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Acts 23:4-35

Context
23:4 Those standing near him¹ said, “Do you dare insult² God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied,³ “I did not realize,⁴ brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”⁵

23:6 Then when Paul noticed⁶ that part of them were Sadducees⁷ and the others Pharisees,⁸ he shouted out in the council,⁹ “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection¹⁰ of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this,¹¹ an argument¹² began¹³ 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.)¹⁴ 23:9 There was a great commotion,¹⁵ and some experts in the law¹⁶ from the party of the Pharisees stood up¹⁷ and protested strongly,¹⁸ “We find nothing wrong¹⁹ with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became²⁰ so great the commanding officer²¹ feared that they would tear Paul to pieces,²² he ordered the detachment²³ to go down, take him away from them by force,²⁴ and bring him into the barracks.²⁵

23:11 The following night the Lord²⁶ stood near²⁷ Paul²⁸ and said, “Have courage,²⁹ for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem,³⁰ so you must also testify in Rome.”³¹

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came,³² the Jews formed³³ a conspiracy³⁴ and bound themselves with an oath³⁵ not to eat or drink anything³⁶ until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy.³⁷ 23:14 They³⁸ went³⁹ to the chief priests⁴⁰ and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath⁴¹ not to partake⁴² of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council⁴³ request the commanding officer⁴⁴ to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine⁴⁵ his case⁴⁶ by conducting a more thorough inquiry.⁴⁷ We are ready to kill him⁴⁸ before he comes near this place.”⁴⁹

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush,⁵⁰ he came and entered⁵¹ the barracks⁵² and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called⁵³ one of the centurions⁵⁴ and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer,⁵⁵ for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion⁵⁶ took him and brought him to the commanding officer⁵⁷ and said, “The prisoner Paul called⁵⁸ me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer⁵⁹ took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want⁶⁰ to report to me?” 23:20 He replied,⁶¹ “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council⁶² tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this,⁶³ because more than forty of them⁶⁴ are lying in ambush⁶⁵ for him. They⁶⁶ have bound themselves with an oath⁶⁷ not to eat or drink anything⁶⁸ until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.”⁶⁹ 23:22 Then the commanding officer⁷⁰ sent the young man away, directing him,⁷¹ “Tell no one that you have reported⁷² these things to me.” 23:23 Then⁷³ he summoned⁷⁴ two of the centurions⁷⁵ and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea⁷⁶ along with seventy horsemen⁷⁷ and two hundred spearmen⁷⁸ by⁷⁹ nine o’clock tonight,⁸⁰ 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride⁸¹ so that he may be brought safely to Felix⁸² the governor.”⁸³ 23:25 He wrote⁸⁴ a letter that went like this:⁸⁵

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor⁸⁶ Felix,⁸⁷ greetings. 23:27 This man was seized⁸⁸ by the Jews and they were about to kill him,⁸⁹ when I came up⁹⁰ with the detachment⁹¹ and rescued him, because I had learned that he was⁹² a Roman citizen.⁹³ 23:28 Since I wanted to know⁹⁴ what charge they were accusing him of,⁹⁵ I brought him down to their council.⁹⁶ 23:29 I found he⁹⁷ was accused with reference to controversial questions⁹⁸ about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment.⁹⁹ 23:30 When I was informed¹⁰⁰ there would be a plot¹⁰¹ against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges¹⁰² against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders,¹⁰³ took¹⁰⁴ Paul and brought him to Antipatris¹⁰⁵ during the night. 23:32 The next day they let¹⁰⁶ the horsemen¹⁰⁷ go on with him, and they returned to the barracks.¹⁰⁸ 23:33 When the horsemen¹⁰⁹ came to Caesarea¹¹⁰ and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented¹¹¹ Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor¹¹² had read¹¹³ the letter,¹¹⁴ he asked¹¹⁵ what province he was from.¹¹⁶ When he learned¹¹⁷ that he was from Cilicia,¹¹⁸ 23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing¹¹⁹ when your accusers arrive too.” Then¹²⁰ he ordered that Paul¹²¹ be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.¹²²

[23:4] ¹tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4] ²tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”

[23:5] ³tn Grk “said.”

[23:5] ⁴tn Or “know.”

[23:5] ⁵sn 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] ⁶tn 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] ⁷sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6] ⁸sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6] ⁹tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6] ¹⁰tn 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] ¹¹tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7] ¹²tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7] ¹³tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8] ¹⁴tn 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] ¹⁵tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9] ¹⁶tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9] ¹⁷tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9] ¹⁸tn 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] ¹⁹sn “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] ²⁰tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10] ²¹tn 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] ²²tn 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] ²³tn 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] ²⁴tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10] ²⁵tn 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] ²⁶sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11] ²⁷tn 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] ²⁸tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11] ²⁹tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11] ³⁰map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11] ³¹sn 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] ³²tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12] ³³tn 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] ³⁴tn 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] ³⁵tn 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] ³⁶tn 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] ³⁷tn 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] ³⁸tn 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] ³⁹tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14] ⁴⁰sn 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] ⁴¹tn 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] ⁴²tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15] ⁴³tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15] ⁴⁴tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15] ⁴⁵tn 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] ⁴⁶tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15] ⁴⁷tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15] ⁴⁸sn “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] ⁴⁹tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16] ⁵⁰tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16] ⁵¹tn 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] ⁵²tn 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] ⁵³tn Grk “calling…Paul said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:17] ⁵⁴sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17] ⁵⁵tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18] ⁵⁶tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18] ⁵⁷tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18] ⁵⁸tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19] ⁵⁹tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19] ⁶⁰tn 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] ⁶¹tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20] ⁶²tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21] ⁶³tn 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] ⁶⁴tn 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] ⁶⁵tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21] ⁶⁶tn 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] ⁶⁷tn 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] ⁶⁸tn 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] ⁶⁹tn 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] ⁷⁰tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22] ⁷¹tn 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] ⁷²tn 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] ⁷³tn 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] ⁷⁴tn Grk “summoning…he said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:23] ⁷⁵sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23] ⁷⁶sn 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] ⁷⁷tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23] ⁷⁸tn 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] ⁷⁹tn Grk “from.”

[23:23] ⁸⁰tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24] ⁸¹tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”

[23:24] ⁸²sn 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] ⁸³tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25] ⁸⁴tn 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] ⁸⁵tn 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] ⁸⁶tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26] ⁸⁷sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27] ⁸⁸tn 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] ⁸⁹tn 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] ⁹⁰tn Or “approached.”

[23:27] ⁹¹tn 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] ⁹²tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27] ⁹³tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[23:28] ⁹⁴tn Or “determine.”

[23:28] ⁹⁵tn 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] ⁹⁶tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29] ⁹⁷tn 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] ⁹⁸tn 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] ⁹⁹tn 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] ¹⁰⁰tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30] ¹⁰¹tn The term translated “plot” here is a different one than the one in Acts 23:16 (see BDAG 368 s.v. ἐπιβουλή).

[23:30] ¹⁰²tn 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] ¹⁰³tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31] ¹⁰⁴tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31] ¹⁰⁵sn 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] ¹⁰⁶tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32] ¹⁰⁷tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32] ¹⁰⁸tn 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] ¹⁰⁹tn 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] ¹¹⁰sn 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] ¹¹¹tn 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] ¹¹²tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34] ¹¹³tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34] ¹¹⁴tn 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] ¹¹⁵tn 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] ¹¹⁶sn 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] ¹¹⁷tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34] ¹¹⁸sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35] ¹¹⁹tn 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] ¹²⁰tn 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] ¹²¹tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35] ¹²²sn 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.