁷⁹ tn Grk “than by what was said by Paul.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[27:12]  ²⁹⁸⁰ tn BDAG 181-82 s.v. βουλή 2.a, “β. τίθεσθαι (Judg 19:30; Ps 12:3) decide 27:12 (w. inf. foll.).”

[27:12]  ²⁹⁸¹ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:12]  ²⁹⁸² tn Grk “from there, if somehow” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation and the introductory phrase “They hoped that” supplied (with the subject, “they,” repeated from the previous clause) to make a complete English sentence.

[27:12]  ²⁹⁸³ tn Grk “if somehow, reaching Phoenix, they could…” The participle καταντήσαντες (katanthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:12]  ²⁹⁸⁴ sn Phoenix was a seaport on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 30 mi (48 km) further west.

[27:12]  ²⁹⁸⁵ tn Or “a harbor of Crete open to the southwest and northwest.”

[27:13]  ²⁹⁸⁶ tn Grk “thinking.” The participle δόξαντες (doxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:13]  ²⁹⁸⁷ tn Or “accomplish.” L&N 68.29, for κρατέω, has “to be able to complete or finish, presumably despite difficulties – ‘to accomplish, to do successfully, to carry out.’ …‘thinking that they could carry out their purpose’ Ac 27:13.”

[27:13]  ²⁹⁸⁸ tn Or “departed.”

[27:13]  ²⁹⁸⁹ tn L&N 54.8, “παραλέγομαι: (a technical, nautical term) to sail along beside some object – ‘to sail along the coast, to sail along the shore.’…‘they sailed along the coast of Crete’ Ac 27:13.” With the addition of the adverb ἆσσον (asson) this becomes “sailed close along the coast of Crete.”

[27:14]  ²⁹⁹⁰ tn Grk “a wind like a typhoon.” That is, a very violent wind like a typhoon or hurricane (BDAG 1021 s.v. τυφωνικός).

[27:14]  ²⁹⁹¹ sn Or called Euraquilo (the actual name of the wind, a sailor’s term which was a combination of Greek and Latin). According to Strabo (Geography 1.2.21), this was a violent northern wind.

[27:14]  ²⁹⁹² tn Grk “from it”; the referent (the island) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:15]  ²⁹⁹³ tn Or “was forced off course.” Grk “The ship being caught in it.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle συναρπασθέντος (sunarpasqento") has been taken temporally; it could also be translated as causal (“Because the ship was caught in it”).

[27:15]  ²⁹⁹⁴ tn BDAG 91 s.v. ἀντοφθαλμέω states, “Metaph. of a ship τοῦ πλοίου μὴ δυναμένοι ἀ. τῷ ἀνέμῳ since the ship was not able to face the wind, i.e. with its bow headed against the forces of the waves Ac 27:15.”

[27:15]  ²⁹⁹⁵ sn Caught in the violent wind, the ship was driven along. They were now out of control, at the mercy of the wind and sea.

[27:16]  ²⁹⁹⁶ tn BDAG 1042 s.v. ὑποτρέχω states, “run or sail under the lee of, nautical t.t.…Ac 27:16.” The participle ὑποδραμόντες (Jupodramonte") has been taken temporally (“as we ran under the lee of”). While this could also be translated as a participle of means (“by running…”) this might suggest the ship was still under a greater degree of control by its crew than it probably was.

[27:16]  ²⁹⁹⁷ sn Cauda. This island was located south of Crete, about 23 mi (36 km) from where they began. There are various ways to spell the island’s name (e.g., Clauda, BDAG 546 s.v. Κλαῦδα).

[27:16]  ²⁹⁹⁸ sn The ship’s boat was a small rowboat, normally towed behind a ship in good weather rather than stowed on board. It was used for landings, to maneuver the ship for tacking, and to lay anchors (not a lifeboat in the modern sense, although it could have served as a means of escape for some of the sailors; see v. 30). See L. Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, 248f.

[27:17]  ²⁹⁹⁹ tn Grk “After hoisting it up, they…”; the referent (the ship’s crew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:17]  ³⁰⁰⁰ tn The participle ἄραντες (arantes) has been taken temporally.

[27:17]  ³⁰⁰¹ tn Possibly “ropes” or “cables”; Grk “helps” (a word of uncertain meaning; probably a nautical technical term, BDAG 180 s.v. βοήθεια 2).

[27:17]  ³⁰⁰² tn BDAG 308 s.v. ἐκπίπτω 2 states, “drift off course, run aground, nautical term εἴς τι on someth….on the Syrtis 27:17.”

[27:17]  ³⁰⁰³ tn That is, on the sandbars and shallows of the Syrtis.

[27:17]  ³⁰⁰⁴ tn Or perhaps “mainsail.” The meaning of this word is uncertain. BDAG 927 s.v. σκεῦος 1 has “τὸ σκεῦος Ac 27:17 seems to be the kedge or driving anchor” while C. Maurer (TDNT 7:362) notes, “The meaning in Ac. 27:17: χαλάσαντες τὸ σκεῦος, is uncertain. Prob. the ref. is not so much to taking down the sails as to throwing the draganchor overboard to lessen the speed of the ship.” In spite of this L&N 6.1 states, “In Ac 27:17, for example, the reference of σκεῦος is generally understood to be the mainsail.” A reference to the sail is highly unlikely because in a storm of the force described in Ac 27:14, the sail would have been taken down and reefed immediately, to prevent its being ripped to shreds or torn away by the gale.

[27:18]  ³⁰⁰⁵ tn BDAG 980 s.v. σφόδρῶς states, “very much, greatly, violently…σφ. χειμάζεσθαι be violently beaten by a storm Ac 27:18.”

[27:18]  ³⁰⁰⁶ tn Or “jettisoning [the cargo]” (a nautical technical term). The words “the cargo” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[27:19]  ³⁰⁰⁷ tn Or “rigging,” “tackle”; Grk “the ship’s things.” Here the more abstract “gear” is preferred to “rigging” or “tackle” as a translation for σκεῦος (skeuos) because in v. 40 the sailors are still able to raise the (fore)sail, which they could not have done if the ship’s rigging or tackle had been jettisoned here.

[27:20]  ³⁰⁰⁸ tn Grk “no small storm” = a very great storm.

[27:20]  ³⁰⁰⁹ tn Grk “no small storm pressing on us.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπικειμένου (epikeimenou) has been translated as parallel to the previous genitive absolute construction (which was translated as temporal). BDAG 373 s.v. ἐπίκειμαι 2.b states, “of impersonal force confront χειμῶνος ἐπικειμένου since a storm lay upon us Ac 27:20.” L&N 14.2, “‘the stormy weather did not abate in the least’ or ‘the violent storm continued’ Ac 27:20.” To this last was added the idea of “battering” from the notion of “pressing upon” inherent in ἐπίκειμαι (epikeimai).

[27:20]  ³⁰¹⁰ tn Grk “finally all hope that we would be saved was abandoned.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation. This represents a clearly secular use of the term σῴζω (swzw) in that it refers to deliverance from the storm. At this point those on board the ship gave up hope of survival.

[27:21]  ³⁰¹¹ tn Or “Since they had no desire to eat for a long time.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὑπαρχούσης (Juparcoush") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. It could also be translated temporally (“When many of them had no desire to eat”). The translation of πολλῆς (pollhs) as a substantized adjective referring to the people on board the ship (“many of them”) rather than a period of time (“for a long time”; so most modern versions) follows BDAG 143 s.v. ἀσιτία, which has “πολλῆς ἀ. ὑπαρχούσης since almost nobody wanted to eat because of anxiety or seasickness…Ac 27:21.” This detail indicates how turbulent things were on board the ship.

[27:21]  ³⁰¹² tn Here τότε (tote) is redundant (pleonastic) according to BDAG 1012-13 s.v. τότε 2; thus it has not been translated.

[27:21]  ³⁰¹³ tn Grk “standing up…said.” The participle σταθείς (staqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:21]  ³⁰¹⁴ tn L&N 36.12 has “πειθαρχήσαντάς μοι μὴ ἀνάγεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς Κρήτης ‘you should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete’ Ac 27:21.”

[27:21]  ³⁰¹⁵ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:21]  ³⁰¹⁶ tn The infinitive κερδῆσαι (kerdhsai) has been translated as resultative.

[27:22]  ³⁰¹⁷ tn The same verb is used for Paul’s original recommendation in Ac 27:9.

[27:22]  ³⁰¹⁸ tn Grk “except the ship.” Here “but” is used to translate the improper preposition πλήν (plhn; see BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 2) since an exception like this, where two different categories of objects are involved (people and a ship), is more naturally expressed in contemporary English with an adversative (“but”). The words “will be lost” are also supplied for clarity.

[27:23]  ³⁰¹⁹ tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.

[27:23]  ³⁰²⁰ tn Or “worship.”

[27:23]  ³⁰²¹ tn Or “stood by me.” BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “approach, come τινί (to) someone…Ac 9:39; 27:23.”

[27:24]  ³⁰²² tn Grk “came to me saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:24]  ³⁰²³ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “Also as a t.t. of legal usage appear before, come before…Καίσαρι σε δεῖ παραστῆναι you must stand before the Emperor (as judge) Ac 27:24.” See Acts 23:11. Luke uses the verb δεῖ (dei) to describe what must occur.

[27:24]  ³⁰²⁴ tn Or “before the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:24]  ³⁰²⁵ tn Grk “God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.” The words “the safety of” have been supplied to clarify the meaning of the verb κεχάρισται (kecaristai) in this context.

[27:25]  ³⁰²⁶ tn BDAG 817 s.v. πιστεύω 1.c states, “w. pers. and thing added π. τινί τι believe someone with regard to someth….W. dat. of pers. and ὅτι foll…. πιστεύετέ μοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί J 14:11a. Cp. 4:21; Ac 27:25.”

[27:26]  ³⁰²⁷ tn This is another use of δεῖ (dei) to indicate necessity (see also v. 24). Acts 28:1 shows the fulfillment of this.

[27:27]  ³⁰²⁸ tn Here “being driven” has been used to translate διαφέρω (diaferw) rather than “drifting,” because it is clear from the attempt to drop anchors in v. 29 that the ship is still being driven by the gale. “Drifting” implies lack of control, but not necessarily rapid movement.

[27:27]  ³⁰²⁹ sn The Adriatic Sea. They were now somewhere between Crete and Malta.

[27:27]  ³⁰³⁰ tn Grk “suspected that some land was approaching them.” BDAG 876 s.v. προσάγω 2.a states, “lit. ὑπενόουν προσάγειν τινά αὐτοῖς χώραν they suspected that land was near (lit. ‘approaching them’) Ac 27:27.” Current English idiom would speak of the ship approaching land rather than land approaching the ship.

[27:28]  ³⁰³¹ tn Grk “Heaving the lead, they found.” The participle βολίσαντες (bolisante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. See also BDAG 180 s.v. βολίζω. Although the term is used twice in this verse (and thus is technically not a NT hapax legomenon), it occurs nowhere else in the NT.

[27:28]  ³⁰³² sn A fathom is about 6 feet or just under 2 meters (originally the length of a man’s outstretched arms). This was a nautical technical term for measuring the depth of water. Here it was about 120 ft (36 m).

[27:28]  ³⁰³³ tn L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”

[27:28]  ³⁰³⁴ sn Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).

[27:29]  ³⁰³⁵ tn Grk “fearing.” The participle φοβούμενοι (foboumenoi) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[27:29]  ³⁰³⁶ tn Grk “against a rough [rocky] place.” L&N 79.84 has “φοβούμενοί τε μή που κατὰ τραχεῖς τόποις ἐκπέσωμεν ‘we were afraid that we would run aground on the rocky coast’ Ac 27:29.”

[27:29]  ³⁰³⁷ tn Grk “throwing out…they.” The participle ῥίψαντες (rJiyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:29]  ³⁰³⁸ tn BDAG 417 s.v. εὔχομαι 2 states, “wish…τὶ for someth.…Foll. by acc. and inf….Ac 27:29.” The other possible meaning for this term, “pray,” is given in BDAG 417 s.v. 1 and employed by a number of translations (NAB, NRSV, NIV). If this meaning is adopted here, then “prayed for day to come” must be understood metaphorically to mean “prayed that they would live to see the day,” or “prayed that it would soon be day.”

[27:29]  ³⁰³⁹ tn Grk “and wished for day to come about.”

[27:30]  ³⁰⁴⁰ tn BDAG 889 s.v. πρόφασις 2 states, “προφάσει ὡς under the pretext that, pretending that…Ac 27:30.” In other words, some of the sailors gave up hope that such efforts would work and instead attempted to escape while pretending to help.

[27:31]  ³⁰⁴¹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:31]  ³⁰⁴² sn The pronoun you is plural in Greek.

[27:32]  ³⁰⁴³ sn The soldiers cut the ropes. The centurion and the soldiers were now following Paul’s advice by cutting the ropes to prevent the sailors from escaping.

[27:32]  ³⁰⁴⁴ tn Or “let it fall away.” According to BDAG 308 s.v. ἐκπίπτω 1 and 2 the meaning of the verb in this verse could be either “fall away” or “drift away.” Either meaning is acceptable, and the choice between them depends almost entirely on how one reconstructs the scene. Since cutting the boat loose would in any case result in it drifting away (whether capsized or not), the meaning “drift away” as a nautical technical term has been used here.

[27:33]  ³⁰⁴⁵ tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.b.α has “ἄ. οὗ ἡμέρα ἤμελλεν γίνεσθαι until the day began to dawn 27:33.”

[27:33]  ³⁰⁴⁶ tn Or “have waited anxiously.” Grk “waiting anxiously.” The participle προσδοκῶντες (prosdokwnte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:33]  ³⁰⁴⁷ tn Or “continued.”

[27:33]  ³⁰⁴⁸ tn Grk “having eaten nothing.” The participle προσλαβόμενοι (proslabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb (with subject “you” supplied) due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:34]  ³⁰⁴⁹ tn Or “necessary.” BDAG 873-74 s.v. πρός 1 has “πρ. τῆς σωτηρίας in the interest of safety Ac 27:34”; L&N 27.18 has “‘therefore, I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your deliverance’ or ‘…for your survival’ Ac 27:34.”

[27:34]  ³⁰⁵⁰ tn Or “deliverance” (‘salvation’ in a nontheological sense).

[27:35]  ³⁰⁵¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35]  ³⁰⁵² tn Grk “taking bread, gave thanks.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:35]  ³⁰⁵³ tn Or “before them all,” but here this could be misunderstood to indicate a temporal sequence.

[27:35]  ³⁰⁵⁴ tn Grk “and breaking it, he began.” The participle κλάσας (klasas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:37]  ³⁰⁵⁵ tc One early ms (B) and an early version (sa) read “about seventy-six.” For discussion of how this variant probably arose, see F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles, 465.

[27:37]  ³⁰⁵⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[27:38]  ³⁰⁵⁷ tn Or “When they had eaten their fill.”

[27:38]  ³⁰⁵⁸ tn Or “grain.”

[27:39]  ³⁰⁵⁹ tn Or “observed,” “saw.”

[27:39]  ³⁰⁶⁰ tn Or “gulf” (BDAG 557 s.v. κόλπος 3).

[27:39]  ³⁰⁶¹ sn A beach would refer to a smooth sandy beach suitable for landing.

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶² tn That is, released. Grk “slipping…leaving.” The participles περιελόντες (perielonte") and εἴων (eiwn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶³ tn The term is used of a ship’s anchor. (BDAG 12 s.v. ἄγκυρα a).

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶⁴ tn Grk “bands”; possibly “ropes.”

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶⁵ tn Or “rudders.”

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶⁶ tn Grk “hoisting…they.” The participle ἐπάραντες (eparante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶⁷ tn Grk “sail”; probably a reference to the foresail.

[27:40]  ³⁰⁶⁸ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατέχω 7 states, “hold course, nautical t.t., intr….κατεῖχον εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν they headed for the beach Ac 27:40.”

[27:41]  ³⁰⁶⁹ tn Grk “fell upon a place of two seas.” The most common explanation for this term is that it refers to a reef or sandbar with the sea on both sides, as noted in BDAG 245 s.v. διθάλασσος: the “τόπος δ. Ac 27:41 is a semantic unit signifying a point (of land jutting out with water on both sides).” However, Greek had terms for a “sandbank” (θῖς [qis], ταινία [tainia]), a “reef” (ἑρμα [Jerma]), “strait” (στενόν [stenon]), “promontory” (ἀρωτήρον [arwthron]), and other nautical hazards, none of which are used by the author here. NEB here translates τόπον διθάλασσον (topon diqalasson) as “cross-currents,” a proposal close to that advanced by J. M. Gilchrist, “The Historicity of Paul’s Shipwreck,” JSNT 61 (1996): 29-51, who suggests the meaning is “a patch of cross-seas,” where the waves are set at an angle to the wind, a particular hazard for sailors. Thus the term most likely refers to some sort of adverse sea conditions rather than a topographical feature like a reef or sandbar.

[27:41]  ³⁰⁷⁰ tn Or “violence” (BDAG 175 s.v. βία a).

[27:42]  ³⁰⁷¹ sn The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners. The issue here was not cruelty, but that the soldiers would be legally responsible if any prisoners escaped and would suffer punishment themselves. So they were planning to do this as an act of self-preservation. See Acts 16:27 for a similar incident.

[27:42]  ³⁰⁷² tn The participle ἐκκολυμβήσας (ekkolumbhsa") has been taken instrumentally.

[27:43]  ³⁰⁷³ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:43]  ³⁰⁷⁴ tn Or “wanting to rescue Paul.”

[27:43]  ³⁰⁷⁵ tn BDAG 347 s.v. I. ἔξειμι has “ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν get to land Ac 27:43.”

[27:44]  ³⁰⁷⁶ tn The words “were to follow” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. They must be supplied to clarify the sense in contemporary English.

[27:44]  ³⁰⁷⁷ tn Or “boards” according to BDAG 913 s.v. σανίς.

[27:44]  ³⁰⁷⁸ tn Grk “on pieces from the ship”; that is, pieces of wreckage from the ship.

[27:44]  ³⁰⁷⁹ tn Grk “And in this way it happened that.” 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.

[28:1]  ³⁰⁸⁰ tn Grk “We having been brought safely through” [to land] (same verb as 27:44). The word “shore” is implied, and the slight variations in translation from 27:44 have been made to avoid redundancy in English. The participle διασωθέντες (diaswqente") has been taken temporally.

[28:1]  ³⁰⁸¹ sn Malta is an island (known by the same name today) in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. The ship had traveled 625 mi (1,000 km) in the storm.

[28:2]  ³⁰⁸² tn Although this is literally βάρβαροι (barbaroi; “foreigners, barbarians”) used for non-Greek or non-Romans, as BDAG 166 s.v. βάρβαρος 2.b notes, “Of the inhabitants of Malta, who apparently spoke in their native language Ac 28:2, 4 (here β. certainly without derogatory tone…).”

[28:2]  ³⁰⁸³ tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11. Cp. 28:2.”

[28:2]  ³⁰⁸⁴ tn Or “because it was about to rain.” BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 4 states, “διὰ τ. ὑετὸν τὸν ἐφεστῶτα because it had begun to rain Ac 28:2…But the mng. here could also be because it threatened to rain (s. 6).”

[28:3]  ³⁰⁸⁵ tn Or “sticks.”

[28:4]  ³⁰⁸⁶ tn Although this is literally βάρβαροι (barbaroi; “foreigners, barbarians”) used for non-Greek or non-Romans, as BDAG 166 s.v. βάρβαρος 2.b notes, “Of the inhabitants of Malta, who apparently spoke in their native language Ac 28:2, 4 (here β. certainly without derogatory tone…).”

[28:4]  ³⁰⁸⁷ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ³⁰⁸⁸ tn That is, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live. BDAG 250 s.v. δίκη 2 states, “Justice personified as a deity Ac 28:4”; L&N 12.27, “a goddess who personifies justice in seeking out and punishing the guilty – ‘the goddess Justice.’ ἡ δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν ‘the goddess Justice would not let him live’ Ac 28:4.” Although a number of modern English translations have rendered δίκη (dikh) “justice,” preferring to use an abstraction, in the original setting it is almost certainly a reference to a pagan deity. In the translation, the noun “justice” was capitalized and the reflexive pronoun “herself” was supplied to make the personification clear. This was considered preferable to supplying a word like ‘goddess’ in connection with δίκη.

[28:4]  ³⁰⁸⁹ sn The entire scene is played out initially as a kind of oracle from the gods resulting in the judgment of a guilty person (Justice herself has not allowed him to live). Paul’s survival of this incident without ill effects thus spoke volumes about his innocence.

[28:5]  ³⁰⁹⁰ tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 4 indicates the particle has an adversative sense here: “but, however.”

[28:5]  ³⁰⁹¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:5]  ³⁰⁹² tn Grk “shaking the creature off…he suffered no harm.” The participle ἀποτινάξας (apotinaxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ³⁰⁹³ tn Or “going to burn with fever.” According to BDAG 814 s.v. πίμπρημι, either meaning (“swell up” or “burn with fever”) is possible for Acts 28:6.

[28:6]  ³⁰⁹⁴ tn The participle προσδοκώντων (prosdokwntwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6]  ³⁰⁹⁵ tn The participle θεωρούντων (qewrountwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6]  ³⁰⁹⁶ tn Grk “happening.” The participle γινόμενον (ginomenon) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ³⁰⁹⁷ tn Grk “changing their minds.” The participle μεταβαλόμενοι (metabalomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ³⁰⁹⁸ sn And said he was a god. The reaction is like Acts 14:11-19 where the crowd wanted to make Paul and Barnabas into gods. The providence of God had protected Paul again.

[28:7]  ³⁰⁹⁹ tn BDAG 798 s.v. περί 2.a.γ states, “of nearby places…τὰ περὶ τὸν τὸπον the region around the place Ac 28:7.” The presence of ἐκεῖνον (ekeinon) results in the translation “that place.”

[28:7]  ³¹⁰⁰ tn That is, the chief Roman official. Several inscriptions have confirmed the use of πρῶτος (prwtos) as an administrative title used on the island of Malta for the highest Roman official. See further BDAG 852 s.v. Πόπλιος.

[28:8]  ³¹⁰¹ tn Grk “It happened that the father.” 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.

[28:8]  ³¹⁰² tn Grk “to whom Paul going in.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation. The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8]  ³¹⁰³ tn The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8]  ³¹⁰⁴ sn And healed him. Here are healings like Luke 9:40; 10:30; 13:13; Acts 16:23.

[28:9]  ³¹⁰⁵ tn BDAG 142 s.v. ἀσθένεια 1 states, “ἔχειν ἀ. be ill Ac 28:9.”

[28:9]  ³¹⁰⁶ sn Many…also came and were healed. Again, here is irony. Paul, though imprisoned, “frees” others of their diseases.

[28:10]  ³¹⁰⁷ tn Or “they also honored us greatly”; Grk “they also honored us with many honors” (an idiom).

[28:10]  ³¹⁰⁸ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.” In this case the simpler English “sail” is more appropriate. The English participle “preparing” has also been supplied, since the provisioning of the ship would take place some time before the actual departure.

[28:10]  ³¹⁰⁹ tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 1.b has “give τινί τι someth. to someone…ἀναγομένοις τὰ πρὸς τὰς χρείας when we sailed they gave us what we needed Ac 28:10.”

[28:10]  ³¹¹⁰ sn They gave us all the supplies we needed. What they had lost in the storm and shipwreck was now replaced. Luke describes these pagans very positively.

[28:11]  ³¹¹¹ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[28:11]  ³¹¹² tn Or “the ‘Twin Gods’”; Grk “the Dioscuri” (a joint name for the pagan deities Castor and Pollux).

[28:11]  ³¹¹³ tn Or “as its emblem.”

[28:12]  ³¹¹⁴ tn Grk “And putting in.” The participle καταχθέντες (katacqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the meaning of the participle, BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Συρακούσας Ac 28:12.” 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.

[28:12]  ³¹¹⁵ sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.

[28:13]  ³¹¹⁶ tc A few early mss (א* B Ψ [gig] {sa [bo]}) read περιελόντες (perielonte", “[From there we] cast off [and arrived at Rhegium]”; cf. Acts 27:40). The other major variant, περιελθόντες (perielqonte", “[we] sailed from place to place”), is found in Ì⁷⁴ א² A 066 1739 Ï lat sy. Although περιελόντες is minimally attested, it is found in the better witnesses. As well, it is a more difficult reading, for its meaning as a nautical term is uncertain, requiring something like “τὰς ἀγκύρας be supplied = ‘we weighed anchor’” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαιρέω 1). It thus best explains the rise of the other readings.

[28:13]  ³¹¹⁷ sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.

[28:13]  ³¹¹⁸ tn Grk “after one day, a south wind springing up, on the second day.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπιγενομένου (epigenomenou) has been translated as a clause with a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:13]  ³¹¹⁹ sn Puteoli was a city on the western coast of Italy south of Rome. It was in the Bay of Naples some 220 mi (350 km) to the north of Rhegium. Here the voyage ended; the rest of the journey was by land.

[28:14]  ³¹²⁰ tn Grk “where.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“where”) has been replaced with the demonstrative pronoun (“there”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[28:14]  ³¹²¹ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:14]  ³¹²² sn That is, some fellow Christians.

[28:14]  ³¹²³ map For location see JP4 A1.

[28:15]  ³¹²⁴ sn Mention of Christian brothers from there (Rome) shows that God’s message had already spread as far as Italy and the capital of the empire.

[28:15]  ³¹²⁵ sn The Forum of Appius was a small traveler’s stop on the Appian Way about 43 mi (71 km) south of Rome (BDAG 125 s.v. ᾿Αππίου φόρον). It was described by Horace as “crammed with boatmen and stingy tavernkeepers” (Satires 1.5.3).

[28:15]  ³¹²⁶ sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 mi (55 km) south of Rome.

[28:15]  ³¹²⁷ tn Grk “whom, when he saw [them], Paul.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[28:16]  ³¹²⁸ tn Or “to stay.”

[28:17]  ³¹²⁹ 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.

[28:17]  ³¹³⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:17]  ³¹³¹ tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

[28:17]  ³¹³² tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[28:17]  ³¹³³ tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[28:17]  ³¹³⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:17]  ³¹³⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:17]  ³¹³⁶ tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

[28:18]  ³¹³⁷ tn Grk “who when.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced by the personal pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:18]  ³¹³⁸ tn Or “had questioned me”; or “had examined me.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 2 states, “to conduct a judicial hearing, hear a case, question.”

[28:18]  ³¹³⁹ sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.

[28:18]  ³¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[28:19]  ³¹⁴¹ tn That is, objected to my release.

[28:19]  ³¹⁴² tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[28:19]  ³¹⁴³ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”

[28:19]  ³¹⁴⁴ tn Or “my own nation.”

[28:20]  ³¹⁴⁵ sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).

[28:21]  ³¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “they said to him.”

[28:21]  ³¹⁴⁷ tn Or “arrived”; Grk “come” (“from there” is implied). Grk “coming.” The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:22]  ³¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[28:22]  ³¹⁴⁹ tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.

[28:22]  ³¹⁵⁰ tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.

[28:23]  ³¹⁵¹ tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:23]  ³¹⁵² tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[28:23]  ³¹⁵³ tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”

[28:23]  ³¹⁵⁴ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”

[28:23]  ³¹⁵⁵ tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[28:23]  ³¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:23]  ³¹⁵⁷ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”

[28:23]  ³¹⁵⁸ sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.

[28:23]  ³¹⁵⁹ tn Or “persuade.”

[28:24]  ³¹⁶⁰ tn Or “persuaded.”

[28:24]  ³¹⁶¹ tn Grk “by the things spoken.”

[28:24]  ³¹⁶² sn Some were convinced…but others refused to believe. Once again the gospel caused division among Jews, as in earlier chapters of Acts (13:46; 18:6).

[28:25]  ³¹⁶³ tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[28:25]  ³¹⁶⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:26]  ³¹⁶⁵ tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).

[28:26]  ³¹⁶⁶ tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).

[28:27]  ³¹⁶⁷ tn Or “insensitive.”

[28:27]  ³¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).

[28:27]  ³¹⁶⁹ sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.

[28:27]  ³¹⁷⁰ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.

[28:28]  ³¹⁷¹ tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”

[28:28]  ³¹⁷² tn Or “of God.”

[28:28]  ³¹⁷³ sn The term Gentiles is in emphatic position in the Greek text of this clause. Once again there is the pattern: Jewish rejection of the gospel leads to an emphasis on Gentile inclusion (Acts 13:44-47).

[28:28]  ³¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “they also.”

[28:29]  ³¹⁷⁵ tc Some later mss include 28:29: “When he had said these things, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.” Verse 29 is lacking in Ì^74vid א A B E Ψ 048 33 81 1175 1739 2464 pc and a number of versions. They are included (with a few minor variations) in Ï it and some versions. This verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, as it lacks the best credentials. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[28:30]  ³¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:30]  ³¹⁷⁷ tn Or “stayed.”

[28:30]  ³¹⁷⁸ tn Or perhaps, “two whole years at his own expense.” BDAG 654 s.v. μίσθωμα states, “the customary act. mng. ‘contract price, rent’…is not found in our lit. (Ac) and the pass. what is rented, a rented house is a mng. not found outside it (even Ammonius Gramm. [100 ad] p. 93 Valck. knows nothing of it. Hence the transl. at his own expense [NRSV] merits attention) ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι in his own rented lodgings Ac 28:30 (for the idea cp. Jos., Ant. 18, 235).”

[28:30]  ³¹⁷⁹ tn Or “and received.”

[28:31]  ³¹⁸⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[28:31]  ³¹⁸¹ tn Or “openness.”

[28:31]  ³¹⁸² sn Proclaiming…with complete boldness and without restriction. Once again Paul’s imprisonment is on benevolent terms. The word of God is proclaimed triumphantly and boldly in Rome. Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop it, the message goes forth.