Acts 4:36-37

4:36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), ¹  4:37 sold ²  a field ³  that belonged to him and brought the money ⁴  and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 9:27

9:27 But Barnabas took ⁵  Saul, ⁶  brought ⁷  him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that ⁸  the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly ⁹  in the name of Jesus.

Acts 13:1-3

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ¹⁰  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ¹¹  Lucius the Cyrenian, ¹²  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ¹³  the tetrarch ¹⁴  from childhood ¹⁵ ) and Saul. 13:2 While they were serving ¹⁶  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ¹⁷  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ¹⁸  and ¹⁹  prayed and placed their hands ²⁰  on them, they sent them off.

Acts 15:22

15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided ²¹  to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, ²²  leaders among the brothers, to Antioch ²³  with Paul and Barnabas.

Acts 15:35-39

15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, ²⁴  teaching and proclaiming (along with many others) ²⁵  the word of the Lord. ²⁶ 

Paul and Barnabas Part Company

15:36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return ²⁷  and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord ²⁸  to see how they are doing.” ²⁹  15:37 Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too, 15:38 but Paul insisted ³⁰  that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia ³¹  and had not accompanied them in the work. 15:39 They had ³²  a sharp disagreement, ³³  so that they parted company. Barnabas took along ³⁴  Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, ³⁵ 

[4:36]  ¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Note how the actions of Barnabas are in keeping with the meaning of his nickname. He stands in contrast to Ananias and Sapphira in 5:1-11.

[4:37]  ² tn Grk “selling a field that belonged to him, brought” The participle πωλήσας (pwlhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[4:37]  ³ tn Or “a farm.”

[4:37]  ⁴ tn Normally a reference to actual coins (“currency”). See L&N 6.68.

[9:27]  ⁵ tn Grk “taking Saul, brought him.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενος (epilabomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:27]  ⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:27]  ⁷ tn Grk “and brought,” but 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.

[9:27]  ⁸ tn Grk “and that,” but 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.

[9:27]  ⁹ tn On this verb which is used 7 times in Acts, see BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1. See also v. 28.

[13:1]  ¹⁰ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  ¹¹ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ¹² sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ¹³ sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, who had John the Baptist beheaded, and who is mentioned a number of times in the gospels.

[13:1]  ¹⁴ tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  ¹⁵ tn Or “(a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch).” The meaning “close friend from childhood” is given by L&N 34.15, but the word can also mean “foster brother” (L&N 10.51). BDAG 976 s.v. σύντροφας states, “pert. to being brought up with someone, either as a foster-brother or as a companion/friend,” which covers both alternatives. Context does not given enough information to be certain which is the case here, although many modern translations prefer the meaning “close friend from childhood.”

[13:2]  ¹⁶ tn This term is frequently used in the LXX of the service performed by priests and Levites in the tabernacle (Exod 28:35, 43; 29:30; 30:20; 35:19; 39:26; Num 1:50; 3:6, 31) and the temple (2 Chr 31:2; 35:3; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17, and many more examples). According to BDAG 591 s.v. λειτουργέω 1.b it is used “of other expression of religious devotion.” Since the previous verse described the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, it is probable that the term here describes two of them (Barnabas and Saul) as they were serving in that capacity. Since they were not in Jerusalem where the temple was located, general religious service is referred to here.

[13:2]  ¹⁷ tn Or “Appoint.”

[13:3]  ¹⁸ tn The three aorist participles νηστεύσαντες (nhsteusante"), προσευξάμενοι (proseuxamenoi), and ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") are translated as temporal participles. Although they could indicate contemporaneous time when used with an aorist main verb, logically here they are antecedent. On fasting and prayer, see Matt 6:5, 16; Luke 2:37; 5:33; Acts 14:23.

[13:3]  ¹⁹ tn Normally English style, which uses a coordinating conjunction between only the last two elements of a series of three or more, would call for omission of “and” here. However, since the terms “fasting and prayer” are something of a unit, often linked together, the conjunction has been retained here.

[13:3]  ²⁰ sn The placing of hands on Barnabas and Saul (traditionally known as “the laying on of hands”) refers to an act picturing the commission of God and the church for the task at hand.

[15:22]  ²¹ tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists this verse under the meaning “it seems best to me, I decide, I resolve.”

[15:22]  ²² sn Silas. See 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1 (= Silvanus).

[15:22]  ²³ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:35]  ²⁴ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:35]  ²⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[15:35]  ²⁶ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in v. 36; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[15:36]  ²⁷ tn Grk “Returning let us visit.” The participle ἐπιστρέψαντες (epistreyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[15:36]  ²⁸ tn See the note on the phrase “word of the Lord” in v. 35.

[15:36]  ²⁹ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.b has “how they are” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ³⁰ tn BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 2.a has “he insisted (impf.) that they should not take him along” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ³¹ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor. See Acts 13:13, where it was mentioned previously.

[15:39]  ³² tn Grk “There happened a sharp disagreement.” 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.

[15:39]  ³³ tn BDAG 780 s.v. παροξυσμός 2 has “sharp disagreement” here; L&N 33.451 has “sharp argument, sharp difference of opinion.”

[15:39]  ³⁴ tn Grk “taking along Mark sailed.” The participle παραλαβόντα (paralabonta) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[15:39]  ³⁵ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.