Acts 5:19-24

Context
5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord¹ opened² the doors of the prison,³ led them out,⁴ and said, 5:20 “Go and stand in the temple courts⁵ and proclaim⁶ to the people all the words of this life.” 5:21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courts⁷ at daybreak and began teaching.⁸

Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin⁹ – that is, the whole high council¹⁰ of the Israelites¹¹ – and sent to the jail to have the apostles¹² brought before them.¹³ 5:22 But the officers¹⁴ who came for them¹⁵ did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,¹⁶ 5:23 “We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them,¹⁷ we found no one inside.” 5:24 Now when the commander¹⁸ of the temple guard¹⁹ and the chief priests heard this report,²⁰ they were greatly puzzled concerning it,²¹ wondering what this could²² be.

[5:19] ¹tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[5:19] ²tn Grk “opening the doors of the prison.” The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to the requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:19] ³tn Greek φυλακῆς (fulakh"), a different word from the one in v. 18 (τήρησις, thrhsi", “jail”).

[5:19] ⁴tn Or “brought them out.” Grk “and leading them out, said.” The participle ἐξαγαγών (exagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:20] ⁵tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[5:20] ⁶tn Or “speak.”

[5:21] ⁷tn Grk “the temple.” See the note on the same phrase in the preceding verse.

[5:21] ⁸tn The imperfect verb ἐδίδασκον (edidaskon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[5:21] ⁹tn Or “the council” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[5:21] ¹⁰tn A hendiadys (two different terms referring to a single thing) is likely here (a reference to a single legislative body rather than two separate ones) because the term γερουσίαν (gerousian) is used in both 1 Macc 12:6 and Josephus, Ant. 13.5.8 (13.166) to refer to the Sanhedrin.

[5:21] ¹¹tn Grk “sons of Israel.”

[5:21] ¹²tn Grk “have them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:21] ¹³tn The words “before them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[5:22] ¹⁴tn The Greek term ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") generally means “servant,” but in the NT is used for many different types of servants, like attendants to a king, the officers of the Sanhedrin (as here), assistants to magistrates, and (especially in the Gospel of John) Jewish guards in the Jerusalem temple (see L&N 35.20).

[5:22] ¹⁵tn The words “for them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[5:22] ¹⁶tn Grk “reported, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[5:23] ¹⁷tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[5:24] ¹⁸tn Or “captain.”

[5:24] ¹⁹tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[5:24] ²⁰tn Grk “heard these words.”

[5:24] ²¹tn Grk “concerning them,” agreeing with the plural antecedent “these words.” Since the phrase “these words” was translated as the singular “this report,” the singular “concerning it” is used here.

[5:24] ²²tn The optative verb here expresses confused uncertainty.