Acts 22:1--26:32

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ¹  that I now ²  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ³  that he was addressing ⁴  them in Aramaic, ⁵  they became even ⁶  quieter.) ⁷  Then ⁸  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ⁹  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ¹⁰  in this city, educated with strictness ¹¹  under ¹²  Gamaliel ¹³  according to the law of our ancestors, ¹⁴  and was ¹⁵  zealous ¹⁶  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ¹⁷  persecuted this Way ¹⁸  even to the point of death, ¹⁹  tying up ²⁰  both men and women and putting ²¹  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ²²  can testify about me. From them ²³  I also received ²⁴  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ²⁵  to make arrests there and bring ²⁶  the prisoners ²⁷  to Jerusalem ²⁸  to be punished. 22:6 As ²⁹  I was en route and near Damascus, ³⁰  about noon a very bright ³¹  light from heaven ³²  suddenly flashed ³³  around me. 22:7 Then I ³⁴  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 ³⁵  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ³⁶  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ³⁷  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ³⁸  that you have been designated ³⁹  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ⁴⁰  the brilliance ⁴¹  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ⁴²  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ⁴³  a devout man according to the law, ⁴⁴  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ⁴⁵  22:13 came ⁴⁶  to me and stood beside me ⁴⁷  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ⁴⁸  And at that very moment ⁴⁹  I looked up and saw him. ⁵⁰  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ⁵¹  has already chosen ⁵²  you to know his will, to see ⁵³  the Righteous One, ⁵⁴  and to hear a command ⁵⁵  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ⁵⁶  to all people ⁵⁷  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ⁵⁸  Get up, ⁵⁹  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ⁶⁰  calling on his name.’ ⁶¹  22:17 When ⁶²  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ⁶³  22:18 and saw the Lord ⁶⁴  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ⁶⁵  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ⁶⁶  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ⁶⁷  Stephen was shed, ⁶⁸  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ⁶⁹  and guarding the cloaks ⁷⁰  of those who were killing him.’ ⁷¹  22:21 Then ⁷²  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ⁷³  was listening to him until he said this. ⁷⁴  Then ⁷⁵  they raised their voices and shouted, ⁷⁶  “Away with this man ⁷⁷  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ⁷⁸  22:23 While they were screaming ⁷⁹  and throwing off their cloaks ⁸⁰  and tossing dust ⁸¹  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ⁸²  ordered Paul ⁸³  to be brought back into the barracks. ⁸⁴  He told them ⁸⁵  to interrogate Paul ⁸⁶  by beating him with a lash ⁸⁷  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ⁸⁸  was shouting at Paul ⁸⁹  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ⁹⁰  Paul said to the centurion ⁹¹  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ⁹²  without a proper trial?” ⁹³  22:26 When the centurion ⁹⁴  heard this, ⁹⁵  he went to the commanding officer ⁹⁶  and reported it, ⁹⁷  saying, “What are you about to do? ⁹⁸  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ⁹⁹  22:27 So the commanding officer ¹⁰⁰  came and asked ¹⁰¹  Paul, ¹⁰²  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ¹⁰³  He replied, ¹⁰⁴  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ¹⁰⁵  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ¹⁰⁶  “But I was even ¹⁰⁷  born a citizen,” ¹⁰⁸  Paul replied. ¹⁰⁹  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ¹¹⁰  from him, and the commanding officer ¹¹¹  was frightened when he realized that Paul ¹¹²  was ¹¹³  a Roman citizen ¹¹⁴  and that he had had him tied up. ¹¹⁵ 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ¹¹⁶  wanted to know the true reason ¹¹⁷  Paul ¹¹⁸  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ¹¹⁹  to assemble. He then brought ¹²⁰  Paul down and had him stand before them.

23:1 Paul looked directly ¹²¹  at the council ¹²²  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ¹²³  before God to this day.” 23:2 At that ¹²⁴  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ¹²⁵  Paul ¹²⁶  to strike ¹²⁷  him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ¹²⁸  Do ¹²⁹  you sit there judging me according to the law, ¹³⁰  and in violation of the law ¹³¹  you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him ¹³²  said, “Do you dare insult ¹³³  God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, ¹³⁴  “I did not realize, ¹³⁵  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ¹³⁶ 

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ¹³⁷  that part of them were Sadducees ¹³⁸  and the others Pharisees, ¹³⁹  he shouted out in the council, ¹⁴⁰  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ¹⁴¹  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ¹⁴²  an argument ¹⁴³  began ¹⁴⁴  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.) ¹⁴⁵  23:9 There was a great commotion, ¹⁴⁶  and some experts in the law ¹⁴⁷  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ¹⁴⁸  and protested strongly, ¹⁴⁹  “We find nothing wrong ¹⁵⁰  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became ¹⁵¹  so great the commanding officer ¹⁵²  feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, ¹⁵³  he ordered the detachment ¹⁵⁴  to go down, take him away from them by force, ¹⁵⁵  and bring him into the barracks. ¹⁵⁶ 

23:11 The following night the Lord ¹⁵⁷  stood near ¹⁵⁸  Paul ¹⁵⁹  and said, “Have courage, ¹⁶⁰  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ¹⁶¹  so you must also testify in Rome.” ¹⁶² 

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ¹⁶³  the Jews formed ¹⁶⁴  a conspiracy ¹⁶⁵  and bound themselves with an oath ¹⁶⁶  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁶⁷  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ¹⁶⁸  23:14 They ¹⁶⁹  went ¹⁷⁰  to the chief priests ¹⁷¹  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ¹⁷²  not to partake ¹⁷³  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ¹⁷⁴  request the commanding officer ¹⁷⁵  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ¹⁷⁶  his case ¹⁷⁷  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ¹⁷⁸  We are ready to kill him ¹⁷⁹  before he comes near this place.” ¹⁸⁰ 

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, ¹⁸¹  he came and entered ¹⁸²  the barracks ¹⁸³  and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called ¹⁸⁴  one of the centurions ¹⁸⁵  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ¹⁸⁶  for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion ¹⁸⁷  took him and brought him to the commanding officer ¹⁸⁸  and said, “The prisoner Paul called ¹⁸⁹  me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer ¹⁹⁰  took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want ¹⁹¹  to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, ¹⁹²  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ¹⁹³  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ¹⁹⁴  because more than forty of them ¹⁹⁵  are lying in ambush ¹⁹⁶  for him. They ¹⁹⁷  have bound themselves with an oath ¹⁹⁸  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁹⁹  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ²⁰⁰  23:22 Then the commanding officer ²⁰¹  sent the young man away, directing him, ²⁰²  “Tell no one that you have reported ²⁰³  these things to me.” 23:23 Then ²⁰⁴  he summoned ²⁰⁵  two of the centurions ²⁰⁶  and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea ²⁰⁷  along with seventy horsemen ²⁰⁸  and two hundred spearmen ²⁰⁹  by ²¹⁰  nine o’clock tonight, ²¹¹  23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride ²¹²  so that he may be brought safely to Felix ²¹³  the governor.” ²¹⁴  23:25 He wrote ²¹⁵  a letter that went like this: ²¹⁶ 

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor ²¹⁷  Felix, ²¹⁸  greetings. 23:27 This man was seized ²¹⁹  by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ²²⁰  when I came up ²²¹  with the detachment ²²²  and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ²²³  a Roman citizen. ²²⁴  23:28 Since I wanted to know ²²⁵  what charge they were accusing him of, ²²⁶  I brought him down to their council. ²²⁷  23:29 I found he ²²⁸  was accused with reference to controversial questions ²²⁹  about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. ²³⁰  23:30 When I was informed ²³¹  there would be a plot ²³²  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ²³³  against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, ²³⁴  took ²³⁵  Paul and brought him to Antipatris ²³⁶  during the night. 23:32 The next day they let ²³⁷  the horsemen ²³⁸  go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. ²³⁹  23:33 When the horsemen ²⁴⁰  came to Caesarea ²⁴¹  and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented ²⁴²  Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor ²⁴³  had read ²⁴⁴  the letter, ²⁴⁵  he asked ²⁴⁶  what province he was from. ²⁴⁷  When he learned ²⁴⁸  that he was from Cilicia, ²⁴⁹  23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing ²⁵⁰  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ²⁵¹  he ordered that Paul ²⁵²  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ²⁵³ 

The Accusations Against Paul

24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias ²⁵⁴  came down with some elders and an attorney ²⁵⁵  named ²⁵⁶  Tertullus, and they ²⁵⁷  brought formal charges ²⁵⁸  against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul ²⁵⁹  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ²⁶⁰  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ²⁶¹  of peace through your rule, ²⁶²  and reforms ²⁶³  are being made in this nation ²⁶⁴  through your foresight. ²⁶⁵  24:3 Most excellent Felix, ²⁶⁶  we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way ²⁶⁷  with all gratitude. ²⁶⁸  24:4 But so that I may not delay ²⁶⁹  you any further, I beg ²⁷⁰  you to hear us briefly ²⁷¹  with your customary graciousness. ²⁷²  24:5 For we have found ²⁷³  this man to be a troublemaker, ²⁷⁴  one who stirs up riots ²⁷⁵  among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader ²⁷⁶  of the sect of the Nazarenes. ²⁷⁷  24:6 He ²⁷⁸  even tried to desecrate ²⁷⁹  the temple, so we arrested ²⁸⁰  him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] ²⁸¹  24:8 When you examine ²⁸²  him yourself, you will be able to learn from him ²⁸³  about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” ²⁸⁴  24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, ²⁸⁵  claiming ²⁸⁶  that these things were true.

Paul’s Defense Before Felix

24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know ²⁸⁷  that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. ²⁸⁸  24:11 As you can verify ²⁸⁹  for yourself, not more than twelve days ago ²⁹⁰  I went up to Jerusalem ²⁹¹  to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing ²⁹²  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ²⁹³  in the temple courts ²⁹⁴  or in the synagogues ²⁹⁵  or throughout the city, ²⁹⁶  24:13 nor can they prove ²⁹⁷  to you the things ²⁹⁸  they are accusing me of doing. ²⁹⁹  24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship ³⁰⁰  the God of our ancestors ³⁰¹  according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law ³⁰²  and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have ³⁰³  a hope in God (a hope ³⁰⁴  that ³⁰⁵  these men ³⁰⁶  themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ³⁰⁷  24:16 This is the reason ³⁰⁸  I do my best to always ³⁰⁹  have a clear ³¹⁰  conscience toward God and toward people. ³¹¹  24:17 After several years ³¹²  I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor ³¹³  and to present offerings, ³¹⁴  24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, ³¹⁵  without a crowd or a disturbance. ³¹⁶  24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia ³¹⁷  who should be here before you and bring charges, ³¹⁸  if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here ³¹⁹  should tell what crime ³²⁰  they found me guilty of ³²¹  when I stood before the council, ³²²  24:21 other than ³²³  this one thing ³²⁴  I shouted out while I stood before ³²⁵  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ³²⁶ 

24:22 Then Felix, ³²⁷  who understood the facts ³²⁸  concerning the Way ³²⁹  more accurately, ³³⁰  adjourned their hearing, ³³¹  saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” ³³²  24:23 He ordered the centurion ³³³  to guard Paul, ³³⁴  but to let him have some freedom, ³³⁵  and not to prevent any of his friends ³³⁶  from meeting his needs. ³³⁷ 

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24:24 Some days later, when Felix ³³⁸  arrived with his wife Drusilla, ³³⁹  who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak ³⁴⁰  about faith in Christ Jesus. ³⁴¹  24:25 While Paul ³⁴²  was discussing ³⁴³  righteousness, self-control, ³⁴⁴  and the coming judgment, Felix ³⁴⁵  became ³⁴⁶  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ³⁴⁷  I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ³⁴⁸  and for this reason he sent for Paul ³⁴⁹  as often as possible ³⁵⁰  and talked ³⁵¹  with him. 24:27 After two years ³⁵²  had passed, Porcius Festus ³⁵³  succeeded Felix, ³⁵⁴  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ³⁵⁵ 

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25:1 Now ³⁵⁶  three days after Festus ³⁵⁷  arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem ³⁵⁸  from Caesarea. ³⁵⁹  25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men ³⁶⁰  of the Jews brought formal charges ³⁶¹  against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ³⁶²  they urged Festus ³⁶³  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ³⁶⁴  to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus ³⁶⁵  replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, ³⁶⁶  and he himself intended to go there ³⁶⁷  shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders ³⁶⁸  go down there ³⁶⁹  with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, ³⁷⁰  they may bring charges ³⁷¹  against him.”

25:6 After Festus ³⁷²  had stayed ³⁷³  not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, ³⁷⁴  and the next day he sat ³⁷⁵  on the judgment seat ³⁷⁶  and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, ³⁷⁷  bringing many serious ³⁷⁸  charges that they were not able to prove. ³⁷⁹  25:8 Paul said in his defense, ³⁸⁰  “I have committed no offense ³⁸¹  against the Jewish law ³⁸²  or against the temple or against Caesar.” ³⁸³  25:9 But Festus, ³⁸⁴  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ³⁸⁵  before me there on these charges?” ³⁸⁶  25:10 Paul replied, ³⁸⁷  “I am standing before Caesar’s ³⁸⁸  judgment seat, ³⁸⁹  where I should be tried. ³⁹⁰  I have done nothing wrong ³⁹¹  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ³⁹²  25:11 If then I am in the wrong ³⁹³  and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, ³⁹⁴  but if not one of their charges against me is true, ³⁹⁵  no one can hand me over to them. ³⁹⁶  I appeal to Caesar!” ³⁹⁷  25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, ³⁹⁸  Festus ³⁹⁹  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ⁴⁰⁰  to Caesar ⁴⁰¹  you will go!” ⁴⁰² 

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ⁴⁰³  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ⁴⁰⁴  to pay their respects ⁴⁰⁵  to Festus. ⁴⁰⁶  25:14 While ⁴⁰⁷  they were staying there many days, Festus ⁴⁰⁸  explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, ⁴⁰⁹  saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, ⁴¹⁰  the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed ⁴¹¹  me about him, ⁴¹²  asking for a sentence of condemnation ⁴¹³  against him. 25:16 I answered them ⁴¹⁴  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ⁴¹⁵  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ⁴¹⁶  and had been given ⁴¹⁷  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ⁴¹⁸  25:17 So after they came back here with me, ⁴¹⁹  I did not postpone the case, ⁴²⁰  but the next day I sat ⁴²¹  on the judgment seat ⁴²²  and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge ⁴²³  him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. ⁴²⁴  25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement ⁴²⁵  with him about their own religion ⁴²⁶  and about a man named Jesus ⁴²⁷  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ⁴²⁸  to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss ⁴²⁹  how I could investigate these matters, ⁴³⁰  I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried ⁴³¹  there on these charges. ⁴³²  25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, ⁴³³  I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” ⁴³⁴  25:22 Agrippa ⁴³⁵  said to Festus, ⁴³⁶  “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, ⁴³⁷  “you will hear him.”

Paul Before King Agrippa and Bernice

25:23 So the next day Agrippa ⁴³⁸  and Bernice came with great pomp ⁴³⁹  and entered the audience hall, ⁴⁴⁰  along with the senior military officers ⁴⁴¹  and the prominent men of the city. When Festus ⁴⁴²  gave the order, ⁴⁴³  Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus ⁴⁴⁴  said, “King Agrippa, ⁴⁴⁵  and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace ⁴⁴⁶  petitioned ⁴⁴⁷  me both in Jerusalem ⁴⁴⁸  and here, ⁴⁴⁹  shouting loudly ⁴⁵⁰  that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, ⁴⁵¹  and when he appealed ⁴⁵²  to His Majesty the Emperor, ⁴⁵³  I decided to send him. ⁴⁵⁴  25:26 But I have nothing definite ⁴⁵⁵  to write to my lord ⁴⁵⁶  about him. ⁴⁵⁷  Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ⁴⁵⁸  so that after this preliminary hearing ⁴⁵⁹  I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating ⁴⁶⁰  the charges against him.”

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ⁴⁶¹  said to Paul, “You have permission ⁴⁶²  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ⁴⁶³  and began his defense: ⁴⁶⁴ 

26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ⁴⁶⁵  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially ⁴⁶⁶  familiar with all the customs and controversial issues ⁴⁶⁷  of the Jews. Therefore I ask ⁴⁶⁸  you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived ⁴⁶⁹  from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people ⁴⁷⁰  and in Jerusalem. ⁴⁷¹  26:5 They know, ⁴⁷²  because they have known ⁴⁷³  me from time past, ⁴⁷⁴  if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party ⁴⁷⁵  of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. ⁴⁷⁶  26:6 And now I stand here on trial ⁴⁷⁷  because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ⁴⁷⁸  26:7 a promise ⁴⁷⁹  that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God ⁴⁸⁰  night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, ⁴⁸¹  Your Majesty! ⁴⁸²  26:8 Why do you people ⁴⁸³  think ⁴⁸⁴  it is unbelievable ⁴⁸⁵  that ⁴⁸⁶  God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, ⁴⁸⁷  I myself was convinced ⁴⁸⁸  that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received ⁴⁸⁹  from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote ⁴⁹⁰  against them when they were sentenced to death. ⁴⁹¹  26:11 I punished ⁴⁹²  them often in all the synagogues ⁴⁹³  and tried to force ⁴⁹⁴  them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ⁴⁹⁵  at them, I went to persecute ⁴⁹⁶  them even in foreign cities.

26:12 “While doing this very thing, ⁴⁹⁷  as I was going ⁴⁹⁸  to Damascus with authority and complete power ⁴⁹⁹  from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, ⁵⁰⁰  I saw a light from heaven, ⁵⁰¹  brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around ⁵⁰²  me and those traveling with me. 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ⁵⁰³  ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself ⁵⁰⁴  by kicking against the goads.’ ⁵⁰⁵  26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ⁵⁰⁶  ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance ⁵⁰⁷  as a servant and witness ⁵⁰⁸  to the things ⁵⁰⁹  you have seen ⁵¹⁰  and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue ⁵¹¹  you from your own people ⁵¹²  and from the Gentiles, to whom ⁵¹³  I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ⁵¹⁴  from darkness to light and from the power ⁵¹⁵  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ⁵¹⁶  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, ⁵¹⁷  I was not disobedient ⁵¹⁸  to the heavenly ⁵¹⁹  vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ⁵²⁰  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ⁵²¹  performing deeds consistent with ⁵²²  repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts ⁵²³  and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced ⁵²⁴  help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except ⁵²⁵  what the prophets and Moses said ⁵²⁶  was going to happen: 26:23 that ⁵²⁷  the Christ ⁵²⁸  was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people ⁵²⁹  and to the Gentiles.” ⁵³⁰ 

26:24 As Paul ⁵³¹  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ⁵³²  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ⁵³³  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, ⁵³⁴  “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ⁵³⁵  but am speaking ⁵³⁶  true and rational ⁵³⁷  words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ⁵³⁸  to him, ⁵³⁹  because I cannot believe ⁵⁴⁰  that any of these things has escaped his notice, ⁵⁴¹  for this was not done in a corner. ⁵⁴²  26:27 Do you believe the prophets, ⁵⁴³  King Agrippa? ⁵⁴⁴  I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa ⁵⁴⁵  said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” ⁵⁴⁶  26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time ⁵⁴⁷  not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” ⁵⁴⁸ 

26:30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 26:31 and as they were leaving they said to one another, ⁵⁴⁹  “This man is not doing anything deserving ⁵⁵⁰  death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa ⁵⁵¹  said to Festus, ⁵⁵²  “This man could have been released ⁵⁵³  if he had not appealed to Caesar.” ⁵⁵⁴ 

[22:1]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”

[22:2]  ⁸ 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]  ⁵ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ¹¹ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ¹² 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ¹¹ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”

[22:6]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”

[22:6]  ¹³ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ¹⁴ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ¹⁵ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ²⁰ 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]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ²¹ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ²¹ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ²² sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ²³ 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]  ²³ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁶ 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]  ²⁷ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ²⁵ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[22:14]  ²⁶ 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]  ²⁷ 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]  ²⁸ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ²⁹ 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]  ²⁷ tn Or “a witness to him.”

[22:15]  ²⁸ tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ²⁹ 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]  ³⁰ 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]  ³¹ sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ³² 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]  ³¹ 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]  ³² tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ³³ tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ³⁵ 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]  ³⁶ 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]  ³⁷ 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]  ³⁸ sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:20]  ⁴¹ 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]  ³⁹ 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]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ⁴² tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ⁴³ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴³ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ⁴⁵ 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]  ⁴⁵ 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]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ⁵² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ⁴⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[22:26]  ⁴⁹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ⁵² 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]  ⁵³ 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]  ⁵⁴ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ⁵² tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ⁵³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ⁵⁴ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ⁵³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ⁵⁴ 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]  ⁵⁵ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ⁵⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:28]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ⁶⁰ 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]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ⁶¹ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ⁶¹ 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]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ⁶² tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ⁶³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶⁵ tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3]  ⁶⁶ tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4]  ⁶⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4]  ⁶⁶ 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]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ⁶⁹ 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]  ⁶⁹ 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]  ⁷⁰ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ⁷¹ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ⁷² tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷¹ tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ⁷² tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ⁷³ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ⁷⁸ 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]  ⁷⁹ 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]  ⁷⁷ tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10]  ⁷⁸ 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]  ⁷⁹ 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]  ⁸⁰ 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]  ⁸¹ tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10]  ⁸² 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]  ⁷⁹ sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11]  ⁸⁰ 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]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11]  ⁸² tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11]  ⁸³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11]  ⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸⁵ 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]  ⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁵ 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]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ⁸⁷ 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]  ⁸⁸ 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]  ⁸⁹ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15]  ⁸⁹ 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]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ⁹¹ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ⁹² 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]  ⁹³ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16]  ⁹⁰ 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]  ⁹¹ 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]  ⁹¹ 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]  ⁹² sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17]  ⁹³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ⁹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ⁹⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ⁹⁵ tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19]  ⁹⁵ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19]  ⁹⁶ 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]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20]  ⁹⁸ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21]  ⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁰¹ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ¹⁰² 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]  ¹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁰¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22]  ¹⁰² 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]  ¹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁵ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23]  ¹⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23]  ¹⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “from.”

[23:23]  ¹¹⁰ tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”

[23:24]  ¹⁰⁶ 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 a.d. 52/53. His administration was notorious for its corruption, cynicism, and cruelty. According to the historian Tacitus (History 5.9) Felix “reveled in cruelty and lust, and wielded the power of a king with the mind of a slave.”

[23:24]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25]  ¹⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26]  ¹¹⁰ sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27]  ¹¹¹ 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]  ¹¹² 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]  ¹¹³ tn Or “approached.”

[23:27]  ¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵ tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27]  ¹¹⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[23:28]  ¹¹³ tn Or “determine.”

[23:28]  ¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29]  ¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30]  ¹¹⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁹ 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.

[23:31]  ¹¹⁹ tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31]  ¹²¹ sn Antipatris was a city in Judea about 35 mi (55 km) northwest of Jerusalem (about halfway to Caesarea). It was mentioned several times by Josephus (Ant. 13.15.1 [13.390]; J. W. 1.4.7 [1.99]).

[23:32]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32]  ¹²² tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32]  ¹²³ 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.”

[23:33]  ¹²³ tn Grk “who, coming to Caesarea.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek construction, a new sentence was begun here in the translation. The relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced with the referent (the horsemen) in the translation for clarity.

[23:33]  ¹²⁴ 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. It was about 30 mi (50 km) from Antipatris.

[23:33]  ¹²⁵ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.b has “present, represent – α. lit. τινά τινι someone to someone παρέστησαν τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ Ac 23:33.”

[23:34]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹²⁷ tn The words “the letter” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:34]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “and asking.” The participle ἐπερωτήσας (eperwthsa") has been translated as a finite verb and καί (kai) left untranslated due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹²⁹ sn Governor Felix asked what province he was from to determine whether he had legal jurisdiction over Paul. He could have sent him to his home province for trial, but decided to hear the case himself.

[23:34]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹³¹ sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “I will hear your case.” BDAG 231 s.v. διακούω has “as legal t.t. give someone an opportunity to be heard in court, give someone (τινός) a hearing Ac 23:35”; L&N 56.13 has “to give a judicial hearing in a legal matter – ‘to hear a case, to provide a legal hearing, to hear a case in court.’”

[23:35]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “ordering.” The participle κελεύσας (keleusas) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence. “Then” has also been supplied to indicate the logical and temporal sequence.

[23:35]  ¹²⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35]  ¹³⁰ sn Herod’s palace (Grk “Herod’s praetorium”) was the palace built in Caesarea by Herod the Great. See Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 (15.331). These events belong to the period of a.d. 56-57.

[24:1]  ¹²⁹ sn Ananias was in office from a.d. 47-59.

[24:1]  ¹³⁰ tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).

[24:1]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”

[24:1]  ¹³² tn Grk “who” (plural). Because in English the relative pronoun “who” could be understood to refer only to the attorney Tertullus and not to the entire group, it has been replaced with the third person plural pronoun “they.” “And” has been supplied to provide the connection to the preceding clause.

[24:1]  ¹³³ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[24:2]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ¹³² tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ¹³³ tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ¹³⁵ tn This term is used only once in the NT (a hapax legomenon). It refers to improvements in internal administration (BDAG 251 s.v. διόρθωμα).

[24:2]  ¹³⁶ tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ¹³⁷ sn References to peaceful rule, reforms, and the governor’s foresight in the opening address by Tertullus represent an attempt to praise the governor and thus make him favorable to the case. Actual descriptions of his rule portray him as inept (Tacitus, Annals 12.54; Josephus, J. W. 2.13.2-7 [2.253-270]).

[24:3]  ¹³³ sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.

[24:3]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”

[24:3]  ¹³⁵ tn Or “with complete thankfulness.” BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχαριστία 1 has “μετὰ πάσης εὐ.…with all gratitude Ac 24:3.” L&N 31.26 has “‘we acknowledge this anywhere and everywhere with complete thankfulness’ Ac 24:3.”

[24:4]  ¹³⁵ tn Or “may not weary.” BDAG 274 s.v. ἐγκόπτω states, “ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖόν σε ἐγκόπτω Ac 24:4 is understood by Syr. and Armen. versions to mean in order not to weary you any further; cp. ἔγκοπος weary Diog. L. 4, 50; LXX; and ἔγκοπον ποιεῖν to weary Job 19:2; Is 43:23. But impose on is also prob.; detain NRSV.”

[24:4]  ¹³⁶ tn Or “request.”

[24:4]  ¹³⁷ tn This term is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 976 s.v. συντόμως 2). Tertullus was asking for a brief hearing, and implying to the governor that he would speak briefly and to the point.

[24:4]  ¹³⁸ tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”

[24:5]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “For having found.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:5]  ¹³⁸ tn L&N 22.6 has “(a figurative extension of meaning of λοιμός ‘plague,’ 23.158) one who causes all sorts of trouble – ‘troublemaker, pest.’ … ‘for we have found this man to be a troublemaker” Ac 24:5.”

[24:5]  ¹³⁹ tn Or “dissensions.” While BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3 translates this phrase “κινεῖν στάσεις (v.l. στάσιν) τισί create dissension among certain people Ac 24:5,” it is better on the basis of the actual results of Paul’s ministry to categorize this usage under section 2, “uprising, riot, revolt, rebellion” (cf. the use in Acts 19:40).

[24:5]  ¹⁴⁰ tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).

[24:5]  ¹⁴¹ sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.

[24:6]  ¹³⁹ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[24:6]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.

[24:6]  ¹⁴¹ tn Or “seized.” Grk “whom also we arrested.” Because of the awkwardness of a relative clause in English at this point, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the pronoun “him” as object of the verb.

[24:7]  ¹⁴¹ tc Some later mss include some material at the end of v. 6, all of 24:7, and some material at the beginning of v. 8: “and we wanted to judge him according to our law. 24:7 But Lysias the commanding officer came and took him out of our hands with a great deal of violence, 24:8 ordering those who accused him to come before you.” Acts 24:6b, 7, and 8a are lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B H L P 049 81 1175 1241 pm and a few versional witnesses. They are included (with a few minor variations) in E Ψ 33 323 614 945 1505 1739 pm and a few versional witnesses. This verse (and parts of verses) is most likely not a part of the original text of Acts, for not only is it lacking from the better witnesses, there is no easy explanation as to how such could be missing from them. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[24:8]  ¹⁴³ tn Or “question.”

[24:8]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Grk “From whom when you examine him yourself, you will be able to learn…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun at the beginning of v. 8 in the translation.

[24:8]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “about all these things of which we are accusing him.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“of which”) in the translation.

[24:9]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “joined in the attack,” but the adjective “verbal” has been supplied to clarify that this was not another physical assault on Paul. The verb is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 969 s.v. συνεπιτίθημι).

[24:9]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).

[24:10]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[24:10]  ¹⁴⁸ sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.

[24:11]  ¹⁴⁹ tn BDAG 369 s.v. ἐπιγινώσκω 2.c has “notice, perceive, learn of, ascertain…Also as legal t.t. ascertain (2 Macc 14:9) τὶ Ac 23:28; cp. 24:8. W. ὅτι foll. Ac 24:11.” “Verify” is an English synonym for “ascertain.”

[24:11]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “it is not more than twelve days from when.” This has been simplified to “not more than twelve days ago.”

[24:11]  ¹⁵¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:12]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”

[24:12]  ¹⁵² 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]  ¹⁵³ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁵ 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.

[24:13]  ¹⁵³ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.f has “οὐδὲ παραστῆσαι δύνανταί σοι περὶ ὧν νυνὶ κατηγοροῦσίν μου nor can they prove to you the accusations they are now making against me Ac 24:13.”

[24:13]  ¹⁵⁴ tn The words “the things” 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.

[24:13]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Grk “nor can they prove to you [the things] about which they are now accusing me.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“which”) in the translation.

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Or “serve.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁷ sn That is, the law of Moses. Paul was claiming that he legitimately worshiped the God of Israel. He was arguing that this amounted to a religious dispute rather than a political one, so that the Roman authorities need not concern themselves with it.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “having.” The participle ἔχων (ecwn) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁸ sn This mention of Paul’s hope sets up his appeal to the resurrection of the dead. At this point Paul was ignoring the internal Jewish dispute between the Pharisees (to which he had belonged) and the Sadducees (who denied there would be a resurrection of the dead).

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Grk “a hope in God (which these [men] themselves accept too).” Because the antecedent of the relative pronoun “which” is somewhat unclear in English, the words “a hope” have been repeated at the beginning of the parenthesis for clarity.

[24:15]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:15]  ¹⁶¹ tn Or “the unjust.”

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁹ tn BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 9.a, “ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν this is the reason why we believe Jn 16:30; cp. Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹⁶⁰ tn BDAG 224 s.v. διά 2.a, “διὰ παντός…always, continually, constantly…Ac 2:25 (Ps 15:8); 10:2; 24:16.” However, the positioning of the adverb “always” in the English translation is difficult; the position used is one of the least awkward.

[24:16]  ¹⁶¹ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹⁶² tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:17]  ¹⁶¹ tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”

[24:17]  ¹⁶² tn Grk “to bring alms,” but the term “alms” is not in common use today, so the closest modern equivalent, “gifts for the poor,” is used instead.

[24:17]  ¹⁶³ tn Or “sacrifices.” BDAG 887 s.v. προσφορά 1 has “προσφοράς ποιεῖν have sacrifices made Ac 24:17,” but this may be overly specific. It is not clear from the immediate context whether the offering of sacrificial animals (so BDAG assumes) or offerings of some other sort (such as financial gifts) are in view. The combination with ἐλεημοσύνας (elehmosuna") in the preceding clause may suggest monetary offerings. Some have suggested this is an allusion to the payments made by Paul on behalf of the four other men mentioned in Acts 21:23-26, but the text here seems to suggest something Paul had planned to do before he came, while the decision to pay for the expenses of the men in 21:23ff. was made at the suggestion of the Jerusalem leadership after he arrived. In either case, Paul was portraying himself as a pious worshiper of his God.

[24:18]  ¹⁶³ sn Ritually purified. Paul’s claim here is that he was honoring the holiness of God by being sensitive to issues of ritual purity. Not only was he not guilty of the charges against him, but he was thoroughly devout.

[24:18]  ¹⁶⁴ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”

[24:19]  ¹⁶⁵ 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.

[24:19]  ¹⁶⁶ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω (kathgorew), “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Or “unrighteous act.”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁹ tn The words “me guilty of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. L&N 88.23 has “αὐτοὶ οὗτοι εἰπάτωσαν τί εὗρον ἀδίκημα στάντος μου ‘let these men themselves tell what unrighteous act they found me guilty of’ Ac 24:20.”

[24:20]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[24:21]  ¹⁶⁹ tn BDAG 433 s.v. ἤ 2.c has “οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἤ nothing else than…Ac 17:21. τί…ἤ what other…than…24:21.”

[24:21]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “one utterance.”

[24:21]  ¹⁷¹ tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”

[24:21]  ¹⁷² sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?

[24:22]  ¹⁷¹ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:22]  ¹⁷² tn Grk “the things.”

[24:22]  ¹⁷³ tn That is, concerning Christianity.

[24:22]  ¹⁷⁴ tn BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκριβῶς has “Comp. ἀκριβέστερον more exactly…ἀ. ἐκτίθεσθαι explain more exactly Ac 18:26, cp. 23:15, 20; also more accurately…24:22.” Felix knew more about the Christian movement than what the Jewish leaders had told him.

[24:22]  ¹⁷⁵ tn L&N 56.18 s.v. ἀναβάλλω has “to adjourn a court proceeding until a later time – ‘to adjourn a hearing, to stop a hearing and put it off until later.’…‘then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned their hearing’ Ac 24:22.”

[24:22]  ¹⁷⁶ tn BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω 2 states, “to make a judicial decision, decide/hear (a case)…τὰ καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς decide your case Ac 24:22.”

[24:23]  ¹⁷³ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[24:23]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “that he was to be guarded.” The passive construction (τηρεῖσθαι, threisqai) has been converted to an active one in parallel with the following clauses, and the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:23]  ¹⁷⁵ tn BDAG 77 s.v. ἄνεσις 1 states, “lit. relaxation of custodial control, some liberty, ἀ. ἔχειν have some freedom Ac 24:23.”

[24:23]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).

[24:23]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Grk “from serving him.”

[24:24]  ¹⁷⁵ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:24]  ¹⁷⁶ sn It is possible that Drusilla, being Jewish, was the source of Felix’s knowledge about the new movement called Christianity. The youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Agrippa II, she would have been close to 20 years old at the time. She had married the king of a small region in Syria but divorced him at the age of 16 to marry Felix. This was her second marriage and Felix’s third (Josephus, Ant. 19.9.1 [19.354], 20.7.2 [20.141-144]). As a member of Herod’s family, she probably knew about the Way.

[24:24]  ¹⁷⁷ tn The word “speak” is implied; BDAG 32 s.v. ἀκούω 1.c has “ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς…πίστεως he heard him speak about faith Ac 24:24.”

[24:24]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:25]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ¹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁰ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ¹⁸¹ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ¹⁸² tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”

[24:26]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Grk “he was hoping that money would be given to him by Paul.” To simplify the translation, the passive construction has been converted to an active one.

[24:26]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:26]  ¹⁸¹ tn “As often as possible” reflects the comparative form of the adjective πυκνός (puknos); see BDAG 897 s.v. πυκνός, which has “Neut. of the comp. πυκνότερον as adv. more often, more frequently and in an elative sense very often, quite frequently…also as often as possible…Ac 24:26.”

[24:26]  ¹⁸² tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.

[24:27]  ¹⁸¹ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ¹⁸² sn Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ¹⁸³ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:1]  ¹⁸³ tn BDAG 736-37 s.v. οὖν 2.b states, “οὖν serves to indicate a transition to someth. new…now, then, well…Ac 25:1.”

[25:1]  ¹⁸⁴ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:1]  ¹⁸⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:1]  ¹⁸⁶ 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 65 mi (just over 100 km).

[25:2]  ¹⁸⁵ tn BDAG 893-94 s.v. πρῶτος 2.a.β has “οἱ πρῶτοι the most prominent men, the leading men w. gen. of the place…or of a group…οἱ πρ. τοῦ λαοῦ…Lk 19:47; cp. Ac 25:2; 28:17.”

[25:2]  ¹⁸⁶ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[25:3]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.

[25:3]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.

[25:3]  ¹⁸⁹ sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.

[25:4]  ¹⁸⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:4]  ¹⁹⁰ 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.

[25:4]  ¹⁹¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁹¹ tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).

[25:5]  ¹⁹² tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁹³ tn Grk “and if there is anything wrong with this man,” but this could be misunderstood in English to mean a moral or physical defect, while the issue in context is the commission of some crime, something legally improper (BDAG 149 s.v. ἄτοπος 2).

[25:5]  ¹⁹⁴ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.”

[25:6]  ¹⁹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:6]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.

[25:6]  ¹⁹⁵ 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.

[25:6]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “sitting down…he ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:6]  ¹⁹⁷ 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), since the bhma was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:7]  ¹⁹⁵ tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”

[25:7]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).

[25:7]  ¹⁹⁷ tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).

[25:8]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “Paul saying in his defense”; the participle ἀπολογουμένου (apologoumenou) could be taken temporally (“when Paul said…”), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation. BDAG 116-17 s.v. ἀπολογέομαι has “W. ὅτι foll. τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου, ὅτι when Paul said in his defense (direct quot. foll.) Ac 25:8.”

[25:8]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”

[25:8]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[25:8]  ²⁰⁰ tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:9]  ¹⁹⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ²⁰⁰ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[25:10]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “said.”

[25:10]  ²⁰² tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:10]  ²⁰³ 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), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here. Here of course Paul’s reference to “Caesar’s judgment seat” is a form of metonymy; since Festus is Caesar’s representative, Festus’ judgment seat represents Caesar’s own.

[25:10]  ²⁰⁴ tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.

[25:10]  ²⁰⁵ sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.

[25:10]  ²⁰⁶ tn BDAG 506 s.v. καλῶς 7 states, “comp. κάλλιον (for the superl., as Galen, Protr. 8 p. 24, 19J.=p. 10, 31 Kaibel; s. B-D-F §244, 2) ὡς καί σὺ κ. ἐπιγινώσκεις as also you know very well Ac 25:10.”

[25:11]  ²⁰³ tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”

[25:11]  ²⁰⁴ tn BDAG 764 s.v. παραιτέομαι 2.b.β, “οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν I am not trying to escape death Ac 25:11 (cp. Jos., Vi. 141).” To avoid redundancy in the translation, the English gerund “dying” is used to translate the Greek infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (apoqanein).

[25:11]  ²⁰⁵ tn Or “but if there is nothing to their charges against me.” Both “if” clauses in this verse are first class conditions. Paul stated the options without prejudice, assuming in turn the reality of each for the sake of the argument.

[25:11]  ²⁰⁶ sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.

[25:11]  ²⁰⁷ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ²⁰⁵ tn That is, with his advisers.

[25:12]  ²⁰⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:12]  ²⁰⁷ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ²⁰⁸ tn Or “to the emperor.”

[25:12]  ²⁰⁹ sn “To Caesar you will go!” In all probability Festus was pleased to send Paul on to Rome and get this political problem out of his court.

[25:13]  ²⁰⁷ sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (a.d. 27-92/93), son of Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1). He ruled over parts of Palestine from a.d. 53 until his death. His sister Bernice was widowed when her second husband, Herod King of Chalcis, died in a.d. 48. From then she lived with her brother. In an attempt to quiet rumors of an incestuous relationship between them, she resolved to marry Polemo of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to Herod Agrippa II. Their incestuous relationship became the gossip of Rome according to Josephus (Ant. 20.7.3 [20.145-147]). The visit of Agrippa and Bernice gave Festus the opportunity to get some internal Jewish advice. Herod Agrippa II was a trusted adviser because he was known to be very loyal to Rome (Josephus, J. W. 2.16.4 [2.345-401]).

[25:13]  ²⁰⁸ 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.

[25:13]  ²⁰⁹ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ²¹⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ²⁰⁹ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b states, “w. pres. or impf. while, when, as long as…Ac 1:10; 7:23; 9:23; 10:17; 13:25; 19:9; 21:27; 25:14.”

[25:14]  ²¹⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “Festus laid Paul’s case before the king for consideration.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατίθημι 2 states, “otherw. only mid. to lay someth. before someone for consideration, declare, communicate, refer w. the added idea that the pers. to whom a thing is ref. is asked for his opinion lay someth. before someone for consideration…Ac 25:14.”

[25:15]  ²¹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:15]  ²¹² tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “to convey a formal report about a judicial matter, present evidence, bring charges…ἐ. περί τινος concerning someone 25:15.”

[25:15]  ²¹³ tn Grk “about whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 15 (where the phrase περὶ οὗ [peri Jou] occurs in the Greek text).

[25:15]  ²¹⁴ tn BDAG 516 s.v. καταδίκη states, “condemnation, sentence of condemnation, conviction, guilty verdict…αἰτεῖσθαι κατά τινος κ. ask for a conviction of someone Ac 25:15.”

[25:16]  ²¹³ tn Grk “to whom I answered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 16.

[25:16]  ²¹⁴ tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ²¹⁵ tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ²¹⁶ tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ²¹⁷ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklhma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone – ‘indictment, accusation, case.’ …‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

[25:17]  ²¹⁵ tn BDAG 969-70 s.v. συνέρχομαι 2 states, “συνελθόντων ἐνθάδε prob. means (because of συνκαταβάντες 25:5) they came back here with (me) 25:17.”

[25:17]  ²¹⁶ tn BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβολή states, “‘delay’…legal t.t. postponement…ἀ. μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενος I did not postpone the matter Ac 25:17.” “Case” has been supplied instead of “matter” since it is more specific to the context. The participle ποιησάμενος (poihsameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ²¹⁷ tn Grk “sitting…I ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ²¹⁸ 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), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:18]  ²¹⁷ tn Grk “they brought no charge of any of the evil deeds.” BDAG 31 s.v. αἰτία 3.b has “αἰτίαν φέρειν…bring an accusation Ac 25:18.” Since κατήγοροι (kathgoroi, “accusers”) in the previous clause is somewhat redundant with this, “charge” was used instead.

[25:18]  ²¹⁸ tn Or “I was expecting.”

[25:19]  ²¹⁹ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” 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.”

[25:19]  ²²⁰ tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.

[25:19]  ²²¹ tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”

[25:19]  ²²² tn Or “asserted.”

[25:20]  ²²¹ tn Or “Because I was undecided.” Grk “Being at a loss.” The participle ἀπορούμενος (aporoumeno") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[25:20]  ²²² tn L&N 27.34 states, “ἀπορούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν περὶ τούτων ζήτησιν ‘I was undecided about how I could get information on these matters’ Ac 25:20. The clause ‘about how I could get information on these matters’ may also be rendered as ‘about how I should try to find out about these matters’ or ‘about how I could learn about these matters.’”

[25:20]  ²²³ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:20]  ²²⁴ tn Grk “on these things.”

[25:21]  ²²³ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).” It was a translation into Greek of the Latin “Augustus.”

[25:21]  ²²⁴ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:22]  ²²⁵ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:22]  ²²⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:22]  ²²⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[25:23]  ²²⁷ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:23]  ²²⁸ tn Or “great pageantry” (BDAG 1049 s.v. φαντασία; the term is a NT hapax legomenon).

[25:23]  ²²⁹ tn Or “auditorium.” “Auditorium” may suggest to the modern English reader a theater where performances are held. Here it is the large hall where a king or governor would hold audiences. Paul once spoke of himself as a “spectacle” to the world (1 Cor 4:8-13).

[25:23]  ²³⁰ tn Grk “the chiliarchs” (officers 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.

[25:23]  ²³¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:23]  ²³² tn Grk “and Festus ordering, Paul was brought in.” 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. The participle κελεύσαντος (keleusanto") has been taken temporally.

[25:24]  ²²⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:24]  ²³⁰ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:24]  ²³¹ tn Probably best understood as rhetorical hyperbole. BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ states, “people, populace, population…τὸ πλῆθος the populace…ἅπαν τὸ πλ. τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων Ac 25:24.” However, the actions of the leadership are seen by Luke as representing the actions of the entire nation, so the remark is not inaccurate.

[25:24]  ²³² tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).

[25:24]  ²³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:24]  ²³⁴ sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”

[25:24]  ²³⁵ tn Or “screaming.”

[25:25]  ²³¹ sn He had done nothing that deserved death. Festus’ opinion of Paul’s guilt is like Pilate’s of Jesus (Luke 23:4, 14, 22).

[25:25]  ²³² tn The participle ἐπικαλεσαμένου (epikalesamenou) has been taken temporally. It could also be translated as causal: “and because he appealed…”

[25:25]  ²³³ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).”

[25:25]  ²³⁴ tn The word “him” 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.

[25:26]  ²³³ sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.

[25:26]  ²³⁴ sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”

[25:26]  ²³⁵ tn Grk “about whom I have nothing definite…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 26.

[25:26]  ²³⁶ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:26]  ²³⁷ tn Or “investigation.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνάκρισις has “a judicial hearing, investigation, hearing, esp. preliminary hearing…τῆς ἀ. γενομένης Ac 25:26.” This is technical legal language.

[25:27]  ²³⁵ tn L&N 33.153 s.v. σημαίνω, “to cause something to be both specific and clear – ‘to indicate clearly, to make clear’… ‘for it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him’ Ac 25:27.”

[26:1]  ²³⁷ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:1]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

[26:1]  ²³⁹ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

[26:1]  ²⁴⁰ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”

[26:2]  ²³⁹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:3]  ²⁴¹ tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”

[26:3]  ²⁴² tn Grk “several controversial issues.” 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.”

[26:3]  ²⁴³ tn BDAG 218 s.v. δέομαι states, “In our lit. only w. the mng. to ask for something pleadingly, ask, request,” and then in section a.α states, “w. inf. foll.…Ac 26:3.”

[26:4]  ²⁴³ tn Grk “my manner of life.”

[26:4]  ²⁴⁴ tn Or “nation.”

[26:4]  ²⁴⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[26:5]  ²⁴⁵ tn These words are repeated from v. 4 (“all the Jews know”). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, it was necessary to begin a new sentence at the beginning of v. 5 in the translation, but for this to make sense, the main verb ἵσασι ({isasi) has to be repeated to connect with the ὅτι (Joti) clause (indirect discourse) in v. 5.

[26:5]  ²⁴⁶ tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[26:5]  ²⁴⁷ tn BDAG 866 s.v. προγινώσκω 2 has “Know from time past…προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν Ac 26:5.” L&N 28.6 states, “‘they have already known me beforehand, if they are willing to testify’ Ac 26:5.”

[26:5]  ²⁴⁸ tn That is, strictest religious party. “Party” alone is used in the translation because “the strictest religious party of our religion” would be redundant.

[26:5]  ²⁴⁹ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[26:6]  ²⁴⁷ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.a.α has “κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τινι be on trial because of a thing Ac 26:6.”

[26:6]  ²⁴⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[26:7]  ²⁴⁹ tn Grk “to which [promise] our twelve tribes…” The antecedent of the relative pronoun (the promise in v. 6) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:7]  ²⁵⁰ tn Or “earnestly worship.” The object of this service, God, is omitted but implied: BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω states, “Without the dat. of the one to whom service is given: ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν λ. serve (God) earnestly night and day Ac 26:7.” Although clear from the context in Greek, “God” must be supplied as the recipient of the service for the modern English reader.

[26:7]  ²⁵¹ tn Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.

[26:7]  ²⁵² tn Grk “O King!”

[26:8]  ²⁵¹ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate that the second person pronoun (“you”) is plural (others in addition to King Agrippa are being addressed).

[26:8]  ²⁵² tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 3 states, “τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν; why do you think it is incredible? Ac 26:8.” The passive construction (“why is it thought unbelievable…”) has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[26:8]  ²⁵³ tn Or “incredible.” BDAG 103 s.v. ἄπιστος 1 states, “unbelievable, incredible…τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν…; why does it seem incredible to you? Ac 26:8.”

[26:8]  ²⁵⁴ tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.

[26:9]  ²⁵³ tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 3 states, “It has been proposed that some traces of older Gk. usage in which οὖν is emphatic, = certainly, really, to be sure etc. (s. L-S-J-M s.v. 1) remain in the pap…and in the NT…indeed, of course Ac 26:9.”

[26:9]  ²⁵⁴ tn Grk “I thought to myself.” BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.a has “ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ δεῖν πρᾶξαι = Lat. mihi videbar I was convinced that it was necessary to do Ac 26:9.”

[26:10]  ²⁵⁵ tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.

[26:10]  ²⁵⁶ tn Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone – ‘to vote against.’ …‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”

[26:10]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).

[26:11]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “and punishing…I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timwrwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. 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.

[26:11]  ²⁵⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[26:11]  ²⁵⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἠνάγκαζον (hnankazon) has been translated as a conative imperfect (so BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 1, which has “ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11”).

[26:11]  ²⁶⁰ tn Or “was so insanely angry with them.” BDAG 322 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged…περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind – ‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ …‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”

[26:11]  ²⁶¹ tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”

[26:12]  ²⁵⁹ tn Grk “in which [activity].” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 in the translation. The referent of the relative pronoun (“which”) was specified as “this very thing” for clarity.

[26:12]  ²⁶⁰ tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.

[26:12]  ²⁶¹ tn L&N 37.40 s.v. ἐπιτροπή states, “the full authority to carry out an assignment or commission – ‘authority, complete power.’ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ‘going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the high priests’ Ac 26:12. In Ac 26:12 the combination of ἐξουσία and ἐπιτροπή serves to reinforce the sense of complete authority.”

[26:13]  ²⁶¹ tn Grk “O King.”

[26:13]  ²⁶² tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[26:13]  ²⁶³ tn The word “everywhere” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning of περιλάμψαν (perilamyan). Otherwise the modern reader might think that each of the individuals were encircled by lights or halos. See also Acts 9:7; 22:6, 9.

[26:14]  ²⁶³ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.

[26:14]  ²⁶⁴ tn Grk “It is hard for you.”

[26:14]  ²⁶⁵ tn “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.

[26:15]  ²⁶⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[26:16]  ²⁶⁷ tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”

[26:16]  ²⁶⁸ sn As a servant and witness. The commission is similar to Acts 1:8 and Luke 1:2. Paul was now an “eyewitness” of the Lord.

[26:16]  ²⁶⁹ tn BDAG 719 s.v. ὁράω A.1.b states, “W. attraction of the relative ὧν = τούτων ἅ Lk 9:36; Ac 22:15. The attraction may be due to colloq. breviloquence in μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες με ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι a witness to the things in which you saw me and to those in which I shall appear to you Ac 26:16b.”

[26:16]  ²⁷⁰ tc ‡ Some mss read “of the things in which you have seen me.” The accusative object με (me, “me”) is found after εἶδές (eide") in B C*^vid 614 945 1175 1505 1739 1891 2464 pc sy sa; it is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A C² E Ψ 096 Ï latt bo. The external evidence is relatively evenly divided, though there is a slight preference for the omission. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[26:17]  ²⁶⁹ tn Grk “rescuing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ἐξαιρούμενος (exairoumeno") has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 17.

[26:17]  ²⁷⁰ tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:17]  ²⁷¹ tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.

[26:18]  ²⁷¹ sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.

[26:18]  ²⁷² tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)

[26:18]  ²⁷³ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[26:19]  ²⁷³ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:19]  ²⁷⁴ sn I was not disobedient. Paul’s defense is that he merely obeyed the risen Jesus. He was arrested for obeying heavenly direction and preaching the opportunity to turn to God.

[26:19]  ²⁷⁵ tn According to L&N 1.5, “In Ac 26:19 the adjective οὐράνιος could be interpreted as being related simply to the meaning of οὐρανός^a ‘sky,’ but it seems preferable to regard οὐράνιος in this context as meaning simply ‘from heaven’ or ‘heavenly.’”

[26:20]  ²⁷⁵ tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”

[26:20]  ²⁷⁶ sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ²⁷⁷ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.

[26:21]  ²⁷⁷ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[26:22]  ²⁷⁹ tn Grk “So experiencing…I stand.” The participle τυχών (tucwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[26:22]  ²⁸⁰ tn BDAG 311 s.v. ἐκτός 3.b, “functions as prep. w. gen. οὐδὲν ἐ. ὧν nothing except what (cf. 1 Ch 29:3; 2 Ch 17:19; TestNapht. 6:2) Ac 26:22.”

[26:22]  ²⁸¹ sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.

[26:23]  ²⁸¹ tn BDAG 277-78 s.v. εἰ 2 has “marker of an indirect question as content, that…Sim. also (Procop. Soph., Ep. 123 χάριν ἔχειν εἰ = that) μαρτυρόμενος…εἰ παθητὸς ὁ Χριστός testifying…that the Christ was to suffer…Ac 26:23.”

[26:23]  ²⁸² tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[26:23]  ²⁸³ tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:23]  ²⁸⁴ sn Note how the context of Paul’s gospel message about Jesus, resurrection, and light both to Jews and to the Gentiles is rooted in the prophetic message of the OT scriptures. Paul was guilty of following God’s call and preaching the scriptural hope.

[26:24]  ²⁸³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:24]  ²⁸⁴ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:24]  ²⁸⁵ tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”

[26:25]  ²⁸⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[26:25]  ²⁸⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:25]  ²⁸⁷ tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”

[26:25]  ²⁸⁸ tn BDAG 987 s.v. σωφροσύνη 1 has “gener. soundness of mind, reasonableness, rationality…ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα true and rational words (opp. μαίνομαι) Ac 26:25.”

[26:26]  ²⁸⁷ tn BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1 states, “speak freely, openly, fearlessly…likew. in the ptc. w. a verb of saying foll.…παρρησιασάμενοι εἶπαν 13:46. – 26:26.” This could refer to boldness in speaking here.

[26:26]  ²⁸⁸ tn Grk “to whom I am speaking freely.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“him”) to simplify the translation.

[26:26]  ²⁸⁹ tn Grk “I cannot convince myself.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.a states, “οὐ πείθομαι w. acc. and inf. I cannot believe Ac 26:26” (see also BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω).

[26:26]  ²⁹⁰ tn BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω states, “λανθάνειν αὐτὸν τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν I cannot bring myself to believe that any of these things has escaped his notice Ac 26:26.”

[26:26]  ²⁹¹ tn This term refers to a hidden corner (BDAG 209 s.v. γωνία). Paul’s point is that these events to which he refers were not done in a secret, hidden place, tucked away outside of view. They were done in public for all the world to see.

[26:27]  ²⁸⁹ sn “Do you believe the prophets?” Note how Paul made the issue believing the OT prophets and God’s promise which God fulfilled in Christ. He was pushing King Agrippa toward a decision not for or against Paul’s guilt of any crime, but concerning Paul’s message.

[26:27]  ²⁹⁰ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ²⁹¹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ²⁹² tn Or “In a short time you will make me a Christian.” On the difficulty of the precise nuances of Agrippa’s reply in this passage, see BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b. The idiom is like 1 Kgs 21:7 LXX. The point is that Paul was trying to persuade Agrippa to accept his message. If Agrippa had let Paul persuade him, he would have converted to Christianity.

[26:29]  ²⁹³ tn BDAG 703 s.v. ὀλίγος 2.b.β has “καὶ ἐν ὀλ. καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ whether in a short or a long time vs. 29 (cf. B-D-F §195; GWhitaker, The Words of Agrippa to St. Paul: JTS 15, 1914, 82f; AFridrichsen, SymbOsl 14, ’35, 50; Field, Notes 141-43; s. Rob. 653).”

[26:29]  ²⁹⁴ sn Except for these chains. The chains represented Paul’s unjust suffering for the sake of the message. His point was, in effect, “I do not care how long it takes. I only hope you and everyone else hearing this would become believers in Christ, but without my unjust suffering.”

[26:31]  ²⁹⁵ tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[26:31]  ²⁹⁶ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”

[26:32]  ²⁹⁷ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:32]  ²⁹⁸ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:32]  ²⁹⁹ tn Or “set free.”

[26:32]  ³⁰⁰ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).