Discovery BoxActs 22:22--23:30
Context22:22 The crowd 1 was listening to him until he said this. 2 Then 3 they raised their voices and shouted, 4 “Away with this man 5 from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” 6 22:23 While they were screaming 7 and throwing off their cloaks 8 and tossing dust 9 in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer 10 ordered Paul 11 to be brought back into the barracks. 12 He told them 13 to interrogate Paul 14 by beating him with a lash 15 so that he could find out the reason the crowd 16 was shouting at Paul 17 in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, 18 Paul said to the centurion 19 standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen 20 without a proper trial?” 21 22:26 When the centurion 22 heard this, 23 he went to the commanding officer 24 and reported it, 25 saying, “What are you about to do? 26 For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 22:27 So the commanding officer 28 came and asked 29 Paul, 30 “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” 31 He replied, 32 “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer 33 answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” 34 “But I was even 35 born a citizen,” 36 Paul replied. 37 22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away 38 from him, and the commanding officer 39 was frightened when he realized that Paul 40 was 41 a Roman citizen 42 and that he had had him tied up. 43
22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 44 wanted to know the true reason 45 Paul 46 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 47 to assemble. He then brought 48 Paul down and had him stand before them.
23:1 Paul looked directly 49 at the council 50 and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience 51 before God to this day.” 23:2 At that 52 the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near 53 Paul 54 to strike 55 him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! 56 Do 57 you sit there judging me according to the law, 58 and in violation of the law 59 you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him 60 said, “Do you dare insult 61 God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, 62 “I did not realize, 63 brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” 64
23:6 Then when Paul noticed 65 that part of them were Sadducees 66 and the others Pharisees, 67 he shouted out in the council, 68 “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection 69 of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, 70 an argument 71 began 72 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.) 73 23:9 There was a great commotion, 74 and some experts in the law 75 from the party of the Pharisees stood up 76 and protested strongly, 77 “We find nothing wrong 78 with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became 79 so great the commanding officer 80 feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, 81 he ordered the detachment 82 to go down, take him away from them by force, 83 and bring him into the barracks. 84
23:11 The following night the Lord 85 stood near 86 Paul 87 and said, “Have courage, 88 for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, 89 so you must also testify in Rome.” 90
23:12 When morning came, 91 the Jews formed 92 a conspiracy 93 and bound themselves with an oath 94 not to eat or drink anything 95 until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. 96 23:14 They 97 went 98 to the chief priests 99 and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath 100 not to partake 101 of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council 102 request the commanding officer 103 to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine 104 his case 105 by conducting a more thorough inquiry. 106 We are ready to kill him 107 before he comes near this place.” 108
23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, 109 he came and entered 110 the barracks 111 and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called 112 one of the centurions 113 and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, 114 for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion 115 took him and brought him to the commanding officer 116 and said, “The prisoner Paul called 117 me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer 118 took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want 119 to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, 120 “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council 121 tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, 122 because more than forty of them 123 are lying in ambush 124 for him. They 125 have bound themselves with an oath 126 not to eat or drink anything 127 until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” 128 23:22 Then the commanding officer 129 sent the young man away, directing him, 130 “Tell no one that you have reported 131 these things to me.” 23:23 Then 132 he summoned 133 two of the centurions 134 and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea 135 along with seventy horsemen 136 and two hundred spearmen 137 by 138 nine o’clock tonight, 139 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride 140 so that he may be brought safely to Felix 141 the governor.” 142 23:25 He wrote 143 a letter that went like this: 144
23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor 145 Felix, 146 greetings. 23:27 This man was seized 147 by the Jews and they were about to kill him, 148 when I came up 149 with the detachment 150 and rescued him, because I had learned that he was 151 a Roman citizen. 152 23:28 Since I wanted to know 153 what charge they were accusing him of, 154 I brought him down to their council. 155 23:29 I found he 156 was accused with reference to controversial questions 157 about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. 158 23:30 When I was informed 159 there would be a plot 160 against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges 161 against him before you.
[22:22] 1 tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:22] 2 tn Grk “until this word.”
[22:22] 3 tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.
[22:22] 6 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] 7 tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.
[22:23] 8 tn Or “outer garments.”
[22:23] 9 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] 10 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] 11 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 12 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] 13 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] 14 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 15 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] 16 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 17 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:25] 18 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] 19 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[22:25] 20 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:25] 21 tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.
[22:26] 22 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[22:26] 23 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] 24 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:26] 25 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] 26 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] 27 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:27] 28 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:27] 29 tn Grk “and said to.”
[22:27] 30 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:27] 31 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:28] 33 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:28] 34 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] 35 tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”
[22:28] 36 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:28] 37 tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:29] 38 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] 39 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:29] 40 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:29] 41 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] 42 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:29] 43 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] 44 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
[22:30] 45 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] 46 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:30] 47 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[22:30] 48 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] 49 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] 50 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:1] 51 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] 52 tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.
[23:2] 53 tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”
[23:2] 54 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:2] 55 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] 56 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] 57 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] 58 tn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[23:3] 59 tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”
[23:4] 60 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[23:4] 61 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] 64 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] 65 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] 66 sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.
[23:6] 67 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
[23:6] 68 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:6] 69 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] 70 tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.
[23:7] 71 tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).
[23:7] 72 tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”
[23:8] 73 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] 74 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] 75 tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
[23:9] 76 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:9] 77 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] 78 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] 79 tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).
[23:10] 80 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] 81 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] 82 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] 83 tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”
[23:10] 84 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] 85 sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.
[23:11] 86 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] 87 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:11] 88 tn Or “Do not be afraid.”
[23:11] 89 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[23:11] 90 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] 91 tn Grk “when it was day.”
[23:12] 92 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] 93 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] 94 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] 95 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] 96 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] 97 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] 98 tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:14] 99 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] 100 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] 101 tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).
[23:15] 102 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:15] 103 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:15] 104 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] 105 tn Grk “determine the things about him.”
[23:15] 106 tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).
[23:15] 107 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] 108 tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[23:16] 109 tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).
[23:16] 110 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] 111 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] 112 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] 113 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:17] 114 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:18] 115 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:18] 116 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:18] 117 tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:19] 118 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:19] 119 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] 121 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:21] 122 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] 123 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] 124 tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.
[23:21] 125 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] 126 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] 127 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] 128 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] 129 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:22] 130 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] 131 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] 132 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] 133 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] 134 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:23] 135 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] 136 tn Or “cavalrymen.”
[23:23] 137 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] 139 tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”
[23:24] 140 tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”
[23:24] 141 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
[23:24] 142 tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:25] 143 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] 144 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] 145 tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:26] 146 sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.
[23:27] 147 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] 148 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] 149 tn Or “approached.”
[23:27] 150 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] 151 tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.
[23:27] 152 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[23:28] 153 tn Or “determine.”
[23:28] 154 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] 155 tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:29] 156 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] 157 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] 158 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] 159 tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.
[23:30] 160 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] 161 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.
