Acts 16:22

16:22 The crowd joined the attack ¹  against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes ²  off Paul and Silas ³  and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ⁴ 

Acts 16:35

16:35 At daybreak ⁵  the magistrates ⁶  sent their police officers, ⁷  saying, “Release those men.”

Acts 16:38

16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas ⁸  were Roman citizens ⁹ 

Acts 4:1

The Arrest and Trial of Peter and John

4:1 While Peter and John ¹⁰  were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander ¹¹  of the temple guard ¹²  and the Sadducees ¹³  came up ¹⁴  to them,

Acts 5:24

5:24 Now when the commander ¹⁵  of the temple guard ¹⁶  and the chief priests heard this report, ¹⁷  they were greatly puzzled concerning it, ¹⁸  wondering what this could ¹⁹  be.

Acts 5:26

5:26 Then the commander ²⁰  of the temple guard ²¹  went with the officers ²²  and brought the apostles ²³  without the use of force ²⁴  (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people). ²⁵ 

Acts 16:20

16:20 When ²⁶  they had brought them ²⁷  before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. ²⁸  They are ²⁹  Jews

Acts 16:36

16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ³⁰  “The magistrates have sent orders ³¹  to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” ³² 

[16:22]  ¹ tn L&N 39.50 has “the crowd joined the attack against them” for συνεπέστη (sunepesth) in this verse.

[16:22]  ² tn Grk “tearing the clothes off them, the magistrates ordered.” The participle περιρήξαντες (perirhxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Although it may be possible to understand the aorist active participle περιρήξαντες in a causative sense (“the magistrates caused the clothes to be torn off Paul and Silas”) in the mob scene that was taking place, it is also possible that the magistrates themselves actively participated. This act was done to prepare them for a public flogging (2 Cor 11:25; 1 Thess 2:2).

[16:22]  ³ tn Grk “off them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:22]  ⁴ tn The infinitive ῥαβδίζειν (rJabdizein) means “to beat with rods or sticks” (as opposed to fists or clubs, BDAG 902 s.v. ῥαβδίζω).

[16:35]  ⁵ tn The translation “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse is given by BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a.

[16:35]  ⁶ tn On the term translated “magistrates,” see BDAG 947-48 s.v. στρατηγός 1. These city leaders were properly called duoviri, but were popularly known as praetors (στρατηγοί, strathgoi). They were the chief officials of Philippi. The text leaves the impression that they came to the decision to release Paul and Silas independently. God was at work everywhere.

[16:35]  ⁷ tn On the term ῥαβδοῦχος (rJabdouco") see BDAG 902 s.v. The term was used of the Roman lictor and roughly corresponds to contemporary English “constable, policeman.”

[16:38]  ⁹ tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:38]  ¹⁰ sn Roman citizens. This fact was disturbing to the officials because due process was a right for a Roman citizen, well established in Roman law. To flog a Roman citizen was considered an abomination. Such punishment was reserved for noncitizens.

[4:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “While they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:1]  ¹⁴ tn Or “captain.”

[4:1]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[4:1]  ¹⁶ sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 3:7; 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.

[4:1]  ¹⁷ tn Or “approached.” This verb often denotes a sudden appearing (BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1).

[5:24]  ¹⁷ tn Or “captain.”

[5:24]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[5:24]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “heard these words.”

[5:24]  ²⁰ tn Grk “concerning them,” agreeing with the plural antecedent “these words.” Since the phrase “these words” was translated as the singular “this report,” the singular “concerning it” is used here.

[5:24]  ²¹ tn The optative verb here expresses confused uncertainty.

[5:26]  ²¹ tn Or “captain.”

[5:26]  ²² tn Grk “the official [of the temple],” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[5:26]  ²³ tn The Greek term ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") generally means “servant,” but in the NT is used for many different types of servants. See the note on the word “officers” in v. 22.

[5:26]  ²⁴ tn Grk “brought them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:26]  ²⁵ tn Or “without violence.” It is clear, as well, that the apostles did not resist arrest.

[5:26]  ²⁶ tn Grk “for they feared lest they be stoned by the people.” The translation uses a less awkward English equivalent. This is an explanatory note by the author.

[16:20]  ²⁵ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[16:20]  ²⁶ tn Grk “having brought them.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been taken temporally. It is also possible in English to translate this participle as a finite verb: “they brought them before the magistrates and said.”

[16:20]  ²⁷ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἐκταράσσω has “agitate, cause trouble to, throw into confusion” for the meaning of this verb.

[16:20]  ²⁸ tn Grk “being Jews, and they are proclaiming.” The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:36]  ²⁹ tn The word “saying” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; it is necessary in English because the content of what the jailer said to Paul and Silas is not the exact message related to him by the police officers, but is a summary with his own additions.

[16:36]  ³⁰ tn The word “orders” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[16:36]  ³¹ tn Grk “So coming out now go in peace.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.