Discovery BoxActs 18:18-19
Context18:18 Paul, after staying 1 many more days in Corinth, 2 said farewell to 3 the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by 4 Priscilla and Aquila. 5 He 6 had his hair cut off 7 at Cenchrea 8 because he had made a vow. 9 18:19 When they reached Ephesus, 10 Paul 11 left Priscilla and Aquila 12 behind there, but he himself went 13 into the synagogue 14 and addressed 15 the Jews.
Acts 18:24-26
Context18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. 16 He was an eloquent speaker, 17 well-versed 18 in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in 19 the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm 20 he spoke and taught accurately the facts 21 about Jesus, although he knew 22 only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly 23 in the synagogue, 24 but when Priscilla and Aquila 25 heard him, they took him aside 26 and explained the way of God to him more accurately.
[18:18] 1 tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.
[18:18] 2 map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.
[18:18] 3 tn Or “Corinth, took leave of.” Grk “saying farewell to”; the participle ἀποταξάμενος (apotaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:18] 4 tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”
[18:18] 5 sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.
[18:18] 6 tn Or “Aquila, who.” The relationship of the participle κειράμενος (keirameno") is difficult to determine. Traditionally it is taken to refer to Paul, meaning that Paul had his hair cut off because of the vow. However, due to the proximity of the noun ᾿Ακύλας (Akula") and the reversal of the normal order (Aquila and Priscilla, Acts 17:34), the participle is taken as adjectival referring to Aquila by H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, n. 11. The later references to Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:23) do not resolve the problem, because the cutting of Paul’s own hair, while it may be implied, is not specifically mentioned in connection with the completion of the vows made by the other four.
[18:18] 7 tn The word “off” is supplied in the translation to indicate that this was not a normal haircut, but the shaving of the head connected with taking the vow (see Acts 21:24).
[18:18] 8 tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”
[18:18] 9 sn He had made a vow. It is debated whether this vow is a private vow of thanksgiving or the Nazirite vow, because it is not clear whether the Nazirite vow could be taken outside Jerusalem. Some have cited the Mishnah (m. Nazir 3:6, 5:4) to argue that the shaving of the hair can occur outside Jerusalem, and Josephus, J. W. 2.15.1 (2.313) is sometimes suggested as a parallel, but these references are not clear. H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, is certain that this refers to the Nazirite vow. Regardless, it is clear that Paul reflected his pious dependence on God.
[18:19] 10 sn Ephesus was an influential city in Asia Minor. It was the location of the famous temple of Artemis. In 334
[18:19] 11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:19] 12 tn Grk “left them”; the referents (Priscilla and Aquila) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:19] 13 tn Grk “going”; the participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:19] 14 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[18:19] 15 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:19. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
[18:24] 19 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
[18:24] 20 tn Or “was a learned man.” In this verse λόγιος (logios) can refer to someone who was an attractive and convincing speaker, a rhetorician (L&N 33.32), or it can refer to the person who has acquired a large part of the intellectual heritage of a given culture (“learned” or “cultured,” L&N 27.20, see also BDAG 598 s.v. λόγιος which lists both meanings as possible here). The description of Apollos’ fervent speaking in the following verses, as well as implications from 1 Cor 1-4, where Paul apparently compares his style and speaking ability with that of Apollos, suggests that eloquent speaking ability or formal rhetorical skill are in view here. This clause has been moved from its order in the Greek text (Grk “a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus, who was powerful in the scriptures”) and paired with the last element (“powerful in the scriptures”) due to the demands of clarity and contemporary English style.
[18:24] 21 tn Grk “powerful.” BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b has “in the Scriptures = well-versed 18:24.”
[18:25] 28 tn Or “had been taught.”
[18:25] 29 tn Grk “and boiling in spirit” (an idiom for great eagerness or enthusiasm; BDAG 426 s.v. ζέω).
[18:25] 30 tn Grk “the things.”
[18:25] 31 tn Grk “knowing”; the participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistameno") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
[18:26] 37 tn Or “boldly.” This is a frequent term in Acts (9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26).
[18:26] 38 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[18:26] 39 sn Priscilla and Aquila. This key couple, of which Priscilla was an important enough figure to be mentioned by name, instructed Apollos about the most recent work of God. See also the note on Aquila in 18:2.
[18:26] 40 tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσλαμβάνω 3 has “take aside, mid. τινά someone…So prob. also Ac 18:26: Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside to teach him undisturbed.”
