Acts 12:17

12:17 He motioned to them ¹  with his hand to be quiet and then related ²  how the Lord had brought ³  him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. ⁴ 

Acts 15:3

15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ⁵  and Samaria, they were relating at length ⁶  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ⁷  to all the brothers.

Acts 15:22

15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided ⁸  to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, ⁹  leaders among the brothers, to Antioch ¹⁰  with Paul and Barnabas.

Acts 18:18

Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria

18:18 Paul, after staying ¹¹  many more days in Corinth, ¹²  said farewell to ¹³  the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by ¹⁴  Priscilla and Aquila. ¹⁵  He ¹⁶  had his hair cut off ¹⁷  at Cenchrea ¹⁸  because he had made a vow. ¹⁹ 

[12:17]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn Or “led.”

[12:17]  ⁴ sn He…went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.

[15:3]  ⁵ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

[15:22]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ sn Silas. See 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1 (= Silvanus).

[15:22]  ¹¹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[18:18]  ¹³ tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.

[18:18]  ¹⁴ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:18]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”

[18:18]  ¹⁷ sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.

[18:18]  ¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”

[18:18]  ²¹ 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.