Acts 11:3

11:3 saying, “You went to ¹  uncircumcised men and shared a meal with ²  them.”

Acts 14:18

14:18 Even by saying ³  these things, they scarcely persuaded ⁴  the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them.

Acts 18:13

18:13 saying, “This man is persuading ⁵  people to worship God in a way contrary to ⁶  the law!”

[11:3]  ¹ tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).

[11:3]  ² tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.

[14:18]  ³ tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is regarded as indicating means.

[14:18]  ⁴ 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.

[18:13]  ⁵ tn Or “inciting.”

[18:13]  ⁶ 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.