Acts 9:24

9:24 but Saul learned of their plot against him. ¹  They were also watching ²  the city gates ³  day and night so that they could kill him.

Acts 17:13-14

17:13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica ⁴  heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God ⁵  in Berea, ⁶  they came there too, inciting ⁷  and disturbing ⁸  the crowds. 17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast ⁹  at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. ¹⁰ 

Acts 23:12-22

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ¹¹  the Jews formed ¹²  a conspiracy ¹³  and bound themselves with an oath ¹⁴  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁵  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ¹⁶  23:14 They ¹⁷  went ¹⁸  to the chief priests ¹⁹  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ²⁰  not to partake ²¹  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ²²  request the commanding officer ²³  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ²⁴  his case ²⁵  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ²⁶  We are ready to kill him ²⁷  before he comes near this place.” ²⁸ 

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, ²⁹  he came and entered ³⁰  the barracks ³¹  and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called ³²  one of the centurions ³³  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ³⁴  for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion ³⁵  took him and brought him to the commanding officer ³⁶  and said, “The prisoner Paul called ³⁷  me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer ³⁸  took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want ³⁹  to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, ⁴⁰  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ⁴¹  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ⁴²  because more than forty of them ⁴³  are lying in ambush ⁴⁴  for him. They ⁴⁵  have bound themselves with an oath ⁴⁶  not to eat or drink anything ⁴⁷  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ⁴⁸  23:22 Then the commanding officer ⁴⁹  sent the young man away, directing him, ⁵⁰  “Tell no one that you have reported ⁵¹  these things to me.”

Acts 23:2

23:2 At that ⁵²  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ⁵³  Paul ⁵⁴  to strike ⁵⁵  him on the mouth.

Acts 6:8-12

Stephen is Arrested

6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs ⁵⁶  among the people. 6:9 But some men from the Synagogue ⁵⁷  of the Freedmen (as it was called), ⁵⁸  both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, ⁵⁹  stood up and argued with Stephen. 6:10 Yet ⁶⁰  they were not able to resist ⁶¹  the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 6:11 Then they secretly instigated ⁶²  some men to say, “We have heard this man ⁶³  speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 6:12 They incited the people, the ⁶⁴  elders, and the experts in the law; ⁶⁵  then they approached Stephen, ⁶⁶  seized him, and brought him before the council. ⁶⁷ 

[9:24]  ¹ tn The words “against him” are implied, as suggested by L&N 30.71.

[9:24]  ² tn Or “guarding.” This is a negative term in Luke-Acts (Luke 6:7; 14:1; 20:20).

[9:24]  ³ tn The word πύλη (pulh) may refer to a house door or gate, or to the large gates used in a palace, temple, or city wall. Here the context clearly indicates a reference to the latter, so the translation “city gates” is used.

[17:13]  ⁴ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:13]  ⁵ tn Grk “that the word of God had also been proclaimed by Paul.” This passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:13]  ⁶ sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) from Thessalonica.

[17:13]  ⁷ tn BDAG 911 s.v. σαλεύω 2 has “incite” for σαλεύοντες (saleuonte") in Acts 17:13.

[17:13]  ⁸ tn Or “stirring up” (BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2). The point is the agitation of the crowds.

[17:14]  ⁹ tn Grk “to the sea.” Here ἕως ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ({ew" epi thn qalassan) must mean “to the edge of the sea,” that is, “to the coast.” Since there is no mention of Paul taking a ship to Athens, he presumably traveled overland. The journey would have been about 340 mi (550 km).

[17:14]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “remained there”; the referent (Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:12]  ¹¹ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ²² tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

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

[23:15]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ²⁶ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ²⁷ 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]  ²⁸ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16]  ²⁹ tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16]  ³⁰ 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]  ³¹ 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]  ³² 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]  ³³ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17]  ³⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ³⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ³⁷ tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19]  ³⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19]  ³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21]  ⁴² 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]  ⁴³ 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]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ⁴⁵ 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]  ⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22]  ⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵¹ 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.

[23:2]  ⁵² tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ⁵³ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ⁵⁵ 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.

[6:8]  ⁵⁶ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.

[6:9]  ⁵⁷ 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]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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.

[6:10]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.

[6:10]  ⁶¹ sn They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15.

[6:11]  ⁶² tn Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.

[6:11]  ⁶³ tn Grk “heard him”; but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”

[6:12]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “and the,” 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.

[6:12]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[6:12]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:12]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.