Acts 17:5

17:5 But the Jews became jealous, ¹  and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, ²  they formed a mob ³  and set the city in an uproar. ⁴  They attacked Jason’s house, ⁵  trying to find Paul and Silas ⁶  to bring them out to the assembly. ⁷ 

Acts 18:12

Paul Before the Proconsul Gallio

18:12 Now while Gallio ⁸  was proconsul ⁹  of Achaia, ¹⁰  the Jews attacked Paul together ¹¹  and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹² 

Acts 19:28-41

19:28 When ¹³  they heard ¹⁴  this they became enraged ¹⁵  and began to shout, ¹⁶  “Great is Artemis ¹⁷  of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The ¹⁸  city was filled with the uproar, ¹⁹  and the crowd ²⁰  rushed to the theater ²¹  together, ²²  dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 19:30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, ²³  the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities ²⁴  who were his friends sent ²⁵  a message ²⁶  to him, urging him not to venture ²⁷  into the theater. 19:32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. ²⁸  19:33 Some of the crowd concluded ²⁹  it was about ³⁰  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ³¹  Alexander, gesturing ³²  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ³³  before the public assembly. ³⁴  19:34 But when they recognized ³⁵  that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, ³⁶  “Great is Artemis ³⁷  of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. ³⁸  19:35 After the city secretary ³⁹  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ⁴⁰  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ⁴¹  of the temple of the great Artemis ⁴²  and of her image that fell from heaven? ⁴³  19:36 So because these facts ⁴⁴  are indisputable, ⁴⁵  you must keep quiet ⁴⁶  and not do anything reckless. ⁴⁷  19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers ⁴⁸  nor blasphemers of our goddess. ⁴⁹  19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint ⁵⁰  against someone, the courts are open ⁵¹  and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. ⁵²  19:39 But if you want anything in addition, ⁵³  it will have to be settled ⁵⁴  in a legal assembly. ⁵⁵  19:40 For ⁵⁶  we are in danger of being charged with rioting ⁵⁷  today, since there is no cause we can give to explain ⁵⁸  this disorderly gathering.” ⁵⁹  19:41 After ⁶⁰  he had said ⁶¹  this, ⁶²  he dismissed the assembly. ⁶³ 

Acts 21:30-31

21:30 The whole city was stirred up, ⁶⁴  and the people rushed together. ⁶⁵  They seized ⁶⁶  Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, ⁶⁷  and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying ⁶⁸  to kill him, a report ⁶⁹  was sent up ⁷⁰  to the commanding officer ⁷¹  of the cohort ⁷²  that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ⁷³ 

Acts 22:22-23

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ⁷⁴  was listening to him until he said this. ⁷⁵  Then ⁷⁶  they raised their voices and shouted, ⁷⁷  “Away with this man ⁷⁸  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ⁷⁹  22:23 While they were screaming ⁸⁰  and throwing off their cloaks ⁸¹  and tossing dust ⁸²  in the air,

[17:5]  ¹ tn Grk “becoming jealous.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. So elsewhere in Acts (5:17; 7:9; 13:45).

[17:5]  ² tn Literally ἀγοραῖος (agoraio") refers to the crowd in the marketplace, although BDAG 14-15 s.v. ἀγοραῖος 1 gives the meaning, by extension, as “rabble.” Such a description is certainly appropriate in this context. L&N 15.127 translates the phrase “worthless men from the streets.”

[17:5]  ³ tn On this term, which is a NT hapax legomenon, see BDAG 745 s.v. ὀχλοποιέω.

[17:5]  ⁴ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θορυβέω 1 has “set the city in an uproar, start a riot in the city” for the meaning of ἐθορύβουν (eqoruboun) in this verse.

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

[17:5]  ⁶ tn Grk “them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:5]  ⁷ tn BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2 has “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly προάγειν εἰς τὸν δ. Ac 17:5.”

[18:12]  ⁸ sn Gallio was proconsul of Achaia from a.d. 51-52. This date is one of the firmly established dates in Acts. Lucius Junius Gallio was the son of the rhetorician Seneca and the brother of Seneca the philosopher. The date of Gallio’s rule is established from an inscription (W. Dittenberger, ed., Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum 2.3 no. 8). Thus the event mentioned here is probably to be dated July-October a.d. 51.

[18:12]  ⁹ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[18:12]  ¹⁰ sn Achaia was a Roman province created in 146 b.c. that included the most important parts of Greece (Attica, Boeotia, and the Peloponnesus).

[18:12]  ¹¹ tn Grk “with one accord.”

[18:12]  ¹² tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), there is no need for an alternative translation here since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time.

[19:28]  ¹³ 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.

[19:28]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “And hearing.” The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[19:28]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “they became filled with rage” (an idiom). The reaction of the Ephesians here is like that of the Jews earlier, though Luke referred to “zeal” or “jealousy” in the former case (Acts 7:54).

[19:28]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “and began shouting, saying.” The imperfect verb ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[19:28]  ¹⁷ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:29]  ¹⁸ 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.

[19:29]  ¹⁹ tn L&N 39.43 has “‘the uproar spread throughout the whole city’ (literally ‘the city was filled with uproar’) Ac 19:29.” BDAG 954 s.v. σύγχυσις has “confusion, tumult.”

[19:29]  ²⁰ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:29]  ²¹ sn To the theater. This location made the event a public spectacle. The Grand Theater in Ephesus (still standing today) stood facing down the main thoroughfare of the city toward the docks. It had a seating capacity of 25,000.

[19:29]  ²² tn Grk “to the theater with one accord.”

[19:30]  ²³ tn Or “enter the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δ. go into the assembly 19:30.”

[19:31]  ²⁴ tn Grk “Asiarchs” (high-ranking officials of the province of Asia).

[19:31]  ²⁵ tn Grk “sending”; the participle πέμψαντες (pemyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:31]  ²⁶ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[19:31]  ²⁷ tn BDAG 242-43 s.v. δίδωμι 11 has “to cause (oneself) to go, go, venture somewhere (cp. our older ‘betake oneself’)…Ac 19:31.” The desire of these sympathetic authorities was surely to protect Paul’s life. The detail indicates how dangerous things had become.

[19:32]  ²⁸ tn Or “had assembled.”

[19:33]  ²⁹ tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”

[19:33]  ³⁰ tn The words “it was about” are not in the Greek text but are implied; ᾿Αλέξανδρον (Alexandron) is taken to be an accusative of general reference.

[19:33]  ³¹ tn BDAG 865 s.v. προβάλλω 1 has “to cause to come forward, put forward…τινά someone…push someone forward to speak in the theater…Ac 19:33.”

[19:33]  ³² tn Or “motioning.”

[19:33]  ³³ sn The nature of Alexander’s defense is not clear. It appears he was going to explain, as a Jew, that the problem was not caused by Jews, but by those of “the Way.” However, he never got a chance to speak.

[19:33]  ³⁴ tn Or “before the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…ἀπολογεῖσθαι τῷ δ. make a defense before the assembly vs. 33.”

[19:34]  ³⁵ tn Grk “But recognizing.” The participle ἐπιγνόντες (epignonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:34]  ³⁶ tn Grk “[they shouted] with one voice from all of them” (an idiom).

[19:34]  ³⁷ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus, 1.25 mi (2 km) northeast of the Grand Theater. Dimensions were 418 ft by 239 ft (125 m by 72 m) for the platform; the temple proper was 377 ft by 180 ft (113 m by 54 m). The roof was supported by 117 columns, each 60 ft (18 m) high by 6 ft (1.8 m) in diameter. The Emperor Justinian of Byzantium later took these columns for use in construction of the Hagia Sophia, where they still exist (in modern day Istanbul).

[19:34]  ³⁸ sn They all shouted…for about two hours. The extent of the tumult shows the racial and social tensions of a cosmopolitan city like Ephesus, indicating what the Christians in such locations had to face.

[19:35]  ³⁹ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ⁴⁰ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ⁴¹ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ⁴² sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:35]  ⁴³ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[19:36]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:36]  ⁴⁵ tn The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὄντων (ontwn) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. On the term translated “indisputable” see BDAG 68-69 s.v. ἀναντίρρητος which has “not to be contradicted, undeniable.”

[19:36]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “it is necessary that you be quiet.”

[19:36]  ⁴⁷ tn L&N 88.98 has “pertaining to impetuous and reckless behavior – ‘reckless, impetuous.’…‘so then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless’ Ac 19:36.” The city secretary was asking that order be restored.

[19:37]  ⁴⁸ tn Or perhaps, “desecrators of temples.”

[19:37]  ⁴⁹ sn Nor blasphemers of our goddess. There was no formal crime with which Paul could be charged. He had the right to his religion as long as he did not act physically against the temple. Since no overt act had taken place, the official wanted the community to maintain the status quo on these religious matters. The remarks suggest Paul was innocent of any civil crime.

[19:38]  ⁵⁰ tn BDAG 600 s.v. λόγος 1.a.ε has “ἔχειν πρός τινα λόγον have a complaint against someone…19:38.”

[19:38]  ⁵¹ tn L&N 56.1 has ‘if Demetrius and his workers have an accusation against someone, the courts are open’ Ac 19:38.”

[19:38]  ⁵² tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The official’s request is that the legal system be respected.

[19:39]  ⁵³ tn Or “anything more than this.”

[19:39]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “resolved.”

[19:39]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “in a legal meeting of the citizens.” L&N 30.81 has “ἐν τῇ ἐννόμῳ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιλυθήσεται ‘it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of the citizens’ Ac 19:39.” This meeting took place three times a year.

[19:40]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “For indeed.” The ascensive force of καί (kai) would be awkward to translate here.

[19:40]  ⁵⁷ tn The term translated “rioting” refers to a revolt or uprising (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 2, 3). This would threaten Roman rule and invite Roman intervention.

[19:40]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “to account for.” Grk “since there is no cause concerning which we can give account concerning this disorderly gathering.” The complexity of the Greek relative clause (“which”) and the multiple prepositions (“concerning”) have been simplified in the translation consistent with contemporary English style.

[19:40]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “commotion.” BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 gives the meaning “a tumultuous gathering of people, disorderly/seditious gathering or commotion…Ac 19:40.”

[19:41]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “And after.” 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.

[19:41]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “And saying.” The participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:41]  ⁶² tn Grk “these things.”

[19:41]  ⁶³ sn Verse 41 in the English text is included as part of verse 40 in the standard critical editions of the Greek NT.

[21:30]  ⁶⁴ tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.

[21:30]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “the people formed a mob.” BDAG 967 s.v. συνδρομή has “formation of a mob by pers. running together, running together…ἐγένετο σ. τοῦ λαοῦ the people rushed together Ac 21:30.”

[21:30]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “and seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) 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 not been translated here.

[21:30]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:31]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “seeking.”

[21:31]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).

[21:31]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “went up”; this verb is used because the report went up to the Antonia Fortress where the Roman garrison was stationed.

[21:31]  ⁷¹ 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.

[21:31]  ⁷² sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.

[21:31]  ⁷³ tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”

[22:22]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ⁷⁹ 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]  ⁸⁰ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ⁸¹ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ⁸² 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.