Discovery BoxActs 21:27--23:30
Context21:27 When the seven days were almost over, 1 the Jews from the province of Asia 2 who had seen him in the temple area 3 stirred up the whole crowd 4 and seized 5 him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, 6 help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, 7 and this sanctuary! 8 Furthermore 9 he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple 10 and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 11 21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and 12 they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) 13 21:30 The whole city was stirred up, 14 and the people rushed together. 15 They seized 16 Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, 17 and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying 18 to kill him, a report 19 was sent up 20 to the commanding officer 21 of the cohort 22 that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 23 21:32 He 24 immediately took 25 soldiers and centurions 26 and ran down to the crowd. 27 When they saw 28 the commanding officer 29 and the soldiers, they stopped beating 30 Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer 31 came up and arrested 32 him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; 33 he 34 then asked who he was and what 35 he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, 36 and when the commanding officer 37 was unable 38 to find out the truth 39 because of the disturbance, 40 he ordered Paul 41 to be brought into the barracks. 42 21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul 43 had to be carried 44 by the soldiers because of the violence 45 of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people 46 followed them, 47 screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 48 he said 49 to the commanding officer, 50 “May I say 51 something to you?” The officer 52 replied, 53 “Do you know Greek? 54 21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion 55 and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ 56 into the wilderness 57 some time ago?” 58 21:39 Paul answered, 59 “I am a Jew 60 from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. 61 Please 62 allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer 63 had given him permission, 64 Paul stood 65 on the steps and gestured 66 to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, 67 he addressed 68 them in Aramaic, 69
22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense 70 that I now 71 make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard 72 that he was addressing 73 them in Aramaic, 74 they became even 75 quieter.) 76 Then 77 Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, 78 born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up 79 in this city, educated with strictness 80 under 81 Gamaliel 82 according to the law of our ancestors, 83 and was 84 zealous 85 for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I 86 persecuted this Way 87 even to the point of death, 88 tying up 89 both men and women and putting 90 them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders 91 can testify about me. From them 92 I also received 93 letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way 94 to make arrests there and bring 95 the prisoners 96 to Jerusalem 97 to be punished. 22:6 As 98 I was en route and near Damascus, 99 about noon a very bright 100 light from heaven 101 suddenly flashed 102 around me. 22:7 Then I 103 fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 22:8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 22:9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand 104 the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, 105 ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up 106 and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything 107 that you have been designated 108 to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of 109 the brilliance 110 of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of 111 those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, 112 a devout man according to the law, 113 well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, 114 22:13 came 115 to me and stood beside me 116 and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ 117 And at that very moment 118 I looked up and saw him. 119 22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors 120 has already chosen 121 you to know his will, to see 122 the Righteous One, 123 and to hear a command 124 from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness 125 to all people 126 of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? 127 Get up, 128 be baptized, and have your sins washed away, 129 calling on his name.’ 130 22:17 When 131 I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 132 22:18 and saw the Lord 133 saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, 134 ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues 135 who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness 136 Stephen was shed, 137 I myself was standing nearby, approving, 138 and guarding the cloaks 139 of those who were killing him.’ 140 22:21 Then 141 he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22:22 The crowd 142 was listening to him until he said this. 143 Then 144 they raised their voices and shouted, 145 “Away with this man 146 from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” 147 22:23 While they were screaming 148 and throwing off their cloaks 149 and tossing dust 150 in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer 151 ordered Paul 152 to be brought back into the barracks. 153 He told them 154 to interrogate Paul 155 by beating him with a lash 156 so that he could find out the reason the crowd 157 was shouting at Paul 158 in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, 159 Paul said to the centurion 160 standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen 161 without a proper trial?” 162 22:26 When the centurion 163 heard this, 164 he went to the commanding officer 165 and reported it, 166 saying, “What are you about to do? 167 For this man is a Roman citizen.” 168 22:27 So the commanding officer 169 came and asked 170 Paul, 171 “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” 172 He replied, 173 “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer 174 answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” 175 “But I was even 176 born a citizen,” 177 Paul replied. 178 22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away 179 from him, and the commanding officer 180 was frightened when he realized that Paul 181 was 182 a Roman citizen 183 and that he had had him tied up. 184
22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 185 wanted to know the true reason 186 Paul 187 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 188 to assemble. He then brought 189 Paul down and had him stand before them.
23:1 Paul looked directly 190 at the council 191 and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience 192 before God to this day.” 23:2 At that 193 the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near 194 Paul 195 to strike 196 him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! 197 Do 198 you sit there judging me according to the law, 199 and in violation of the law 200 you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him 201 said, “Do you dare insult 202 God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, 203 “I did not realize, 204 brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” 205
23:6 Then when Paul noticed 206 that part of them were Sadducees 207 and the others Pharisees, 208 he shouted out in the council, 209 “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection 210 of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, 211 an argument 212 began 213 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.) 214 23:9 There was a great commotion, 215 and some experts in the law 216 from the party of the Pharisees stood up 217 and protested strongly, 218 “We find nothing wrong 219 with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became 220 so great the commanding officer 221 feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, 222 he ordered the detachment 223 to go down, take him away from them by force, 224 and bring him into the barracks. 225
23:11 The following night the Lord 226 stood near 227 Paul 228 and said, “Have courage, 229 for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, 230 so you must also testify in Rome.” 231
23:12 When morning came, 232 the Jews formed 233 a conspiracy 234 and bound themselves with an oath 235 not to eat or drink anything 236 until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. 237 23:14 They 238 went 239 to the chief priests 240 and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath 241 not to partake 242 of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council 243 request the commanding officer 244 to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine 245 his case 246 by conducting a more thorough inquiry. 247 We are ready to kill him 248 before he comes near this place.” 249
23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, 250 he came and entered 251 the barracks 252 and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called 253 one of the centurions 254 and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, 255 for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion 256 took him and brought him to the commanding officer 257 and said, “The prisoner Paul called 258 me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer 259 took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want 260 to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, 261 “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council 262 tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, 263 because more than forty of them 264 are lying in ambush 265 for him. They 266 have bound themselves with an oath 267 not to eat or drink anything 268 until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” 269 23:22 Then the commanding officer 270 sent the young man away, directing him, 271 “Tell no one that you have reported 272 these things to me.” 23:23 Then 273 he summoned 274 two of the centurions 275 and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea 276 along with seventy horsemen 277 and two hundred spearmen 278 by 279 nine o’clock tonight, 280 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride 281 so that he may be brought safely to Felix 282 the governor.” 283 23:25 He wrote 284 a letter that went like this: 285
23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor 286 Felix, 287 greetings. 23:27 This man was seized 288 by the Jews and they were about to kill him, 289 when I came up 290 with the detachment 291 and rescued him, because I had learned that he was 292 a Roman citizen. 293 23:28 Since I wanted to know 294 what charge they were accusing him of, 295 I brought him down to their council. 296 23:29 I found he 297 was accused with reference to controversial questions 298 about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. 299 23:30 When I was informed 300 there would be a plot 301 against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges 302 against him before you.
[21:27] 1 tn BDAG 975 s.v. συντελέω 4 has “to come to an end of a duration, come to an end, be over…Ac 21:27.”
[21:27] 2 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
[21:27] 3 tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.
[21:27] 4 tn Or “threw the whole crowd into consternation.” L&N 25.221 has “συνέχεον πάντα τὸν ὄχλον ‘they threw the whole crowd into consternation’ Ac 21:27. It is also possible to render the expression in Ac 21:27 as ‘they stirred up the whole crowd.’”
[21:27] 5 tn Grk “and laid hands on.”
[21:28] 6 tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage since “the whole crowd” is mentioned in v. 27, although it can also be argued that these remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.
[21:28] 7 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[21:28] 8 tn Grk “this place.”
[21:28] 9 tn BDAG 400 s.v. ἔτι 2.b has “ἔ. δὲ καί furthermore…al. ἔ. τε καί…Lk 14:26; Ac 21:28.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek, but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
[21:28] 10 tn Grk “into the temple.” The specific reference is to the Court of the Sons of Israel (see the note following the term “unclean” at the end of this verse). To avoid giving the modern reader the impression that they entered the temple building itself, the phrase “the inner courts of the temple” has been used in the translation.
[21:28] 11 tn Or “and has defiled this holy place.”
[21:29] 13 tn On the phrase “inner temple courts” see the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.
[21:30] 14 tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.
[21:30] 15 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] 16 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] 17 tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.
[21:31] 19 tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).
[21:31] 20 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] 21 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] 22 sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.
[21:31] 23 tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”
[21:32] 24 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated as a pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
[21:32] 25 tn Grk “taking…ran down.” The participle κατέδραμεν (katedramen) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:32] 26 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[21:32] 27 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:32] 28 tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.
[21:32] 29 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
[21:32] 30 sn The mob stopped beating Paul because they feared the Romans would arrest them for disturbing the peace and for mob violence. They would let the Roman officials take care of the matter from this point on.
[21:33] 31 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
[21:33] 33 tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).
[21:33] 34 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been replaced with a semicolon. “Then” has been supplied after “he” to clarify the logical sequence.
[21:33] 35 tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”
[21:34] 36 tn L&N 33.77 has “ἄλλοι δὲ ἄλλο τι ἐπεφώνουν ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ ‘some in the crowd shouted one thing; others, something else’ Ac 21:34.”
[21:34] 37 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:34] 38 tn This genitive absolute construction has been translated temporally; it could also be taken causally: “and since the commanding officer was unable to find out the truth.”
[21:34] 39 tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).
[21:34] 40 tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).
[21:34] 41 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:34] 42 tn 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.”
[21:35] 43 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:35] 44 sn Paul had to be carried. Note how the arrest really ended up protecting Paul. The crowd is portrayed as irrational at this point.
[21:35] 45 tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).
[21:36] 46 tn Grk “the multitude of people.” While πλῆθος (plhqo") is articular, it has been translated “a crowd” since it was probably a subset of the larger mob that gathered in v. 30.
[21:36] 47 tn The word “them” 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.
[21:37] 48 tn 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.”
[21:37] 49 tn Grk “says” (a historical present).
[21:37] 50 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
[21:37] 51 tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).
[21:37] 52 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:37] 54 sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.
[21:38] 55 tn L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”
[21:38] 56 tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”
[21:38] 58 tn Grk “before these days.”
[21:39] 60 tn Grk “a Jewish man.”
[21:39] 61 tn Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression (BDAG 142 s.v. ἄσημος 1).
[21:39] 62 tn Grk “I beg you.”
[21:40] 63 tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
[21:40] 64 tn Grk “Giving him permission.” The participle ἐπιτρέψαντος (epitreyanto") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:40] 65 tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:40] 67 tn γενομένης (genomenhs) has been taken temporally. BDAG 922 s.v. σιγή has “πολλῆς σιγῆς γενομένης when a great silence had fallen = when they had become silent Ac 21:40.”
[21:40] 68 tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”
[21:40] 69 tn Grk “in the Hebrew dialect, saying.” This refers to the Aramaic spoken in Palestine in the 1st century (BDAG 270 s.v. ῾Εβραΐς). The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[22:1] 70 sn Listen to my defense. This is the first of several speeches Paul would make in his own defense: Acts 24:10ff.; 25:8, 16; and 26:1ff. For the use of such a speech (“apologia”) in Greek, see Josephus, Ag. Ap. 2.15 [2.147]; Wis 6:10.
[22:1] 71 tn The adverb νυνί (nuni, “now”) is connected with the phrase τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας (th" pro" Juma" nuni apologia") rather than the verb ἀκούσατε (akousate), and the entire construction (prepositional phrase plus adverb) is in first attributive position and thus translated into English by a relative clause.
[22:2] 72 tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.
[22:2] 73 tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”
[22:2] 74 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.
[22:2] 75 tn BDAG 613-14 s.v. μᾶλλον 1 “Abs. μ. can mean to a greater degree (than before), even more, now more than ever Lk 5:15; Jn 5:18; 19:8; Ac 5:14; 22:2; 2 Cor 7:7.”
[22:2] 76 tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”
[22:2] 77 tn Grk “and.” Since this represents a continuation of the speech begun in v. 1, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.
[22:3] 78 tn Grk “a Jewish man.”
[22:3] 79 tn BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b has “of mental and spiritual nurture bring up, rear, train…ἀνατεθραμμένος ἐν τ. πόλει ταύτῃ 22:3.”
[22:3] 80 tn Or “with precision.” Although often translated “strictly” this can be misunderstood for “solely” in English. BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκρίβεια gives the meaning as “exactness, precision.” To avoid the potential misunderstanding the translation “with strictness” is used, although it is slightly more awkward than “strictly.”
[22:3] 81 tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).
[22:3] 82 tn Or “brought up in this city under Gamaliel, educated with strictness…” The phrase παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ (para tou" poda" Gamalihl) could be understood with what precedes or with what follows. The punctuation of NA27 and UBS4, which place a comma after ταύτῃ (tauth), has been followed in the translation.
[22:3] 83 tn Or “our forefathers.”
[22:3] 84 tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:3] 85 tn BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.α has “of pers. …ζ. τοῦ θεοῦ one who is loyal to God Ac 22:3.”
[22:4] 86 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the first person pronoun (“I”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
[22:4] 87 sn That is, persecuted the Christian movement (Christianity). The Way is also used as a description of the Christian faith in Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22).
[22:4] 88 tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”
[22:4] 89 tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.
[22:4] 90 tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “W. local εἰς…εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3; cp. 22:4.”
[22:5] 91 tn That is, the whole Sanhedrin. BDAG 861 s.v. πρεσβυτέριον has “an administrative group concerned with the interests of a specific community, council of elders – a. of the highest Judean council in Jerusalem, in our lit. usu. called συνέδριον…ὁ ἀρχιερεύς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρ. Ac 22:5.”
[22:5] 92 tn Grk “from whom.” 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.
[22:5] 93 tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:5] 94 tn Grk “letters to the brothers, [and] I was going to Damascus.” Such a translation, however, might be confusing since the term “brother” is frequently used of a fellow Christian. In this context, Paul is speaking about fellow Jews.
[22:5] 95 tn Grk “even there and bring…” or “there and even bring…” The ascensive καί (kai) shows that Paul was fervent in his zeal against Christians, but it is difficult to translate for it really belongs with the entire idea of arresting and bringing back the prisoners.
[22:5] 96 tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”
[22:5] 97 tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”
[22:6] 98 tn Grk “It happened that as.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:6] 99 tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”
[22:6] 100 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”
[22:6] 101 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
[22:7] 103 tn This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the connective τέ (te), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. To indicate the logical sequence for the modern English reader, τέ was translated as “then.”
[22:9] 104 tn Grk “did not hear” (but see Acts 9:7). BDAG 38 s.v. ἀκούω 7 has “W. acc. τὸν νόμον understand the law Gal 4:21; perh. Ac 22:9; 26:14…belong here.” If the word has this sense here, then a metonymy is present, since the lack of effect is put for a failure to appreciate what was heard.
[22:10] 105 tn Grk “So I said.”
[22:10] 106 tn Grk “Getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.
[22:10] 107 tn Grk “about all things.”
[22:10] 108 tn Or “assigned,” “ordered.” BDAG 991 s.v. τάσσω 2.a has “act. and pass., foll. by acc. w. inf.…περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι concerning everything that you have been ordered to do 22:10.” There is an allusion to a divine call and commission here.
[22:11] 109 tn BDAG 106 s.v. ἀπό 5.a has “οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτός I could not see because of the brilliance of the light Ac 22:11.”
[22:11] 110 tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”
[22:11] 111 tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”
[22:12] 112 tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”
[22:12] 113 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[22:12] 114 tn BDAG 534 s.v. κατοικέω 1.a translates this present participle “ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν (sc. ἐκεῖ) κατοικούντων ᾿Ιουδαίων by all the Jews who live there Ac 22:12.”
[22:13] 115 tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:13] 116 tn Grk “coming to me and standing beside [me] said to me.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:13] 117 tn Grk “Brother Saul, look up” (here an idiom for regaining one’s sight). BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβλέπω places this usage under 1, “look up Ac 22:13a. W. εἰς αὐτόν to show the direction of the glance…22:13b; but perh. this vs. belongs under 2a.” BDAG 59 s.v. 2.a.α states, “of blind persons, who were formerly able to see, regain sight.” The problem for the translator is deciding between the literal and the idiomatic usage and at the same time attempting to retain the wordplay in Acts 22:13: “[Ananias] said to me, ‘Look up!’ and at that very moment I looked up to him.” The assumption of the command is that the effort to look up will be worth it (through the regaining of sight).
[22:13] 118 tn Grk “hour,” but ὥρα (Jwra) is often used for indefinite short periods of time (so BDAG 1102-3 s.v. ὥρα 2.c: “αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ at that very time, at once, instantly…Lk 2:38, 24:33; Ac 16:18; 22:13”). A comparison with the account in Acts 9:18 indicates that this is clearly the meaning here.
[22:13] 119 tn Grk “I looked up to him.”
[22:14] 120 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[22:14] 121 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance’…‘the God of our ancestors has already chosen you to know his will’ Ac 22:14.”
[22:14] 122 tn Grk “and to see.” 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.
[22:14] 123 sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).
[22:14] 124 tn Or “a solemn declaration”; Grk “a voice.” BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c states, “that which the voice gives expression to: call, cry, outcry, loud or solemn declaration (… = order, command)…Cp. 22:14; 24:21.”
[22:15] 125 tn Or “a witness to him.”
[22:15] 126 tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").
[22:16] 127 tn L&N 67.121 has “to extend time unduly, with the implication of lack of decision – ‘to wait, to delay.’ νῦν τί μέλλεις… ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι ‘what are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized’ Ac 22:16.”
[22:16] 128 tn Grk “getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.
[22:16] 129 sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).
[22:16] 130 sn The expression calling on his name describes the confession of the believer: Acts 2:17-38, esp. v. 38; Rom 10:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2.
[22:17] 131 tn Grk “It happened to me that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:17] 132 tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”
[22:18] 133 tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:19] 134 tn Grk “And I said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai, in καγώ [kagw]) has not been translated here.
[22:19] 135 tn For the distributive sense of the expression κατὰ τὰς συναγωγάς (kata ta" sunagwga") BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d has “of places viewed serially, distributive use w. acc.…κατ᾿ οἶκαν from house to house…Ac 2:46b; 5:42…Likew. the pl.…κ. τὰς συναγωγάς 22:19.” See also L&N 37.114.
[22:20] 136 sn Now Paul referred to Stephen as your witness, and he himself had also become a witness. The reversal was now complete; the opponent had now become a proponent.
[22:20] 137 sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”
[22:20] 138 tn Grk “and approving.” 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.
[22:20] 139 tn Or “outer garments.”
[22:20] 140 tn Or “who were putting him to death.” For the translation of ἀναιρούντων (anairountwn) as “putting to death” see BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2.
[22:21] 141 tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to Paul’s reply in v. 19, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.
[22:22] 142 tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:22] 143 tn Grk “until this word.”
[22:22] 144 tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.
[22:22] 145 tn Grk “and said.”
[22:22] 146 tn Grk “this one.”
[22:22] 147 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] 148 tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.
[22:23] 149 tn Or “outer garments.”
[22:23] 150 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.
[22:24] 151 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.
[22:24] 152 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 153 tn 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.”
[22:24] 154 tn Grk “into the barracks, saying.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the participle εἴπας (eipas), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. The direct object “them” has been supplied; it is understood in Greek.
[22:24] 155 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 156 sn To interrogate Paul by beating him with a lash. Under the Roman legal system it was customary to use physical torture to extract confessions or other information from prisoners who were not Roman citizens and who were charged with various crimes, especially treason or sedition. The lashing would be done with a whip of leather thongs with pieces of metal or bone attached to the ends.
[22:24] 157 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 158 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:25] 159 tn Grk “for the thongs” (of which the lash was made). Although often translated as a dative of means (“with thongs”), referring to thongs used to tie the victim to the whipping post, BDAG 474-75 s.v. ἱμάς states that it “is better taken as a dat. of purpose for the thongs, in which case οἱ ἱμάντες = whips (Posidonius: 87 fgm. 5 Jac.; POxy. 1186, 2 τὴν διὰ τῶν ἱμάντων αἰκείαν. – Antiphanes 74, 8, Demosth. 19, 197 and Artem. 1, 70 use the sing. in this way).”
[22:25] 160 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[22:25] 161 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:25] 162 tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.
[22:26] 163 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[22:26] 164 tn The word “this” 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.
[22:26] 165 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:26] 166 tn The word “it” 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.
[22:26] 167 tn Or perhaps, “What do you intend to do?” Although BDAG 627 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.α lists this phrase under the category “be about to, be on the point of,” it is possible it belongs under 1.c.γ, “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; what do you intend to do?”
[22:26] 168 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:27] 169 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:27] 170 tn Grk “and said to.”
[22:27] 171 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:27] 172 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:28] 174 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:28] 175 sn Sometimes Roman citizenship was purchased through a bribe (Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.17.4-9). That may well have been the case here.
[22:28] 176 tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”
[22:28] 177 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:28] 178 tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:29] 179 tn BDAG 158 s.v. ἀφίστημι 2.b has “keep away…ἀπό τινος… Lk 4:13; Ac 5:38; 2 Cor 12:8…cp. Ac 22:29.” In context, the point would seem to be not that the interrogators departed or withdrew, but that they held back from continuing the flogging.
[22:29] 180 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:29] 181 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:29] 182 tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.
[22:29] 183 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:29] 184 sn Had him tied up. Perhaps a reference to the chains in Acts 21:33, or the preparations for the lashing in Acts 22:25. A trial would now be needed to resolve the matter. The Roman authorities’ hesitation to render a judgment in the case occurs repeatedly: Acts 22:30; 23:28-29; 24:22; 25:20, 26-27. The legal process begun here would take the rest of Acts and will be unresolved at the end. The process itself took four years of Paul’s life.
[22:30] 185 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
[22:30] 186 tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”
[22:30] 187 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:30] 188 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[22:30] 189 tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) 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 been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.
[23:1] 190 tn 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] 191 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:1] 192 tn 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] 193 tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.
[23:2] 194 tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”
[23:2] 195 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:2] 196 tn 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] 197 sn 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] 198 tn 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] 199 tn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[23:3] 200 tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”
[23:4] 201 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[23:4] 202 tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”
[23:5] 205 sn 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] 206 tn 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] 207 sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.
[23:6] 208 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
[23:6] 209 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:6] 210 tn 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] 211 tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.
[23:7] 212 tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).
[23:7] 213 tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”
[23:8] 214 tn 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] 215 tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).
[23:9] 216 tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
[23:9] 217 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:9] 218 tn 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] 219 sn “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] 220 tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).
[23:10] 221 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.
[23:10] 222 tn 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] 223 tn 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] 224 tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”
[23:10] 225 tn 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] 226 sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.
[23:11] 227 tn 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] 228 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:11] 229 tn Or “Do not be afraid.”
[23:11] 230 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[23:11] 231 sn 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] 232 tn Grk “when it was day.”
[23:12] 233 tn 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] 234 tn 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] 235 tn 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] 236 tn 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] 237 tn 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] 238 tn 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] 239 tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:14] 240 sn 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] 241 tn 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] 242 tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).
[23:15] 243 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:15] 244 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:15] 245 tn 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] 246 tn Grk “determine the things about him.”
[23:15] 247 tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).
[23:15] 248 sn “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] 249 tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[23:16] 250 tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).
[23:16] 251 tn 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] 252 tn 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] 253 tn Grk “calling…Paul said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:17] 254 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:17] 255 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:18] 256 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:18] 257 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:18] 258 tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:19] 259 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:19] 260 tn 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] 262 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:21] 263 tn 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] 264 tn 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] 265 tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.
[23:21] 266 tn 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] 267 tn 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] 268 tn 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] 269 tn 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] 270 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:22] 271 tn 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] 272 tn 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] 273 tn 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] 274 tn Grk “summoning…he said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:23] 275 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:23] 276 sn 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] 277 tn Or “cavalrymen.”
[23:23] 278 tn 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] 280 tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”
[23:24] 281 tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”
[23:24] 282 sn 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
[23:24] 283 tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:25] 284 tn 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] 285 tn 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] 286 tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:26] 287 sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.
[23:27] 288 tn 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] 289 tn 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] 290 tn Or “approached.”
[23:27] 291 tn 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] 292 tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.
[23:27] 293 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[23:28] 294 tn Or “determine.”
[23:28] 295 tn 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] 296 tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:29] 297 tn 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] 298 tn 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] 299 tn 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] 300 tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.
[23:30] 301 tn The term translated “plot” here is a different one than the one in Acts 23:16 (see BDAG 368 s.v. ἐπιβουλή).
[23:30] 302 tn 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.
