Acts 18:4

18:4 He addressed ¹  both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue ²  every Sabbath, attempting to persuade ³  them.

Acts 18:19

18:19 When they reached Ephesus, ⁴  Paul ⁵  left Priscilla and Aquila ⁶  behind there, but he himself went ⁷  into the synagogue ⁸  and addressed ⁹  the Jews.

Acts 17:2

17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, ¹⁰  as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed ¹¹  them from the scriptures,

Acts 17:17

17:17 So he was addressing ¹²  the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles ¹³  in the synagogue, ¹⁴  and in the marketplace every day ¹⁵  those who happened to be there.

Acts 19:8

Paul Continues to Minister at Ephesus

19:8 So Paul ¹⁶  entered ¹⁷  the synagogue ¹⁸  and spoke out fearlessly ¹⁹  for three months, addressing ²⁰  and convincing ²¹  them about the kingdom of God. ²² 

Acts 24:12

24:12 They did not find me arguing ²³  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ²⁴  in the temple courts ²⁵  or in the synagogues ²⁶  or throughout the city, ²⁷ 

Acts 19:9

19:9 But when ²⁸  some were stubborn ²⁹  and refused to believe, reviling ³⁰  the Way ³¹  before the congregation, he left ³²  them and took the disciples with him, ³³  addressing ³⁴  them every day ³⁵  in the lecture hall ³⁶  of Tyrannus.

Acts 20:7

20:7 On the first day ³⁷  of the week, when we met ³⁸  to break bread, Paul began to speak ³⁹  to the people, and because he intended ⁴⁰  to leave the next day, he extended ⁴¹  his message until midnight.

Acts 20:9

20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, ⁴²  was sinking ⁴³  into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak ⁴⁴  for a long time. Fast asleep, ⁴⁵  he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

Acts 24:25

24:25 While Paul ⁴⁶  was discussing ⁴⁷  righteousness, self-control, ⁴⁸  and the coming judgment, Felix ⁴⁹  became ⁵⁰  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ⁵¹  I will send for you.”

[18:4]  ¹ 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 18:4. 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.

[18:4]  ² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:4]  ³ tn Grk “Addressing in the synagogue every Sabbath, he was attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.” Because in English the verb “address” is not used absolutely but normally has an object specified, the direct objects of the verb ἔπειθεν (epeiqen) have been moved forward as the objects of the English verb “addressed,” and the pronoun “them” repeated in the translation as the object of ἔπειθεν. The verb ἔπειθεν has been translated as a conative imperfect.

[18:19]  ⁴ sn Ephesus was an influential city in Asia Minor. It was the location of the famous temple of Artemis. In 334 b.c. control of the city had passed to Alexander the Great, who contributed a large sum to the building of a new and more elaborate temple of Artemis, which became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and lasted until destroyed by the Goths in a.d. 263. This major port city would be reached from Corinth by ship. It was 250 mi (400 km) east of Corinth by sea.

[18:19]  ⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ⁶ tn Grk “left them”; the referents (Priscilla and Aquila) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ⁷ tn Grk “going”; the participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:19]  ⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:19]  ⁹ 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.

[17:2]  ⁷ tn Grk “he went in to them”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:2]  ⁸ 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 17:2. 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.

[17:17]  ¹⁰ 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 17:17. 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.

[17:17]  ¹¹ tn Or “and the devout,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44, and the note on the phrase “God-fearing Greeks” in 17:4.

[17:17]  ¹² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:17]  ¹³ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[19:8]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:8]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “So entering the synagogue, he spoke out fearlessly.” The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:8]  ¹⁵ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[19:8]  ¹⁶ tn Or “boldly.”

[19:8]  ¹⁷ 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 19:8. 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.

[19:8]  ¹⁸ tn Or “addressing them persuasively.” The two participles διαλεγόμενος and πείθων (dialegomeno" and peiqwn) can be understood as a hendiadys (so NIV, NRSV), thus, “addressing them persuasively.”

[19:8]  ¹⁹ sn To talk about Jesus as the Christ who has come is to talk about the kingdom of God. This is yet another summary of the message like that in 18:28.

[24:12]  ¹⁶ tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”

[24:12]  ¹⁷ tn BDAG 381 s.v. ἐπίστασις 2 has “ἐ. ποιεῖν ὄχλου to cause a crowd to gather Ac 24:12.” Roman authorities would not allow a mob to gather and threaten the peace, and anyone suspected of instigating a mob would certainly be arrested.

[24:12]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[24:12]  ¹⁹ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[24:12]  ²⁰ sn A second part of Paul’s defense is that he did nothing while he was in Jerusalem to cause unrest, neither arguing nor stirring up a crowd in the temple courts or in the synagogues or throughout the city.

[19:9]  ¹⁹ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b lists this use as a temporal conjunction.

[19:9]  ²⁰ tn Or “some became hardened.” See BDAG 930 s.v. σκληρύνω b and Acts 7:51-53.

[19:9]  ²¹ tn Or “speaking evil of.” BDAG 500 s.v. κακολογέω has “speak evil of, revile, insult…τὶ someth. τὴν ὁδόν the Way (i.e. Christian way of life) Ac 19:9.”

[19:9]  ²² sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity). Luke frequently refers to it as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).

[19:9]  ²³ tn Grk “leaving them, he took.” The participle ἀποστάς (apostas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:9]  ²⁴ tn The words “with him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:9]  ²⁵ 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 19:9. 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.

[19:9]  ²⁶ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[19:9]  ²⁷ tn The “lecture hall” was a place where teachers and pupils met. The term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 982 s.v. σχολή). L&N 7.14 notes, “it is better to use a translation such as ‘lecture hall’ rather than ‘school,’ since one does not wish to give the impression of the typical classroom situation characteristic of present-day schools.”

[20:7]  ²² sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).

[20:7]  ²³ tn Or “assembled.”

[20:7]  ²⁴ tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. 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. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[20:7]  ²⁵ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:7]  ²⁶ tn Or “prolonged.”

[20:9]  ²⁵ tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).

[20:9]  ²⁶ tn Grk “sinking into a deep sleep.” BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ sink into a deep sleep…Ac 20:9a.” The participle καταφερόμενος (kataferomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:9]  ²⁷ tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.

[20:9]  ²⁸ tn BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὔπνου overwhelmed by sleep vs. 9b,” but this expression is less common in contemporary English than phrases like “fast asleep” or “sound asleep.”

[24:25]  ²⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ²⁹ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ³⁰ tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[24:25]  ³¹ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ³² tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ³³ tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”