Acts 18:13-14

18:13 saying, “This man is persuading ¹  people to worship God in a way contrary to ²  the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, ³  Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, ⁴  I would have been justified in accepting the complaint ⁵  of you Jews, ⁶ 

[18:13]  ¹ tn Or “inciting.”

[18:13]  ² tn Grk “worship God contrary to.” BDAG 758 s.v. παρά C.6 has “against, contrary to” for Acts 18:13. The words “in a way” are not in the Greek text, but are a necessary clarification to prevent the misunderstanding in the English translation that worshiping God was in itself contrary to the law. What is under dispute is the manner in which God was being worshiped, that is, whether Gentiles were being required to follow all aspects of the Mosaic law, including male circumcision. There is a hint of creating public chaos or disturbing Jewish custom here since Jews were the ones making the complaint. Luke often portrays the dispute between Christians and Jews as within Judaism.

[18:14]  ³ tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).

[18:14]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”