Acts 13:22

13:22 After removing him, God ¹  raised up ²  David their king. He testified about him: ³  ‘I have found David ⁴  the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, ⁵  who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’ ⁶ 

Acts 13:1

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ⁷  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ⁸  Lucius the Cyrenian, ⁹  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ¹⁰  the tetrarch ¹¹  from childhood ¹² ) and Saul.

Acts 11:2

11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ¹³  the circumcised believers ¹⁴  took issue with ¹⁵  him,

Acts 13:2-4

13:2 While they were serving ¹⁶  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ¹⁷  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ¹⁸  and ¹⁹  prayed and placed their hands ²⁰  on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, ²¹  sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, ²²  and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ²³ 

Acts 15:12-16

15:12 The whole group kept quiet ²⁴  and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs ²⁵  and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 15:13 After they stopped speaking, ²⁶  James replied, ²⁷  “Brothers, listen to me. 15:14 Simeon ²⁸  has explained ²⁹  how God first concerned himself ³⁰  to select ³¹  from among the Gentiles ³²  a people for his name. 15:15 The ³³  words of the prophets agree ³⁴  with this, as it is written,

15:16 ‘After this ³⁵  I ³⁶  will return,

and I will rebuild the fallen tent ³⁷  of David;

I will rebuild its ruins and restore ³⁸  it,

Acts 15:25-29

15:25 we have unanimously ³⁹  decided ⁴⁰  to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who ⁴¹  have risked their lives ⁴²  for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴³  15:27 Therefore we are sending ⁴⁴  Judas and Silas ⁴⁵  who will tell you these things themselves in person. ⁴⁶  15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us ⁴⁷  not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: ⁴⁸  15:29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols ⁴⁹  and from blood and from what has been strangled ⁵⁰  and from sexual immorality. ⁵¹  If you keep yourselves from doing these things, ⁵²  you will do well. Farewell. ⁵³ 

Acts 18:14

18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, ⁵⁴  Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, ⁵⁵  I would have been justified in accepting the complaint ⁵⁶  of you Jews, ⁵⁷ 

Acts 22:1-30

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ⁵⁸  that I now ⁵⁹  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ⁶⁰  that he was addressing ⁶¹  them in Aramaic, ⁶²  they became even ⁶³  quieter.) ⁶⁴  Then ⁶⁵  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ⁶⁶  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ⁶⁷  in this city, educated with strictness ⁶⁸  under ⁶⁹  Gamaliel ⁷⁰  according to the law of our ancestors, ⁷¹  and was ⁷²  zealous ⁷³  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ⁷⁴  persecuted this Way ⁷⁵  even to the point of death, ⁷⁶  tying up ⁷⁷  both men and women and putting ⁷⁸  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ⁷⁹  can testify about me. From them ⁸⁰  I also received ⁸¹  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ⁸²  to make arrests there and bring ⁸³  the prisoners ⁸⁴  to Jerusalem ⁸⁵  to be punished. 22:6 As ⁸⁶  I was en route and near Damascus, ⁸⁷  about noon a very bright ⁸⁸  light from heaven ⁸⁹  suddenly flashed ⁹⁰  around me. 22:7 Then I ⁹¹  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 ⁹²  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ⁹³  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ⁹⁴  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ⁹⁵  that you have been designated ⁹⁶  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ⁹⁷  the brilliance ⁹⁸  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ⁹⁹  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ¹⁰⁰  a devout man according to the law, ¹⁰¹  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ¹⁰²  22:13 came ¹⁰³  to me and stood beside me ¹⁰⁴  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ¹⁰⁵  And at that very moment ¹⁰⁶  I looked up and saw him. ¹⁰⁷  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ¹⁰⁸  has already chosen ¹⁰⁹  you to know his will, to see ¹¹⁰  the Righteous One, ¹¹¹  and to hear a command ¹¹²  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ¹¹³  to all people ¹¹⁴  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ¹¹⁵  Get up, ¹¹⁶  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ¹¹⁷  calling on his name.’ ¹¹⁸  22:17 When ¹¹⁹  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹²⁰  22:18 and saw the Lord ¹²¹  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ¹²²  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ¹²³  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ¹²⁴  Stephen was shed, ¹²⁵  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ¹²⁶  and guarding the cloaks ¹²⁷  of those who were killing him.’ ¹²⁸  22:21 Then ¹²⁹  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ¹³⁰  was listening to him until he said this. ¹³¹  Then ¹³²  they raised their voices and shouted, ¹³³  “Away with this man ¹³⁴  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ¹³⁵  22:23 While they were screaming ¹³⁶  and throwing off their cloaks ¹³⁷  and tossing dust ¹³⁸  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ¹³⁹  ordered Paul ¹⁴⁰  to be brought back into the barracks. ¹⁴¹  He told them ¹⁴²  to interrogate Paul ¹⁴³  by beating him with a lash ¹⁴⁴  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ¹⁴⁵  was shouting at Paul ¹⁴⁶  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ¹⁴⁷  Paul said to the centurion ¹⁴⁸  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ¹⁴⁹  without a proper trial?” ¹⁵⁰  22:26 When the centurion ¹⁵¹  heard this, ¹⁵²  he went to the commanding officer ¹⁵³  and reported it, ¹⁵⁴  saying, “What are you about to do? ¹⁵⁵  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ¹⁵⁶  22:27 So the commanding officer ¹⁵⁷  came and asked ¹⁵⁸  Paul, ¹⁵⁹  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ¹⁶⁰  He replied, ¹⁶¹  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ¹⁶²  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ¹⁶³  “But I was even ¹⁶⁴  born a citizen,” ¹⁶⁵  Paul replied. ¹⁶⁶  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ¹⁶⁷  from him, and the commanding officer ¹⁶⁸  was frightened when he realized that Paul ¹⁶⁹  was ¹⁷⁰  a Roman citizen ¹⁷¹  and that he had had him tied up. ¹⁷² 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ¹⁷³  wanted to know the true reason ¹⁷⁴  Paul ¹⁷⁵  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ¹⁷⁶  to assemble. He then brought ¹⁷⁷  Paul down and had him stand before them.

Acts 22:1-30

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ¹⁷⁸  that I now ¹⁷⁹  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ¹⁸⁰  that he was addressing ¹⁸¹  them in Aramaic, ¹⁸²  they became even ¹⁸³  quieter.) ¹⁸⁴  Then ¹⁸⁵  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ¹⁸⁶  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ¹⁸⁷  in this city, educated with strictness ¹⁸⁸  under ¹⁸⁹  Gamaliel ¹⁹⁰  according to the law of our ancestors, ¹⁹¹  and was ¹⁹²  zealous ¹⁹³  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ¹⁹⁴  persecuted this Way ¹⁹⁵  even to the point of death, ¹⁹⁶  tying up ¹⁹⁷  both men and women and putting ¹⁹⁸  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ¹⁹⁹  can testify about me. From them ²⁰⁰  I also received ²⁰¹  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ²⁰²  to make arrests there and bring ²⁰³  the prisoners ²⁰⁴  to Jerusalem ²⁰⁵  to be punished. 22:6 As ²⁰⁶  I was en route and near Damascus, ²⁰⁷  about noon a very bright ²⁰⁸  light from heaven ²⁰⁹  suddenly flashed ²¹⁰  around me. 22:7 Then I ²¹¹  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 ²¹²  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ²¹³  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ²¹⁴  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ²¹⁵  that you have been designated ²¹⁶  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ²¹⁷  the brilliance ²¹⁸  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ²¹⁹  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ²²⁰  a devout man according to the law, ²²¹  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ²²²  22:13 came ²²³  to me and stood beside me ²²⁴  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ²²⁵  And at that very moment ²²⁶  I looked up and saw him. ²²⁷  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ²²⁸  has already chosen ²²⁹  you to know his will, to see ²³⁰  the Righteous One, ²³¹  and to hear a command ²³²  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ²³³  to all people ²³⁴  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ²³⁵  Get up, ²³⁶  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ²³⁷  calling on his name.’ ²³⁸  22:17 When ²³⁹  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ²⁴⁰  22:18 and saw the Lord ²⁴¹  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ²⁴²  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ²⁴³  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ²⁴⁴  Stephen was shed, ²⁴⁵  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ²⁴⁶  and guarding the cloaks ²⁴⁷  of those who were killing him.’ ²⁴⁸  22:21 Then ²⁴⁹  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ²⁵⁰  was listening to him until he said this. ²⁵¹  Then ²⁵²  they raised their voices and shouted, ²⁵³  “Away with this man ²⁵⁴  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ²⁵⁵  22:23 While they were screaming ²⁵⁶  and throwing off their cloaks ²⁵⁷  and tossing dust ²⁵⁸  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ²⁵⁹  ordered Paul ²⁶⁰  to be brought back into the barracks. ²⁶¹  He told them ²⁶²  to interrogate Paul ²⁶³  by beating him with a lash ²⁶⁴  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ²⁶⁵  was shouting at Paul ²⁶⁶  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ²⁶⁷  Paul said to the centurion ²⁶⁸  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ²⁶⁹  without a proper trial?” ²⁷⁰  22:26 When the centurion ²⁷¹  heard this, ²⁷²  he went to the commanding officer ²⁷³  and reported it, ²⁷⁴  saying, “What are you about to do? ²⁷⁵  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ²⁷⁶  22:27 So the commanding officer ²⁷⁷  came and asked ²⁷⁸  Paul, ²⁷⁹  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ²⁸⁰  He replied, ²⁸¹  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ²⁸²  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ²⁸³  “But I was even ²⁸⁴  born a citizen,” ²⁸⁵  Paul replied. ²⁸⁶  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ²⁸⁷  from him, and the commanding officer ²⁸⁸  was frightened when he realized that Paul ²⁸⁹  was ²⁹⁰  a Roman citizen ²⁹¹  and that he had had him tied up. ²⁹² 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ²⁹³  wanted to know the true reason ²⁹⁴  Paul ²⁹⁵  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ²⁹⁶  to assemble. He then brought ²⁹⁷  Paul down and had him stand before them.

Psalms 78:71-72

78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, ²⁹⁸ 

and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people,

and of Israel, his chosen nation. ²⁹⁹ 

78:72 David ³⁰⁰  cared for them with pure motives; ³⁰¹ 

he led them with skill. ³⁰² 

[13:22]  ¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:22]  ² 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 89:20.

[13:22]  ⁵ sn A quotation from 1 Sam 13:14.

[13:22]  ⁶ tn Or “who will perform all my will,” “who will carry out all my wishes.”

[13:1]  ⁷ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  ⁸ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ⁹ sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  ¹² 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.”

[11:2]  ¹³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[13:2]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ tn Or “Appoint.”

[13:3]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁶ 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]  ²⁷ 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]  ³¹ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:4]  ³² sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.

[13:4]  ³³ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[15:12]  ³⁷ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.a lists this passage under the meaning “say nothing, keep still, keep silent.”

[15:12]  ³⁸ tn Here in connection with τέρατα (terata) the miraculous nature of these signs is indicated.

[15:13]  ⁴³ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “stop speaking, become silent.”

[15:13]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “answered, saying”; the redundant participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated.

[15:14]  ⁴⁹ sn Simeon is a form of the apostle Peter’s Aramaic name. James uses Peter’s “Jewish” name here.

[15:14]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “reported,” “described.”

[15:14]  ⁵¹ 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]  ⁵² 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]  ⁵³ sn In the Greek text the expression “from among the Gentiles” is in emphatic position.

[15:15]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ 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]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “After these things.”

[15:16]  ⁶² sn The first person pronoun I refers to God and his activity. It is God who is doing this.

[15:16]  ⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁴ 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.

[15:25]  ⁶⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸ 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]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁴ 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]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[15:27]  ⁷⁹ tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

[15:27]  ⁸⁰ sn Judas and Silas were the “two witnesses” who would vouch for the truth of the recommendation.

[15:27]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “by means of word” (an idiom for a verbal report).

[15:28]  ⁸⁵ 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]  ⁸⁶ tn L&N 71.39 translates “indispensable (rules)” while BDAG 358 s.v. ἐπάναγκες has “the necessary things.”

[15:29]  ⁹¹ 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]  ⁹² 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]  ⁹³ 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]  ⁹⁴ 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]  ⁹⁵ 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).

[18:14]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).

[18:14]  ⁹⁸ 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]  ⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”

[22:1]  ¹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁹ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ¹¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ¹¹² 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]  ¹¹³ tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”

[22:2]  ¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ¹¹⁹ 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]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ¹²² 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]  ¹²¹ 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]  ¹²² 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]  ¹²³ tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ¹²⁵ 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]  ¹²⁷ 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]  ¹²⁸ 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]  ¹²⁹ tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ¹³⁰ 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]  ¹³¹ 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]  ¹³² tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ¹³³ tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”

[22:6]  ¹³³ 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]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”

[22:6]  ¹³⁵ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ¹³⁶ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ¹³⁷ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ¹³⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁵¹ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ¹⁵² 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]  ¹⁵³ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ¹⁵⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ¹⁶³ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ¹⁶⁴ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ¹⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ¹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁷² 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]  ¹⁷³ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[22:14]  ¹⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁸ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ¹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸¹ tn Or “a witness to him.”

[22:15]  ¹⁸² tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ¹⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁹ sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ¹⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁹³ 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]  ¹⁹⁴ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ²⁰⁵ 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]  ²⁰⁶ 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]  ²¹¹ 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]  ²¹² sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ²¹³ 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]  ²¹⁴ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:20]  ²¹⁵ 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]  ²¹⁷ 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]  ²²³ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ²²⁴ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ²²⁵ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ²²⁶ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ²²⁷ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ²²⁸ 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]  ²²⁹ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ²³⁰ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ²³¹ 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]  ²³⁵ 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]  ²³⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²³⁷ 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]  ²³⁸ 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]  ²³⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁰ 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]  ²⁴¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁴² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ²⁴¹ 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]  ²⁴² sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ²⁴³ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ²⁴⁴ tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁷ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ²⁴⁸ 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]  ²⁴⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ²⁵⁰ 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]  ²⁵¹ 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]  ²⁵² tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁵³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ²⁵⁴ tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ²⁵⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁵⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ²⁵⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ²⁶⁰ 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]  ²⁶¹ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ²⁶² tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:28]  ²⁶³ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ²⁶⁵ 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]  ²⁶⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ²⁶⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ²⁶⁸ 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]  ²⁶⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ²⁷⁰ 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]  ²⁷¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ²⁷² 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]  ²⁷³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ²⁷⁴ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ²⁷⁵ 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.

[22:1]  ²⁷⁷ 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]  ²⁷⁸ 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]  ²⁸³ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ²⁸⁴ 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]  ²⁸⁵ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ²⁸⁶ 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]  ²⁸⁷ tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”

[22:2]  ²⁸⁸ 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]  ²⁸⁹ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ²⁹⁰ 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]  ²⁹¹ 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]  ²⁹² tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ²⁹³ 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]  ²⁹⁴ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ²⁹⁵ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ²⁹⁶ 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]  ²⁹⁵ 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]  ²⁹⁶ 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]  ²⁹⁷ tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ²⁹⁸ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ²⁹⁹ 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]  ³⁰¹ 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]  ³⁰² 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]  ³⁰³ tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ³⁰⁴ 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]  ³⁰⁵ 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]  ³⁰⁶ tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ³⁰⁷ tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”

[22:6]  ³⁰⁷ 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]  ³⁰⁸ tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”

[22:6]  ³⁰⁹ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ³¹⁰ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ³¹¹ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ³¹³ 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]  ³¹⁹ 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]  ³²⁵ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ³²⁶ 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]  ³²⁷ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ³²⁸ 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]  ³³¹ 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]  ³³² tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ³³³ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ³³⁷ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ³³⁸ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ³³⁹ 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]  ³⁴³ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ³⁴⁴ 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]  ³⁴⁵ 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]  ³⁴⁶ 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]  ³⁴⁷ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ³⁴⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[22:14]  ³⁵⁰ 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]  ³⁵¹ 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]  ³⁵² sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ³⁵³ 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]  ³⁵⁵ tn Or “a witness to him.”

[22:15]  ³⁵⁶ tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ³⁶¹ 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]  ³⁶² 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]  ³⁶³ sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ³⁶⁴ 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]  ³⁶⁷ 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]  ³⁶⁸ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ³⁷³ tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ³⁷⁹ 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]  ³⁸⁰ 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]  ³⁸⁵ 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]  ³⁸⁶ sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ³⁸⁷ 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]  ³⁸⁸ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:20]  ³⁸⁹ 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]  ³⁹¹ 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]  ³⁹⁷ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ³⁹⁸ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ³⁹⁹ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ⁴⁰¹ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ⁴⁰² 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]  ⁴⁰³ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ⁴⁰⁵ 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]  ⁴⁰⁹ 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]  ⁴¹⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ⁴¹¹ 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]  ⁴¹² 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]  ⁴¹³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ⁴¹⁴ 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]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ⁴¹⁵ 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]  ⁴¹⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ⁴¹⁷ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[22:26]  ⁴²¹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ⁴²² 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]  ⁴²³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ⁴²⁴ 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]  ⁴²⁵ 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]  ⁴²⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ⁴²⁷ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ⁴²⁸ tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ⁴²⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ⁴³⁰ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ⁴³¹ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ⁴³³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ⁴³⁴ 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]  ⁴³⁵ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ⁴³⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:28]  ⁴³⁷ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ⁴³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ⁴⁴² 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]  ⁴⁴³ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ⁴⁴⁴ 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]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ⁴⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴⁴⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ⁴⁴⁹ 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.

[78:71]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Heb “from after the ewes he brought him.”

[78:71]  ⁴⁵² tn Heb “to shepherd Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.”

[78:72]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Heb “He”; the referent (David, God’s chosen king, mentioned in v. 70) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[78:72]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn Heb “and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart.”

[78:72]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Heb “and with the understanding of his hands he led them.”