Acts 12:22

12:22 But the crowd ¹  began to shout, ²  “The voice of a god, ³  and not of a man!”

Acts 19:30

19:30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, ⁴  the disciples would not let him.

Acts 19:33

19:33 Some of the crowd concluded ⁵  it was about ⁶  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ⁷  Alexander, gesturing ⁸  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ⁹  before the public assembly. ¹⁰ 

Acts 17:5

17:5 But the Jews became jealous, ¹¹  and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, ¹²  they formed a mob ¹³  and set the city in an uproar. ¹⁴  They attacked Jason’s house, ¹⁵  trying to find Paul and Silas ¹⁶  to bring them out to the assembly. ¹⁷ 

[12:22]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ sn The voice of a god. Contrast the response of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:13-15.

[19:30]  ⁴ 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.”

[19:33]  ⁷ tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”

[19:33]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Or “motioning.”

[19:33]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² 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.”

[17:5]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn On this term, which is a NT hapax legomenon, see BDAG 745 s.v. ὀχλοποιέω.

[17:5]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ sn The attack took place at Jason’s house because this was probably the location of the new house church.

[17:5]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:5]  ¹⁶ 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.”