Acts 10:1--28:31

Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea ¹  named Cornelius, a centurion ²  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. ³  10:2 He ⁴  was a devout, God-fearing man, ⁵  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ⁶  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ⁷  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ⁸  who came in ⁹  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ¹⁰  replied, ¹¹  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ¹²  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ¹³  have gone up as a memorial ¹⁴  before God. 10:5 Now ¹⁵  send men to Joppa ¹⁶  and summon a man named Simon, ¹⁷  who is called Peter. 10:6 This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, ¹⁸  whose house is by the sea.” 10:7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius ¹⁹  called two of his personal servants ²⁰  and a devout soldier from among those who served him, ²¹  10:8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9 About noon ²²  the next day, while they were on their way and approaching ²³  the city, Peter went up on the roof ²⁴  to pray. 10:10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him. ²⁵  10:11 He ²⁶  saw heaven ²⁷  opened ²⁸  and an object something like a large sheet ²⁹  descending, ³⁰  being let down to earth ³¹  by its four corners. 10:12 In it ³²  were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles ³³  of the earth and wild birds. ³⁴  10:13 Then ³⁵  a voice said ³⁶  to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter ³⁷  and eat!” 10:14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” ³⁸  10:15 The voice ³⁹  spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider ⁴⁰  ritually unclean!” ⁴¹  10:16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. ⁴² 

10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over ⁴³  what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was ⁴⁴  and approached ⁴⁵  the gate. 10:18 They ⁴⁶  called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, ⁴⁷  was staying there as a guest. 10:19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about ⁴⁸  the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 10:20 But get up, ⁴⁹  go down, and accompany them without hesitation, ⁵⁰  because I have sent them.” 10:21 So Peter went down ⁵¹  to the men and said, “Here I am, ⁵²  the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, ⁵³  a righteous ⁵⁴  and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, ⁵⁵  was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message ⁵⁶  from you.” 10:23 So Peter ⁵⁷  invited them in and entertained them as guests.

On the next day he got up and set out ⁵⁸  with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa ⁵⁹  accompanied him. 10:24 The following day ⁶⁰  he entered Caesarea. ⁶¹  Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously ⁶²  for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 10:25 So when ⁶³  Peter came in, Cornelius met ⁶⁴  him, fell ⁶⁵  at his feet, and worshiped ⁶⁶  him. 10:26 But Peter helped him up, ⁶⁷  saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.” ⁶⁸  10:27 Peter ⁶⁹  continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together. ⁷⁰  10:28 He said to them, “You know that ⁷¹  it is unlawful ⁷²  for a Jew ⁷³  to associate with or visit a Gentile, ⁷⁴  yet God has shown me that I should call no person ⁷⁵  defiled or ritually unclean. ⁷⁶  10:29 Therefore when you sent for me, ⁷⁷  I came without any objection. Now may I ask why ⁷⁸  you sent for me?” 10:30 Cornelius ⁷⁹  replied, ⁸⁰  “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, ⁸¹  I was praying in my house, and suddenly ⁸²  a man in shining clothing stood before me 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity ⁸³  have been remembered before God. ⁸⁴  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, ⁸⁵  by the sea.’ 10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. ⁸⁶  So now we are all here in the presence of God ⁸⁷  to listen ⁸⁸  to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” ⁸⁹ 

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: ⁹⁰  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, ⁹¹  10:35 but in every nation ⁹²  the person who fears him ⁹³  and does what is right ⁹⁴  is welcomed before him. 10:36 You know ⁹⁵  the message ⁹⁶  he sent to the people ⁹⁷  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace ⁹⁸  through ⁹⁹  Jesus Christ ¹⁰⁰  (he is Lord ¹⁰¹  of all) – 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ¹⁰²  10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, ¹⁰³  that ¹⁰⁴  God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He ¹⁰⁵  went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, ¹⁰⁶  because God was with him. ¹⁰⁷  10:39 We ¹⁰⁸  are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea ¹⁰⁹  and in Jerusalem. ¹¹⁰  They ¹¹¹  killed him by hanging him on a tree, ¹¹²  10:40 but ¹¹³  God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, ¹¹⁴  10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, ¹¹⁵  who ate and drank ¹¹⁶  with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He ¹¹⁷  commanded us to preach to the people and to warn ¹¹⁸  them ¹¹⁹  that he is the one ¹²⁰  appointed ¹²¹  by God as judge ¹²²  of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, ¹²³  that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins ¹²⁴  through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on ¹²⁵  all those who heard the message. ¹²⁶  10:45 The ¹²⁷  circumcised believers ¹²⁸  who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished ¹²⁹  that ¹³⁰  the gift of the Holy Spirit ¹³¹  had been poured out ¹³²  even on the Gentiles, 10:46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising ¹³³  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, ¹³⁴  can he?” ¹³⁵  10:48 So he gave orders to have them baptized ¹³⁶  in the name of Jesus Christ. ¹³⁷  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 ¹³⁸  the word of God. ¹³⁹  11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ¹⁴⁰  the circumcised believers ¹⁴¹  took issue with ¹⁴²  him, 11:3 saying, “You went to ¹⁴³  uncircumcised men and shared a meal with ¹⁴⁴  them.” 11:4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, ¹⁴⁵  saying, 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, ¹⁴⁶  an object something like a large sheet descending, ¹⁴⁷  being let down from heaven ¹⁴⁸  by its four corners, and it came to me. 11:6 As I stared ¹⁴⁹  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, ¹⁵⁰  and wild birds. ¹⁵¹  11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter ¹⁵²  and eat!’ 11:8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean ¹⁵³  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 ¹⁵⁴  ritually unclean!’ 11:10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11:11 At that very moment, ¹⁵⁵  three men sent to me from Caesarea ¹⁵⁶  approached ¹⁵⁷  the house where we were staying. ¹⁵⁸  11:12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers ¹⁵⁹  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 ¹⁶⁰  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 ¹⁶¹  them just as he did ¹⁶²  on us at the beginning. ¹⁶³  11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, ¹⁶⁴  as he used to say, ¹⁶⁵  ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁶⁶  11:17 Therefore if God ¹⁶⁷  gave them the same gift ¹⁶⁸  as he also gave us after believing ¹⁶⁹  in the Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁷⁰  who was I to hinder ¹⁷¹  God?” 11:18 When they heard this, ¹⁷²  they ceased their objections ¹⁷³  and praised ¹⁷⁴  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance ¹⁷⁵  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” ¹⁷⁶ 

Activity in the Church at Antioch

11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen ¹⁷⁷  went as far as ¹⁷⁸  Phoenicia, ¹⁷⁹  Cyprus, ¹⁸⁰  and Antioch, ¹⁸¹  speaking the message ¹⁸²  to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus ¹⁸³  and Cyrene ¹⁸⁴  among them who came ¹⁸⁵  to Antioch ¹⁸⁶  and began to speak to the Greeks ¹⁸⁷  too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. 11:21 The ¹⁸⁸  hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed ¹⁸⁹  turned ¹⁹⁰  to the Lord. 11:22 A report ¹⁹¹  about them came to the attention ¹⁹²  of the church in Jerusalem, ¹⁹³  and they sent Barnabas ¹⁹⁴  to Antioch. ¹⁹⁵  11:23 When ¹⁹⁶  he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true ¹⁹⁷  to the Lord with devoted hearts, ¹⁹⁸  11:24 because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a significant number of people ¹⁹⁹  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. ²⁰⁰  So ²⁰¹  for a whole year Barnabas and Saul ²⁰²  met with the church and taught a significant number of people. ²⁰³  Now it was in Antioch ²⁰⁴  that the disciples were first called Christians. ²⁰⁵ 

Famine Relief for Judea

11:27 At that time ²⁰⁶  some ²⁰⁷  prophets ²⁰⁸  came down ²⁰⁹  from Jerusalem ²¹⁰  to Antioch. ²¹¹  11:28 One of them, named Agabus, got up ²¹²  and predicted ²¹³  by the Spirit that a severe ²¹⁴  famine ²¹⁵  was about to come over the whole inhabited world. ²¹⁶  (This ²¹⁷  took place during the reign of Claudius.) ²¹⁸  11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, ²¹⁹  decided ²²⁰  to send relief ²²¹  to the brothers living in Judea. 11:30 They did so, ²²²  sending their financial aid ²²³  to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

James is Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12:1 About that time King Herod ²²⁴  laid hands on ²²⁵  some from the church to harm them. ²²⁶  12:2 He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. ²²⁷  12:3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, ²²⁸  he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) ²²⁹  12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads ²³⁰  of soldiers to guard him. Herod ²³¹  planned ²³²  to bring him out for public trial ²³³  after the Passover. 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly ²³⁴  praying to God for him. ²³⁵  12:6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, ²³⁶  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while ²³⁷  guards in front of the door were keeping watch ²³⁸  over the prison. 12:7 Suddenly ²³⁹  an angel of the Lord ²⁴⁰  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck ²⁴¹  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s ²⁴²  wrists. ²⁴³  12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt ²⁴⁴  and put on your sandals.” Peter ²⁴⁵  did so. Then the angel ²⁴⁶  said to him, “Put on your cloak ²⁴⁷  and follow me.” 12:9 Peter ²⁴⁸  went out ²⁴⁹  and followed him; ²⁵⁰  he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, ²⁵¹  but thought he was seeing a vision. 12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards, ²⁵²  they came to the iron ²⁵³  gate leading into the city. It ²⁵⁴  opened for them by itself, ²⁵⁵  and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, ²⁵⁶  when at once the angel left him. 12:11 When ²⁵⁷  Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued ²⁵⁸  me from the hand ²⁵⁹  of Herod ²⁶⁰  and from everything the Jewish people ²⁶¹  were expecting to happen.”

12:12 When Peter ²⁶²  realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, ²⁶³  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. ²⁶⁴  12:14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told ²⁶⁵  them ²⁶⁶  that Peter was standing at the gate. 12:15 But they said to her, “You’ve lost your mind!” ²⁶⁷  But she kept insisting that it was Peter, ²⁶⁸  and they kept saying, ²⁶⁹  “It is his angel!” ²⁷⁰  12:16 Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door ²⁷¹  and saw him, they were greatly astonished. ²⁷²  12:17 He motioned to them ²⁷³  with his hand to be quiet and then related ²⁷⁴  how the Lord had brought ²⁷⁵  him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. ²⁷⁶ 

12:18 At daybreak ²⁷⁷  there was great consternation ²⁷⁸  among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 12:19 When Herod ²⁷⁹  had searched ²⁸⁰  for him and did not find him, he questioned ²⁸¹  the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. ²⁸²  Then ²⁸³  Herod ²⁸⁴  went down from Judea to Caesarea ²⁸⁵  and stayed there.

12:20 Now Herod ²⁸⁶  was having an angry quarrel ²⁸⁷  with the people of Tyre ²⁸⁸  and Sidon. ²⁸⁹  So they joined together ²⁹⁰  and presented themselves before him. And after convincing ²⁹¹  Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, ²⁹²  to help them, ²⁹³  they asked for peace, ²⁹⁴  because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country. 12:21 On a day determined in advance, Herod ²⁹⁵  put on his royal robes, ²⁹⁶  sat down on the judgment seat, ²⁹⁷  and made a speech ²⁹⁸  to them. 12:22 But the crowd ²⁹⁹  began to shout, ³⁰⁰  “The voice of a god, ³⁰¹  and not of a man!” 12:23 Immediately an angel of the Lord ³⁰²  struck ³⁰³  Herod ³⁰⁴  down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. ³⁰⁵  12:24 But the word of God ³⁰⁶  kept on increasing ³⁰⁷  and multiplying.

12:25 So Barnabas and Saul returned to ³⁰⁸  Jerusalem ³⁰⁹  when they had completed ³¹⁰  their mission, ³¹¹  bringing along with them John Mark. ³¹² 

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ³¹³  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ³¹⁴  Lucius the Cyrenian, ³¹⁵  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ³¹⁶  the tetrarch ³¹⁷  from childhood ³¹⁸ ) and Saul. 13:2 While they were serving ³¹⁹  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ³²⁰  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ³²¹  and ³²²  prayed and placed their hands ³²³  on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, ³²⁴  sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, ³²⁵  and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ³²⁶  13:5 When ³²⁷  they arrived ³²⁸  in Salamis, ³²⁹  they began to proclaim ³³⁰  the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. ³³¹  (Now they also had John ³³²  as their assistant.) ³³³  13:6 When they had crossed over ³³⁴  the whole island as far as Paphos, ³³⁵  they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ³³⁶  13:7 who was with the proconsul ³³⁷  Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul ³³⁸  summoned ³³⁹  Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear ³⁴⁰  the word of God. 13:8 But the magician Elymas ³⁴¹  (for that is the way his name is translated) ³⁴²  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ³⁴³  away from the faith. 13:9 But Saul (also known as Paul), ³⁴⁴  filled with the Holy Spirit, ³⁴⁵  stared straight ³⁴⁶  at him 13:10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, ³⁴⁷  you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ³⁴⁸  13:11 Now ³⁴⁹  look, the hand of the Lord is against ³⁵⁰  you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness ³⁵¹  and darkness came over ³⁵²  him, and he went around seeking people ³⁵³  to lead him by the hand. 13:12 Then when the proconsul ³⁵⁴  saw what had happened, he believed, ³⁵⁵  because he was greatly astounded ³⁵⁶  at the teaching about ³⁵⁷  the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch

13:13 Then Paul and his companions put out to sea ³⁵⁸  from Paphos ³⁵⁹  and came to Perga ³⁶⁰  in Pamphylia, ³⁶¹  but John ³⁶²  left them and returned to Jerusalem. ³⁶³  13:14 Moving on from ³⁶⁴  Perga, ³⁶⁵  they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, ³⁶⁶  and on the Sabbath day they went into ³⁶⁷  the synagogue ³⁶⁸  and sat down. 13:15 After the reading from the law and the prophets, ³⁶⁹  the leaders of the synagogue ³⁷⁰  sent them a message, ³⁷¹  saying, “Brothers, ³⁷²  if you have any message ³⁷³  of exhortation ³⁷⁴  for the people, speak it.” ³⁷⁵  13:16 So Paul stood up, ³⁷⁶  gestured ³⁷⁷  with his hand and said,

“Men of Israel, ³⁷⁸  and you Gentiles who fear God, ³⁷⁹  listen: 13:17 The God of this people Israel ³⁸⁰  chose our ancestors ³⁸¹  and made the people great ³⁸²  during their stay as foreigners ³⁸³  in the country ³⁸⁴  of Egypt, and with uplifted arm ³⁸⁵  he led them out of it. 13:18 For ³⁸⁶  a period of about forty years he put up with ³⁸⁷  them in the wilderness. ³⁸⁸  13:19 After ³⁸⁹  he had destroyed ³⁹⁰  seven nations ³⁹¹  in the land of Canaan, he gave his people their land as an inheritance. ³⁹²  13:20 All this took ³⁹³  about four hundred fifty years. After this ³⁹⁴  he gave them judges until the time of ³⁹⁵  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 ³⁹⁶  forty years. 13:22 After removing him, God ³⁹⁷  raised up ³⁹⁸  David their king. He testified about him: ³⁹⁹  ‘I have found David ⁴⁰⁰  the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, ⁴⁰¹  who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’ ⁴⁰²  13:23 From the descendants ⁴⁰³  of this man ⁴⁰⁴  God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised. ⁴⁰⁵  13:24 Before ⁴⁰⁶  Jesus ⁴⁰⁷  arrived, John ⁴⁰⁸  had proclaimed a baptism for repentance ⁴⁰⁹  to all the people of Israel. 13:25 But while John was completing his mission, ⁴¹⁰  he said repeatedly, ⁴¹¹  ‘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!’ ⁴¹²  13:26 Brothers, ⁴¹³  descendants ⁴¹⁴  of Abraham’s family, ⁴¹⁵  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ⁴¹⁶  the message ⁴¹⁷  of this salvation has been sent to us. 13:27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize ⁴¹⁸  him, ⁴¹⁹  and they fulfilled the sayings ⁴²⁰  of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning ⁴²¹  him. ⁴²²  13:28 Though ⁴²³  they found ⁴²⁴  no basis ⁴²⁵  for a death sentence, ⁴²⁶  they asked Pilate to have him executed. 13:29 When they had accomplished ⁴²⁷  everything that was written ⁴²⁸  about him, they took him down ⁴²⁹  from the cross ⁴³⁰  and placed him ⁴³¹  in a tomb. 13:30 But God raised ⁴³²  him from the dead, 13:31 and ⁴³³  for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied ⁴³⁴  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These ⁴³⁵  are now his witnesses to the people. 13:32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, ⁴³⁶  13:33 that this promise ⁴³⁷  God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising ⁴³⁸  Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; ⁴³⁹  today I have fathered you.’ ⁴⁴⁰  13:34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus ⁴⁴¹  from the dead, never ⁴⁴²  again to be ⁴⁴³  in a state of decay, God ⁴⁴⁴  has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you ⁴⁴⁵  the holy and trustworthy promises ⁴⁴⁶  made to David.’ ⁴⁴⁷  13:35 Therefore he also says in another psalm, ⁴⁴⁸  ‘You will not permit your Holy One ⁴⁴⁹  to experience ⁴⁵⁰  decay.’ ⁴⁵¹  13:36 For David, after he had served ⁴⁵²  God’s purpose in his own generation, died, ⁴⁵³  was buried with his ancestors, ⁴⁵⁴  and experienced ⁴⁵⁵  decay, 13:37 but the one ⁴⁵⁶  whom God raised up did not experience ⁴⁵⁷  decay. 13:38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one ⁴⁵⁸  forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 13:39 and by this one ⁴⁵⁹  everyone who believes is justified ⁴⁶⁰  from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify ⁴⁶¹  you. ⁴⁶²  13:40 Watch out, ⁴⁶³  then, that what is spoken about by ⁴⁶⁴  the prophets does not happen to you:

13:41 ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish! ⁴⁶⁵ 

For I am doing a work in your days,

a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’” ⁴⁶⁶ 

13:42 As Paul and Barnabas ⁴⁶⁷  were going out, ⁴⁶⁸  the people ⁴⁶⁹  were urging ⁴⁷⁰  them to speak about these things ⁴⁷¹  on the next Sabbath. 13:43 When the meeting of the synagogue ⁴⁷²  had broken up, ⁴⁷³  many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes ⁴⁷⁴  followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading ⁴⁷⁵  them ⁴⁷⁶  to continue ⁴⁷⁷  in the grace of God.

13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁷⁸  13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ⁴⁷⁹  and they began to contradict ⁴⁸⁰  what Paul was saying ⁴⁸¹  by reviling him. ⁴⁸²  13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, ⁴⁸³  “It was necessary to speak the word of God ⁴⁸⁴  to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy ⁴⁸⁵  of eternal life, we ⁴⁸⁶  are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁸⁷  13:47 For this ⁴⁸⁸  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ⁴⁸⁹  you to be a light ⁴⁹⁰  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁴⁹¹  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁴⁹²  13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice ⁴⁹³  and praise ⁴⁹⁴  the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life ⁴⁹⁵  believed. 13:49 So the word of the Lord was spreading ⁴⁹⁶  through the entire region. 13:50 But the Jews incited ⁴⁹⁷  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 ⁴⁹⁸  of their region. 13:51 So after they shook ⁴⁹⁹  the dust off their feet ⁵⁰⁰  in protest against them, they went to Iconium. ⁵⁰¹  13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy ⁵⁰²  and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

14:1 The same thing happened in Iconium ⁵⁰³  when Paul and Barnabas ⁵⁰⁴  went into the Jewish synagogue ⁵⁰⁵  and spoke in such a way that a large group ⁵⁰⁶  of both Jews and Greeks believed. 14:2 But the Jews who refused to believe ⁵⁰⁷  stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds ⁵⁰⁸  against the brothers. 14:3 So they stayed there ⁵⁰⁹  for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified ⁵¹⁰  to the message ⁵¹¹  of his grace, granting miraculous signs ⁵¹²  and wonders to be performed through their hands. 14:4 But the population ⁵¹³  of the city was divided; some ⁵¹⁴  sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 14:5 When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made ⁵¹⁵  an attempt to mistreat ⁵¹⁶  them and stone them, ⁵¹⁷  14:6 Paul and Barnabas ⁵¹⁸  learned about it ⁵¹⁹  and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra ⁵²⁰  and Derbe ⁵²¹  and the surrounding region. 14:7 There ⁵²²  they continued to proclaim ⁵²³  the good news.

Paul and Barnabas at Lystra

14:8 In ⁵²⁴  Lystra ⁵²⁵  sat a man who could not use his feet, ⁵²⁶  lame from birth, ⁵²⁷  who had never walked. 14:9 This man was listening to Paul as he was speaking. When Paul ⁵²⁸  stared ⁵²⁹  intently at him and saw he had faith to be healed, 14:10 he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” ⁵³⁰  And the man ⁵³¹  leaped up and began walking. ⁵³²  14:11 So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted ⁵³³  in the Lycaonian language, ⁵³⁴  “The gods have come down to us in human form!” ⁵³⁵  14:12 They began to call ⁵³⁶  Barnabas Zeus ⁵³⁷  and Paul Hermes, ⁵³⁸  because he was the chief speaker. 14:13 The priest of the temple ⁵³⁹  of Zeus, ⁵⁴⁰  located just outside the city, brought bulls ⁵⁴¹  and garlands ⁵⁴²  to the city gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices to them. ⁵⁴³  14:14 But when the apostles ⁵⁴⁴  Barnabas and Paul heard about ⁵⁴⁵  it, they tore ⁵⁴⁶  their clothes and rushed out ⁵⁴⁷  into the crowd, shouting, ⁵⁴⁸  14:15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures ⁵⁴⁹  just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn ⁵⁵⁰  from these worthless ⁵⁵¹  things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, ⁵⁵²  the sea, and everything that is in them. 14:16 In ⁵⁵³  past ⁵⁵⁴  generations he allowed all the nations ⁵⁵⁵  to go their own ways, 14:17 yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, ⁵⁵⁶  by giving you rain from heaven ⁵⁵⁷  and fruitful seasons, satisfying you ⁵⁵⁸  with food and your hearts with joy.” ⁵⁵⁹  14:18 Even by saying ⁵⁶⁰  these things, they scarcely persuaded ⁵⁶¹  the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them.

14:19 But Jews came from Antioch ⁵⁶²  and Iconium, ⁵⁶³  and after winning ⁵⁶⁴  the crowds over, they stoned ⁵⁶⁵  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 ⁵⁶⁶  into the city. On ⁵⁶⁷  the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ⁵⁶⁸ 

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, ⁵⁶⁹  to Iconium, ⁵⁷⁰  and to Antioch. ⁵⁷¹  14:22 They strengthened ⁵⁷²  the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue ⁵⁷³  in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom ⁵⁷⁴  of God through many persecutions.” ⁵⁷⁵  14:23 When they had appointed elders ⁵⁷⁶  for them in the various churches, ⁵⁷⁷  with prayer and fasting ⁵⁷⁸  they entrusted them to the protection ⁵⁷⁹  of the Lord in whom they had believed. 14:24 Then they passed through ⁵⁸⁰  Pisidia and came into Pamphylia, ⁵⁸¹  14:25 and when they had spoken the word ⁵⁸²  in Perga, ⁵⁸³  they went down to Attalia. ⁵⁸⁴  14:26 From there they sailed back to Antioch, ⁵⁸⁵  where they had been commended ⁵⁸⁶  to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. ⁵⁸⁷  14:27 When they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported ⁵⁸⁸  all the things God ⁵⁸⁹  had done with them, and that he had opened a door ⁵⁹⁰  of faith for the Gentiles. 14:28 So they spent ⁵⁹¹  considerable ⁵⁹²  time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

15:1 Now some men came down from Judea ⁵⁹³  and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised ⁵⁹⁴  according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 15:2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate ⁵⁹⁵  with them, the church ⁵⁹⁶  appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with ⁵⁹⁷  the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ⁵⁹⁸  about this point of disagreement. ⁵⁹⁹  15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ⁶⁰⁰  and Samaria, they were relating at length ⁶⁰¹  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ⁶⁰²  to all the brothers. 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received ⁶⁰³  by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported ⁶⁰⁴  all the things God had done with them. ⁶⁰⁵  15:5 But some from the religious party of the Pharisees ⁶⁰⁶  who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary ⁶⁰⁷  to circumcise the Gentiles ⁶⁰⁸  and to order them to observe ⁶⁰⁹  the law of Moses.”

15:6 Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate ⁶¹⁰  about this matter. 15:7 After there had been much debate, ⁶¹¹  Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago ⁶¹²  God chose ⁶¹³  me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message ⁶¹⁴  of the gospel ⁶¹⁵  and believe. ⁶¹⁶  15:8 And God, who knows the heart, ⁶¹⁷  has testified ⁶¹⁸  to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁶¹⁹  15:9 and he made no distinction ⁶²⁰  between them and us, cleansing ⁶²¹  their hearts by faith. 15:10 So now why are you putting God to the test ⁶²²  by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke ⁶²³  that neither our ancestors ⁶²⁴  nor we have been able to bear? 15:11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through ⁶²⁵  the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.” ⁶²⁶ 

15:12 The whole group kept quiet ⁶²⁷  and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs ⁶²⁸  and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 15:13 After they stopped speaking, ⁶²⁹  James replied, ⁶³⁰  “Brothers, listen to me. 15:14 Simeon ⁶³¹  has explained ⁶³²  how God first concerned himself ⁶³³  to select ⁶³⁴  from among the Gentiles ⁶³⁵  a people for his name. 15:15 The ⁶³⁶  words of the prophets agree ⁶³⁷  with this, as it is written,

15:16 ‘After this ⁶³⁸  I ⁶³⁹  will return,

and I will rebuild the fallen tent ⁶⁴⁰  of David;

I will rebuild its ruins and restore ⁶⁴¹  it,

15:17 so that the rest of humanity ⁶⁴²  may seek the Lord,

namely, ⁶⁴³  all the Gentiles ⁶⁴⁴  I have called to be my own,’ ⁶⁴⁵  says the Lord, ⁶⁴⁶  who makes these things 15:18 known ⁶⁴⁷  from long ago. ⁶⁴⁸ 

15:19 “Therefore I conclude ⁶⁴⁹  that we should not cause extra difficulty ⁶⁵⁰  for those among the Gentiles ⁶⁵¹  who are turning to God, 15:20 but that we should write them a letter ⁶⁵²  telling them to abstain ⁶⁵³  from things defiled ⁶⁵⁴  by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled ⁶⁵⁵  and from blood. 15:21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, ⁶⁵⁶  because he is read aloud ⁶⁵⁷  in the synagogues ⁶⁵⁸  every Sabbath.”

15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided ⁶⁵⁹  to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, ⁶⁶⁰  leaders among the brothers, to Antioch ⁶⁶¹  with Paul and Barnabas. 15:23 They sent this letter with them: ⁶⁶² 

From the apostles ⁶⁶³  and elders, your brothers, ⁶⁶⁴  to the Gentile brothers and sisters ⁶⁶⁵  in Antioch, ⁶⁶⁶  Syria, ⁶⁶⁷  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 ⁶⁶⁸  you, upsetting ⁶⁶⁹  your minds ⁶⁷⁰  by what they said, ⁶⁷¹  15:25 we have unanimously ⁶⁷²  decided ⁶⁷³  to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who ⁶⁷⁴  have risked their lives ⁶⁷⁵  for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁶⁷⁶  15:27 Therefore we are sending ⁶⁷⁷  Judas and Silas ⁶⁷⁸  who will tell you these things themselves in person. ⁶⁷⁹  15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us ⁶⁸⁰  not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: ⁶⁸¹  15:29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols ⁶⁸²  and from blood and from what has been strangled ⁶⁸³  and from sexual immorality. ⁶⁸⁴  If you keep yourselves from doing these things, ⁶⁸⁵  you will do well. Farewell. ⁶⁸⁶ 

15:30 So when they were dismissed, ⁶⁸⁷  they went down to Antioch, ⁶⁸⁸  and after gathering the entire group ⁶⁸⁹  together, they delivered the letter. 15:31 When they read it aloud, ⁶⁹⁰  the people ⁶⁹¹  rejoiced at its encouragement. ⁶⁹²  15:32 Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech. ⁶⁹³  15:33 After ⁶⁹⁴  they had spent some time there, ⁶⁹⁵  they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 15:34 [[EMPTY]] ⁶⁹⁶  15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, ⁶⁹⁷  teaching and proclaiming (along with many others) ⁶⁹⁸  the word of the Lord. ⁶⁹⁹ 

Paul and Barnabas Part Company

15:36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return ⁷⁰⁰  and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord ⁷⁰¹  to see how they are doing.” ⁷⁰²  15:37 Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too, 15:38 but Paul insisted ⁷⁰³  that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia ⁷⁰⁴  and had not accompanied them in the work. 15:39 They had ⁷⁰⁵  a sharp disagreement, ⁷⁰⁶  so that they parted company. Barnabas took along ⁷⁰⁷  Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁷⁰⁸  15:40 but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended ⁷⁰⁹  to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters. ⁷¹⁰  15:41 He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening ⁷¹¹  the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16:1 He also came to Derbe ⁷¹²  and to Lystra. ⁷¹³  A disciple ⁷¹⁴  named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, ⁷¹⁵  but whose father was a Greek. ⁷¹⁶  16:2 The brothers in Lystra ⁷¹⁷  and Iconium ⁷¹⁸  spoke well ⁷¹⁹  of him. ⁷²⁰  16:3 Paul wanted Timothy ⁷²¹  to accompany him, and he took ⁷²²  him and circumcised ⁷²³  him because of the Jews who were in those places, ⁷²⁴  for they all knew that his father was Greek. ⁷²⁵  16:4 As they went through the towns, ⁷²⁶  they passed on ⁷²⁷  the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ⁷²⁸  for the Gentile believers ⁷²⁹  to obey. ⁷³⁰  16:5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day. ⁷³¹ 

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian Man

16:6 They went through the region of Phrygia ⁷³²  and Galatia, ⁷³³  having been prevented ⁷³⁴  by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message ⁷³⁵  in the province of Asia. ⁷³⁶  16:7 When they came to ⁷³⁷  Mysia, ⁷³⁸  they attempted to go into Bithynia, ⁷³⁹  but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow ⁷⁴⁰  them to do this, ⁷⁴¹  16:8 so they passed through ⁷⁴²  Mysia ⁷⁴³  and went down to Troas. ⁷⁴⁴  16:9 A ⁷⁴⁵  vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there ⁷⁴⁶  urging him, ⁷⁴⁷  “Come over ⁷⁴⁸  to Macedonia ⁷⁴⁹  and help us!” 16:10 After Paul ⁷⁵⁰  saw the vision, we attempted ⁷⁵¹  immediately to go over to Macedonia, ⁷⁵²  concluding that God had called ⁷⁵³  us to proclaim the good news to them.

Arrival at Philippi

16:11 We put out to sea ⁷⁵⁴  from Troas ⁷⁵⁵  and sailed a straight course ⁷⁵⁶  to Samothrace, ⁷⁵⁷  the next day to Neapolis, ⁷⁵⁸  16:12 and from there to Philippi, ⁷⁵⁹  which is a leading city of that district ⁷⁶⁰  of Macedonia, ⁷⁶¹  a Roman colony. ⁷⁶²  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 ⁷⁶³  and began to speak ⁷⁶⁴  to the women ⁷⁶⁵  who had assembled there. ⁷⁶⁶  16:14 A ⁷⁶⁷  woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth ⁷⁶⁸  from the city of Thyatira, ⁷⁶⁹  a God-fearing woman, listened to us. ⁷⁷⁰  The Lord opened her heart to respond ⁷⁷¹  to what Paul was saying. 16:15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ⁷⁷²  “If ⁷⁷³  you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, ⁷⁷⁴  come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded ⁷⁷⁵  us.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

16:16 Now ⁷⁷⁶  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. ⁷⁷⁷  She ⁷⁷⁸  brought her owners ⁷⁷⁹  a great profit by fortune-telling. ⁷⁸⁰  16:17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, ⁷⁸¹  “These men are servants ⁷⁸²  of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way ⁷⁸³  of salvation.” ⁷⁸⁴  16:18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed, ⁷⁸⁵  and turned ⁷⁸⁶  and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ ⁷⁸⁷  to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once. ⁷⁸⁸  16:19 But when her owners ⁷⁸⁹  saw their hope of profit ⁷⁹⁰  was gone, they seized ⁷⁹¹  Paul and Silas and dragged ⁷⁹²  them into the marketplace before the authorities. 16:20 When ⁷⁹³  they had brought them ⁷⁹⁴  before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. ⁷⁹⁵  They are ⁷⁹⁶  Jews 16:21 and are advocating ⁷⁹⁷  customs that are not lawful for us to accept ⁷⁹⁸  or practice, ⁷⁹⁹  since we are ⁸⁰⁰  Romans.”

16:22 The crowd joined the attack ⁸⁰¹  against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes ⁸⁰²  off Paul and Silas ⁸⁰³  and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ⁸⁰⁴  16:23 After they had beaten them severely, ⁸⁰⁵  they threw them into prison and commanded ⁸⁰⁶  the jailer to guard them securely. 16:24 Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell ⁸⁰⁷  and fastened their feet in the stocks. ⁸⁰⁸ 

16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying ⁸⁰⁹  and singing hymns to God, ⁸¹⁰  and the rest of ⁸¹¹  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 ⁸¹²  of all the prisoners came loose. 16:27 When the jailer woke up ⁸¹³  and saw the doors of the prison standing open, ⁸¹⁴  he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, ⁸¹⁵  because he assumed ⁸¹⁶  the prisoners had escaped. 16:28 But Paul called out loudly, ⁸¹⁷  “Do not harm yourself, ⁸¹⁸  for we are all here!” 16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer ⁸¹⁹  rushed in and fell down ⁸²⁰  trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside ⁸²¹  and asked, “Sirs, what must ⁸²²  I do to be saved?” 16:31 They replied, ⁸²³  “Believe ⁸²⁴  in the Lord Jesus ⁸²⁵  and you will be saved, you and your household.” 16:32 Then ⁸²⁶  they spoke the word of the Lord ⁸²⁷  to him, along with all those who were in his house. 16:33 At ⁸²⁸  that hour of the night he took them ⁸²⁹  and washed their wounds; ⁸³⁰  then ⁸³¹  he and all his family ⁸³²  were baptized right away. ⁸³³  16:34 The jailer ⁸³⁴  brought them into his house and set food ⁸³⁵  before them, and he rejoiced greatly ⁸³⁶  that he had come to believe ⁸³⁷  in God, together with his entire household. ⁸³⁸  16:35 At daybreak ⁸³⁹  the magistrates ⁸⁴⁰  sent their police officers, ⁸⁴¹  saying, “Release those men.” 16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ⁸⁴²  “The magistrates have sent orders ⁸⁴³  to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” ⁸⁴⁴  16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, ⁸⁴⁵  “They had us beaten in public ⁸⁴⁶  without a proper trial ⁸⁴⁷  – even though we are Roman citizens ⁸⁴⁸  – and they threw us ⁸⁴⁹  in prison. And now they want to send us away ⁸⁵⁰  secretly? Absolutely not! They ⁸⁵¹  themselves must come and escort us out!” ⁸⁵²  16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas ⁸⁵³  were Roman citizens ⁸⁵⁴  16:39 and came ⁸⁵⁵  and apologized to them. After ⁸⁵⁶  they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly ⁸⁵⁷  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 ⁸⁵⁸  departed.

Paul and Silas at Thessalonica

17:1 After they traveled through ⁸⁵⁹  Amphipolis ⁸⁶⁰  and Apollonia, ⁸⁶¹  they came to Thessalonica, ⁸⁶²  where there was a Jewish synagogue. ⁸⁶³  17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, ⁸⁶⁴  as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed ⁸⁶⁵  them from the scriptures, 17:3 explaining and demonstrating ⁸⁶⁶  that the Christ ⁸⁶⁷  had to suffer and to rise from the dead, ⁸⁶⁸  saying, ⁸⁶⁹  “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” ⁸⁷⁰  17:4 Some of them were persuaded ⁸⁷¹  and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group ⁸⁷²  of God-fearing Greeks ⁸⁷³  and quite a few ⁸⁷⁴  prominent women. 17:5 But the Jews became jealous, ⁸⁷⁵  and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, ⁸⁷⁶  they formed a mob ⁸⁷⁷  and set the city in an uproar. ⁸⁷⁸  They attacked Jason’s house, ⁸⁷⁹  trying to find Paul and Silas ⁸⁸⁰  to bring them out to the assembly. ⁸⁸¹  17:6 When they did not find them, they dragged ⁸⁸²  Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, ⁸⁸³  screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble ⁸⁸⁴  throughout the world ⁸⁸⁵  have come here too, 17:7 and ⁸⁸⁶  Jason has welcomed them as guests! They ⁸⁸⁷  are all acting against Caesar’s ⁸⁸⁸  decrees, saying there is another king named ⁸⁸⁹  Jesus!” ⁸⁹⁰  17:8 They caused confusion among ⁸⁹¹  the crowd and the city officials ⁸⁹²  who heard these things. 17:9 After ⁸⁹³  the city officials ⁸⁹⁴  had received bail ⁸⁹⁵  from Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul and Silas at Berea

17:10 The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea ⁸⁹⁶  at once, during the night. When they arrived, ⁸⁹⁷  they went to the Jewish synagogue. ⁸⁹⁸  17:11 These Jews ⁸⁹⁹  were more open-minded ⁹⁰⁰  than those in Thessalonica, ⁹⁰¹  for they eagerly ⁹⁰²  received ⁹⁰³  the message, examining ⁹⁰⁴  the scriptures carefully every day ⁹⁰⁵  to see if these things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed, along with quite a few ⁹⁰⁶  prominent ⁹⁰⁷  Greek women and men. 17:13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica ⁹⁰⁸  heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God ⁹⁰⁹  in Berea, ⁹¹⁰  they came there too, inciting ⁹¹¹  and disturbing ⁹¹²  the crowds. 17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast ⁹¹³  at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. ⁹¹⁴  17:15 Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, ⁹¹⁵  and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. ⁹¹⁶ 

Paul at Athens

17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, ⁹¹⁷  his spirit was greatly upset ⁹¹⁸  because he saw ⁹¹⁹  the city was full of idols. 17:17 So he was addressing ⁹²⁰  the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles ⁹²¹  in the synagogue, ⁹²²  and in the marketplace every day ⁹²³  those who happened to be there. 17:18 Also some of the Epicurean ⁹²⁴  and Stoic ⁹²⁵  philosophers were conversing ⁹²⁶  with him, and some were asking, ⁹²⁷  “What does this foolish babbler ⁹²⁸  want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” ⁹²⁹  (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ⁹³⁰  17:19 So they took Paul and ⁹³¹  brought him to the Areopagus, ⁹³²  saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? 17:20 For you are bringing some surprising things ⁹³³  to our ears, so we want to know what they ⁹³⁴  mean.” 17:21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time ⁹³⁵  in nothing else than telling ⁹³⁶  or listening to something new.) ⁹³⁷ 

17:22 So Paul stood ⁹³⁸  before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious ⁹³⁹  in all respects. ⁹⁴⁰  17:23 For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, ⁹⁴¹  I even found an altar with this inscription: ⁹⁴²  ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, ⁹⁴³  this I proclaim to you. 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, ⁹⁴⁴  who is ⁹⁴⁵  Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, ⁹⁴⁶  17:25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, ⁹⁴⁷  because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone. ⁹⁴⁸  17:26 From one man ⁹⁴⁹  he made every nation of the human race ⁹⁵⁰  to inhabit the entire earth, ⁹⁵¹  determining their set times ⁹⁵²  and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, ⁹⁵³  17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around ⁹⁵⁴  for him and find him, ⁹⁵⁵  though he is ⁹⁵⁶  not far from each one of us. 17:28 For in him we live and move about ⁹⁵⁷  and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ ⁹⁵⁸  17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity ⁹⁵⁹  is like gold or silver or stone, an image ⁹⁶⁰  made by human ⁹⁶¹  skill ⁹⁶²  and imagination. ⁹⁶³  17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked ⁹⁶⁴  such times of ignorance, ⁹⁶⁵  he now commands all people ⁹⁶⁶  everywhere to repent, ⁹⁶⁷  17:31 because he has set ⁹⁶⁸  a day on which he is going to judge the world ⁹⁶⁹  in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, ⁹⁷⁰  having provided proof to everyone by raising ⁹⁷¹  him from the dead.”

17:32 Now when they heard about ⁹⁷²  the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, ⁹⁷³  but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 17:33 So Paul left the Areopagus. ⁹⁷⁴  17:34 But some people ⁹⁷⁵  joined him ⁹⁷⁶  and believed. Among them ⁹⁷⁷  were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, ⁹⁷⁸  a woman ⁹⁷⁹  named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul at Corinth

18:1 After this ⁹⁸⁰  Paul ⁹⁸¹  departed from ⁹⁸²  Athens ⁹⁸³  and went to Corinth. ⁹⁸⁴  18:2 There he ⁹⁸⁵  found ⁹⁸⁶  a Jew named Aquila, ⁹⁸⁷  a native of Pontus, ⁹⁸⁸  who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius ⁹⁸⁹  had ordered all the Jews to depart from ⁹⁹⁰  Rome. ⁹⁹¹  Paul approached ⁹⁹²  them, 18:3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them ⁹⁹³  (for they were tentmakers ⁹⁹⁴  by trade). ⁹⁹⁵  18:4 He addressed ⁹⁹⁶  both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue ⁹⁹⁷  every Sabbath, attempting to persuade ⁹⁹⁸  them.

18:5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived ⁹⁹⁹  from Macedonia, ¹⁰⁰⁰  Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming ¹⁰⁰¹  the word, testifying ¹⁰⁰²  to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ¹⁰⁰³  18:6 When they opposed him ¹⁰⁰⁴  and reviled him, ¹⁰⁰⁵  he protested by shaking out his clothes ¹⁰⁰⁶  and said to them, “Your blood ¹⁰⁰⁷  be on your own heads! I am guiltless! ¹⁰⁰⁸  From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 18:7 Then Paul ¹⁰⁰⁹  left ¹⁰¹⁰  the synagogue ¹⁰¹¹  and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, ¹⁰¹²  whose house was next door to the synagogue. 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, ¹⁰¹³  believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it ¹⁰¹⁴  believed and were baptized. 18:9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision ¹⁰¹⁵  in the night, ¹⁰¹⁶  “Do not be afraid, ¹⁰¹⁷  but speak and do not be silent, 18:10 because I am with you, and no one will assault ¹⁰¹⁸  you to harm ¹⁰¹⁹  you, because I have many people in this city.” 18:11 So he stayed there ¹⁰²⁰  a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. ¹⁰²¹ 

Paul Before the Proconsul Gallio

18:12 Now while Gallio ¹⁰²²  was proconsul ¹⁰²³  of Achaia, ¹⁰²⁴  the Jews attacked Paul together ¹⁰²⁵  and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹⁰²⁶  18:13 saying, “This man is persuading ¹⁰²⁷  people to worship God in a way contrary to ¹⁰²⁸  the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, ¹⁰²⁹  Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, ¹⁰³⁰  I would have been justified in accepting the complaint ¹⁰³¹  of you Jews, ¹⁰³²  18:15 but since it concerns points of disagreement ¹⁰³³  about words and names and your own law, settle ¹⁰³⁴  it yourselves. I will not be ¹⁰³⁵  a judge of these things!” 18:16 Then he had them forced away ¹⁰³⁶  from the judgment seat. ¹⁰³⁷  18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, ¹⁰³⁸  and began to beat ¹⁰³⁹  him in front of the judgment seat. ¹⁰⁴⁰  Yet none of these things were of any concern ¹⁰⁴¹  to Gallio.

Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria

18:18 Paul, after staying ¹⁰⁴²  many more days in Corinth, ¹⁰⁴³  said farewell to ¹⁰⁴⁴  the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by ¹⁰⁴⁵  Priscilla and Aquila. ¹⁰⁴⁶  He ¹⁰⁴⁷  had his hair cut off ¹⁰⁴⁸  at Cenchrea ¹⁰⁴⁹  because he had made a vow. ¹⁰⁵⁰  18:19 When they reached Ephesus, ¹⁰⁵¹  Paul ¹⁰⁵²  left Priscilla and Aquila ¹⁰⁵³  behind there, but he himself went ¹⁰⁵⁴  into the synagogue ¹⁰⁵⁵  and addressed ¹⁰⁵⁶  the Jews. 18:20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, ¹⁰⁵⁷  18:21 but said farewell to ¹⁰⁵⁸  them and added, ¹⁰⁵⁹  “I will come back ¹⁰⁶⁰  to you again if God wills.” ¹⁰⁶¹  Then ¹⁰⁶²  he set sail from Ephesus, 18:22 and when he arrived ¹⁰⁶³  at Caesarea, ¹⁰⁶⁴  he went up and greeted ¹⁰⁶⁵  the church at Jerusalem ¹⁰⁶⁶  and then went down to Antioch. ¹⁰⁶⁷  18:23 After he spent ¹⁰⁶⁸  some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia ¹⁰⁶⁹  and Phrygia, ¹⁰⁷⁰  strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Begins His Ministry

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. ¹⁰⁷¹  He was an eloquent speaker, ¹⁰⁷²  well-versed ¹⁰⁷³  in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in ¹⁰⁷⁴  the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm ¹⁰⁷⁵  he spoke and taught accurately the facts ¹⁰⁷⁶  about Jesus, although he knew ¹⁰⁷⁷  only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly ¹⁰⁷⁸  in the synagogue, ¹⁰⁷⁹  but when Priscilla and Aquila ¹⁰⁸⁰  heard him, they took him aside ¹⁰⁸¹  and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 18:27 When Apollos ¹⁰⁸²  wanted to cross over to Achaia, ¹⁰⁸³  the brothers encouraged ¹⁰⁸⁴  him ¹⁰⁸⁵  and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he ¹⁰⁸⁶  assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 18:28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously ¹⁰⁸⁷  in public debate, ¹⁰⁸⁸  demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ ¹⁰⁸⁹  was Jesus. ¹⁰⁹⁰ 

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus

19:1 While ¹⁰⁹¹  Apollos was in Corinth, ¹⁰⁹²  Paul went through the inland ¹⁰⁹³  regions ¹⁰⁹⁴  and came to Ephesus. ¹⁰⁹⁵  He ¹⁰⁹⁶  found some disciples there ¹⁰⁹⁷  19:2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” ¹⁰⁹⁸  They replied, ¹⁰⁹⁹  “No, we have not even ¹¹⁰⁰  heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 19:3 So Paul ¹¹⁰¹  said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. ¹¹⁰²  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, ¹¹⁰³  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 ¹¹⁰⁴  his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came ¹¹⁰⁵  upon them, and they began to speak ¹¹⁰⁶  in tongues and to prophesy. ¹¹⁰⁷  19:7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.) ¹¹⁰⁸ 

Paul Continues to Minister at Ephesus

19:8 So Paul ¹¹⁰⁹  entered ¹¹¹⁰  the synagogue ¹¹¹¹  and spoke out fearlessly ¹¹¹²  for three months, addressing ¹¹¹³  and convincing ¹¹¹⁴  them about the kingdom of God. ¹¹¹⁵  19:9 But when ¹¹¹⁶  some were stubborn ¹¹¹⁷  and refused to believe, reviling ¹¹¹⁸  the Way ¹¹¹⁹  before the congregation, he left ¹¹²⁰  them and took the disciples with him, ¹¹²¹  addressing ¹¹²²  them every day ¹¹²³  in the lecture hall ¹¹²⁴  of Tyrannus. 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, ¹¹²⁵  both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. ¹¹²⁶ 

The Seven Sons of Sceva

19:11 God was performing extraordinary ¹¹²⁷  miracles by Paul’s hands, 19:12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body ¹¹²⁸  were brought ¹¹²⁹  to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. ¹¹³⁰  19:13 But some itinerant ¹¹³¹  Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name ¹¹³²  of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by ¹¹³³  evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn ¹¹³⁴  you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 19:14 (Now seven sons of a man named ¹¹³⁵  Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) ¹¹³⁶  19:15 But the evil spirit replied to them, ¹¹³⁷  “I know about Jesus ¹¹³⁸  and I am acquainted with ¹¹³⁹  Paul, but who are you?” ¹¹⁴⁰  19:16 Then the man who was possessed by ¹¹⁴¹  the evil spirit jumped on ¹¹⁴²  them and beat them all into submission. ¹¹⁴³  He prevailed ¹¹⁴⁴  against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 19:17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, ¹¹⁴⁵  both Jews and Greeks; fear came over ¹¹⁴⁶  them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. ¹¹⁴⁷  19:18 Many of those who had believed came forward, ¹¹⁴⁸  confessing and making their deeds known. ¹¹⁴⁹  19:19 Large numbers ¹¹⁵⁰  of those who had practiced magic ¹¹⁵¹  collected their books ¹¹⁵²  and burned them up in the presence of everyone. ¹¹⁵³  When ¹¹⁵⁴  the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. ¹¹⁵⁵  19:20 In this way the word of the Lord ¹¹⁵⁶  continued to grow in power ¹¹⁵⁷  and to prevail. ¹¹⁵⁸ 

A Riot in Ephesus

19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, ¹¹⁵⁹  Paul resolved ¹¹⁶⁰  to go to Jerusalem, ¹¹⁶¹  passing through Macedonia ¹¹⁶²  and Achaia. ¹¹⁶³  He said, ¹¹⁶⁴  “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ¹¹⁶⁵  19:22 So after sending ¹¹⁶⁶  two of his assistants, ¹¹⁶⁷  Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, ¹¹⁶⁸  he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. ¹¹⁶⁹ 

19:23 At ¹¹⁷⁰  that time ¹¹⁷¹  a great disturbance ¹¹⁷²  took place concerning the Way. ¹¹⁷³  19:24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines ¹¹⁷⁴  of Artemis, ¹¹⁷⁵  brought a great deal ¹¹⁷⁶  of business ¹¹⁷⁷  to the craftsmen. 19:25 He gathered ¹¹⁷⁸  these ¹¹⁷⁹  together, along with the workmen in similar trades, ¹¹⁸⁰  and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity ¹¹⁸¹  comes from this business. 19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded ¹¹⁸²  and turned away ¹¹⁸³  a large crowd, ¹¹⁸⁴  not only in Ephesus ¹¹⁸⁵  but in practically all of the province of Asia, ¹¹⁸⁶  by saying ¹¹⁸⁷  that gods made by hands are not gods at all. ¹¹⁸⁸  19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, ¹¹⁸⁹  but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis ¹¹⁹⁰  will be regarded as nothing, ¹¹⁹¹  and she whom all the province of Asia ¹¹⁹²  and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” ¹¹⁹³ 

19:28 When ¹¹⁹⁴  they heard ¹¹⁹⁵  this they became enraged ¹¹⁹⁶  and began to shout, ¹¹⁹⁷  “Great is Artemis ¹¹⁹⁸  of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The ¹¹⁹⁹  city was filled with the uproar, ¹²⁰⁰  and the crowd ¹²⁰¹  rushed to the theater ¹²⁰²  together, ¹²⁰³  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, ¹²⁰⁴  the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities ¹²⁰⁵  who were his friends sent ¹²⁰⁶  a message ¹²⁰⁷  to him, urging him not to venture ¹²⁰⁸  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. ¹²⁰⁹  19:33 Some of the crowd concluded ¹²¹⁰  it was about ¹²¹¹  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ¹²¹²  Alexander, gesturing ¹²¹³  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ¹²¹⁴  before the public assembly. ¹²¹⁵  19:34 But when they recognized ¹²¹⁶  that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, ¹²¹⁷  “Great is Artemis ¹²¹⁸  of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. ¹²¹⁹  19:35 After the city secretary ¹²²⁰  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ¹²²¹  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ¹²²²  of the temple of the great Artemis ¹²²³  and of her image that fell from heaven? ¹²²⁴  19:36 So because these facts ¹²²⁵  are indisputable, ¹²²⁶  you must keep quiet ¹²²⁷  and not do anything reckless. ¹²²⁸  19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers ¹²²⁹  nor blasphemers of our goddess. ¹²³⁰  19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint ¹²³¹  against someone, the courts are open ¹²³²  and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. ¹²³³  19:39 But if you want anything in addition, ¹²³⁴  it will have to be settled ¹²³⁵  in a legal assembly. ¹²³⁶  19:40 For ¹²³⁷  we are in danger of being charged with rioting ¹²³⁸  today, since there is no cause we can give to explain ¹²³⁹  this disorderly gathering.” ¹²⁴⁰  19:41 After ¹²⁴¹  he had said ¹²⁴²  this, ¹²⁴³  he dismissed the assembly. ¹²⁴⁴ 

Paul Travels Through Macedonia and Greece

20:1 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging ¹²⁴⁵  them and saying farewell, ¹²⁴⁶  he left to go to Macedonia. ¹²⁴⁷  20:2 After he had gone through those regions ¹²⁴⁸  and spoken many words of encouragement ¹²⁴⁹  to the believers there, ¹²⁵⁰  he came to Greece, ¹²⁵¹  20:3 where he stayed ¹²⁵²  for three months. Because the Jews had made ¹²⁵³  a plot ¹²⁵⁴  against him as he was intending ¹²⁵⁵  to sail ¹²⁵⁶  for Syria, he decided ¹²⁵⁷  to return through Macedonia. ¹²⁵⁸  20:4 Paul ¹²⁵⁹  was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, ¹²⁶⁰  Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, ¹²⁶¹  Gaius ¹²⁶²  from Derbe, ¹²⁶³  and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. ¹²⁶⁴  20:5 These had gone on ahead ¹²⁶⁵  and were waiting for us in Troas. ¹²⁶⁶  20:6 We ¹²⁶⁷  sailed away from Philippi ¹²⁶⁸  after the days of Unleavened Bread, ¹²⁶⁹  and within five days ¹²⁷⁰  we came to the others ¹²⁷¹  in Troas, ¹²⁷²  where we stayed for seven days. 20:7 On the first day ¹²⁷³  of the week, when we met ¹²⁷⁴  to break bread, Paul began to speak ¹²⁷⁵  to the people, and because he intended ¹²⁷⁶  to leave the next day, he extended ¹²⁷⁷  his message until midnight. 20:8 (Now there were many lamps ¹²⁷⁸  in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) ¹²⁷⁹  20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, ¹²⁸⁰  was sinking ¹²⁸¹  into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak ¹²⁸²  for a long time. Fast asleep, ¹²⁸³  he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 20:10 But Paul went down, ¹²⁸⁴  threw himself ¹²⁸⁵  on the young man, ¹²⁸⁶  put his arms around him, ¹²⁸⁷  and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” ¹²⁸⁸  20:11 Then Paul ¹²⁸⁹  went back upstairs, ¹²⁹⁰  and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them ¹²⁹¹  a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly ¹²⁹²  comforted.

The Voyage to Miletus

20:13 We went on ahead ¹²⁹³  to the ship and put out to sea ¹²⁹⁴  for Assos, ¹²⁹⁵  intending ¹²⁹⁶  to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. ¹²⁹⁷  He ¹²⁹⁸  himself was intending ¹²⁹⁹  to go there by land. ¹³⁰⁰  20:14 When he met us in Assos, ¹³⁰¹  we took him aboard ¹³⁰²  and went to Mitylene. ¹³⁰³  20:15 We set sail ¹³⁰⁴  from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. ¹³⁰⁵  The next day we approached ¹³⁰⁶  Samos, ¹³⁰⁷  and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. ¹³⁰⁸  20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus ¹³⁰⁹  so as not to spend time ¹³¹⁰  in the province of Asia, ¹³¹¹  for he was hurrying ¹³¹²  to arrive in Jerusalem, ¹³¹³  if possible, ¹³¹⁴  by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus ¹³¹⁵  he sent a message ¹³¹⁶  to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. ¹³¹⁷ 

20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived ¹³¹⁸  the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot ¹³¹⁹  in the province of Asia, ¹³²⁰  20:19 serving the Lord with all humility ¹³²¹  and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots ¹³²²  of the Jews. 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming ¹³²³  to you anything that would be helpful, ¹³²⁴  and from teaching you publicly ¹³²⁵  and from house to house, 20:21 testifying ¹³²⁶  to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. ¹³²⁷  20:22 And now, ¹³²⁸  compelled ¹³²⁹  by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem ¹³³⁰  without knowing what will happen to me there, ¹³³¹  20:23 except ¹³³²  that the Holy Spirit warns ¹³³³  me in town after town ¹³³⁴  that ¹³³⁵  imprisonment ¹³³⁶  and persecutions ¹³³⁷  are waiting for me. 20:24 But I do not consider my life ¹³³⁸  worth anything ¹³³⁹  to myself, so that ¹³⁴⁰  I may finish my task ¹³⁴¹  and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news ¹³⁴²  of God’s grace.

20:25 “And now ¹³⁴³  I know that none ¹³⁴⁴  of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom ¹³⁴⁵  will see me ¹³⁴⁶  again. 20:26 Therefore I declare ¹³⁴⁷  to you today that I am innocent ¹³⁴⁸  of the blood of you all. ¹³⁴⁹  20:27 For I did not hold back from ¹³⁵⁰  announcing ¹³⁵¹  to you the whole purpose ¹³⁵²  of God. 20:28 Watch out for ¹³⁵³  yourselves and for all the flock of which ¹³⁵⁴  the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, ¹³⁵⁵  to shepherd the church of God ¹³⁵⁶  that he obtained ¹³⁵⁷  with the blood of his own Son. ¹³⁵⁸  20:29 I know that after I am gone ¹³⁵⁹  fierce wolves ¹³⁶⁰  will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group ¹³⁶¹  men ¹³⁶²  will arise, teaching perversions of the truth ¹³⁶³  to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert, ¹³⁶⁴  remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning ¹³⁶⁵  each one of you with tears. 20:32 And now I entrust ¹³⁶⁶  you to God and to the message ¹³⁶⁷  of his grace. This message ¹³⁶⁸  is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 20:33 I have desired ¹³⁶⁹  no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine ¹³⁷⁰  provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 20:35 By all these things, ¹³⁷¹  I have shown you that by working in this way we must help ¹³⁷²  the weak, ¹³⁷³  and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ¹³⁷⁴ 

20:36 When ¹³⁷⁵  he had said these things, he knelt down ¹³⁷⁶  with them all and prayed. 20:37 They all began to weep loudly, ¹³⁷⁷  and hugged ¹³⁷⁸  Paul and kissed him, ¹³⁷⁹  20:38 especially saddened ¹³⁸⁰  by what ¹³⁸¹  he had said, that they were not going to see him ¹³⁸²  again. Then they accompanied ¹³⁸³  him to the ship.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21:1 After ¹³⁸⁴  we ¹³⁸⁵  tore ourselves away ¹³⁸⁶  from them, we put out to sea, ¹³⁸⁷  and sailing a straight course, ¹³⁸⁸  we came to Cos, ¹³⁸⁹  on the next day to Rhodes, ¹³⁹⁰  and from there to Patara. ¹³⁹¹  21:2 We found ¹³⁹²  a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, ¹³⁹³  went aboard, ¹³⁹⁴  and put out to sea. ¹³⁹⁵  21:3 After we sighted Cyprus ¹³⁹⁶  and left it behind on our port side, ¹³⁹⁷  we sailed on to Syria and put in ¹³⁹⁸  at Tyre, ¹³⁹⁹  because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located ¹⁴⁰⁰  the disciples, we stayed there ¹⁴⁰¹  seven days. They repeatedly told ¹⁴⁰²  Paul through the Spirit ¹⁴⁰³  not to set foot ¹⁴⁰⁴  in Jerusalem. ¹⁴⁰⁵  21:5 When ¹⁴⁰⁶  our time was over, ¹⁴⁰⁷  we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied ¹⁴⁰⁸  us outside of the city. After ¹⁴⁰⁹  kneeling down on the beach and praying, ¹⁴¹⁰  21:6 we said farewell ¹⁴¹¹  to one another. ¹⁴¹²  Then ¹⁴¹³  we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. ¹⁴¹⁴  21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre ¹⁴¹⁵  and arrived at Ptolemais, ¹⁴¹⁶  and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left ¹⁴¹⁷  and came to Caesarea, ¹⁴¹⁸  and entered ¹⁴¹⁹  the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, ¹⁴²⁰  and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried ¹⁴²¹  daughters who prophesied.) ¹⁴²² 

21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, ¹⁴²³  a prophet named Agabus ¹⁴²⁴  came down from Judea. 21:11 He came ¹⁴²⁵  to us, took ¹⁴²⁶  Paul’s belt, ¹⁴²⁷  tied ¹⁴²⁸  his own hands and feet with it, ¹⁴²⁹  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 ¹⁴³⁰  to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people ¹⁴³¹  begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking ¹⁴³²  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, ¹⁴³³  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, ¹⁴³⁴  we said no more except, ¹⁴³⁵  “The Lord’s will be done.” ¹⁴³⁶ 

21:15 After these days we got ready ¹⁴³⁷  and started up ¹⁴³⁸  to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea ¹⁴³⁹  came along with us too, and brought us to the house ¹⁴⁴⁰  of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, ¹⁴⁴¹  with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ¹⁴⁴²  21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. ¹⁴⁴³  21:19 When Paul ¹⁴⁴⁴  had greeted them, he began to explain ¹⁴⁴⁵  in detail ¹⁴⁴⁶  what God ¹⁴⁴⁷  had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised ¹⁴⁴⁸  God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews ¹⁴⁴⁹  there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers ¹⁴⁵⁰  of the law. ¹⁴⁵¹  21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ¹⁴⁵²  among the Gentiles to abandon ¹⁴⁵³  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ¹⁴⁵⁴  or live ¹⁴⁵⁵  according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt ¹⁴⁵⁶  hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what ¹⁴⁵⁷  we tell you: We have four men ¹⁴⁵⁸  who have taken ¹⁴⁵⁹  a vow; ¹⁴⁶⁰  21:24 take them and purify ¹⁴⁶¹  yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ¹⁴⁶²  so that they may have their heads shaved. ¹⁴⁶³  Then ¹⁴⁶⁴  everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told ¹⁴⁶⁵  about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with ¹⁴⁶⁶  the law. ¹⁴⁶⁷  21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided ¹⁴⁶⁸  that they should avoid ¹⁴⁶⁹  meat that has been sacrificed to idols ¹⁴⁷⁰  and blood and what has been strangled ¹⁴⁷¹  and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, ¹⁴⁷²  and after he had purified himself ¹⁴⁷³  along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice ¹⁴⁷⁴  of the completion of the days of purification, ¹⁴⁷⁵  when ¹⁴⁷⁶  the sacrifice would be offered for each ¹⁴⁷⁷  of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, ¹⁴⁷⁸  the Jews from the province of Asia ¹⁴⁷⁹  who had seen him in the temple area ¹⁴⁸⁰  stirred up the whole crowd ¹⁴⁸¹  and seized ¹⁴⁸²  him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, ¹⁴⁸³  help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, ¹⁴⁸⁴  and this sanctuary! ¹⁴⁸⁵  Furthermore ¹⁴⁸⁶  he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple ¹⁴⁸⁷  and made this holy place ritually unclean!” ¹⁴⁸⁸  21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and ¹⁴⁸⁹  they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) ¹⁴⁹⁰  21:30 The whole city was stirred up, ¹⁴⁹¹  and the people rushed together. ¹⁴⁹²  They seized ¹⁴⁹³  Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, ¹⁴⁹⁴  and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying ¹⁴⁹⁵  to kill him, a report ¹⁴⁹⁶  was sent up ¹⁴⁹⁷  to the commanding officer ¹⁴⁹⁸  of the cohort ¹⁴⁹⁹  that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ¹⁵⁰⁰  21:32 He ¹⁵⁰¹  immediately took ¹⁵⁰²  soldiers and centurions ¹⁵⁰³  and ran down to the crowd. ¹⁵⁰⁴  When they saw ¹⁵⁰⁵  the commanding officer ¹⁵⁰⁶  and the soldiers, they stopped beating ¹⁵⁰⁷  Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer ¹⁵⁰⁸  came up and arrested ¹⁵⁰⁹  him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; ¹⁵¹⁰  he ¹⁵¹¹  then asked who he was and what ¹⁵¹²  he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, ¹⁵¹³  and when the commanding officer ¹⁵¹⁴  was unable ¹⁵¹⁵  to find out the truth ¹⁵¹⁶  because of the disturbance, ¹⁵¹⁷  he ordered Paul ¹⁵¹⁸  to be brought into the barracks. ¹⁵¹⁹  21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul ¹⁵²⁰  had to be carried ¹⁵²¹  by the soldiers because of the violence ¹⁵²²  of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people ¹⁵²³  followed them, ¹⁵²⁴  screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, ¹⁵²⁵  he said ¹⁵²⁶  to the commanding officer, ¹⁵²⁷  “May I say ¹⁵²⁸  something to you?” The officer ¹⁵²⁹  replied, ¹⁵³⁰  “Do you know Greek? ¹⁵³¹  21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion ¹⁵³²  and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ ¹⁵³³  into the wilderness ¹⁵³⁴  some time ago?” ¹⁵³⁵  21:39 Paul answered, ¹⁵³⁶  “I am a Jew ¹⁵³⁷  from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. ¹⁵³⁸  Please ¹⁵³⁹  allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer ¹⁵⁴⁰  had given him permission, ¹⁵⁴¹  Paul stood ¹⁵⁴²  on the steps and gestured ¹⁵⁴³  to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, ¹⁵⁴⁴  he addressed ¹⁵⁴⁵  them in Aramaic, ¹⁵⁴⁶ 

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ¹⁵⁴⁷  that I now ¹⁵⁴⁸  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ¹⁵⁴⁹  that he was addressing ¹⁵⁵⁰  them in Aramaic, ¹⁵⁵¹  they became even ¹⁵⁵²  quieter.) ¹⁵⁵³  Then ¹⁵⁵⁴  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ¹⁵⁵⁵  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ¹⁵⁵⁶  in this city, educated with strictness ¹⁵⁵⁷  under ¹⁵⁵⁸  Gamaliel ¹⁵⁵⁹  according to the law of our ancestors, ¹⁵⁶⁰  and was ¹⁵⁶¹  zealous ¹⁵⁶²  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ¹⁵⁶³  persecuted this Way ¹⁵⁶⁴  even to the point of death, ¹⁵⁶⁵  tying up ¹⁵⁶⁶  both men and women and putting ¹⁵⁶⁷  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ¹⁵⁶⁸  can testify about me. From them ¹⁵⁶⁹  I also received ¹⁵⁷⁰  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ¹⁵⁷¹  to make arrests there and bring ¹⁵⁷²  the prisoners ¹⁵⁷³  to Jerusalem ¹⁵⁷⁴  to be punished. 22:6 As ¹⁵⁷⁵  I was en route and near Damascus, ¹⁵⁷⁶  about noon a very bright ¹⁵⁷⁷  light from heaven ¹⁵⁷⁸  suddenly flashed ¹⁵⁷⁹  around me. 22:7 Then I ¹⁵⁸⁰  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 ¹⁵⁸¹  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ¹⁵⁸²  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ¹⁵⁸³  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ¹⁵⁸⁴  that you have been designated ¹⁵⁸⁵  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ¹⁵⁸⁶  the brilliance ¹⁵⁸⁷  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ¹⁵⁸⁸  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ¹⁵⁸⁹  a devout man according to the law, ¹⁵⁹⁰  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ¹⁵⁹¹  22:13 came ¹⁵⁹²  to me and stood beside me ¹⁵⁹³  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ¹⁵⁹⁴  And at that very moment ¹⁵⁹⁵  I looked up and saw him. ¹⁵⁹⁶  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ¹⁵⁹⁷  has already chosen ¹⁵⁹⁸  you to know his will, to see ¹⁵⁹⁹  the Righteous One, ¹⁶⁰⁰  and to hear a command ¹⁶⁰¹  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ¹⁶⁰²  to all people ¹⁶⁰³  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ¹⁶⁰⁴  Get up, ¹⁶⁰⁵  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ¹⁶⁰⁶  calling on his name.’ ¹⁶⁰⁷  22:17 When ¹⁶⁰⁸  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹⁶⁰⁹  22:18 and saw the Lord ¹⁶¹⁰  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ¹⁶¹¹  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ¹⁶¹²  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ¹⁶¹³  Stephen was shed, ¹⁶¹⁴  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ¹⁶¹⁵  and guarding the cloaks ¹⁶¹⁶  of those who were killing him.’ ¹⁶¹⁷  22:21 Then ¹⁶¹⁸  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ¹⁶¹⁹  was listening to him until he said this. ¹⁶²⁰  Then ¹⁶²¹  they raised their voices and shouted, ¹⁶²²  “Away with this man ¹⁶²³  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ¹⁶²⁴  22:23 While they were screaming ¹⁶²⁵  and throwing off their cloaks ¹⁶²⁶  and tossing dust ¹⁶²⁷  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ¹⁶²⁸  ordered Paul ¹⁶²⁹  to be brought back into the barracks. ¹⁶³⁰  He told them ¹⁶³¹  to interrogate Paul ¹⁶³²  by beating him with a lash ¹⁶³³  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ¹⁶³⁴  was shouting at Paul ¹⁶³⁵  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ¹⁶³⁶  Paul said to the centurion ¹⁶³⁷  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ¹⁶³⁸  without a proper trial?” ¹⁶³⁹  22:26 When the centurion ¹⁶⁴⁰  heard this, ¹⁶⁴¹  he went to the commanding officer ¹⁶⁴²  and reported it, ¹⁶⁴³  saying, “What are you about to do? ¹⁶⁴⁴  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ¹⁶⁴⁵  22:27 So the commanding officer ¹⁶⁴⁶  came and asked ¹⁶⁴⁷  Paul, ¹⁶⁴⁸  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ¹⁶⁴⁹  He replied, ¹⁶⁵⁰  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ¹⁶⁵¹  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ¹⁶⁵²  “But I was even ¹⁶⁵³  born a citizen,” ¹⁶⁵⁴  Paul replied. ¹⁶⁵⁵  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ¹⁶⁵⁶  from him, and the commanding officer ¹⁶⁵⁷  was frightened when he realized that Paul ¹⁶⁵⁸  was ¹⁶⁵⁹  a Roman citizen ¹⁶⁶⁰  and that he had had him tied up. ¹⁶⁶¹ 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ¹⁶⁶²  wanted to know the true reason ¹⁶⁶³  Paul ¹⁶⁶⁴  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ¹⁶⁶⁵  to assemble. He then brought ¹⁶⁶⁶  Paul down and had him stand before them.

23:1 Paul looked directly ¹⁶⁶⁷  at the council ¹⁶⁶⁸  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ¹⁶⁶⁹  before God to this day.” 23:2 At that ¹⁶⁷⁰  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ¹⁶⁷¹  Paul ¹⁶⁷²  to strike ¹⁶⁷³  him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ¹⁶⁷⁴  Do ¹⁶⁷⁵  you sit there judging me according to the law, ¹⁶⁷⁶  and in violation of the law ¹⁶⁷⁷  you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him ¹⁶⁷⁸  said, “Do you dare insult ¹⁶⁷⁹  God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, ¹⁶⁸⁰  “I did not realize, ¹⁶⁸¹  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ¹⁶⁸² 

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ¹⁶⁸³  that part of them were Sadducees ¹⁶⁸⁴  and the others Pharisees, ¹⁶⁸⁵  he shouted out in the council, ¹⁶⁸⁶  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ¹⁶⁸⁷  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ¹⁶⁸⁸  an argument ¹⁶⁸⁹  began ¹⁶⁹⁰  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.) ¹⁶⁹¹  23:9 There was a great commotion, ¹⁶⁹²  and some experts in the law ¹⁶⁹³  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ¹⁶⁹⁴  and protested strongly, ¹⁶⁹⁵  “We find nothing wrong ¹⁶⁹⁶  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became ¹⁶⁹⁷  so great the commanding officer ¹⁶⁹⁸  feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, ¹⁶⁹⁹  he ordered the detachment ¹⁷⁰⁰  to go down, take him away from them by force, ¹⁷⁰¹  and bring him into the barracks. ¹⁷⁰² 

23:11 The following night the Lord ¹⁷⁰³  stood near ¹⁷⁰⁴  Paul ¹⁷⁰⁵  and said, “Have courage, ¹⁷⁰⁶  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ¹⁷⁰⁷  so you must also testify in Rome.” ¹⁷⁰⁸ 

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ¹⁷⁰⁹  the Jews formed ¹⁷¹⁰  a conspiracy ¹⁷¹¹  and bound themselves with an oath ¹⁷¹²  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁷¹³  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ¹⁷¹⁴  23:14 They ¹⁷¹⁵  went ¹⁷¹⁶  to the chief priests ¹⁷¹⁷  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ¹⁷¹⁸  not to partake ¹⁷¹⁹  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ¹⁷²⁰  request the commanding officer ¹⁷²¹  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ¹⁷²²  his case ¹⁷²³  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ¹⁷²⁴  We are ready to kill him ¹⁷²⁵  before he comes near this place.” ¹⁷²⁶ 

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, ¹⁷²⁷  he came and entered ¹⁷²⁸  the barracks ¹⁷²⁹  and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called ¹⁷³⁰  one of the centurions ¹⁷³¹  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ¹⁷³²  for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion ¹⁷³³  took him and brought him to the commanding officer ¹⁷³⁴  and said, “The prisoner Paul called ¹⁷³⁵  me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer ¹⁷³⁶  took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want ¹⁷³⁷  to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, ¹⁷³⁸  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ¹⁷³⁹  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ¹⁷⁴⁰  because more than forty of them ¹⁷⁴¹  are lying in ambush ¹⁷⁴²  for him. They ¹⁷⁴³  have bound themselves with an oath ¹⁷⁴⁴  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁷⁴⁵  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ¹⁷⁴⁶  23:22 Then the commanding officer ¹⁷⁴⁷  sent the young man away, directing him, ¹⁷⁴⁸  “Tell no one that you have reported ¹⁷⁴⁹  these things to me.” 23:23 Then ¹⁷⁵⁰  he summoned ¹⁷⁵¹  two of the centurions ¹⁷⁵²  and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea ¹⁷⁵³  along with seventy horsemen ¹⁷⁵⁴  and two hundred spearmen ¹⁷⁵⁵  by ¹⁷⁵⁶  nine o’clock tonight, ¹⁷⁵⁷  23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride ¹⁷⁵⁸  so that he may be brought safely to Felix ¹⁷⁵⁹  the governor.” ¹⁷⁶⁰  23:25 He wrote ¹⁷⁶¹  a letter that went like this: ¹⁷⁶² 

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor ¹⁷⁶³  Felix, ¹⁷⁶⁴  greetings. 23:27 This man was seized ¹⁷⁶⁵  by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ¹⁷⁶⁶  when I came up ¹⁷⁶⁷  with the detachment ¹⁷⁶⁸  and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ¹⁷⁶⁹  a Roman citizen. ¹⁷⁷⁰  23:28 Since I wanted to know ¹⁷⁷¹  what charge they were accusing him of, ¹⁷⁷²  I brought him down to their council. ¹⁷⁷³  23:29 I found he ¹⁷⁷⁴  was accused with reference to controversial questions ¹⁷⁷⁵  about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. ¹⁷⁷⁶  23:30 When I was informed ¹⁷⁷⁷  there would be a plot ¹⁷⁷⁸  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ¹⁷⁷⁹  against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, ¹⁷⁸⁰  took ¹⁷⁸¹  Paul and brought him to Antipatris ¹⁷⁸²  during the night. 23:32 The next day they let ¹⁷⁸³  the horsemen ¹⁷⁸⁴  go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. ¹⁷⁸⁵  23:33 When the horsemen ¹⁷⁸⁶  came to Caesarea ¹⁷⁸⁷  and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented ¹⁷⁸⁸  Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor ¹⁷⁸⁹  had read ¹⁷⁹⁰  the letter, ¹⁷⁹¹  he asked ¹⁷⁹²  what province he was from. ¹⁷⁹³  When he learned ¹⁷⁹⁴  that he was from Cilicia, ¹⁷⁹⁵  23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing ¹⁷⁹⁶  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ¹⁷⁹⁷  he ordered that Paul ¹⁷⁹⁸  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ¹⁷⁹⁹ 

The Accusations Against Paul

24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias ¹⁸⁰⁰  came down with some elders and an attorney ¹⁸⁰¹  named ¹⁸⁰²  Tertullus, and they ¹⁸⁰³  brought formal charges ¹⁸⁰⁴  against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul ¹⁸⁰⁵  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ¹⁸⁰⁶  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ¹⁸⁰⁷  of peace through your rule, ¹⁸⁰⁸  and reforms ¹⁸⁰⁹  are being made in this nation ¹⁸¹⁰  through your foresight. ¹⁸¹¹  24:3 Most excellent Felix, ¹⁸¹²  we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way ¹⁸¹³  with all gratitude. ¹⁸¹⁴  24:4 But so that I may not delay ¹⁸¹⁵  you any further, I beg ¹⁸¹⁶  you to hear us briefly ¹⁸¹⁷  with your customary graciousness. ¹⁸¹⁸  24:5 For we have found ¹⁸¹⁹  this man to be a troublemaker, ¹⁸²⁰  one who stirs up riots ¹⁸²¹  among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader ¹⁸²²  of the sect of the Nazarenes. ¹⁸²³  24:6 He ¹⁸²⁴  even tried to desecrate ¹⁸²⁵  the temple, so we arrested ¹⁸²⁶  him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] ¹⁸²⁷  24:8 When you examine ¹⁸²⁸  him yourself, you will be able to learn from him ¹⁸²⁹  about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” ¹⁸³⁰  24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, ¹⁸³¹  claiming ¹⁸³²  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 ¹⁸³³  that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. ¹⁸³⁴  24:11 As you can verify ¹⁸³⁵  for yourself, not more than twelve days ago ¹⁸³⁶  I went up to Jerusalem ¹⁸³⁷  to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing ¹⁸³⁸  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ¹⁸³⁹  in the temple courts ¹⁸⁴⁰  or in the synagogues ¹⁸⁴¹  or throughout the city, ¹⁸⁴²  24:13 nor can they prove ¹⁸⁴³  to you the things ¹⁸⁴⁴  they are accusing me of doing. ¹⁸⁴⁵  24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship ¹⁸⁴⁶  the God of our ancestors ¹⁸⁴⁷  according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law ¹⁸⁴⁸  and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have ¹⁸⁴⁹  a hope in God (a hope ¹⁸⁵⁰  that ¹⁸⁵¹  these men ¹⁸⁵²  themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ¹⁸⁵³  24:16 This is the reason ¹⁸⁵⁴  I do my best to always ¹⁸⁵⁵  have a clear ¹⁸⁵⁶  conscience toward God and toward people. ¹⁸⁵⁷  24:17 After several years ¹⁸⁵⁸  I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor ¹⁸⁵⁹  and to present offerings, ¹⁸⁶⁰  24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, ¹⁸⁶¹  without a crowd or a disturbance. ¹⁸⁶²  24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia ¹⁸⁶³  who should be here before you and bring charges, ¹⁸⁶⁴  if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here ¹⁸⁶⁵  should tell what crime ¹⁸⁶⁶  they found me guilty of ¹⁸⁶⁷  when I stood before the council, ¹⁸⁶⁸  24:21 other than ¹⁸⁶⁹  this one thing ¹⁸⁷⁰  I shouted out while I stood before ¹⁸⁷¹  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ¹⁸⁷² 

24:22 Then Felix, ¹⁸⁷³  who understood the facts ¹⁸⁷⁴  concerning the Way ¹⁸⁷⁵  more accurately, ¹⁸⁷⁶  adjourned their hearing, ¹⁸⁷⁷  saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” ¹⁸⁷⁸  24:23 He ordered the centurion ¹⁸⁷⁹  to guard Paul, ¹⁸⁸⁰  but to let him have some freedom, ¹⁸⁸¹  and not to prevent any of his friends ¹⁸⁸²  from meeting his needs. ¹⁸⁸³ 

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24:24 Some days later, when Felix ¹⁸⁸⁴  arrived with his wife Drusilla, ¹⁸⁸⁵  who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak ¹⁸⁸⁶  about faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁸⁸⁷  24:25 While Paul ¹⁸⁸⁸  was discussing ¹⁸⁸⁹  righteousness, self-control, ¹⁸⁹⁰  and the coming judgment, Felix ¹⁸⁹¹  became ¹⁸⁹²  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ¹⁸⁹³  I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ¹⁸⁹⁴  and for this reason he sent for Paul ¹⁸⁹⁵  as often as possible ¹⁸⁹⁶  and talked ¹⁸⁹⁷  with him. 24:27 After two years ¹⁸⁹⁸  had passed, Porcius Festus ¹⁸⁹⁹  succeeded Felix, ¹⁹⁰⁰  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ¹⁹⁰¹ 

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25:1 Now ¹⁹⁰²  three days after Festus ¹⁹⁰³  arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem ¹⁹⁰⁴  from Caesarea. ¹⁹⁰⁵  25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men ¹⁹⁰⁶  of the Jews brought formal charges ¹⁹⁰⁷  against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ¹⁹⁰⁸  they urged Festus ¹⁹⁰⁹  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ¹⁹¹⁰  to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus ¹⁹¹¹  replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, ¹⁹¹²  and he himself intended to go there ¹⁹¹³  shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders ¹⁹¹⁴  go down there ¹⁹¹⁵  with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, ¹⁹¹⁶  they may bring charges ¹⁹¹⁷  against him.”

25:6 After Festus ¹⁹¹⁸  had stayed ¹⁹¹⁹  not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, ¹⁹²⁰  and the next day he sat ¹⁹²¹  on the judgment seat ¹⁹²²  and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, ¹⁹²³  bringing many serious ¹⁹²⁴  charges that they were not able to prove. ¹⁹²⁵  25:8 Paul said in his defense, ¹⁹²⁶  “I have committed no offense ¹⁹²⁷  against the Jewish law ¹⁹²⁸  or against the temple or against Caesar.” ¹⁹²⁹  25:9 But Festus, ¹⁹³⁰  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ¹⁹³¹  before me there on these charges?” ¹⁹³²  25:10 Paul replied, ¹⁹³³  “I am standing before Caesar’s ¹⁹³⁴  judgment seat, ¹⁹³⁵  where I should be tried. ¹⁹³⁶  I have done nothing wrong ¹⁹³⁷  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ¹⁹³⁸  25:11 If then I am in the wrong ¹⁹³⁹  and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, ¹⁹⁴⁰  but if not one of their charges against me is true, ¹⁹⁴¹  no one can hand me over to them. ¹⁹⁴²  I appeal to Caesar!” ¹⁹⁴³  25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, ¹⁹⁴⁴  Festus ¹⁹⁴⁵  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ¹⁹⁴⁶  to Caesar ¹⁹⁴⁷  you will go!” ¹⁹⁴⁸ 

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ¹⁹⁴⁹  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ¹⁹⁵⁰  to pay their respects ¹⁹⁵¹  to Festus. ¹⁹⁵²  25:14 While ¹⁹⁵³  they were staying there many days, Festus ¹⁹⁵⁴  explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, ¹⁹⁵⁵  saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, ¹⁹⁵⁶  the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed ¹⁹⁵⁷  me about him, ¹⁹⁵⁸  asking for a sentence of condemnation ¹⁹⁵⁹  against him. 25:16 I answered them ¹⁹⁶⁰  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ¹⁹⁶¹  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ¹⁹⁶²  and had been given ¹⁹⁶³  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ¹⁹⁶⁴  25:17 So after they came back here with me, ¹⁹⁶⁵  I did not postpone the case, ¹⁹⁶⁶  but the next day I sat ¹⁹⁶⁷  on the judgment seat ¹⁹⁶⁸  and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge ¹⁹⁶⁹  him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. ¹⁹⁷⁰  25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement ¹⁹⁷¹  with him about their own religion ¹⁹⁷²  and about a man named Jesus ¹⁹⁷³  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ¹⁹⁷⁴  to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss ¹⁹⁷⁵  how I could investigate these matters, ¹⁹⁷⁶  I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried ¹⁹⁷⁷  there on these charges. ¹⁹⁷⁸  25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, ¹⁹⁷⁹  I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” ¹⁹⁸⁰  25:22 Agrippa ¹⁹⁸¹  said to Festus, ¹⁹⁸²  “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, ¹⁹⁸³  “you will hear him.”

Paul Before King Agrippa and Bernice

25:23 So the next day Agrippa ¹⁹⁸⁴  and Bernice came with great pomp ¹⁹⁸⁵  and entered the audience hall, ¹⁹⁸⁶  along with the senior military officers ¹⁹⁸⁷  and the prominent men of the city. When Festus ¹⁹⁸⁸  gave the order, ¹⁹⁸⁹  Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus ¹⁹⁹⁰  said, “King Agrippa, ¹⁹⁹¹  and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace ¹⁹⁹²  petitioned ¹⁹⁹³  me both in Jerusalem ¹⁹⁹⁴  and here, ¹⁹⁹⁵  shouting loudly ¹⁹⁹⁶  that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, ¹⁹⁹⁷  and when he appealed ¹⁹⁹⁸  to His Majesty the Emperor, ¹⁹⁹⁹  I decided to send him. ²⁰⁰⁰  25:26 But I have nothing definite ²⁰⁰¹  to write to my lord ²⁰⁰²  about him. ²⁰⁰³  Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ²⁰⁰⁴  so that after this preliminary hearing ²⁰⁰⁵  I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating ²⁰⁰⁶  the charges against him.”

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ²⁰⁰⁷  said to Paul, “You have permission ²⁰⁰⁸  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ²⁰⁰⁹  and began his defense: ²⁰¹⁰ 

26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ²⁰¹¹  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially ²⁰¹²  familiar with all the customs and controversial issues ²⁰¹³  of the Jews. Therefore I ask ²⁰¹⁴  you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived ²⁰¹⁵  from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people ²⁰¹⁶  and in Jerusalem. ²⁰¹⁷  26:5 They know, ²⁰¹⁸  because they have known ²⁰¹⁹  me from time past, ²⁰²⁰  if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party ²⁰²¹  of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. ²⁰²²  26:6 And now I stand here on trial ²⁰²³  because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ²⁰²⁴  26:7 a promise ²⁰²⁵  that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God ²⁰²⁶  night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, ²⁰²⁷  Your Majesty! ²⁰²⁸  26:8 Why do you people ²⁰²⁹  think ²⁰³⁰  it is unbelievable ²⁰³¹  that ²⁰³²  God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, ²⁰³³  I myself was convinced ²⁰³⁴  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 ²⁰³⁵  from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote ²⁰³⁶  against them when they were sentenced to death. ²⁰³⁷  26:11 I punished ²⁰³⁸  them often in all the synagogues ²⁰³⁹  and tried to force ²⁰⁴⁰  them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ²⁰⁴¹  at them, I went to persecute ²⁰⁴²  them even in foreign cities.

26:12 “While doing this very thing, ²⁰⁴³  as I was going ²⁰⁴⁴  to Damascus with authority and complete power ²⁰⁴⁵  from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, ²⁰⁴⁶  I saw a light from heaven, ²⁰⁴⁷  brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around ²⁰⁴⁸  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, ²⁰⁴⁹  ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself ²⁰⁵⁰  by kicking against the goads.’ ²⁰⁵¹  26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ²⁰⁵²  ‘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 ²⁰⁵³  as a servant and witness ²⁰⁵⁴  to the things ²⁰⁵⁵  you have seen ²⁰⁵⁶  and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue ²⁰⁵⁷  you from your own people ²⁰⁵⁸  and from the Gentiles, to whom ²⁰⁵⁹  I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ²⁰⁶⁰  from darkness to light and from the power ²⁰⁶¹  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ²⁰⁶²  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, ²⁰⁶³  I was not disobedient ²⁰⁶⁴  to the heavenly ²⁰⁶⁵  vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ²⁰⁶⁶  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ²⁰⁶⁷  performing deeds consistent with ²⁰⁶⁸  repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts ²⁰⁶⁹  and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced ²⁰⁷⁰  help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except ²⁰⁷¹  what the prophets and Moses said ²⁰⁷²  was going to happen: 26:23 that ²⁰⁷³  the Christ ²⁰⁷⁴  was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people ²⁰⁷⁵  and to the Gentiles.” ²⁰⁷⁶ 

26:24 As Paul ²⁰⁷⁷  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ²⁰⁷⁸  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ²⁰⁷⁹  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, ²⁰⁸⁰  “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ²⁰⁸¹  but am speaking ²⁰⁸²  true and rational ²⁰⁸³  words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ²⁰⁸⁴  to him, ²⁰⁸⁵  because I cannot believe ²⁰⁸⁶  that any of these things has escaped his notice, ²⁰⁸⁷  for this was not done in a corner. ²⁰⁸⁸  26:27 Do you believe the prophets, ²⁰⁸⁹  King Agrippa? ²⁰⁹⁰  I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa ²⁰⁹¹  said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” ²⁰⁹²  26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time ²⁰⁹³  not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” ²⁰⁹⁴ 

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, ²⁰⁹⁵  “This man is not doing anything deserving ²⁰⁹⁶  death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa ²⁰⁹⁷  said to Festus, ²⁰⁹⁸  “This man could have been released ²⁰⁹⁹  if he had not appealed to Caesar.” ²¹⁰⁰ 

Paul and Company Sail for Rome

27:1 When it was decided we ²¹⁰¹  would sail to Italy, ²¹⁰²  they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion ²¹⁰³  of the Augustan Cohort ²¹⁰⁴  named Julius. 27:2 We went on board ²¹⁰⁵  a ship from Adramyttium ²¹⁰⁶  that was about to sail to various ports ²¹⁰⁷  along the coast of the province of Asia ²¹⁰⁸  and put out to sea, ²¹⁰⁹  accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian ²¹¹⁰  from Thessalonica. ²¹¹¹  27:3 The next day we put in ²¹¹²  at Sidon, ²¹¹³  and Julius, treating Paul kindly, ²¹¹⁴  allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed. ²¹¹⁵  27:4 From there we put out to sea ²¹¹⁶  and sailed under the lee ²¹¹⁷  of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed across the open sea ²¹¹⁸  off Cilicia and Pamphylia, ²¹¹⁹  we put in ²¹²⁰  at Myra ²¹²¹  in Lycia. ²¹²²  27:6 There the centurion ²¹²³  found ²¹²⁴  a ship from Alexandria ²¹²⁵  sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly ²¹²⁶  for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. ²¹²⁷  Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, ²¹²⁸  we sailed under the lee ²¹²⁹  of Crete off Salmone. ²¹³⁰  27:8 With difficulty we sailed along the coast ²¹³¹  of Crete ²¹³²  and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. ²¹³³ 

Caught in a Violent Storm

27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous ²¹³⁴  because the fast ²¹³⁵  was already over, ²¹³⁶  Paul advised them, ²¹³⁷  27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end ²¹³⁸  in disaster ²¹³⁹  and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ²¹⁴⁰  27:11 But the centurion ²¹⁴¹  was more convinced ²¹⁴²  by the captain ²¹⁴³  and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. ²¹⁴⁴  27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided ²¹⁴⁵  to put out to sea ²¹⁴⁶  from there. They hoped that ²¹⁴⁷  somehow they could reach ²¹⁴⁸  Phoenix, ²¹⁴⁹  a harbor of Crete facing ²¹⁵⁰  southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought ²¹⁵¹  they could carry out ²¹⁵²  their purpose, so they weighed anchor ²¹⁵³  and sailed close along the coast ²¹⁵⁴  of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force ²¹⁵⁵  wind called the northeaster ²¹⁵⁶  blew down from the island. ²¹⁵⁷  27:15 When the ship was caught in it ²¹⁵⁸  and could not head into ²¹⁵⁹  the wind, we gave way to it and were driven ²¹⁶⁰  along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of ²¹⁶¹  a small island called Cauda, ²¹⁶²  we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat ²¹⁶³  under control. 27:17 After the crew ²¹⁶⁴  had hoisted it aboard, ²¹⁶⁵  they used supports ²¹⁶⁶  to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground ²¹⁶⁷  on the Syrtis, ²¹⁶⁸  they lowered the sea anchor, ²¹⁶⁹  thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, ²¹⁷⁰  they began throwing the cargo overboard, ²¹⁷¹  27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear ²¹⁷²  overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent ²¹⁷³  storm continued to batter us, ²¹⁷⁴  we finally abandoned all hope of being saved. ²¹⁷⁵ 

27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, ²¹⁷⁶  Paul ²¹⁷⁷  stood up ²¹⁷⁸  among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me ²¹⁷⁹  and not put out to sea ²¹⁸⁰  from Crete, thus avoiding ²¹⁸¹  this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise ²¹⁸²  you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. ²¹⁸³  27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong ²¹⁸⁴  and whom I serve ²¹⁸⁵  came to me ²¹⁸⁶  27:24 and said, ²¹⁸⁷  ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before ²¹⁸⁸  Caesar, ²¹⁸⁹  and God has graciously granted you the safety ²¹⁹⁰  of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God ²¹⁹¹  that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must ²¹⁹²  run aground on some island.”

27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven ²¹⁹³  across the Adriatic Sea, ²¹⁹⁴  about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. ²¹⁹⁵  27:28 They took soundings ²¹⁹⁶  and found the water was twenty fathoms ²¹⁹⁷  deep; when they had sailed a little farther ²¹⁹⁸  they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms ²¹⁹⁹  deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid ²²⁰⁰  that we would run aground on the rocky coast, ²²⁰¹  they threw out ²²⁰²  four anchors from the stern and wished ²²⁰³  for day to appear. ²²⁰⁴  27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending ²²⁰⁵  that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion ²²⁰⁶  and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you ²²⁰⁷  cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes ²²⁰⁸  of the ship’s boat and let it drift away. ²²⁰⁹ 

27:33 As day was about to dawn, ²²¹⁰  Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense ²²¹¹  and have gone ²²¹²  without food; you have eaten nothing. ²²¹³  27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important ²²¹⁴  for your survival. ²²¹⁵  For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul ²²¹⁶  took bread ²²¹⁷  and gave thanks to God in front of them all, ²²¹⁸  broke ²²¹⁹  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 ²²²⁰  persons on the ship.) ²²²¹  27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, ²²²²  they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat ²²²³  into the sea.

Paul is Shipwrecked

27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed ²²²⁴  a bay ²²²⁵  with a beach, ²²²⁶  where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped ²²²⁷  the anchors ²²²⁸  and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage ²²²⁹  that bound the steering oars ²²³⁰  together. Then they hoisted ²²³¹  the foresail ²²³²  to the wind and steered toward ²²³³  the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents ²²³⁴  and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force ²²³⁵  of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners ²²³⁶  so that none of them would escape by swimming away. ²²³⁷  27:43 But the centurion, ²²³⁸  wanting to save Paul’s life, ²²³⁹  prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, ²²⁴⁰  27:44 and the rest were to follow, ²²⁴¹  some on planks ²²⁴²  and some on pieces of the ship. ²²⁴³  And in this way ²²⁴⁴  all were brought safely to land.

Paul on Malta

28:1 After we had safely reached shore, ²²⁴⁵  we learned that the island was called Malta. ²²⁴⁶  28:2 The local inhabitants ²²⁴⁷  showed us extraordinary ²²⁴⁸  kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain ²²⁴⁹  and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood ²²⁵⁰  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 ²²⁵¹  saw the creature hanging from Paul’s ²²⁵²  hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself ²²⁵³  has not allowed him to live!” ²²⁵⁴  28:5 However, ²²⁵⁵  Paul ²²⁵⁶  shook ²²⁵⁷  the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up ²²⁵⁸  or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited ²²⁵⁹  a long time and had seen ²²⁶⁰  nothing unusual happen ²²⁶¹  to him, they changed their minds ²²⁶²  and said he was a god. ²²⁶³ 

28:7 Now in the region around that place ²²⁶⁴  were fields belonging to the chief official ²²⁶⁵  of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father ²²⁶⁶  of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him ²²⁶⁷  and after praying, placed ²²⁶⁸  his hands on him and healed ²²⁶⁹  him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick ²²⁷⁰  also came and were healed. ²²⁷¹  28:10 They also bestowed many honors, ²²⁷²  and when we were preparing to sail, ²²⁷³  they gave ²²⁷⁴  us all the supplies we needed. ²²⁷⁵ 

Paul Finally Reaches Rome

28:11 After three months we put out to sea ²²⁷⁶  in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” ²²⁷⁷  as its figurehead. ²²⁷⁸  28:12 We put in ²²⁷⁹  at Syracuse ²²⁸⁰  and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off ²²⁸¹  and arrived at Rhegium, ²²⁸²  and after one day a south wind sprang up ²²⁸³  and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ²²⁸⁴  28:14 There ²²⁸⁵  we found ²²⁸⁶  some brothers ²²⁸⁷  and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. ²²⁸⁸  28:15 The brothers from there, ²²⁸⁹  when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius ²²⁹⁰  and Three Taverns ²²⁹¹  to meet us. When he saw them, ²²⁹²  Paul thanked God and took courage. 28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live ²²⁹³  by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days ²²⁹⁴  Paul ²²⁹⁵  called the local Jewish leaders ²²⁹⁶  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ²²⁹⁷  although I had done ²²⁹⁸  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ²²⁹⁹  from Jerusalem ²³⁰⁰  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ²³⁰¹  28:18 When ²³⁰²  they had heard my case, ²³⁰³  they wanted to release me, ²³⁰⁴  because there was no basis for a death sentence ²³⁰⁵  against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, ²³⁰⁶  I was forced to appeal to Caesar ²³⁰⁷  – not that I had some charge to bring ²³⁰⁸  against my own people. ²³⁰⁹  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.” ²³¹⁰  28:21 They replied, ²³¹¹  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ²³¹²  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 ²³¹³  that people ²³¹⁴  everywhere speak against ²³¹⁵  it.”

28:23 They set ²³¹⁶  a day to meet with him, ²³¹⁷  and they came to him where he was staying ²³¹⁸  in even greater numbers. ²³¹⁹  From morning until evening he explained things ²³²⁰  to them, ²³²¹  testifying ²³²²  about the kingdom of God ²³²³  and trying to convince ²³²⁴  them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced ²³²⁵  by what he said, ²³²⁶  but others refused ²³²⁷  to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, ²³²⁸  unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors ²³²⁹  through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will keep on hearing, ²³³⁰  but will never understand,

and you will keep on looking, ²³³¹  but will never perceive.

28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, ²³³² 

and their ears are hard of hearing, ²³³³ 

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, ²³³⁴  and I would heal them.”’ ²³³⁵ 

28:28 “Therefore be advised ²³³⁶  that this salvation from God ²³³⁷  has been sent to the Gentiles; ²³³⁸  they ²³³⁹  will listen!”

28:29 [[EMPTY]] ²³⁴⁰ 

28:30 Paul ²³⁴¹  lived ²³⁴²  there two whole years in his own rented quarters ²³⁴³  and welcomed ²³⁴⁴  all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ²³⁴⁵  with complete boldness ²³⁴⁶  and without restriction. ²³⁴⁷ 

[10:1]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹¹ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ¹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹³ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.

[10:5]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “a certain Simon.”

[10:6]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:7]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ 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]  ²² tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[10:9]  ²³ tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (Jodoiporountwn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontwn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.

[10:9]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁸ 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]  ²⁹ tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:11]  ³⁰ 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]  ³¹ tn Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη).

[10:11]  ³² tn Or “coming down.”

[10:11]  ³³ tn Or “to the ground.”

[10:12]  ³¹ 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]  ³² 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]  ³³ 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]  ³⁴ 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]  ³⁵ tn Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[10:13]  ³⁶ tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[10:14]  ³⁷ 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]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ tn Or “declare.”

[10:15]  ⁴² 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]  ⁴³ tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:17]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).

[10:17]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:17]  ⁴⁸ tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”

[10:18]  ⁴⁹ 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]  ⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵² 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]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ 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]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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]  ⁶¹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[10:22]  ⁶² tn Or “just.”

[10:22]  ⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “hear words.”

[10:23]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:23]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “went forth.”

[10:23]  ⁶⁶ sn Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.

[10:24]  ⁶⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi).

[10:24]  ⁶⁹ 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]  ⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “meeting him.” The participle συναντήσας (sunanthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷³ tn BDAG 271 s.v. ἐγείρω 3 has “raise, help to rise….Stretched out Ac 10:26.”

[10:26]  ⁷⁴ 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]  ⁷⁶ 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]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “many people assembled.”

[10:28]  ⁷⁹ tn Here ὡς (Jws) is used like ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).

[10:28]  ⁸⁰ tn This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος).

[10:28]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “a Jewish man” (ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ, andri Ioudaiw).

[10:28]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[10:28]  ⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ tn Grk “ask for what reason.”

[10:30]  ⁸⁵ 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]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “said.”

[10:30]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” Again, this is the hour of afternoon prayer.

[10:30]  ⁸⁸ 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]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:31]  ⁸⁹ sn This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4.

[10:32]  ⁹¹ 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]  ⁹⁴ 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]  ⁹⁵ 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]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “to hear everything.”

[10:33]  ⁹⁷ 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]  ⁹⁷ 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]  ⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁰ sn See Luke 24:47.

[10:35]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “shows reverence for him.”

[10:35]  ¹⁰² 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]  ¹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “the word.”

[10:36]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Grk “to the sons.”

[10:36]  ¹⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “by.”

[10:36]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[10:36]  ¹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Or “proclaimed.”

[10:38]  ¹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹¹ 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]  ¹¹² tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.

[10:38]  ¹¹³ sn See Acts 7:9.

[10:39]  ¹¹² 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]  ¹¹³ 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]  ¹¹⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:39]  ¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁸ tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.

[10:41]  ¹¹⁹ sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.

[10:42]  ¹²¹ 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]  ¹²² 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]  ¹²³ 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]  ¹²⁴ 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]  ¹²⁵ tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.

[10:42]  ¹²⁶ 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]  ¹²⁴ 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]  ¹²⁵ 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]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.

[10:44]  ¹²⁸ tn Or “word.”

[10:45]  ¹³⁰ 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]  ¹³¹ tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”

[10:45]  ¹³² 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]  ¹³³ tn Or “because.”

[10:45]  ¹³⁴ 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]  ¹³⁵ 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]  ¹³³ tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”

[10:47]  ¹³⁶ 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]  ¹³⁷ 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]  ¹³⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁴² tn See BDAG 221 s.v. δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.

[11:1]  ¹⁴³ 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]  ¹⁴⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ¹⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[11:3]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).

[11:3]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.

[11:4]  ¹⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Or “coming down.”

[11:5]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[11:6]  ¹⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[11:8]  ¹⁶³ 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]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.

[11:11]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Grk “And behold.”

[11:11]  ¹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁷¹ tn See BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epesthsan) here.

[11:11]  ¹⁷² tn The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[11:12]  ¹⁷² 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]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rJhmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.

[11:15]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Or “came down on.”

[11:15]  ¹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁸² tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.

[11:16]  ¹⁸³ sn John…Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.

[11:17]  ¹⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁵ sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]  ¹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:17]  ¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  ¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  ¹⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁹¹ sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[11:19]  ¹⁹⁰ sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.

[11:19]  ¹⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁹² sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[11:19]  ¹⁹³ 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]  ¹⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “word.”

[11:20]  ¹⁹³ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[11:20]  ¹⁹⁴ sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.

[11:20]  ¹⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:20]  ¹⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁸ sn Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.

[11:22]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “Word.”

[11:22]  ²⁰⁰ 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]  ²⁰¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:22]  ²⁰² 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]  ²⁰³ 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]  ²⁰² 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]  ²⁰³ tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse.

[11:23]  ²⁰⁴ 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]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  ²⁰⁸ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  ²⁰⁹ 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]  ²¹⁰ tn Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:26]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  ²¹² sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  ²¹³ sn The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.

[11:27]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.

[11:27]  ²¹² tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.

[11:27]  ²¹³ sn Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.

[11:27]  ²¹⁴ 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]  ²¹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  ²¹⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:28]  ²¹⁴ 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]  ²¹⁵ tn Or “made clear”; Grk “indicated beforehand” (BDAG 920 s.v. σημαίνω 2).

[11:28]  ²¹⁶ tn Grk “great.”

[11:28]  ²¹⁷ 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]  ²¹⁸ 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]  ²¹⁹ 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]  ²²⁰ 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]  ²¹⁷ tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.

[11:29]  ²¹⁸ tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”

[11:29]  ²¹⁹ 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]  ²²⁰ 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]  ²²¹ 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]  ²²³ 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]  ²²⁴ tn Or “King Herod had some from the church arrested.”

[12:1]  ²²⁵ tn Or “to cause them injury.”

[12:2]  ²²⁶ 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]  ²²⁹ 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]  ²³⁰ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[12:4]  ²³² sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.

[12:4]  ²³³ 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]  ²³⁴ tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”

[12:4]  ²³⁵ 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]  ²³⁵ tn Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:14 and Acts 26:7.

[12:5]  ²³⁶ 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]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.

[12:6]  ²³⁹ 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]  ²⁴⁰ tn Or “were guarding.”

[12:7]  ²⁴¹ 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]  ²⁴² tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:7]  ²⁴³ 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]  ²⁴⁴ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:7]  ²⁴⁵ tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

[12:8]  ²⁴⁴ 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]  ²⁴⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ²⁴⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ²⁴⁷ tn Or “outer garment.”

[12:9]  ²⁴⁷ tn Grk “And going out he followed.”

[12:9]  ²⁴⁸ 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]  ²⁴⁹ 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]  ²⁵⁰ tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

[12:10]  ²⁵⁰ tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”

[12:10]  ²⁵¹ 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]  ²⁵² 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]  ²⁵³ tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).

[12:10]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).

[12:11]  ²⁵³ 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]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “delivered.”

[12:11]  ²⁵⁵ sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

[12:11]  ²⁵⁶ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:11]  ²⁵⁷ sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

[12:12]  ²⁵⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:12]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[12:13]  ²⁵⁹ tn Or “responded.”

[12:14]  ²⁶² tn Or “informed.”

[12:14]  ²⁶³ 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]  ²⁶⁵ 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]  ²⁶⁶ 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]  ²⁶⁷ 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]  ²⁶⁸ 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]  ²⁶⁸ tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see Acts 12:13).

[12:16]  ²⁶⁹ 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]  ²⁷¹ 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]  ²⁷² 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]  ²⁷³ tn Or “led.”

[12:17]  ²⁷⁴ 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]  ²⁷⁴ tn BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a has “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse.

[12:18]  ²⁷⁵ 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]  ²⁷⁷ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:19]  ²⁷⁸ tn Or “had instigated a search” (Herod would have ordered the search rather than conducting it himself).

[12:19]  ²⁷⁹ 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]  ²⁸⁰ 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]  ²⁸¹ 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]  ²⁸² 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]  ²⁸³ 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]  ²⁸⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:20]  ²⁸¹ 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]  ²⁸² sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[12:20]  ²⁸³ sn Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre (BDAG 923 s.v. Σιδών).

[12:20]  ²⁸⁴ tn Or “with one accord.”

[12:20]  ²⁸⁵ tn Or “persuading.”

[12:20]  ²⁸⁶ 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]  ²⁸⁷ tn The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:20]  ²⁸⁸ 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]  ²⁸³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:21]  ²⁸⁴ 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]  ²⁸⁵ 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]  ²⁸⁶ tn Or “delivered a public address.”

[12:22]  ²⁸⁶ 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]  ²⁸⁷ 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]  ²⁸⁸ sn The voice of a god. Contrast the response of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:13-15.

[12:23]  ²⁸⁹ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:23]  ²⁹⁰ 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]  ²⁹¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:23]  ²⁹² 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]  ²⁹² sn A metonymy for the number of adherents to God’s word.

[12:24]  ²⁹³ tn Or “spreading.”

[12:25]  ²⁹⁵ 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]  ²⁹⁶ sn That is, from Jerusalem to Antioch (see Acts 11:29-30).

[12:25]  ²⁹⁷ tn Grk “fulfilled.”

[12:25]  ²⁹⁸ tn Grk “ministry” or “service.”

[12:25]  ²⁹⁹ tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[13:1]  ²⁹⁸ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  ²⁹⁹ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ³⁰⁰ sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ³⁰¹ 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]  ³⁰² tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  ³⁰³ 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]  ³⁰¹ 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]  ³⁰² tn Or “Appoint.”

[13:3]  ³⁰⁴ 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]  ³⁰⁵ 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]  ³⁰⁶ 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]  ³⁰⁷ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:4]  ³⁰⁸ sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.

[13:4]  ³⁰⁹ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[13:5]  ³¹⁰ 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]  ³¹¹ tn The participle γενόμενοι (genomenoi) is taken temporally.

[13:5]  ³¹² 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]  ³¹³ tn The imperfect verb κατήγγελλον (kathngellon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[13:5]  ³¹⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:5]  ³¹⁵ sn John refers here to John Mark (see Acts 12:25).

[13:5]  ³¹⁶ 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]  ³¹³ tn Or “had passed through,” “had traveled through.”

[13:6]  ³¹⁴ sn Paphos. A city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. It was the seat of the Roman proconsul.

[13:6]  ³¹⁵ 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]  ³¹⁶ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:7]  ³¹⁷ tn Grk “This one”; the referent (the proconsul) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:7]  ³¹⁸ 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]  ³¹⁹ 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]  ³¹⁹ 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]  ³²⁰ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ³²¹ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:9]  ³²² sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:9]  ³²³ sn This qualifying clause in the narrative indicates who represented God in the dispute.

[13:9]  ³²⁴ tn Or “gazed intently.”

[13:10]  ³²⁵ tn Or “unscrupulousness.”

[13:10]  ³²⁶ 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]  ³²⁸ 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]  ³²⁹ tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.

[13:11]  ³³⁰ 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]  ³³¹ tn Grk “fell on.”

[13:11]  ³³² tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”

[13:12]  ³³¹ sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.

[13:12]  ³³² 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]  ³³³ tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplhssomeno") is given by L&N 25.219.

[13:12]  ³³⁴ 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]  ³³⁴ 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]  ³³⁵ sn Paphos was a city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. See Acts 13:6.

[13:13]  ³³⁶ 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]  ³³⁷ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor.

[13:13]  ³³⁸ sn That is, John Mark.

[13:13]  ³³⁹ 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]  ³³⁷ tn Or “Passing by.”

[13:14]  ³³⁸ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[13:14]  ³³⁹ tn Or “at Antioch in Pisidia.”

[13:14]  ³⁴⁰ 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]  ³⁴¹ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:15]  ³⁴⁰ 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]  ³⁴¹ 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]  ³⁴² 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]  ³⁴³ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:15]  ³⁴⁴ tn Or “word.”

[13:15]  ³⁴⁵ tn Or “encouragement.”

[13:15]  ³⁴⁶ tn Or “give it.”

[13:16]  ³⁴³ tn This participle, ἀναστάς (anasta"), and the following one, κατασείσας (kataseisa"), are both translated as adverbial participles of attendant circumstance.

[13:16]  ³⁴⁴ tn Or “motioned.”

[13:16]  ³⁴⁵ 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]  ³⁴⁶ 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]  ³⁴⁶ tn Or “people of Israel.”

[13:17]  ³⁴⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[13:17]  ³⁴⁸ 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]  ³⁴⁹ tn Or “as resident aliens.”

[13:17]  ³⁵⁰ tn Or “land.”

[13:17]  ³⁵¹ 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]  ³⁴⁹ 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]  ³⁵⁰ tn For this verb, see BDAG 1017 s.v. τροποφορέω (cf. also Deut 1:31; Exod 16:35; Num 14:34).

[13:18]  ³⁵¹ tn Or “desert.”

[13:19]  ³⁵² 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]  ³⁵³ tn The participle καθελών (kaqelwn) is taken temporally.

[13:19]  ³⁵⁴ sn Seven nations. See Deut 7:1.

[13:19]  ³⁵⁵ 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]  ³⁵⁵ 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]  ³⁵⁶ 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]  ³⁵⁷ tn The words “the time of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[13:21]  ³⁵⁸ 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]  ³⁶¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:22]  ³⁶² 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]  ³⁶³ 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]  ³⁶⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 89:20.

[13:22]  ³⁶⁵ sn A quotation from 1 Sam 13:14.

[13:22]  ³⁶⁶ tn Or “who will perform all my will,” “who will carry out all my wishes.”

[13:23]  ³⁶⁴ tn Or “From the offspring”; Grk “From the seed.”

[13:23]  ³⁶⁵ sn The phrase this man is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

[13:23]  ³⁶⁶ tn Grk “according to [his] promise.” The comparative clause “just as he promised” is less awkward in English.

[13:24]  ³⁶⁷ 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]  ³⁶⁸ 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]  ³⁶⁹ sn John refers here to John the Baptist.

[13:24]  ³⁷⁰ tn Grk “a baptism of repentance”; the genitive has been translated as a genitive of purpose.

[13:25]  ³⁷⁰ tn Or “task.”

[13:25]  ³⁷¹ 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]  ³⁷² 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]  ³⁷³ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:26]  ³⁷⁴ tn Grk “sons”

[13:26]  ³⁷⁵ tn Or “race.”

[13:26]  ³⁷⁶ 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]  ³⁷⁷ tn Grk “word.”

[13:27]  ³⁷⁶ 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]  ³⁷⁷ tn Grk “this one.”

[13:27]  ³⁷⁸ 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]  ³⁷⁹ tn The participle κρίναντες (krinante") is instrumental here.

[13:27]  ³⁸⁰ 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]  ³⁷⁹ 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]  ³⁸⁰ tn The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[13:28]  ³⁸¹ sn No basis. Luke insists on Jesus’ innocence again and again in Luke 23:1-25.

[13:28]  ³⁸² tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[13:29]  ³⁸² tn Or “carried out.”

[13:29]  ³⁸³ sn That is, everything that was written in OT scripture.

[13:29]  ³⁸⁴ 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]  ³⁸⁵ tn Grk “tree,” but frequently figurative for a cross. The allusion is to Deut 21:23. See Acts 5:30; 10:39.

[13:29]  ³⁸⁶ 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]  ³⁸⁵ sn See the note on the phrase “raised up” in v. 22, which is the same Greek verb used here.

[13:31]  ³⁸⁸ 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]  ³⁸⁹ 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]  ³⁹⁰ 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]  ³⁹¹ tn Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”

[13:33]  ³⁹⁴ tn Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:33]  ³⁹⁵ tn Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") is taken as instrumental here.

[13:33]  ³⁹⁶ 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]  ³⁹⁷ 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]  ³⁹⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ³⁹⁸ 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]  ³⁹⁹ tn The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (Jupostrefw) is given in L&N 13.24.

[13:34]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ⁴⁰¹ tn The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.

[13:34]  ⁴⁰² 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]  ⁴⁰³ 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]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[13:35]  ⁴⁰¹ 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]  ⁴⁰² 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]  ⁴⁰³ sn A quotation from Ps 16:10.

[13:36]  ⁴⁰³ tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (Juphrethsa") is taken temporally.

[13:36]  ⁴⁰⁴ 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]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).

[13:36]  ⁴⁰⁶ 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]  ⁴⁰⁶ sn The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.

[13:37]  ⁴⁰⁷ 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]  ⁴⁰⁹ 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]  ⁴¹² sn This one refers here to Jesus.

[13:39]  ⁴¹³ 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]  ⁴¹⁴ tn Or “could not free.”

[13:39]  ⁴¹⁵ 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]  ⁴¹⁵ sn The speech closes with a warning, “Watch out,” that also stresses culpability.

[13:40]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Or “in.”

[13:41]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Or “and die!”

[13:41]  ⁴¹⁹ 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]  ⁴²¹ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ⁴²² tn Or “were leaving.” The participle ἐξιόντων (exiontwn) is taken temporally.

[13:42]  ⁴²³ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ⁴²⁴ tn Or “begging,” “inviting.”

[13:42]  ⁴²⁵ tn Or “matters.”

[13:43]  ⁴²⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:43]  ⁴²⁵ 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]  ⁴²⁶ 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]  ⁴²⁷ tn This is the meaning given for ἔπειθον (epeiqon) in this verse by BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b.

[13:43]  ⁴²⁸ tn Grk “who, as they were speaking with them, were persuading them.”

[13:43]  ⁴²⁹ 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]  ⁴²⁷ 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]  ⁴³⁰ 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]  ⁴³¹ 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]  ⁴³² 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]  ⁴³³ 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]  ⁴³³ 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]  ⁴³⁴ 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]  ⁴³⁵ tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”

[13:46]  ⁴³⁶ tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.

[13:46]  ⁴³⁷ 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]  ⁴³⁶ 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]  ⁴³⁷ 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]  ⁴³⁸ 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]  ⁴³⁹ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

[13:47]  ⁴⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴³⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (ecairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.

[13:48]  ⁴⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴⁴¹ sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.

[13:49]  ⁴⁴² 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]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn For the translation of παρώτρυναν (parwtrunan) as “incited” see BDAG 780 s.v. παροτρύνω.

[13:50]  ⁴⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁴⁹ 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]  ⁴⁵⁰ 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]  ⁴⁵¹ sn The citizens of Pisidian Antioch were not discouraged by the persecution, but instead were filled with joy.

[14:1]  ⁴⁵⁴ sn Iconium. See the note in 13:51.

[14:1]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:1]  ⁴⁵⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[14:1]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Or “that a large crowd.”

[14:2]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Or “who would not believe.”

[14:2]  ⁴⁵⁸ 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]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[14:3]  ⁴⁶¹ sn The Lord testified to the message by granting the signs described in the following clause.

[14:3]  ⁴⁶² tn Grk “word.”

[14:3]  ⁴⁶³ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

[14:4]  ⁴⁶³ tn BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ has this translation for πλῆθος (plhqo").

[14:4]  ⁴⁶⁴ 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]  ⁴⁶⁶ 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]  ⁴⁶⁷ tn On this verb see BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑβρίζω.

[14:5]  ⁴⁶⁸ 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]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:6]  ⁴⁷⁰ 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]  ⁴⁷¹ 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]  ⁴⁷² sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra.

[14:7]  ⁴⁷² 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]  ⁴⁷³ tn The periphrastic construction εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ἦσαν (euangelizomenoi hsan) has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

[14:8]  ⁴⁷⁵ 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]  ⁴⁷⁶ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) south of Iconium.

[14:8]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn Grk “powerless in his feet,” meaning he was unable to use his feet to walk.

[14:8]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn Grk “lame from his mother’s womb” (an idiom).

[14:9]  ⁴⁷⁸ 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]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn Or “looked.”

[14:10]  ⁴⁸¹ tn BDAG 722 s.v. ὀρθός 1.a has “stand upright on your feet.”

[14:10]  ⁴⁸² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:10]  ⁴⁸³ 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]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn Grk “they lifted up their voice” (an idiom).

[14:11]  ⁴⁸⁵ 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]  ⁴⁸⁶ 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]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn The imperfect verb ἐκάλουν (ekaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[14:12]  ⁴⁸⁸ sn Zeus was the chief Greek deity, worshiped throughout the Greco-Roman world (known to the Romans as Jupiter).

[14:12]  ⁴⁸⁹ 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]  ⁴⁹⁰ 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]  ⁴⁹¹ sn See the note on Zeus in the previous verse.

[14:13]  ⁴⁹² tn Or “oxen.”

[14:13]  ⁴⁹³ tn Or “wreaths.”

[14:13]  ⁴⁹⁴ 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]  ⁴⁹³ 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]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is taken temporally.

[14:14]  ⁴⁹⁵ 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]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn So BDAG 307 s.v. ἐκπηδάω 1, “rush (lit. ‘leap’) out…εἰς τὸν ὄχλον into the crowd Ac 14:14.”

[14:14]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Grk “shouting and saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes, in v. 15) has not been translated because it is redundant.

[14:15]  ⁴⁹⁶ 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]  ⁴⁹⁷ 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]  ⁴⁹⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹⁹ 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]  ⁴⁹⁹ 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]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn On this term see BDAG 780 s.v. παροίχομαι. The word is a NT hapax legomenon.

[14:16]  ⁵⁰¹ 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]  ⁵⁰² 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]  ⁵⁰³ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[14:17]  ⁵⁰⁴ 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]  ⁵⁰⁵ 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]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is regarded as indicating means.

[14:18]  ⁵⁰⁶ 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]  ⁵⁰⁸ sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.

[14:19]  ⁵⁰⁹ 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]  ⁵¹⁰ tn The participle πείσαντες (peisante") is taken temporally (BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.c).

[14:19]  ⁵¹¹ 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]  ⁵¹¹ tn Grk “and entered”; the word “back” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[14:20]  ⁵¹² 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]  ⁵¹³ 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]  ⁵¹⁴ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) northwest of Derbe.

[14:21]  ⁵¹⁵ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) north of Lystra.

[14:21]  ⁵¹⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.

[14:22]  ⁵¹⁷ 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]  ⁵¹⁸ 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]  ⁵¹⁹ sn This reference to the kingdom of God clearly refers to its future arrival.

[14:22]  ⁵²⁰ tn Or “sufferings.”

[14:23]  ⁵²⁰ sn Appointed elders. See Acts 20:17.

[14:23]  ⁵²¹ tn The preposition κατά (kata) is used here in a distributive sense; see BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d.

[14:23]  ⁵²² 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]  ⁵²³ 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]  ⁵²³ 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]  ⁵²⁴ sn Pamphylia was a province along the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[14:25]  ⁵²⁶ tn Or “message.”

[14:25]  ⁵²⁷ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[14:25]  ⁵²⁸ 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]  ⁵²⁹ 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]  ⁵³⁰ 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]  ⁵³¹ 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]  ⁵³² tn Or “announced.”

[14:27]  ⁵³³ 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]  ⁵³⁴ sn On the image of opening, or of the door, see 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3.

[14:28]  ⁵³⁵ 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]  ⁵³⁶ tn Grk “no little (time)” (an idiom).

[15:1]  ⁵³⁸ sn That is, they came down from Judea to Antioch in Syria.

[15:1]  ⁵³⁹ 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]  ⁵⁴¹ tn Grk “no little argument and debate” (an idiom).

[15:2]  ⁵⁴² 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]  ⁵⁴³ tn Grk “go up to,” but in this context a meeting is implied.

[15:2]  ⁵⁴⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[15:2]  ⁵⁴⁵ 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]  ⁵⁴⁴ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ⁵⁴⁵ 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]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

[15:4]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn BDAG 761 s.v. παραδέχομαι 2 has “receive, accept” for the meaning here.

[15:4]  ⁵⁴⁸ tn Or “announced.”

[15:4]  ⁵⁴⁹ 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]  ⁵⁵⁰ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[15:5]  ⁵⁵¹ 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]  ⁵⁵² tn Grk “them”; the referent (the Gentiles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:5]  ⁵⁵³ tn Or “keep.”

[15:6]  ⁵⁵³ 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]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn Or “discussion.” This term is repeated from v. 2.

[15:7]  ⁵⁵⁷ 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]  ⁵⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn Or “word.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn Or “of the good news.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁶¹ 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]  ⁵⁵⁹ sn The expression who knows the heart means “who knows what people think.”

[15:8]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn Or “has borne witness.”

[15:8]  ⁵⁶¹ 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]  ⁵⁶² 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]  ⁵⁶³ tn Or “purifying.”

[15:10]  ⁵⁶⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶⁶ 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]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[15:11]  ⁵⁶⁸ tn Or “by.”

[15:11]  ⁵⁶⁹ 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]  ⁵⁷¹ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.a lists this passage under the meaning “say nothing, keep still, keep silent.”

[15:12]  ⁵⁷² tn Here in connection with τέρατα (terata) the miraculous nature of these signs is indicated.

[15:13]  ⁵⁷⁴ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “stop speaking, become silent.”

[15:13]  ⁵⁷⁵ tn Grk “answered, saying”; the redundant participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated.

[15:14]  ⁵⁷⁷ sn Simeon is a form of the apostle Peter’s Aramaic name. James uses Peter’s “Jewish” name here.

[15:14]  ⁵⁷⁸ tn Or “reported,” “described.”

[15:14]  ⁵⁷⁹ 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]  ⁵⁸⁰ 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]  ⁵⁸¹ sn In the Greek text the expression “from among the Gentiles” is in emphatic position.

[15:15]  ⁵⁸⁰ 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]  ⁵⁸¹ 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]  ⁵⁸³ tn Grk “After these things.”

[15:16]  ⁵⁸⁴ sn The first person pronoun I refers to God and his activity. It is God who is doing this.

[15:16]  ⁵⁸⁵ 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]  ⁵⁸⁶ 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]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn Or “so that all other people.” The use of this term follows Amos 9:11 LXX.

[15:17]  ⁵⁸⁷ 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]  ⁵⁸⁸ tn Or “all the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:17]  ⁵⁸⁹ 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]  ⁵⁹⁰ 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]  ⁵⁸⁹ 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]  ⁵⁹⁰ sn An allusion to Isa 45:21.

[15:19]  ⁵⁹² 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]  ⁵⁹³ tn Or “trouble.” This term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 775 s.v. παρενοχλέω).

[15:19]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Or “among the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:20]  ⁵⁹⁵ tn The translation “to write a letter, to send a letter to” for ἐπιστέλλω (epistellw) is given in L&N 33.49.

[15:20]  ⁵⁹⁶ 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]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Or “polluted.”

[15:20]  ⁵⁹⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹⁸ tn Grk “from generations of old”; the translation “fr. ancient times” is given by BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 3.b.

[15:21]  ⁵⁹⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[15:22]  ⁶⁰¹ 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]  ⁶⁰² sn Silas. See 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1 (= Silvanus).

[15:22]  ⁶⁰³ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ⁶⁰⁴ tn Grk “writing by their hand” (an idiom for sending a letter).

[15:23]  ⁶⁰⁵ 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]  ⁶⁰⁶ tn Grk “brothers,” but “your” is supplied to specify the relationship, since without it “brothers” could be understood as vocative in English.

[15:23]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn Grk “to the brothers who are from the Gentiles.”

[15:23]  ⁶⁰⁸ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ⁶⁰⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰⁷ 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]  ⁶⁰⁸ tn BDAG 71 s.v. ἀνασκευάζω describes this verb with a figurative meaning: “to cause inward distress, upset, unsettle.”

[15:24]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn Grk “souls.”

[15:24]  ⁶¹⁰ tn Grk “by words”; L&N 25.231 translates the phrase “they troubled and upset you by what they said.”

[15:25]  ⁶¹⁰ 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]  ⁶¹¹ 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]  ⁶¹³ 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]  ⁶¹⁴ 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]  ⁶¹⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[15:27]  ⁶¹⁶ tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

[15:27]  ⁶¹⁷ sn Judas and Silas were the “two witnesses” who would vouch for the truth of the recommendation.

[15:27]  ⁶¹⁸ tn Grk “by means of word” (an idiom for a verbal report).

[15:28]  ⁶¹⁹ 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]  ⁶²⁰ tn L&N 71.39 translates “indispensable (rules)” while BDAG 358 s.v. ἐπάναγκες has “the necessary things.”

[15:29]  ⁶²² 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]  ⁶²³ 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]  ⁶²⁴ 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]  ⁶²⁵ 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]  ⁶²⁶ 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]  ⁶²⁵ tn Or “sent away.”

[15:30]  ⁶²⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:30]  ⁶²⁷ tn Or “congregation” (referring to the group of believers).

[15:31]  ⁶²⁸ 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]  ⁶²⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:31]  ⁶³⁰ tn Or “at its encouraging message.”

[15:32]  ⁶³¹ 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]  ⁶³⁴ 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]  ⁶³⁵ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[15:34]  ⁶³⁷ 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]  ⁶⁴⁰ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:35]  ⁶⁴¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[15:35]  ⁶⁴² 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]  ⁶⁴³ 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]  ⁶⁴⁴ tn See the note on the phrase “word of the Lord” in v. 35.

[15:36]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.b has “how they are” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ⁶⁴⁶ tn BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 2.a has “he insisted (impf.) that they should not take him along” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ⁶⁴⁷ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor. See Acts 13:13, where it was mentioned previously.

[15:39]  ⁶⁴⁹ 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]  ⁶⁵⁰ tn BDAG 780 s.v. παροξυσμός 2 has “sharp disagreement” here; L&N 33.451 has “sharp argument, sharp difference of opinion.”

[15:39]  ⁶⁵¹ 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]  ⁶⁵² sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[15:40]  ⁶⁵² 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]  ⁶⁵³ 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]  ⁶⁵⁵ sn Strengthening. See Acts 14:22; 15:32; 18:23.

[16:1]  ⁶⁵⁸ 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]  ⁶⁵⁹ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:1]  ⁶⁶⁰ tn Grk “And behold, a disciple.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[16:1]  ⁶⁶¹ tn L&N 31.103 translates this phrase “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer.”

[16:1]  ⁶⁶² 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]  ⁶⁶¹ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:2]  ⁶⁶² sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 110 mi (175 km) east of Pisidian Antioch.

[16:2]  ⁶⁶³ tn For this sense of μαρτυρέω (marturew), see BDAG 618 s.v. 2.b.

[16:2]  ⁶⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶⁶⁴ tn Grk “this one”; the referent (Timothy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:3]  ⁶⁶⁵ 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]  ⁶⁶⁶ 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]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn Or “who lived in the area.”

[16:3]  ⁶⁶⁸ tn The anarthrous predicate nominative has been translated as qualitative (“Greek”) rather than indefinite (“a Greek”).

[16:4]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn Or “cities.”

[16:4]  ⁶⁶⁸ tn BDAG 762-63 s.v. παραδίδωμι 3 has “they handed down to them the decisions to observe Ac 16:4.”

[16:4]  ⁶⁶⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[16:4]  ⁶⁷⁰ tn Grk “for them”; the referent (Gentile believers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:4]  ⁶⁷¹ tn Or “observe” or “follow.”

[16:5]  ⁶⁷⁰ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[16:6]  ⁶⁷³ sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia.

[16:6]  ⁶⁷⁴ 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]  ⁶⁷⁵ tn Or “forbidden.”

[16:6]  ⁶⁷⁶ tn Or “word.”

[16:6]  ⁶⁷⁷ 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]  ⁶⁷⁶ tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.b has “to Mysia” here.

[16:7]  ⁶⁷⁷ sn Mysia was a province in northwest Asia Minor.

[16:7]  ⁶⁷⁸ sn Bithynia was a province in northern Asia Minor northeast of Mysia.

[16:7]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Or “permit”; see BDAG 269 s.v. ἐάω 1.

[16:7]  ⁶⁸⁰ 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]  ⁶⁷⁹ 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]  ⁶⁸⁰ sn Mysia was a province in northwest Asia Minor.

[16:8]  ⁶⁸¹ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor, near ancient Troy.

[16:9]  ⁶⁸² 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]  ⁶⁸³ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:9]  ⁶⁸⁴ tn The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.

[16:9]  ⁶⁸⁵ tn Grk “Coming over.” The participle διαβάς (diabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:9]  ⁶⁸⁶ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:10]  ⁶⁸⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:10]  ⁶⁸⁶ tn Grk “sought.”

[16:10]  ⁶⁸⁷ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:10]  ⁶⁸⁸ tn Or “summoned.”

[16:11]  ⁶⁸⁸ 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]  ⁶⁸⁹ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. See v. 8.

[16:11]  ⁶⁹⁰ 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]  ⁶⁹¹ sn Samothrace is an island in the northern part of the Aegean Sea.

[16:11]  ⁶⁹² sn Neapolis was a seaport on the southern coast of Macedonia. It was 10 mi (16 km) from Philippi.

[16:12]  ⁶⁹¹ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[16:12]  ⁶⁹² 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]  ⁶⁹³ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:12]  ⁶⁹⁴ 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]  ⁶⁹⁴ 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]  ⁶⁹⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἐλαλοῦμεν (elaloumen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[16:13]  ⁶⁹⁶ 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]  ⁶⁹⁷ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:14]  ⁶⁹⁷ 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]  ⁶⁹⁸ tn On the term translated “a dealer in purple cloth” see BDAG 855 s.v. πορφυρόπωλις.

[16:14]  ⁶⁹⁹ sn Thyatira was a city in the province of Lydia in Asia Minor.

[16:14]  ⁷⁰⁰ 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]  ⁷⁰¹ 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]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn Grk “urged us, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[16:15]  ⁷⁰¹ 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]  ⁷⁰² 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]  ⁷⁰³ 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]  ⁷⁰³ 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]  ⁷⁰⁴ 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]  ⁷⁰⁵ 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]  ⁷⁰⁶ tn Or “masters.”

[16:16]  ⁷⁰⁷ tn On this term see BDAG 616 s.v. μαντεύομαι. It was used of those who gave oracles.

[16:17]  ⁷⁰⁶ 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]  ⁷⁰⁷ 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]  ⁷⁰⁸ 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]  ⁷⁰⁹ 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]  ⁷⁰⁹ 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]  ⁷¹⁰ tn Grk “and turning.” The participle ἐπιστρέψας (epistreya") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:18]  ⁷¹¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[16:18]  ⁷¹² 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]  ⁷¹² tn Or “masters.”

[16:19]  ⁷¹³ 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]  ⁷¹⁴ 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]  ⁷¹⁵ tn On the term ἕλκω ({elkw) see BDAG 318 s.v. 1.

[16:20]  ⁷¹⁵ 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]  ⁷¹⁶ 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]  ⁷¹⁷ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἐκταράσσω has “agitate, cause trouble to, throw into confusion” for the meaning of this verb.

[16:20]  ⁷¹⁸ 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]  ⁷¹⁸ tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.

[16:21]  ⁷¹⁹ tn Or “acknowledge.”

[16:21]  ⁷²⁰ 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]  ⁷²¹ tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[16:22]  ⁷²¹ tn L&N 39.50 has “the crowd joined the attack against them” for συνεπέστη (sunepesth) in this verse.

[16:22]  ⁷²² 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]  ⁷²³ tn Grk “off them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:22]  ⁷²⁴ 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]  ⁷²⁴ 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]  ⁷²⁵ tn Grk “commanding.” The participle παραγγείλαντες (parangeilante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:24]  ⁷²⁷ tn Or “prison.”

[16:24]  ⁷²⁸ 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]  ⁷³⁰ 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]  ⁷³¹ 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]  ⁷³² tn The words “the rest of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[16:26]  ⁷³³ 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]  ⁷³⁶ 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]  ⁷³⁷ tn The additional semantic component “standing” is supplied (“standing open”) to convey a stative nuance in English.

[16:27]  ⁷³⁸ 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]  ⁷³⁹ tn Or “thought.”

[16:28]  ⁷³⁹ 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]  ⁷⁴⁰ sn Do not harm yourself. Again the irony is that Paul is the agent through whom the jailer is spared.

[16:29]  ⁷⁴² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:29]  ⁷⁴³ tn Or “and prostrated himself.”

[16:30]  ⁷⁴⁵ 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]  ⁷⁴⁶ tn The Greek term (δεῖ, dei) is used by Luke to represent divine necessity.

[16:31]  ⁷⁴⁸ tn Grk “said.”

[16:31]  ⁷⁴⁹ 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]  ⁷⁵⁰ 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]  ⁷⁵¹ 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]  ⁷⁵² 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]  ⁷⁵⁴ 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]  ⁷⁵⁵ 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]  ⁷⁵⁶ 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]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[16:33]  ⁷⁵⁸ 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]  ⁷⁵⁹ tn Or “immediately.”

[16:34]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:34]  ⁷⁵⁸ 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]  ⁷⁵⁹ tn Or “he was overjoyed.”

[16:34]  ⁷⁶⁰ tn The translation “come to believe” reflects more of the resultative nuance of the perfect tense here.

[16:34]  ⁷⁶¹ 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]  ⁷⁶⁰ 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]  ⁷⁶¹ 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]  ⁷⁶² 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]  ⁷⁶³ 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]  ⁷⁶⁴ 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]  ⁷⁶⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶⁶ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:37]  ⁷⁶⁷ 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]  ⁷⁶⁸ tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[16:37]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (Juparconta") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[16:37]  ⁷⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷⁷¹ tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.

[16:37]  ⁷⁷² tn Grk “But they.”

[16:37]  ⁷⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:38]  ⁷⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷⁷² 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]  ⁷⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁷⁴ 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]  ⁷⁷⁵ tn “Then” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the logical sequence in the translation.

[17:1]  ⁷⁷⁸ tn BDAG 250 s.v. διοδεύω 1 has “go, travel through” for this verse.

[17:1]  ⁷⁷⁹ 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]  ⁷⁸⁰ sn Apollonia was a city in Macedonia about 27 mi (43 km) west southwest of Amphipolis.

[17:1]  ⁷⁸¹ 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]  ⁷⁸² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:2]  ⁷⁸¹ tn Grk “he went in to them”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:2]  ⁷⁸² 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]  ⁷⁸⁴ tn BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 2.b has “demonstrate, point out” here.

[17:3]  ⁷⁸⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[17:3]  ⁷⁸⁶ 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]  ⁷⁸⁷ 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]  ⁷⁸⁸ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[17:4]  ⁷⁸⁷ tn Or “convinced.”

[17:4]  ⁷⁸⁸ tn Or “a large crowd.”

[17:4]  ⁷⁸⁹ 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]  ⁷⁹⁰ 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]  ⁷⁹⁰ 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]  ⁷⁹¹ 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]  ⁷⁹² tn On this term, which is a NT hapax legomenon, see BDAG 745 s.v. ὀχλοποιέω.

[17:5]  ⁷⁹³ 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]  ⁷⁹⁴ sn The attack took place at Jason’s house because this was probably the location of the new house church.

[17:5]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Grk “them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:5]  ⁷⁹⁶ 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]  ⁷⁹³ 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]  ⁷⁹⁴ 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]  ⁷⁹⁵ 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]  ⁷⁹⁶ tn Or “the empire.” This was a way of referring to the Roman empire (BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 2.b).

[17:7]  ⁷⁹⁶ 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]  ⁷⁹⁷ 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]  ⁷⁹⁸ tn Or “the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[17:7]  ⁷⁹⁹ tn The word “named” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.

[17:7]  ⁸⁰⁰ 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]  ⁷⁹⁹ 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]  ⁸⁰⁰ 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]  ⁸⁰² 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]  ⁸⁰³ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the city officials) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:9]  ⁸⁰⁴ 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]  ⁸⁰⁵ 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]  ⁸⁰⁶ 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]  ⁸⁰⁷ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:11]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Grk “These”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue at Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:11]  ⁸⁰⁹ 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]  ⁸¹⁰ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:11]  ⁸¹¹ tn Or “willingly,” “readily”; Grk “with all eagerness.”

[17:11]  ⁸¹² 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]  ⁸¹³ tn This verb (BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 1) refers to careful examination.

[17:11]  ⁸¹⁴ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[17:12]  ⁸¹¹ 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]  ⁸¹² tn Or “respected.”

[17:13]  ⁸¹⁴ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:13]  ⁸¹⁵ 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]  ⁸¹⁶ 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]  ⁸¹⁷ tn BDAG 911 s.v. σαλεύω 2 has “incite” for σαλεύοντες (saleuonte") in Acts 17:13.

[17:13]  ⁸¹⁸ tn Or “stirring up” (BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2). The point is the agitation of the crowds.

[17:14]  ⁸¹⁷ 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]  ⁸¹⁸ tn Grk “remained there”; the referent (Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:15]  ⁸²⁰ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:15]  ⁸²¹ sn They left. See 1 Thess 3:1-2, which shows they went from here to Thessalonica.

[17:16]  ⁸²³ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:16]  ⁸²⁴ 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]  ⁸²⁵ 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]  ⁸²⁶ 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]  ⁸²⁷ 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]  ⁸²⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:17]  ⁸²⁹ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[17:18]  ⁸²⁹ 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]  ⁸³⁰ 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]  ⁸³¹ tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβάλλω 1 has “converse, confer” here.

[17:18]  ⁸³² tn Grk “saying.”

[17:18]  ⁸³³ 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]  ⁸³⁴ 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]  ⁸³⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[17:19]  ⁸³² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:19]  ⁸³³ tn Or “to the council of the Areopagus.” See also the term in v. 22.

[17:20]  ⁸³⁵ tn BDAG 684 s.v. ξενίζω 2 translates the substantival participle ξενίζοντα (xenizonta) as “astonishing things Ac 17:20.”

[17:20]  ⁸³⁶ 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]  ⁸³⁸ tn The imperfect verb ηὐκαίρουν (hukairoun) has been translated as a customary or habitual imperfect.

[17:21]  ⁸³⁹ tn BDAG 406-7 s.v. εὐκαιρέω has “used to spend their time in nothing else than telling Ac 17:21.”

[17:21]  ⁸⁴⁰ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. The reference to newness may be pejorative.

[17:22]  ⁸⁴¹ tn Grk “standing…said.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[17:22]  ⁸⁴² 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]  ⁸⁴³ tn BDAG 513 s.v. κατά B.6 translates the phrase κατὰ πάντα (kata panta) as “in all respects.”

[17:23]  ⁸⁴⁴ tn Or “your sanctuaries.” L&N 53.54 gives “sanctuary” (place of worship) as an alternate meaning for the word σεβάσματα (sebasmata).

[17:23]  ⁸⁴⁵ 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]  ⁸⁴⁶ 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]  ⁸⁴⁷ tn Grk “all the things that are in it.” The speech starts with God as Creator, like 14:15.

[17:24]  ⁸⁴⁸ 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]  ⁸⁴⁹ 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]  ⁸⁵⁰ tn L&N 57.45 has “nor does he need anything more that people can supply by working for him.”

[17:25]  ⁸⁵¹ tn Grk “he himself gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.”

[17:26]  ⁸⁵³ sn The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).

[17:26]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Or “mankind.” BDAG 276 s.v. ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”

[17:26]  ⁸⁵⁵ tn Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”

[17:26]  ⁸⁵⁶ 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]  ⁸⁵⁷ 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]  ⁸⁵⁶ tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.

[17:27]  ⁸⁵⁷ 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]  ⁸⁵⁸ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (Juparconta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[17:28]  ⁸⁵⁹ 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]  ⁸⁶⁰ 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]  ⁸⁶² tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.

[17:29]  ⁸⁶³ tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.

[17:29]  ⁸⁶⁴ tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[17:29]  ⁸⁶⁵ tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).

[17:29]  ⁸⁶⁶ 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]  ⁸⁶⁵ tn Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”

[17:30]  ⁸⁶⁶ tn Or “times when people did not know.”

[17:30]  ⁸⁶⁷ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[17:30]  ⁸⁶⁸ 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]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Or “fixed.”

[17:31]  ⁸⁶⁹ sn The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.

[17:31]  ⁸⁷⁰ 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]  ⁸⁷¹ tn The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") indicates means here.

[17:32]  ⁸⁷¹ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[17:32]  ⁸⁷² 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]  ⁸⁷⁴ tn Grk “left out of their midst”; the referent (the Areopagus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:34]  ⁸⁷⁷ 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]  ⁸⁷⁸ 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]  ⁸⁷⁹ 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]  ⁸⁸⁰ 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]  ⁸⁸¹ 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]  ⁸⁸⁰ tn Grk “After these things.”

[18:1]  ⁸⁸¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ⁸⁸² tn Or “Paul left.”

[18:1]  ⁸⁸³ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:1]  ⁸⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁸⁴ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:2]  ⁸⁸⁵ 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]  ⁸⁸⁶ sn Pontus was a region in the northeastern part of Asia Minor. It was a Roman province.

[18:2]  ⁸⁸⁷ 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]  ⁸⁸⁸ tn Or “to leave.”

[18:2]  ⁸⁸⁹ map For location see JP4 A1.

[18:2]  ⁸⁹⁰ tn Or “went to.”

[18:3]  ⁸⁸⁶ 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]  ⁸⁸⁷ 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]  ⁸⁸⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:4]  ⁸⁸⁹ 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]  ⁸⁹⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:4]  ⁸⁹¹ 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]  ⁸⁹² tn Grk “came down.”

[18:5]  ⁸⁹³ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[18:5]  ⁸⁹⁴ 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]  ⁸⁹⁵ 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]  ⁸⁹⁶ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[18:6]  ⁸⁹⁵ 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]  ⁸⁹⁶ 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]  ⁸⁹⁷ 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]  ⁸⁹⁸ 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]  ⁸⁹⁹ tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”

[18:7]  ⁸⁹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:7]  ⁸⁹⁹ 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]  ⁹⁰⁰ tn Grk “from there”; the referent (the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:7]  ⁹⁰¹ 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]  ⁹⁰¹ 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]  ⁹⁰² 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]  ⁹⁰⁴ 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]  ⁹⁰⁵ tn BDAG 682 s.v. νύξ 1.c has “W. prep. ἐν ν. at night, in the night…Ac 18:9.”

[18:9]  ⁹⁰⁶ tn The present imperative here (with negation) is used (as it normally is) of a general condition (BDF §335).

[18:10]  ⁹⁰⁷ 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]  ⁹⁰⁸ tn Or “injure.”

[18:11]  ⁹¹⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[18:11]  ⁹¹¹ 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]  ⁹¹³ 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]  ⁹¹⁴ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[18:12]  ⁹¹⁵ 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]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Grk “with one accord.”

[18:12]  ⁹¹⁷ 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]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Or “inciting.”

[18:13]  ⁹¹⁷ 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]  ⁹¹⁹ tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).

[18:14]  ⁹²⁰ 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]  ⁹²¹ 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]  ⁹²² tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”

[18:15]  ⁹²² tn Or “dispute.”

[18:15]  ⁹²³ tn Grk “see to it” (an idiom).

[18:15]  ⁹²⁴ tn Or “I am not willing to be.” Gallio would not adjudicate their religious dispute.

[18:16]  ⁹²⁵ 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]  ⁹²⁶ sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.

[18:17]  ⁹²⁸ 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]  ⁹²⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἔτυπτον (etupton) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[18:17]  ⁹³⁰ sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.

[18:17]  ⁹³¹ tn L&N 25.223 has “‘none of these things were of any concern to Gallio’ Ac 18:17.”

[18:18]  ⁹³¹ tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.

[18:18]  ⁹³² map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:18]  ⁹³³ 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]  ⁹³⁴ tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”

[18:18]  ⁹³⁵ sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.

[18:18]  ⁹³⁶ 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]  ⁹³⁷ 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]  ⁹³⁸ tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”

[18:18]  ⁹³⁹ 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]  ⁹³⁴ 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]  ⁹³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ⁹³⁶ tn Grk “left them”; the referents (Priscilla and Aquila) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ⁹³⁷ tn Grk “going”; the participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:19]  ⁹³⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:19]  ⁹³⁹ 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]  ⁹³⁷ 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]  ⁹⁴⁰ tn Or “but took leave of.”

[18:21]  ⁹⁴¹ 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]  ⁹⁴² tn Or “will return.”

[18:21]  ⁹⁴³ 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]  ⁹⁴⁴ 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]  ⁹⁴³ 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]  ⁹⁴⁴ 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]  ⁹⁴⁵ 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]  ⁹⁴⁶ 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]  ⁹⁴⁷ 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]  ⁹⁴⁶ tn Grk “Having spent”; the participle ποιήσας (poihsas) is taken temporally.

[18:23]  ⁹⁴⁷ 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]  ⁹⁴⁸ sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia. See Acts 16:6.

[18:24]  ⁹⁴⁹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[18:24]  ⁹⁵⁰ 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]  ⁹⁵¹ tn Grk “powerful.” BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b has “in the Scriptures = well-versed 18:24.”

[18:25]  ⁹⁵² tn Or “had been taught.”

[18:25]  ⁹⁵³ tn Grk “and boiling in spirit” (an idiom for great eagerness or enthusiasm; BDAG 426 s.v. ζέω).

[18:25]  ⁹⁵⁴ tn Grk “the things.”

[18:25]  ⁹⁵⁵ tn Grk “knowing”; the participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistameno") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[18:26]  ⁹⁵⁵ tn Or “boldly.” This is a frequent term in Acts (9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26).

[18:26]  ⁹⁵⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:26]  ⁹⁵⁷ 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]  ⁹⁵⁸ 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]  ⁹⁵⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Apollos) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:27]  ⁹⁵⁹ 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]  ⁹⁶⁰ 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]  ⁹⁶¹ 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]  ⁹⁶² 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]  ⁹⁶¹ tn Or “vehemently.” BDAG 414 s.v. εὐτόνως has “vigorously, vehemently…εὐ. διακατελέγχεσθαί τινι refute someone vigorously Ac 18:28.”

[18:28]  ⁹⁶² 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]  ⁹⁶³ 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]  ⁹⁶⁴ 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]  ⁹⁶⁴ 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]  ⁹⁶⁵ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[19:1]  ⁹⁶⁶ tn Or “interior.”

[19:1]  ⁹⁶⁷ tn BDAG 92 s.v. ἀνωτερικός has “upper τὰ ἀ. μέρη the upper (i.e. inland) country, the interior Ac 19:1.”

[19:1]  ⁹⁶⁸ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:1]  ⁹⁶⁹ 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]  ⁹⁷⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[19:2]  ⁹⁶⁷ tn The participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") is taken temporally.

[19:2]  ⁹⁶⁸ tn Grk “they [said] to him” (the word “said” is implied in the Greek text).

[19:2]  ⁹⁶⁹ 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]  ⁹⁷⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:3]  ⁹⁷¹ tn Grk “they said.”

[19:4]  ⁹⁷³ 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]  ⁹⁷⁶ tn Or “laid.”

[19:6]  ⁹⁷⁷ 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]  ⁹⁷⁸ tn The imperfect verb ἐλάλουν (elaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[19:6]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἐπροφήτευον (eprofhteuon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[19:7]  ⁹⁷⁹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:8]  ⁹⁸² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:8]  ⁹⁸³ 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]  ⁹⁸⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[19:8]  ⁹⁸⁵ tn Or “boldly.”

[19:8]  ⁹⁸⁶ 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]  ⁹⁸⁷ 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]  ⁹⁸⁸ 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]  ⁹⁸⁵ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b lists this use as a temporal conjunction.

[19:9]  ⁹⁸⁶ tn Or “some became hardened.” See BDAG 930 s.v. σκληρύνω b and Acts 7:51-53.

[19:9]  ⁹⁸⁷ 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]  ⁹⁸⁸ 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]  ⁹⁸⁹ 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]  ⁹⁹⁰ tn The words “with him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:9]  ⁹⁹¹ 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]  ⁹⁹² tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[19:9]  ⁹⁹³ 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]  ⁹⁸⁸ 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]  ⁹⁸⁹ 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]  ⁹⁹¹ tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11.”

[19:12]  ⁹⁹⁴ tn Or “skin” (the outer surface of the body).

[19:12]  ⁹⁹⁵ 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]  ⁹⁹⁶ tn The words “of them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:13]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn Grk “some Jewish exorcists who traveled about.” The adjectival participle περιερχομένων (periercomenwn) has been translated as “itinerant.”

[19:13]  ⁹⁹⁸ tn Grk “to name the name.”

[19:13]  ⁹⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ sn The expression I sternly warn you means “I charge you as under oath.”

[19:14]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn Grk “a certain Sceva.”

[19:14]  ¹⁰⁰¹ sn Within the sequence of the narrative, this amounts to a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:15]  ¹⁰⁰³ tn Grk “answered and said to them.” The expression, redundant in English, has been simplified to “replied.”

[19:15]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn Grk “in whom the evil spirit was.”

[19:16]  ¹⁰⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ tn BDAG 484 s.v. ἰσχύω 3 has “win out, prevail…κατά τινος over, against someone Ac 19:16.”

[19:17]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:17]  ¹⁰¹⁰ tn Grk “fell on.” BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 2 has “φόβος ἐ. ἐπί τινα fear came upon someone…Ac 19:17.”

[19:17]  ¹⁰¹¹ tn Or “exalted.”

[19:18]  ¹⁰¹² 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]  ¹⁰¹³ 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]  ¹⁰¹⁵ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 4.a has “many, quite a few” for ἱκανοί (Jikanoi) in this verse.

[19:19]  ¹⁰¹⁶ tn On this term see BDAG 800 s.v. περίεργος 2.

[19:19]  ¹⁰¹⁷ tn Or “scrolls.”

[19:19]  ¹⁰¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁰¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰²⁰ 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]  ¹⁰¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁰¹⁹ tn The imperfect verb ηὔξανεν (huxanen) has been translated as a progressive imperfect, as has the following verb ἴσχυεν (iscuen).

[19:20]  ¹⁰²⁰ 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]  ¹⁰²¹ tn Grk “all these things had been fulfilled.”

[19:21]  ¹⁰²² 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]  ¹⁰²³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[19:21]  ¹⁰²⁴ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[19:21]  ¹⁰²⁵ sn Achaia was the Roman province of Achaia located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. Its principal city was Corinth.

[19:21]  ¹⁰²⁶ 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]  ¹⁰²⁷ 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]  ¹⁰²⁴ tn The aorist participle ἀποστείλας (aposteila") has been taken temporally reflecting action antecedent to that of the main verb (ἐπέσχεν, epescen).

[19:22]  ¹⁰²⁵ tn Grk “two of those who ministered to him.”

[19:22]  ¹⁰²⁶ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[19:22]  ¹⁰²⁷ 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]  ¹⁰²⁷ 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]  ¹⁰²⁸ 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]  ¹⁰²⁹ tn Grk “no little disturbance” (an idiom; see BDAG 991 s.v. τάραχος 2).

[19:23]  ¹⁰³⁰ sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity).

[19:24]  ¹⁰³⁰ 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]  ¹⁰³¹ 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]  ¹⁰³² tn Grk “brought not a little business” (an idiom).

[19:24]  ¹⁰³³ 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]  ¹⁰³³ tn Grk “gathering.” The participle συναθροίσας (sunaqroisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:25]  ¹⁰³⁴ 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]  ¹⁰³⁵ 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]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn Another possible meaning is “that this business is an easy way for us to earn a living.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn Grk “persuading.” The participle πείσας (peisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:26]  ¹⁰³⁷ tn Or “misled.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰³⁸ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.a has “of pers. ὄχλος a large crowd…Ac 11:24, 26; 19:26.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰³⁹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁴¹ tn The participle λέγων (legwn) has been regarded as indicating instrumentality.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁴² tn The words “at all” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[19:27]  ¹⁰³⁹ tn Or “come under public criticism.” BDAG 101 s.v. ἀπελεγμός has “come into disrepute Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁴¹ tn BDAG 597 s.v. λογίζομαι 1.b has “εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι be looked upon as nothing…Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁴² tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁴³ 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]  ¹⁰⁴² 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]  ¹⁰⁴³ tn Grk “And hearing.” The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[19:28]  ¹⁰⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁷ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:29]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁹ tn Grk “to the theater with one accord.”

[19:30]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁵¹ tn Grk “Asiarchs” (high-ranking officials of the province of Asia).

[19:31]  ¹⁰⁵² tn Grk “sending”; the participle πέμψαντες (pemyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:31]  ¹⁰⁵³ 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]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ tn Or “had assembled.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁵⁷ tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ tn Or “motioning.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁶² 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ tn Grk “But recognizing.” The participle ἐπιγνόντες (epignonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:34]  ¹⁰⁶¹ tn Grk “[they shouted] with one voice from all of them” (an idiom).

[19:34]  ¹⁰⁶² 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]  ¹⁰⁶³ 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]  ¹⁰⁶³ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ¹⁰⁶⁴ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ¹⁰⁶⁵ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[19:36]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:36]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁸ tn Grk “it is necessary that you be quiet.”

[19:36]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ tn Or perhaps, “desecrators of temples.”

[19:37]  ¹⁰⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁷² tn BDAG 600 s.v. λόγος 1.a.ε has “ἔχειν πρός τινα λόγον have a complaint against someone…19:38.”

[19:38]  ¹⁰⁷³ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ tn Or “anything more than this.”

[19:39]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ tn Or “resolved.”

[19:39]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn Grk “For indeed.” The ascensive force of καί (kai) would be awkward to translate here.

[19:40]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁸² tn Grk “And saying.” The participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:41]  ¹⁰⁸³ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:41]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ tn Or “exhorting.”

[20:1]  ¹⁰⁸⁵ tn Or “and taking leave of them.”

[20:1]  ¹⁰⁸⁶ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[20:2]  ¹⁰⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁸⁹ tn Grk “[to] them”; the referent (the believers there) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:2]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn BDAG 841 s.v. ποιέω 5.c, “w. an acc. of time spend, stay.”

[20:3]  ¹⁰⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁹² sn This plot is one of several noted by Luke (Acts 9:20; 20:19; 23:30).

[20:3]  ¹⁰⁹³ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ tn BDAG 199 s.v. γίνομαι 7 has “ἐγένετο γνώμης he decided Ac 20:3.”

[20:3]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[20:4]  ¹⁰⁹³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:4]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ tn Grk “of the Thessalonians.”

[20:4]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 30 mi (50 km) southeast of Lystra.

[20:4]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor.

[20:6]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁰ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[20:6]  ¹¹⁰¹ 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]  ¹¹⁰² tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.a.α has “ἄ. ἡμερῶν πέντε within five days Ac 20:6.”

[20:6]  ¹¹⁰³ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the others mentioned in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:6]  ¹¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁰² sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).

[20:7]  ¹¹⁰³ tn Or “assembled.”

[20:7]  ¹¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁶ tn Or “prolonged.”

[20:8]  ¹¹⁰⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁶ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.

[20:9]  ¹¹⁰⁸ tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).

[20:9]  ¹¹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹¹¹⁰ tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.

[20:9]  ¹¹¹¹ 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]  ¹¹¹¹ tn Grk “going down.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:10]  ¹¹¹² tn BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 1.b has “ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ he threw himself upon him Ac 20:10.”

[20:10]  ¹¹¹³ tn Grk “on him”; the referent (the young man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:10]  ¹¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹¹⁵ tn Grk “for his life is in him” (an idiom).

[20:11]  ¹¹¹⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:11]  ¹¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹¹⁷ 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]  ¹¹²⁰ 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]  ¹¹²¹ 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]  ¹¹²² sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.

[20:13]  ¹¹²³ 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]  ¹¹²⁴ 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]  ¹¹²⁵ 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]  ¹¹²⁶ 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]  ¹¹²⁷ tn Or “there on foot.”

[20:14]  ¹¹²³ sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.

[20:14]  ¹¹²⁴ 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]  ¹¹²⁵ 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]  ¹¹²⁶ 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]  ¹¹²⁷ tn Or “offshore from Chios.”

[20:15]  ¹¹²⁸ 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]  ¹¹²⁹ sn Samos is an island in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of Asia Minor.

[20:15]  ¹¹³⁰ 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]  ¹¹²⁹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[20:16]  ¹¹³⁰ 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]  ¹¹³¹ 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]  ¹¹³² tn Or “was eager.”

[20:16]  ¹¹³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[20:16]  ¹¹³⁴ tn Grk “if it could be to him” (an idiom).

[20:17]  ¹¹³² sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 45 mi (72 km) south of Ephesus.

[20:17]  ¹¹³³ 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]  ¹¹³⁴ 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]  ¹¹³⁵ 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]  ¹¹³⁶ 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]  ¹¹³⁷ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 16.

[20:19]  ¹¹³⁸ 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]  ¹¹³⁹ sn These plots are mentioned in Acts 9:24; 20:13.

[20:20]  ¹¹⁴¹ tn Or “declaring.”

[20:20]  ¹¹⁴² 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]  ¹¹⁴³ tn Or “openly.”

[20:21]  ¹¹⁴⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[20:22]  ¹¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “bound.”

[20:22]  ¹¹⁴⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁰ tn BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 1.d has “πλὴν ὅτι except that…Ac 20:23.”

[20:23]  ¹¹⁵¹ 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]  ¹¹⁵² tn The Greek text here reads κατὰ πόλιν (kata polin).

[20:23]  ¹¹⁵³ tn Grk “saying that,” but the participle λέγον (legon) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[20:23]  ¹¹⁵⁴ tn Grk “bonds.”

[20:23]  ¹¹⁵⁵ tn Or “troubles,” “suffering.” See Acts 19:21; 21:4, 11.

[20:24]  ¹¹⁵³ tn Grk “soul.”

[20:24]  ¹¹⁵⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁷ tn Or “to the gospel.”

[20:25]  ¹¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[20:25]  ¹¹⁵⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁹ tn Grk “will see my face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

[20:26]  ¹¹⁵⁹ tn Or “testify.”

[20:26]  ¹¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “clean, pure,” thus “guiltless” (BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a).

[20:26]  ¹¹⁶¹ 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]  ¹¹⁶² 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]  ¹¹⁶³ tn Or “proclaiming,” “declaring.”

[20:27]  ¹¹⁶⁴ tn Or “plan.”

[20:28]  ¹¹⁶⁵ tn Or “Be on your guard for” (cf. v. 29). Paul completed his responsibility to the Ephesians with this warning.

[20:28]  ¹¹⁶⁶ tn Grk “in which.”

[20:28]  ¹¹⁶⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁹ tn Or “acquired.”

[20:28]  ¹¹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “after my departure.”

[20:29]  ¹¹⁶⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁷¹ tn Grk “from among yourselves.”

[20:30]  ¹¹⁷² 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]  ¹¹⁷³ tn Grk “speaking crooked things”; BDAG 237 s.v. διαστρέφω 2 has “λαλεῖν διεστραμμένα teach perversions (of the truth) Ac 20:30.”

[20:31]  ¹¹⁷⁴ tn Or “be watchful.”

[20:31]  ¹¹⁷⁵ tn Or “admonishing.”

[20:32]  ¹¹⁷⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “word.”

[20:32]  ¹¹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁸³ tn The words “of mine” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify whose hands Paul is referring to.

[20:35]  ¹¹⁸⁶ sn The expression By all these things means “In everything I did.”

[20:35]  ¹¹⁸⁷ tn Or “must assist.”

[20:35]  ¹¹⁸⁸ tn Or “the sick.” See Eph 4:28.

[20:35]  ¹¹⁸⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁹² tn Grk “weeping a great deal,” thus “loudly” (BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός and BDAG 546 s.v. κλαυθμός).

[20:37]  ¹¹⁹³ tn Grk “fell on Paul’s neck” (an idiom, see BDAG 1014 s.v. τράχηλος).

[20:37]  ¹¹⁹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁵ tn Or “pained.”

[20:38]  ¹¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “by the word that he had said.”

[20:38]  ¹¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “to see his face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

[20:38]  ¹¹⁹⁸ tn BDAG 873 s.v. προπέμπω 1 has “they accompanied him to the ship Ac 20:38.”

[21:1]  ¹¹⁹⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁹ 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]  ¹²⁰⁰ 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]  ¹²⁰¹ 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]  ¹²⁰² 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]  ¹²⁰³ sn Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea.

[21:1]  ¹²⁰⁴ sn Rhodes was an island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.

[21:1]  ¹²⁰⁵ 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]  ¹²⁰¹ 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]  ¹²⁰² sn Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[21:2]  ¹²⁰³ 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]  ¹²⁰⁴ 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]  ¹²⁰⁴ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[21:3]  ¹²⁰⁵ 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]  ¹²⁰⁶ 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]  ¹²⁰⁷ 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]  ¹²⁰⁷ 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]  ¹²⁰⁸ tn BDAG 154 s.v. αὐτοῦ states, “deictic adv. designating a position relatively near or far…there…Ac 21:4.”

[21:4]  ¹²⁰⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγον (elegon) has been taken iteratively.

[21:4]  ¹²¹⁰ 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]  ¹²¹¹ 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]  ¹²¹² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:5]  ¹²¹⁰ 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]  ¹²¹¹ 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]  ¹²¹² 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]  ¹²¹³ 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]  ¹²¹⁴ 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]  ¹²¹³ 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]  ¹²¹⁴ sn These words are part of v. 5 in the standard critical Greek text.

[21:6]  ¹²¹⁵ 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]  ¹²¹⁶ tn Grk “to their own”; the word “homes” is implied.

[21:7]  ¹²¹⁶ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[21:7]  ¹²¹⁷ sn Ptolemais was a seaport on the coast of Palestine about 30 mi (48 km) south of Tyre.

[21:8]  ¹²¹⁹ 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]  ¹²²⁰ 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]  ¹²²¹ 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]  ¹²²² sn Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-7).

[21:9]  ¹²²² 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]  ¹²²³ 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]  ¹²²⁵ 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]  ¹²²⁶ 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]  ¹²²⁸ 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]  ¹²²⁹ 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]  ¹²³⁰ 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]  ¹²³¹ tn The participle δήσας (dhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ¹²³² tn The words “with it” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[21:11]  ¹²³³ tn Grk “and will deliver him over into the hands of” (a Semitic idiom).

[21:12]  ¹²³¹ tn Or “the people there.”

[21:13]  ¹²³⁴ 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]  ¹²³⁵ 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]  ¹²³⁷ tn The participle πειθομένου (peiqomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[21:14]  ¹²³⁸ tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”

[21:14]  ¹²³⁹ 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]  ¹²⁴⁰ tn Or “we made preparations.”

[21:15]  ¹²⁴¹ tn Grk “were going up”; the imperfect verb ἀνεβαίνομεν (anebainomen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:16]  ¹²⁴³ 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]  ¹²⁴⁴ 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]  ¹²⁴⁵ 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]  ¹²⁴⁶ tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).

[21:18]  ¹²⁴⁹ tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”

[21:19]  ¹²⁵² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:19]  ¹²⁵³ tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:19]  ¹²⁵⁴ 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]  ¹²⁵⁵ sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.

[21:20]  ¹²⁵⁵ tn Or “glorified.”

[21:20]  ¹²⁵⁶ tn Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.”

[21:20]  ¹²⁵⁷ 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]  ¹²⁵⁸ 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]  ¹²⁵⁸ 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]  ¹²⁵⁹ 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]  ¹²⁶⁰ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21]  ¹²⁶¹ tn Grk “or walk.”

[21:22]  ¹²⁶¹ 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]  ¹²⁶⁴ tn Grk “do this that.”

[21:23]  ¹²⁶⁵ tn Grk “There are four men here.”

[21:23]  ¹²⁶⁶ 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]  ¹²⁶⁷ tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.

[21:24]  ¹²⁶⁷ 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]  ¹²⁶⁸ tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”

[21:24]  ¹²⁶⁹ 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]  ¹²⁷⁰ 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]  ¹²⁷¹ tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).

[21:24]  ¹²⁷² 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]  ¹²⁷³ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:25]  ¹²⁷⁰ 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]  ¹²⁷¹ 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]  ¹²⁷² 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]  ¹²⁷³ 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]  ¹²⁷³ 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]  ¹²⁷⁴ tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.

[21:26]  ¹²⁷⁵ 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]  ¹²⁷⁶ sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.

[21:26]  ¹²⁷⁷ 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]  ¹²⁷⁸ tn Grk “for each one.”

[21:27]  ¹²⁷⁶ 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]  ¹²⁷⁷ 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]  ¹²⁷⁸ tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:27]  ¹²⁷⁹ 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]  ¹²⁸⁰ tn Grk “and laid hands on.”

[21:28]  ¹²⁷⁹ 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]  ¹²⁸⁰ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:28]  ¹²⁸¹ tn Grk “this place.”

[21:28]  ¹²⁸² 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]  ¹²⁸³ 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]  ¹²⁸⁴ tn Or “and has defiled this holy place.”

[21:29]  ¹²⁸² tn Grk “whom.”

[21:29]  ¹²⁸³ tn On the phrase “inner temple courts” see the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:30]  ¹²⁸⁵ tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.

[21:30]  ¹²⁸⁶ 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]  ¹²⁸⁷ 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]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:31]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn Grk “seeking.”

[21:31]  ¹²⁸⁹ tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).

[21:31]  ¹²⁹⁰ 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]  ¹²⁹¹ 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]  ¹²⁹² sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.

[21:31]  ¹²⁹³ tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”

[21:32]  ¹²⁹¹ 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]  ¹²⁹² 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]  ¹²⁹³ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[21:32]  ¹²⁹⁴ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:32]  ¹²⁹⁵ tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.

[21:32]  ¹²⁹⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:32]  ¹²⁹⁷ 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]  ¹²⁹⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:33]  ¹²⁹⁵ tn Grk “seized.”

[21:33]  ¹²⁹⁶ tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).

[21:33]  ¹²⁹⁷ 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]  ¹²⁹⁸ tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”

[21:34]  ¹²⁹⁷ 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]  ¹²⁹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ¹²⁹⁹ 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]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).

[21:34]  ¹³⁰¹ tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).

[21:34]  ¹³⁰² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ¹³⁰³ 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]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:35]  ¹³⁰¹ 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]  ¹³⁰² tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).

[21:36]  ¹³⁰³ 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]  ¹³⁰⁴ 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]  ¹³⁰⁶ 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]  ¹³⁰⁷ tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

[21:37]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:37]  ¹³⁰⁹ tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).

[21:37]  ¹³¹⁰ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37]  ¹³¹¹ tn Grk “said.”

[21:37]  ¹³¹² 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]  ¹³⁰⁹ 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]  ¹³¹⁰ tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”

[21:38]  ¹³¹¹ tn Or “desert.”

[21:38]  ¹³¹² tn Grk “before these days.”

[21:39]  ¹³¹² tn Grk “said.”

[21:39]  ¹³¹³ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[21:39]  ¹³¹⁴ 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]  ¹³¹⁵ tn Grk “I beg you.”

[21:40]  ¹³¹⁵ tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[21:40]  ¹³¹⁶ 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]  ¹³¹⁷ tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40]  ¹³¹⁸ tn Or “motioned.”

[21:40]  ¹³¹⁹ 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]  ¹³²⁰ 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]  ¹³²¹ 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]  ¹³¹⁸ 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]  ¹³¹⁹ 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]  ¹³²¹ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ¹³²² 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]  ¹³²³ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ¹³²⁴ 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]  ¹³²⁵ tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”

[22:2]  ¹³²⁶ 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]  ¹³²⁴ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ¹³²⁵ 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]  ¹³²⁶ 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]  ¹³²⁷ tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ¹³²⁸ 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]  ¹³²⁹ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ¹³³⁰ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ¹³³¹ 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]  ¹³²⁷ 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]  ¹³²⁸ 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]  ¹³²⁹ tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ¹³³⁰ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ¹³³¹ 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]  ¹³³⁰ 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]  ¹³³¹ 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]  ¹³³² tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ¹³³³ 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]  ¹³³⁴ 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]  ¹³³⁵ tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ¹³³⁶ tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”

[22:6]  ¹³³³ 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]  ¹³³⁴ tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”

[22:6]  ¹³³⁵ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ¹³³⁶ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ¹³³⁷ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ¹³³⁶ 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]  ¹³³⁹ 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]  ¹³⁴² tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ¹³⁴³ 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]  ¹³⁴⁴ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ¹³⁴⁵ 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]  ¹³⁴⁵ 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]  ¹³⁴⁶ tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ¹³⁴⁹ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ¹³⁵⁰ 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]  ¹³⁵¹ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ¹³⁵² 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]  ¹³⁵³ 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]  ¹³⁵⁴ 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]  ¹³⁵⁵ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ¹³⁵⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[22:14]  ¹³⁵⁵ 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]  ¹³⁵⁶ 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]  ¹³⁵⁷ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ¹³⁵⁸ 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]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn Or “a witness to him.”

[22:15]  ¹³⁵⁸ tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ¹³⁶⁰ 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]  ¹³⁶¹ 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]  ¹³⁶² sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ¹³⁶³ 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]  ¹³⁶³ 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]  ¹³⁶⁴ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ¹³⁶⁹ 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]  ¹³⁷⁰ 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]  ¹³⁷² 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]  ¹³⁷³ sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ¹³⁷⁴ 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]  ¹³⁷⁵ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:20]  ¹³⁷⁶ 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]  ¹³⁷⁵ 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]  ¹³⁷⁸ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ¹³⁷⁹ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ¹³⁸⁰ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ¹³⁸¹ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ¹³⁸² tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ¹³⁸³ 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]  ¹³⁸¹ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ¹³⁸² tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ¹³⁸³ 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]  ¹³⁸⁴ 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]  ¹³⁸⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ¹³⁸⁶ 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]  ¹³⁸⁷ 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]  ¹³⁸⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ¹³⁸⁹ 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]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ¹³⁹¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ¹³⁸⁷ 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]  ¹³⁸⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ¹³⁸⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[22:26]  ¹³⁹⁰ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ¹³⁹¹ 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]  ¹³⁹² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ¹³⁹³ 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]  ¹³⁹⁴ 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]  ¹³⁹⁵ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ¹³⁹³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ¹³⁹⁴ tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ¹³⁹⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ¹³⁹⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ¹³⁹⁷ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ¹³⁹⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ¹³⁹⁷ 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]  ¹³⁹⁸ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ¹³⁹⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:28]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ¹³⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ¹⁴⁰¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ¹⁴⁰² 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]  ¹⁴⁰³ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ¹⁴⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁰² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ¹⁴⁰³ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ¹⁴⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁸ tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ¹⁴⁰⁹ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ¹⁴¹⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ¹⁴¹¹ 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]  ¹⁴¹¹ 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]  ¹⁴¹² 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]  ¹⁴¹³ tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3]  ¹⁴¹⁴ tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4]  ¹⁴¹⁴ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4]  ¹⁴¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁴¹⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ¹⁴¹⁸ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ¹⁴¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁴²⁰ 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]  ¹⁴²¹ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ¹⁴²² sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ¹⁴²³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ¹⁴²⁴ 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]  ¹⁴²³ tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ¹⁴²⁴ tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ¹⁴²⁵ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ¹⁴²⁶ 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]  ¹⁴²⁹ 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]  ¹⁴³⁰ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ¹⁴³¹ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ¹⁴³² 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]  ¹⁴³³ 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]  ¹⁴³² tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10]  ¹⁴³³ 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]  ¹⁴³⁴ 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]  ¹⁴³⁵ 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]  ¹⁴³⁶ tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10]  ¹⁴³⁷ 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]  ¹⁴³⁵ sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11]  ¹⁴³⁶ 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]  ¹⁴³⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11]  ¹⁴³⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ¹⁴³⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁴² 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]  ¹⁴⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁵ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ¹⁴⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁵¹ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁵² 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]  ¹⁴⁵³ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16]  ¹⁴⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁵² 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]  ¹⁴⁵³ 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]  ¹⁴⁵⁴ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17]  ¹⁴⁵⁵ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ¹⁴⁵⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ¹⁴⁵⁷ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ¹⁴⁵⁸ tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁶² tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20]  ¹⁴⁶³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21]  ¹⁴⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁷ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁷² 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]  ¹⁴⁷³ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ tn Grk “from.”

[23:23]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”

[23:24]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁰ tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26]  ¹⁴⁸¹ sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27]  ¹⁴⁸³ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁵ tn Or “approached.”

[23:27]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[23:28]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ tn Or “determine.”

[23:28]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁹² tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30]  ¹⁴⁹³ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁵ tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31]  ¹⁴⁹⁶ tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31]  ¹⁴⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁸ tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32]  ¹⁴⁹⁹ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32]  ¹⁵⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁰² 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]  ¹⁵⁰³ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹⁵¹⁰ sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35]  ¹⁵¹⁰ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁰ sn Ananias was in office from a.d. 47-59.

[24:1]  ¹⁵¹¹ tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).

[24:1]  ¹⁵¹² tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”

[24:1]  ¹⁵¹³ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵¹⁵ tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵¹⁶ tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ¹⁵¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁸ tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁶ sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.

[24:3]  ¹⁵¹⁷ tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”

[24:3]  ¹⁵¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁵²⁰ tn Or “request.”

[24:4]  ¹⁵²¹ 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]  ¹⁵²² tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”

[24:5]  ¹⁵²² 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]  ¹⁵²³ 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]  ¹⁵²⁴ 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]  ¹⁵²⁵ tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).

[24:5]  ¹⁵²⁶ sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.

[24:6]  ¹⁵²⁵ 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]  ¹⁵²⁶ tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.

[24:6]  ¹⁵²⁷ 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]  ¹⁵²⁸ 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]  ¹⁵³¹ tn Or “question.”

[24:8]  ¹⁵³² 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]  ¹⁵³³ 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]  ¹⁵³⁴ 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]  ¹⁵³⁵ tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).

[24:10]  ¹⁵³⁷ tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[24:10]  ¹⁵³⁸ sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.

[24:11]  ¹⁵⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁴¹ tn Grk “it is not more than twelve days from when.” This has been simplified to “not more than twelve days ago.”

[24:11]  ¹⁵⁴² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁴³ tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁵ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁹ tn Or “serve.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁵⁰ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁵² 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]  ¹⁵⁵³ 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]  ¹⁵⁵⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁵⁶ tn Or “the unjust.”

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁵⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁵⁷ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:17]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”

[24:17]  ¹⁵⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁶² tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”

[24:19]  ¹⁵⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁶⁷ tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”

[24:20]  ¹⁵⁶⁸ tn Or “unrighteous act.”

[24:20]  ¹⁵⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁰ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[24:21]  ¹⁵⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁷¹ tn Grk “one utterance.”

[24:21]  ¹⁵⁷² tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”

[24:21]  ¹⁵⁷³ sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?

[24:22]  ¹⁵⁷³ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:22]  ¹⁵⁷⁴ tn Grk “the things.”

[24:22]  ¹⁵⁷⁵ tn That is, concerning Christianity.

[24:22]  ¹⁵⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[24:23]  ¹⁵⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁹ tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).

[24:23]  ¹⁵⁸⁰ tn Grk “from serving him.”

[24:24]  ¹⁵⁷⁹ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:24]  ¹⁵⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁸² tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:25]  ¹⁵⁸² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ¹⁵⁸³ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ¹⁵⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁵ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ¹⁵⁸⁶ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ¹⁵⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:26]  ¹⁵⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁸ tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.

[24:27]  ¹⁵⁸⁸ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ¹⁵⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁰ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ¹⁵⁹¹ tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:1]  ¹⁵⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁹² sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:1]  ¹⁵⁹³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:1]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁵ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[25:3]  ¹⁵⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:4]  ¹⁶⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁰² tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁶⁰³ tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).

[25:5]  ¹⁶⁰⁴ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁶⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁰⁷ tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁶¹⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”

[25:7]  ¹⁶¹⁰ tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).

[25:7]  ¹⁶¹¹ tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).

[25:8]  ¹⁶¹² 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]  ¹⁶¹³ tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”

[25:8]  ¹⁶¹⁴ tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[25:8]  ¹⁶¹⁵ tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:9]  ¹⁶¹⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ¹⁶¹⁶ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ¹⁶¹⁷ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[25:10]  ¹⁶¹⁸ tn Grk “said.”

[25:10]  ¹⁶¹⁹ tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:10]  ¹⁶²⁰ 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]  ¹⁶²¹ tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.

[25:10]  ¹⁶²² sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.

[25:10]  ¹⁶²³ 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]  ¹⁶²¹ tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”

[25:11]  ¹⁶²² 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]  ¹⁶²³ 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]  ¹⁶²⁴ 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]  ¹⁶²⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ¹⁶²⁴ tn That is, with his advisers.

[25:12]  ¹⁶²⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:12]  ¹⁶²⁶ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ¹⁶²⁷ tn Or “to the emperor.”

[25:12]  ¹⁶²⁸ 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]  ¹⁶²⁷ 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]  ¹⁶²⁸ 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]  ¹⁶²⁹ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ¹⁶³⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ¹⁶³⁰ 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]  ¹⁶³¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ¹⁶³² 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]  ¹⁶³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:15]  ¹⁶³⁴ 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]  ¹⁶³⁵ 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]  ¹⁶³⁶ 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]  ¹⁶³⁶ 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]  ¹⁶³⁷ tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ¹⁶³⁸ tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ¹⁶³⁹ tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ¹⁶⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁶³⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁴² 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]  ¹⁶⁴² 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]  ¹⁶⁴³ tn Or “I was expecting.”

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁶ tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁴⁷ tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁴⁸ tn Or “asserted.”

[25:20]  ¹⁶⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁵⁰ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:20]  ¹⁶⁵¹ tn Grk “on these things.”

[25:21]  ¹⁶⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁵² tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:22]  ¹⁶⁵⁴ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:22]  ¹⁶⁵⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:22]  ¹⁶⁵⁶ tn Grk “said.”

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁵⁷ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁵⁸ tn Or “great pageantry” (BDAG 1049 s.v. φαντασία; the term is a NT hapax legomenon).

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁶¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁶² 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁶¹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁶² 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]  ¹⁶⁶³ tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁶⁵ sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ tn Or “screaming.”

[25:25]  ¹⁶⁶³ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ tn The participle ἐπικαλεσαμένου (epikalesamenou) has been taken temporally. It could also be translated as causal: “and because he appealed…”

[25:25]  ¹⁶⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.

[25:26]  ¹⁶⁶⁷ sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”

[25:26]  ¹⁶⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:26]  ¹⁶⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁷² sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:1]  ¹⁶⁷³ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

[26:1]  ¹⁶⁷⁴ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

[26:1]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”

[26:2]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:3]  ¹⁶⁷⁸ tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”

[26:3]  ¹⁶⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁸¹ tn Grk “my manner of life.”

[26:4]  ¹⁶⁸² tn Or “nation.”

[26:4]  ¹⁶⁸³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[26:5]  ¹⁶⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁵ tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[26:5]  ¹⁶⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁸ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[26:6]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[26:7]  ¹⁶⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁹² 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]  ¹⁶⁹³ tn Grk “O King!”

[26:8]  ¹⁶⁹³ 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]  ¹⁶⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.

[26:9]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁶⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁶⁹⁹ tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.

[26:10]  ¹⁷⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁰² 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]  ¹⁷⁰³ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[26:11]  ¹⁷⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁶ tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”

[26:12]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁶ tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.

[26:12]  ¹⁷⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁸ tn Grk “O King.”

[26:13]  ¹⁷⁰⁹ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[26:13]  ¹⁷¹⁰ 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]  ¹⁷¹¹ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.

[26:14]  ¹⁷¹² tn Grk “It is hard for you.”

[26:14]  ¹⁷¹³ 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]  ¹⁷¹⁴ tn Grk “said.”

[26:16]  ¹⁷¹⁷ tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”

[26:16]  ¹⁷¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁷¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁷²⁰ 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]  ¹⁷²⁰ 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]  ¹⁷²¹ tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:17]  ¹⁷²² 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]  ¹⁷²³ 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]  ¹⁷²⁴ 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]  ¹⁷²⁵ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[26:19]  ¹⁷²⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:19]  ¹⁷²⁷ 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]  ¹⁷²⁸ 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]  ¹⁷²⁹ 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]  ¹⁷³⁰ sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ¹⁷³¹ 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]  ¹⁷³² tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[26:22]  ¹⁷³⁵ 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]  ¹⁷³⁶ 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]  ¹⁷³⁷ sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.

[26:23]  ¹⁷³⁸ 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]  ¹⁷³⁹ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[26:23]  ¹⁷⁴⁰ tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:23]  ¹⁷⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁴¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:24]  ¹⁷⁴² sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:24]  ¹⁷⁴³ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁴ tn Grk “said.”

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁴⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁴⁶ tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁵¹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ¹⁷⁵³ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ¹⁷⁵⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁹ tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[26:31]  ¹⁷⁶⁰ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”

[26:32]  ¹⁷⁶² sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:32]  ¹⁷⁶³ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:32]  ¹⁷⁶⁴ tn Or “set free.”

[26:32]  ¹⁷⁶⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:1]  ¹⁷⁶⁵ sn The last “we” section in Acts begins here and extends to 28:16 (the previous one ended at 21:18).

[27:1]  ¹⁷⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁶⁷ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:1]  ¹⁷⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁶⁹ sn Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia on the western coast of Asia Minor.

[27:2]  ¹⁷⁷⁰ tn Grk “places.”

[27:2]  ¹⁷⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁷² 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]  ¹⁷⁷³ sn A Macedonian. The city of Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was in the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[27:2]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[27:3]  ¹⁷⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁷² sn Sidon is another seaport 75 mi (120 km) north of Caesarea.

[27:3]  ¹⁷⁷³ tn BDAG 1056 s.v. φιλανθρώπως states, “benevolently, kindly φιλανθρώπως χρῆσθαί (τινι) treat someone in kindly fashion…Ac 27:3.”

[27:3]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ tn Grk “to go to his friends to be cared for.” The scene is an indication of Christian hospitality.

[27:4]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁸¹ sn Lycia was the name of a peninsula on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia.

[27:6]  ¹⁷⁸⁰ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:6]  ¹⁷⁸¹ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:6]  ¹⁷⁸² 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]  ¹⁷⁸³ tn The participle βραδυπλοοῦντες (braduploounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:7]  ¹⁷⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ tn Grk “it”; the referent (Crete) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[27:8]  ¹⁷⁸⁸ sn Lasea was a city on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 60 mi (96 km) farther.

[27:9]  ¹⁷⁸⁹ tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.

[27:9]  ¹⁷⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁹² 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]  ¹⁷⁹² tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”

[27:10]  ¹⁷⁹³ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁴ tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).

[27:11]  ¹⁷⁹⁵ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:11]  ¹⁷⁹⁶ tn Or “persuaded.”

[27:11]  ¹⁷⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁸⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁰² 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]  ¹⁸⁰³ tn Or “a harbor of Crete open to the southwest and northwest.”

[27:13]  ¹⁸⁰¹ tn Grk “thinking.” The participle δόξαντες (doxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:13]  ¹⁸⁰² 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]  ¹⁸⁰³ tn Or “departed.”

[27:13]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁶ tn Grk “from it”; the referent (the island) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:15]  ¹⁸⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁰ 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]  ¹⁸¹¹ 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]  ¹⁸¹² 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]  ¹⁸¹³ tn Grk “After hoisting it up, they…”; the referent (the ship’s crew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:17]  ¹⁸¹⁴ tn The participle ἄραντες (arantes) has been taken temporally.

[27:17]  ¹⁸¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁷ tn That is, on the sandbars and shallows of the Syrtis.

[27:17]  ¹⁸¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁶ tn BDAG 980 s.v. σφόδρῶς states, “very much, greatly, violently…σφ. χειμάζεσθαι be violently beaten by a storm Ac 27:18.”

[27:18]  ¹⁸¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁸²² tn Grk “no small storm” = a very great storm.

[27:20]  ¹⁸²³ 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]  ¹⁸²⁴ 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]  ¹⁸²⁵ 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]  ¹⁸²⁶ tn Here τότε (tote) is redundant (pleonastic) according to BDAG 1012-13 s.v. τότε 2; thus it has not been translated.

[27:21]  ¹⁸²⁷ 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]  ¹⁸²⁸ 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]  ¹⁸²⁹ 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]  ¹⁸³⁰ tn The infinitive κερδῆσαι (kerdhsai) has been translated as resultative.

[27:22]  ¹⁸²⁸ tn The same verb is used for Paul’s original recommendation in Ac 27:9.

[27:22]  ¹⁸²⁹ 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]  ¹⁸³¹ tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.

[27:23]  ¹⁸³² tn Or “worship.”

[27:23]  ¹⁸³³ 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]  ¹⁸³⁴ 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]  ¹⁸³⁵ 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]  ¹⁸³⁶ tn Or “before the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:24]  ¹⁸³⁷ 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]  ¹⁸³⁷ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁸⁴³ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁴ sn The Adriatic Sea. They were now somewhere between Crete and Malta.

[27:27]  ¹⁸⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁸ tn L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”

[27:28]  ¹⁸⁴⁹ sn Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁴⁹ tn Grk “fearing.” The participle φοβούμενοι (foboumenoi) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁸⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁵² 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]  ¹⁸⁵³ tn Grk “and wished for day to come about.”

[27:30]  ¹⁸⁵² 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]  ¹⁸⁵⁵ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:31]  ¹⁸⁵⁶ sn The pronoun you is plural in Greek.

[27:32]  ¹⁸⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁶² 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]  ¹⁸⁶³ tn Or “continued.”

[27:33]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁶⁵ tn Or “deliverance” (‘salvation’ in a nontheological sense).

[27:35]  ¹⁸⁶⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35]  ¹⁸⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁶⁹ tn Or “before them all,” but here this could be misunderstood to indicate a temporal sequence.

[27:35]  ¹⁸⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁸⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁸⁷¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[27:38]  ¹⁸⁷³ tn Or “When they had eaten their fill.”

[27:38]  ¹⁸⁷⁴ tn Or “grain.”

[27:39]  ¹⁸⁷⁶ tn Or “observed,” “saw.”

[27:39]  ¹⁸⁷⁷ tn Or “gulf” (BDAG 557 s.v. κόλπος 3).

[27:39]  ¹⁸⁷⁸ sn A beach would refer to a smooth sandy beach suitable for landing.

[27:40]  ¹⁸⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁸⁰ tn The term is used of a ship’s anchor. (BDAG 12 s.v. ἄγκυρα a).

[27:40]  ¹⁸⁸¹ tn Grk “bands”; possibly “ropes.”

[27:40]  ¹⁸⁸² tn Or “rudders.”

[27:40]  ¹⁸⁸³ tn Grk “hoisting…they.” The participle ἐπάραντες (eparante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40]  ¹⁸⁸⁴ tn Grk “sail”; probably a reference to the foresail.

[27:40]  ¹⁸⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁸² 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]  ¹⁸⁸³ tn Or “violence” (BDAG 175 s.v. βία a).

[27:42]  ¹⁸⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁸⁶ tn The participle ἐκκολυμβήσας (ekkolumbhsa") has been taken instrumentally.

[27:43]  ¹⁸⁸⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:43]  ¹⁸⁸⁹ tn Or “wanting to rescue Paul.”

[27:43]  ¹⁸⁹⁰ tn BDAG 347 s.v. I. ἔξειμι has “ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν get to land Ac 27:43.”

[27:44]  ¹⁸⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁹² tn Or “boards” according to BDAG 913 s.v. σανίς.

[27:44]  ¹⁸⁹³ tn Grk “on pieces from the ship”; that is, pieces of wreckage from the ship.

[27:44]  ¹⁸⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁸ tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11. Cp. 28:2.”

[28:2]  ¹⁸⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁹⁰⁰ tn Or “sticks.”

[28:4]  ¹⁹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁹⁰⁴ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ¹⁹⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁰⁶ tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 4 indicates the particle has an adversative sense here: “but, however.”

[28:5]  ¹⁹⁰⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:5]  ¹⁹⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁰ tn The participle προσδοκώντων (prosdokwntwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6]  ¹⁹¹¹ tn The participle θεωρούντων (qewrountwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6]  ¹⁹¹² tn Grk “happening.” The participle γινόμενον (ginomenon) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ¹⁹¹³ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁹¹² 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]  ¹⁹¹³ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁷ tn The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8]  ¹⁹¹⁸ sn And healed him. Here are healings like Luke 9:40; 10:30; 13:13; Acts 16:23.

[28:9]  ¹⁹¹⁸ tn BDAG 142 s.v. ἀσθένεια 1 states, “ἔχειν ἀ. be ill Ac 28:9.”

[28:9]  ¹⁹¹⁹ sn Many…also came and were healed. Again, here is irony. Paul, though imprisoned, “frees” others of their diseases.

[28:10]  ¹⁹²¹ tn Or “they also honored us greatly”; Grk “they also honored us with many honors” (an idiom).

[28:10]  ¹⁹²² 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]  ¹⁹²³ 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]  ¹⁹²⁴ 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]  ¹⁹²⁴ 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]  ¹⁹²⁵ tn Or “the ‘Twin Gods’”; Grk “the Dioscuri” (a joint name for the pagan deities Castor and Pollux).

[28:11]  ¹⁹²⁶ tn Or “as its emblem.”

[28:12]  ¹⁹²⁷ 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]  ¹⁹²⁸ sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.

[28:13]  ¹⁹³⁰ 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]  ¹⁹³¹ sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.

[28:13]  ¹⁹³² 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]  ¹⁹³³ 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]  ¹⁹³³ 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]  ¹⁹³⁴ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:14]  ¹⁹³⁵ sn That is, some fellow Christians.

[28:14]  ¹⁹³⁶ map For location see JP4 A1.

[28:15]  ¹⁹³⁶ 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]  ¹⁹³⁷ 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]  ¹⁹³⁸ sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 mi (55 km) south of Rome.

[28:15]  ¹⁹³⁹ 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]  ¹⁹³⁹ tn Or “to stay.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴² 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]  ¹⁹⁴³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴⁴ tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴⁵ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴⁶ tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁴⁹ tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

[28:18]  ¹⁹⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁴⁷ sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.

[28:18]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[28:19]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ tn That is, objected to my release.

[28:19]  ¹⁹⁴⁹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[28:19]  ¹⁹⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁹⁵¹ tn Or “my own nation.”

[28:20]  ¹⁹⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁹⁵⁴ tn Grk “they said to him.”

[28:21]  ¹⁹⁵⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁵⁹ tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁶⁰ tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁶¹ tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁶² tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁶³ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁹⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁶⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁶⁸ tn Or “persuade.”

[28:24]  ¹⁹⁶³ tn Or “persuaded.”

[28:24]  ¹⁹⁶⁴ tn Grk “by the things spoken.”

[28:24]  ¹⁹⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁶⁶ tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[28:25]  ¹⁹⁶⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:26]  ¹⁹⁶⁹ tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).

[28:26]  ¹⁹⁷⁰ tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).

[28:27]  ¹⁹⁷² tn Or “insensitive.”

[28:27]  ¹⁹⁷³ tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).

[28:27]  ¹⁹⁷⁴ sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.

[28:27]  ¹⁹⁷⁵ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.

[28:28]  ¹⁹⁷⁵ tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”

[28:28]  ¹⁹⁷⁶ tn Or “of God.”

[28:28]  ¹⁹⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁷⁸ tn Grk “they also.”

[28:29]  ¹⁹⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁸¹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:30]  ¹⁹⁸² tn Or “stayed.”

[28:30]  ¹⁹⁸³ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ tn Or “and received.”

[28:31]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[28:31]  ¹⁹⁸⁵ tn Or “openness.”

[28:31]  ¹⁹⁸⁶ 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.