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Acts 16:1

Context

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16:1 He also came to Derbe¹ and to Lystra.² A disciple³ named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,⁴ but whose father was a Greek.⁵

Acts 23:1-35

Context

23:1 Paul looked directly⁶ at the council⁷ and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience⁸ before God to this day.” 23:2 At that⁹ the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near¹⁰ Paul¹¹ to strike¹² him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!¹³ Do¹⁴ you sit there judging me according to the law,¹⁵ and in violation of the law¹⁶ you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him¹⁷ said, “Do you dare insult¹⁸ God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied,¹⁹ “I did not realize,²⁰ brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”²¹

23:6 Then when Paul noticed²² that part of them were Sadducees²³ and the others Pharisees,²⁴ he shouted out in the council,²⁵ “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection²⁶ of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this,²⁷ an argument²⁸ began²⁹ between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)³⁰ 23:9 There was a great commotion,³¹ and some experts in the law³² from the party of the Pharisees stood up³³ and protested strongly,³⁴ “We find nothing wrong³⁵ with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became³⁶ so great the commanding officer³⁷ feared that they would tear Paul to pieces,³⁸ he ordered the detachment³⁹ to go down, take him away from them by force,⁴⁰ and bring him into the barracks.⁴¹

23:11 The following night the Lord⁴² stood near⁴³ Paul⁴⁴ and said, “Have courage,⁴⁵ for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem,⁴⁶ so you must also testify in Rome.”⁴⁷

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came,⁴⁸ the Jews formed⁴⁹ a conspiracy⁵⁰ and bound themselves with an oath⁵¹ not to eat or drink anything⁵² until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy.⁵³ 23:14 They⁵⁴ went⁵⁵ to the chief priests⁵⁶ and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath⁵⁷ not to partake⁵⁸ of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council⁵⁹ request the commanding officer⁶⁰ to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine⁶¹ his case⁶² by conducting a more thorough inquiry.⁶³ We are ready to kill him⁶⁴ before he comes near this place.”⁶⁵

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush,⁶⁶ he came and entered⁶⁷ the barracks⁶⁸ and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called⁶⁹ one of the centurions⁷⁰ and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer,⁷¹ for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion⁷² took him and brought him to the commanding officer⁷³ and said, “The prisoner Paul called⁷⁴ me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer⁷⁵ took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want⁷⁶ to report to me?” 23:20 He replied,⁷⁷ “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council⁷⁸ tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this,⁷⁹ because more than forty of them⁸⁰ are lying in ambush⁸¹ for him. They⁸² have bound themselves with an oath⁸³ not to eat or drink anything⁸⁴ until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.”⁸⁵ 23:22 Then the commanding officer⁸⁶ sent the young man away, directing him,⁸⁷ “Tell no one that you have reported⁸⁸ these things to me.” 23:23 Then⁸⁹ he summoned⁹⁰ two of the centurions⁹¹ and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea⁹² along with seventy horsemen⁹³ and two hundred spearmen⁹⁴ by⁹⁵ nine o’clock tonight,⁹⁶ 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride⁹⁷ so that he may be brought safely to Felix⁹⁸ the governor.”⁹⁹ 23:25 He wrote¹⁰⁰ a letter that went like this:¹⁰¹

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor¹⁰² Felix,¹⁰³ greetings. 23:27 This man was seized¹⁰⁴ by the Jews and they were about to kill him,¹⁰⁵ when I came up¹⁰⁶ with the detachment¹⁰⁷ and rescued him, because I had learned that he was¹⁰⁸ a Roman citizen.¹⁰⁹ 23:28 Since I wanted to know¹¹⁰ what charge they were accusing him of,¹¹¹ I brought him down to their council.¹¹² 23:29 I found he¹¹³ was accused with reference to controversial questions¹¹⁴ about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment.¹¹⁵ 23:30 When I was informed¹¹⁶ there would be a plot¹¹⁷ against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges¹¹⁸ against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders,¹¹⁹ took¹²⁰ Paul and brought him to Antipatris¹²¹ during the night. 23:32 The next day they let¹²² the horsemen¹²³ go on with him, and they returned to the barracks.¹²⁴ 23:33 When the horsemen¹²⁵ came to Caesarea¹²⁶ and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented¹²⁷ Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor¹²⁸ had read¹²⁹ the letter,¹³⁰ he asked¹³¹ what province he was from.¹³² When he learned¹³³ that he was from Cilicia,¹³⁴ 23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing¹³⁵ when your accusers arrive too.” Then¹³⁶ he ordered that Paul¹³⁷ be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.¹³⁸

[16:1] ¹sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. It was about 90 mi (145 km) from Tarsus.

[16:1] ²sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:1] ³tn Grk “And behold, a disciple.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[16:1] ⁴tn L&N 31.103 translates this phrase “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer.”

[16:1] ⁵sn His father was a Greek. Timothy was the offspring of a mixed marriage between a Jewish woman (see 2 Tim 1:5) and a Gentile man. On mixed marriages in Judaism, see Neh 13:23-27; Ezra 9:1-10:44; Mal 2:10-16; Jub. 30:7-17; m. Qiddushin 3.12; m. Yevamot 7.5.

[23:1] ⁶tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:1] ⁷tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1] ⁸tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”

[23:2] ¹¹tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2] ¹²tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2] ¹³tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2] ¹⁴tn Or “hit” (‘strike’ maintains the wordplay with the following verse). The action was probably designed to indicate a rejection of Paul’s claim to a clear conscience in the previous verse.

[23:3] ¹⁶sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.

[23:3] ¹⁷tn Grk “And do.” 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.

[23:3] ¹⁸tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3] ¹⁹tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4] ²¹tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4] ²²tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”

[23:5] ²⁶tn Grk “said.”

[23:5] ²⁷tn Or “know.”

[23:5] ²⁸sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.

[23:6] ³¹tn BDAG 200 s.v. γινώσκω 4 has “to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize”; this is further clarified by section 4.c: “w. ὅτι foll….Ac 23:6.”

[23:6] ³²sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6] ³³sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6] ³⁴tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6] ³⁵tn That is, concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected. Grk “concerning the hope and resurrection.” BDAG 320 s.v. ἐλπίς 1.b.α states, “Of Israel’s messianic hope Ac 23:6 (ἐ. καὶ ἀνάστασις for ἐ. τῆς ἀν. [obj. gen] as 2 Macc 3:29 ἐ. καὶ σωτηρία).” With an objective genitive construction, the resurrection of the dead would be the “object” of the hope.

[23:7] ³⁶tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7] ³⁷tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7] ³⁸tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8] ⁴¹tn BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφότεροι 2 has “all, even when more than two are involved…Φαρισαῖοι ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀ. believe in them all 23:8.” On this belief see Josephus, J. W. 2.8.14 (2.163); Ant. 18.1.3 (18.14).

[23:9] ⁴⁶tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9] ⁴⁷tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9] ⁴⁸tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9] ⁴⁹tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.

[23:9] ⁵⁰sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.

[23:10] ⁵¹tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10] ⁵²tn 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.

[23:10] ⁵³tn Grk “that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.” BDAG 236 s.v. διασπάω has “of an angry mob μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν that Paul would be torn in pieces by them Ac 23:10.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been converted to an equivalent active construction in the translation.

[23:10] ⁵⁴tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.

[23:10] ⁵⁵tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10] ⁵⁶tn 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.”

[23:11] ⁵⁶sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11] ⁵⁷tn Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:11] ⁵⁸tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11] ⁵⁹tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11] ⁶⁰map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11] ⁶¹sn Like Jesus went to Jerusalem, Paul would now go to Rome. This trip forms the concluding backdrop to Acts. This is the second notice about going to Rome (see Acts 19:21 for the first).

[23:12] ⁶¹tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12] ⁶²tn Grk “forming a conspiracy, bound.” The participle ποιήσαντες (poihsantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:12] ⁶³tn L&N 30.72 has ‘some Jews formed a conspiracy’ Ac 23:12”; BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 has “Judeans came together in a mob 23:12. But in the last pass. the word may also mean – 2. the product of a clandestine gathering, plot, conspiracy” (see also Amos 7:10; Ps 63:3).

[23:12] ⁶⁴tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” On such oaths see m. Shevi’it 3:1-5. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[23:12] ⁶⁵tn The word “anything” 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.

[23:13] ⁶⁶tn L&N 30.73 defines συνωμοσία (sunwmosia) as “a plan for taking secret action someone or some institution, with the implication of an oath binding the conspirators – ‘conspiracy, plot.’ …‘there were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy’ Ac 23:13.”

[23:14] ⁷¹tn Grk “who.” 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.

[23:14] ⁷²tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14] ⁷³sn They went to the chief priests. The fact that the high priest knew of this plot and did nothing shows the Jewish leadership would even become accomplices to murder to stop Paul. They would not allow Roman justice to take its course. Paul’s charge in v. 3 of superficially following the law is thus shown to be true.

[23:14] ⁷⁴tn Or “bound ourselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” The pleonastic use ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (literally “we have cursed ourselves with a curse”) probably serves as an intensifier following Semitic usage, and is represented in the translation by the word “solemn.” On such oaths see m. Nedarim 3:1, 3.

[23:14] ⁷⁵tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15] ⁷⁶tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15] ⁷⁷tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15] ⁷⁸tn Or “decide.” BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω has “ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ to make a more thorough examination of his case Ac 23:15.”

[23:15] ⁷⁹tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15] ⁸⁰tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15] ⁸¹sn “We are ready to kill him.” Now those Jews involved in the conspiracy, along with the leaders as accomplices, are going to break one of the ten commandments.

[23:15] ⁸²tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16] ⁸¹tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16] ⁸²tn Grk “coming and entering…, he told.” The participles παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") and εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:16] ⁸³tn 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.”

[23:17] ⁸⁶tn Grk “calling…Paul said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:17] ⁸⁷sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17] ⁸⁸tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18] ⁹¹tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18] ⁹²tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18] ⁹³tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19] ⁹⁶tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19] ⁹⁷tn Grk “you have,” but the expression “have to report” in English could be understood to mean “must report” rather than “possess to report.” For this reason the nearly equivalent expression “want to report,” which is not subject to misunderstanding, was used in the translation.

[23:20] ¹⁰¹tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20] ¹⁰²tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21] ¹⁰⁶tn Grk “do not be persuaded by them.” The passive construction μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς (mh peisqh" autoi") has been converted to an active construction in the translation, and the phrase “to do this” supplied to indicate more clearly the object of their persuasion.

[23:21] ¹⁰⁷tn Grk “forty men of them.” In the expression ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες (ex autwn andre") “men” is somewhat redundant and has not been included in the English translation.

[23:21] ¹⁰⁸tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21] ¹⁰⁹tn Grk “for him, who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[23:21] ¹¹⁰tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone… ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.”

[23:21] ¹¹¹tn The word “anything” 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.

[23:21] ¹¹²tn Grk “waiting for your approval,” “waiting for your agreement.” Since it would be possible to misunderstand the literal translation “waiting for your approval” to mean that the Jews were waiting for the commander’s approval to carry out their plot or to kill Paul (as if he were to be an accomplice to their plot), the object of the commander’s approval (their request to bring Paul to the council) has been specified in the translation as “their request.”

[23:22] ¹¹¹tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22] ¹¹²tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγγέλλω has “to make an announcement about someth. that must be done, give orders, command, instruct, direct of all kinds of persons in authority, worldly rulers, Jesus, the apostles…παραγγέλλειν w. an inf. and μή comes to mean forbid to do someth.: π. τινί w. aor. inf. Lk 5:14; 8:56; without the dat., which is easily supplied fr. the context Ac 23:22.” However, if the direct discourse which follows is to be retained in the translation, a different translation must be used since it is awkward to introduce direct discourse with the verb to forbid. Thus the alternative to direct was used.

[23:22] ¹¹³tn On this verb, see BDAG 325-26 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 2. The term was frequently used of an official report to authorities. In modern terms, this was a police tip.

[23:23] ¹¹⁶tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to the reported ambush, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[23:23] ¹¹⁷tn Grk “summoning…he said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:23] ¹¹⁸sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23] ¹¹⁹sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a journey of about 65 mi (just over 100 km).

[23:23] ¹²⁰tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23] ¹²¹tn A military technical term of uncertain meaning. BDAG 217 s.v. δεξιολάβος states, “a word of uncertain mng., military t.t., acc. to Joannes Lydus…and Theophyl. Sim., Hist. 4, 1 a light-armed soldier, perh. bowman, slinger; acc. to a scholion in CMatthaei p. 342 body-guard….Spearman Goodspd., NRSV; ‘security officer’, GDKilpatrick, JTS 14, ’63, 393f.”

[23:23] ¹²²tn Grk “from.”

[23:23] ¹²³tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24] ¹²¹tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”

[23:24] ¹²²sn Felix the governor was Antonius Felix, a freedman of Antonia, mother of the Emperor Claudius. He was the brother of Pallas and became procurator of Palestine in a.d. 52/53. His administration was notorious for its corruption, cynicism, and cruelty. According to the historian Tacitus (History 5.9) Felix “reveled in cruelty and lust, and wielded the power of a king with the mind of a slave.”

[23:24] ¹²³tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25] ¹²⁶tn Grk “writing.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation, supplying “he” (referring to the commanding officer, Claudius Lysias) as subject. The participle γράψας (grayas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:25] ¹²⁷tn Grk “having this form,” “having this content.” L&N 33.48 has “γράψσς ἐπιστολὴν ἔχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον ‘then he wrote a letter that went like this’ Ac 23:25. It is also possible to understand ἐπιστολή in Ac 23:25 not as a content or message, but as an object (see 6.63).”

[23:26] ¹³¹tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26] ¹³²sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27] ¹³⁶tn The participle συλλημφθέντα (sullhmfqenta) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. The remark reviews events of Acts 21:27-40.

[23:27] ¹³⁷tn Grk “and was about to be killed by them.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:27] ¹³⁸tn Or “approached.”

[23:27] ¹³⁹tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.

[23:27] ¹⁴⁰tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27] ¹⁴¹tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[23:28] ¹⁴¹tn Or “determine.”

[23:28] ¹⁴²tn Grk “to know the charge on account of which they were accusing him.” This has been simplified to eliminate the prepositional phrase and relative pronoun δι᾿ ἣν (di’ }hn) similar to L&N 27.8 which has “‘I wanted to find out what they were accusing him of, so I took him down to their Council’ Ac 23:28.”

[23:28] ¹⁴³tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29] ¹⁴⁶tn Grk “whom I found.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been changed to a personal pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at this point.

[23:29] ¹⁴⁷tn BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19. – In 23:29, since περί had already been used, the subj. of the discussion is added in the gen. ζ. τοῦ νόμου αὐτῶν.”

[23:29] ¹⁴⁸tn Grk “but having no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.” BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 has “legal t.t.…ἔ. ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν a charge deserving death or imprisonment 23:29.”

[23:30] ¹⁵¹tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30] ¹⁵²tn The term translated “plot” here is a different one than the one in Acts 23:16 (see BDAG 368 s.v. ἐπιβουλή).

[23:30] ¹⁵³tn Grk “the things against him.” This could be rendered as “accusations,” “grievances,” or “charges,” but since “ordered his accusers to state their accusations” sounds redundant in English, “charges” was used instead.

[23:31] ¹⁵⁶tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31] ¹⁵⁷tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31] ¹⁵⁸sn Antipatris was a city in Judea about 35 mi (55 km) northwest of Jerusalem (about halfway to Caesarea). It was mentioned several times by Josephus (Ant. 13.15.1 [13.390]; J. W. 1.4.7 [1.99]).

[23:32] ¹⁶¹tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32] ¹⁶²tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32] ¹⁶³tn 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.”

[23:33] ¹⁶⁶tn Grk “who, coming to Caesarea.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek construction, a new sentence was begun here in the translation. The relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced with the referent (the horsemen) in the translation for clarity.

[23:33] ¹⁶⁷sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. It was about 30 mi (50 km) from Antipatris.

[23:33] ¹⁶⁸tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.b has “present, represent – α. lit. τινά τινι someone to someone παρέστησαν τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ Ac 23:33.”

[23:34] ¹⁷¹tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34] ¹⁷²tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34] ¹⁷³tn The words “the letter” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:34] ¹⁷⁴tn Grk “and asking.” The participle ἐπερωτήσας (eperwthsa") has been translated as a finite verb and καί (kai) left untranslated due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34] ¹⁷⁵sn Governor Felix asked what province he was from to determine whether he had legal jurisdiction over Paul. He could have sent him to his home province for trial, but decided to hear the case himself.

[23:34] ¹⁷⁶tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34] ¹⁷⁷sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35] ¹⁷⁶tn Or “I will hear your case.” BDAG 231 s.v. διακούω has “as legal t.t. give someone an opportunity to be heard in court, give someone (τινός) a hearing Ac 23:35”; L&N 56.13 has “to give a judicial hearing in a legal matter – ‘to hear a case, to provide a legal hearing, to hear a case in court.’”

[23:35] ¹⁷⁷tn Grk “ordering.” The participle κελεύσας (keleusas) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence. “Then” has also been supplied to indicate the logical and temporal sequence.

[23:35] ¹⁷⁸tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35] ¹⁷⁹sn Herod’s palace (Grk “Herod’s praetorium”) was the palace built in Caesarea by Herod the Great. See Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 (15.331). These events belong to the period of a.d. 56-57.