Acts 12:4

12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads ¹  of soldiers to guard him. Herod ²  planned ³  to bring him out for public trial ⁴  after the Passover.

Acts 16:4

16:4 As they went through the towns, ⁵  they passed on ⁶  the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ⁷  for the Gentile believers ⁸  to obey. ⁹ 

[12:4]  ¹ sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.

[12:4]  ² 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]  ³ tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”

[12:4]  ⁴ 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.”

[16:4]  ⁵ tn Or “cities.”

[16:4]  ⁶ tn BDAG 762-63 s.v. παραδίδωμι 3 has “they handed down to them the decisions to observe Ac 16:4.”

[16:4]  ⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[16:4]  ⁸ tn Grk “for them”; the referent (Gentile believers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:4]  ⁹ tn Or “observe” or “follow.”