Acts 6:9

6:9 But some men from the Synagogue ¹  of the Freedmen (as it was called), ²  both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, ³  stood up and argued with Stephen.

Acts 13:14-15

13:14 Moving on from ⁴  Perga, ⁵  they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, ⁶  and on the Sabbath day they went into ⁷  the synagogue ⁸  and sat down. 13:15 After the reading from the law and the prophets, ⁹  the leaders of the synagogue ¹⁰  sent them a message, ¹¹  saying, “Brothers, ¹²  if you have any message ¹³  of exhortation ¹⁴  for the people, speak it.” ¹⁵ 

Acts 28:17-21

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days ¹⁶  Paul ¹⁷  called the local Jewish leaders ¹⁸  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ¹⁹  although I had done ²⁰  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ²¹  from Jerusalem ²²  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ²³  28:18 When ²⁴  they had heard my case, ²⁵  they wanted to release me, ²⁶  because there was no basis for a death sentence ²⁷  against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, ²⁸  I was forced to appeal to Caesar ²⁹  – not that I had some charge to bring ³⁰  against my own people. ³¹  28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” ³²  28:21 They replied, ³³  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ³⁴  and reported or said anything bad about you.

[6:9]  ¹ sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).

[6:9]  ² tn Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenh") by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).

[6:9]  ³ 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.

[13:14]  ⁴ tn Or “Passing by.”

[13:14]  ⁵ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[13:14]  ⁶ tn Or “at Antioch in Pisidia.”

[13:14]  ⁷ tn Grk “going into the synagogue they sat down.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:14]  ⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:15]  ⁹ sn After the reading from the law and the prophets. In the 1st century Jewish synagogue, it was customary after the reading of the Torah (law) and prophets for men to give exhortation from the scriptures.

[13:15]  ¹⁰ tn Normally ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93). Since the term is plural here, however, and it would sound strange to the English reader to speak of “the presidents of the synagogue,” the alternative translation “leaders” is used. “Rulers” would also be acceptable, but does not convey quite the same idea.

[13:15]  ¹¹ tn Grk “sent to them”; the word “message” is an understood direct object. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[13:15]  ¹² tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:15]  ¹³ tn Or “word.”

[13:15]  ¹⁴ tn Or “encouragement.”

[13:15]  ¹⁵ tn Or “give it.”

[28:17]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” 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.

[28:17]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:17]  ¹⁸ tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[28:17]  ²⁰ tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[28:17]  ²¹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:17]  ²² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:17]  ²³ tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

[28:18]  ²⁴ tn Grk “who when.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced by the personal pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:18]  ²⁵ tn Or “had questioned me”; or “had examined me.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 2 states, “to conduct a judicial hearing, hear a case, question.”

[28:18]  ²⁶ sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.

[28:18]  ²⁷ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[28:19]  ²⁸ tn That is, objected to my release.

[28:19]  ²⁹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[28:19]  ³⁰ 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.’”

[28:19]  ³¹ tn Or “my own nation.”

[28:20]  ³² sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).

[28:21]  ³³ tn Grk “they said to him.”

[28:21]  ³⁴ tn Or “arrived”; Grk “come” (“from there” is implied). Grk “coming.” The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.