Acts 9:32--28:31

Peter Heals Aeneas

9:32 Now ¹  as Peter was traveling around from place to place, ²  he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. ³  9:33 He found there a man named Aeneas who had been confined to a mattress for eight years because ⁴  he was paralyzed. 9:34 Peter ⁵  said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ ⁶  heals you. Get up and make your own bed!” ⁷  And immediately he got up. 9:35 All ⁸  those who lived in Lydda ⁹  and Sharon ¹⁰  saw him, and they ¹¹  turned ¹²  to the Lord.

Peter Raises Dorcas

9:36 Now in Joppa ¹³  there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means ¹⁴  Dorcas). ¹⁵  She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. ¹⁶  9:37 At that time ¹⁷  she became sick ¹⁸  and died. When they had washed ¹⁹  her body, ²⁰  they placed it in an upstairs room. 9:38 Because Lydda ²¹  was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Come to us without delay.” ²²  9:39 So Peter got up and went with them, and ²³  when he arrived ²⁴  they brought him to the upper room. All ²⁵  the widows stood beside him, crying and showing him ²⁶  the tunics ²⁷  and other clothing ²⁸  Dorcas used to make ²⁹  while she was with them. 9:40 But Peter sent them all outside, ³⁰  knelt down, ³¹  and prayed. Turning ³²  to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ³³  9:41 He gave ³⁴  her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called ³⁵  the saints and widows and presented her alive. 9:42 This became known throughout all ³⁶  Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ³⁷  9:43 So ³⁸  Peter ³⁹  stayed many days in Joppa with a man named ⁴⁰  Simon, a tanner. ⁴¹ 

Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea ⁴²  named Cornelius, a centurion ⁴³  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. ⁴⁴  10:2 He ⁴⁵  was a devout, God-fearing man, ⁴⁶  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ⁴⁷  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ⁴⁸  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ⁴⁹  who came in ⁵⁰  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ⁵¹  replied, ⁵²  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ⁵³  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ⁵⁴  have gone up as a memorial ⁵⁵  before God. 10:5 Now ⁵⁶  send men to Joppa ⁵⁷  and summon a man named Simon, ⁵⁸  who is called Peter. 10:6 This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, ⁵⁹  whose house is by the sea.” 10:7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius ⁶⁰  called two of his personal servants ⁶¹  and a devout soldier from among those who served him, ⁶²  10:8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9 About noon ⁶³  the next day, while they were on their way and approaching ⁶⁴  the city, Peter went up on the roof ⁶⁵  to pray. 10:10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him. ⁶⁶  10:11 He ⁶⁷  saw heaven ⁶⁸  opened ⁶⁹  and an object something like a large sheet ⁷⁰  descending, ⁷¹  being let down to earth ⁷²  by its four corners. 10:12 In it ⁷³  were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles ⁷⁴  of the earth and wild birds. ⁷⁵  10:13 Then ⁷⁶  a voice said ⁷⁷  to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter ⁷⁸  and eat!” 10:14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” ⁷⁹  10:15 The voice ⁸⁰  spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider ⁸¹  ritually unclean!” ⁸²  10:16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. ⁸³ 

10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over ⁸⁴  what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was ⁸⁵  and approached ⁸⁶  the gate. 10:18 They ⁸⁷  called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, ⁸⁸  was staying there as a guest. 10:19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about ⁸⁹  the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 10:20 But get up, ⁹⁰  go down, and accompany them without hesitation, ⁹¹  because I have sent them.” 10:21 So Peter went down ⁹²  to the men and said, “Here I am, ⁹³  the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, ⁹⁴  a righteous ⁹⁵  and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, ⁹⁶  was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message ⁹⁷  from you.” 10:23 So Peter ⁹⁸  invited them in and entertained them as guests.

On the next day he got up and set out ⁹⁹  with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa ¹⁰⁰  accompanied him. 10:24 The following day ¹⁰¹  he entered Caesarea. ¹⁰²  Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously ¹⁰³  for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 10:25 So when ¹⁰⁴  Peter came in, Cornelius met ¹⁰⁵  him, fell ¹⁰⁶  at his feet, and worshiped ¹⁰⁷  him. 10:26 But Peter helped him up, ¹⁰⁸  saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.” ¹⁰⁹  10:27 Peter ¹¹⁰  continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together. ¹¹¹  10:28 He said to them, “You know that ¹¹²  it is unlawful ¹¹³  for a Jew ¹¹⁴  to associate with or visit a Gentile, ¹¹⁵  yet God has shown me that I should call no person ¹¹⁶  defiled or ritually unclean. ¹¹⁷  10:29 Therefore when you sent for me, ¹¹⁸  I came without any objection. Now may I ask why ¹¹⁹  you sent for me?” 10:30 Cornelius ¹²⁰  replied, ¹²¹  “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, ¹²²  I was praying in my house, and suddenly ¹²³  a man in shining clothing stood before me 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity ¹²⁴  have been remembered before God. ¹²⁵  10:32 Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, ¹²⁶  by the sea.’ 10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. ¹²⁷  So now we are all here in the presence of God ¹²⁸  to listen ¹²⁹  to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” ¹³⁰ 

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: ¹³¹  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, ¹³²  10:35 but in every nation ¹³³  the person who fears him ¹³⁴  and does what is right ¹³⁵  is welcomed before him. 10:36 You know ¹³⁶  the message ¹³⁷  he sent to the people ¹³⁸  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace ¹³⁹  through ¹⁴⁰  Jesus Christ ¹⁴¹  (he is Lord ¹⁴²  of all) – 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ¹⁴³  10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, ¹⁴⁴  that ¹⁴⁵  God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He ¹⁴⁶  went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, ¹⁴⁷  because God was with him. ¹⁴⁸  10:39 We ¹⁴⁹  are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea ¹⁵⁰  and in Jerusalem. ¹⁵¹  They ¹⁵²  killed him by hanging him on a tree, ¹⁵³  10:40 but ¹⁵⁴  God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, ¹⁵⁵  10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, ¹⁵⁶  who ate and drank ¹⁵⁷  with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He ¹⁵⁸  commanded us to preach to the people and to warn ¹⁵⁹  them ¹⁶⁰  that he is the one ¹⁶¹  appointed ¹⁶²  by God as judge ¹⁶³  of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, ¹⁶⁴  that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins ¹⁶⁵  through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on ¹⁶⁶  all those who heard the message. ¹⁶⁷  10:45 The ¹⁶⁸  circumcised believers ¹⁶⁹  who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished ¹⁷⁰  that ¹⁷¹  the gift of the Holy Spirit ¹⁷²  had been poured out ¹⁷³  even on the Gentiles, 10:46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising ¹⁷⁴  God. Then Peter said, 10:47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, ¹⁷⁵  can he?” ¹⁷⁶  10:48 So he gave orders to have them baptized ¹⁷⁷  in the name of Jesus Christ. ¹⁷⁸  Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Peter Defends His Actions to the Jerusalem Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted ¹⁷⁹  the word of God. ¹⁸⁰  11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ¹⁸¹  the circumcised believers ¹⁸²  took issue with ¹⁸³  him, 11:3 saying, “You went to ¹⁸⁴  uncircumcised men and shared a meal with ¹⁸⁵  them.” 11:4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, ¹⁸⁶  saying, 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, ¹⁸⁷  an object something like a large sheet descending, ¹⁸⁸  being let down from heaven ¹⁸⁹  by its four corners, and it came to me. 11:6 As I stared ¹⁹⁰  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, ¹⁹¹  and wild birds. ¹⁹²  11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter ¹⁹³  and eat!’ 11:8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean ¹⁹⁴  has ever entered my mouth!’ 11:9 But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider ¹⁹⁵  ritually unclean!’ 11:10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11:11 At that very moment, ¹⁹⁶  three men sent to me from Caesarea ¹⁹⁷  approached ¹⁹⁸  the house where we were staying. ¹⁹⁹  11:12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers ²⁰⁰  also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 11:13 He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 11:14 who will speak a message ²⁰¹  to you by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 11:15 Then as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on ²⁰²  them just as he did ²⁰³  on us at the beginning. ²⁰⁴  11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, ²⁰⁵  as he used to say, ²⁰⁶  ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ²⁰⁷  11:17 Therefore if God ²⁰⁸  gave them the same gift ²⁰⁹  as he also gave us after believing ²¹⁰  in the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹¹  who was I to hinder ²¹²  God?” 11:18 When they heard this, ²¹³  they ceased their objections ²¹⁴  and praised ²¹⁵  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance ²¹⁶  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” ²¹⁷ 

Activity in the Church at Antioch

11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen ²¹⁸  went as far as ²¹⁹  Phoenicia, ²²⁰  Cyprus, ²²¹  and Antioch, ²²²  speaking the message ²²³  to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus ²²⁴  and Cyrene ²²⁵  among them who came ²²⁶  to Antioch ²²⁷  and began to speak to the Greeks ²²⁸  too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. 11:21 The ²²⁹  hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed ²³⁰  turned ²³¹  to the Lord. 11:22 A report ²³²  about them came to the attention ²³³  of the church in Jerusalem, ²³⁴  and they sent Barnabas ²³⁵  to Antioch. ²³⁶  11:23 When ²³⁷  he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true ²³⁸  to the Lord with devoted hearts, ²³⁹  11:24 because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a significant number of people ²⁴⁰  were brought to the Lord. 11:25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to look for Saul, 11:26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. ²⁴¹  So ²⁴²  for a whole year Barnabas and Saul ²⁴³  met with the church and taught a significant number of people. ²⁴⁴  Now it was in Antioch ²⁴⁵  that the disciples were first called Christians. ²⁴⁶ 

Famine Relief for Judea

11:27 At that time ²⁴⁷  some ²⁴⁸  prophets ²⁴⁹  came down ²⁵⁰  from Jerusalem ²⁵¹  to Antioch. ²⁵²  11:28 One of them, named Agabus, got up ²⁵³  and predicted ²⁵⁴  by the Spirit that a severe ²⁵⁵  famine ²⁵⁶  was about to come over the whole inhabited world. ²⁵⁷  (This ²⁵⁸  took place during the reign of Claudius.) ²⁵⁹  11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, ²⁶⁰  decided ²⁶¹  to send relief ²⁶²  to the brothers living in Judea. 11:30 They did so, ²⁶³  sending their financial aid ²⁶⁴  to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

James is Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12:1 About that time King Herod ²⁶⁵  laid hands on ²⁶⁶  some from the church to harm them. ²⁶⁷  12:2 He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. ²⁶⁸  12:3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, ²⁶⁹  he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) ²⁷⁰  12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads ²⁷¹  of soldiers to guard him. Herod ²⁷²  planned ²⁷³  to bring him out for public trial ²⁷⁴  after the Passover. 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly ²⁷⁵  praying to God for him. ²⁷⁶  12:6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, ²⁷⁷  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while ²⁷⁸  guards in front of the door were keeping watch ²⁷⁹  over the prison. 12:7 Suddenly ²⁸⁰  an angel of the Lord ²⁸¹  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck ²⁸²  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s ²⁸³  wrists. ²⁸⁴  12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt ²⁸⁵  and put on your sandals.” Peter ²⁸⁶  did so. Then the angel ²⁸⁷  said to him, “Put on your cloak ²⁸⁸  and follow me.” 12:9 Peter ²⁸⁹  went out ²⁹⁰  and followed him; ²⁹¹  he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, ²⁹²  but thought he was seeing a vision. 12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards, ²⁹³  they came to the iron ²⁹⁴  gate leading into the city. It ²⁹⁵  opened for them by itself, ²⁹⁶  and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, ²⁹⁷  when at once the angel left him. 12:11 When ²⁹⁸  Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued ²⁹⁹  me from the hand ³⁰⁰  of Herod ³⁰¹  and from everything the Jewish people ³⁰²  were expecting to happen.”

12:12 When Peter ³⁰³  realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, ³⁰⁴  where many people had gathered together and were praying. 12:13 When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered. ³⁰⁵  12:14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told ³⁰⁶  them ³⁰⁷  that Peter was standing at the gate. 12:15 But they said to her, “You’ve lost your mind!” ³⁰⁸  But she kept insisting that it was Peter, ³⁰⁹  and they kept saying, ³¹⁰  “It is his angel!” ³¹¹  12:16 Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door ³¹²  and saw him, they were greatly astonished. ³¹³  12:17 He motioned to them ³¹⁴  with his hand to be quiet and then related ³¹⁵  how the Lord had brought ³¹⁶  him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. ³¹⁷ 

12:18 At daybreak ³¹⁸  there was great consternation ³¹⁹  among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 12:19 When Herod ³²⁰  had searched ³²¹  for him and did not find him, he questioned ³²²  the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. ³²³  Then ³²⁴  Herod ³²⁵  went down from Judea to Caesarea ³²⁶  and stayed there.

12:20 Now Herod ³²⁷  was having an angry quarrel ³²⁸  with the people of Tyre ³²⁹  and Sidon. ³³⁰  So they joined together ³³¹  and presented themselves before him. And after convincing ³³²  Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, ³³³  to help them, ³³⁴  they asked for peace, ³³⁵  because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country. 12:21 On a day determined in advance, Herod ³³⁶  put on his royal robes, ³³⁷  sat down on the judgment seat, ³³⁸  and made a speech ³³⁹  to them. 12:22 But the crowd ³⁴⁰  began to shout, ³⁴¹  “The voice of a god, ³⁴²  and not of a man!” 12:23 Immediately an angel of the Lord ³⁴³  struck ³⁴⁴  Herod ³⁴⁵  down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. ³⁴⁶  12:24 But the word of God ³⁴⁷  kept on increasing ³⁴⁸  and multiplying.

12:25 So Barnabas and Saul returned to ³⁴⁹  Jerusalem ³⁵⁰  when they had completed ³⁵¹  their mission, ³⁵²  bringing along with them John Mark. ³⁵³ 

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ³⁵⁴  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ³⁵⁵  Lucius the Cyrenian, ³⁵⁶  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ³⁵⁷  the tetrarch ³⁵⁸  from childhood ³⁵⁹ ) and Saul. 13:2 While they were serving ³⁶⁰  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ³⁶¹  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ³⁶²  and ³⁶³  prayed and placed their hands ³⁶⁴  on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, ³⁶⁵  sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, ³⁶⁶  and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ³⁶⁷  13:5 When ³⁶⁸  they arrived ³⁶⁹  in Salamis, ³⁷⁰  they began to proclaim ³⁷¹  the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. ³⁷²  (Now they also had John ³⁷³  as their assistant.) ³⁷⁴  13:6 When they had crossed over ³⁷⁵  the whole island as far as Paphos, ³⁷⁶  they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ³⁷⁷  13:7 who was with the proconsul ³⁷⁸  Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul ³⁷⁹  summoned ³⁸⁰  Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear ³⁸¹  the word of God. 13:8 But the magician Elymas ³⁸²  (for that is the way his name is translated) ³⁸³  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ³⁸⁴  away from the faith. 13:9 But Saul (also known as Paul), ³⁸⁵  filled with the Holy Spirit, ³⁸⁶  stared straight ³⁸⁷  at him 13:10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, ³⁸⁸  you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ³⁸⁹  13:11 Now ³⁹⁰  look, the hand of the Lord is against ³⁹¹  you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness ³⁹²  and darkness came over ³⁹³  him, and he went around seeking people ³⁹⁴  to lead him by the hand. 13:12 Then when the proconsul ³⁹⁵  saw what had happened, he believed, ³⁹⁶  because he was greatly astounded ³⁹⁷  at the teaching about ³⁹⁸  the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch

13:13 Then Paul and his companions put out to sea ³⁹⁹  from Paphos ⁴⁰⁰  and came to Perga ⁴⁰¹  in Pamphylia, ⁴⁰²  but John ⁴⁰³  left them and returned to Jerusalem. ⁴⁰⁴  13:14 Moving on from ⁴⁰⁵  Perga, ⁴⁰⁶  they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, ⁴⁰⁷  and on the Sabbath day they went into ⁴⁰⁸  the synagogue ⁴⁰⁹  and sat down. 13:15 After the reading from the law and the prophets, ⁴¹⁰  the leaders of the synagogue ⁴¹¹  sent them a message, ⁴¹²  saying, “Brothers, ⁴¹³  if you have any message ⁴¹⁴  of exhortation ⁴¹⁵  for the people, speak it.” ⁴¹⁶  13:16 So Paul stood up, ⁴¹⁷  gestured ⁴¹⁸  with his hand and said,

“Men of Israel, ⁴¹⁹  and you Gentiles who fear God, ⁴²⁰  listen: 13:17 The God of this people Israel ⁴²¹  chose our ancestors ⁴²²  and made the people great ⁴²³  during their stay as foreigners ⁴²⁴  in the country ⁴²⁵  of Egypt, and with uplifted arm ⁴²⁶  he led them out of it. 13:18 For ⁴²⁷  a period of about forty years he put up with ⁴²⁸  them in the wilderness. ⁴²⁹  13:19 After ⁴³⁰  he had destroyed ⁴³¹  seven nations ⁴³²  in the land of Canaan, he gave his people their land as an inheritance. ⁴³³  13:20 All this took ⁴³⁴  about four hundred fifty years. After this ⁴³⁵  he gave them judges until the time of ⁴³⁶  Samuel the prophet. 13:21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled ⁴³⁷  forty years. 13:22 After removing him, God ⁴³⁸  raised up ⁴³⁹  David their king. He testified about him: ⁴⁴⁰  ‘I have found David ⁴⁴¹  the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, ⁴⁴²  who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’ ⁴⁴³  13:23 From the descendants ⁴⁴⁴  of this man ⁴⁴⁵  God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised. ⁴⁴⁶  13:24 Before ⁴⁴⁷  Jesus ⁴⁴⁸  arrived, John ⁴⁴⁹  had proclaimed a baptism for repentance ⁴⁵⁰  to all the people of Israel. 13:25 But while John was completing his mission, ⁴⁵¹  he said repeatedly, ⁴⁵²  ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’ ⁴⁵³  13:26 Brothers, ⁴⁵⁴  descendants ⁴⁵⁵  of Abraham’s family, ⁴⁵⁶  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ⁴⁵⁷  the message ⁴⁵⁸  of this salvation has been sent to us. 13:27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize ⁴⁵⁹  him, ⁴⁶⁰  and they fulfilled the sayings ⁴⁶¹  of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning ⁴⁶²  him. ⁴⁶³  13:28 Though ⁴⁶⁴  they found ⁴⁶⁵  no basis ⁴⁶⁶  for a death sentence, ⁴⁶⁷  they asked Pilate to have him executed. 13:29 When they had accomplished ⁴⁶⁸  everything that was written ⁴⁶⁹  about him, they took him down ⁴⁷⁰  from the cross ⁴⁷¹  and placed him ⁴⁷²  in a tomb. 13:30 But God raised ⁴⁷³  him from the dead, 13:31 and ⁴⁷⁴  for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied ⁴⁷⁵  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These ⁴⁷⁶  are now his witnesses to the people. 13:32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, ⁴⁷⁷  13:33 that this promise ⁴⁷⁸  God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising ⁴⁷⁹  Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; ⁴⁸⁰  today I have fathered you.’ ⁴⁸¹  13:34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus ⁴⁸²  from the dead, never ⁴⁸³  again to be ⁴⁸⁴  in a state of decay, God ⁴⁸⁵  has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you ⁴⁸⁶  the holy and trustworthy promises ⁴⁸⁷  made to David.’ ⁴⁸⁸  13:35 Therefore he also says in another psalm, ⁴⁸⁹  ‘You will not permit your Holy One ⁴⁹⁰  to experience ⁴⁹¹  decay.’ ⁴⁹²  13:36 For David, after he had served ⁴⁹³  God’s purpose in his own generation, died, ⁴⁹⁴  was buried with his ancestors, ⁴⁹⁵  and experienced ⁴⁹⁶  decay, 13:37 but the one ⁴⁹⁷  whom God raised up did not experience ⁴⁹⁸  decay. 13:38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one ⁴⁹⁹  forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 13:39 and by this one ⁵⁰⁰  everyone who believes is justified ⁵⁰¹  from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify ⁵⁰²  you. ⁵⁰³  13:40 Watch out, ⁵⁰⁴  then, that what is spoken about by ⁵⁰⁵  the prophets does not happen to you:

13:41 ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish! ⁵⁰⁶ 

For I am doing a work in your days,

a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’” ⁵⁰⁷ 

13:42 As Paul and Barnabas ⁵⁰⁸  were going out, ⁵⁰⁹  the people ⁵¹⁰  were urging ⁵¹¹  them to speak about these things ⁵¹²  on the next Sabbath. 13:43 When the meeting of the synagogue ⁵¹³  had broken up, ⁵¹⁴  many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes ⁵¹⁵  followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading ⁵¹⁶  them ⁵¹⁷  to continue ⁵¹⁸  in the grace of God.

13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord. ⁵¹⁹  13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ⁵²⁰  and they began to contradict ⁵²¹  what Paul was saying ⁵²²  by reviling him. ⁵²³  13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, ⁵²⁴  “It was necessary to speak the word of God ⁵²⁵  to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy ⁵²⁶  of eternal life, we ⁵²⁷  are turning to the Gentiles. ⁵²⁸  13:47 For this ⁵²⁹  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ⁵³⁰  you to be a light ⁵³¹  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁵³²  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁵³³  13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice ⁵³⁴  and praise ⁵³⁵  the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life ⁵³⁶  believed. 13:49 So the word of the Lord was spreading ⁵³⁷  through the entire region. 13:50 But the Jews incited ⁵³⁸  the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out ⁵³⁹  of their region. 13:51 So after they shook ⁵⁴⁰  the dust off their feet ⁵⁴¹  in protest against them, they went to Iconium. ⁵⁴²  13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy ⁵⁴³  and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

14:1 The same thing happened in Iconium ⁵⁴⁴  when Paul and Barnabas ⁵⁴⁵  went into the Jewish synagogue ⁵⁴⁶  and spoke in such a way that a large group ⁵⁴⁷  of both Jews and Greeks believed. 14:2 But the Jews who refused to believe ⁵⁴⁸  stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds ⁵⁴⁹  against the brothers. 14:3 So they stayed there ⁵⁵⁰  for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified ⁵⁵¹  to the message ⁵⁵²  of his grace, granting miraculous signs ⁵⁵³  and wonders to be performed through their hands. 14:4 But the population ⁵⁵⁴  of the city was divided; some ⁵⁵⁵  sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 14:5 When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made ⁵⁵⁶  an attempt to mistreat ⁵⁵⁷  them and stone them, ⁵⁵⁸  14:6 Paul and Barnabas ⁵⁵⁹  learned about it ⁵⁶⁰  and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra ⁵⁶¹  and Derbe ⁵⁶²  and the surrounding region. 14:7 There ⁵⁶³  they continued to proclaim ⁵⁶⁴  the good news.

Paul and Barnabas at Lystra

14:8 In ⁵⁶⁵  Lystra ⁵⁶⁶  sat a man who could not use his feet, ⁵⁶⁷  lame from birth, ⁵⁶⁸  who had never walked. 14:9 This man was listening to Paul as he was speaking. When Paul ⁵⁶⁹  stared ⁵⁷⁰  intently at him and saw he had faith to be healed, 14:10 he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” ⁵⁷¹  And the man ⁵⁷²  leaped up and began walking. ⁵⁷³  14:11 So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted ⁵⁷⁴  in the Lycaonian language, ⁵⁷⁵  “The gods have come down to us in human form!” ⁵⁷⁶  14:12 They began to call ⁵⁷⁷  Barnabas Zeus ⁵⁷⁸  and Paul Hermes, ⁵⁷⁹  because he was the chief speaker. 14:13 The priest of the temple ⁵⁸⁰  of Zeus, ⁵⁸¹  located just outside the city, brought bulls ⁵⁸²  and garlands ⁵⁸³  to the city gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices to them. ⁵⁸⁴  14:14 But when the apostles ⁵⁸⁵  Barnabas and Paul heard about ⁵⁸⁶  it, they tore ⁵⁸⁷  their clothes and rushed out ⁵⁸⁸  into the crowd, shouting, ⁵⁸⁹  14:15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures ⁵⁹⁰  just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn ⁵⁹¹  from these worthless ⁵⁹²  things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, ⁵⁹³  the sea, and everything that is in them. 14:16 In ⁵⁹⁴  past ⁵⁹⁵  generations he allowed all the nations ⁵⁹⁶  to go their own ways, 14:17 yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, ⁵⁹⁷  by giving you rain from heaven ⁵⁹⁸  and fruitful seasons, satisfying you ⁵⁹⁹  with food and your hearts with joy.” ⁶⁰⁰  14:18 Even by saying ⁶⁰¹  these things, they scarcely persuaded ⁶⁰²  the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them.

14:19 But Jews came from Antioch ⁶⁰³  and Iconium, ⁶⁰⁴  and after winning ⁶⁰⁵  the crowds over, they stoned ⁶⁰⁶  Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming him to be dead. 14:20 But after the disciples had surrounded him, he got up and went back ⁶⁰⁷  into the city. On ⁶⁰⁸  the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ⁶⁰⁹ 

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

14:21 After they had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, ⁶¹⁰  to Iconium, ⁶¹¹  and to Antioch. ⁶¹²  14:22 They strengthened ⁶¹³  the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue ⁶¹⁴  in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom ⁶¹⁵  of God through many persecutions.” ⁶¹⁶  14:23 When they had appointed elders ⁶¹⁷  for them in the various churches, ⁶¹⁸  with prayer and fasting ⁶¹⁹  they entrusted them to the protection ⁶²⁰  of the Lord in whom they had believed. 14:24 Then they passed through ⁶²¹  Pisidia and came into Pamphylia, ⁶²²  14:25 and when they had spoken the word ⁶²³  in Perga, ⁶²⁴  they went down to Attalia. ⁶²⁵  14:26 From there they sailed back to Antioch, ⁶²⁶  where they had been commended ⁶²⁷  to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. ⁶²⁸  14:27 When they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported ⁶²⁹  all the things God ⁶³⁰  had done with them, and that he had opened a door ⁶³¹  of faith for the Gentiles. 14:28 So they spent ⁶³²  considerable ⁶³³  time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

15:1 Now some men came down from Judea ⁶³⁴  and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised ⁶³⁵  according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 15:2 When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate ⁶³⁶  with them, the church ⁶³⁷  appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with ⁶³⁸  the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ⁶³⁹  about this point of disagreement. ⁶⁴⁰  15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ⁶⁴¹  and Samaria, they were relating at length ⁶⁴²  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ⁶⁴³  to all the brothers. 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received ⁶⁴⁴  by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported ⁶⁴⁵  all the things God had done with them. ⁶⁴⁶  15:5 But some from the religious party of the Pharisees ⁶⁴⁷  who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary ⁶⁴⁸  to circumcise the Gentiles ⁶⁴⁹  and to order them to observe ⁶⁵⁰  the law of Moses.”

15:6 Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate ⁶⁵¹  about this matter. 15:7 After there had been much debate, ⁶⁵²  Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that some time ago ⁶⁵³  God chose ⁶⁵⁴  me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message ⁶⁵⁵  of the gospel ⁶⁵⁶  and believe. ⁶⁵⁷  15:8 And God, who knows the heart, ⁶⁵⁸  has testified ⁶⁵⁹  to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁶⁶⁰  15:9 and he made no distinction ⁶⁶¹  between them and us, cleansing ⁶⁶²  their hearts by faith. 15:10 So now why are you putting God to the test ⁶⁶³  by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke ⁶⁶⁴  that neither our ancestors ⁶⁶⁵  nor we have been able to bear? 15:11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through ⁶⁶⁶  the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.” ⁶⁶⁷ 

15:12 The whole group kept quiet ⁶⁶⁸  and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs ⁶⁶⁹  and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 15:13 After they stopped speaking, ⁶⁷⁰  James replied, ⁶⁷¹  “Brothers, listen to me. 15:14 Simeon ⁶⁷²  has explained ⁶⁷³  how God first concerned himself ⁶⁷⁴  to select ⁶⁷⁵  from among the Gentiles ⁶⁷⁶  a people for his name. 15:15 The ⁶⁷⁷  words of the prophets agree ⁶⁷⁸  with this, as it is written,

15:16 ‘After this ⁶⁷⁹  I ⁶⁸⁰  will return,

and I will rebuild the fallen tent ⁶⁸¹  of David;

I will rebuild its ruins and restore ⁶⁸²  it,

15:17 so that the rest of humanity ⁶⁸³  may seek the Lord,

namely, ⁶⁸⁴  all the Gentiles ⁶⁸⁵  I have called to be my own,’ ⁶⁸⁶  says the Lord, ⁶⁸⁷  who makes these things 15:18 known ⁶⁸⁸  from long ago. ⁶⁸⁹ 

15:19 “Therefore I conclude ⁶⁹⁰  that we should not cause extra difficulty ⁶⁹¹  for those among the Gentiles ⁶⁹²  who are turning to God, 15:20 but that we should write them a letter ⁶⁹³  telling them to abstain ⁶⁹⁴  from things defiled ⁶⁹⁵  by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled ⁶⁹⁶  and from blood. 15:21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, ⁶⁹⁷  because he is read aloud ⁶⁹⁸  in the synagogues ⁶⁹⁹  every Sabbath.”

15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided ⁷⁰⁰  to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, ⁷⁰¹  leaders among the brothers, to Antioch ⁷⁰²  with Paul and Barnabas. 15:23 They sent this letter with them: ⁷⁰³ 

From the apostles ⁷⁰⁴  and elders, your brothers, ⁷⁰⁵  to the Gentile brothers and sisters ⁷⁰⁶  in Antioch, ⁷⁰⁷  Syria, ⁷⁰⁸  and Cilicia, greetings! 15:24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused ⁷⁰⁹  you, upsetting ⁷¹⁰  your minds ⁷¹¹  by what they said, ⁷¹²  15:25 we have unanimously ⁷¹³  decided ⁷¹⁴  to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who ⁷¹⁵  have risked their lives ⁷¹⁶  for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷¹⁷  15:27 Therefore we are sending ⁷¹⁸  Judas and Silas ⁷¹⁹  who will tell you these things themselves in person. ⁷²⁰  15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us ⁷²¹  not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: ⁷²²  15:29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols ⁷²³  and from blood and from what has been strangled ⁷²⁴  and from sexual immorality. ⁷²⁵  If you keep yourselves from doing these things, ⁷²⁶  you will do well. Farewell. ⁷²⁷ 

15:30 So when they were dismissed, ⁷²⁸  they went down to Antioch, ⁷²⁹  and after gathering the entire group ⁷³⁰  together, they delivered the letter. 15:31 When they read it aloud, ⁷³¹  the people ⁷³²  rejoiced at its encouragement. ⁷³³  15:32 Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech. ⁷³⁴  15:33 After ⁷³⁵  they had spent some time there, ⁷³⁶  they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 15:34 [[EMPTY]] ⁷³⁷  15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, ⁷³⁸  teaching and proclaiming (along with many others) ⁷³⁹  the word of the Lord. ⁷⁴⁰ 

Paul and Barnabas Part Company

15:36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return ⁷⁴¹  and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord ⁷⁴²  to see how they are doing.” ⁷⁴³  15:37 Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too, 15:38 but Paul insisted ⁷⁴⁴  that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia ⁷⁴⁵  and had not accompanied them in the work. 15:39 They had ⁷⁴⁶  a sharp disagreement, ⁷⁴⁷  so that they parted company. Barnabas took along ⁷⁴⁸  Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁷⁴⁹  15:40 but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended ⁷⁵⁰  to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters. ⁷⁵¹  15:41 He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening ⁷⁵²  the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16:1 He also came to Derbe ⁷⁵³  and to Lystra. ⁷⁵⁴  A disciple ⁷⁵⁵  named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, ⁷⁵⁶  but whose father was a Greek. ⁷⁵⁷  16:2 The brothers in Lystra ⁷⁵⁸  and Iconium ⁷⁵⁹  spoke well ⁷⁶⁰  of him. ⁷⁶¹  16:3 Paul wanted Timothy ⁷⁶²  to accompany him, and he took ⁷⁶³  him and circumcised ⁷⁶⁴  him because of the Jews who were in those places, ⁷⁶⁵  for they all knew that his father was Greek. ⁷⁶⁶  16:4 As they went through the towns, ⁷⁶⁷  they passed on ⁷⁶⁸  the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem ⁷⁶⁹  for the Gentile believers ⁷⁷⁰  to obey. ⁷⁷¹  16:5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day. ⁷⁷² 

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian Man

16:6 They went through the region of Phrygia ⁷⁷³  and Galatia, ⁷⁷⁴  having been prevented ⁷⁷⁵  by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message ⁷⁷⁶  in the province of Asia. ⁷⁷⁷  16:7 When they came to ⁷⁷⁸  Mysia, ⁷⁷⁹  they attempted to go into Bithynia, ⁷⁸⁰  but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow ⁷⁸¹  them to do this, ⁷⁸²  16:8 so they passed through ⁷⁸³  Mysia ⁷⁸⁴  and went down to Troas. ⁷⁸⁵  16:9 A ⁷⁸⁶  vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there ⁷⁸⁷  urging him, ⁷⁸⁸  “Come over ⁷⁸⁹  to Macedonia ⁷⁹⁰  and help us!” 16:10 After Paul ⁷⁹¹  saw the vision, we attempted ⁷⁹²  immediately to go over to Macedonia, ⁷⁹³  concluding that God had called ⁷⁹⁴  us to proclaim the good news to them.

Arrival at Philippi

16:11 We put out to sea ⁷⁹⁵  from Troas ⁷⁹⁶  and sailed a straight course ⁷⁹⁷  to Samothrace, ⁷⁹⁸  the next day to Neapolis, ⁷⁹⁹  16:12 and from there to Philippi, ⁸⁰⁰  which is a leading city of that district ⁸⁰¹  of Macedonia, ⁸⁰²  a Roman colony. ⁸⁰³  We stayed in this city for some days. 16:13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down ⁸⁰⁴  and began to speak ⁸⁰⁵  to the women ⁸⁰⁶  who had assembled there. ⁸⁰⁷  16:14 A ⁸⁰⁸  woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth ⁸⁰⁹  from the city of Thyatira, ⁸¹⁰  a God-fearing woman, listened to us. ⁸¹¹  The Lord opened her heart to respond ⁸¹²  to what Paul was saying. 16:15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ⁸¹³  “If ⁸¹⁴  you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, ⁸¹⁵  come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded ⁸¹⁶  us.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

16:16 Now ⁸¹⁷  as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. ⁸¹⁸  She ⁸¹⁹  brought her owners ⁸²⁰  a great profit by fortune-telling. ⁸²¹  16:17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, ⁸²²  “These men are servants ⁸²³  of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way ⁸²⁴  of salvation.” ⁸²⁵  16:18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed, ⁸²⁶  and turned ⁸²⁷  and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ ⁸²⁸  to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once. ⁸²⁹  16:19 But when her owners ⁸³⁰  saw their hope of profit ⁸³¹  was gone, they seized ⁸³²  Paul and Silas and dragged ⁸³³  them into the marketplace before the authorities. 16:20 When ⁸³⁴  they had brought them ⁸³⁵  before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. ⁸³⁶  They are ⁸³⁷  Jews 16:21 and are advocating ⁸³⁸  customs that are not lawful for us to accept ⁸³⁹  or practice, ⁸⁴⁰  since we are ⁸⁴¹  Romans.”

16:22 The crowd joined the attack ⁸⁴²  against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes ⁸⁴³  off Paul and Silas ⁸⁴⁴  and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ⁸⁴⁵  16:23 After they had beaten them severely, ⁸⁴⁶  they threw them into prison and commanded ⁸⁴⁷  the jailer to guard them securely. 16:24 Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell ⁸⁴⁸  and fastened their feet in the stocks. ⁸⁴⁹ 

16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying ⁸⁵⁰  and singing hymns to God, ⁸⁵¹  and the rest of ⁸⁵²  the prisoners were listening to them. 16:26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds ⁸⁵³  of all the prisoners came loose. 16:27 When the jailer woke up ⁸⁵⁴  and saw the doors of the prison standing open, ⁸⁵⁵  he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, ⁸⁵⁶  because he assumed ⁸⁵⁷  the prisoners had escaped. 16:28 But Paul called out loudly, ⁸⁵⁸  “Do not harm yourself, ⁸⁵⁹  for we are all here!” 16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer ⁸⁶⁰  rushed in and fell down ⁸⁶¹  trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside ⁸⁶²  and asked, “Sirs, what must ⁸⁶³  I do to be saved?” 16:31 They replied, ⁸⁶⁴  “Believe ⁸⁶⁵  in the Lord Jesus ⁸⁶⁶  and you will be saved, you and your household.” 16:32 Then ⁸⁶⁷  they spoke the word of the Lord ⁸⁶⁸  to him, along with all those who were in his house. 16:33 At ⁸⁶⁹  that hour of the night he took them ⁸⁷⁰  and washed their wounds; ⁸⁷¹  then ⁸⁷²  he and all his family ⁸⁷³  were baptized right away. ⁸⁷⁴  16:34 The jailer ⁸⁷⁵  brought them into his house and set food ⁸⁷⁶  before them, and he rejoiced greatly ⁸⁷⁷  that he had come to believe ⁸⁷⁸  in God, together with his entire household. ⁸⁷⁹  16:35 At daybreak ⁸⁸⁰  the magistrates ⁸⁸¹  sent their police officers, ⁸⁸²  saying, “Release those men.” 16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ⁸⁸³  “The magistrates have sent orders ⁸⁸⁴  to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” ⁸⁸⁵  16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, ⁸⁸⁶  “They had us beaten in public ⁸⁸⁷  without a proper trial ⁸⁸⁸  – even though we are Roman citizens ⁸⁸⁹  – and they threw us ⁸⁹⁰  in prison. And now they want to send us away ⁸⁹¹  secretly? Absolutely not! They ⁸⁹²  themselves must come and escort us out!” ⁸⁹³  16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas ⁸⁹⁴  were Roman citizens ⁸⁹⁵  16:39 and came ⁸⁹⁶  and apologized to them. After ⁸⁹⁷  they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly ⁸⁹⁸  to leave the city. 16:40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then ⁸⁹⁹  departed.

Paul and Silas at Thessalonica

17:1 After they traveled through ⁹⁰⁰  Amphipolis ⁹⁰¹  and Apollonia, ⁹⁰²  they came to Thessalonica, ⁹⁰³  where there was a Jewish synagogue. ⁹⁰⁴  17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, ⁹⁰⁵  as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed ⁹⁰⁶  them from the scriptures, 17:3 explaining and demonstrating ⁹⁰⁷  that the Christ ⁹⁰⁸  had to suffer and to rise from the dead, ⁹⁰⁹  saying, ⁹¹⁰  “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” ⁹¹¹  17:4 Some of them were persuaded ⁹¹²  and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group ⁹¹³  of God-fearing Greeks ⁹¹⁴  and quite a few ⁹¹⁵  prominent women. 17:5 But the Jews became jealous, ⁹¹⁶  and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, ⁹¹⁷  they formed a mob ⁹¹⁸  and set the city in an uproar. ⁹¹⁹  They attacked Jason’s house, ⁹²⁰  trying to find Paul and Silas ⁹²¹  to bring them out to the assembly. ⁹²²  17:6 When they did not find them, they dragged ⁹²³  Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, ⁹²⁴  screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble ⁹²⁵  throughout the world ⁹²⁶  have come here too, 17:7 and ⁹²⁷  Jason has welcomed them as guests! They ⁹²⁸  are all acting against Caesar’s ⁹²⁹  decrees, saying there is another king named ⁹³⁰  Jesus!” ⁹³¹  17:8 They caused confusion among ⁹³²  the crowd and the city officials ⁹³³  who heard these things. 17:9 After ⁹³⁴  the city officials ⁹³⁵  had received bail ⁹³⁶  from Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul and Silas at Berea

17:10 The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea ⁹³⁷  at once, during the night. When they arrived, ⁹³⁸  they went to the Jewish synagogue. ⁹³⁹  17:11 These Jews ⁹⁴⁰  were more open-minded ⁹⁴¹  than those in Thessalonica, ⁹⁴²  for they eagerly ⁹⁴³  received ⁹⁴⁴  the message, examining ⁹⁴⁵  the scriptures carefully every day ⁹⁴⁶  to see if these things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed, along with quite a few ⁹⁴⁷  prominent ⁹⁴⁸  Greek women and men. 17:13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica ⁹⁴⁹  heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God ⁹⁵⁰  in Berea, ⁹⁵¹  they came there too, inciting ⁹⁵²  and disturbing ⁹⁵³  the crowds. 17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast ⁹⁵⁴  at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. ⁹⁵⁵  17:15 Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, ⁹⁵⁶  and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. ⁹⁵⁷ 

Paul at Athens

17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, ⁹⁵⁸  his spirit was greatly upset ⁹⁵⁹  because he saw ⁹⁶⁰  the city was full of idols. 17:17 So he was addressing ⁹⁶¹  the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles ⁹⁶²  in the synagogue, ⁹⁶³  and in the marketplace every day ⁹⁶⁴  those who happened to be there. 17:18 Also some of the Epicurean ⁹⁶⁵  and Stoic ⁹⁶⁶  philosophers were conversing ⁹⁶⁷  with him, and some were asking, ⁹⁶⁸  “What does this foolish babbler ⁹⁶⁹  want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” ⁹⁷⁰  (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ⁹⁷¹  17:19 So they took Paul and ⁹⁷²  brought him to the Areopagus, ⁹⁷³  saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? 17:20 For you are bringing some surprising things ⁹⁷⁴  to our ears, so we want to know what they ⁹⁷⁵  mean.” 17:21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time ⁹⁷⁶  in nothing else than telling ⁹⁷⁷  or listening to something new.) ⁹⁷⁸ 

17:22 So Paul stood ⁹⁷⁹  before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious ⁹⁸⁰  in all respects. ⁹⁸¹  17:23 For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, ⁹⁸²  I even found an altar with this inscription: ⁹⁸³  ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, ⁹⁸⁴  this I proclaim to you. 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, ⁹⁸⁵  who is ⁹⁸⁶  Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, ⁹⁸⁷  17:25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, ⁹⁸⁸  because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone. ⁹⁸⁹  17:26 From one man ⁹⁹⁰  he made every nation of the human race ⁹⁹¹  to inhabit the entire earth, ⁹⁹²  determining their set times ⁹⁹³  and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, ⁹⁹⁴  17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around ⁹⁹⁵  for him and find him, ⁹⁹⁶  though he is ⁹⁹⁷  not far from each one of us. 17:28 For in him we live and move about ⁹⁹⁸  and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ ⁹⁹⁹  17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity ¹⁰⁰⁰  is like gold or silver or stone, an image ¹⁰⁰¹  made by human ¹⁰⁰²  skill ¹⁰⁰³  and imagination. ¹⁰⁰⁴  17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked ¹⁰⁰⁵  such times of ignorance, ¹⁰⁰⁶  he now commands all people ¹⁰⁰⁷  everywhere to repent, ¹⁰⁰⁸  17:31 because he has set ¹⁰⁰⁹  a day on which he is going to judge the world ¹⁰¹⁰  in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, ¹⁰¹¹  having provided proof to everyone by raising ¹⁰¹²  him from the dead.”

17:32 Now when they heard about ¹⁰¹³  the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, ¹⁰¹⁴  but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 17:33 So Paul left the Areopagus. ¹⁰¹⁵  17:34 But some people ¹⁰¹⁶  joined him ¹⁰¹⁷  and believed. Among them ¹⁰¹⁸  were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, ¹⁰¹⁹  a woman ¹⁰²⁰  named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul at Corinth

18:1 After this ¹⁰²¹  Paul ¹⁰²²  departed from ¹⁰²³  Athens ¹⁰²⁴  and went to Corinth. ¹⁰²⁵  18:2 There he ¹⁰²⁶  found ¹⁰²⁷  a Jew named Aquila, ¹⁰²⁸  a native of Pontus, ¹⁰²⁹  who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius ¹⁰³⁰  had ordered all the Jews to depart from ¹⁰³¹  Rome. ¹⁰³²  Paul approached ¹⁰³³  them, 18:3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them ¹⁰³⁴  (for they were tentmakers ¹⁰³⁵  by trade). ¹⁰³⁶  18:4 He addressed ¹⁰³⁷  both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue ¹⁰³⁸  every Sabbath, attempting to persuade ¹⁰³⁹  them.

18:5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived ¹⁰⁴⁰  from Macedonia, ¹⁰⁴¹  Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming ¹⁰⁴²  the word, testifying ¹⁰⁴³  to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ¹⁰⁴⁴  18:6 When they opposed him ¹⁰⁴⁵  and reviled him, ¹⁰⁴⁶  he protested by shaking out his clothes ¹⁰⁴⁷  and said to them, “Your blood ¹⁰⁴⁸  be on your own heads! I am guiltless! ¹⁰⁴⁹  From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 18:7 Then Paul ¹⁰⁵⁰  left ¹⁰⁵¹  the synagogue ¹⁰⁵²  and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, ¹⁰⁵³  whose house was next door to the synagogue. 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, ¹⁰⁵⁴  believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it ¹⁰⁵⁵  believed and were baptized. 18:9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision ¹⁰⁵⁶  in the night, ¹⁰⁵⁷  “Do not be afraid, ¹⁰⁵⁸  but speak and do not be silent, 18:10 because I am with you, and no one will assault ¹⁰⁵⁹  you to harm ¹⁰⁶⁰  you, because I have many people in this city.” 18:11 So he stayed there ¹⁰⁶¹  a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. ¹⁰⁶² 

Paul Before the Proconsul Gallio

18:12 Now while Gallio ¹⁰⁶³  was proconsul ¹⁰⁶⁴  of Achaia, ¹⁰⁶⁵  the Jews attacked Paul together ¹⁰⁶⁶  and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹⁰⁶⁷  18:13 saying, “This man is persuading ¹⁰⁶⁸  people to worship God in a way contrary to ¹⁰⁶⁹  the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, ¹⁰⁷⁰  Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, ¹⁰⁷¹  I would have been justified in accepting the complaint ¹⁰⁷²  of you Jews, ¹⁰⁷³  18:15 but since it concerns points of disagreement ¹⁰⁷⁴  about words and names and your own law, settle ¹⁰⁷⁵  it yourselves. I will not be ¹⁰⁷⁶  a judge of these things!” 18:16 Then he had them forced away ¹⁰⁷⁷  from the judgment seat. ¹⁰⁷⁸  18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, ¹⁰⁷⁹  and began to beat ¹⁰⁸⁰  him in front of the judgment seat. ¹⁰⁸¹  Yet none of these things were of any concern ¹⁰⁸²  to Gallio.

Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria

18:18 Paul, after staying ¹⁰⁸³  many more days in Corinth, ¹⁰⁸⁴  said farewell to ¹⁰⁸⁵  the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by ¹⁰⁸⁶  Priscilla and Aquila. ¹⁰⁸⁷  He ¹⁰⁸⁸  had his hair cut off ¹⁰⁸⁹  at Cenchrea ¹⁰⁹⁰  because he had made a vow. ¹⁰⁹¹  18:19 When they reached Ephesus, ¹⁰⁹²  Paul ¹⁰⁹³  left Priscilla and Aquila ¹⁰⁹⁴  behind there, but he himself went ¹⁰⁹⁵  into the synagogue ¹⁰⁹⁶  and addressed ¹⁰⁹⁷  the Jews. 18:20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, ¹⁰⁹⁸  18:21 but said farewell to ¹⁰⁹⁹  them and added, ¹¹⁰⁰  “I will come back ¹¹⁰¹  to you again if God wills.” ¹¹⁰²  Then ¹¹⁰³  he set sail from Ephesus, 18:22 and when he arrived ¹¹⁰⁴  at Caesarea, ¹¹⁰⁵  he went up and greeted ¹¹⁰⁶  the church at Jerusalem ¹¹⁰⁷  and then went down to Antioch. ¹¹⁰⁸  18:23 After he spent ¹¹⁰⁹  some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia ¹¹¹⁰  and Phrygia, ¹¹¹¹  strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Begins His Ministry

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. ¹¹¹²  He was an eloquent speaker, ¹¹¹³  well-versed ¹¹¹⁴  in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in ¹¹¹⁵  the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm ¹¹¹⁶  he spoke and taught accurately the facts ¹¹¹⁷  about Jesus, although he knew ¹¹¹⁸  only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly ¹¹¹⁹  in the synagogue, ¹¹²⁰  but when Priscilla and Aquila ¹¹²¹  heard him, they took him aside ¹¹²²  and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 18:27 When Apollos ¹¹²³  wanted to cross over to Achaia, ¹¹²⁴  the brothers encouraged ¹¹²⁵  him ¹¹²⁶  and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he ¹¹²⁷  assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 18:28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously ¹¹²⁸  in public debate, ¹¹²⁹  demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ ¹¹³⁰  was Jesus. ¹¹³¹ 

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus

19:1 While ¹¹³²  Apollos was in Corinth, ¹¹³³  Paul went through the inland ¹¹³⁴  regions ¹¹³⁵  and came to Ephesus. ¹¹³⁶  He ¹¹³⁷  found some disciples there ¹¹³⁸  19:2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” ¹¹³⁹  They replied, ¹¹⁴⁰  “No, we have not even ¹¹⁴¹  heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 19:3 So Paul ¹¹⁴²  said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. ¹¹⁴³  19:4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, ¹¹⁴⁴  that is, in Jesus.” 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, 19:6 and when Paul placed ¹¹⁴⁵  his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came ¹¹⁴⁶  upon them, and they began to speak ¹¹⁴⁷  in tongues and to prophesy. ¹¹⁴⁸  19:7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.) ¹¹⁴⁹ 

Paul Continues to Minister at Ephesus

19:8 So Paul ¹¹⁵⁰  entered ¹¹⁵¹  the synagogue ¹¹⁵²  and spoke out fearlessly ¹¹⁵³  for three months, addressing ¹¹⁵⁴  and convincing ¹¹⁵⁵  them about the kingdom of God. ¹¹⁵⁶  19:9 But when ¹¹⁵⁷  some were stubborn ¹¹⁵⁸  and refused to believe, reviling ¹¹⁵⁹  the Way ¹¹⁶⁰  before the congregation, he left ¹¹⁶¹  them and took the disciples with him, ¹¹⁶²  addressing ¹¹⁶³  them every day ¹¹⁶⁴  in the lecture hall ¹¹⁶⁵  of Tyrannus. 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, ¹¹⁶⁶  both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. ¹¹⁶⁷ 

The Seven Sons of Sceva

19:11 God was performing extraordinary ¹¹⁶⁸  miracles by Paul’s hands, 19:12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body ¹¹⁶⁹  were brought ¹¹⁷⁰  to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. ¹¹⁷¹  19:13 But some itinerant ¹¹⁷²  Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name ¹¹⁷³  of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by ¹¹⁷⁴  evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn ¹¹⁷⁵  you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 19:14 (Now seven sons of a man named ¹¹⁷⁶  Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) ¹¹⁷⁷  19:15 But the evil spirit replied to them, ¹¹⁷⁸  “I know about Jesus ¹¹⁷⁹  and I am acquainted with ¹¹⁸⁰  Paul, but who are you?” ¹¹⁸¹  19:16 Then the man who was possessed by ¹¹⁸²  the evil spirit jumped on ¹¹⁸³  them and beat them all into submission. ¹¹⁸⁴  He prevailed ¹¹⁸⁵  against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 19:17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, ¹¹⁸⁶  both Jews and Greeks; fear came over ¹¹⁸⁷  them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. ¹¹⁸⁸  19:18 Many of those who had believed came forward, ¹¹⁸⁹  confessing and making their deeds known. ¹¹⁹⁰  19:19 Large numbers ¹¹⁹¹  of those who had practiced magic ¹¹⁹²  collected their books ¹¹⁹³  and burned them up in the presence of everyone. ¹¹⁹⁴  When ¹¹⁹⁵  the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. ¹¹⁹⁶  19:20 In this way the word of the Lord ¹¹⁹⁷  continued to grow in power ¹¹⁹⁸  and to prevail. ¹¹⁹⁹ 

A Riot in Ephesus

19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, ¹²⁰⁰  Paul resolved ¹²⁰¹  to go to Jerusalem, ¹²⁰²  passing through Macedonia ¹²⁰³  and Achaia. ¹²⁰⁴  He said, ¹²⁰⁵  “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ¹²⁰⁶  19:22 So after sending ¹²⁰⁷  two of his assistants, ¹²⁰⁸  Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, ¹²⁰⁹  he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. ¹²¹⁰ 

19:23 At ¹²¹¹  that time ¹²¹²  a great disturbance ¹²¹³  took place concerning the Way. ¹²¹⁴  19:24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines ¹²¹⁵  of Artemis, ¹²¹⁶  brought a great deal ¹²¹⁷  of business ¹²¹⁸  to the craftsmen. 19:25 He gathered ¹²¹⁹  these ¹²²⁰  together, along with the workmen in similar trades, ¹²²¹  and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity ¹²²²  comes from this business. 19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded ¹²²³  and turned away ¹²²⁴  a large crowd, ¹²²⁵  not only in Ephesus ¹²²⁶  but in practically all of the province of Asia, ¹²²⁷  by saying ¹²²⁸  that gods made by hands are not gods at all. ¹²²⁹  19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, ¹²³⁰  but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis ¹²³¹  will be regarded as nothing, ¹²³²  and she whom all the province of Asia ¹²³³  and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” ¹²³⁴ 

19:28 When ¹²³⁵  they heard ¹²³⁶  this they became enraged ¹²³⁷  and began to shout, ¹²³⁸  “Great is Artemis ¹²³⁹  of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The ¹²⁴⁰  city was filled with the uproar, ¹²⁴¹  and the crowd ¹²⁴²  rushed to the theater ¹²⁴³  together, ¹²⁴⁴  dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 19:30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, ¹²⁴⁵  the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities ¹²⁴⁶  who were his friends sent ¹²⁴⁷  a message ¹²⁴⁸  to him, urging him not to venture ¹²⁴⁹  into the theater. 19:32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. ¹²⁵⁰  19:33 Some of the crowd concluded ¹²⁵¹  it was about ¹²⁵²  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ¹²⁵³  Alexander, gesturing ¹²⁵⁴  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ¹²⁵⁵  before the public assembly. ¹²⁵⁶  19:34 But when they recognized ¹²⁵⁷  that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, ¹²⁵⁸  “Great is Artemis ¹²⁵⁹  of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. ¹²⁶⁰  19:35 After the city secretary ¹²⁶¹  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ¹²⁶²  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ¹²⁶³  of the temple of the great Artemis ¹²⁶⁴  and of her image that fell from heaven? ¹²⁶⁵  19:36 So because these facts ¹²⁶⁶  are indisputable, ¹²⁶⁷  you must keep quiet ¹²⁶⁸  and not do anything reckless. ¹²⁶⁹  19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers ¹²⁷⁰  nor blasphemers of our goddess. ¹²⁷¹  19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint ¹²⁷²  against someone, the courts are open ¹²⁷³  and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. ¹²⁷⁴  19:39 But if you want anything in addition, ¹²⁷⁵  it will have to be settled ¹²⁷⁶  in a legal assembly. ¹²⁷⁷  19:40 For ¹²⁷⁸  we are in danger of being charged with rioting ¹²⁷⁹  today, since there is no cause we can give to explain ¹²⁸⁰  this disorderly gathering.” ¹²⁸¹  19:41 After ¹²⁸²  he had said ¹²⁸³  this, ¹²⁸⁴  he dismissed the assembly. ¹²⁸⁵ 

Paul Travels Through Macedonia and Greece

20:1 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging ¹²⁸⁶  them and saying farewell, ¹²⁸⁷  he left to go to Macedonia. ¹²⁸⁸  20:2 After he had gone through those regions ¹²⁸⁹  and spoken many words of encouragement ¹²⁹⁰  to the believers there, ¹²⁹¹  he came to Greece, ¹²⁹²  20:3 where he stayed ¹²⁹³  for three months. Because the Jews had made ¹²⁹⁴  a plot ¹²⁹⁵  against him as he was intending ¹²⁹⁶  to sail ¹²⁹⁷  for Syria, he decided ¹²⁹⁸  to return through Macedonia. ¹²⁹⁹  20:4 Paul ¹³⁰⁰  was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, ¹³⁰¹  Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, ¹³⁰²  Gaius ¹³⁰³  from Derbe, ¹³⁰⁴  and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. ¹³⁰⁵  20:5 These had gone on ahead ¹³⁰⁶  and were waiting for us in Troas. ¹³⁰⁷  20:6 We ¹³⁰⁸  sailed away from Philippi ¹³⁰⁹  after the days of Unleavened Bread, ¹³¹⁰  and within five days ¹³¹¹  we came to the others ¹³¹²  in Troas, ¹³¹³  where we stayed for seven days. 20:7 On the first day ¹³¹⁴  of the week, when we met ¹³¹⁵  to break bread, Paul began to speak ¹³¹⁶  to the people, and because he intended ¹³¹⁷  to leave the next day, he extended ¹³¹⁸  his message until midnight. 20:8 (Now there were many lamps ¹³¹⁹  in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) ¹³²⁰  20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, ¹³²¹  was sinking ¹³²²  into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak ¹³²³  for a long time. Fast asleep, ¹³²⁴  he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 20:10 But Paul went down, ¹³²⁵  threw himself ¹³²⁶  on the young man, ¹³²⁷  put his arms around him, ¹³²⁸  and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” ¹³²⁹  20:11 Then Paul ¹³³⁰  went back upstairs, ¹³³¹  and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them ¹³³²  a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly ¹³³³  comforted.

The Voyage to Miletus

20:13 We went on ahead ¹³³⁴  to the ship and put out to sea ¹³³⁵  for Assos, ¹³³⁶  intending ¹³³⁷  to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. ¹³³⁸  He ¹³³⁹  himself was intending ¹³⁴⁰  to go there by land. ¹³⁴¹  20:14 When he met us in Assos, ¹³⁴²  we took him aboard ¹³⁴³  and went to Mitylene. ¹³⁴⁴  20:15 We set sail ¹³⁴⁵  from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. ¹³⁴⁶  The next day we approached ¹³⁴⁷  Samos, ¹³⁴⁸  and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. ¹³⁴⁹  20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus ¹³⁵⁰  so as not to spend time ¹³⁵¹  in the province of Asia, ¹³⁵²  for he was hurrying ¹³⁵³  to arrive in Jerusalem, ¹³⁵⁴  if possible, ¹³⁵⁵  by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus ¹³⁵⁶  he sent a message ¹³⁵⁷  to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. ¹³⁵⁸ 

20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived ¹³⁵⁹  the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot ¹³⁶⁰  in the province of Asia, ¹³⁶¹  20:19 serving the Lord with all humility ¹³⁶²  and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots ¹³⁶³  of the Jews. 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming ¹³⁶⁴  to you anything that would be helpful, ¹³⁶⁵  and from teaching you publicly ¹³⁶⁶  and from house to house, 20:21 testifying ¹³⁶⁷  to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. ¹³⁶⁸  20:22 And now, ¹³⁶⁹  compelled ¹³⁷⁰  by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem ¹³⁷¹  without knowing what will happen to me there, ¹³⁷²  20:23 except ¹³⁷³  that the Holy Spirit warns ¹³⁷⁴  me in town after town ¹³⁷⁵  that ¹³⁷⁶  imprisonment ¹³⁷⁷  and persecutions ¹³⁷⁸  are waiting for me. 20:24 But I do not consider my life ¹³⁷⁹  worth anything ¹³⁸⁰  to myself, so that ¹³⁸¹  I may finish my task ¹³⁸²  and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news ¹³⁸³  of God’s grace.

20:25 “And now ¹³⁸⁴  I know that none ¹³⁸⁵  of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom ¹³⁸⁶  will see me ¹³⁸⁷  again. 20:26 Therefore I declare ¹³⁸⁸  to you today that I am innocent ¹³⁸⁹  of the blood of you all. ¹³⁹⁰  20:27 For I did not hold back from ¹³⁹¹  announcing ¹³⁹²  to you the whole purpose ¹³⁹³  of God. 20:28 Watch out for ¹³⁹⁴  yourselves and for all the flock of which ¹³⁹⁵  the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, ¹³⁹⁶  to shepherd the church of God ¹³⁹⁷  that he obtained ¹³⁹⁸  with the blood of his own Son. ¹³⁹⁹  20:29 I know that after I am gone ¹⁴⁰⁰  fierce wolves ¹⁴⁰¹  will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group ¹⁴⁰²  men ¹⁴⁰³  will arise, teaching perversions of the truth ¹⁴⁰⁴  to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert, ¹⁴⁰⁵  remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning ¹⁴⁰⁶  each one of you with tears. 20:32 And now I entrust ¹⁴⁰⁷  you to God and to the message ¹⁴⁰⁸  of his grace. This message ¹⁴⁰⁹  is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 20:33 I have desired ¹⁴¹⁰  no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine ¹⁴¹¹  provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 20:35 By all these things, ¹⁴¹²  I have shown you that by working in this way we must help ¹⁴¹³  the weak, ¹⁴¹⁴  and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ¹⁴¹⁵ 

20:36 When ¹⁴¹⁶  he had said these things, he knelt down ¹⁴¹⁷  with them all and prayed. 20:37 They all began to weep loudly, ¹⁴¹⁸  and hugged ¹⁴¹⁹  Paul and kissed him, ¹⁴²⁰  20:38 especially saddened ¹⁴²¹  by what ¹⁴²²  he had said, that they were not going to see him ¹⁴²³  again. Then they accompanied ¹⁴²⁴  him to the ship.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21:1 After ¹⁴²⁵  we ¹⁴²⁶  tore ourselves away ¹⁴²⁷  from them, we put out to sea, ¹⁴²⁸  and sailing a straight course, ¹⁴²⁹  we came to Cos, ¹⁴³⁰  on the next day to Rhodes, ¹⁴³¹  and from there to Patara. ¹⁴³²  21:2 We found ¹⁴³³  a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, ¹⁴³⁴  went aboard, ¹⁴³⁵  and put out to sea. ¹⁴³⁶  21:3 After we sighted Cyprus ¹⁴³⁷  and left it behind on our port side, ¹⁴³⁸  we sailed on to Syria and put in ¹⁴³⁹  at Tyre, ¹⁴⁴⁰  because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located ¹⁴⁴¹  the disciples, we stayed there ¹⁴⁴²  seven days. They repeatedly told ¹⁴⁴³  Paul through the Spirit ¹⁴⁴⁴  not to set foot ¹⁴⁴⁵  in Jerusalem. ¹⁴⁴⁶  21:5 When ¹⁴⁴⁷  our time was over, ¹⁴⁴⁸  we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied ¹⁴⁴⁹  us outside of the city. After ¹⁴⁵⁰  kneeling down on the beach and praying, ¹⁴⁵¹  21:6 we said farewell ¹⁴⁵²  to one another. ¹⁴⁵³  Then ¹⁴⁵⁴  we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. ¹⁴⁵⁵  21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre ¹⁴⁵⁶  and arrived at Ptolemais, ¹⁴⁵⁷  and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left ¹⁴⁵⁸  and came to Caesarea, ¹⁴⁵⁹  and entered ¹⁴⁶⁰  the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, ¹⁴⁶¹  and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried ¹⁴⁶²  daughters who prophesied.) ¹⁴⁶³ 

21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, ¹⁴⁶⁴  a prophet named Agabus ¹⁴⁶⁵  came down from Judea. 21:11 He came ¹⁴⁶⁶  to us, took ¹⁴⁶⁷  Paul’s belt, ¹⁴⁶⁸  tied ¹⁴⁶⁹  his own hands and feet with it, ¹⁴⁷⁰  and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over ¹⁴⁷¹  to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people ¹⁴⁷²  begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking ¹⁴⁷³  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, ¹⁴⁷⁴  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, ¹⁴⁷⁵  we said no more except, ¹⁴⁷⁶  “The Lord’s will be done.” ¹⁴⁷⁷ 

21:15 After these days we got ready ¹⁴⁷⁸  and started up ¹⁴⁷⁹  to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea ¹⁴⁸⁰  came along with us too, and brought us to the house ¹⁴⁸¹  of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, ¹⁴⁸²  with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ¹⁴⁸³  21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. ¹⁴⁸⁴  21:19 When Paul ¹⁴⁸⁵  had greeted them, he began to explain ¹⁴⁸⁶  in detail ¹⁴⁸⁷  what God ¹⁴⁸⁸  had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised ¹⁴⁸⁹  God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews ¹⁴⁹⁰  there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers ¹⁴⁹¹  of the law. ¹⁴⁹²  21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ¹⁴⁹³  among the Gentiles to abandon ¹⁴⁹⁴  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ¹⁴⁹⁵  or live ¹⁴⁹⁶  according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt ¹⁴⁹⁷  hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what ¹⁴⁹⁸  we tell you: We have four men ¹⁴⁹⁹  who have taken ¹⁵⁰⁰  a vow; ¹⁵⁰¹  21:24 take them and purify ¹⁵⁰²  yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ¹⁵⁰³  so that they may have their heads shaved. ¹⁵⁰⁴  Then ¹⁵⁰⁵  everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told ¹⁵⁰⁶  about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with ¹⁵⁰⁷  the law. ¹⁵⁰⁸  21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided ¹⁵⁰⁹  that they should avoid ¹⁵¹⁰  meat that has been sacrificed to idols ¹⁵¹¹  and blood and what has been strangled ¹⁵¹²  and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, ¹⁵¹³  and after he had purified himself ¹⁵¹⁴  along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice ¹⁵¹⁵  of the completion of the days of purification, ¹⁵¹⁶  when ¹⁵¹⁷  the sacrifice would be offered for each ¹⁵¹⁸  of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, ¹⁵¹⁹  the Jews from the province of Asia ¹⁵²⁰  who had seen him in the temple area ¹⁵²¹  stirred up the whole crowd ¹⁵²²  and seized ¹⁵²³  him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, ¹⁵²⁴  help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, ¹⁵²⁵  and this sanctuary! ¹⁵²⁶  Furthermore ¹⁵²⁷  he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple ¹⁵²⁸  and made this holy place ritually unclean!” ¹⁵²⁹  21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and ¹⁵³⁰  they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) ¹⁵³¹  21:30 The whole city was stirred up, ¹⁵³²  and the people rushed together. ¹⁵³³  They seized ¹⁵³⁴  Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, ¹⁵³⁵  and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying ¹⁵³⁶  to kill him, a report ¹⁵³⁷  was sent up ¹⁵³⁸  to the commanding officer ¹⁵³⁹  of the cohort ¹⁵⁴⁰  that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ¹⁵⁴¹  21:32 He ¹⁵⁴²  immediately took ¹⁵⁴³  soldiers and centurions ¹⁵⁴⁴  and ran down to the crowd. ¹⁵⁴⁵  When they saw ¹⁵⁴⁶  the commanding officer ¹⁵⁴⁷  and the soldiers, they stopped beating ¹⁵⁴⁸  Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer ¹⁵⁴⁹  came up and arrested ¹⁵⁵⁰  him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; ¹⁵⁵¹  he ¹⁵⁵²  then asked who he was and what ¹⁵⁵³  he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, ¹⁵⁵⁴  and when the commanding officer ¹⁵⁵⁵  was unable ¹⁵⁵⁶  to find out the truth ¹⁵⁵⁷  because of the disturbance, ¹⁵⁵⁸  he ordered Paul ¹⁵⁵⁹  to be brought into the barracks. ¹⁵⁶⁰  21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul ¹⁵⁶¹  had to be carried ¹⁵⁶²  by the soldiers because of the violence ¹⁵⁶³  of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people ¹⁵⁶⁴  followed them, ¹⁵⁶⁵  screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, ¹⁵⁶⁶  he said ¹⁵⁶⁷  to the commanding officer, ¹⁵⁶⁸  “May I say ¹⁵⁶⁹  something to you?” The officer ¹⁵⁷⁰  replied, ¹⁵⁷¹  “Do you know Greek? ¹⁵⁷²  21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion ¹⁵⁷³  and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ ¹⁵⁷⁴  into the wilderness ¹⁵⁷⁵  some time ago?” ¹⁵⁷⁶  21:39 Paul answered, ¹⁵⁷⁷  “I am a Jew ¹⁵⁷⁸  from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. ¹⁵⁷⁹  Please ¹⁵⁸⁰  allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer ¹⁵⁸¹  had given him permission, ¹⁵⁸²  Paul stood ¹⁵⁸³  on the steps and gestured ¹⁵⁸⁴  to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, ¹⁵⁸⁵  he addressed ¹⁵⁸⁶  them in Aramaic, ¹⁵⁸⁷ 

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ¹⁵⁸⁸  that I now ¹⁵⁸⁹  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ¹⁵⁹⁰  that he was addressing ¹⁵⁹¹  them in Aramaic, ¹⁵⁹²  they became even ¹⁵⁹³  quieter.) ¹⁵⁹⁴  Then ¹⁵⁹⁵  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ¹⁵⁹⁶  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ¹⁵⁹⁷  in this city, educated with strictness ¹⁵⁹⁸  under ¹⁵⁹⁹  Gamaliel ¹⁶⁰⁰  according to the law of our ancestors, ¹⁶⁰¹  and was ¹⁶⁰²  zealous ¹⁶⁰³  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ¹⁶⁰⁴  persecuted this Way ¹⁶⁰⁵  even to the point of death, ¹⁶⁰⁶  tying up ¹⁶⁰⁷  both men and women and putting ¹⁶⁰⁸  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ¹⁶⁰⁹  can testify about me. From them ¹⁶¹⁰  I also received ¹⁶¹¹  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ¹⁶¹²  to make arrests there and bring ¹⁶¹³  the prisoners ¹⁶¹⁴  to Jerusalem ¹⁶¹⁵  to be punished. 22:6 As ¹⁶¹⁶  I was en route and near Damascus, ¹⁶¹⁷  about noon a very bright ¹⁶¹⁸  light from heaven ¹⁶¹⁹  suddenly flashed ¹⁶²⁰  around me. 22:7 Then I ¹⁶²¹  fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 22:8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 22:9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand ¹⁶²²  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ¹⁶²³  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ¹⁶²⁴  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ¹⁶²⁵  that you have been designated ¹⁶²⁶  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ¹⁶²⁷  the brilliance ¹⁶²⁸  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ¹⁶²⁹  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ¹⁶³⁰  a devout man according to the law, ¹⁶³¹  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ¹⁶³²  22:13 came ¹⁶³³  to me and stood beside me ¹⁶³⁴  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ¹⁶³⁵  And at that very moment ¹⁶³⁶  I looked up and saw him. ¹⁶³⁷  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ¹⁶³⁸  has already chosen ¹⁶³⁹  you to know his will, to see ¹⁶⁴⁰  the Righteous One, ¹⁶⁴¹  and to hear a command ¹⁶⁴²  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ¹⁶⁴³  to all people ¹⁶⁴⁴  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ¹⁶⁴⁵  Get up, ¹⁶⁴⁶  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ¹⁶⁴⁷  calling on his name.’ ¹⁶⁴⁸  22:17 When ¹⁶⁴⁹  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹⁶⁵⁰  22:18 and saw the Lord ¹⁶⁵¹  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ¹⁶⁵²  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ¹⁶⁵³  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ¹⁶⁵⁴  Stephen was shed, ¹⁶⁵⁵  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ¹⁶⁵⁶  and guarding the cloaks ¹⁶⁵⁷  of those who were killing him.’ ¹⁶⁵⁸  22:21 Then ¹⁶⁵⁹  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ¹⁶⁶⁰  was listening to him until he said this. ¹⁶⁶¹  Then ¹⁶⁶²  they raised their voices and shouted, ¹⁶⁶³  “Away with this man ¹⁶⁶⁴  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ¹⁶⁶⁵  22:23 While they were screaming ¹⁶⁶⁶  and throwing off their cloaks ¹⁶⁶⁷  and tossing dust ¹⁶⁶⁸  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ¹⁶⁶⁹  ordered Paul ¹⁶⁷⁰  to be brought back into the barracks. ¹⁶⁷¹  He told them ¹⁶⁷²  to interrogate Paul ¹⁶⁷³  by beating him with a lash ¹⁶⁷⁴  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ¹⁶⁷⁵  was shouting at Paul ¹⁶⁷⁶  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ¹⁶⁷⁷  Paul said to the centurion ¹⁶⁷⁸  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ¹⁶⁷⁹  without a proper trial?” ¹⁶⁸⁰  22:26 When the centurion ¹⁶⁸¹  heard this, ¹⁶⁸²  he went to the commanding officer ¹⁶⁸³  and reported it, ¹⁶⁸⁴  saying, “What are you about to do? ¹⁶⁸⁵  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ¹⁶⁸⁶  22:27 So the commanding officer ¹⁶⁸⁷  came and asked ¹⁶⁸⁸  Paul, ¹⁶⁸⁹  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ¹⁶⁹⁰  He replied, ¹⁶⁹¹  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ¹⁶⁹²  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ¹⁶⁹³  “But I was even ¹⁶⁹⁴  born a citizen,” ¹⁶⁹⁵  Paul replied. ¹⁶⁹⁶  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ¹⁶⁹⁷  from him, and the commanding officer ¹⁶⁹⁸  was frightened when he realized that Paul ¹⁶⁹⁹  was ¹⁷⁰⁰  a Roman citizen ¹⁷⁰¹  and that he had had him tied up. ¹⁷⁰² 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ¹⁷⁰³  wanted to know the true reason ¹⁷⁰⁴  Paul ¹⁷⁰⁵  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ¹⁷⁰⁶  to assemble. He then brought ¹⁷⁰⁷  Paul down and had him stand before them.

23:1 Paul looked directly ¹⁷⁰⁸  at the council ¹⁷⁰⁹  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ¹⁷¹⁰  before God to this day.” 23:2 At that ¹⁷¹¹  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ¹⁷¹²  Paul ¹⁷¹³  to strike ¹⁷¹⁴  him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ¹⁷¹⁵  Do ¹⁷¹⁶  you sit there judging me according to the law, ¹⁷¹⁷  and in violation of the law ¹⁷¹⁸  you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him ¹⁷¹⁹  said, “Do you dare insult ¹⁷²⁰  God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, ¹⁷²¹  “I did not realize, ¹⁷²²  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ¹⁷²³ 

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ¹⁷²⁴  that part of them were Sadducees ¹⁷²⁵  and the others Pharisees, ¹⁷²⁶  he shouted out in the council, ¹⁷²⁷  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ¹⁷²⁸  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ¹⁷²⁹  an argument ¹⁷³⁰  began ¹⁷³¹  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.) ¹⁷³²  23:9 There was a great commotion, ¹⁷³³  and some experts in the law ¹⁷³⁴  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ¹⁷³⁵  and protested strongly, ¹⁷³⁶  “We find nothing wrong ¹⁷³⁷  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became ¹⁷³⁸  so great the commanding officer ¹⁷³⁹  feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, ¹⁷⁴⁰  he ordered the detachment ¹⁷⁴¹  to go down, take him away from them by force, ¹⁷⁴²  and bring him into the barracks. ¹⁷⁴³ 

23:11 The following night the Lord ¹⁷⁴⁴  stood near ¹⁷⁴⁵  Paul ¹⁷⁴⁶  and said, “Have courage, ¹⁷⁴⁷  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ¹⁷⁴⁸  so you must also testify in Rome.” ¹⁷⁴⁹ 

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ¹⁷⁵⁰  the Jews formed ¹⁷⁵¹  a conspiracy ¹⁷⁵²  and bound themselves with an oath ¹⁷⁵³  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁷⁵⁴  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ¹⁷⁵⁵  23:14 They ¹⁷⁵⁶  went ¹⁷⁵⁷  to the chief priests ¹⁷⁵⁸  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ¹⁷⁵⁹  not to partake ¹⁷⁶⁰  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ¹⁷⁶¹  request the commanding officer ¹⁷⁶²  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ¹⁷⁶³  his case ¹⁷⁶⁴  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ¹⁷⁶⁵  We are ready to kill him ¹⁷⁶⁶  before he comes near this place.” ¹⁷⁶⁷ 

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, ¹⁷⁶⁸  he came and entered ¹⁷⁶⁹  the barracks ¹⁷⁷⁰  and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called ¹⁷⁷¹  one of the centurions ¹⁷⁷²  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ¹⁷⁷³  for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion ¹⁷⁷⁴  took him and brought him to the commanding officer ¹⁷⁷⁵  and said, “The prisoner Paul called ¹⁷⁷⁶  me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer ¹⁷⁷⁷  took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want ¹⁷⁷⁸  to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, ¹⁷⁷⁹  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ¹⁷⁸⁰  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ¹⁷⁸¹  because more than forty of them ¹⁷⁸²  are lying in ambush ¹⁷⁸³  for him. They ¹⁷⁸⁴  have bound themselves with an oath ¹⁷⁸⁵  not to eat or drink anything ¹⁷⁸⁶  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ¹⁷⁸⁷  23:22 Then the commanding officer ¹⁷⁸⁸  sent the young man away, directing him, ¹⁷⁸⁹  “Tell no one that you have reported ¹⁷⁹⁰  these things to me.” 23:23 Then ¹⁷⁹¹  he summoned ¹⁷⁹²  two of the centurions ¹⁷⁹³  and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea ¹⁷⁹⁴  along with seventy horsemen ¹⁷⁹⁵  and two hundred spearmen ¹⁷⁹⁶  by ¹⁷⁹⁷  nine o’clock tonight, ¹⁷⁹⁸  23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride ¹⁷⁹⁹  so that he may be brought safely to Felix ¹⁸⁰⁰  the governor.” ¹⁸⁰¹  23:25 He wrote ¹⁸⁰²  a letter that went like this: ¹⁸⁰³ 

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor ¹⁸⁰⁴  Felix, ¹⁸⁰⁵  greetings. 23:27 This man was seized ¹⁸⁰⁶  by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ¹⁸⁰⁷  when I came up ¹⁸⁰⁸  with the detachment ¹⁸⁰⁹  and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ¹⁸¹⁰  a Roman citizen. ¹⁸¹¹  23:28 Since I wanted to know ¹⁸¹²  what charge they were accusing him of, ¹⁸¹³  I brought him down to their council. ¹⁸¹⁴  23:29 I found he ¹⁸¹⁵  was accused with reference to controversial questions ¹⁸¹⁶  about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. ¹⁸¹⁷  23:30 When I was informed ¹⁸¹⁸  there would be a plot ¹⁸¹⁹  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ¹⁸²⁰  against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, ¹⁸²¹  took ¹⁸²²  Paul and brought him to Antipatris ¹⁸²³  during the night. 23:32 The next day they let ¹⁸²⁴  the horsemen ¹⁸²⁵  go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. ¹⁸²⁶  23:33 When the horsemen ¹⁸²⁷  came to Caesarea ¹⁸²⁸  and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented ¹⁸²⁹  Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor ¹⁸³⁰  had read ¹⁸³¹  the letter, ¹⁸³²  he asked ¹⁸³³  what province he was from. ¹⁸³⁴  When he learned ¹⁸³⁵  that he was from Cilicia, ¹⁸³⁶  23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing ¹⁸³⁷  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ¹⁸³⁸  he ordered that Paul ¹⁸³⁹  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ¹⁸⁴⁰ 

The Accusations Against Paul

24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias ¹⁸⁴¹  came down with some elders and an attorney ¹⁸⁴²  named ¹⁸⁴³  Tertullus, and they ¹⁸⁴⁴  brought formal charges ¹⁸⁴⁵  against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul ¹⁸⁴⁶  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ¹⁸⁴⁷  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ¹⁸⁴⁸  of peace through your rule, ¹⁸⁴⁹  and reforms ¹⁸⁵⁰  are being made in this nation ¹⁸⁵¹  through your foresight. ¹⁸⁵²  24:3 Most excellent Felix, ¹⁸⁵³  we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way ¹⁸⁵⁴  with all gratitude. ¹⁸⁵⁵  24:4 But so that I may not delay ¹⁸⁵⁶  you any further, I beg ¹⁸⁵⁷  you to hear us briefly ¹⁸⁵⁸  with your customary graciousness. ¹⁸⁵⁹  24:5 For we have found ¹⁸⁶⁰  this man to be a troublemaker, ¹⁸⁶¹  one who stirs up riots ¹⁸⁶²  among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader ¹⁸⁶³  of the sect of the Nazarenes. ¹⁸⁶⁴  24:6 He ¹⁸⁶⁵  even tried to desecrate ¹⁸⁶⁶  the temple, so we arrested ¹⁸⁶⁷  him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] ¹⁸⁶⁸  24:8 When you examine ¹⁸⁶⁹  him yourself, you will be able to learn from him ¹⁸⁷⁰  about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” ¹⁸⁷¹  24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, ¹⁸⁷²  claiming ¹⁸⁷³  that these things were true.

Paul’s Defense Before Felix

24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know ¹⁸⁷⁴  that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. ¹⁸⁷⁵  24:11 As you can verify ¹⁸⁷⁶  for yourself, not more than twelve days ago ¹⁸⁷⁷  I went up to Jerusalem ¹⁸⁷⁸  to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing ¹⁸⁷⁹  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ¹⁸⁸⁰  in the temple courts ¹⁸⁸¹  or in the synagogues ¹⁸⁸²  or throughout the city, ¹⁸⁸³  24:13 nor can they prove ¹⁸⁸⁴  to you the things ¹⁸⁸⁵  they are accusing me of doing. ¹⁸⁸⁶  24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship ¹⁸⁸⁷  the God of our ancestors ¹⁸⁸⁸  according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law ¹⁸⁸⁹  and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have ¹⁸⁹⁰  a hope in God (a hope ¹⁸⁹¹  that ¹⁸⁹²  these men ¹⁸⁹³  themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ¹⁸⁹⁴  24:16 This is the reason ¹⁸⁹⁵  I do my best to always ¹⁸⁹⁶  have a clear ¹⁸⁹⁷  conscience toward God and toward people. ¹⁸⁹⁸  24:17 After several years ¹⁸⁹⁹  I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor ¹⁹⁰⁰  and to present offerings, ¹⁹⁰¹  24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, ¹⁹⁰²  without a crowd or a disturbance. ¹⁹⁰³  24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia ¹⁹⁰⁴  who should be here before you and bring charges, ¹⁹⁰⁵  if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here ¹⁹⁰⁶  should tell what crime ¹⁹⁰⁷  they found me guilty of ¹⁹⁰⁸  when I stood before the council, ¹⁹⁰⁹  24:21 other than ¹⁹¹⁰  this one thing ¹⁹¹¹  I shouted out while I stood before ¹⁹¹²  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ¹⁹¹³ 

24:22 Then Felix, ¹⁹¹⁴  who understood the facts ¹⁹¹⁵  concerning the Way ¹⁹¹⁶  more accurately, ¹⁹¹⁷  adjourned their hearing, ¹⁹¹⁸  saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” ¹⁹¹⁹  24:23 He ordered the centurion ¹⁹²⁰  to guard Paul, ¹⁹²¹  but to let him have some freedom, ¹⁹²²  and not to prevent any of his friends ¹⁹²³  from meeting his needs. ¹⁹²⁴ 

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24:24 Some days later, when Felix ¹⁹²⁵  arrived with his wife Drusilla, ¹⁹²⁶  who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak ¹⁹²⁷  about faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹²⁸  24:25 While Paul ¹⁹²⁹  was discussing ¹⁹³⁰  righteousness, self-control, ¹⁹³¹  and the coming judgment, Felix ¹⁹³²  became ¹⁹³³  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ¹⁹³⁴  I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ¹⁹³⁵  and for this reason he sent for Paul ¹⁹³⁶  as often as possible ¹⁹³⁷  and talked ¹⁹³⁸  with him. 24:27 After two years ¹⁹³⁹  had passed, Porcius Festus ¹⁹⁴⁰  succeeded Felix, ¹⁹⁴¹  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ¹⁹⁴² 

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25:1 Now ¹⁹⁴³  three days after Festus ¹⁹⁴⁴  arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem ¹⁹⁴⁵  from Caesarea. ¹⁹⁴⁶  25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men ¹⁹⁴⁷  of the Jews brought formal charges ¹⁹⁴⁸  against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ¹⁹⁴⁹  they urged Festus ¹⁹⁵⁰  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ¹⁹⁵¹  to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus ¹⁹⁵²  replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, ¹⁹⁵³  and he himself intended to go there ¹⁹⁵⁴  shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders ¹⁹⁵⁵  go down there ¹⁹⁵⁶  with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, ¹⁹⁵⁷  they may bring charges ¹⁹⁵⁸  against him.”

25:6 After Festus ¹⁹⁵⁹  had stayed ¹⁹⁶⁰  not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, ¹⁹⁶¹  and the next day he sat ¹⁹⁶²  on the judgment seat ¹⁹⁶³  and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, ¹⁹⁶⁴  bringing many serious ¹⁹⁶⁵  charges that they were not able to prove. ¹⁹⁶⁶  25:8 Paul said in his defense, ¹⁹⁶⁷  “I have committed no offense ¹⁹⁶⁸  against the Jewish law ¹⁹⁶⁹  or against the temple or against Caesar.” ¹⁹⁷⁰  25:9 But Festus, ¹⁹⁷¹  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ¹⁹⁷²  before me there on these charges?” ¹⁹⁷³  25:10 Paul replied, ¹⁹⁷⁴  “I am standing before Caesar’s ¹⁹⁷⁵  judgment seat, ¹⁹⁷⁶  where I should be tried. ¹⁹⁷⁷  I have done nothing wrong ¹⁹⁷⁸  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ¹⁹⁷⁹  25:11 If then I am in the wrong ¹⁹⁸⁰  and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, ¹⁹⁸¹  but if not one of their charges against me is true, ¹⁹⁸²  no one can hand me over to them. ¹⁹⁸³  I appeal to Caesar!” ¹⁹⁸⁴  25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, ¹⁹⁸⁵  Festus ¹⁹⁸⁶  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ¹⁹⁸⁷  to Caesar ¹⁹⁸⁸  you will go!” ¹⁹⁸⁹ 

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ¹⁹⁹⁰  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ¹⁹⁹¹  to pay their respects ¹⁹⁹²  to Festus. ¹⁹⁹³  25:14 While ¹⁹⁹⁴  they were staying there many days, Festus ¹⁹⁹⁵  explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, ¹⁹⁹⁶  saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, ¹⁹⁹⁷  the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed ¹⁹⁹⁸  me about him, ¹⁹⁹⁹  asking for a sentence of condemnation ²⁰⁰⁰  against him. 25:16 I answered them ²⁰⁰¹  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ²⁰⁰²  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ²⁰⁰³  and had been given ²⁰⁰⁴  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ²⁰⁰⁵  25:17 So after they came back here with me, ²⁰⁰⁶  I did not postpone the case, ²⁰⁰⁷  but the next day I sat ²⁰⁰⁸  on the judgment seat ²⁰⁰⁹  and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge ²⁰¹⁰  him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. ²⁰¹¹  25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement ²⁰¹²  with him about their own religion ²⁰¹³  and about a man named Jesus ²⁰¹⁴  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ²⁰¹⁵  to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss ²⁰¹⁶  how I could investigate these matters, ²⁰¹⁷  I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried ²⁰¹⁸  there on these charges. ²⁰¹⁹  25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, ²⁰²⁰  I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” ²⁰²¹  25:22 Agrippa ²⁰²²  said to Festus, ²⁰²³  “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, ²⁰²⁴  “you will hear him.”

Paul Before King Agrippa and Bernice

25:23 So the next day Agrippa ²⁰²⁵  and Bernice came with great pomp ²⁰²⁶  and entered the audience hall, ²⁰²⁷  along with the senior military officers ²⁰²⁸  and the prominent men of the city. When Festus ²⁰²⁹  gave the order, ²⁰³⁰  Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus ²⁰³¹  said, “King Agrippa, ²⁰³²  and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace ²⁰³³  petitioned ²⁰³⁴  me both in Jerusalem ²⁰³⁵  and here, ²⁰³⁶  shouting loudly ²⁰³⁷  that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, ²⁰³⁸  and when he appealed ²⁰³⁹  to His Majesty the Emperor, ²⁰⁴⁰  I decided to send him. ²⁰⁴¹  25:26 But I have nothing definite ²⁰⁴²  to write to my lord ²⁰⁴³  about him. ²⁰⁴⁴  Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ²⁰⁴⁵  so that after this preliminary hearing ²⁰⁴⁶  I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating ²⁰⁴⁷  the charges against him.”

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ²⁰⁴⁸  said to Paul, “You have permission ²⁰⁴⁹  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ²⁰⁵⁰  and began his defense: ²⁰⁵¹ 

26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ²⁰⁵²  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially ²⁰⁵³  familiar with all the customs and controversial issues ²⁰⁵⁴  of the Jews. Therefore I ask ²⁰⁵⁵  you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived ²⁰⁵⁶  from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people ²⁰⁵⁷  and in Jerusalem. ²⁰⁵⁸  26:5 They know, ²⁰⁵⁹  because they have known ²⁰⁶⁰  me from time past, ²⁰⁶¹  if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party ²⁰⁶²  of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. ²⁰⁶³  26:6 And now I stand here on trial ²⁰⁶⁴  because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ²⁰⁶⁵  26:7 a promise ²⁰⁶⁶  that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God ²⁰⁶⁷  night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, ²⁰⁶⁸  Your Majesty! ²⁰⁶⁹  26:8 Why do you people ²⁰⁷⁰  think ²⁰⁷¹  it is unbelievable ²⁰⁷²  that ²⁰⁷³  God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, ²⁰⁷⁴  I myself was convinced ²⁰⁷⁵  that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received ²⁰⁷⁶  from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote ²⁰⁷⁷  against them when they were sentenced to death. ²⁰⁷⁸  26:11 I punished ²⁰⁷⁹  them often in all the synagogues ²⁰⁸⁰  and tried to force ²⁰⁸¹  them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ²⁰⁸²  at them, I went to persecute ²⁰⁸³  them even in foreign cities.

26:12 “While doing this very thing, ²⁰⁸⁴  as I was going ²⁰⁸⁵  to Damascus with authority and complete power ²⁰⁸⁶  from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, ²⁰⁸⁷  I saw a light from heaven, ²⁰⁸⁸  brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around ²⁰⁸⁹  me and those traveling with me. 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ²⁰⁹⁰  ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself ²⁰⁹¹  by kicking against the goads.’ ²⁰⁹²  26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ²⁰⁹³  ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance ²⁰⁹⁴  as a servant and witness ²⁰⁹⁵  to the things ²⁰⁹⁶  you have seen ²⁰⁹⁷  and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue ²⁰⁹⁸  you from your own people ²⁰⁹⁹  and from the Gentiles, to whom ²¹⁰⁰  I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ²¹⁰¹  from darkness to light and from the power ²¹⁰²  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ²¹⁰³  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, ²¹⁰⁴  I was not disobedient ²¹⁰⁵  to the heavenly ²¹⁰⁶  vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ²¹⁰⁷  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ²¹⁰⁸  performing deeds consistent with ²¹⁰⁹  repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts ²¹¹⁰  and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced ²¹¹¹  help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except ²¹¹²  what the prophets and Moses said ²¹¹³  was going to happen: 26:23 that ²¹¹⁴  the Christ ²¹¹⁵  was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people ²¹¹⁶  and to the Gentiles.” ²¹¹⁷ 

26:24 As Paul ²¹¹⁸  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ²¹¹⁹  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ²¹²⁰  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, ²¹²¹  “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ²¹²²  but am speaking ²¹²³  true and rational ²¹²⁴  words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ²¹²⁵  to him, ²¹²⁶  because I cannot believe ²¹²⁷  that any of these things has escaped his notice, ²¹²⁸  for this was not done in a corner. ²¹²⁹  26:27 Do you believe the prophets, ²¹³⁰  King Agrippa? ²¹³¹  I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa ²¹³²  said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” ²¹³³  26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time ²¹³⁴  not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” ²¹³⁵ 

26:30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 26:31 and as they were leaving they said to one another, ²¹³⁶  “This man is not doing anything deserving ²¹³⁷  death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa ²¹³⁸  said to Festus, ²¹³⁹  “This man could have been released ²¹⁴⁰  if he had not appealed to Caesar.” ²¹⁴¹ 

Paul and Company Sail for Rome

27:1 When it was decided we ²¹⁴²  would sail to Italy, ²¹⁴³  they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion ²¹⁴⁴  of the Augustan Cohort ²¹⁴⁵  named Julius. 27:2 We went on board ²¹⁴⁶  a ship from Adramyttium ²¹⁴⁷  that was about to sail to various ports ²¹⁴⁸  along the coast of the province of Asia ²¹⁴⁹  and put out to sea, ²¹⁵⁰  accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian ²¹⁵¹  from Thessalonica. ²¹⁵²  27:3 The next day we put in ²¹⁵³  at Sidon, ²¹⁵⁴  and Julius, treating Paul kindly, ²¹⁵⁵  allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed. ²¹⁵⁶  27:4 From there we put out to sea ²¹⁵⁷  and sailed under the lee ²¹⁵⁸  of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed across the open sea ²¹⁵⁹  off Cilicia and Pamphylia, ²¹⁶⁰  we put in ²¹⁶¹  at Myra ²¹⁶²  in Lycia. ²¹⁶³  27:6 There the centurion ²¹⁶⁴  found ²¹⁶⁵  a ship from Alexandria ²¹⁶⁶  sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly ²¹⁶⁷  for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. ²¹⁶⁸  Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, ²¹⁶⁹  we sailed under the lee ²¹⁷⁰  of Crete off Salmone. ²¹⁷¹  27:8 With difficulty we sailed along the coast ²¹⁷²  of Crete ²¹⁷³  and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. ²¹⁷⁴ 

Caught in a Violent Storm

27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous ²¹⁷⁵  because the fast ²¹⁷⁶  was already over, ²¹⁷⁷  Paul advised them, ²¹⁷⁸  27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end ²¹⁷⁹  in disaster ²¹⁸⁰  and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ²¹⁸¹  27:11 But the centurion ²¹⁸²  was more convinced ²¹⁸³  by the captain ²¹⁸⁴  and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. ²¹⁸⁵  27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided ²¹⁸⁶  to put out to sea ²¹⁸⁷  from there. They hoped that ²¹⁸⁸  somehow they could reach ²¹⁸⁹  Phoenix, ²¹⁹⁰  a harbor of Crete facing ²¹⁹¹  southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought ²¹⁹²  they could carry out ²¹⁹³  their purpose, so they weighed anchor ²¹⁹⁴  and sailed close along the coast ²¹⁹⁵  of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force ²¹⁹⁶  wind called the northeaster ²¹⁹⁷  blew down from the island. ²¹⁹⁸  27:15 When the ship was caught in it ²¹⁹⁹  and could not head into ²²⁰⁰  the wind, we gave way to it and were driven ²²⁰¹  along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of ²²⁰²  a small island called Cauda, ²²⁰³  we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat ²²⁰⁴  under control. 27:17 After the crew ²²⁰⁵  had hoisted it aboard, ²²⁰⁶  they used supports ²²⁰⁷  to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground ²²⁰⁸  on the Syrtis, ²²⁰⁹  they lowered the sea anchor, ²²¹⁰  thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, ²²¹¹  they began throwing the cargo overboard, ²²¹²  27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear ²²¹³  overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent ²²¹⁴  storm continued to batter us, ²²¹⁵  we finally abandoned all hope of being saved. ²²¹⁶ 

27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, ²²¹⁷  Paul ²²¹⁸  stood up ²²¹⁹  among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me ²²²⁰  and not put out to sea ²²²¹  from Crete, thus avoiding ²²²²  this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise ²²²³  you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. ²²²⁴  27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong ²²²⁵  and whom I serve ²²²⁶  came to me ²²²⁷  27:24 and said, ²²²⁸  ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before ²²²⁹  Caesar, ²²³⁰  and God has graciously granted you the safety ²²³¹  of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God ²²³²  that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must ²²³³  run aground on some island.”

27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven ²²³⁴  across the Adriatic Sea, ²²³⁵  about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. ²²³⁶  27:28 They took soundings ²²³⁷  and found the water was twenty fathoms ²²³⁸  deep; when they had sailed a little farther ²²³⁹  they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms ²²⁴⁰  deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid ²²⁴¹  that we would run aground on the rocky coast, ²²⁴²  they threw out ²²⁴³  four anchors from the stern and wished ²²⁴⁴  for day to appear. ²²⁴⁵  27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending ²²⁴⁶  that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion ²²⁴⁷  and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you ²²⁴⁸  cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes ²²⁴⁹  of the ship’s boat and let it drift away. ²²⁵⁰ 

27:33 As day was about to dawn, ²²⁵¹  Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense ²²⁵²  and have gone ²²⁵³  without food; you have eaten nothing. ²²⁵⁴  27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important ²²⁵⁵  for your survival. ²²⁵⁶  For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul ²²⁵⁷  took bread ²²⁵⁸  and gave thanks to God in front of them all, ²²⁵⁹  broke ²²⁶⁰  it, and began to eat. 27:36 So all of them were encouraged and took food themselves. 27:37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six ²²⁶¹  persons on the ship.) ²²⁶²  27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, ²²⁶³  they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat ²²⁶⁴  into the sea.

Paul is Shipwrecked

27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed ²²⁶⁵  a bay ²²⁶⁶  with a beach, ²²⁶⁷  where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped ²²⁶⁸  the anchors ²²⁶⁹  and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage ²²⁷⁰  that bound the steering oars ²²⁷¹  together. Then they hoisted ²²⁷²  the foresail ²²⁷³  to the wind and steered toward ²²⁷⁴  the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents ²²⁷⁵  and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force ²²⁷⁶  of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners ²²⁷⁷  so that none of them would escape by swimming away. ²²⁷⁸  27:43 But the centurion, ²²⁷⁹  wanting to save Paul’s life, ²²⁸⁰  prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, ²²⁸¹  27:44 and the rest were to follow, ²²⁸²  some on planks ²²⁸³  and some on pieces of the ship. ²²⁸⁴  And in this way ²²⁸⁵  all were brought safely to land.

Paul on Malta

28:1 After we had safely reached shore, ²²⁸⁶  we learned that the island was called Malta. ²²⁸⁷  28:2 The local inhabitants ²²⁸⁸  showed us extraordinary ²²⁸⁹  kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain ²²⁹⁰  and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood ²²⁹¹  and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 28:4 When the local people ²²⁹²  saw the creature hanging from Paul’s ²²⁹³  hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself ²²⁹⁴  has not allowed him to live!” ²²⁹⁵  28:5 However, ²²⁹⁶  Paul ²²⁹⁷  shook ²²⁹⁸  the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up ²²⁹⁹  or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited ²³⁰⁰  a long time and had seen ²³⁰¹  nothing unusual happen ²³⁰²  to him, they changed their minds ²³⁰³  and said he was a god. ²³⁰⁴ 

28:7 Now in the region around that place ²³⁰⁵  were fields belonging to the chief official ²³⁰⁶  of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father ²³⁰⁷  of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him ²³⁰⁸  and after praying, placed ²³⁰⁹  his hands on him and healed ²³¹⁰  him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick ²³¹¹  also came and were healed. ²³¹²  28:10 They also bestowed many honors, ²³¹³  and when we were preparing to sail, ²³¹⁴  they gave ²³¹⁵  us all the supplies we needed. ²³¹⁶ 

Paul Finally Reaches Rome

28:11 After three months we put out to sea ²³¹⁷  in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” ²³¹⁸  as its figurehead. ²³¹⁹  28:12 We put in ²³²⁰  at Syracuse ²³²¹  and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off ²³²²  and arrived at Rhegium, ²³²³  and after one day a south wind sprang up ²³²⁴  and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ²³²⁵  28:14 There ²³²⁶  we found ²³²⁷  some brothers ²³²⁸  and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. ²³²⁹  28:15 The brothers from there, ²³³⁰  when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius ²³³¹  and Three Taverns ²³³²  to meet us. When he saw them, ²³³³  Paul thanked God and took courage. 28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live ²³³⁴  by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days ²³³⁵  Paul ²³³⁶  called the local Jewish leaders ²³³⁷  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ²³³⁸  although I had done ²³³⁹  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ²³⁴⁰  from Jerusalem ²³⁴¹  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ²³⁴²  28:18 When ²³⁴³  they had heard my case, ²³⁴⁴  they wanted to release me, ²³⁴⁵  because there was no basis for a death sentence ²³⁴⁶  against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, ²³⁴⁷  I was forced to appeal to Caesar ²³⁴⁸  – not that I had some charge to bring ²³⁴⁹  against my own people. ²³⁵⁰  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.” ²³⁵¹  28:21 They replied, ²³⁵²  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ²³⁵³  and reported or said anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know ²³⁵⁴  that people ²³⁵⁵  everywhere speak against ²³⁵⁶  it.”

28:23 They set ²³⁵⁷  a day to meet with him, ²³⁵⁸  and they came to him where he was staying ²³⁵⁹  in even greater numbers. ²³⁶⁰  From morning until evening he explained things ²³⁶¹  to them, ²³⁶²  testifying ²³⁶³  about the kingdom of God ²³⁶⁴  and trying to convince ²³⁶⁵  them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced ²³⁶⁶  by what he said, ²³⁶⁷  but others refused ²³⁶⁸  to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, ²³⁶⁹  unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors ²³⁷⁰  through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will keep on hearing, ²³⁷¹  but will never understand,

and you will keep on looking, ²³⁷²  but will never perceive.

28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, ²³⁷³ 

and their ears are hard of hearing, ²³⁷⁴ 

and they have closed their eyes,

so that they would not see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their heart

and turn, ²³⁷⁵  and I would heal them.”’ ²³⁷⁶ 

28:28 “Therefore be advised ²³⁷⁷  that this salvation from God ²³⁷⁸  has been sent to the Gentiles; ²³⁷⁹  they ²³⁸⁰  will listen!”

28:29 [[EMPTY]] ²³⁸¹ 

28:30 Paul ²³⁸²  lived ²³⁸³  there two whole years in his own rented quarters ²³⁸⁴  and welcomed ²³⁸⁵  all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ²³⁸⁶  with complete boldness ²³⁸⁷  and without restriction. ²³⁸⁸ 

[9:32]  ¹ tn Grk “Now it happened that.” 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.

[9:32]  ² tn Grk “As Peter was going through all [the places],” which is somewhat awkward in English. The meaning is best expressed by a phrase like “going around from place to place” or “traveling around from place to place.”

[9:32]  ³ sn Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem on the way to Joppa. It was about 10.5 miles (17 km) southeast of Joppa.

[9:33]  ⁴ tn Since the participle κατακείμενον (katakeimenon), an adjectival participle modifying Αἰνέαν (Ainean), has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who had been confined to a mattress”), it would be awkward to follow with a second relative clause (Grk “who was paralyzed”). Furthermore, the relative pronoun here has virtually a causal force, giving the reason for confinement to the mattress, so it is best translated “because.”

[9:34]  ⁷ tn Grk “And Peter.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[9:34]  ⁸ tc ‡ Several variants occur at this juncture. Some of the earliest and best witnesses (Ì⁷⁴ א B* C Ψ 33^vid Did^pt) read “Jesus Christ” (᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός, Ihsou" Cristo"); others ([A] 36 1175 it) have “the Lord Jesus Christ” (ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός, Jo kurio" Ihsou" Cristo"); a few read simply ὁ Χριστός (614 1241 1505); the majority of mss (B² E 1739 Ï Did^pt) have “Jesus the Christ” ( ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ Χριστός). Although the pedigree of this last reading is relatively weak, it draws strength from the fact that (a) the other readings are much more natural and thus more predictable, and (b) there are several variants for this text. It seems hardly likely that scribes would intentionally change a more common expression into a title that is used nowhere else in the NT (although 1 John 2:22; 5:1 come close with “Jesus is the Christ”), nor would they unintentionally change a frequently used designation into an unusual one. Thus, in spite of the external evidence (which is nevertheless sufficient to argue for authenticity), ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ Χριστός is the reading that best explains the rise of the others.

[9:34]  ⁹ tn The translation “make your own bed” for στρῶσον σεαυτῷ (strwson seautw) is given by BDAG 949 s.v. στρωννύω 1. Naturally this involves some adaptation, since a pallet or mat would not be ‘made up’ in the sense that a modern bed would be. The idea may be closer to “straighten” or “rearrange,” and the NIV’s “take care of your mat” attempts to reflect this, although this too probably conveys a slightly different idea to the modern English reader.

[9:35]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “And all.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[9:35]  ¹¹ sn Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem on the way to Joppa.

[9:35]  ¹² sn Sharon refers to the plain of Sharon, a region along the coast of Palestine.

[9:35]  ¹³ tn Repetition of the pronoun “they” as subject of ἐπέστρεψαν (epestreyan) is not strictly necessary in English, but emphasizes slightly the resultative nature of the final clause: They turned to the Lord as a result of seeing Aeneas after he was healed.

[9:35]  ¹⁴ sn They turned. To “turn” is a good summary term for the response to the gospel.

[9:36]  ¹³ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa. “Though Joppa never became a major seaport, it was of some importance as a logistical base and an outlet to the Mediterranean” (A. F. Rainey, ISBE 2:1118-19).

[9:36]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “which being translated is called.” In English this would normally be expressed “which is translated as” or “which in translation means.” The second option is given by L&N 33.145.

[9:36]  ¹⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Dorcas is the Greek translation of the Aramaic name Tabitha. Dorcas in Greek means “gazelle” or “deer.”

[9:36]  ¹⁶ tn Or “and helping the poor.” Grk “She was full of good deeds and acts of charity which she was continually doing.” Since it is somewhat redundant in English to say “she was full of good deeds…which she was continually doing,” the translation has been simplified to “she was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity.” The imperfect verb ἐποίει (epoiei) has been translated as a progressive imperfect (“was continually doing”).

[9:37]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “It happened that in those 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.

[9:37]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “becoming sick, she died.” The participle ἀσθενήσασαν (asqenhsasan) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:37]  ¹⁸ tn The participle λούσαντες (lousante") is taken temporally.

[9:37]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “washed her,” but the reference is to her corpse.

[9:38]  ¹⁹ sn Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem on the way to Joppa.

[9:38]  ²⁰ tn Grk “Do not delay to come to us.” It is somewhat smoother to say in English, “Come to us without delay.”

[9:39]  ²² tn Grk “who.” The relative clause makes for awkward English style here, so the following clause was made coordinate with the conjunction “and” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun.

[9:39]  ²³ tn The participle παραγενόμενον (paragenomenon) is taken temporally.

[9:39]  ²⁴ tn Grk “and all.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[9:39]  ²⁵ tn The word “him” 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.

[9:39]  ²⁶ tn Or “shirts” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.

[9:39]  ²⁷ tn Grk “and garments,” referring here to other types of clothing besides the tunics just mentioned.

[9:39]  ²⁸ tn The verb ἐποίει (epoiei) has been translated as a customary imperfect.

[9:40]  ²⁵ tn Grk “Peter, sending them all outside, knelt down.” The participle ἐκβαλών (ekbalwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:40]  ²⁶ tn Grk “and kneeling down,” 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. Instead the “and” is placed before the verb προσηύξατο (proshuxato, “and prayed”). The participle θείς (qeis) is taken as a participle of attendant circumstance.

[9:40]  ²⁷ tn Grk “and turning.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[9:40]  ²⁸ sn She sat up. This event is told much like Luke 8:49-56 and Mark 5:35-43. Peter’s ministry mirrored that of Jesus.

[9:41]  ²⁸ tn Grk “Giving her his hand, he helped her.” The participle δούς (dous) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[9:41]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Then calling the saints…he presented her.” The participle φωνήσας (fwnhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style; it could also be taken temporally (“After he called”).

[9:42]  ³¹ tn Or “known all over.” BDAG 511 s.v. κατά A.1.c. has “became known throughout all Joppa” for γνωστὸν γενέσθαι καθ᾿ ὅλης ᾿Ιόππης (gnwston genesqai kaq’ {olh" Iopph").

[9:42]  ³² sn This became known…many believed in the Lord. This is a “sign” miracle that pictures how the Lord can give life.

[9:43]  ³⁴ tn Grk “So it happened that.” 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.

[9:43]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:43]  ³⁶ tn Grk “with a certain Simon.”

[9:43]  ³⁷ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.

[10:1]  ³⁷ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]).

[10:1]  ³⁸ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[10:1]  ³⁹ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.

[10:2]  ⁴⁰ tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  ⁴¹ sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  ⁴² tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  ⁴³ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” 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.

[10:3]  ⁴⁵ tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ⁵⁰ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[10:5]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “And now.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:5]  ⁵⁰ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.

[10:5]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “a certain Simon.”

[10:6]  ⁵² tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.

[10:7]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:7]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “domestic servants.” The Greek word here is οἰκέτης (oiketh"), which technically refers to a member of the household, but usually means a household servant (slave) or personal servant rather than a field laborer.

[10:7]  ⁵⁷ tn The meaning of the genitive participle προσκαρτερούντων (proskarterountwn) could either be “a soldier from the ranks of those who served him” (referring to his entire command) or “a soldier from among his personal staff” (referring to a group of soldiers who were his personal attendants). The translation “from among those who served him” is general enough to cover either possibility.

[10:9]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[10:9]  ⁵⁹ tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (Jodoiporountwn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontwn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.

[10:9]  ⁶⁰ sn Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.

[10:10]  ⁶¹ tn The traditional translation, “he fell into a trance,” is somewhat idiomatic; it is based on the textual variant ἐπέπεσεν (epepesen, “he fell”) found in the Byzantine text but almost certainly not original.

[10:11]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[10:11]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:11]  ⁶⁶ tn On the heavens “opening,” see Matt 3:16; Luke 3:21; Rev 19:11 (cf. BDAG 84 s.v. ἀνοίγω 2). This is the language of a vision or a revelatory act of God.

[10:11]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη).

[10:11]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “coming down.”

[10:11]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “to the ground.”

[10:12]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “in which.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[10:12]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate. See also Gen 6:20, as well as the law making such creatures unclean food in Lev 11:2-47.

[10:12]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[10:13]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “And there came.” 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.

[10:13]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[10:13]  ⁷² tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[10:14]  ⁷³ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqarto") here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:15]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “And the voice.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:15]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “declare.”

[10:15]  ⁷⁸ sn For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23; Rom 14:14; Eph 2:11-22. God directed this change in practice.

[10:16]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:17]  ⁸² tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).

[10:17]  ⁸³ tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:17]  ⁸⁴ tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”

[10:18]  ⁸⁵ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the pronoun “they” as the subject of the following verb.

[10:18]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “Simon, the one called Peter.” This qualification was necessary because the owner of the house was also named Simon (Acts 9:43).

[10:19]  ⁸⁸ tn The translation “think seriously about” for διενθυμέομαι (dienqumeomai) is given in L&N 30.2. Peter was “pondering” the vision (BDAG 244 s.v.).

[10:20]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “But getting up, go down.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:20]  ⁹² tn The term means “without doubting” or “without deliberation.” It is a term of conscience and discernment. In effect, Peter is to listen to them rather than hesitate (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 6).

[10:21]  ⁹⁴ tn Grk “Peter going down to the men, said.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:21]  ⁹⁵ tn Grk “Behold, it is I whom you seek,” or “Behold, I am the one you seek.” “Here I am” is used to translate ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι (idou egw eimi).

[10:22]  ⁹⁷ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[10:22]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “just.”

[10:22]  ⁹⁹ tn The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English.

[10:22]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “hear words.”

[10:23]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:23]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “went forth.”

[10:23]  ¹⁰² sn Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.

[10:24]  ¹⁰³ tn Grk “On the next day,” but since this phrase has already occurred in v. 23, it would be redundant in English to use it again here.

[10:24]  ¹⁰⁴ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi).

[10:24]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Normally προσδοκάω (prosdokaw) means “to wait with apprehension or anxiety for something,” often with the implication of impending danger or trouble (L&N 25.228), but in this context the anxiety Cornelius would have felt came from the importance of the forthcoming message as announced by the angel.

[10:25]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “So it happened that when.” 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.

[10:25]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Grk “meeting him.” The participle συναντήσας (sunanthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Grk “falling at his feet, worshiped.” The participle πεσών (peswn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  ¹⁰⁹ sn When Cornelius worshiped Peter, it showed his piety and his respect for Peter, but it was an act based on ignorance, as Peter’s remark in v. 26 indicates.

[10:26]  ¹⁰⁹ tn BDAG 271 s.v. ἐγείρω 3 has “raise, help to rise….Stretched out Ac 10:26.”

[10:26]  ¹¹⁰ tn Although it is certainly true that Peter was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") has been translated as “mere mortal” because the emphasis in context is not on Peter’s maleness, but his humanity. Contrary to what Cornelius thought, Peter was not a god or an angelic being, but a mere mortal.

[10:27]  ¹¹² tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:27]  ¹¹³ tn Or “many people assembled.”

[10:28]  ¹¹⁵ tn Here ὡς (Jws) is used like ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).

[10:28]  ¹¹⁶ tn This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος).

[10:28]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “a Jewish man” (ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ, andri Ioudaiw).

[10:28]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “a foreigner,” but in this context, “a non-Jew,” that is, a Gentile. This term speaks of intimate association (BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.b.α). On this Jewish view, see John 18:28, where a visit to a Gentile residence makes a Jewish person unclean.

[10:28]  ¹¹⁹ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[10:28]  ¹²⁰ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:29]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “Therefore when I was sent for.” The passive participle μεταπεμφθείς (metapemfqei") has been taken temporally and converted to an active construction which is less awkward in English.

[10:29]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “ask for what reason.”

[10:30]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “And Cornelius.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:30]  ¹²² tn Grk “said.”

[10:30]  ¹²³ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” Again, this is the hour of afternoon prayer.

[10:30]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “and behold.” The interjection ἰδού (idou) is difficult at times to translate into English. Here it has been translated as “suddenly” to convey the force of Cornelius’ account of the angel’s appearance.

[10:31]  ¹²⁴ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:31]  ¹²⁵ sn This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4.

[10:32]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname.

[10:33]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “you have done well by coming.” The idiom καλῶς ποιεῖν (kalw" poiein) is translated “be kind enough to do someth.” by BDAG 505-6 s.v. καλῶς 4.a. The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as an English infinitive due to the nature of the English idiom (“kind enough to” + infinitive).

[10:33]  ¹³¹ tn The translation “we are here in the presence of God” for ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πάρεσμεν (enwpion tou qeou paresmen) is given by BDAG 773 s.v. πάρειμι 1.a.

[10:33]  ¹³² tn Or “to hear everything.”

[10:33]  ¹³³ tn The words “to say to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Cornelius knows Peter is God’s representative, bringing God’s message.

[10:34]  ¹³³ tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:34]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.

[10:35]  ¹³⁶ sn See Luke 24:47.

[10:35]  ¹³⁷ tn Or “shows reverence for him.”

[10:35]  ¹³⁸ tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.

[10:36]  ¹³⁹ tn The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.

[10:36]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “the word.”

[10:36]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “to the sons.”

[10:36]  ¹⁴² sn Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 9:31. See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17.

[10:36]  ¹⁴³ tn Or “by.”

[10:36]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[10:36]  ¹⁴⁵ sn He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all, so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.

[10:37]  ¹⁴² tn Or “proclaimed.”

[10:38]  ¹⁴⁵ sn The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.

[10:38]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “how.” The use of ὡς (Jws) as an equivalent to ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.

[10:38]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:38]  ¹⁴⁸ tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.

[10:38]  ¹⁴⁹ sn See Acts 7:9.

[10:39]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “And we.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:39]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).

[10:39]  ¹⁵⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:39]  ¹⁵¹ tn Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:39]  ¹⁵² tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

[10:40]  ¹⁵¹ tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton, or lack of a connective, in Greek.

[10:40]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.

[10:41]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.

[10:41]  ¹⁵⁵ sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.

[10:42]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:42]  ¹⁵⁸ tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.

[10:42]  ¹⁵⁹ tn The word “them” 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.

[10:42]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”

[10:42]  ¹⁶¹ tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.

[10:42]  ¹⁶² sn Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31; Rom 14:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5.

[10:43]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.

[10:43]  ¹⁶¹ sn Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31. The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7. The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.

[10:44]  ¹⁶³ tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.

[10:44]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Or “word.”

[10:45]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:45]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”

[10:45]  ¹⁶⁸ sn The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.

[10:45]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Or “because.”

[10:45]  ¹⁷⁰ tn That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.

[10:45]  ¹⁷¹ sn The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Compare the account in Acts 2, especially 2:33. Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18.

[10:46]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”

[10:47]  ¹⁷² tn Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).

[10:47]  ¹⁷³ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.

[10:48]  ¹⁷⁵ tn The Greek construction (passive infinitive with accusative subject) could be translated either “he ordered them to be baptized” or “he ordered that they be baptized,” but the implication in English in either case is that Peter was giving orders to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, telling them to get baptized. It is much more likely in the context that Peter was ordering those Jewish Christians who accompanied him to baptize the new Gentile converts. They would doubtless have still had misgivings even after witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit and hearing the tongues. It took Peter’s apostolic authority (“ordered”) to convince them to perform the baptisms.

[10:48]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Jesus’ right to judge as the provider of forgiveness is highlighted here.

[11:1]  ¹⁷⁸ tn See BDAG 221 s.v. δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.

[11:1]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Here the phrase “word of God” is another way to describe the gospel (note the preceding verb ἐδέξαντο, edexanto, “accepted”). The phrase could also be translated “the word [message] from God.”

[11:2]  ¹⁸¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ¹⁸² tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.

[11:2]  ¹⁸³ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[11:3]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).

[11:3]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.

[11:4]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Or “to them in logical sequence,” “to them in order.” BDAG 490 s.v. καθεξῆς has “explain to someone point by point” for this phrase. This is the same term used in Luke 1:3.

[11:5]  ¹⁹⁰ tn This term describes a supernatural vision and reflects a clear distinction from something imagined (BDAG 718 s.v. ὅραμα 1). Peter repeated the story virtually word for word through v. 13. The repetition with this degree of detail shows the event’s importance.

[11:5]  ¹⁹¹ tn Or “coming down.”

[11:5]  ¹⁹² tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[11:6]  ¹⁹³ tn Grk “Staring I looked into it.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:6]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate.

[11:6]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[11:7]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[11:8]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. The sentiment Peter expressed is like Ezek 4:14.

[11:9]  ²⁰² tn Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.

[11:11]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “And behold.”

[11:11]  ²⁰⁶ sn 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.

[11:11]  ²⁰⁷ tn See BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epesthsan) here.

[11:11]  ²⁰⁸ tn The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[11:12]  ²⁰⁸ sn Six witnesses is three times more than what would normally be required. They could confirm the events were not misrepresented by Peter.

[11:14]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rJhmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.

[11:15]  ²¹⁴ tn Or “came down on.”

[11:15]  ²¹⁵ tn The words “he did” are not in the Greek text but are implied. They form an ellipsis which must be supplied for the modern English reader. Some modern translations supply “it” rather than “he” because the gender of πνεῦμα (pneuma) in Greek is neuter, but there are sufficient NT contexts that use masculine pronouns to refer to the Spirit to justify the use of a masculine pronoun here in the translation.

[11:15]  ²¹⁶ sn At the beginning is an allusion to Acts 2 and Pentecost. The beginning is a way to refer to the start of the period of the realization of Jesus’ promise in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. Peter was arguing that God gave Gentiles the same benefits he gave the Jews at the start of their mission.

[11:16]  ²¹⁷ 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; here and in Luke 22:61, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 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.

[11:16]  ²¹⁸ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.

[11:16]  ²¹⁹ sn John…Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.

[11:17]  ²²⁰ tc Codex Bezae (D) and {a few other Western witnesses} here lack ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.

[11:17]  ²²¹ sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]  ²²² tn Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edwken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.

[11:17]  ²²³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:17]  ²²⁴ tn Or “prevent,” “forbid” (BDAG 580 s.v. κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.

[11:18]  ²²³ tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  ²²⁴ tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.

[11:18]  ²²⁵ tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  ²²⁶ sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).

[11:18]  ²²⁷ sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[11:19]  ²²⁶ sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.

[11:19]  ²²⁷ tn Or “finally reached.” The translations “went as far as” and “finally reached” for διῆλθον (dihlqon) in this verse are given in L&N 15.17.

[11:19]  ²²⁸ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[11:19]  ²²⁹ tn Grk “and Cyprus,” 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.

[11:19]  ²³⁰ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). This was probably the third largest city in the Greco-Roman world (Alexandria in Egypt was the second largest, and Rome the largest) and was the seat of government in Syria. Five miles away was a major temple to Artemis, Apollo, and Astarte, major pagan deities.

[11:19]  ²³¹ tn Grk “word.”

[11:20]  ²²⁹ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[11:20]  ²³⁰ sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.

[11:20]  ²³¹ tn Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:20]  ²³² sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:20]  ²³³ sn The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.

[11:21]  ²³² tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[11:21]  ²³³ tn The participle πιστεύσας (pisteusa") is articular and thus cannot be adverbial. It is adjectival, modifying ἀριθμός (ariqmo"), but has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who believed”).

[11:21]  ²³⁴ sn Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.

[11:22]  ²³⁵ tn Grk “Word.”

[11:22]  ²³⁶ tn Grk “was heard in the ears,” an idiom. L&N 24.67 states that the idiom means “to hear in secret” (which it certainly does in Matt 10:27), but secrecy does not seem to be part of the context here, and there is no particular reason to suggest the report was made in secret.

[11:22]  ²³⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:22]  ²³⁸ tc ‡ Most mss read the infinitive “to travel” after “Barnabas.” διελθεῖν (dielqein) is found before ἕως (Jews) in D E Ψ 33 Ï and some versional mss. It is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B 81 1739 pc and some versional mss. Although the infinitive with ἕως fits Lukan style, it has the appearance of a scribal clarification. The infinitive has the earmarks of a Western expansion on the text and thus is unlikely to be original. NA²⁷ has the infinitive in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.

[11:22]  ²³⁹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19. Again the Jerusalem church exercised an oversight role.

[11:23]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “Antioch, who when.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:23]  ²³⁹ tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse.

[11:23]  ²⁴⁰ tn Grk “with purpose of heart”; BDAG 869 s.v. πρόθεσις 2.a translates this phrase “purpose of heart, i.e. devotion” here.

[11:24]  ²⁴¹ tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  ²⁴⁴ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  ²⁴⁵ tn Grk “So it happened that” 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.

[11:26]  ²⁴⁶ tn Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:26]  ²⁴⁷ tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  ²⁴⁸ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  ²⁴⁹ sn The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.

[11:27]  ²⁴⁷ tn Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.

[11:27]  ²⁴⁸ tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.

[11:27]  ²⁴⁹ sn Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.

[11:27]  ²⁵⁰ sn Came down from Jerusalem. Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude).

[11:27]  ²⁵¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  ²⁵² sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:28]  ²⁵⁰ tn Grk “getting up, predicted.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:28]  ²⁵¹ tn Or “made clear”; Grk “indicated beforehand” (BDAG 920 s.v. σημαίνω 2).

[11:28]  ²⁵² tn Grk “great.”

[11:28]  ²⁵³ sn This famine is one of the firmly fixed dates in Acts. It took place from a.d. 45-48. The events described in chap. 11 of Acts occurred during the early part of that period.

[11:28]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “whole Roman Empire.” While the word οἰκουμένη (oikoumenh) does occasionally refer specifically to the Roman Empire, BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουνένη 2 does not list this passage (only Acts 24:5 and 17:6).

[11:28]  ²⁵⁵ tn Grk “world, which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “this” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:28]  ²⁵⁶ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Claudius was the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54.

[11:29]  ²⁵³ tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.

[11:29]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”

[11:29]  ²⁵⁵ tn Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters.

[11:30]  ²⁵⁶ tn Grk “Judea, which they did.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:30]  ²⁵⁷ tn The words “their financial aid” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:1]  ²⁵⁹ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great). His mediocre career is summarized in Josephus, Ant. 18-19. This event took place in a.d. 42 or 43.

[12:1]  ²⁶⁰ tn Or “King Herod had some from the church arrested.”

[12:1]  ²⁶¹ tn Or “to cause them injury.”

[12:2]  ²⁶² sn The expression executed with a sword probably refers to a beheading. James was the first known apostolic martyr (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 2.9.1-3). On James, not the Lord’s brother, see Luke 5:10; 6:14. This death ended a short period of peace noted in Acts 9:31 after the persecution mentioned in 8:1-3.

[12:3]  ²⁶⁵ tn This could be a reference to the Jewish people (so CEV) or to the Jewish leaders (so NLT). The statement in v. 4 that Herod intended to bring Peter “out to the people” (i.e., for a public trial) may suggest the former is somewhat more likely.

[12:3]  ²⁶⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[12:4]  ²⁶⁸ sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.

[12:4]  ²⁶⁹ tn Grk “guard him, planning to bring him out.” The Greek construction continues with a participle (βουλόμενος, boulomeno") and an infinitive (ἀναγαγεῖν, anagagein), but this creates an awkward and lengthy sentence in English. Thus a reference to Herod was introduced as subject and the participle translated as a finite verb (“Herod planned”).

[12:4]  ²⁷⁰ tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”

[12:4]  ²⁷¹ tn Grk “to bring him out to the people,” but in this context a public trial (with certain condemnation as the result) is doubtless what Herod planned. L&N 15.176 translates this phrase “planning to bring him up for a public trial after the Passover.”

[12:5]  ²⁷¹ tn Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:14 and Acts 26:7.

[12:5]  ²⁷² tn Grk “but earnest prayer was being made by the church to God for him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to follow English style, and the somewhat awkward passive “prayer was being made” has been changed to the simpler active verb “were praying.” Luke portrays what follows as an answer to prayer.

[12:6]  ²⁷⁴ tn Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.

[12:6]  ²⁷⁵ tn Grk “two chains, and.” Logically it makes better sense to translate this as a temporal clause, although technically it is a coordinate clause in Greek.

[12:6]  ²⁷⁶ tn Or “were guarding.”

[12:7]  ²⁷⁷ tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.

[12:7]  ²⁷⁸ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:7]  ²⁷⁹ tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:7]  ²⁸⁰ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:7]  ²⁸¹ tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

[12:8]  ²⁸⁰ tn While ζώννυμι (zwnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.

[12:8]  ²⁸¹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ²⁸² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ²⁸³ tn Or “outer garment.”

[12:9]  ²⁸³ tn Grk “And going out he followed.”

[12:9]  ²⁸⁴ tn Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:9]  ²⁸⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:9]  ²⁸⁶ tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

[12:10]  ²⁸⁶ tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”

[12:10]  ²⁸⁷ sn The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).

[12:10]  ²⁸⁸ tn Grk “which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[12:10]  ²⁸⁹ tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).

[12:10]  ²⁹⁰ tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).

[12:11]  ²⁸⁹ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[12:11]  ²⁹⁰ tn Or “delivered.”

[12:11]  ²⁹¹ sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

[12:11]  ²⁹² sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:11]  ²⁹³ sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

[12:12]  ²⁹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:12]  ²⁹³ tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[12:13]  ²⁹⁵ tn Or “responded.”

[12:14]  ²⁹⁸ tn Or “informed.”

[12:14]  ²⁹⁹ tn 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.

[12:15]  ³⁰¹ sn “You’ve lost your mind!” Such a response to the miraculous is not unusual in Luke-Acts. See Luke 24:11; Acts 26:25. The term μαίνομαι (mainomai) can have the idea of being “raving mad” or “totally irrational” (BDAG 610 s.v.). It is a strong expression.

[12:15]  ³⁰² tn Grk “she kept insisting that the situation was thus” (cf. BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a). Most translations supply a less awkward English phrase like “it was so”; the force of her insistence, however, is that “it was Peter,” which was the point under dispute.

[12:15]  ³⁰³ tn The two imperfect tense verbs, διϊσχυρίζετο (diiscurizeto) and ἔλεγον (elegon), are both taken iteratively. The picture is thus virtually a shouting match between Rhoda and the rest of the believers.

[12:15]  ³⁰⁴ sn The assumption made by those inside, “It is his angel,” seems to allude to the idea of an attending angel (cf. Gen 48:16 LXX; Matt 18:10; Test. Jacob 1:10).

[12:16]  ³⁰⁴ tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see Acts 12:13).

[12:16]  ³⁰⁵ sn That they were greatly astonished is a common response in Luke-Acts to God’s work (Luke 8:56; Acts 2:7, 12; 8:13; 9:21; 10:45).

[12:17]  ³⁰⁷ tn Or “He gave them a signal.” Grk “Giving them a signal…he related to them.” The participle κατασείσας (kataseisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:17]  ³⁰⁸ tc ‡ Most mss, including some of the most important ones (B D E Ψ Ï sy), read αὐτοῖς (autoi", “to them”) here, while some excellent and early witnesses (Ì^45vid,74vid א A 33 81 945 1739 pc) lack the pronoun. Although it is possible that the pronoun was deleted because it was seen as superfluous, it is also possible that it was added as a natural expansion on the text, strengthening the connection between Peter and his listeners. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading is slightly preferred. NA²⁷ puts the pronoun in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[12:17]  ³⁰⁹ tn Or “led.”

[12:17]  ³¹⁰ sn He…went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.

[12:18]  ³¹⁰ tn BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a has “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse.

[12:18]  ³¹¹ tn Grk “no little consternation.” The translation given for τάραχος (taraco") in this verse by BDAG 991 s.v. τάραχος 1 is “mental agitation.” The situation indicated by the Greek word is described in L&N 25.243 as “a state of acute distress and great anxiety, with the additional possible implications of dismay and confusion – ‘great distress, extreme anxiety.’” The English word “consternation” is preferred here because it conveys precisely such a situation of anxiety mixed with fear. The reason for this anxiety is explained in the following verse.

[12:19]  ³¹³ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:19]  ³¹⁴ tn Or “had instigated a search” (Herod would have ordered the search rather than conducting it himself).

[12:19]  ³¹⁵ tn “Questioned” is used to translate ἀνακρίνας (anakrina") here because a possible translation offered by BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω for this verse is “examined,” which could be understood to mean Herod inspected the guards rather than questioned them. The translation used by the NIV, “cross-examined,” also avoids this possible misunderstanding.

[12:19]  ³¹⁶ tn The meaning “led away to execution” for ἀπαχθῆναι (apacqhnai) in this verse is given by BDAG 95 s.v. ἀπάγω 2.c. Although an explicit reference to execution is lacking here, it is what would usually occur in such a case (Acts 16:27; 27:42; Code of Justinian 9.4.4). “Led away to torture” is a less likely option (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10, 96, 8).

[12:19]  ³¹⁷ tn Grk “and,” but the sequence of events is better expressed in English by “then.” A new sentence is begun in the translation because of the length of the sentence in Greek, which exceeds normal English sentence length.

[12:19]  ³¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Since Herod has been the subject of the preceding material, and the circumstances of his death are the subject of the following verses (20-23), it is best to understand Herod as the subject here. This is especially true since according to Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 [19.343-352], Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44, and vv. 20-23 here describe his death. Thus the end of v. 19 provides Luke’s transition to explain how Herod got from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he died. In spite of all this evidence, the NRSV translates this phrase “Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there,” understanding the referent to be Peter rather than Herod Agrippa I.

[12:19]  ³¹⁹ sn 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.

[12:20]  ³¹⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:20]  ³¹⁷ tn Or “was extremely angry.” L&N 33.453 gives the meaning “be angry and quarrel, quarrel angrily” here. However, in L&N 88.180 the alternative “to be violently angry, to be furious” is given. The term is used only once in the NT (BDAG 461 s.v. θυμομαχέω).

[12:20]  ³¹⁸ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[12:20]  ³¹⁹ sn Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre (BDAG 923 s.v. Σιδών).

[12:20]  ³²⁰ tn Or “with one accord.”

[12:20]  ³²¹ tn Or “persuading.”

[12:20]  ³²² tn On the term translated “personal assistant” BDAG 554 s.v. κοιτῶν states, “used as part of a title: ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος the one in charge of the bed-chamber, the chamberlain.” This individual was not just a domestic servant or butler, but a highly respected person who had considerable responsibility for the king’s living quarters and personal affairs. The English word “chamberlain” corresponds very closely to this meaning but is not in common use today. The term “personal assistant,” while it might convey more business associations than management of personal affairs, nevertheless communicates the concept well in contemporary English.

[12:20]  ³²³ tn The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:20]  ³²⁴ tn Or “for a reconciliation.” There were grave political risks in having Herod angry at them. The detail shows the ruler’s power.

[12:21]  ³¹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:21]  ³²⁰ tn Or “apparel.” On Herod’s robes see Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.344), summarized in the note at the end of v. 23.

[12:21]  ³²¹ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “speaker’s platform” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“rostrum,” NASB; “platform,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[12:21]  ³²² tn Or “delivered a public address.”

[12:22]  ³²² tn The translation “crowd” is given by BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος; the word often means a gathering of citizens to conduct public business. Here it is simply the group of people gathered to hear the king’s speech.

[12:22]  ³²³ tn The imperfect verb ἐπεφώνει (epefwnei) is taken ingressively in the sequence of events. Presumably the king had started his speech when the crowd began shouting.

[12:22]  ³²⁴ sn The voice of a god. Contrast the response of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:13-15.

[12:23]  ³²⁵ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:23]  ³²⁶ sn On being struck…down by an angel, see Acts 23:3; 1 Sam 25:28; 2 Sam 12:15; 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Chr 13:20; 2 Macc 9:5.

[12:23]  ³²⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:23]  ³²⁸ sn He was eaten by worms and died. Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.343-352), states that Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44. The account by Josephus, while not identical to Luke’s account, is similar in many respects: On the second day of a festival, Herod Agrippa appeared in the theater with a robe made of silver. When it sparkled in the sun, the people cried out flatteries and declared him to be a god. The king, carried away by the flattery, saw an owl (an omen of death) sitting on a nearby rope, and immediately was struck with severe stomach pains. He was carried off to his house and died five days later. The two accounts can be reconciled without difficulty, since while Luke states that Herod was immediately struck down by an angel, his death could have come several days later. The mention of worms with death adds a humiliating note to the scene. The formerly powerful ruler had been thoroughly reduced to nothing (cf. Jdt 16:17; 2 Macc 9:9; cf. also Josephus, Ant. 17.6.5 [17.168-170], which details the sickness which led to Herod the Great’s death).

[12:24]  ³²⁸ sn A metonymy for the number of adherents to God’s word.

[12:24]  ³²⁹ tn Or “spreading.”

[12:25]  ³³¹ tc There are a number of variants at this point in the text: εἰς (eis, “to”) in א B Ï sa^ms sy^hmg; ἀπό (apo, “from”) in D E Ψ 36 323 453 614 1175 al; ἐξ (ex, “from”) in Ì⁷⁴ A 33 945 1739 al; ἐξ ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν (ex Ierousalhm ei" Antioceian, “from Jerusalem to Antioch”) in {a few later manuscripts and part of the Itala}. A decision on this problem is very difficult, but for several reasons εἰς can be preferred. It is the most difficult reading by far in light of the context, since Paul and Barnabas were going to Jerusalem in 11:30. It is found in better witnesses, א and B being very strong evidence. The other readings, ἐξ and ἀπό, are different from εἰς yet bear essentially the same meaning as each other; this seems to suggest that scribes had problems with εἰς and tried to choose an acceptable revision. If εἰς is the earliest reading, ἀπό may be a clarification of ἐξ, and ἐξ could have arisen through confusion of letters. Or ἐξ and ἀπό could both have independently arisen from εἰς as a more acceptable preposition. Despite such arguments, however, the case for εἰς is not airtight: either ἐξ or ἀπό could be preferred on other lines of reasoning. The reading ἐξ enjoys the earliest support, and εἰς could have arisen through the same confusion of letters mentioned above. The immediate and wider context seems to mitigate against εἰς as the original reading: The aorist participle πληρώσαντες (plhrwsante", “when they had completed”) seems to signal the end of the mission to Jerusalem with the famine relief, so it would make sense in the context for the team to be coming from Jerusalem (to Antioch) rather than to Jerusalem, and 13:1 certainly presents the scene at Antioch. The later addition εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν after ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ in some mss seems to be a clarification in light of 13:1 (notice that some of the mss that read ἐξ add εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν [945 1739], and some that read ἀπό also add εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν [E 323 1175]). Thus, the idea of spatial separation from Jerusalem is strongly implied by the context. This problem is so difficult that some scholars resort to conjectural emendation to determine the original reading. All in all, the reading εἰς should be preferred as original, recognizing that there is a good measure of uncertainty with this solution. For additional discussion, see TCGNT 350-52.

[12:25]  ³³² sn That is, from Jerusalem to Antioch (see Acts 11:29-30).

[12:25]  ³³³ tn Grk “fulfilled.”

[12:25]  ³³⁴ tn Grk “ministry” or “service.”

[12:25]  ³³⁵ tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[13:1]  ³³⁴ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  ³³⁵ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ³³⁶ sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ³³⁷ 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]  ³³⁸ tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  ³³⁹ 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]  ³³⁷ 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]  ³³⁸ tn Or “Appoint.”

[13:3]  ³⁴⁰ 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]  ³⁴¹ 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]  ³⁴² 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.

[13:4]  ³⁴³ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:4]  ³⁴⁴ sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.

[13:4]  ³⁴⁵ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[13:5]  ³⁴⁶ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:5]  ³⁴⁷ tn The participle γενόμενοι (genomenoi) is taken temporally.

[13:5]  ³⁴⁸ sn Salamis was a city on the southeastern coast of the island of Cyprus. This was a commercial center and a center of Judaism.

[13:5]  ³⁴⁹ tn The imperfect verb κατήγγελλον (kathngellon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[13:5]  ³⁵⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:5]  ³⁵¹ sn John refers here to John Mark (see Acts 12:25).

[13:5]  ³⁵² tn The word ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") usually has the meaning “servant,” but it is doubtful John Mark fulfilled that capacity for Barnabas and Saul. He was more likely an apprentice or assistant to them.

[13:6]  ³⁴⁹ tn Or “had passed through,” “had traveled through.”

[13:6]  ³⁵⁰ sn Paphos. A city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. It was the seat of the Roman proconsul.

[13:6]  ³⁵¹ sn Named Bar-Jesus. “Jesus” is the Latin form of the name “Joshua.” The Aramaic “bar” means “son of,” so this man was surnamed “son of Joshua.” The scene depicts the conflict between Judaism and the emerging new faith at a cosmic level, much like the Simon Magus incident in Acts 8:9-24. Paul’s ministry looks like Philip’s and Peter’s here.

[13:7]  ³⁵² sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:7]  ³⁵³ tn Grk “This one”; the referent (the proconsul) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:7]  ³⁵⁴ tn Grk “summoning Barnabas and Saul, wanted to hear.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:7]  ³⁵⁵ sn The proconsul…wanted to hear the word of God. This description of Sergius Paulus portrays him as a sensitive, secular Gentile leader.

[13:8]  ³⁵⁵ tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.

[13:8]  ³⁵⁶ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ³⁵⁷ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:9]  ³⁵⁸ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:9]  ³⁵⁹ sn This qualifying clause in the narrative indicates who represented God in the dispute.

[13:9]  ³⁶⁰ tn Or “gazed intently.”

[13:10]  ³⁶¹ tn Or “unscrupulousness.”

[13:10]  ³⁶² sn “You who…paths of the Lord?” This rebuke is like ones from the OT prophets: Jer 5:27; Gen 32:11; Prov 10:7; Hos 14:9. Five separate remarks indicate the magician’s failings. The closing rhetorical question of v. 10 (“will you not stop…?”) shows how opposed he is to the way of God.

[13:11]  ³⁶⁴ tn Grk “And now.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:11]  ³⁶⁵ tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.

[13:11]  ³⁶⁶ sn The term translated mistiness here appears in the writings of the physician Galen as a medical technical description of a person who is blind. The picture of judgment to darkness is symbolic as well. Whatever power Elymas had, it represented darkness. Magic will again be an issue in Acts 19:18-19. This judgment is like that of Ananias and his wife in Acts 5:1-11.

[13:11]  ³⁶⁷ tn Grk “fell on.”

[13:11]  ³⁶⁸ tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”

[13:12]  ³⁶⁷ sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.

[13:12]  ³⁶⁸ sn He believed. The faith of the proconsul in the face of Jewish opposition is a theme of the rest of Acts. Paul has indeed become “a light to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:47).

[13:12]  ³⁶⁹ tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplhssomeno") is given by L&N 25.219.

[13:12]  ³⁷⁰ tn Grk “of,” but this could give the impression the Lord himself had done the teaching (a subjective genitive) when actually the Lord was the object of the teaching (an objective genitive).

[13:13]  ³⁷⁰ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[13:13]  ³⁷¹ sn Paphos was a city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. See Acts 13:6.

[13:13]  ³⁷² sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor. The journey from Paphos to Perga is about 105 mi (175 km).

[13:13]  ³⁷³ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor.

[13:13]  ³⁷⁴ sn That is, John Mark.

[13:13]  ³⁷⁵ sn Returned to Jerusalem. John Mark had originally accompanied them from Jerusalem (see Acts 12:25). John Mark’s decision to leave became an issue later for Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:36-39).

[13:14]  ³⁷³ tn Or “Passing by.”

[13:14]  ³⁷⁴ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[13:14]  ³⁷⁵ tn Or “at Antioch in Pisidia.”

[13:14]  ³⁷⁶ 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]  ³⁷⁷ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:15]  ³⁷⁶ 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]  ³⁷⁷ 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]  ³⁷⁸ 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]  ³⁷⁹ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:15]  ³⁸⁰ tn Or “word.”

[13:15]  ³⁸¹ tn Or “encouragement.”

[13:15]  ³⁸² tn Or “give it.”

[13:16]  ³⁷⁹ tn This participle, ἀναστάς (anasta"), and the following one, κατασείσας (kataseisa"), are both translated as adverbial participles of attendant circumstance.

[13:16]  ³⁸⁰ tn Or “motioned.”

[13:16]  ³⁸¹ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context involving an address to a synagogue gathering, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Paul’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[13:16]  ³⁸² tn Grk “and those who fear God,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44.

[13:17]  ³⁸² tn Or “people of Israel.”

[13:17]  ³⁸³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[13:17]  ³⁸⁴ tn That is, in both numbers and in power. The implication of greatness in both numbers and in power is found in BDAG 1046 s.v. ὑψόω 2.

[13:17]  ³⁸⁵ tn Or “as resident aliens.”

[13:17]  ³⁸⁶ tn Or “land.”

[13:17]  ³⁸⁷ sn Here uplifted arm is a metaphor for God’s power by which he delivered the Israelites from Egypt. See Exod 6:1, 6; 32:11; Deut 3:24; 4:34; Ps 136:11-12.

[13:18]  ³⁸⁵ tn Grk “And for.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:18]  ³⁸⁶ tn For this verb, see BDAG 1017 s.v. τροποφορέω (cf. also Deut 1:31; Exod 16:35; Num 14:34).

[13:18]  ³⁸⁷ tn Or “desert.”

[13:19]  ³⁸⁸ tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:19]  ³⁸⁹ tn The participle καθελών (kaqelwn) is taken temporally.

[13:19]  ³⁹⁰ sn Seven nations. See Deut 7:1.

[13:19]  ³⁹¹ tn Grk “he gave their land as an inheritance.” The words “his people” are supplied to complete an ellipsis specifying the recipients of the land.

[13:20]  ³⁹¹ tn The words “all this took” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to make a complete statement in English. There is debate over where this period of 450 years fits and what it includes: (1) It could include the years in Egypt, the conquest of Canaan, and the distribution of the land; (2) some connect it with the following period of the judges. This latter approach seems to conflict with 1 Kgs 6:1; see also Josephus, Ant. 8.3.1 (8.61).

[13:20]  ³⁹² tn Grk “And after these things.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:20]  ³⁹³ tn The words “the time of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[13:21]  ³⁹⁴ tn The words “who ruled” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. They have been supplied as a clarification for the English reader. See Josephus, Ant. 6.14.9 (6.378).

[13:22]  ³⁹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:22]  ³⁹⁸ sn The expression raised up refers here to making someone king. There is a wordplay here: “raising up” refers to bringing someone onto the scene of history, but it echoes with the parallel to Jesus’ resurrection.

[13:22]  ³⁹⁹ tn Grk “about whom.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek. The verb εἶπεν (eipen) has not been translated (literally “he said testifying”) because it is redundant when combined with the participle μαρτυρήσας (marturhsa", “testifying”). Instead the construction of verb plus participle has been translated as a single English verb (“testified”).

[13:22]  ⁴⁰⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 89:20.

[13:22]  ⁴⁰¹ sn A quotation from 1 Sam 13:14.

[13:22]  ⁴⁰² tn Or “who will perform all my will,” “who will carry out all my wishes.”

[13:23]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Or “From the offspring”; Grk “From the seed.”

[13:23]  ⁴⁰¹ sn The phrase this man is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

[13:23]  ⁴⁰² tn Grk “according to [his] promise.” The comparative clause “just as he promised” is less awkward in English.

[13:24]  ⁴⁰³ tn Grk “John having already proclaimed before his coming a baptism…,” a genitive absolute construction which is awkward in English. A new sentence was begun in the translation at this point.

[13:24]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the context for clarity, since God is mentioned in the preceding context and John the Baptist in the following clause.

[13:24]  ⁴⁰⁵ sn John refers here to John the Baptist.

[13:24]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Grk “a baptism of repentance”; the genitive has been translated as a genitive of purpose.

[13:25]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Or “task.”

[13:25]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn The verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) has been translated as an iterative imperfect, since John undoubtedly said this or something similar on numerous occasions.

[13:25]  ⁴⁰⁸ tn Literally a relative clause, “of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of his feet.” Because of the awkwardness of this construction in English, a new sentence was begun here.

[13:26]  ⁴⁰⁹ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:26]  ⁴¹⁰ tn Grk “sons”

[13:26]  ⁴¹¹ tn Or “race.”

[13:26]  ⁴¹² tn Grk “and those among you who fear God,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Note how Paul includes God-fearing Gentiles as recipients of this promise.

[13:26]  ⁴¹³ tn Grk “word.”

[13:27]  ⁴¹² tn BDAG 12-13 s.v. ἀγνοέω 1.b gives “not to know w. acc. of pers.” as the meaning here, but “recognize” is a better translation in this context because recognition of the true identity of the one they condemned is the issue. See Acts 2:22-24; 4:26-28.

[13:27]  ⁴¹³ tn Grk “this one.”

[13:27]  ⁴¹⁴ tn Usually φωνή (fwnh) means “voice,” but BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c has “Also of sayings in scripture…Ac 13:27.”

[13:27]  ⁴¹⁵ tn The participle κρίναντες (krinante") is instrumental here.

[13:27]  ⁴¹⁶ tn The word “him” 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.

[13:28]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Grk “And though.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:28]  ⁴¹⁶ tn The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[13:28]  ⁴¹⁷ sn No basis. Luke insists on Jesus’ innocence again and again in Luke 23:1-25.

[13:28]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[13:29]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Or “carried out.”

[13:29]  ⁴¹⁹ sn That is, everything that was written in OT scripture.

[13:29]  ⁴²⁰ tn Grk “taking him down from the cross, they placed him.” The participle καθελόντες (kaqelonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:29]  ⁴²¹ tn Grk “tree,” but frequently figurative for a cross. The allusion is to Deut 21:23. See Acts 5:30; 10:39.

[13:29]  ⁴²² tn The word “him” 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.

[13:30]  ⁴²¹ sn See the note on the phrase “raised up” in v. 22, which is the same Greek verb used here.

[13:31]  ⁴²⁴ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the conjunction “and” and the pronoun “he” at this point to improve the English style.

[13:31]  ⁴²⁵ sn Those who had accompanied him refers to the disciples, who knew Jesus in ministry. Luke is aware of resurrection appearances in Galilee though he did not relate any of them in Luke 24.

[13:31]  ⁴²⁶ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “these” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who for many days appeared” and “who are now his witnesses”) following one another.

[13:32]  ⁴²⁷ tn Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”

[13:33]  ⁴³⁰ tn Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:33]  ⁴³¹ tn Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") is taken as instrumental here.

[13:33]  ⁴³² sn You are my Son. The key to how the quotation is used is the naming of Jesus as “Son” to the Father. The language is that of kingship, as Ps 2 indicates. Here is the promise about what the ultimate Davidic heir would be.

[13:33]  ⁴³³ tn Grk “I have begotten you.” The traditional translation for γεγέννηκα (gegennhka, “begotten”) is misleading to the modern English reader because it is no longer in common use. Today one speaks of “fathering” a child in much the same way speakers of English formerly spoke of “begetting a child.”

[13:34]  ⁴³³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ⁴³⁴ tn Although μηκέτι (mhketi) can mean “no longer” or “no more,” the latter is more appropriate here, since to translate “no longer” in this context could give the reader the impression that Jesus did experience decay before his resurrection. Since the phrase “no more again to be” is somewhat awkward in English, the simpler phrase “never again to be” was used instead.

[13:34]  ⁴³⁵ tn The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (Jupostrefw) is given in L&N 13.24.

[13:34]  ⁴³⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ⁴³⁷ tn The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.

[13:34]  ⁴³⁸ tn Or “the trustworthy decrees made by God to David.” The phrase τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά (ta Josia Dauid ta pista) is “compressed,” that is, in a very compact or condensed form. It could be expanded in several different ways. BDAG 728 s.v. ὅσιος 3 understands it to refer to divine decrees: “I will grant you the sure decrees of God relating to David.” BDAG then states that this quotation from Isa 55:3 is intended to show that the following quotation from Ps 16:10 could not refer to David himself, but must refer to his messianic descendant (Jesus). L&N 33.290 render the phrase “I will give to you the divine promises made to David, promises that can be trusted,” although they also note that τὰ ὅσια in Acts 13:34 can mean “divine decrees” or “decrees made by God.” In contemporary English it is less awkward to translate πιστά as an adjective (“trustworthy”). The concept of “divine decrees,” not very understandable to the modern reader, has been replaced by “promises,” and since God is the implied speaker in the context, it is clear that these promises were made by God.

[13:34]  ⁴³⁹ sn A quotation from Isa 55:3. The point of this citation is to make clear that the promise of a Davidic line and blessings are made to the people as well.

[13:35]  ⁴³⁶ tn Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[13:35]  ⁴³⁷ tn The Greek word translated “Holy One” here (ὅσιόν, {osion) is related to the use of ὅσια (Josia) in v. 34. The link is a wordplay. The Holy One, who does not die, brings the faithful holy blessings of promise to the people.

[13:35]  ⁴³⁸ tn Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[13:35]  ⁴³⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 16:10.

[13:36]  ⁴³⁹ tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (Juphrethsa") is taken temporally.

[13:36]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

[13:36]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).

[13:36]  ⁴⁴² tn Grk “saw,” but the literal translation of the phrase “saw decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “looked at decay,” while here “saw decay” is really figurative for “experienced decay.” This remark explains why David cannot fulfill the promise.

[13:37]  ⁴⁴² sn The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.

[13:37]  ⁴⁴³ tn Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “did not see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “did not look at decay,” while here “did not see decay” is really figurative for “did not experience decay.”

[13:38]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn That is, Jesus. This pronoun is in emphatic position in the Greek text. Following this phrase in the Greek text is the pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”), so that the emphasis for the audience is that “through Jesus to you” these promises have come.

[13:39]  ⁴⁴⁸ sn This one refers here to Jesus.

[13:39]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Or “is freed.” The translation of δικαιωθῆναι (dikaiwqhnai) and δικαιοῦται (dikaioutai) in Acts 13:38-39 is difficult. BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 3 categorizes δικαιωθῆναι in 13:38 (Greek text) under the meaning “make free/pure” but categorizes δικαιοῦται in Acts 13:39 as “be found in the right, be free of charges” (BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 2.b.β). In the interest of consistency both verbs are rendered as “justified” in this translation.

[13:39]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn Or “could not free.”

[13:39]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Grk “from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation, with “by the law of Moses” becoming the subject of the final clause. The words “from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you” are part of v. 38 in the Greek text, but due to English style and word order must be placed in v. 39 in the translation.

[13:40]  ⁴⁵¹ sn The speech closes with a warning, “Watch out,” that also stresses culpability.

[13:40]  ⁴⁵² tn Or “in.”

[13:41]  ⁴⁵⁴ tn Or “and die!”

[13:41]  ⁴⁵⁵ sn A quotation from Hab 1:5. The irony in the phrase even if someone tells you, of course, is that Paul has now told them. So the call in the warning is to believe or else face the peril of being scoffers whom God will judge. The parallel from Habakkuk is that the nation failed to see how Babylon’s rising to power meant perilous judgment for Israel.

[13:42]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn Or “were leaving.” The participle ἐξιόντων (exiontwn) is taken temporally.

[13:42]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:42]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Or “begging,” “inviting.”

[13:42]  ⁴⁶¹ tn Or “matters.”

[13:43]  ⁴⁶⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[13:43]  ⁴⁶¹ tn BDAG 607 s.v. λύω 3 has “λυθείσης τ. συναγωγῆς when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up Ac 13:43.”

[13:43]  ⁴⁶² tn Normally the phrase σεβόμενοι τὸν θεόν (sebomenoi ton qeon) refers to Gentiles (“God-fearers”) who believed in God, attended the synagogue, and followed the Mosaic law to some extent, but stopped short of undergoing circumcision. BDAG 918 s.v. σέβω 1.b lists in this category references in Acts 16:14; 18:7; with σεβόμενοι alone, Acts 13:50; 17:4, 17; the phrase is also found in Josephus, Ant. 14.7.2 (14.110). Unique to this particular verse is the combination σεβόμενοι προσηλύτων (sebomenoi proshlutwn). Later rabbinic discussion suggests that to be regarded as a proper proselyte, a Gentile male had to submit to circumcision. If that is the case here, these Gentiles in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch should be regarded as full proselytes who had converted completely to Judaism and undergone circumcision. It is probably more likely, however, that προσηλύτων is used here in a somewhat looser sense (note the use of σεβομένας [sebomena"] alone to refer to women in Acts 13:50) and that these Gentiles were still in the category commonly called “God-fearers” without being full, technical proselytes to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Regardless, the point is that many Gentiles, as well as Jews, came to faith.

[13:43]  ⁴⁶³ tn This is the meaning given for ἔπειθον (epeiqon) in this verse by BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b.

[13:43]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn Grk “who, as they were speaking with them, were persuading them.”

[13:43]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn The verb προμένειν (promenein) is similar in force to the use of μένω (menw, “to reside/remain”) in the Gospel and Epistles of John.

[13:44]  ⁴⁶³ tc Most mss (B* C E Ψ Ï sy bo) read θεοῦ (qeou, “of God”) here instead of κυρίου (kuriou, “of the Lord”). Other mss, among them some important early witnesses (Ì⁷⁴ א A B² 33 81 323 945 1175 1739 al sa), read κυρίου. The external evidence favors κυρίου, though not decisively. Internally, the mention of “God” in v. 43, and especially “the word of God” in v. 46, would provide some temptation for scribes to assimilate the wording in v. 44 to these texts.

[13:45]  ⁴⁶⁶ sn They were filled with jealousy. Their foolish response to the gospel is noted again (see Acts 5:17). The same verb is used in Acts 7:9; 17:5.

[13:45]  ⁴⁶⁷ tn The imperfect verb ἀντέλεγον (antelegon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect in the logical sequence of events: After they were filled with jealousy, the Jewish opponents began to contradict what Paul said.

[13:45]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn Grk “the things being said by Paul.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:45]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn The participle βλασφημοῦντες (blasfhmounte") has been regarded as indicating the means of the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as a finite verb (“and reviled him”) in keeping with contemporary English style. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 18:6. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). The modern term “slandering” comes close to what was being done to Paul here.

[13:46]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Grk “Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out courageously and said.” The redundancy is removed in the translation and the verb “replied” is used in keeping with the logical sequence of events. The theme of boldness reappears: Acts 4:24-30; 9:27-28.

[13:46]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Grk “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:46]  ⁴⁷¹ tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”

[13:46]  ⁴⁷² tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.

[13:46]  ⁴⁷³ sn This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.

[13:47]  ⁴⁷² tn Here οὕτως (Joutws) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.

[13:47]  ⁴⁷³ tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).

[13:47]  ⁴⁷⁴ sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.

[13:47]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

[13:47]  ⁴⁷⁶ sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)

[13:48]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (ecairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.

[13:48]  ⁴⁷⁶ tn Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by BDAG 258 s.v. δοξάζω as a translation, it would be misleading here, because the meaning is “to honor in the sense of attributing worth to something,” while in contemporary English usage one speaks of “honoring” a contract in the sense of keeping its stipulations. It is not a synonym for “obey” in this context (“obey the word of the Lord”), but that is how many English readers would understand it.

[13:48]  ⁴⁷⁷ sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.

[13:49]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn BDAG 239 s.v. διαφέρω 1 has “spread” for διαφέρετο (diafereto) in connection with a teaching. This is the first summary since Acts 9:31.

[13:50]  ⁴⁸¹ tn For the translation of παρώτρυναν (parwtrunan) as “incited” see BDAG 780 s.v. παροτρύνω.

[13:50]  ⁴⁸² tn BDAG 299 s.v. ἐκβάλλω 1 has “throw out.” Once again, many Jews reacted to the message (Acts 5:17, 33; 6:11; 13:45).

[13:51]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn The participle ἐκτιναξάμενοι (ektinaxamenoi) is taken temporally. It could also be translated as a participle of attendant circumstance (“So they shook…and went”).

[13:51]  ⁴⁸⁵ sn Shaking the dust off their feet was a symbolic gesture commanded by Jesus to his disciples, Matt 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5. It shows a group of people as culpable before God.

[13:51]  ⁴⁸⁶ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 90 mi (145 km) east southeast of Pisidian Antioch. It was the easternmost city of Phrygia.

[13:52]  ⁴⁸⁷ sn The citizens of Pisidian Antioch were not discouraged by the persecution, but instead were filled with joy.

[14:1]  ⁴⁹⁰ sn Iconium. See the note in 13:51.

[14:1]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:1]  ⁴⁹² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[14:1]  ⁴⁹³ tn Or “that a large crowd.”

[14:2]  ⁴⁹³ tn Or “who would not believe.”

[14:2]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn Or “embittered their minds” (Grk “their souls”). BDAG 502 s.v. κακόω 2 has “make angry, embitter τὰς ψυχάς τινων κατά τινος poison the minds of some persons against another Ac 14:2.”

[14:3]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[14:3]  ⁴⁹⁷ sn The Lord testified to the message by granting the signs described in the following clause.

[14:3]  ⁴⁹⁸ tn Grk “word.”

[14:3]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

[14:4]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ has this translation for πλῆθος (plhqo").

[14:4]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn These clauses are a good example of the contrastive μὲν…δέ (men…de) construction: Some “on the one hand” sided with the Jews, but some “on the other hand” sided with the apostles.

[14:5]  ⁵⁰² tn Grk “So there came about an attempt” 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.

[14:5]  ⁵⁰³ tn On this verb see BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑβρίζω.

[14:5]  ⁵⁰⁴ tn The direct object “them” is repeated after both verbs in the translation for stylistic reasons, although it occurs only after λιθοβολῆσαι (liqobolhsai) in the Greek text.

[14:6]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Paul and Barnabas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:6]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Grk “learning about it, fled.” The participle συνιδόντες (sunidonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. It could also be taken temporally (“when they learned about it”) as long as opening clause of v. 5 is not translated as a temporal clause too, which results in a redundancy.

[14:6]  ⁵⁰⁷ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) south of Iconium, a Roman colony that was not on the main roads of Lycaonia. Because of its relative isolation, its local character was able to be preserved.

[14:6]  ⁵⁰⁸ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra.

[14:7]  ⁵⁰⁸ tn Grk “region, and there.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[14:7]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn The periphrastic construction εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ἦσαν (euangelizomenoi hsan) has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

[14:8]  ⁵¹¹ tn Grk “And in.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[14:8]  ⁵¹² sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) south of Iconium.

[14:8]  ⁵¹³ tn Grk “powerless in his feet,” meaning he was unable to use his feet to walk.

[14:8]  ⁵¹⁴ tn Grk “lame from his mother’s womb” (an idiom).

[14:9]  ⁵¹⁴ tn Grk “speaking, who.” The relative pronoun has been replaced by the noun “Paul,” and a new sentence begun in the translation because an English relative clause would be very awkward here.

[14:9]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Or “looked.”

[14:10]  ⁵¹⁷ tn BDAG 722 s.v. ὀρθός 1.a has “stand upright on your feet.”

[14:10]  ⁵¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:10]  ⁵¹⁹ tn This verb is imperfect tense in contrast to the previous verb, which is aorist. It has been translated ingressively, since the start of a sequence is in view here.

[14:11]  ⁵²⁰ tn Grk “they lifted up their voice” (an idiom).

[14:11]  ⁵²¹ tn Grk “in Lycaonian, saying.” The word “language” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[14:11]  ⁵²² tn So BDAG 707 s.v. ὁμοιόω 1. However, L&N 64.4 takes the participle ὁμοιωθέντες (Jomoiwqente") as an adjectival participle modifying θεοί (qeoi): “the gods resembling men have come down to us.”

[14:12]  ⁵²³ tn The imperfect verb ἐκάλουν (ekaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[14:12]  ⁵²⁴ sn Zeus was the chief Greek deity, worshiped throughout the Greco-Roman world (known to the Romans as Jupiter).

[14:12]  ⁵²⁵ sn Hermes was a Greek god who (according to Greek mythology) was the messenger of the gods and the god of oratory (equivalent to the Roman god Mercury).

[14:13]  ⁵²⁶ tn The words “the temple of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. The translation “the priest of (the temple/shrine of) Zeus located before the city” is given for this phrase by BDAG 426 s.v. Ζεύς.

[14:13]  ⁵²⁷ sn See the note on Zeus in the previous verse.

[14:13]  ⁵²⁸ tn Or “oxen.”

[14:13]  ⁵²⁹ tn Or “wreaths.”

[14:13]  ⁵³⁰ tn The words “to them” are not in the Greek text, but are clearly implied by the response of Paul and Barnabas in the following verse.

[14:14]  ⁵²⁹ sn The apostles Barnabas and Paul. This is one of only two places where Luke calls Paul an apostle, and the description here is shared with Barnabas. This is a nontechnical use here, referring to a commissioned messenger.

[14:14]  ⁵³⁰ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is taken temporally.

[14:14]  ⁵³¹ tn Grk “tearing their clothes they rushed out.” The participle διαρρήξαντες (diarrhxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This action is a Jewish response to blasphemy (m. Sanhedrin 7.5; Jdt 14:16-17).

[14:14]  ⁵³² tn So BDAG 307 s.v. ἐκπηδάω 1, “rush (lit. ‘leap’) out…εἰς τὸν ὄχλον into the crowd Ac 14:14.”

[14:14]  ⁵³³ tn Grk “shouting and saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes, in v. 15) has not been translated because it is redundant.

[14:15]  ⁵³² tn Grk “with the same kinds of feelings,” L&N 25.32. BDAG 706 s.v. ὁμοιοπαθής translates the phrase “with the same nature τινί as someone.” In the immediate context, the contrast is between human and divine nature, and the point is that Paul and Barnabas are mere mortals, not gods.

[14:15]  ⁵³³ tn Grk “in order that you should turn,” with ἐπιστρέφειν (epistrefein) as an infinitive of purpose, but this is somewhat awkward contemporary English. To translate the infinitive construction “proclaim the good news, that you should turn,” which is much smoother English, could give the impression that the infinitive clause is actually the content of the good news, which it is not. The somewhat less formal “to get you to turn” would work, but might convey to some readers manipulativeness on the part of the apostles. Thus “proclaim the good news, so that you should turn,” is used, to convey that the purpose of the proclamation of good news is the response by the hearers. The emphasis here is like 1 Thess 1:9-10.

[14:15]  ⁵³⁴ tn Or “useless,” “futile.” The reference is to idols and idolatry, worshiping the creation over the Creator (Rom 1:18-32). See also 1 Kgs 16:2, 13, 26; 2 Kgs 17:15; Jer 2:5; 8:19; 3 Macc 6:11.

[14:15]  ⁵³⁵ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[14:16]  ⁵³⁵ tn Grk “them, who in.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the pronoun “he” (“In past generations he”) and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who made the heaven” and “who in past generations”) following one another.

[14:16]  ⁵³⁶ tn On this term see BDAG 780 s.v. παροίχομαι. The word is a NT hapax legomenon.

[14:16]  ⁵³⁷ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same). The plural here alludes to the variety of false religions in the pagan world.

[14:17]  ⁵³⁸ tn The participle ἀγαθουργῶν (agaqourgwn) is regarded as indicating means here, parallel to the following participles διδούς (didou") and ἐμπιπλῶν (empiplwn). This is the easiest way to understand the Greek structure. Semantically, the first participle is a general statement, followed by two participles giving specific examples of doing good.

[14:17]  ⁵³⁹ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[14:17]  ⁵⁴⁰ tn Grk “satisfying [filling] your hearts with food and joy.” This is an idiomatic expression; it strikes the English reader as strange to speak of “filling one’s heart with food.” Thus the additional direct object “you” has been supplied, separating the two expressions somewhat: “satisfying you with food and your hearts with joy.”

[14:17]  ⁵⁴¹ sn God’s general sovereignty and gracious care in the creation are the way Paul introduces the theme of the goodness of God. He was trying to establish monotheism here. It is an OT theme (Gen 8:22; Ps 4:7; 145:15-16; 147:8-9; Isa 25:6; Jer 5:24) which also appears in the NT (Luke 12:22-34).

[14:18]  ⁵⁴¹ tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is regarded as indicating means.

[14:18]  ⁵⁴² tn BDAG 524 s.v. καταπαύω 2.b gives both “restrain” and “dissuade someone fr. someth.,” but “they scarcely dissuaded the crowds from offering sacrifice,” while accurate, is less common in contemporary English than saying “they scarcely persuaded the crowds not to offer sacrifice.” Paganism is portrayed as a powerful reality that is hard to reverse.

[14:19]  ⁵⁴⁴ sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.

[14:19]  ⁵⁴⁵ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) north of Lystra. Note how Jews from other cities were chasing Paul (2 Cor 11:4-6; Gal 2:4-5; Acts 9:16).

[14:19]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn The participle πείσαντες (peisante") is taken temporally (BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.c).

[14:19]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn Grk “stoning Paul they dragged him.” The participle λιθάσαντες (liqasante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[14:20]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn Grk “and entered”; the word “back” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[14:20]  ⁵⁴⁸ tn Grk “And on.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[14:20]  ⁵⁴⁹ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. This was the easternmost point of the journey.

[14:21]  ⁵⁵⁰ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) northwest of Derbe.

[14:21]  ⁵⁵¹ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 18 mi (30 km) north of Lystra.

[14:21]  ⁵⁵² sn Antioch was a city in Pisidia about 90 mi (145 km) west northwest of Lystra.

[14:22]  ⁵⁵³ tn Grk “to Antioch, strengthening.” Due to the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here. This participle (ἐπιστηρίζοντες, episthrizonte") and the following one (παρακαλοῦντες, parakalounte") have been translated as finite verbs connected by the coordinating conjunction “and.”

[14:22]  ⁵⁵⁴ sn And encouraged them to continue. The exhortations are like those noted in Acts 11:23; 13:43. An example of such a speech is found in Acts 20:18-35. Christianity is now characterized as “the faith.”

[14:22]  ⁵⁵⁵ sn This reference to the kingdom of God clearly refers to its future arrival.

[14:22]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn Or “sufferings.”

[14:23]  ⁵⁵⁶ sn Appointed elders. See Acts 20:17.

[14:23]  ⁵⁵⁷ tn The preposition κατά (kata) is used here in a distributive sense; see BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d.

[14:23]  ⁵⁵⁸ tn Literally with a finite verb (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi) rather than a noun, “praying with fasting,” but the combination “prayer and fasting” is so familiar in English that it is preferable to use it here.

[14:23]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 3.b has “entrust someone to the care or protection of someone” for this phrase. The reference to persecution or suffering in the context (v. 22) suggests “protection” is a better translation here. This looks at God’s ultimate care for the church.

[14:24]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn Grk “Then passing through Pisidia they came.” The participle διελθόντες (dielqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[14:24]  ⁵⁶⁰ sn Pamphylia was a province along the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[14:25]  ⁵⁶² tn Or “message.”

[14:25]  ⁵⁶³ sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor.

[14:25]  ⁵⁶⁴ sn Attalia was a seaport in the province of Pamphylia on the southern coast of Asia Minor, about 12 mi (20 km) southwest of Perga.

[14:26]  ⁵⁶⁵ sn Antioch was the city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia) from which Paul’s first missionary journey began (see Acts 13:1-4). That first missionary journey ends here, after covering some 1,400 mi (2,240 km).

[14:26]  ⁵⁶⁶ tn Or “committed.” BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 2 gives “commended to the grace of God for the work 14:26” as the meaning for this phrase, although “give over” and “commit” are listed as alternative meanings for this category.

[14:26]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn BDAG 829 s.v. πληρόω 5 has “to bring to completion an activity in which one has been involved from its beginning, complete, finish” as meanings for this category. The ministry to which they were commissioned ends with a note of success.

[14:27]  ⁵⁶⁸ tn Or “announced.”

[14:27]  ⁵⁶⁹ sn Note that God is the subject of the activity. The outcome of this mission is seen as a confirmation of the mission to the Gentiles.

[14:27]  ⁵⁷⁰ sn On the image of opening, or of the door, see 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3.

[14:28]  ⁵⁷¹ tn BDAG 238 s.v. διατρίβω gives the meaning as “spend” when followed by an accusative τὸν χρόνον (ton cronon) which is the case here.

[14:28]  ⁵⁷² tn Grk “no little (time)” (an idiom).

[15:1]  ⁵⁷⁴ sn That is, they came down from Judea to Antioch in Syria.

[15:1]  ⁵⁷⁵ tc Codex Bezae (D) and a few other witnesses have “and walk” here (i.e., instead of τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως [tw eqei tw Mwu>sew"] they read καὶ τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως περιπατῆτε [kai tw eqei tw Mwu>sew" peripathte]). This is a decidedly stronger focus on obedience to the Law. As well, D expands vv. 1-5 in various places with the overall effect of being “more sympathetic to the local tradition of the church at Jerusalem” while the Alexandrian witnesses are more sympathetic to Paul (TCGNT 377). Codex D is well known for having a significantly longer text in Acts, but modern scholarship is generally of the opinion that the text of D expands on the original wording of Acts, with a theological viewpoint that especially puts Peter in a more authoritarian light. The expansion in these five verses is in keeping with that motif even though Peter is not explicitly in view.

[15:2]  ⁵⁷⁷ tn Grk “no little argument and debate” (an idiom).

[15:2]  ⁵⁷⁸ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the church, or the rest of the believers at Antioch) has been specified to avoid confusion with the Judaizers mentioned in the preceding clause.

[15:2]  ⁵⁷⁹ tn Grk “go up to,” but in this context a meeting is implied.

[15:2]  ⁵⁸⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[15:2]  ⁵⁸¹ tn Or “point of controversy.” It is unclear whether this event parallels Gal 2:1-10 or that Gal 2 fits with Acts 11:30. More than likely Gal 2:1-10 is to be related to Acts 11:30.

[15:3]  ⁵⁸⁰ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ⁵⁸¹ tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.

[15:3]  ⁵⁸² tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

[15:4]  ⁵⁸³ tn BDAG 761 s.v. παραδέχομαι 2 has “receive, accept” for the meaning here.

[15:4]  ⁵⁸⁴ tn Or “announced.”

[15:4]  ⁵⁸⁵ tn “They reported all the things God had done with them” – an identical phrase occurs in Acts 14:27. God is always the agent.

[15:5]  ⁵⁸⁶ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[15:5]  ⁵⁸⁷ sn The Greek word used here (δεῖ, dei) is a strong term that expresses divine necessity. The claim is that God commanded the circumcision of Gentiles.

[15:5]  ⁵⁸⁸ tn Grk “them”; the referent (the Gentiles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:5]  ⁵⁸⁹ tn Or “keep.”

[15:6]  ⁵⁸⁹ tn The translation for ἰδεῖν (idein) in this verse is given by BDAG 279-80 s.v. εἶδον 3 as “deliberate concerning this matter.” A contemporary idiom would be to “look into” a matter.

[15:7]  ⁵⁹² tn Or “discussion.” This term is repeated from v. 2.

[15:7]  ⁵⁹³ tn Or “long ago” (an idiom, literally “from ancient days”). According to L&N 67.26, “this reference to Peter having been chosen by God sometime before to bring the gospel to the Gentiles can hardly be regarded as a reference to ancient times, though some persons understand this to mean that God’s decision was made at the beginning of time. The usage of ἀφ᾿ ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων is probably designed to emphasize the established nature of God’s decision for Peter to take the gospel to the Gentiles beginning with the centurion Cornelius. The fact that this was relatively early in the development of the church may also serve to explain the use of the idiom.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁹⁴ sn God chose. The theme of God’s sovereign choice is an important point, because 1st century Jews believed Israel’s unique position and customs were a reflection of God’s choice.

[15:7]  ⁵⁹⁵ tn Or “word.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁹⁶ tn Or “of the good news.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Grk “God chose among you from my mouth the Gentiles to hear the message of the gospel and to believe.” The sense of this sentence in Greek is difficult to render in English. The Greek verb ἐκλέγομαι (eklegomai, “choose”) normally takes a person or thing as a direct object; in this verse the verb has neither clearly stated. The translation understands the phrase “from my mouth,” referring to Peter, as a description of both who God chose and the task to be done. This coupled with the following statement about Gentiles hearing the message of the gospel leads to the more dynamic rendering in the translation.

[15:8]  ⁵⁹⁵ sn The expression who knows the heart means “who knows what people think.”

[15:8]  ⁵⁹⁶ tn Or “has borne witness.”

[15:8]  ⁵⁹⁷ sn By giving them…just as he did to us. The allusion is to the events of Acts 10-11, esp. 10:44-48 and Peter’s remarks in 11:15-18.

[15:9]  ⁵⁹⁸ tn BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “to conclude that there is a difference, make a distinction, differentiate.”

[15:9]  ⁵⁹⁹ tn Or “purifying.”

[15:10]  ⁶⁰¹ tn According to BDAG 793 s.v. πειράζω 2.c, “In Ac 15:10 the πειράζειν τὸν θεόν consists in the fact that after God’s will has been clearly made known through granting of the Spirit to the Gentiles (v. 8), some doubt and make trial to see whether God’s will really becomes operative.” All testing of God in Luke is negative: Luke 4:2; 11:16.

[15:10]  ⁶⁰² sn A yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals like oxen or horses so that they can pull a wagon, plow, etc. together. Here it is used figuratively of the restriction that some in the early church wanted to place on Gentile converts to Christianity of observing the law of Moses and having males circumcised. The yoke is a decidedly negative image: Matt 23:4, but cf. Matt 11:29-30.

[15:10]  ⁶⁰³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[15:11]  ⁶⁰⁴ tn Or “by.”

[15:11]  ⁶⁰⁵ tn Or “Jesus, just as they are.” BDAG 1016-17 s.v. τρόπος 1 translates καθ᾿ ὃν τρόπον (kaq’ Jon tropon) here as “in the same way as.”

[15:12]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.a lists this passage under the meaning “say nothing, keep still, keep silent.”

[15:12]  ⁶⁰⁸ tn Here in connection with τέρατα (terata) the miraculous nature of these signs is indicated.

[15:13]  ⁶¹⁰ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.b lists this passage under the meaning “stop speaking, become silent.”

[15:13]  ⁶¹¹ tn Grk “answered, saying”; the redundant participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated.

[15:14]  ⁶¹³ sn Simeon is a form of the apostle Peter’s Aramaic name. James uses Peter’s “Jewish” name here.

[15:14]  ⁶¹⁴ tn Or “reported,” “described.”

[15:14]  ⁶¹⁵ tn BDAG 378 s.v. ἐπισκέπτομαι 3 translates this phrase in Acts 15:14, “God concerned himself about winning a people fr. among the nations.”

[15:14]  ⁶¹⁶ tn Grk “to take,” but in the sense of selecting or choosing (accompanied by the preposition ἐκ [ek] plus a genitive specifying the group selected from) see Heb 5:1; also BDAG 584 s.v. λαμβάνω 6.

[15:14]  ⁶¹⁷ sn In the Greek text the expression “from among the Gentiles” is in emphatic position.

[15:15]  ⁶¹⁶ tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[15:15]  ⁶¹⁷ sn The term agree means “match” or “harmonize with.” James’ point in the introduction argues that many of the OT prophets taught this. He gives one example (which follows).

[15:16]  ⁶¹⁹ tn Grk “After these things.”

[15:16]  ⁶²⁰ sn The first person pronoun I refers to God and his activity. It is God who is doing this.

[15:16]  ⁶²¹ tn Or more generally, “dwelling”; perhaps, “royal tent.” According to BDAG 928 s.v. σκηνή the word can mean “tent” or “hut,” or more generally “lodging” or “dwelling.” In this verse (a quotation from Amos 9:11) BDAG refers this to David’s ruined kingdom; it is possibly an allusion to a king’s tent (a royal tent). God is at work to reestablish David’s line (Acts 2:30-36; 13:32-39).

[15:16]  ⁶²² tn BDAG 86 s.v. ἀνορθόω places this verb under the meaning “to build someth. up again after it has fallen, rebuild, restore,” but since ἀνοικοδομέω (anoikodomew, “rebuild”) has occurred twice in this verse already, “restore” is used here.

[15:17]  ⁶²² tn Or “so that all other people.” The use of this term follows Amos 9:11 LXX.

[15:17]  ⁶²³ tn Here καί (kai) introduces an explanatory clause that explains the preceding phrase “the rest of humanity.” The clause introduced by καί (kai) could also be punctuated in English as a parenthesis.

[15:17]  ⁶²⁴ tn Or “all the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:17]  ⁶²⁵ tn Grk “all the Gentiles on whom my name has been called.” Based on well-attested OT usage, the passive of ἐπικαλέω (epikalew) here indicates God’s ownership (“all the Gentiles who belong to me”) or calling (“all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own”). See L&N 11.28.

[15:17]  ⁶²⁶ sn A quotation from Amos 9:11-12 LXX. James demonstrated a high degree of cultural sensitivity when he cited a version of the text (the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that Gentiles would use.

[15:18]  ⁶²⁵ sn Who makes these things known. The remark emphasizes how God’s design of these things reaches back to the time he declared them.

[15:18]  ⁶²⁶ sn An allusion to Isa 45:21.

[15:19]  ⁶²⁸ tn Or “I have decided,” “I think.” The verb κρίνω (krinw) has a far broader range of meaning than the often-used English verb “judge.” BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 3 places this use in Acts 15:19 in the category “judge, think, consider, look upon” followed by double accusative of object and predicate. However, many modern translations give the impression that a binding decision is being handed down by James: “it is my judgment” (NASB, NIV); “I have reached the decision” (NRSV). L&N 22.25, on the other hand, translate the phrase here “I think that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles.” This gives more the impression of an opinion than a binding decision. The resolution of this lies not so much in the lexical data as in how one conceives James’ role in the leadership of the Jerusalem church, plus the dynamics of the specific situation where the issue of Gentile inclusion in the church was being discussed. The major possibilities are: (1) James is handing down a binding decision to the rest of the church as the one who has ultimate authority to decide this matter; (2) James is offering his own personal opinion in the matter, which is not binding on the church; (3) James is voicing a consensus opinion of all the apostles and elders, although phrasing it as if it were his own; (4) James is making a suggestion to the rest of the leadership as to what course they should follow. In light of the difficulty in reconstructing the historical situation in detail, it is best to use a translation which maintains as many of the various options as possible. For this reason the translation “Therefore I conclude” has been used, leaving open the question whether in reaching this conclusion James is speaking only for himself or for the rest of the leadership.

[15:19]  ⁶²⁹ tn Or “trouble.” This term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 775 s.v. παρενοχλέω).

[15:19]  ⁶³⁰ tn Or “among the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:20]  ⁶³¹ tn The translation “to write a letter, to send a letter to” for ἐπιστέλλω (epistellw) is given in L&N 33.49.

[15:20]  ⁶³² tn Three of the four prohibitions deal with food (the first, third and fourth) while one prohibition deals with behavior (the second, refraining from sexual immorality). Since these occur in the order they do, the translation “abstain from” is used to cover both sorts of activity (eating food items, immoral behavior).

[15:20]  ⁶³³ tn Or “polluted.”

[15:20]  ⁶³⁴ sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14), Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the following provision in Acts 15:20, and from blood).

[15:21]  ⁶³⁴ tn Grk “from generations of old”; the translation “fr. ancient times” is given by BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 3.b.

[15:21]  ⁶³⁵ tn The translation “read aloud” is used to indicate the actual practice; translating as “read” could be misunderstood to mean private, silent reading.

[15:21]  ⁶³⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[15:22]  ⁶³⁷ 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]  ⁶³⁸ sn Silas. See 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1 (= Silvanus).

[15:22]  ⁶³⁹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ⁶⁴⁰ tn Grk “writing by their hand” (an idiom for sending a letter).

[15:23]  ⁶⁴¹ tn Grk “The apostles.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[15:23]  ⁶⁴² tn Grk “brothers,” but “your” is supplied to specify the relationship, since without it “brothers” could be understood as vocative in English.

[15:23]  ⁶⁴³ tn Grk “to the brothers who are from the Gentiles.”

[15:23]  ⁶⁴⁴ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn Grk “and Syria,” 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.

[15:24]  ⁶⁴³ tn Here BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2 states, “Of mental confusion caused by false teachings ταρ. τινά Ac 15:24 (w. λόγοις foll.).”

[15:24]  ⁶⁴⁴ tn BDAG 71 s.v. ἀνασκευάζω describes this verb with a figurative meaning: “to cause inward distress, upset, unsettle.”

[15:24]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn Grk “souls.”

[15:24]  ⁶⁴⁶ tn Grk “by words”; L&N 25.231 translates the phrase “they troubled and upset you by what they said.”

[15:25]  ⁶⁴⁶ tn Grk “having become of one mind, we have decided.” This has been translated “we have unanimously decided” to reduce the awkwardness in English.

[15:25]  ⁶⁴⁷ tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists this verse under the meaning “it seems best to me, I decide, I resolve.”

[15:26]  ⁶⁴⁹ tn Grk “men who”; but this can be misleading because in English the referent could be understood to be the men sent along with Barnabas and Paul rather than Barnabas and Paul themselves. This option does not exist in the Greek original, however, since ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") is dative and must agree with “Barnabas and Paul,” while ἄνδρας (andra") is accusative. By omitting the word “men” from the translation here, it is clear in English that the phrase refers to the immediately preceding nouns “Barnabas and Paul.”

[15:26]  ⁶⁵⁰ tn Grk “who have risked their souls”; the equivalent English idiom is “risk one’s life.” The descriptions commend Barnabas and Paul as thoroughly trustworthy.

[15:26]  ⁶⁵¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[15:27]  ⁶⁵² tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

[15:27]  ⁶⁵³ sn Judas and Silas were the “two witnesses” who would vouch for the truth of the recommendation.

[15:27]  ⁶⁵⁴ tn Grk “by means of word” (an idiom for a verbal report).

[15:28]  ⁶⁵⁵ tn This is the same expression translated “decided” in Acts 15:22, 25. BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists “decide” as a possible gloss for this verse, and this translation would be consistent with the translation of the same expression in Acts 15:22, 25. However, the unusually awkward “the Holy Spirit and we have decided” would result. Given this approach, it would be more natural in English to say “We and the Holy Spirit have decided,” but changing the order removes the emphasis the Greek text gives to the Holy Spirit. Thus, although the similarity to the phrases in 15:22, 25 is obscured, it is better to use the alternate translation “it seems best to me” (also given by BDAG): “it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us.” Again the scope of agreement is highlighted.

[15:28]  ⁶⁵⁶ tn L&N 71.39 translates “indispensable (rules)” while BDAG 358 s.v. ἐπάναγκες has “the necessary things.”

[15:29]  ⁶⁵⁸ tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.

[15:29]  ⁶⁵⁹ tc Codex Bezae (D) and a few other witnesses lack the restriction “and from what has been strangled” (καὶ πνικτῶν, kai pniktwn), though the words are supported by a wide variety of early and important witnesses otherwise and should be considered authentic.

[15:29]  ⁶⁶⁰ tc Codex Bezae (D) as well as 323 614 945 1739 1891 sa and other witnesses have after “sexual immorality” the following statement: “And whatever you do not want to happen to yourselves, do not do to another/others.” By adding this negative form of the Golden Rule, these witnesses effectively change the Apostolic Decree from what might be regarded as ceremonial restrictions into more ethical demands. The issues here are quite complicated, and beyond the scope of this brief note. Suffice it to say that D and its allies here are almost surely an expansion and alteration of the original text of Acts. For an excellent discussion of the exegetical and textual issues, see TCGNT 379-83.

[15:29]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Grk “from which things keeping yourselves.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (ὧν, |wn) has been replaced by a pronoun (“these things”) and a new English sentence begun. The participle διατηροῦντες (diathrounte") has been translated as a conditional adverbial participle (“if you keep yourselves”). See further L&N 13.153.

[15:29]  ⁶⁶² tn The phrase ἔρρωσθε (errwsqe) may be understood as a stock device indicating a letter is complete (“good-bye,” L&N 33.24) or as a sincere wish that the persons involved may fare well (“may you fare well,” L&N 23.133).

[15:30]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Or “sent away.”

[15:30]  ⁶⁶² sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:30]  ⁶⁶³ tn Or “congregation” (referring to the group of believers).

[15:31]  ⁶⁶⁴ tn Grk “read it.” The translation “read aloud” is used to indicate the actual practice of public reading; translating as “read” could be misunderstood to mean private, silent, or individual reading.

[15:31]  ⁶⁶⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:31]  ⁶⁶⁶ tn Or “at its encouraging message.”

[15:32]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn Here λόγου (logou) is singular. BDAG 599-600 s.v. λόγος 1.a.β has “in a long speech” for this phrase.

[15:33]  ⁶⁷⁰ tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[15:33]  ⁶⁷¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[15:34]  ⁶⁷³ tc A few mss add 15:34 “But Silas decided to stay there.” Verse 34 is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B E Ψ Ï bo. It is included in a shorter form, with a few minor variations, by (C) 33 36 323 453 614 (945) 1175 1739 1891 al sa, and in a longer form (“But Silas decided to stay with them, and only Judas departed”) by D l. The verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, but was added to harmonize with the statement about Silas in v. 40. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[15:35]  ⁶⁷⁶ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:35]  ⁶⁷⁷ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[15:35]  ⁶⁷⁸ 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]  ⁶⁷⁹ 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]  ⁶⁸⁰ tn See the note on the phrase “word of the Lord” in v. 35.

[15:36]  ⁶⁸¹ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.b has “how they are” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ⁶⁸² tn BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 2.a has “he insisted (impf.) that they should not take him along” for this phrase.

[15:38]  ⁶⁸³ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor. See Acts 13:13, where it was mentioned previously.

[15:39]  ⁶⁸⁵ 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]  ⁶⁸⁶ tn BDAG 780 s.v. παροξυσμός 2 has “sharp disagreement” here; L&N 33.451 has “sharp argument, sharp difference of opinion.”

[15:39]  ⁶⁸⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸⁸ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[15:40]  ⁶⁸⁸ tn Or “committed.” BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 2 gives “be commended by someone to the grace of the Lord” as the meaning for this phrase, although “give over” and “commit” are listed as alternatives for this category.

[15:40]  ⁶⁸⁹ tn Grk “by the brothers.” Here it it is highly probable that the entire congregation is in view, not just men, so the translation “brothers and sisters” has been used for the plural ἀδελφῶν (adelfwn),.

[15:41]  ⁶⁹¹ sn Strengthening. See Acts 14:22; 15:32; 18:23.

[16:1]  ⁶⁹⁴ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. It was about 90 mi (145 km) from Tarsus.

[16:1]  ⁶⁹⁵ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:1]  ⁶⁹⁶ tn Grk “And behold, a disciple.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[16:1]  ⁶⁹⁷ tn L&N 31.103 translates this phrase “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer.”

[16:1]  ⁶⁹⁸ sn His father was a Greek. Timothy was the offspring of a mixed marriage between a Jewish woman (see 2 Tim 1:5) and a Gentile man. On mixed marriages in Judaism, see Neh 13:23-27; Ezra 9:1-10:44; Mal 2:10-16; Jub. 30:7-17; m. Qiddushin 3.12; m. Yevamot 7.5.

[16:2]  ⁶⁹⁷ sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

[16:2]  ⁶⁹⁸ sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 110 mi (175 km) east of Pisidian Antioch.

[16:2]  ⁶⁹⁹ tn For this sense of μαρτυρέω (marturew), see BDAG 618 s.v. 2.b.

[16:2]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn Grk “who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who was a believer…who was well spoken of”) and the awkwardness of the passive verb (“was well spoken of”), the relative pronoun at the beginning of 16:2 (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“him”) and the construction converted from passive to active at the same time a new sentence was started in the translation.

[16:3]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn Grk “this one”; the referent (Timothy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:3]  ⁷⁰¹ tn Grk “and taking him he circumcised him.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Paul’s cultural sensitivity showed in his action here. He did not want Timothy’s lack of circumcision to become an issue (1 Cor 9:15-23).

[16:3]  ⁷⁰² tn The verb περιέτεμεν (perietemen) here may be understood as causative (cf. ExSyn 411-12) if Paul did not personally perform the circumcision.

[16:3]  ⁷⁰³ tn Or “who lived in the area.”

[16:3]  ⁷⁰⁴ tn The anarthrous predicate nominative has been translated as qualitative (“Greek”) rather than indefinite (“a Greek”).

[16:4]  ⁷⁰³ tn Or “cities.”

[16:4]  ⁷⁰⁴ tn BDAG 762-63 s.v. παραδίδωμι 3 has “they handed down to them the decisions to observe Ac 16:4.”

[16:4]  ⁷⁰⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[16:4]  ⁷⁰⁶ tn Grk “for them”; the referent (Gentile believers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:4]  ⁷⁰⁷ tn Or “observe” or “follow.”

[16:5]  ⁷⁰⁶ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[16:6]  ⁷⁰⁹ sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia.

[16:6]  ⁷¹⁰ sn Galatia refers to either (1) the region of the old kingdom of Galatia in the central part of Asia Minor (North Galatia), or (2) the Roman province of Galatia, whose principal cities in the 1st century were Ancyra and Pisidian Antioch (South Galatia). The exact extent and meaning of this area has been a subject of considerable controversy in modern NT studies.

[16:6]  ⁷¹¹ tn Or “forbidden.”

[16:6]  ⁷¹² tn Or “word.”

[16:6]  ⁷¹³ 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.

[16:7]  ⁷¹² tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.b has “to Mysia” here.

[16:7]  ⁷¹³ sn Mysia was a province in northwest Asia Minor.

[16:7]  ⁷¹⁴ sn Bithynia was a province in northern Asia Minor northeast of Mysia.

[16:7]  ⁷¹⁵ tn Or “permit”; see BDAG 269 s.v. ἐάω 1.

[16:7]  ⁷¹⁶ tn The words “do this” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons, since English handles ellipses differently than Greek.

[16:8]  ⁷¹⁵ tn Although the normal meaning for παρέρχομαι (parercomai) is “pass by, go by,” it would be difficult to get to Troas from where Paul and his companions were without going through rather than around Mysia. BDAG 776 s.v. παρέρχομαι 6 list some nonbiblical examples of the meaning “go through, pass through,” and give that meaning for the usage here.

[16:8]  ⁷¹⁶ sn Mysia was a province in northwest Asia Minor.

[16:8]  ⁷¹⁷ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor, near ancient Troy.

[16:9]  ⁷¹⁸ tn Grk “And a.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[16:9]  ⁷¹⁹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:9]  ⁷²⁰ tn The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.

[16:9]  ⁷²¹ tn Grk “Coming over.” The participle διαβάς (diabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:9]  ⁷²² sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:10]  ⁷²¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:10]  ⁷²² tn Grk “sought.”

[16:10]  ⁷²³ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:10]  ⁷²⁴ tn Or “summoned.”

[16:11]  ⁷²⁴ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[16:11]  ⁷²⁵ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. See v. 8.

[16:11]  ⁷²⁶ tn BDAG 406 s.v. εὐθυδρομέω has “of a ship run a straight course” here; L&N 54.3 has “to sail a straight course, sail straight to.”

[16:11]  ⁷²⁷ sn Samothrace is an island in the northern part of the Aegean Sea.

[16:11]  ⁷²⁸ sn Neapolis was a seaport on the southern coast of Macedonia. It was 10 mi (16 km) from Philippi.

[16:12]  ⁷²⁷ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[16:12]  ⁷²⁸ tc ‡ Or perhaps, “a city in the first district” (there are a number of textual variants). L&N 1.85 follow the text of UBS⁴ and NA²⁷ here: “In Ac 16:12…the Greek New Testament published by the United Bible Societies has adopted a conjectural emendation, since the more traditional text, πρώτη τῆς μερίδος, literally ‘first of the district,’ is not only misleading in meaning but does not reflect the historical fact that Philippi was a city in one of the four districts of Macedonia but was not a capital city.” The original text is probably πρώτη τῆς μερίδος (prwth th" merido", “first of that district”) as found in Ì⁷⁴ א A C Ψ 33^vid 36 81 323 945 1175 1891 pc. This has traditionally been translated to give the impression that Philippi was the capital city of the district, but it does not necessarily have to be translated this way. The translation of the article before μερίδος as “that” acknowledges that there were other districts in the province of Macedonia.

[16:12]  ⁷²⁹ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[16:12]  ⁷³⁰ sn A Roman colony was a city whose residents were regarded as Roman citizens, since such cities were originally colonized by citizens of Rome. From Troas to Philippi was 130 mi (208 km).

[16:13]  ⁷³⁰ tn Grk “and sitting down we began to speak.” The participle καθίσαντες (kaqisante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:13]  ⁷³¹ tn The imperfect verb ἐλαλοῦμεν (elaloumen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[16:13]  ⁷³² sn To the women. Apparently there were not enough Jews present in Philippi to have a synagogue (ten men would have been required to have one).

[16:13]  ⁷³³ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[16:14]  ⁷³³ tn Grk “And a.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[16:14]  ⁷³⁴ tn On the term translated “a dealer in purple cloth” see BDAG 855 s.v. πορφυρόπωλις.

[16:14]  ⁷³⁵ sn Thyatira was a city in the province of Lydia in Asia Minor.

[16:14]  ⁷³⁶ tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[16:14]  ⁷³⁷ tn Although BDAG 880 s.v. προσέχω 2.b gives the meaning “pay attention to” here, this could be misunderstood by the modern English reader to mean merely listening intently. The following context, however, indicates that Lydia responded positively to Paul’s message, so the verb here was translated “to respond.”

[16:15]  ⁷³⁶ tn Grk “urged us, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[16:15]  ⁷³⁷ tn This is a first class condition in Greek, with the statement presented as real or true for the sake of the argument.

[16:15]  ⁷³⁸ tn Or “faithful to the Lord.” BDAG 821 s.v. πίστος 2 states concerning this verse, “Of one who confesses the Christian faith believing or a believer in the Lord, in Christ, in God πιστ. τῷ κυρίῳ Ac 16:15.” L&N 11.17 has “one who is included among the faithful followers of Christ – ‘believer, Christian, follower.’”

[16:15]  ⁷³⁹ tn Although BDAG 759 s.v. παραβιάζομαι has “urge strongly, prevail upon,” in contemporary English “persuade” is a more frequently used synonym for “prevail upon.”

[16:16]  ⁷³⁹ tn Grk “Now it happened that.” 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.

[16:16]  ⁷⁴⁰ tn Or “who had a spirit of divination”; Grk “who had a spirit of Python.” According to BDAG 896-97 s.v. πύθων, originally Πύθων (Puqwn) was the name of the serpent or dragon that guarded the Delphic oracle. According to Greek mythology, it lived at the foot of Mount Parnassus and was killed by Apollo. From this, the word came to designate a person who was thought to have a spirit of divination. Pagan generals, for example, might consult someone like this. So her presence here suggests a supernatural encounter involving Paul and her “spirit.” W. Foerster, TDNT 6:920, connects the term with ventriloquism but states: “We must assume, however, that for this girl, as for those mentioned by Origen…, the art of ventriloquism was inseparably connected with a (supposed or authentic) gift of soothsaying.” It should also be noted that if the girl in question here were only a ventriloquist, the exorcism performed by Paul in v. 18 would not have been effective.

[16:16]  ⁷⁴¹ tn Grk “who.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who had a spirit…who brought her owners a great profit”) the relative pronoun here (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“she”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[16:16]  ⁷⁴² tn Or “masters.”

[16:16]  ⁷⁴³ tn On this term see BDAG 616 s.v. μαντεύομαι. It was used of those who gave oracles.

[16:17]  ⁷⁴² tn Grk “crying out, saying”; the participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant in English and has not been translated. The imperfect verb ἔκραζεν (ekrazen) has been translated as a progressive imperfect.

[16:17]  ⁷⁴³ tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18. The translation “servants” was used here because in this context there appears to be more emphasis on the activity of Paul and his companions (“proclaiming to you the way of salvation”) than on their status as “slaves of the Most High God.”

[16:17]  ⁷⁴⁴ tn Or “a way.” The grammar of this phrase is a bit ambiguous. The phrase in Greek is ὁδὸν σωτηρίας (Jodon swthria"). Neither the head noun nor the genitive noun has the article; this is in keeping with Apollonius’ Canon (see ExSyn 239-40). Since both nouns are anarthrous, this construction also fits Apollonius’ Corollary (see ExSyn 250-54); since the genitive noun is abstract it is most naturally qualitative, so the head noun could either be definite or indefinite without being unusual as far as the grammar is concerned. Luke’s usage of ὁδός elsewhere is indecisive as far as this passage is concerned. However, when one looks at the historical background it is clear that (1) the woman is shut up (via exorcism) not because her testimony is false but because of its source (analogous to Jesus’ treatment of demons perhaps), and (b) “the way” is a par excellence description of the new faith throughout Acts. It thus seems that at least in Luke’s presentation “the way of salvation” is the preferred translation.

[16:17]  ⁷⁴⁵ sn Proclaiming to you the way of salvation. The remarks were an ironic recognition of Paul’s authority, but he did not desire such a witness, possibly for fear of confusion. Her expression the Most High God might have been understood as Zeus by the audience.

[16:18]  ⁷⁴⁵ tn Grk “becoming greatly annoyed.” The participle διαπονηθείς (diaponhqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. The aorist has been translated as an ingressive aorist (entry into a state or condition). See BDAG 235 s.v. διαπονέομαι.

[16:18]  ⁷⁴⁶ tn Grk “and turning.” The participle ἐπιστρέψας (epistreya") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:18]  ⁷⁴⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[16:18]  ⁷⁴⁸ tn BDAG 1102-3 s.v. ὥρα 2.c has “at that very time, at once, instantly” for the usage in this verse.

[16:19]  ⁷⁴⁸ tn Or “masters.”

[16:19]  ⁷⁴⁹ tn On this use of ἐργασία (ergasia), see BDAG 390 s.v. 4. It is often the case that destructive practices and commerce are closely tied together.

[16:19]  ⁷⁵⁰ tn Grk “was gone, seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:19]  ⁷⁵¹ tn On the term ἕλκω ({elkw) see BDAG 318 s.v. 1.

[16:20]  ⁷⁵¹ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[16:20]  ⁷⁵² tn Grk “having brought them.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been taken temporally. It is also possible in English to translate this participle as a finite verb: “they brought them before the magistrates and said.”

[16:20]  ⁷⁵³ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἐκταράσσω has “agitate, cause trouble to, throw into confusion” for the meaning of this verb.

[16:20]  ⁷⁵⁴ tn Grk “being Jews, and they are proclaiming.” The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:21]  ⁷⁵⁴ tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.

[16:21]  ⁷⁵⁵ tn Or “acknowledge.”

[16:21]  ⁷⁵⁶ sn Customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice. Ironically, the charges are similar to those made against Jesus in Luke 23:2, where Jews argued he was “twisting” their customs. The charge has three elements: (1) a racial element (Jewish); (2) a social element (unlawful); and (3) a traditional element (not their customs).

[16:21]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[16:22]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn L&N 39.50 has “the crowd joined the attack against them” for συνεπέστη (sunepesth) in this verse.

[16:22]  ⁷⁵⁸ tn Grk “tearing the clothes off them, the magistrates ordered.” The participle περιρήξαντες (perirhxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Although it may be possible to understand the aorist active participle περιρήξαντες in a causative sense (“the magistrates caused the clothes to be torn off Paul and Silas”) in the mob scene that was taking place, it is also possible that the magistrates themselves actively participated. This act was done to prepare them for a public flogging (2 Cor 11:25; 1 Thess 2:2).

[16:22]  ⁷⁵⁹ tn Grk “off them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:22]  ⁷⁶⁰ tn The infinitive ῥαβδίζειν (rJabdizein) means “to beat with rods or sticks” (as opposed to fists or clubs, BDAG 902 s.v. ῥαβδίζω).

[16:23]  ⁷⁶⁰ tn Grk “Having inflicted many blows on them.” The participle ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") has been taken temporally. BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 1.a.β has “inflict blows upon someone” for this expression, but in this context it is simpler to translate in English as “they had beaten them severely.”

[16:23]  ⁷⁶¹ tn Grk “commanding.” The participle παραγγείλαντες (parangeilante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:24]  ⁷⁶³ tn Or “prison.”

[16:24]  ⁷⁶⁴ tn L&N 6.21 has “stocks” for εἰς τὸ ξύλον (ei" to xulon) here, as does BDAG 685 s.v. ξύλον 2.b. However, it is also possible (as mentioned in L&N 18.12) that this does not mean “stocks” but a block of wood (a log or wooden column) in the prison to which prisoners’ feet were chained or tied. Such a possibility is suggested by v. 26, where the “bonds” (“chains”?) of the prisoners loosened.

[16:25]  ⁷⁶⁶ tn Grk “praying, were singing.” The participle προσευχόμενοι (proseucomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:25]  ⁷⁶⁷ sn Praying and singing hymns to God. Tertullian said, “The legs feel nothing in the stocks when the heart is in heaven” (To the Martyrs 2; cf. Rom 5:3; Jas 1:2; 1 Pet 5:6). The presence of God means the potential to be free (cf. v. 26).

[16:25]  ⁷⁶⁸ tn The words “the rest of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[16:26]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn Or perhaps, “chains.” The translation of τὰ δεσμά (ta desma) is to some extent affected by the understanding of ξύλον (xulon, “stocks”) in v. 24. It is possible (as mentioned in L&N 18.12) that this does not mean “stocks” but a block of wood (a log or wooden column) in the prison to which prisoners’ feet were chained or tied.

[16:27]  ⁷⁷² tn L&N 23.75 has “had awakened” here. It is more in keeping with contemporary English style, however, to keep the two verbal ideas parallel in terms of tense (“when the jailer woke up and saw”) although logically the second action is subsequent to the first.

[16:27]  ⁷⁷³ tn The additional semantic component “standing” is supplied (“standing open”) to convey a stative nuance in English.

[16:27]  ⁷⁷⁴ sn Was about to kill himself. The jailer’s penalty for failing to guard the prisoners would have been death, so he contemplated saving the leaders the trouble (see Acts 12:19; 27:42).

[16:27]  ⁷⁷⁵ tn Or “thought.”

[16:28]  ⁷⁷⁵ tn Grk “But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying.” The dative phrase μεγάλῃ φωνῇ (megalh fwnh) has been simplified as an English adverb (“loudly”), and the participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated since it is redundant in English.

[16:28]  ⁷⁷⁶ sn Do not harm yourself. Again the irony is that Paul is the agent through whom the jailer is spared.

[16:29]  ⁷⁷⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:29]  ⁷⁷⁹ tn Or “and prostrated himself.”

[16:30]  ⁷⁸¹ tn Grk “And bringing them outside, he asked.” The participle προαγαγών (proagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the conjunction “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[16:30]  ⁷⁸² tn The Greek term (δεῖ, dei) is used by Luke to represent divine necessity.

[16:31]  ⁷⁸⁴ tn Grk “said.”

[16:31]  ⁷⁸⁵ sn Here the summary term of response is a call to believe. In this context it refers to trusting the sovereign God’s power to deliver, which events had just pictured for the jailer.

[16:31]  ⁷⁸⁶ tc The majority of mss add Χριστόν (Criston, “Christ”) here (C D E Ψ 1739 Ï sy sa), but the best and earliest witnesses read simply τὸν κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν (ton kurion Ihsoun, “the Lord Jesus”; Ì^74vid א A B 33 81 pc bo). The addition of “Christ” to “Lord Jesus” is an obviously motivated reading. Thus on both external and internal grounds, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.

[16:32]  ⁷⁸⁷ tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the continuity with the preceding verse. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.

[16:32]  ⁷⁸⁸ 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 Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 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.

[16:33]  ⁷⁹⁰ tn Grk “And at.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[16:33]  ⁷⁹¹ tn Grk “taking them…he washed.” The participle παραλαβών (paralabwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:33]  ⁷⁹² tn On this phrase BDAG 603 s.v. λούω 1 gives a literal translation as “by washing he freed them from the effects of the blows.”

[16:33]  ⁷⁹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[16:33]  ⁷⁹⁴ sn All his family. It was often the case in the ancient world that conversion of the father led to the conversion of all those in the household.

[16:33]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Or “immediately.”

[16:34]  ⁷⁹³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:34]  ⁷⁹⁴ tn Grk “placed [food] on the table” (a figurative expression). Since the actual word for food is not specified, it would also be possible to translate “set a meal before them,” but since this is taking place in the middle of the night, the preparations necessary for a full meal would probably not have been made. More likely Paul and Silas were given whatever was on hand that needed little or no preparation.

[16:34]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Or “he was overjoyed.”

[16:34]  ⁷⁹⁶ tn The translation “come to believe” reflects more of the resultative nuance of the perfect tense here.

[16:34]  ⁷⁹⁷ tn The phrase “together with his entire household” is placed at the end of the English sentence so that it refers to both the rejoicing and the belief. A formal equivalence translation would have “and he rejoiced greatly with his entire household that he had come to believe in God,” but the reference to the entire household being baptized in v. 33 presumes that all in the household believed.

[16:35]  ⁷⁹⁶ tn The translation “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse is given by BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a.

[16:35]  ⁷⁹⁷ tn On the term translated “magistrates,” see BDAG 947-48 s.v. στρατηγός 1. These city leaders were properly called duoviri, but were popularly known as praetors (στρατηγοί, strathgoi). They were the chief officials of Philippi. The text leaves the impression that they came to the decision to release Paul and Silas independently. God was at work everywhere.

[16:35]  ⁷⁹⁸ tn On the term ῥαβδοῦχος (rJabdouco") see BDAG 902 s.v. The term was used of the Roman lictor and roughly corresponds to contemporary English “constable, policeman.”

[16:36]  ⁷⁹⁹ tn The word “saying” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; it is necessary in English because the content of what the jailer said to Paul and Silas is not the exact message related to him by the police officers, but is a summary with his own additions.

[16:36]  ⁸⁰⁰ tn The word “orders” 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.

[16:36]  ⁸⁰¹ tn Grk “So coming out now go in peace.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰² tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰³ tn Grk “Having us beaten in public.” The participle δείραντες (deirante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰⁴ tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰⁵ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (Juparconta") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰⁶ tn The word “us” 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.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰⁷ tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.

[16:37]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Grk “But they.”

[16:37]  ⁸⁰⁹ sn They themselves must come and escort us out! Paul was asking for the injustice he and Silas suffered to be symbolically righted. It was a way of publicly taking their actions off the record and showing the apostles’ innocence, a major public statement. Note the apology given in v. 39.

[16:38]  ⁸⁰⁵ tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:38]  ⁸⁰⁶ sn Roman citizens. This fact was disturbing to the officials because due process was a right for a Roman citizen, well established in Roman law. To flog a Roman citizen was considered an abomination. Such punishment was reserved for noncitizens.

[16:39]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Grk “and coming, they apologized.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[16:39]  ⁸⁰⁹ tn Grk “and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[16:39]  ⁸¹⁰ tn The verb ἐρώτων (erwtwn) has been translated as an iterative imperfect; the English adverb “repeatedly” brings out the iterative force in the translation.

[16:40]  ⁸¹¹ tn “Then” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the logical sequence in the translation.

[17:1]  ⁸¹⁴ tn BDAG 250 s.v. διοδεύω 1 has “go, travel through” for this verse.

[17:1]  ⁸¹⁵ sn Amphipolis. The capital city of the southeastern district of Macedonia (BDAG 55 s.v. ᾿Αμφίπολις). It was a military post. From Philippi this was about 33 mi (53 km).

[17:1]  ⁸¹⁶ sn Apollonia was a city in Macedonia about 27 mi (43 km) west southwest of Amphipolis.

[17:1]  ⁸¹⁷ sn Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was a city in Macedonia about 33 mi (53 km) west of Apollonia. It was the capital of Macedonia. The road they traveled over was called the Via Egnatia. It is likely they rode horses, given their condition in Philippi. The implication of v. 1 is that the two previously mentioned cities lacked a synagogue.

[17:1]  ⁸¹⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:2]  ⁸¹⁷ tn Grk “he went in to them”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:2]  ⁸¹⁸ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 17:2. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[17:3]  ⁸²⁰ tn BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 2.b has “demonstrate, point out” here.

[17:3]  ⁸²¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[17:3]  ⁸²² sn The Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead. These two points (suffering and resurrection) would have been among the more controversial aspects of Paul’s messianic preaching. The term translated “had to” (δεῖ, dei) shows how divine design and scripture corresponded here.

[17:3]  ⁸²³ tn The Greek words used here (καὶ ὅτι, kai {oti, “and that”) mark the switch from indirect to direct discourse. Contemporary English requires the use of an introductory verb of speaking or saying to make this transition.

[17:3]  ⁸²⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[17:4]  ⁸²³ tn Or “convinced.”

[17:4]  ⁸²⁴ tn Or “a large crowd.”

[17:4]  ⁸²⁵ tn Or “of devout Greeks,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Luke frequently mentions such people (Acts 13:43, 50; 16:14; 17:17; 18:7).

[17:4]  ⁸²⁶ tn Grk “not a few”; this use of negation could be misleading to the modern English reader, however, and so has been translated as “quite a few” (which is the actual meaning of the expression).

[17:5]  ⁸²⁶ tn Grk “becoming jealous.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. So elsewhere in Acts (5:17; 7:9; 13:45).

[17:5]  ⁸²⁷ tn Literally ἀγοραῖος (agoraio") refers to the crowd in the marketplace, although BDAG 14-15 s.v. ἀγοραῖος 1 gives the meaning, by extension, as “rabble.” Such a description is certainly appropriate in this context. L&N 15.127 translates the phrase “worthless men from the streets.”

[17:5]  ⁸²⁸ tn On this term, which is a NT hapax legomenon, see BDAG 745 s.v. ὀχλοποιέω.

[17:5]  ⁸²⁹ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θορυβέω 1 has “set the city in an uproar, start a riot in the city” for the meaning of ἐθορύβουν (eqoruboun) in this verse.

[17:5]  ⁸³⁰ sn The attack took place at Jason’s house because this was probably the location of the new house church.

[17:5]  ⁸³¹ tn Grk “them”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:5]  ⁸³² tn BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2 has “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly προάγειν εἰς τὸν δ. Ac 17:5.”

[17:6]  ⁸²⁹ tn See BDAG 977-78 s.v. σύρω on this verb. It was used in everyday speech of dragging in fish by a net, or dragging away someone’s (presumably) dead body (Paul in Acts 14:19).

[17:6]  ⁸³⁰ tn L&N 37.93 defines πολιτάρχης (politarch") as “a public official responsible for administrative matters within a town or city and a member of the ruling council of such a political unit – ‘city official’” (see also BDAG 845 s.v.).

[17:6]  ⁸³¹ tn Or “rebellion.” BDAG 72 s.v. ἀναστατόω has “disturb, trouble, upset,” but in light of the references in the following verse to political insurrection, “stirred up rebellion” would also be appropriate.

[17:6]  ⁸³² tn Or “the empire.” This was a way of referring to the Roman empire (BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 2.b).

[17:7]  ⁸³² tn Grk “whom.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who have stirred up trouble…whom Jason has welcomed”) the relative pronoun here (“whom”) has been replaced by the conjunction “and,” creating a clause that is grammatically coordinate but logically subordinate in the translation.

[17:7]  ⁸³³ tn Grk “and they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[17:7]  ⁸³⁴ tn Or “the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[17:7]  ⁸³⁵ tn The word “named” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.

[17:7]  ⁸³⁶ sn Acting…saying…Jesus. The charges are serious, involving sedition (Luke 23:2). If the political charges were true, Rome would have to react.

[17:8]  ⁸³⁵ tn Grk “They troubled the crowd and the city officials”; but this could be understood to mean “they bothered” or “they annoyed.” In reality the Jewish instigators managed to instill doubt and confusion into both the mob and the officials by their false charges of treason. Verse 8 suggests the charges raised again Paul, Silas, Jason, and the others were false.

[17:8]  ⁸³⁶ tn L&N 37.93 defines πολιτάρχης (politarch") as “a public official responsible for administrative matters within a town or city and a member of the ruling council of such a political unit – ‘city official.’”

[17:9]  ⁸³⁸ tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[17:9]  ⁸³⁹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the city officials) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:9]  ⁸⁴⁰ tn That is, “a payment” or “a pledge of security” (BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 1) for which “bail” is the most common contemporary English equivalent.

[17:10]  ⁸⁴¹ 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) west of Thessalonica.

[17:10]  ⁸⁴² tn Grk “who arriving there, went to.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (οἵτινες, Joitine") has been left untranslated and a new English sentence begun. The participle παραγενόμενοι (paragenomenoi) has been taken temporally.

[17:10]  ⁸⁴³ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:11]  ⁸⁴⁴ tn Grk “These”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue at Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:11]  ⁸⁴⁵ tn Or “more willing to learn.” L&N 27.48 and BDAG 404 s.v. εὐγενής 2 both use the term “open-minded” here. The point is that they were more receptive to Paul’s message.

[17:11]  ⁸⁴⁶ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:11]  ⁸⁴⁷ tn Or “willingly,” “readily”; Grk “with all eagerness.”

[17:11]  ⁸⁴⁸ tn Grk “who received.” Here the relative pronoun (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“they”) preceded by a semicolon, which is less awkward in contemporary English than a relative clause at this point.

[17:11]  ⁸⁴⁹ tn This verb (BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 1) refers to careful examination.

[17:11]  ⁸⁵⁰ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[17:12]  ⁸⁴⁷ tn Grk “not a few”; this use of negation could be misleading to the modern English reader, however, and so has been translated as “quite a few” (which is the actual meaning of the expression).

[17:12]  ⁸⁴⁸ tn Or “respected.”

[17:13]  ⁸⁵⁰ sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).

[17:13]  ⁸⁵¹ 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]  ⁸⁵² 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]  ⁸⁵³ tn BDAG 911 s.v. σαλεύω 2 has “incite” for σαλεύοντες (saleuonte") in Acts 17:13.

[17:13]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Or “stirring up” (BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2). The point is the agitation of the crowds.

[17:14]  ⁸⁵³ 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]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Grk “remained there”; the referent (Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:15]  ⁸⁵⁶ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:15]  ⁸⁵⁷ sn They left. See 1 Thess 3:1-2, which shows they went from here to Thessalonica.

[17:16]  ⁸⁵⁹ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:16]  ⁸⁶⁰ tn Grk “greatly upset within him,” but the words “within him” were not included in the translation because they are redundant in English. See L&N 88.189. The term could also be rendered “infuriated.”

[17:16]  ⁸⁶¹ tn Or “when he saw.” The participle θεωροῦντος (qewrounto") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle; it could also be translated as temporal.

[17:17]  ⁸⁶² tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 17:17. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[17:17]  ⁸⁶³ tn Or “and the devout,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44, and the note on the phrase “God-fearing Greeks” in 17:4.

[17:17]  ⁸⁶⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[17:17]  ⁸⁶⁵ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[17:18]  ⁸⁶⁵ sn An Epicurean was a follower of the philosophy of Epicurus, who founded a school in Athens about 300 b.c. Although the Epicureans saw the aim of life as pleasure, they were not strictly hedonists, because they defined pleasure as the absence of pain. Along with this, they desired the avoidance of trouble and freedom from annoyances. They saw organized religion as evil, especially the belief that the gods punished evildoers in an afterlife. In keeping with this, they were unable to accept Paul’s teaching about the resurrection.

[17:18]  ⁸⁶⁶ sn A Stoic was a follower of the philosophy founded by Zeno (342-270 b.c.), a Phoenician who came to Athens and modified the philosophical system of the Cynics he found there. The Stoics rejected the Epicurean ideal of pleasure, stressing virtue instead. The Stoics emphasized responsibility for voluntary actions and believed risks were worth taking, but thought the actual attainment of virtue was difficult. They also believed in providence.

[17:18]  ⁸⁶⁷ tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβάλλω 1 has “converse, confer” here.

[17:18]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Grk “saying.”

[17:18]  ⁸⁶⁹ tn Or “ignorant show-off.” The traditional English translation of σπερμολόγος (spermologo") is given in L&N 33.381 as “foolish babbler.” However, an alternate view is presented in L&N 27.19, “(a figurative extension of meaning of a term based on the practice of birds in picking up seeds) one who acquires bits and pieces of relatively extraneous information and proceeds to pass them off with pretense and show – ‘ignorant show-off, charlatan.’” A similar view is given in BDAG 937 s.v. σπερμολόγος: “in pejorative imagery of persons whose communication lacks sophistication and seems to pick up scraps of information here and there scrapmonger, scavenger…Engl. synonyms include ‘gossip’, ‘babbler’, chatterer’; but these terms miss the imagery of unsystematic gathering.”

[17:18]  ⁸⁷⁰ tn The meaning of this phrase is not clear. Literally it reads “strange deities” (see BDAG 210 s.v. δαιμόνιον 1). The note of not being customary is important. In the ancient world what was new was suspicious. The plural δαιμονίων (daimoniwn, “deities”) shows the audience grappling with Paul’s teaching that God was working through Jesus.

[17:18]  ⁸⁷¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[17:19]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:19]  ⁸⁶⁹ tn Or “to the council of the Areopagus.” See also the term in v. 22.

[17:20]  ⁸⁷¹ tn BDAG 684 s.v. ξενίζω 2 translates the substantival participle ξενίζοντα (xenizonta) as “astonishing things Ac 17:20.”

[17:20]  ⁸⁷² tn Grk “these things”; but since the referent (“surprising things”) is so close, the repetition of “these things” sounds redundant in English, so the pronoun “they” was substituted in the translation.

[17:21]  ⁸⁷⁴ tn The imperfect verb ηὐκαίρουν (hukairoun) has been translated as a customary or habitual imperfect.

[17:21]  ⁸⁷⁵ tn BDAG 406-7 s.v. εὐκαιρέω has “used to spend their time in nothing else than telling Ac 17:21.”

[17:21]  ⁸⁷⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. The reference to newness may be pejorative.

[17:22]  ⁸⁷⁷ tn Grk “standing…said.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[17:22]  ⁸⁷⁸ tn The term δεισιδαιμονεστέρους (deisidaimonesterou") is difficult. On the one hand it can have the positive sense of “devout,” but on the other hand it can have the negative sense of “superstitious” (BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαίμων). As part of a laudatory introduction (the technical rhetorical term for this introduction was capatatio), the term is probably positive here. It may well be a “backhanded” compliment, playing on the ambiguity.

[17:22]  ⁸⁷⁹ tn BDAG 513 s.v. κατά B.6 translates the phrase κατὰ πάντα (kata panta) as “in all respects.”

[17:23]  ⁸⁸⁰ tn Or “your sanctuaries.” L&N 53.54 gives “sanctuary” (place of worship) as an alternate meaning for the word σεβάσματα (sebasmata).

[17:23]  ⁸⁸¹ tn Grk “on which was written,” but since it would have been carved in stone, it is more common to speak of an “inscription” in English. To simplify the English the relative construction with a passive verb (“on which was inscribed”) was translated as a prepositional phrase with a substantive (“inscription”).

[17:23]  ⁸⁸² tn BDAG 13 s.v. ἀγνοέω 1.b has “Abs. ὅ ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε what you worship without knowing it (on the subject matter Maximus Tyr. 11, 5e: all sorts of philosophers ἴσασιν οὐκ ἑκόντες καὶ λέγουσιν ἄκοντες sc. τὸ θεῖον = they know and name God without intending to do so) Ac 17:23.” Paul, in typical Jewish Christian style, informs them of the true God, of whom their idols are an ignorant reflection.

[17:24]  ⁸⁸³ tn Grk “all the things that are in it.” The speech starts with God as Creator, like 14:15.

[17:24]  ⁸⁸⁴ tn Or “because he is.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) could be either adjectival, modifying οὗτος (Joutos, “who is Lord…”) or adverbial of cause (“because he is Lord…”). Since the participle διδούς (didou") in v. 25 appears to be clearly causal in force, it is preferable to understand ὑπάρχων as adjectival in this context.

[17:24]  ⁸⁸⁵ sn On the statement does not live in temples made by human hands compare Acts 7:48. This has implications for idols as well. God cannot be represented by them or, as the following clause also suggests, served by human hands.

[17:25]  ⁸⁸⁶ tn L&N 57.45 has “nor does he need anything more that people can supply by working for him.”

[17:25]  ⁸⁸⁷ tn Grk “he himself gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.”

[17:26]  ⁸⁸⁹ sn The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).

[17:26]  ⁸⁹⁰ tn Or “mankind.” BDAG 276 s.v. ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”

[17:26]  ⁸⁹¹ tn Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”

[17:26]  ⁸⁹² tn BDAG 884-85 s.v. προστάσσω has “(οἱ) προστεταγμένοι καιροί (the) fixed times Ac 17:26” here, but since the following phrase is also translated “fixed limits,” this would seem redundant in English, so the word “set” has been used instead.

[17:26]  ⁸⁹³ tn Grk “the boundaries of their habitation.” L&N 80.5 has “fixed limits of the places where they would live” for this phrase.

[17:27]  ⁸⁹² tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.

[17:27]  ⁸⁹³ sn Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.

[17:27]  ⁸⁹⁴ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (Juparconta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[17:28]  ⁸⁹⁵ tn According to L&N 15.1, “A strictly literal translation of κινέω in Ac 17:28 might imply merely moving from one place to another. The meaning, however, is generalized movement and activity; therefore, it may be possible to translate κινούμεθα as ‘we come and go’ or ‘we move about’’ or even ‘we do what we do.’”

[17:28]  ⁸⁹⁶ sn This quotation is from Aratus (ca. 310-245 b.c.), Phaenomena 5. Paul asserted a general relationship and accountability to God for all humanity.

[17:29]  ⁸⁹⁸ tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.

[17:29]  ⁸⁹⁹ tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.

[17:29]  ⁹⁰⁰ tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[17:29]  ⁹⁰¹ tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).

[17:29]  ⁹⁰² tn Or “thought.” BDAG 336 s.v. ἐνθύμησις has “thought, reflection, idea” as the category of meaning here, but in terms of creativity (as in the context) the imaginative faculty is in view.

[17:30]  ⁹⁰¹ tn Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”

[17:30]  ⁹⁰² tn Or “times when people did not know.”

[17:30]  ⁹⁰³ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[17:30]  ⁹⁰⁴ sn He now commands all people everywhere to repent. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded.

[17:31]  ⁹⁰⁴ tn Or “fixed.”

[17:31]  ⁹⁰⁵ sn The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.

[17:31]  ⁹⁰⁶ tn Or “appointed.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “of persons appoint, designate, declare: God judges the world ἐν ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὥρισεν through a man whom he has appointed Ac 17:31.”

[17:31]  ⁹⁰⁷ tn The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") indicates means here.

[17:32]  ⁹⁰⁷ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[17:32]  ⁹⁰⁸ tn L&N 33.408 has “some scoffed (at him) Ac 17:32” for ἐχλεύαζον (ecleuazon) here; the imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to scoff”).

[17:33]  ⁹¹⁰ tn Grk “left out of their midst”; the referent (the Areopagus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:34]  ⁹¹³ tn Although the Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which normally refers to males, husbands, etc., in this particular context it must have a generic force similar to that of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), since “a woman named Damaris” is mentioned specifically as being part of this group (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 1.a).

[17:34]  ⁹¹⁴ tn Grk “joining him, believed.” The participle κολληθέντες (kollhqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the use of this verb in Acts, see 5:13; 8:29; 9:26; 10:28.

[17:34]  ⁹¹⁵ tn Grk “among whom.” Due to the length of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been translated as a third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[17:34]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Grk “the Areopagite” (a member of the council of the Areopagus). The noun “Areopagite” is not in common usage today in English. It is clearer to use a descriptive phrase “a member of the Areopagus” (L&N 11.82). However, this phrase alone can be misleading in English: “Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris” could be understood to refer to three people (Dionysius, an unnamed member of the Areopagus, and Damaris) rather than only two. Converting the descriptive phrase to a relative clause in English (“who was a member of the Areopagus”) removes the ambiguity.

[17:34]  ⁹¹⁷ tn Grk “and a woman”; but this 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.

[18:1]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Grk “After these things.”

[18:1]  ⁹¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ⁹¹⁸ tn Or “Paul left.”

[18:1]  ⁹¹⁹ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:1]  ⁹²⁰ sn Corinth was the capital city of the senatorial province of Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul. It was located 55 mi (88 km) west of Athens. Corinth was a major rival to Athens and was the largest city in Greece at the time.

[18:2]  ⁹¹⁹ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[18:2]  ⁹²⁰ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:2]  ⁹²¹ sn On Aquila and his wife Priscilla see also Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. This author uses the full name Priscilla, while Paul uses the diminutive form Prisca.

[18:2]  ⁹²² sn Pontus was a region in the northeastern part of Asia Minor. It was a Roman province.

[18:2]  ⁹²³ sn Claudius refers to the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54. The edict expelling the Jews from Rome was issued in a.d. 49 (Suetonius, Claudius 25.4).

[18:2]  ⁹²⁴ tn Or “to leave.”

[18:2]  ⁹²⁵ map For location see JP4 A1.

[18:2]  ⁹²⁶ tn Or “went to.”

[18:3]  ⁹²² tn The prepositional phrase “with them” occurs only once in the Greek text, but since it occurs between the two finite verbs (ἔμενεν, emenen, and ἠργάζετο, hrgazeto) it relates (by implication) to both of them.

[18:3]  ⁹²³ tn On the term translated “tentmakers,” see BDAG 928-29 s.v. σκνηοποιός. Paul apparently manufactured tents. In contrast to the Cynic philosophers, Paul at times labored to support himself (see also v. 5).

[18:3]  ⁹²⁴ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:4]  ⁹²⁵ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:4. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[18:4]  ⁹²⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:4]  ⁹²⁷ tn Grk “Addressing in the synagogue every Sabbath, he was attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.” Because in English the verb “address” is not used absolutely but normally has an object specified, the direct objects of the verb ἔπειθεν (epeiqen) have been moved forward as the objects of the English verb “addressed,” and the pronoun “them” repeated in the translation as the object of ἔπειθεν. The verb ἔπειθεν has been translated as a conative imperfect.

[18:5]  ⁹²⁸ tn Grk “came down.”

[18:5]  ⁹²⁹ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[18:5]  ⁹³⁰ tn BDAG 971 s.v. συνέχω 6 states, “συνείχετο τῷ λόγῳ (Paul) was wholly absorbed in preaching Ac 18:5…in contrast to the activity cited in vs. 3.” The imperfect συνείχετο (suneiceto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“became wholly absorbed…”), stressing the change in Paul’s activity once Silas and Timothy arrived. At this point Paul apparently began to work less and preach more.

[18:5]  ⁹³¹ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 2 has “testify of, bear witness to solemnly (orig. under oath)…W. acc. and inf. foll. Ac 18:5.”

[18:5]  ⁹³² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[18:6]  ⁹³¹ tn The word “him” 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.

[18:6]  ⁹³² tn The participle βλασφημούντων (blasfhmountwn) has been taken temporally. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 13:45. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). What they were doing was more like slander or defamation of character.

[18:6]  ⁹³³ tn Grk “shaking out his clothes, he said to them.” L&N 16:8 translates Acts 18:6 “when they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes.” The addition of the verb “protested by” in the translation is necessary to clarify for the modern reader that this is a symbolic action. It is similar but not identical to the phrase in Acts 13:51, where the dust from the feet is shaken off. The participle ἐκτιναξάμενος (ektinaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:6]  ⁹³⁴ sn Your blood be on your own heads! By invoking this epithet Paul declared himself not responsible for their actions in rejecting Jesus whom Paul preached (cf. Ezek 33:4; 3:6-21; Matt 23:35; 27:25).

[18:6]  ⁹³⁵ tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”

[18:7]  ⁹³⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:7]  ⁹³⁵ tn Grk “Then leaving from there he went.” The participle μεταβάς (metabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:7]  ⁹³⁶ tn Grk “from there”; the referent (the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:7]  ⁹³⁷ tn Grk “a worshiper of God.” The clarifying phrase “a Gentile” has been supplied for clarity, and is indicated by the context, since Paul had parted company with the Jews in the previous verse. The participle σεβομένου (sebomenou) is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44.

[18:8]  ⁹³⁷ tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).

[18:8]  ⁹³⁸ tn Or “who heard him,” or “who heard Paul.” The ambiguity here results from the tendency of Greek to omit direct objects, which must be supplied from the context. The problem is that no less than three different ones may be supplied here: (1) “him,” referring to Crispus, but this is not likely because there is no indication in the context that Crispus began to speak out about the Lord; this is certainly possible and even likely, but more than the text here affirms; (2) “Paul,” who had been speaking in the synagogue and presumably, now that he had moved to Titius Justus’ house, continued speaking to the Gentiles; or (3) “about it,” that is, the Corinthians who heard about Crispus’ conversion became believers. In the immediate context this last is most probable, since the two incidents are juxtaposed. Other, less obvious direct objects could also be supplied, such as “heard the word of God,” “heard the word of the Lord,” etc., but none of these are obvious in the immediate context.

[18:9]  ⁹⁴⁰ sn Frequently in Acts such a vision will tell the reader where events are headed. See Acts 10:9-16 and 16:9-10 for other accounts of visions.

[18:9]  ⁹⁴¹ tn BDAG 682 s.v. νύξ 1.c has “W. prep. ἐν ν. at night, in the night…Ac 18:9.”

[18:9]  ⁹⁴² tn The present imperative here (with negation) is used (as it normally is) of a general condition (BDF §335).

[18:10]  ⁹⁴³ tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 2 has “to set upon, attack, lay a hand on” here, but “assault” is a contemporary English equivalent very close to the meaning of the original.

[18:10]  ⁹⁴⁴ tn Or “injure.”

[18:11]  ⁹⁴⁶ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[18:11]  ⁹⁴⁷ tn See BDAG 326-27 s.v. ἐν 1.d. However, it is also possible that ἐν (en) followed by the dative here stands for the ordinary dative (“to them”).

[18:12]  ⁹⁴⁹ sn Gallio was proconsul of Achaia from a.d. 51-52. This date is one of the firmly established dates in Acts. Lucius Junius Gallio was the son of the rhetorician Seneca and the brother of Seneca the philosopher. The date of Gallio’s rule is established from an inscription (W. Dittenberger, ed., Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum 2.3 no. 8). Thus the event mentioned here is probably to be dated July-October a.d. 51.

[18:12]  ⁹⁵⁰ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[18:12]  ⁹⁵¹ sn Achaia was a Roman province created in 146 b.c. that included the most important parts of Greece (Attica, Boeotia, and the Peloponnesus).

[18:12]  ⁹⁵² tn Grk “with one accord.”

[18:12]  ⁹⁵³ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), there is no need for an alternative translation here since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time.

[18:13]  ⁹⁵² tn Or “inciting.”

[18:13]  ⁹⁵³ tn Grk “worship God contrary to.” BDAG 758 s.v. παρά C.6 has “against, contrary to” for Acts 18:13. The words “in a way” are not in the Greek text, but are a necessary clarification to prevent the misunderstanding in the English translation that worshiping God was in itself contrary to the law. What is under dispute is the manner in which God was being worshiped, that is, whether Gentiles were being required to follow all aspects of the Mosaic law, including male circumcision. There is a hint of creating public chaos or disturbing Jewish custom here since Jews were the ones making the complaint. Luke often portrays the dispute between Christians and Jews as within Judaism.

[18:14]  ⁹⁵⁵ tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).

[18:14]  ⁹⁵⁶ tn BDAG 902 s.v. ῥᾳδιούργημα states, “From the sense ‘prank, knavery, roguish trick, slick deed’ it is but a short step to that of a serious misdeed, crime, villainy…a serious piece of villainy Ac 18:14 (w. ἀδίκημα).”

[18:14]  ⁹⁵⁷ tn According to BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνέχω 3 this is a legal technical term: “Legal t.t. κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν I would have been justified in accepting your complaint Ac 18:14.”

[18:14]  ⁹⁵⁸ tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”

[18:15]  ⁹⁵⁸ tn Or “dispute.”

[18:15]  ⁹⁵⁹ tn Grk “see to it” (an idiom).

[18:15]  ⁹⁶⁰ tn Or “I am not willing to be.” Gallio would not adjudicate their religious dispute.

[18:16]  ⁹⁶¹ tn Grk “driven away,” but this could result in a misunderstanding in English (“driven” as in a cart or wagon?). “Forced away” conveys the idea; Gallio rejected their complaint. In contemporary English terminology the case was “thrown out of court.” The verb ἀπήλασεν (aphlasen) has been translated as a causative since Gallio probably did not perform this action in person, but ordered his aides or officers to remove the plaintiffs.

[18:16]  ⁹⁶² sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.

[18:17]  ⁹⁶⁴ tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).

[18:17]  ⁹⁶⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἔτυπτον (etupton) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[18:17]  ⁹⁶⁶ sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.

[18:17]  ⁹⁶⁷ tn L&N 25.223 has “‘none of these things were of any concern to Gallio’ Ac 18:17.”

[18:18]  ⁹⁶⁷ tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.

[18:18]  ⁹⁶⁸ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[18:18]  ⁹⁶⁹ tn Or “Corinth, took leave of.” Grk “saying farewell to”; the participle ἀποταξάμενος (apotaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:18]  ⁹⁷⁰ tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”

[18:18]  ⁹⁷¹ sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.

[18:18]  ⁹⁷² tn Or “Aquila, who.” The relationship of the participle κειράμενος (keirameno") is difficult to determine. Traditionally it is taken to refer to Paul, meaning that Paul had his hair cut off because of the vow. However, due to the proximity of the noun ᾿Ακύλας (Akula") and the reversal of the normal order (Aquila and Priscilla, Acts 17:34), the participle is taken as adjectival referring to Aquila by H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, n. 11. The later references to Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:23) do not resolve the problem, because the cutting of Paul’s own hair, while it may be implied, is not specifically mentioned in connection with the completion of the vows made by the other four.

[18:18]  ⁹⁷³ tn The word “off” is supplied in the translation to indicate that this was not a normal haircut, but the shaving of the head connected with taking the vow (see Acts 21:24).

[18:18]  ⁹⁷⁴ tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”

[18:18]  ⁹⁷⁵ sn He had made a vow. It is debated whether this vow is a private vow of thanksgiving or the Nazirite vow, because it is not clear whether the Nazirite vow could be taken outside Jerusalem. Some have cited the Mishnah (m. Nazir 3:6, 5:4) to argue that the shaving of the hair can occur outside Jerusalem, and Josephus, J. W. 2.15.1 (2.313) is sometimes suggested as a parallel, but these references are not clear. H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, is certain that this refers to the Nazirite vow. Regardless, it is clear that Paul reflected his pious dependence on God.

[18:19]  ⁹⁷⁰ sn Ephesus was an influential city in Asia Minor. It was the location of the famous temple of Artemis. In 334 b.c. control of the city had passed to Alexander the Great, who contributed a large sum to the building of a new and more elaborate temple of Artemis, which became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and lasted until destroyed by the Goths in a.d. 263. This major port city would be reached from Corinth by ship. It was 250 mi (400 km) east of Corinth by sea.

[18:19]  ⁹⁷¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ⁹⁷² tn Grk “left them”; the referents (Priscilla and Aquila) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:19]  ⁹⁷³ tn Grk “going”; the participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:19]  ⁹⁷⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:19]  ⁹⁷⁵ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:19. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[18:20]  ⁹⁷³ sn He would not consent. Paul probably refused because he wanted to reach Jerusalem for the festival season before the seas became impassable during the winter.

[18:21]  ⁹⁷⁶ tn Or “but took leave of.”

[18:21]  ⁹⁷⁷ tn Grk “and saying”; the participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as “added” rather than “said” to avoid redundancy with the previous “said farewell.” The participle εἰπών has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:21]  ⁹⁷⁸ tn Or “will return.”

[18:21]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn The participle θέλοντος (qelontos), a genitive absolute construction, has been translated as a conditional adverbial participle. Again Paul acts in dependence on God.

[18:21]  ⁹⁸⁰ tn A new sentence was begun here in the translation due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the requirements of contemporary English style, which generally uses shorter sentences.

[18:22]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…εἴς τι at someth. a harbor Ac 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[18:22]  ⁹⁸⁰ sn 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 sea voyage of 620 mi (990 km).

[18:22]  ⁹⁸¹ tn Grk “going up and greeting.” The participles ἀναβάς (anabas) and ἀσπασάμενος (aspasameno") are translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:22]  ⁹⁸² tn The words “at Jerusalem” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the participle ἀναβάς (anabas). The expression “go up” refers almost exclusively to the direction of Jerusalem, while the corresponding “go down” (κατέβη, katebh) refers to directions away from Jerusalem. Both expressions are based on a Hebrew idiom. Assuming Jerusalem is meant, this is another indication of keeping that key church informed. If Jerusalem is not referred to here, then Caesarea is in view. Paul was trying to honor a vow, which also implies a visit to Jerusalem.

[18:22]  ⁹⁸³ sn Went down to Antioch. The city of Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude). This marks the end of the second missionary journey which began in Acts 15:36. From Caesarea to Antioch is a journey of 280 mi (450 km).

[18:23]  ⁹⁸² tn Grk “Having spent”; the participle ποιήσας (poihsas) is taken temporally.

[18:23]  ⁹⁸³ sn Galatia refers to either (1) the region of the old kingdom of Galatia in the central part of Asia Minor, or (2) the Roman province of Galatia, whose principal cities in the 1st century were Ancyra and Pisidian Antioch. The exact extent and meaning of this area has been a subject of considerable controversy in modern NT studies.

[18:23]  ⁹⁸⁴ sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia. See Acts 16:6.

[18:24]  ⁹⁸⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[18:24]  ⁹⁸⁶ tn Or “was a learned man.” In this verse λόγιος (logios) can refer to someone who was an attractive and convincing speaker, a rhetorician (L&N 33.32), or it can refer to the person who has acquired a large part of the intellectual heritage of a given culture (“learned” or “cultured,” L&N 27.20, see also BDAG 598 s.v. λόγιος which lists both meanings as possible here). The description of Apollos’ fervent speaking in the following verses, as well as implications from 1 Cor 1-4, where Paul apparently compares his style and speaking ability with that of Apollos, suggests that eloquent speaking ability or formal rhetorical skill are in view here. This clause has been moved from its order in the Greek text (Grk “a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus, who was powerful in the scriptures”) and paired with the last element (“powerful in the scriptures”) due to the demands of clarity and contemporary English style.

[18:24]  ⁹⁸⁷ tn Grk “powerful.” BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b has “in the Scriptures = well-versed 18:24.”

[18:25]  ⁹⁸⁸ tn Or “had been taught.”

[18:25]  ⁹⁸⁹ tn Grk “and boiling in spirit” (an idiom for great eagerness or enthusiasm; BDAG 426 s.v. ζέω).

[18:25]  ⁹⁹⁰ tn Grk “the things.”

[18:25]  ⁹⁹¹ tn Grk “knowing”; the participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistameno") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[18:26]  ⁹⁹¹ tn Or “boldly.” This is a frequent term in Acts (9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26).

[18:26]  ⁹⁹² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[18:26]  ⁹⁹³ sn Priscilla and Aquila. This key couple, of which Priscilla was an important enough figure to be mentioned by name, instructed Apollos about the most recent work of God. See also the note on Aquila in 18:2.

[18:26]  ⁹⁹⁴ tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσλαμβάνω 3 has “take aside, mid. τινά someone…So prob. also Ac 18:26: Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside to teach him undisturbed.”

[18:27]  ⁹⁹⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Apollos) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:27]  ⁹⁹⁵ sn To cross over to Achaia. Achaia was organized by the Romans as a separate province in 27 b.c. and was located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. The city of Corinth was in Achaia.

[18:27]  ⁹⁹⁶ tn Grk “encouraging [him], the brothers wrote.” The participle προτρεψάμενοι (protreyamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This was the typical letter of commendation from the Ephesians to the Achaeans.

[18:27]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn The word “him” 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.

[18:27]  ⁹⁹⁸ tn Grk “who, when he arrived.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced with the pronoun “he” and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[18:28]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn Or “vehemently.” BDAG 414 s.v. εὐτόνως has “vigorously, vehemently…εὐ. διακατελέγχεσθαί τινι refute someone vigorously Ac 18:28.”

[18:28]  ⁹⁹⁸ tn L&N 33.442 translates the phrase τοῖς ᾿Ιουδαίοις διακατηλέγχετο δημοσίᾳ (toi" Ioudaioi" diakathlenceto dhmosia) as “he defeated the Jews in public debate.” On this use of the term δημόσιος (dhmosio") see BDAG 223 s.v. 2.

[18:28]  ⁹⁹⁹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Again the issue is identifying the Christ as Jesus (see 5:42; 8:5; 9:22; 18:5).

[18:28]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn Although many English translations have here “that Jesus was the Christ,” in the case of two accusatives following a copulative infinitive, the first would normally be the subject and the second the predicate nominative. Additionally, the first accusative here (τὸν χριστόν, ton criston) has the article, a further indication that it should be regarded as subject of the infinitive.

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn Grk “It happened that while.” 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.

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰¹ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰² tn Or “interior.”

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰³ tn BDAG 92 s.v. ἀνωτερικός has “upper τὰ ἀ. μέρη the upper (i.e. inland) country, the interior Ac 19:1.”

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ tn Grk “and found.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the sequencing with the following verse the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[19:1]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[19:2]  ¹⁰⁰³ tn The participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") is taken temporally.

[19:2]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ tn Grk “they [said] to him” (the word “said” is implied in the Greek text).

[19:2]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ tn This use of ἀλλά (alla) is ascensive and involves an ellipsis (BDAG 45 s.v. ἀλλά 3): “No, [not only did we not receive the Spirit,] but also we have not heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” However, this is lengthy and somewhat awkward in English, and the ascensive meaning can be much more easily represented by including the word “even” after the negation. Apparently these disciples were unaware of the provision of the Spirit that is represented in baptism. The language sounds like they did not know about a Holy Spirit, but this seems to be only linguistic shorthand for not knowing about the Spirit’s presence (Luke 3:15-18). The situation is parallel to that of Apollos. Apollos and these disciples represent those who “complete” their transition to messianic faith as Jews.

[19:3]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:3]  ¹⁰⁰⁷ tn Grk “they said.”

[19:4]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ sn These disciples may have had their contact with John early on in the Baptist’s ministry before Jesus had emerged. This is the fifth time Luke links John the Baptist and Jesus (Acts 1:5; 11:16; 13:25; 18:25).

[19:6]  ¹⁰¹² tn Or “laid.”

[19:6]  ¹⁰¹³ sn The coming of the Holy Spirit here is another case where the Spirit comes and prophesy results in Acts (see Acts 2). Paul’s action parallels that of Peter (Acts 8) and not just with Gentiles.

[19:6]  ¹⁰¹⁴ tn The imperfect verb ἐλάλουν (elaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[19:6]  ¹⁰¹⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἐπροφήτευον (eprofhteuon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[19:7]  ¹⁰¹⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:8]  ¹⁰¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:8]  ¹⁰¹⁹ tn Grk “So entering the synagogue, he spoke out fearlessly.” The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:8]  ¹⁰²⁰ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[19:8]  ¹⁰²¹ tn Or “boldly.”

[19:8]  ¹⁰²² tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 19:8. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[19:8]  ¹⁰²³ tn Or “addressing them persuasively.” The two participles διαλεγόμενος and πείθων (dialegomeno" and peiqwn) can be understood as a hendiadys (so NIV, NRSV), thus, “addressing them persuasively.”

[19:8]  ¹⁰²⁴ sn To talk about Jesus as the Christ who has come is to talk about the kingdom of God. This is yet another summary of the message like that in 18:28.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²¹ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b lists this use as a temporal conjunction.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²² tn Or “some became hardened.” See BDAG 930 s.v. σκληρύνω b and Acts 7:51-53.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²³ tn Or “speaking evil of.” BDAG 500 s.v. κακολογέω has “speak evil of, revile, insult…τὶ someth. τὴν ὁδόν the Way (i.e. Christian way of life) Ac 19:9.”

[19:9]  ¹⁰²⁴ sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity). Luke frequently refers to it as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).

[19:9]  ¹⁰²⁵ tn Grk “leaving them, he took.” The participle ἀποστάς (apostas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²⁶ tn The words “with him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²⁷ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 19:9. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²⁸ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.

[19:9]  ¹⁰²⁹ tn The “lecture hall” was a place where teachers and pupils met. The term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 982 s.v. σχολή). L&N 7.14 notes, “it is better to use a translation such as ‘lecture hall’ rather than ‘school,’ since one does not wish to give the impression of the typical classroom situation characteristic of present-day schools.”

[19:10]  ¹⁰²⁴ 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.

[19:10]  ¹⁰²⁵ 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 Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:20; 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.

[19:11]  ¹⁰²⁷ tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11.”

[19:12]  ¹⁰³⁰ tn Or “skin” (the outer surface of the body).

[19:12]  ¹⁰³¹ tn Or “were taken.” It might be that as word went out into the region that since the sick could not come to Paul, healing was brought to them this way. The “handkerchiefs” are probably face cloths for wiping perspiration (see BDAG 934 s.v. σουδάριον) while the “aprons” might be material worn by workmen (BDAG 923-24 s.v. σιμικίνθιον).

[19:12]  ¹⁰³² tn The words “of them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[19:13]  ¹⁰³³ tn Grk “some Jewish exorcists who traveled about.” The adjectival participle περιερχομένων (periercomenwn) has been translated as “itinerant.”

[19:13]  ¹⁰³⁴ tn Grk “to name the name.”

[19:13]  ¹⁰³⁵ tn Grk “who had.” Here ἔχω (ecw) is used of demon possession, a common usage according to BDAG 421 s.v. ἔχω 7.a.α.

[19:13]  ¹⁰³⁶ sn The expression I sternly warn you means “I charge you as under oath.”

[19:14]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn Grk “a certain Sceva.”

[19:14]  ¹⁰³⁷ sn Within the sequence of the narrative, this amounts to a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:15]  ¹⁰³⁹ tn Grk “answered and said to them.” The expression, redundant in English, has been simplified to “replied.”

[19:15]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ tn Grk “Jesus I know about.” Here ᾿Ιησοῦν (Ihsoun) is in emphatic position in Greek, but placing the object first is not normal in contemporary English style.

[19:15]  ¹⁰⁴¹ tn BDAG 380 s.v. ἐπίσταμαι 2 has “know, be acquainted with τινά…τὸν Παῦλον Ac 19:15.” Here the translation “be acquainted with” was used to differentiate from the previous phrase which has γινώσκω (ginwskw).

[19:15]  ¹⁰⁴² sn But who are you? This account shows how the power of Paul was so distinct that parallel claims to access that power were denied. In fact, such manipulation, by those who did not know Jesus, was judged (v. 16). The indirect way in which the exorcists made the appeal shows their distance from Jesus.

[19:16]  ¹⁰⁴² tn Grk “in whom the evil spirit was.”

[19:16]  ¹⁰⁴³ tn Grk “the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them.” The participle ἐφαλόμενος (efalomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 15.239 has “ἐφαλόμενος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ‘the man jumped on them’ Ac 19:16.”

[19:16]  ¹⁰⁴⁴ tn Grk “and beating them all into submission.” The participle κατακυριεύσας (katakurieusa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. According to W. Foerster, TDNT 3:1098, the word means “the exercise of dominion against someone, i.e., to one’s own advantage.” These exorcists were shown to be powerless in comparison to Jesus who was working through Paul.

[19:16]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ tn BDAG 484 s.v. ἰσχύω 3 has “win out, prevail…κατά τινος over, against someone Ac 19:16.”

[19:17]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:17]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ tn Grk “fell on.” BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 2 has “φόβος ἐ. ἐπί τινα fear came upon someone…Ac 19:17.”

[19:17]  ¹⁰⁴⁷ tn Or “exalted.”

[19:18]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ tn Grk “came”; the word “forward” is supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning and to conform to the contemporary English idiom.

[19:18]  ¹⁰⁴⁹ tn Or “confessing and disclosing their deeds.” BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναγγέλλω 2 has “W. ἐξομολογεῖσθαι: ἀ. τὰς πράξεις αὐτο'ν make their deeds known Ac 19:18.”

[19:19]  ¹⁰⁵¹ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 4.a has “many, quite a few” for ἱκανοί (Jikanoi) in this verse.

[19:19]  ¹⁰⁵² tn On this term see BDAG 800 s.v. περίεργος 2.

[19:19]  ¹⁰⁵³ tn Or “scrolls.”

[19:19]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ tn Or “burned them up publicly.” L&N 14.66 has “‘they brought their books together and burned them up in the presence of everyone’ Ac 19:19.”

[19:19]  ¹⁰⁵⁵ tn Grk “and when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[19:19]  ¹⁰⁵⁶ tn Or “fifty thousand silver drachmas” (about $10,000 US dollars). BDAG 128 s.v. ἀργύριον 2.c states, “ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε 50,000 (Attic silver) drachmas Ac 19:19.” Another way to express the value would be in sheep: One drachma could buy one sheep. So this many drachmas could purchase a huge flock of sheep. A drachma also equals a denarius, or a day’s wage for the average worker. So this amount would be equal to 50,000 work days or in excess of 8,300 weeks of labor (the weeks are calculated at six working days because of the Jewish cultural context). The impact of Christianity on the Ephesian economy was considerable (note in regard to this the concerns expressed in 19:26-27).

[19:20]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ 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 Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10; 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.

[19:20]  ¹⁰⁵⁵ tn The imperfect verb ηὔξανεν (huxanen) has been translated as a progressive imperfect, as has the following verb ἴσχυεν (iscuen).

[19:20]  ¹⁰⁵⁶ sn The word of the Lord…to prevail. Luke portrays the impact of Christianity in terms of the Lord’s transforming power in the lives of individuals.

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁵⁷ tn Grk “all these things had been fulfilled.”

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁵⁸ tn Grk “Paul purposed in [his] spirit” (an idiom). According to BDAG 1003 s.v. τίθημι 1.b.ε the entire idiom means “to resolve” (or “decide”): “ἔθετο ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῷ πνεύματι w. inf. foll. Paul resolved 19:21.”

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁵⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁶¹ sn Achaia was the Roman province of Achaia located across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus. Its principal city was Corinth.

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁶² tn Grk “Achaia, saying.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the awkwardness in English of having two participial clauses following one another (“passing through…saying”), the participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[19:21]  ¹⁰⁶³ sn This is the first time Paul mentions Rome. He realized the message of Christianity could impact that society even at its heights.

[19:22]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ tn The aorist participle ἀποστείλας (aposteila") has been taken temporally reflecting action antecedent to that of the main verb (ἐπέσχεν, epescen).

[19:22]  ¹⁰⁶¹ tn Grk “two of those who ministered to him.”

[19:22]  ¹⁰⁶² sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[19:22]  ¹⁰⁶³ 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.

[19:23]  ¹⁰⁶³ tn Grk “There happened at that time.” 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. Instead the verb “took place” has been supplied in the translation.

[19:23]  ¹⁰⁶⁴ tn BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.2.a, “in definite indications of time…Of the past: κ. ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρόν at that time, then…Ac 12:1; 19:23.”

[19:23]  ¹⁰⁶⁵ tn Grk “no little disturbance” (an idiom; see BDAG 991 s.v. τάραχος 2).

[19:23]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity).

[19:24]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ tn BDAG 665 s.v. ναός 1.a states, “Specif. of temples: of replicas of the temple of Artemis at Ephesus 19:24…but here, near ἱερόν vs. 27…ναός can be understood in the more restricted sense shrine, where the image of the goddess stood.”

[19:24]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ sn Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:24]  ¹⁰⁶⁸ tn Grk “brought not a little business” (an idiom).

[19:24]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ sn A great deal of business. The charge that Christianity brought economic and/or social upheaval was made a number of times in Acts: 16:20-21; 17:6-7; 18:13.

[19:25]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ tn Grk “gathering.” The participle συναθροίσας (sunaqroisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:25]  ¹⁰⁷⁰ tn Grk “whom”; because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a pronoun (“these”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[19:25]  ¹⁰⁷¹ sn Workmen in similar trades. In effect, Demetrius gathered the Ephesian chamber of commerce together to hear about the threat to their prosperity.

[19:25]  ¹⁰⁷² tn Another possible meaning is “that this business is an easy way for us to earn a living.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷² tn Grk “persuading.” The participle πείσας (peisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷³ tn Or “misled.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷⁴ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.a has “of pers. ὄχλος a large crowd…Ac 11:24, 26; 19:26.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ tn The participle λέγων (legwn) has been regarded as indicating instrumentality.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn The words “at all” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ tn Or “come under public criticism.” BDAG 101 s.v. ἀπελεγμός has “come into disrepute Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ sn Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ tn BDAG 597 s.v. λογίζομαι 1.b has “εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι be looked upon as nothing…Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:27]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ tn Or “her magnificence.” BDAG 488 s.v. καθαιρέω 2.b has “καθαιρεῖσθαι τῆς μεγαλειότητος αὐτῆς suffer the loss of her magnificence Ac 19:27”; L&N 13.38 has “‘and to have her greatness done away with’ Ac 19:27.”

[19:28]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[19:28]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ tn Grk “And hearing.” The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[19:28]  ¹⁰⁸⁰ tn Grk “they became filled with rage” (an idiom). The reaction of the Ephesians here is like that of the Jews earlier, though Luke referred to “zeal” or “jealousy” in the former case (Acts 7:54).

[19:28]  ¹⁰⁸¹ tn Grk “and began shouting, saying.” The imperfect verb ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[19:28]  ¹⁰⁸² sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:29]  ¹⁰⁸¹ tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[19:29]  ¹⁰⁸² tn L&N 39.43 has “‘the uproar spread throughout the whole city’ (literally ‘the city was filled with uproar’) Ac 19:29.” BDAG 954 s.v. σύγχυσις has “confusion, tumult.”

[19:29]  ¹⁰⁸³ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:29]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ sn To the theater. This location made the event a public spectacle. The Grand Theater in Ephesus (still standing today) stood facing down the main thoroughfare of the city toward the docks. It had a seating capacity of 25,000.

[19:29]  ¹⁰⁸⁵ tn Grk “to the theater with one accord.”

[19:30]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ tn Or “enter the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δ. go into the assembly 19:30.”

[19:31]  ¹⁰⁸⁷ tn Grk “Asiarchs” (high-ranking officials of the province of Asia).

[19:31]  ¹⁰⁸⁸ tn Grk “sending”; the participle πέμψαντες (pemyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:31]  ¹⁰⁸⁹ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[19:31]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn BDAG 242-43 s.v. δίδωμι 11 has “to cause (oneself) to go, go, venture somewhere (cp. our older ‘betake oneself’)…Ac 19:31.” The desire of these sympathetic authorities was surely to protect Paul’s life. The detail indicates how dangerous things had become.

[19:32]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn Or “had assembled.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁹³ tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ tn The words “it was about” are not in the Greek text but are implied; ᾿Αλέξανδρον (Alexandron) is taken to be an accusative of general reference.

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ tn BDAG 865 s.v. προβάλλω 1 has “to cause to come forward, put forward…τινά someone…push someone forward to speak in the theater…Ac 19:33.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ tn Or “motioning.”

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ sn The nature of Alexander’s defense is not clear. It appears he was going to explain, as a Jew, that the problem was not caused by Jews, but by those of “the Way.” However, he never got a chance to speak.

[19:33]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ tn Or “before the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…ἀπολογεῖσθαι τῷ δ. make a defense before the assembly vs. 33.”

[19:34]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ tn Grk “But recognizing.” The participle ἐπιγνόντες (epignonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:34]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ tn Grk “[they shouted] with one voice from all of them” (an idiom).

[19:34]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus, 1.25 mi (2 km) northeast of the Grand Theater. Dimensions were 418 ft by 239 ft (125 m by 72 m) for the platform; the temple proper was 377 ft by 180 ft (113 m by 54 m). The roof was supported by 117 columns, each 60 ft (18 m) high by 6 ft (1.8 m) in diameter. The Emperor Justinian of Byzantium later took these columns for use in construction of the Hagia Sophia, where they still exist (in modern day Istanbul).

[19:34]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ sn They all shouted…for about two hours. The extent of the tumult shows the racial and social tensions of a cosmopolitan city like Ephesus, indicating what the Christians in such locations had to face.

[19:35]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ¹¹⁰⁰ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ¹¹⁰¹ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ¹¹⁰² sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:35]  ¹¹⁰³ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[19:36]  ¹¹⁰² tn Grk “these things.”

[19:36]  ¹¹⁰³ tn The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὄντων (ontwn) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. On the term translated “indisputable” see BDAG 68-69 s.v. ἀναντίρρητος which has “not to be contradicted, undeniable.”

[19:36]  ¹¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “it is necessary that you be quiet.”

[19:36]  ¹¹⁰⁵ tn L&N 88.98 has “pertaining to impetuous and reckless behavior – ‘reckless, impetuous.’…‘so then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless’ Ac 19:36.” The city secretary was asking that order be restored.

[19:37]  ¹¹⁰⁵ tn Or perhaps, “desecrators of temples.”

[19:37]  ¹¹⁰⁶ sn Nor blasphemers of our goddess. There was no formal crime with which Paul could be charged. He had the right to his religion as long as he did not act physically against the temple. Since no overt act had taken place, the official wanted the community to maintain the status quo on these religious matters. The remarks suggest Paul was innocent of any civil crime.

[19:38]  ¹¹⁰⁸ tn BDAG 600 s.v. λόγος 1.a.ε has “ἔχειν πρός τινα λόγον have a complaint against someone…19:38.”

[19:38]  ¹¹⁰⁹ tn L&N 56.1 has ‘if Demetrius and his workers have an accusation against someone, the courts are open’ Ac 19:38.”

[19:38]  ¹¹¹⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The official’s request is that the legal system be respected.

[19:39]  ¹¹¹¹ tn Or “anything more than this.”

[19:39]  ¹¹¹² tn Or “resolved.”

[19:39]  ¹¹¹³ tn Or “in a legal meeting of the citizens.” L&N 30.81 has “ἐν τῇ ἐννόμῳ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιλυθήσεται ‘it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of the citizens’ Ac 19:39.” This meeting took place three times a year.

[19:40]  ¹¹¹⁴ tn Grk “For indeed.” The ascensive force of καί (kai) would be awkward to translate here.

[19:40]  ¹¹¹⁵ tn The term translated “rioting” refers to a revolt or uprising (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 2, 3). This would threaten Roman rule and invite Roman intervention.

[19:40]  ¹¹¹⁶ tn Or “to account for.” Grk “since there is no cause concerning which we can give account concerning this disorderly gathering.” The complexity of the Greek relative clause (“which”) and the multiple prepositions (“concerning”) have been simplified in the translation consistent with contemporary English style.

[19:40]  ¹¹¹⁷ tn Or “commotion.” BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 gives the meaning “a tumultuous gathering of people, disorderly/seditious gathering or commotion…Ac 19:40.”

[19:41]  ¹¹¹⁷ tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[19:41]  ¹¹¹⁸ tn Grk “And saying.” The participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:41]  ¹¹¹⁹ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:41]  ¹¹²⁰ sn Verse 41 in the English text is included as part of verse 40 in the standard critical editions of the Greek NT.

[20:1]  ¹¹²⁰ tn Or “exhorting.”

[20:1]  ¹¹²¹ tn Or “and taking leave of them.”

[20:1]  ¹¹²² sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[20:2]  ¹¹²³ tn BDAG 633 s.v. μέρος 1.b.γ gives the meanings “the parts (of a geographical area), region, district,” but the use of “district” in this context probably implies too much specificity.

[20:2]  ¹¹²⁴ tn Grk “and encouraging them with many words.” The participle παρακαλέσας (parakalesa", “encouraging”) has been translated by the phrase “spoken…words of encouragement” because the formal equivalent is awkward in contemporary English.

[20:2]  ¹¹²⁵ tn Grk “[to] them”; the referent (the believers there) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:2]  ¹¹²⁶ tn In popular usage the term translated “Greece” here could also refer to the Roman province officially known as Achaia (BDAG 318 s.v. ῾Ελλάς).

[20:3]  ¹¹²⁶ tn BDAG 841 s.v. ποιέω 5.c, “w. an acc. of time spend, stay.”

[20:3]  ¹¹²⁷ tn The participle βενομένης (benomenh") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 30.71 has “ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ‘because the Jews had made a plot against him’ Ac 20:3.”

[20:3]  ¹¹²⁸ sn This plot is one of several noted by Luke (Acts 9:20; 20:19; 23:30).

[20:3]  ¹¹²⁹ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:3]  ¹¹³⁰ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 gives “put out to sea” here (as a nautical technical term). However, since the English expression “put out to sea” could be understood to mean Paul was already aboard the ship (which is not clear from the context), the simpler expression “sail” is used at this point in the translation.

[20:3]  ¹¹³¹ tn BDAG 199 s.v. γίνομαι 7 has “ἐγένετο γνώμης he decided Ac 20:3.”

[20:3]  ¹¹³² sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[20:4]  ¹¹²⁹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:4]  ¹¹³⁰ 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.

[20:4]  ¹¹³¹ tn Grk “of the Thessalonians.”

[20:4]  ¹¹³² tn Grk “and Gaius,” but this 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.

[20:4]  ¹¹³³ sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 30 mi (50 km) southeast of Lystra.

[20:4]  ¹¹³⁴ tn Grk “the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus.” In the NT “Asia” 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.

[20:5]  ¹¹³² tn Grk “These, having gone on ahead, were waiting.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:5]  ¹¹³³ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor.

[20:6]  ¹¹³⁵ sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.

[20:6]  ¹¹³⁶ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[20:6]  ¹¹³⁷ sn The days of Unleavened Bread refer to the week following Passover. Originally an agricultural festival commemorating the beginning of harvest, it was celebrated for seven days beginning on the fifteenth day of the month Nisan (March-April). It was later combined with Passover (Exod 12:1-20; Ezek 45:21-24; Matt 26:17; Luke 22:1).

[20:6]  ¹¹³⁸ tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.a.α has “ἄ. ἡμερῶν πέντε within five days Ac 20:6.”

[20:6]  ¹¹³⁹ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the others mentioned in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:6]  ¹¹⁴⁰ sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. From Philippi to Troas was about 125 mi (200 km).

[20:7]  ¹¹³⁸ sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).

[20:7]  ¹¹³⁹ tn Or “assembled.”

[20:7]  ¹¹⁴⁰ tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[20:7]  ¹¹⁴¹ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:7]  ¹¹⁴² tn Or “prolonged.”

[20:8]  ¹¹⁴¹ tn More commonly λαμπάς (lampa") means “torch,” but here according to BDAG 585 s.v. λαμπάς 2, “lamp…w. a wick and space for oil.”

[20:8]  ¹¹⁴² sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.

[20:9]  ¹¹⁴⁴ tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).

[20:9]  ¹¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “sinking into a deep sleep.” BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ sink into a deep sleep…Ac 20:9a.” The participle καταφερόμενος (kataferomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:9]  ¹¹⁴⁶ tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.

[20:9]  ¹¹⁴⁷ tn BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὔπνου overwhelmed by sleep vs. 9b,” but this expression is less common in contemporary English than phrases like “fast asleep” or “sound asleep.”

[20:10]  ¹¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “going down.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:10]  ¹¹⁴⁸ tn BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 1.b has “ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ he threw himself upon him Ac 20:10.”

[20:10]  ¹¹⁴⁹ tn Grk “on him”; the referent (the young man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:10]  ¹¹⁵⁰ tn BDAG 959 s.v. συμπεριλαμβάνω has “to throw one’s arms around, embrace w. acc. to be supplied Ac 20:10.” However, “embraced the young man” might be taken (out of context) to have erotic implications, while “threw his arms around him” would be somewhat redundant since “threw” has been used in the previous phrase.

[20:10]  ¹¹⁵¹ tn Grk “for his life is in him” (an idiom).

[20:11]  ¹¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:11]  ¹¹⁵¹ tn Grk “going back upstairs.” The participle ἀναβάς (anabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:11]  ¹¹⁵² tn Grk “talking with them.” The participle ὁμιλήσας (Jomilhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:12]  ¹¹⁵³ tn Grk “were not to a moderate degree” (an idiom). L&N 78.11 states: “μετρίως: a moderate degree of some activity or state – ‘moderately, to a moderate extent.’ ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα, καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίωθς ‘they took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted’ Ac 20:12. In Ac 20:12 the phrase οὐ μετρίως, literally ‘not to a moderate degree,’ is equivalent to a strong positive statement, namely, ‘greatly’ or ‘to a great extent.’”

[20:13]  ¹¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “going on ahead.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:13]  ¹¹⁵⁷ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[20:13]  ¹¹⁵⁸ sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.

[20:13]  ¹¹⁵⁹ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:13]  ¹¹⁶⁰ tn Or “for he told us to do this.” Grk “for having arranged it this way, he.” The participle διατεταγμένος (diatetagmeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. BDAG 237 s.v. διατάσσω 1 has “οὕτως διατεταγμένος ἦν he had arranged it so Ac 20:13.” L&N 15.224 has “‘he told us to do this.”

[20:13]  ¹¹⁶¹ tn A new sentence was begun here in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence; in Greek this is part of the preceding sentence beginning “We went on ahead.”

[20:13]  ¹¹⁶² tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

[20:13]  ¹¹⁶³ tn Or “there on foot.”

[20:14]  ¹¹⁵⁹ sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.

[20:14]  ¹¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “taking him aboard, we.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:14]  ¹¹⁶¹ sn Mitylene was the most important city on the island of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea. It was about 44 mi (70 km) from Assos.

[20:15]  ¹¹⁶² tn Grk “setting sail from there.” The participle ἀποπλεύσαντες (apopleusante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:15]  ¹¹⁶³ tn Or “offshore from Chios.”

[20:15]  ¹¹⁶⁴ tn Or “crossed over to,” “arrived at.” L&N 54.12 has “παραβάλλω: (a technical, nautical term) to sail up to or near – ‘to approach, to arrive at, to sail to.’ παρεβάλομεν εἰς Σάμον ‘we approached Samos’ or ‘we arrived at Samos’ Ac 20:15.”

[20:15]  ¹¹⁶⁵ sn Samos is an island in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of Asia Minor.

[20:15]  ¹¹⁶⁶ sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 40 mi (70 km) south of Ephesus. From Mitylene to Miletus was about 125 mi (200 km).

[20:16]  ¹¹⁶⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[20:16]  ¹¹⁶⁶ tn Grk “so that he might not have to spend time.” L&N 67.79 has “ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ ᾿Ασίᾳ ‘so as not to spend any time in the province of Asia’ Ac 20:16.”

[20:16]  ¹¹⁶⁷ 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.

[20:16]  ¹¹⁶⁸ tn Or “was eager.”

[20:16]  ¹¹⁶⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[20:16]  ¹¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “if it could be to him” (an idiom).

[20:17]  ¹¹⁶⁸ sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 45 mi (72 km) south of Ephesus.

[20:17]  ¹¹⁶⁹ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[20:17]  ¹¹⁷⁰ tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text but are implied. L&N 33.311 has for the verb μετακαλέομαι (metakaleomai) “to summon someone, with considerable insistence and authority – ‘to summon, to tell to come.’”

[20:18]  ¹¹⁷¹ tn Grk “You yourselves know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time.” This could be understood to mean “how I stayed with you the whole time,” but the following verses make it clear that Paul’s lifestyle while with the Ephesians is in view here. Thus the translation “how I lived the whole time I was with you” makes this clear.

[20:18]  ¹¹⁷² tn Or “I arrived.” BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω 2, “set foot in…εἰς τ. ᾿Ασίαν set foot in Asia Ac 20:18.” However, L&N 15.83 removes the idiom: “you know that since the first day that I came to Asia.”

[20:18]  ¹¹⁷³ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 16.

[20:19]  ¹¹⁷⁴ sn On humility see 2 Cor 10:1; 11:7; 1 Thess 2:6; Col 3:12; Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3-11.

[20:19]  ¹¹⁷⁵ sn These plots are mentioned in Acts 9:24; 20:13.

[20:20]  ¹¹⁷⁷ tn Or “declaring.”

[20:20]  ¹¹⁷⁸ tn Or “profitable.” BDAG 960 s.v. συμφέρω 2.b.α has “τὰ συμφέροντα what advances your best interests or what is good for you Ac 20:20,” but the broader meaning (s.v. 2, “to be advantageous, help, confer a benefit, be profitable/useful”) is equally possible in this context.

[20:20]  ¹¹⁷⁹ tn Or “openly.”

[20:21]  ¹¹⁸⁰ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…of repentance to Judeans and Hellenes Ac 20:21.”

[20:21]  ¹¹⁸¹ tc Several mss, including some of the more important ones (Ì⁷⁴ א Α C [D] E 33 36 323 945 1175 1241 1505 1739 pm and a number of versions), read Χριστόν (Criston, “Christ”) at the end of this verse. This word is lacking in B H L P Ψ 614 pm. Although the inclusion is supported by many earlier and better mss, internal evidence is on the side of the omission: In Acts, both “Lord Jesus” and “Lord Jesus Christ” occur, though between 16:31 and the end of the book “Lord Jesus Christ” appears only in 28:31, perhaps as a kind of climactic assertion. Thus, the shorter reading is to be preferred.

[20:22]  ¹¹⁸³ tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[20:22]  ¹¹⁸⁴ tn Grk “bound.”

[20:22]  ¹¹⁸⁵ sn This journey to Jerusalem suggests a parallel between Paul and Jesus, since the “Jerusalem journey” motif figures so prominently in Luke’s Gospel (9:51-19:44).

[20:22]  ¹¹⁸⁶ tn BDAG 965 s.v. συναντάω 2 has τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ συναντήσοντα ἐμοὶ μὴ εἰδώς without knowing what will happen to me there Ac 20:22.”

[20:23]  ¹¹⁸⁶ tn BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 1.d has “πλὴν ὅτι except that…Ac 20:23.”

[20:23]  ¹¹⁸⁷ tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn” (BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 2 has “solemnly urge, exhort, warn…w. dat. of pers. addressed”), and this meaning better fits the context here, although BDAG categorizes Acts 20:23 under the meaning “testify of, bear witness to” (s.v. 1).

[20:23]  ¹¹⁸⁸ tn The Greek text here reads κατὰ πόλιν (kata polin).

[20:23]  ¹¹⁸⁹ tn Grk “saying that,” but the participle λέγον (legon) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[20:23]  ¹¹⁹⁰ tn Grk “bonds.”

[20:23]  ¹¹⁹¹ tn Or “troubles,” “suffering.” See Acts 19:21; 21:4, 11.

[20:24]  ¹¹⁸⁹ tn Grk “soul.”

[20:24]  ¹¹⁹⁰ tn Or “I do not consider my life worth a single word.” According to BDAG 599 s.v. λόγος 1.a.α, “In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’).”

[20:24]  ¹¹⁹¹ tn BDAG 1106 s.v. ὡς 9 describes this use as “a final particle, expressing intention/purpose, with a view to, in order to.”

[20:24]  ¹¹⁹² tn Grk “course.” See L&N 42.26, “(a figurative extension of meaning of δρόμος ‘race’) a task or function involving continuity, serious, effort, and possibly obligation – ‘task, mission’…Ac 20:24.” On this Pauline theme see also Phil 1:19-26; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 4:6-7.

[20:24]  ¹¹⁹³ tn Or “to the gospel.”

[20:25]  ¹¹⁹² tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

[20:25]  ¹¹⁹³ tn Grk “all of you…will not see.” Greek handles its negation somewhat differently from English, and the translation follows English grammatical conventions.

[20:25]  ¹¹⁹⁴ sn Note how Paul’s usage of the expression proclaiming the kingdom is associated with (and intertwined with) his testifying to the good news of God’s grace in v. 24. For Paul the two concepts were interrelated.

[20:25]  ¹¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “will see my face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

[20:26]  ¹¹⁹⁵ tn Or “testify.”

[20:26]  ¹¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “clean, pure,” thus “guiltless” (BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a).

[20:26]  ¹¹⁹⁷ tn That is, “that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible” (an idiom). According to L&N 33.223, the meaning of the phrase “that I am innocent of the blood of all of you” is “that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.” However, due to the length of this phrase and its familiarity to many modern English readers, the translation was kept closer to formal equivalence in this case. The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; Paul is addressing the Ephesian congregation (in the person of its elders) in both v. 25 and 27.

[20:27]  ¹¹⁹⁸ tn Or “did not avoid.” BDAG 1041 s.v. ὑποστέλλω 2.b has “shrink from, avoid implying fear…οὐ γὰρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι I did not shrink from proclaiming Ac 20:27”; L&N 13.160 has “to hold oneself back from doing something, with the implication of some fearful concern – ‘to hold back from, to shrink from, to avoid’…‘for I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God’ Ac 20:27.”

[20:27]  ¹¹⁹⁹ tn Or “proclaiming,” “declaring.”

[20:27]  ¹²⁰⁰ tn Or “plan.”

[20:28]  ¹²⁰¹ tn Or “Be on your guard for” (cf. v. 29). Paul completed his responsibility to the Ephesians with this warning.

[20:28]  ¹²⁰² tn Grk “in which.”

[20:28]  ¹²⁰³ tn Or “guardians.” BDAG 379-80 s.v. ἐπίσκοπος 2 states, “The term was taken over in Christian communities in ref. to one who served as overseer or supervisor, with special interest in guarding the apostolic tradition…Ac 20:28.” This functional term describes the role of the elders (see v. 17). They were to guard and shepherd the congregation.

[20:28]  ¹²⁰⁴ tc The reading “of God” (τοῦ θεοῦ, tou qeou) is found in א B 614 1175 1505 al vg sy; other witnesses have “of the Lord” (τοῦ κυρίου, tou kuriou) here (so Ì⁷⁴ A C* D E Ψ 33 1739 al co), while the majority of the later minuscule mss conflate these two into “of the Lord and God” (τοῦ κυρίου καὶ [τοῦ] θεοῦ, tou kuriou kai [tou] qeou). Although the evidence is evenly balanced between the first two readings, τοῦ θεοῦ is decidedly superior on internal grounds. The final prepositional phrase of this verse, διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἰδίου (dia tou {aimato" tou idiou), could be rendered “through his own blood” or “through the blood of his own.” In the latter translation, the object that “own” modifies must be supplied (see tn below for discussion). But this would not be entirely clear to scribes; those who supposed that ἰδίου modified αἵματος would be prone to alter “God” to “Lord” to avoid the inference that God had blood. In a similar way, later scribes would be prone to conflate the two titles, thereby affirming the deity (with the construction τοῦ κυρίου καὶ θεοῦ following the Granville Sharp rule and referring to a single person [see ExSyn 272, 276-77, 290]) and substitutionary atonement of Christ. For these reasons, τοῦ θεοῦ best explains the rise of the other readings and should be considered authentic.

[20:28]  ¹²⁰⁵ tn Or “acquired.”

[20:28]  ¹²⁰⁶ tn Or “with his own blood”; Grk “with the blood of his own.” The genitive construction could be taken in two ways: (1) as an attributive genitive (second attributive position) meaning “his own blood”; or (2) as a possessive genitive, “with the blood of his own.” In this case the referent is the Son, and the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. See further C. F. DeVine, “The Blood of God,” CBQ 9 (1947): 381-408.

[20:29]  ¹²⁰⁴ tn Grk “after my departure.”

[20:29]  ¹²⁰⁵ tn That is, people like fierce wolves. See BDAG 167-68 s.v. βαρύς 4 on the term translated “fierce.” The battle that will follow would be a savage one.

[20:30]  ¹²⁰⁷ tn Grk “from among yourselves.”

[20:30]  ¹²⁰⁸ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only rarely is used in a generic sense to refer to both males and females. Since Paul is speaking to the Ephesian elders at this point and there is nothing in the context to suggest women were included in that group (“from among your own group”), it is most likely Paul was not predicting that these false teachers would include women.

[20:30]  ¹²⁰⁹ tn Grk “speaking crooked things”; BDAG 237 s.v. διαστρέφω 2 has “λαλεῖν διεστραμμένα teach perversions (of the truth) Ac 20:30.”

[20:31]  ¹²¹⁰ tn Or “be watchful.”

[20:31]  ¹²¹¹ tn Or “admonishing.”

[20:32]  ¹²¹³ tn Or “commend.” BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 3.b has “τινά τινι entrust someone to the care or protection of someone…Of divine protection παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ Ac 14:23; cp. 20:32.”

[20:32]  ¹²¹⁴ tn Grk “word.”

[20:32]  ¹²¹⁵ tn Grk “the message of his grace, which.” The phrase τῷ δυναμένῳ οἰκοδομῆσαι… (tw dunamenw oikodomhsai…) refers to τῷ λόγω (tw logw), not τῆς χάριτος (ths caritos); in English it could refer to either “the message” or “grace,” but in Greek, because of agreement in gender, the referent can only be “the message.” To make this clear, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the referent “the message” was repeated at the beginning of this new sentence.

[20:33]  ¹²¹⁶ tn Traditionally, “coveted.” BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιθυμέω 1 has “to have a strong desire to do or secure someth., desire, long for w. gen. of the thing desired…silver, gold, clothing Ac 20:33.” The traditional term “covet” is not in common usage and difficult for many modern English readers to understand. The statement affirms Paul’s integrity. He was not doing this for personal financial gain.

[20:34]  ¹²¹⁹ tn The words “of mine” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify whose hands Paul is referring to.

[20:35]  ¹²²² sn The expression By all these things means “In everything I did.”

[20:35]  ¹²²³ tn Or “must assist.”

[20:35]  ¹²²⁴ tn Or “the sick.” See Eph 4:28.

[20:35]  ¹²²⁵ sn The saying is similar to Matt 10:8. Service and generosity should be abundant. Interestingly, these exact words are not found in the gospels. Paul must have known of this saying from some other source.

[20:36]  ¹²²⁵ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[20:36]  ¹²²⁶ tn Grk “kneeling down…he prayed.” The participle θείς (qeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[20:37]  ¹²²⁸ tn Grk “weeping a great deal,” thus “loudly” (BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός and BDAG 546 s.v. κλαυθμός).

[20:37]  ¹²²⁹ tn Grk “fell on Paul’s neck” (an idiom, see BDAG 1014 s.v. τράχηλος).

[20:37]  ¹²³⁰ sn The Ephesians elders kissed Paul as a sign of both affection and farewell. The entire scene shows how much interrelationship Paul had in his ministry and how much he and the Ephesians meant to each other.

[20:38]  ¹²³¹ tn Or “pained.”

[20:38]  ¹²³² tn Grk “by the word that he had said.”

[20:38]  ¹²³³ tn Grk “to see his face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

[20:38]  ¹²³⁴ tn BDAG 873 s.v. προπέμπω 1 has “they accompanied him to the ship Ac 20:38.”

[21:1]  ¹²³⁴ tn Grk “It happened that when.” 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. Since the action described by the participle ἀποσπασθέντας (apospasqenta", “tearing ourselves away”) is prior to the departure of the ship, it has been translated as antecedent action (“after”).

[21:1]  ¹²³⁵ sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.

[21:1]  ¹²³⁶ tn BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποσπάω 2.b has “pass. in mid. sense ἀ. ἀπό τινος tear oneself away Ac 21:1”; LSJ 218 gives several illustrations of this verb meaning “to tear or drag away from.”

[21:1]  ¹²³⁷ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[21:1]  ¹²³⁸ tn BDAG 406 s.v. εὐθυδρομέω has “of a ship run a straight course”; L&N 54.3 has “to sail a straight course, sail straight to.”

[21:1]  ¹²³⁹ sn Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea.

[21:1]  ¹²⁴⁰ sn Rhodes was an island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.

[21:1]  ¹²⁴¹ sn Patara was a city in Lycia on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. The entire journey was about 185 mi (295 km).

[21:2]  ¹²³⁷ tn Grk “and finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun in the translation.

[21:2]  ¹²³⁸ sn Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[21:2]  ¹²³⁹ tn Grk “going aboard, we put out to sea.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:2]  ¹²⁴⁰ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[21:3]  ¹²⁴⁰ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[21:3]  ¹²⁴¹ sn The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.

[21:3]  ¹²⁴² tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[21:3]  ¹²⁴³ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage.

[21:4]  ¹²⁴³ tn BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνευρίσκω has “look/search for (w. finding presupposed) τινά…τοὺς μαθητάς Ac 21:4.” The English verb “locate,” when used in reference to persons, has the implication of both looking for and finding someone. The participle ἀνευρόντες (aneuronte") has been taken temporally.

[21:4]  ¹²⁴⁴ tn BDAG 154 s.v. αὐτοῦ states, “deictic adv. designating a position relatively near or far…there…Ac 21:4.”

[21:4]  ¹²⁴⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγον (elegon) has been taken iteratively.

[21:4]  ¹²⁴⁶ sn Although they told this to Paul through the Spirit, it appears Paul had a choice here (see v. 14). Therefore this amounted to a warning: There was risk in going to Jerusalem, so he was urged not to go.

[21:4]  ¹²⁴⁷ tn BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω places Ac 21:4 under 1, “go up/upon, mount, board…πλοίῳ…Ac 27:2…Abs. go on board, embark…21:1 D, 2. – So perh. also ἐ. εἰς ᾿Ιεροσόλυμα embark for Jerusalem (i.e. to the seaport of Caesarea) vs. 4.” BDAG notes, however, “But this pass. may also belong to 2. to move to an area and be there, set foot in.” Because the message from the disciples to Paul through the Holy Spirit has the character of a warning, the latter meaning has been adopted for this translation.

[21:4]  ¹²⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:5]  ¹²⁴⁶ tn Grk “It happened that when.” 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.

[21:5]  ¹²⁴⁷ tn Grk “When our days were over.” L&N 67.71 has “ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἡμᾶς ἐξαρτίσαι τὰς ἡμέρας ‘when we brought that time to an end’ or ‘when our time with them was over’ Ac 21:5.”

[21:5]  ¹²⁴⁸ tn Grk “accompanying.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the participle προπεμπόντων (propempontwn) translated as a finite verb.

[21:5]  ¹²⁴⁹ tn Grk “city, and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[21:5]  ¹²⁵⁰ sn On praying in Acts, see 1:14, 24; 2:47; 4:23; 6:6; 10:2; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 16:25.

[21:6]  ¹²⁴⁹ tn BDAG 98 s.v. ἀπασπάζομαι has “take leave of, say farewell to τινά someone…ἀπησπασάμεθα ἀλλήλους we said farewell to one another Ac 21:6.”

[21:6]  ¹²⁵⁰ sn These words are part of v. 5 in the standard critical Greek text.

[21:6]  ¹²⁵¹ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[21:6]  ¹²⁵² tn Grk “to their own”; the word “homes” is implied.

[21:7]  ¹²⁵² sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[21:7]  ¹²⁵³ sn Ptolemais was a seaport on the coast of Palestine about 30 mi (48 km) south of Tyre.

[21:8]  ¹²⁵⁵ tn Grk “On the next day leaving, we came.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8]  ¹²⁵⁶ sn 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 another 40 mi (65 km).

[21:8]  ¹²⁵⁷ tn Grk “and entering…we stayed.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8]  ¹²⁵⁸ sn Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-7).

[21:9]  ¹²⁵⁸ tn Grk “virgin.” While the term παρθένος (parqeno") can refer to a woman who has never had sexual relations, the emphasis in this context seems to be on the fact that Philip’s daughters were not married (L&N 9.39).

[21:9]  ¹²⁵⁹ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Luke again noted women who were gifted in the early church (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.31; 3.39).

[21:10]  ¹²⁶¹ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.α has “ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους for a (large) number of days, for many days…Ac 13:31. – 21:10…24:17; 25:14; 27:20.”

[21:10]  ¹²⁶² sn Agabus also appeared in Acts 11:28. He was from Jerusalem, so the two churches were still in contact with one another.

[21:11]  ¹²⁶⁴ tn Grk “And coming.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ¹²⁶⁵ tn Grk “and taking.” This 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. The participle ἄρας (aras) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ¹²⁶⁶ sn The belt was a band or sash used to keep money as well as to gird up the tunic (BDAG 431 s.v. ζώνη).

[21:11]  ¹²⁶⁷ tn The participle δήσας (dhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ¹²⁶⁸ tn The words “with it” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[21:11]  ¹²⁶⁹ tn Grk “and will deliver him over into the hands of” (a Semitic idiom).

[21:12]  ¹²⁶⁷ tn Or “the people there.”

[21:13]  ¹²⁷⁰ tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

[21:13]  ¹²⁷¹ tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.

[21:14]  ¹²⁷³ tn The participle πειθομένου (peiqomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[21:14]  ¹²⁷⁴ tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”

[21:14]  ¹²⁷⁵ sn “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.

[21:15]  ¹²⁷⁶ tn Or “we made preparations.”

[21:15]  ¹²⁷⁷ tn Grk “were going up”; the imperfect verb ἀνεβαίνομεν (anebainomen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:16]  ¹²⁷⁹ sn 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.

[21:16]  ¹²⁸⁰ tn Grk “to Mnason…”; the words “the house of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the verb ξενισθῶμεν (xenisqwmen).

[21:16]  ¹²⁸¹ tn Or perhaps, “Mnason of Cyprus, one of the original disciples.” BDAG 137 s.v. ἀρχαῖος 1 has “ἀ. μαθητής a disciple of long standing (perh. original disc.) Ac 21:16.”

[21:17]  ¹²⁸² tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).

[21:18]  ¹²⁸⁵ tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”

[21:19]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:19]  ¹²⁸⁹ tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:19]  ¹²⁹⁰ tn BDAG 293 s.v. εἷς 5.e has “καθ᾿ ἕν one after the other (hence τὸ καθ᾿ ἕν ‘a detailed list’: PLille 11, 8 [III bc]; PTebt. 47, 34; 332, 16) J 21:25. Also καθ᾿ ἕν ἕκαστον…Ac 21:19.”

[21:19]  ¹²⁹¹ sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.

[21:20]  ¹²⁹¹ tn Or “glorified.”

[21:20]  ¹²⁹² tn Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.”

[21:20]  ¹²⁹³ tn Or “are all zealous for the law.” BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.β has “of thing…τοῦ νόμου an ardent observer of the law Ac 21:20.”

[21:20]  ¹²⁹⁴ sn That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers (1 Cor 7:18-19; Acts 16:3).

[21:21]  ¹²⁹⁴ tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.

[21:21]  ¹²⁹⁵ tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”

[21:21]  ¹²⁹⁶ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21]  ¹²⁹⁷ tn Grk “or walk.”

[21:22]  ¹²⁹⁷ tn L&N 71.16 has “pertaining to being in every respect certain – ‘certainly, really, doubtless, no doubt.’…‘they will no doubt hear that you have come’ Ac 21:22.”

[21:23]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn Grk “do this that.”

[21:23]  ¹³⁰¹ tn Grk “There are four men here.”

[21:23]  ¹³⁰² tn L&N 33.469 has “‘there are four men here who have taken a vow’ or ‘we have four men who…’ Ac 21:23.”

[21:23]  ¹³⁰³ tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.

[21:24]  ¹³⁰³ sn That is, undergo ritual cleansing. Paul’s cleansing would be necessary because of his travels in “unclean” Gentile territory. This act would represent a conciliatory gesture. Paul would have supported a “law-free” mission to the Gentiles as an option, but this gesture would represent an attempt to be sensitive to the Jews (1 Cor 9:15-22).

[21:24]  ¹³⁰⁴ tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”

[21:24]  ¹³⁰⁵ tn The future middle indicative has causative force here. BDAG 686 s.v. ξυράω has “mid. have oneself shaved…τὴν κεφαλήν have one’s head shaved…Ac 21:24.”

[21:24]  ¹³⁰⁶ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[21:24]  ¹³⁰⁷ tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).

[21:24]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn Grk “adhere to the keeping of the law.” L&N 41.12 has “στοιχέω: to live in conformity with some presumed standard or set of customs – ‘to live, to behave in accordance with.’”

[21:24]  ¹³⁰⁹ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:25]  ¹³⁰⁶ tn L&N 13.154 has “‘having decided that they must keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from an animal that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality’ Ac 21:25.”

[21:25]  ¹³⁰⁷ tn This is a different Greek word than the one used in Acts 15:20, 29. BDAG 1068 s.v. φυλάσσω 3 has “to be on one’s guard against, look out for, avoid…w. acc. of pers. or thing avoided…Ac 21:25.” The Greek word used in Acts 15:20, 29 is ἀπέχω (apecw). The difference in meaning, although slight, has been maintained in the translation.

[21:25]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.

[21:25]  ¹³⁰⁹ sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14) Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the preceding provision in this verse, and blood).

[21:26]  ¹³⁰⁹ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 11.b.β has “temporal, to be next, immediately following…τῇ ἐχομένῃ…on the next day Lk 13:33…Ac 20:15; w. ἡμέρᾳ added…21:26.”

[21:26]  ¹³¹⁰ tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.

[21:26]  ¹³¹¹ tn Grk “entered the temple, giving notice.” The participle διαγγέλλων (diangellwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:26]  ¹³¹² sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.

[21:26]  ¹³¹³ tn Grk “until” (BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.β.א), but since in English it is somewhat awkward to say “the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice would be offered,” the temporal clause was translated “when the sacrifice would be offered.” The point is that the sacrifice would be offered when the days were completed. Paul honored the request of the Jewish Christian leadership completely. As the following verse makes clear, the vow was made for seven days.

[21:26]  ¹³¹⁴ tn Grk “for each one.”

[21:27]  ¹³¹² tn BDAG 975 s.v. συντελέω 4 has “to come to an end of a duration, come to an end, be over…Ac 21:27.”

[21:27]  ¹³¹³ 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.

[21:27]  ¹³¹⁴ tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:27]  ¹³¹⁵ tn Or “threw the whole crowd into consternation.” L&N 25.221 has “συνέχεον πάντα τὸν ὄχλον ‘they threw the whole crowd into consternation’ Ac 21:27. It is also possible to render the expression in Ac 21:27 as ‘they stirred up the whole crowd.’”

[21:27]  ¹³¹⁶ tn Grk “and laid hands on.”

[21:28]  ¹³¹⁵ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage since “the whole crowd” is mentioned in v. 27, although it can also be argued that these remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[21:28]  ¹³¹⁶ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:28]  ¹³¹⁷ tn Grk “this place.”

[21:28]  ¹³¹⁸ tn BDAG 400 s.v. ἔτι 2.b has “ἔ. δὲ καί furthermore…al. ἔ. τε καί…Lk 14:26; Ac 21:28.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek, but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[21:28]  ¹³¹⁹ tn Grk “into the temple.” The specific reference is to the Court of the Sons of Israel (see the note following the term “unclean” at the end of this verse). To avoid giving the modern reader the impression that they entered the temple building itself, the phrase “the inner courts of the temple” has been used in the translation.

[21:28]  ¹³²⁰ tn Or “and has defiled this holy place.”

[21:29]  ¹³¹⁸ tn Grk “whom.”

[21:29]  ¹³¹⁹ tn On the phrase “inner temple courts” see the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:30]  ¹³²¹ tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.

[21:30]  ¹³²² tn Or “the people formed a mob.” BDAG 967 s.v. συνδρομή has “formation of a mob by pers. running together, running together…ἐγένετο σ. τοῦ λαοῦ the people rushed together Ac 21:30.”

[21:30]  ¹³²³ tn Grk “and seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[21:30]  ¹³²⁴ tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:31]  ¹³²⁴ tn Grk “seeking.”

[21:31]  ¹³²⁵ tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).

[21:31]  ¹³²⁶ tn Grk “went up”; this verb is used because the report went up to the Antonia Fortress where the Roman garrison was stationed.

[21:31]  ¹³²⁷ tn 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.

[21:31]  ¹³²⁸ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.

[21:31]  ¹³²⁹ tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”

[21:32]  ¹³²⁷ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated as a pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[21:32]  ¹³²⁸ tn Grk “taking…ran down.” The participle κατέδραμεν (katedramen) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:32]  ¹³²⁹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[21:32]  ¹³³⁰ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:32]  ¹³³¹ tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.

[21:32]  ¹³³² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:32]  ¹³³³ sn The mob stopped beating Paul because they feared the Romans would arrest them for disturbing the peace and for mob violence. They would let the Roman officials take care of the matter from this point on.

[21:33]  ¹³³⁰ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:33]  ¹³³¹ tn Grk “seized.”

[21:33]  ¹³³² tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).

[21:33]  ¹³³³ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been replaced with a semicolon. “Then” has been supplied after “he” to clarify the logical sequence.

[21:33]  ¹³³⁴ tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”

[21:34]  ¹³³³ tn L&N 33.77 has “ἄλλοι δὲ ἄλλο τι ἐπεφώνουν ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ ‘some in the crowd shouted one thing; others, something else’ Ac 21:34.”

[21:34]  ¹³³⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ¹³³⁵ tn This genitive absolute construction has been translated temporally; it could also be taken causally: “and since the commanding officer was unable to find out the truth.”

[21:34]  ¹³³⁶ tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).

[21:34]  ¹³³⁷ tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).

[21:34]  ¹³³⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ¹³³⁹ 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.”

[21:35]  ¹³³⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:35]  ¹³³⁷ sn Paul had to be carried. Note how the arrest really ended up protecting Paul. The crowd is portrayed as irrational at this point.

[21:35]  ¹³³⁸ tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).

[21:36]  ¹³³⁹ tn Grk “the multitude of people.” While πλῆθος (plhqo") is articular, it has been translated “a crowd” since it was probably a subset of the larger mob that gathered in v. 30.

[21:36]  ¹³⁴⁰ tn The word “them” 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.

[21:37]  ¹³⁴² 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.”

[21:37]  ¹³⁴³ tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

[21:37]  ¹³⁴⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:37]  ¹³⁴⁵ tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).

[21:37]  ¹³⁴⁶ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[21:37]  ¹³⁴⁸ sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.

[21:38]  ¹³⁴⁵ tn L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”

[21:38]  ¹³⁴⁶ tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”

[21:38]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn Or “desert.”

[21:38]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn Grk “before these days.”

[21:39]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn Grk “said.”

[21:39]  ¹³⁴⁹ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[21:39]  ¹³⁵⁰ tn Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression (BDAG 142 s.v. ἄσημος 1).

[21:39]  ¹³⁵¹ tn Grk “I beg you.”

[21:40]  ¹³⁵¹ tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[21:40]  ¹³⁵² tn Grk “Giving him permission.” The participle ἐπιτρέψαντος (epitreyanto") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40]  ¹³⁵³ tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40]  ¹³⁵⁴ tn Or “motioned.”

[21:40]  ¹³⁵⁵ tn γενομένης (genomenhs) has been taken temporally. BDAG 922 s.v. σιγή has “πολλῆς σιγῆς γενομένης when a great silence had fallen = when they had become silent Ac 21:40.”

[21:40]  ¹³⁵⁶ tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”

[21:40]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn Grk “in the Hebrew dialect, saying.” This refers to the Aramaic spoken in Palestine in the 1st century (BDAG 270 s.v. ῾Εβραΐς). The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[22:1]  ¹³⁵⁴ sn Listen to my defense. This is the first of several speeches Paul would make in his own defense: Acts 24:10ff.; 25:8, 16; and 26:1ff. For the use of such a speech (“apologia”) in Greek, see Josephus, Ag. Ap. 2.15 [2.147]; Wis 6:10.

[22:1]  ¹³⁵⁵ tn The adverb νυνί (nuni, “now”) is connected with the phrase τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας (th" pro" Juma" nuni apologia") rather than the verb ἀκούσατε (akousate), and the entire construction (prepositional phrase plus adverb) is in first attributive position and thus translated into English by a relative clause.

[22:2]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ¹³⁵⁸ tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”

[22:2]  ¹³⁵⁹ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ¹³⁶⁰ tn BDAG 613-14 s.v. μᾶλλον 1 “Abs. μ. can mean to a greater degree (than before), even more, now more than ever Lk 5:15; Jn 5:18; 19:8; Ac 5:14; 22:2; 2 Cor 7:7.”

[22:2]  ¹³⁶¹ tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”

[22:2]  ¹³⁶² tn Grk “and.” Since this represents a continuation of the speech begun in v. 1, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[22:3]  ¹³⁶⁰ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ¹³⁶¹ tn BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b has “of mental and spiritual nurture bring up, rear, train…ἀνατεθραμμένος ἐν τ. πόλει ταύτῃ 22:3.”

[22:3]  ¹³⁶² tn Or “with precision.” Although often translated “strictly” this can be misunderstood for “solely” in English. BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκρίβεια gives the meaning as “exactness, precision.” To avoid the potential misunderstanding the translation “with strictness” is used, although it is slightly more awkward than “strictly.”

[22:3]  ¹³⁶³ tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ¹³⁶⁴ tn Or “brought up in this city under Gamaliel, educated with strictness…” The phrase παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ (para tou" poda" Gamalihl) could be understood with what precedes or with what follows. The punctuation of NA²⁷ and UBS⁴, which place a comma after ταύτῃ (tauth), has been followed in the translation.

[22:3]  ¹³⁶⁵ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.α has “of pers. …ζ. τοῦ θεοῦ one who is loyal to God Ac 22:3.”

[22:4]  ¹³⁶³ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the first person pronoun (“I”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[22:4]  ¹³⁶⁴ sn That is, persecuted the Christian movement (Christianity). The Way is also used as a description of the Christian faith in Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22).

[22:4]  ¹³⁶⁵ tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “W. local εἰς…εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3; cp. 22:4.”

[22:5]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn That is, the whole Sanhedrin. BDAG 861 s.v. πρεσβυτέριον has “an administrative group concerned with the interests of a specific community, council of elders – a. of the highest Judean council in Jerusalem, in our lit. usu. called συνέδριον…ὁ ἀρχιερεύς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρ. Ac 22:5.”

[22:5]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn Grk “from whom.” 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.

[22:5]  ¹³⁶⁸ tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ¹³⁶⁹ tn Grk “letters to the brothers, [and] I was going to Damascus.” Such a translation, however, might be confusing since the term “brother” is frequently used of a fellow Christian. In this context, Paul is speaking about fellow Jews.

[22:5]  ¹³⁷⁰ tn Grk “even there and bring…” or “there and even bring…” The ascensive καί (kai) shows that Paul was fervent in his zeal against Christians, but it is difficult to translate for it really belongs with the entire idea of arresting and bringing back the prisoners.

[22:5]  ¹³⁷¹ tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ¹³⁷² tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”

[22:6]  ¹³⁶⁹ tn Grk “It happened that as.” 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.

[22:6]  ¹³⁷⁰ tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”

[22:6]  ¹³⁷¹ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ¹³⁷² tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ¹³⁷³ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ¹³⁷² tn This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the connective τέ (te), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. To indicate the logical sequence for the modern English reader, τέ was translated as “then.”

[22:9]  ¹³⁷⁵ tn Grk “did not hear” (but see Acts 9:7). BDAG 38 s.v. ἀκούω 7 has “W. acc. τὸν νόμον understand the law Gal 4:21; perh. Ac 22:9; 26:14…belong here.” If the word has this sense here, then a metonymy is present, since the lack of effect is put for a failure to appreciate what was heard.

[22:10]  ¹³⁷⁸ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ¹³⁷⁹ tn Grk “Getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.

[22:10]  ¹³⁸⁰ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ¹³⁸¹ tn Or “assigned,” “ordered.” BDAG 991 s.v. τάσσω 2.a has “act. and pass., foll. by acc. w. inf.…περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι concerning everything that you have been ordered to do 22:10.” There is an allusion to a divine call and commission here.

[22:11]  ¹³⁸¹ tn BDAG 106 s.v. ἀπό 5.a has “οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτός I could not see because of the brilliance of the light Ac 22:11.”

[22:11]  ¹³⁸² tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ¹³⁸³ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ¹³⁸⁴ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ¹³⁸⁵ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ¹³⁸⁶ tn BDAG 534 s.v. κατοικέω 1.a translates this present participle “ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν (sc. ἐκεῖ) κατοικούντων ᾿Ιουδαίων by all the Jews who live there Ac 22:12.”

[22:13]  ¹³⁸⁷ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ¹³⁸⁸ tn Grk “coming to me and standing beside [me] said to me.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ¹³⁸⁹ tn Grk “Brother Saul, look up” (here an idiom for regaining one’s sight). BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβλέπω places this usage under 1, “look up Ac 22:13a. W. εἰς αὐτόν to show the direction of the glance…22:13b; but perh. this vs. belongs under 2a.” BDAG 59 s.v. 2.a.α states, “of blind persons, who were formerly able to see, regain sight.” The problem for the translator is deciding between the literal and the idiomatic usage and at the same time attempting to retain the wordplay in Acts 22:13: “[Ananias] said to me, ‘Look up!’ and at that very moment I looked up to him.” The assumption of the command is that the effort to look up will be worth it (through the regaining of sight).

[22:13]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn Grk “hour,” but ὥρα (Jwra) is often used for indefinite short periods of time (so BDAG 1102-3 s.v. ὥρα 2.c: “αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ at that very time, at once, instantly…Lk 2:38, 24:33; Ac 16:18; 22:13”). A comparison with the account in Acts 9:18 indicates that this is clearly the meaning here.

[22:13]  ¹³⁹¹ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[22:14]  ¹³⁹¹ tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance’…‘the God of our ancestors has already chosen you to know his will’ Ac 22:14.”

[22:14]  ¹³⁹² tn Grk “and to see.” This 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.

[22:14]  ¹³⁹³ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ¹³⁹⁴ tn Or “a solemn declaration”; Grk “a voice.” BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c states, “that which the voice gives expression to: call, cry, outcry, loud or solemn declaration (… = order, command)…Cp. 22:14; 24:21.”

[22:15]  ¹³⁹³ tn Or “a witness to him.”

[22:15]  ¹³⁹⁴ tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ¹³⁹⁶ tn L&N 67.121 has “to extend time unduly, with the implication of lack of decision – ‘to wait, to delay.’ νῦν τί μέλλεις… ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι ‘what are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized’ Ac 22:16.”

[22:16]  ¹³⁹⁷ tn Grk “getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.

[22:16]  ¹³⁹⁸ sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ¹³⁹⁹ sn The expression calling on his name describes the confession of the believer: Acts 2:17-38, esp. v. 38; Rom 10:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2.

[22:17]  ¹³⁹⁹ tn Grk “It happened to me that.” 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.

[22:17]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ¹⁴⁰² tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ tn Grk “And I said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai, in καγώ [kagw]) has not been translated here.

[22:19]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ tn For the distributive sense of the expression κατὰ τὰς συναγωγάς (kata ta" sunagwga") BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d has “of places viewed serially, distributive use w. acc.…κατ᾿ οἶκαν from house to house…Ac 2:46b; 5:42…Likew. the pl.…κ. τὰς συναγωγάς 22:19.” See also L&N 37.114.

[22:20]  ¹⁴⁰⁸ sn Now Paul referred to Stephen as your witness, and he himself had also become a witness. The reversal was now complete; the opponent had now become a proponent.

[22:20]  ¹⁴⁰⁹ sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ¹⁴¹⁰ tn Grk “and approving.” This 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.

[22:20]  ¹⁴¹¹ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:20]  ¹⁴¹² tn Or “who were putting him to death.” For the translation of ἀναιρούντων (anairountwn) as “putting to death” see BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2.

[22:21]  ¹⁴¹¹ tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to Paul’s reply in v. 19, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

[22:22]  ¹⁴¹⁴ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ¹⁴¹⁵ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ¹⁴¹⁶ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ¹⁴¹⁷ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ¹⁴¹⁸ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ¹⁴¹⁹ tn BDAG 491 s.v. καθήκω has “to be appropriate, come/reach to, be proper/fitting…Usu. impers. καθήκει it comes (to someone)…foll. by acc. and inf….οὐ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν he should not be allowed to live Ac 22:22.”

[22:23]  ¹⁴¹⁷ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ¹⁴¹⁸ tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ¹⁴¹⁹ sn The crowd’s act of tossing dust in the air indicated they had heard something disturbing and offensive. This may have been a symbolic gesture, indicating Paul’s words deserved to be thrown to the wind, or it may have simply resulted from the fact they had nothing else to throw at him at the moment.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²⁰ tn 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.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²² 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.”

[22:24]  ¹⁴²³ tn Grk “into the barracks, saying.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the participle εἴπας (eipas), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. The direct object “them” has been supplied; it is understood in Greek.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²⁵ sn To interrogate Paul by beating him with a lash. Under the Roman legal system it was customary to use physical torture to extract confessions or other information from prisoners who were not Roman citizens and who were charged with various crimes, especially treason or sedition. The lashing would be done with a whip of leather thongs with pieces of metal or bone attached to the ends.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ¹⁴²⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ¹⁴²³ tn Grk “for the thongs” (of which the lash was made). Although often translated as a dative of means (“with thongs”), referring to thongs used to tie the victim to the whipping post, BDAG 474-75 s.v. ἱμάς states that it “is better taken as a dat. of purpose for the thongs, in which case οἱ ἱμάντες = whips (Posidonius: 87 fgm. 5 Jac.; POxy. 1186, 2 τὴν διὰ τῶν ἱμάντων αἰκείαν. – Antiphanes 74, 8, Demosth. 19, 197 and Artem. 1, 70 use the sing. in this way).”

[22:25]  ¹⁴²⁴ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ¹⁴²⁵ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ¹⁴²⁶ tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

[22:26]  ¹⁴²⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ¹⁴²⁷ tn The word “this” 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.

[22:26]  ¹⁴²⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ¹⁴²⁹ tn The word “it” 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.

[22:26]  ¹⁴³⁰ tn Or perhaps, “What do you intend to do?” Although BDAG 627 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.α lists this phrase under the category “be about to, be on the point of,” it is possible it belongs under 1.c.γ, “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; what do you intend to do?”

[22:26]  ¹⁴³¹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ¹⁴²⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ¹⁴³⁰ tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ¹⁴³¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ¹⁴³² tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ¹⁴³³ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ¹⁴³² tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ¹⁴³³ sn Sometimes Roman citizenship was purchased through a bribe (Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.17.4-9). That may well have been the case here.

[22:28]  ¹⁴³⁴ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ¹⁴³⁵ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:28]  ¹⁴³⁶ tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ¹⁴³⁵ tn BDAG 158 s.v. ἀφίστημι 2.b has “keep away…ἀπό τινος… Lk 4:13; Ac 5:38; 2 Cor 12:8…cp. Ac 22:29.” In context, the point would seem to be not that the interrogators departed or withdrew, but that they held back from continuing the flogging.

[22:29]  ¹⁴³⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ¹⁴³⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.

[22:29]  ¹⁴³⁹ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ sn Had him tied up. Perhaps a reference to the chains in Acts 21:33, or the preparations for the lashing in Acts 22:25. A trial would now be needed to resolve the matter. The Roman authorities’ hesitation to render a judgment in the case occurs repeatedly: Acts 22:30; 23:28-29; 24:22; 25:20, 26-27. The legal process begun here would take the rest of Acts and will be unresolved at the end. The process itself took four years of Paul’s life.

[22:30]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ¹⁴³⁹ tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”

[22:30]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ¹⁴⁴¹ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ¹⁴⁴² tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.

[23:1]  ¹⁴⁴¹ tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:1]  ¹⁴⁴² tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ¹⁴⁴³ tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”

[23:2]  ¹⁴⁴⁴ tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ¹⁴⁴⁵ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ¹⁴⁴⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ 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.

[23:3]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.

[23:3]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ tn Grk “And do.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[23:3]  ¹⁴⁴⁹ tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4]  ¹⁴⁵¹ tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”

[23:5]  ¹⁴⁵³ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ¹⁴⁵⁴ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ¹⁴⁵⁵ sn 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]  ¹⁴⁵⁶ tn 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]  ¹⁴⁵⁷ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ¹⁴⁵⁸ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ tn 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]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ¹⁴⁶¹ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ¹⁴⁶² tn 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁵ tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9]  ¹⁴⁶⁶ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ¹⁴⁶⁷ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ tn 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ sn “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]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ tn 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ tn 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]  ¹⁴⁷¹ tn 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]  ¹⁴⁷² tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10]  ¹⁴⁷³ 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.”

[23:11]  ¹⁴⁷¹ sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11]  ¹⁴⁷² tn 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]  ¹⁴⁷³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ sn 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁸¹ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ¹⁴⁸² 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]  ¹⁴⁸³ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁸³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁰ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17]  ¹⁴⁹¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ¹⁴⁹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ¹⁴⁹³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ¹⁴⁹⁴ tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19]  ¹⁴⁹⁵ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19]  ¹⁴⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁸ tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20]  ¹⁴⁹⁹ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21]  ¹⁵⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁰² 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]  ¹⁵⁰³ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ 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.

[23:23]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ tn 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ tn Grk “summoning…he said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:23]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23]  ¹⁵¹⁰ sn 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]  ¹⁵¹¹ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23]  ¹⁵¹² tn 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]  ¹⁵¹³ tn Grk “from.”

[23:23]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24]  ¹⁵¹⁰ tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”

[23:24]  ¹⁵¹¹ sn 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]  ¹⁵¹² tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25]  ¹⁵¹³ tn 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]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn 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]  ¹⁵¹⁶ tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26]  ¹⁵¹⁷ sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27]  ¹⁵¹⁹ tn 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]  ¹⁵²⁰ tn 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]  ¹⁵²¹ tn Or “approached.”

[23:27]  ¹⁵²² tn 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]  ¹⁵²³ tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27]  ¹⁵²⁴ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[23:28]  ¹⁵²² tn Or “determine.”

[23:28]  ¹⁵²³ tn 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]  ¹⁵²⁴ tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29]  ¹⁵²⁵ tn 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]  ¹⁵²⁶ tn 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]  ¹⁵²⁷ tn 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]  ¹⁵²⁸ tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30]  ¹⁵²⁹ tn The term translated “plot” here is a different one than the one in Acts 23:16 (see BDAG 368 s.v. ἐπιβουλή).

[23:30]  ¹⁵³⁰ tn 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]  ¹⁵³¹ tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31]  ¹⁵³² tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31]  ¹⁵³³ sn 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]  ¹⁵³⁴ tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32]  ¹⁵³⁵ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32]  ¹⁵³⁶ 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.”

[23:33]  ¹⁵³⁷ tn 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]  ¹⁵³⁸ sn 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]  ¹⁵³⁹ tn 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34]  ¹⁵⁴¹ tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹⁵⁴² tn 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]  ¹⁵⁴³ tn 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁴ sn 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁵ tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35]  ¹⁵⁴³ tn 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁴ tn 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ sn 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.

[24:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ sn Ananias was in office from a.d. 47-59.

[24:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁷ tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).

[24:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁸ tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”

[24:1]  ¹⁵⁴⁹ tn Grk “who” (plural). Because in English the relative pronoun “who” could be understood to refer only to the attorney Tertullus and not to the entire group, it has been replaced with the third person plural pronoun “they.” “And” has been supplied to provide the connection to the preceding clause.

[24:1]  ¹⁵⁵⁰ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁴⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁵⁰ tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁵¹ tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁵² tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁵³ tn This term is used only once in the NT (a hapax legomenon). It refers to improvements in internal administration (BDAG 251 s.v. διόρθωμα).

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁵⁴ tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ sn References to peaceful rule, reforms, and the governor’s foresight in the opening address by Tertullus represent an attempt to praise the governor and thus make him favorable to the case. Actual descriptions of his rule portray him as inept (Tacitus, Annals 12.54; Josephus, J. W. 2.13.2-7 [2.253-270]).

[24:3]  ¹⁵⁵² sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.

[24:3]  ¹⁵⁵³ tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”

[24:3]  ¹⁵⁵⁴ tn Or “with complete thankfulness.” BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχαριστία 1 has “μετὰ πάσης εὐ.…with all gratitude Ac 24:3.” L&N 31.26 has “‘we acknowledge this anywhere and everywhere with complete thankfulness’ Ac 24:3.”

[24:4]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ tn Or “may not weary.” BDAG 274 s.v. ἐγκόπτω states, “ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖόν σε ἐγκόπτω Ac 24:4 is understood by Syr. and Armen. versions to mean in order not to weary you any further; cp. ἔγκοπος weary Diog. L. 4, 50; LXX; and ἔγκοπον ποιεῖν to weary Job 19:2; Is 43:23. But impose on is also prob.; detain NRSV.”

[24:4]  ¹⁵⁵⁶ tn Or “request.”

[24:4]  ¹⁵⁵⁷ tn This term is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 976 s.v. συντόμως 2). Tertullus was asking for a brief hearing, and implying to the governor that he would speak briefly and to the point.

[24:4]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”

[24:5]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ tn Grk “For having found.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:5]  ¹⁵⁵⁹ tn L&N 22.6 has “(a figurative extension of meaning of λοιμός ‘plague,’ 23.158) one who causes all sorts of trouble – ‘troublemaker, pest.’ … ‘for we have found this man to be a troublemaker” Ac 24:5.”

[24:5]  ¹⁵⁶⁰ tn Or “dissensions.” While BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3 translates this phrase “κινεῖν στάσεις (v.l. στάσιν) τισί create dissension among certain people Ac 24:5,” it is better on the basis of the actual results of Paul’s ministry to categorize this usage under section 2, “uprising, riot, revolt, rebellion” (cf. the use in Acts 19:40).

[24:5]  ¹⁵⁶¹ tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).

[24:5]  ¹⁵⁶² sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.

[24:6]  ¹⁵⁶¹ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[24:6]  ¹⁵⁶² tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.

[24:6]  ¹⁵⁶³ tn Or “seized.” Grk “whom also we arrested.” Because of the awkwardness of a relative clause in English at this point, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the pronoun “him” as object of the verb.

[24:7]  ¹⁵⁶⁴ tc Some later mss include some material at the end of v. 6, all of 24:7, and some material at the beginning of v. 8: “and we wanted to judge him according to our law. 24:7 But Lysias the commanding officer came and took him out of our hands with a great deal of violence, 24:8 ordering those who accused him to come before you.” Acts 24:6b, 7, and 8a are lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B H L P 049 81 1175 1241 pm and a few versional witnesses. They are included (with a few minor variations) in E Ψ 33 323 614 945 1505 1739 pm and a few versional witnesses. This verse (and parts of verses) is most likely not a part of the original text of Acts, for not only is it lacking from the better witnesses, there is no easy explanation as to how such could be missing from them. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[24:8]  ¹⁵⁶⁷ tn Or “question.”

[24:8]  ¹⁵⁶⁸ tn Grk “From whom when you examine him yourself, you will be able to learn…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun at the beginning of v. 8 in the translation.

[24:8]  ¹⁵⁶⁹ tn Grk “about all these things of which we are accusing him.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“of which”) in the translation.

[24:9]  ¹⁵⁷⁰ tn Grk “joined in the attack,” but the adjective “verbal” has been supplied to clarify that this was not another physical assault on Paul. The verb is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 969 s.v. συνεπιτίθημι).

[24:9]  ¹⁵⁷¹ tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).

[24:10]  ¹⁵⁷³ tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[24:10]  ¹⁵⁷⁴ sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.

[24:11]  ¹⁵⁷⁶ tn BDAG 369 s.v. ἐπιγινώσκω 2.c has “notice, perceive, learn of, ascertain…Also as legal t.t. ascertain (2 Macc 14:9) τὶ Ac 23:28; cp. 24:8. W. ὅτι foll. Ac 24:11.” “Verify” is an English synonym for “ascertain.”

[24:11]  ¹⁵⁷⁷ tn Grk “it is not more than twelve days from when.” This has been simplified to “not more than twelve days ago.”

[24:11]  ¹⁵⁷⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁷⁹ tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁸⁰ tn BDAG 381 s.v. ἐπίστασις 2 has “ἐ. ποιεῖν ὄχλου to cause a crowd to gather Ac 24:12.” Roman authorities would not allow a mob to gather and threaten the peace, and anyone suspected of instigating a mob would certainly be arrested.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁸¹ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁸² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[24:12]  ¹⁵⁸³ sn A second part of Paul’s defense is that he did nothing while he was in Jerusalem to cause unrest, neither arguing nor stirring up a crowd in the temple courts or in the synagogues or throughout the city.

[24:13]  ¹⁵⁸² tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.f has “οὐδὲ παραστῆσαι δύνανταί σοι περὶ ὧν νυνὶ κατηγοροῦσίν μου nor can they prove to you the accusations they are now making against me Ac 24:13.”

[24:13]  ¹⁵⁸³ tn The words “the things” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[24:13]  ¹⁵⁸⁴ tn Grk “nor can they prove to you [the things] about which they are now accusing me.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“which”) in the translation.

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁸⁵ tn Or “serve.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁸⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵⁸⁷ sn That is, the law of Moses. Paul was claiming that he legitimately worshiped the God of Israel. He was arguing that this amounted to a religious dispute rather than a political one, so that the Roman authorities need not concern themselves with it.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁸⁸ tn Grk “having.” The participle ἔχων (ecwn) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁸⁹ sn This mention of Paul’s hope sets up his appeal to the resurrection of the dead. At this point Paul was ignoring the internal Jewish dispute between the Pharisees (to which he had belonged) and the Sadducees (who denied there would be a resurrection of the dead).

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁹⁰ tn Grk “a hope in God (which these [men] themselves accept too).” Because the antecedent of the relative pronoun “which” is somewhat unclear in English, the words “a hope” have been repeated at the beginning of the parenthesis for clarity.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁹¹ tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:15]  ¹⁵⁹² tn Or “the unjust.”

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁹¹ tn BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 9.a, “ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν this is the reason why we believe Jn 16:30; cp. Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁹² tn BDAG 224 s.v. διά 2.a, “διὰ παντός…always, continually, constantly…Ac 2:25 (Ps 15:8); 10:2; 24:16.” However, the positioning of the adverb “always” in the English translation is difficult; the position used is one of the least awkward.

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁹³ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:17]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”

[24:17]  ¹⁵⁹⁵ tn Grk “to bring alms,” but the term “alms” is not in common use today, so the closest modern equivalent, “gifts for the poor,” is used instead.

[24:17]  ¹⁵⁹⁶ tn Or “sacrifices.” BDAG 887 s.v. προσφορά 1 has “προσφοράς ποιεῖν have sacrifices made Ac 24:17,” but this may be overly specific. It is not clear from the immediate context whether the offering of sacrificial animals (so BDAG assumes) or offerings of some other sort (such as financial gifts) are in view. The combination with ἐλεημοσύνας (elehmosuna") in the preceding clause may suggest monetary offerings. Some have suggested this is an allusion to the payments made by Paul on behalf of the four other men mentioned in Acts 21:23-26, but the text here seems to suggest something Paul had planned to do before he came, while the decision to pay for the expenses of the men in 21:23ff. was made at the suggestion of the Jerusalem leadership after he arrived. In either case, Paul was portraying himself as a pious worshiper of his God.

[24:18]  ¹⁵⁹⁷ sn Ritually purified. Paul’s claim here is that he was honoring the holiness of God by being sensitive to issues of ritual purity. Not only was he not guilty of the charges against him, but he was thoroughly devout.

[24:18]  ¹⁵⁹⁸ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”

[24:19]  ¹⁶⁰⁰ 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.

[24:19]  ¹⁶⁰¹ 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 (kathgorew), “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁰³ tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁰⁴ tn Or “unrighteous act.”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁰⁵ tn The words “me guilty of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. L&N 88.23 has “αὐτοὶ οὗτοι εἰπάτωσαν τί εὗρον ἀδίκημα στάντος μου ‘let these men themselves tell what unrighteous act they found me guilty of’ Ac 24:20.”

[24:20]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[24:21]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ tn BDAG 433 s.v. ἤ 2.c has “οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἤ nothing else than…Ac 17:21. τί…ἤ what other…than…24:21.”

[24:21]  ¹⁶⁰⁷ tn Grk “one utterance.”

[24:21]  ¹⁶⁰⁸ tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”

[24:21]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?

[24:22]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:22]  ¹⁶¹⁰ tn Grk “the things.”

[24:22]  ¹⁶¹¹ tn That is, concerning Christianity.

[24:22]  ¹⁶¹² tn BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκριβῶς has “Comp. ἀκριβέστερον more exactly…ἀ. ἐκτίθεσθαι explain more exactly Ac 18:26, cp. 23:15, 20; also more accurately…24:22.” Felix knew more about the Christian movement than what the Jewish leaders had told him.

[24:22]  ¹⁶¹³ tn L&N 56.18 s.v. ἀναβάλλω has “to adjourn a court proceeding until a later time – ‘to adjourn a hearing, to stop a hearing and put it off until later.’…‘then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned their hearing’ Ac 24:22.”

[24:22]  ¹⁶¹⁴ tn BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω 2 states, “to make a judicial decision, decide/hear (a case)…τὰ καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς decide your case Ac 24:22.”

[24:23]  ¹⁶¹² sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[24:23]  ¹⁶¹³ tn Grk “that he was to be guarded.” The passive construction (τηρεῖσθαι, threisqai) has been converted to an active one in parallel with the following clauses, and the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:23]  ¹⁶¹⁴ tn BDAG 77 s.v. ἄνεσις 1 states, “lit. relaxation of custodial control, some liberty, ἀ. ἔχειν have some freedom Ac 24:23.”

[24:23]  ¹⁶¹⁵ tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).

[24:23]  ¹⁶¹⁶ tn Grk “from serving him.”

[24:24]  ¹⁶¹⁵ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:24]  ¹⁶¹⁶ sn It is possible that Drusilla, being Jewish, was the source of Felix’s knowledge about the new movement called Christianity. The youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Agrippa II, she would have been close to 20 years old at the time. She had married the king of a small region in Syria but divorced him at the age of 16 to marry Felix. This was her second marriage and Felix’s third (Josephus, Ant. 19.9.1 [19.354], 20.7.2 [20.141-144]). As a member of Herod’s family, she probably knew about the Way.

[24:24]  ¹⁶¹⁷ tn The word “speak” is implied; BDAG 32 s.v. ἀκούω 1.c has “ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς…πίστεως he heard him speak about faith Ac 24:24.”

[24:24]  ¹⁶¹⁸ tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:25]  ¹⁶¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ¹⁶¹⁹ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ¹⁶²⁰ tn Grk “and self-control.” This 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.

[24:25]  ¹⁶²¹ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ¹⁶²² tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ¹⁶²³ tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”

[24:26]  ¹⁶²¹ tn Grk “he was hoping that money would be given to him by Paul.” To simplify the translation, the passive construction has been converted to an active one.

[24:26]  ¹⁶²² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:26]  ¹⁶²³ tn “As often as possible” reflects the comparative form of the adjective πυκνός (puknos); see BDAG 897 s.v. πυκνός, which has “Neut. of the comp. πυκνότερον as adv. more often, more frequently and in an elative sense very often, quite frequently…also as often as possible…Ac 24:26.”

[24:26]  ¹⁶²⁴ tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.

[24:27]  ¹⁶²⁴ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ¹⁶²⁵ sn Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ¹⁶²⁶ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ¹⁶²⁷ tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:1]  ¹⁶²⁷ tn BDAG 736-37 s.v. οὖν 2.b states, “οὖν serves to indicate a transition to someth. new…now, then, well…Ac 25:1.”

[25:1]  ¹⁶²⁸ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:1]  ¹⁶²⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:1]  ¹⁶³⁰ sn 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 65 mi (just over 100 km).

[25:2]  ¹⁶³⁰ tn BDAG 893-94 s.v. πρῶτος 2.a.β has “οἱ πρῶτοι the most prominent men, the leading men w. gen. of the place…or of a group…οἱ πρ. τοῦ λαοῦ…Lk 19:47; cp. Ac 25:2; 28:17.”

[25:2]  ¹⁶³¹ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[25:3]  ¹⁶³³ tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.

[25:3]  ¹⁶³⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.

[25:3]  ¹⁶³⁵ sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.

[25:4]  ¹⁶³⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:4]  ¹⁶³⁷ sn 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.

[25:4]  ¹⁶³⁸ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁶³⁹ tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).

[25:5]  ¹⁶⁴⁰ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁶⁴¹ tn Grk “and if there is anything wrong with this man,” but this could be misunderstood in English to mean a moral or physical defect, while the issue in context is the commission of some crime, something legally improper (BDAG 149 s.v. ἄτοπος 2).

[25:5]  ¹⁶⁴² 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.”

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁴² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁴³ tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁴⁴ sn 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.

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁴⁵ tn Grk “sitting down…he ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:6]  ¹⁶⁴⁶ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bhma was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:7]  ¹⁶⁴⁵ tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”

[25:7]  ¹⁶⁴⁶ tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).

[25:7]  ¹⁶⁴⁷ tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).

[25:8]  ¹⁶⁴⁸ tn Grk “Paul saying in his defense”; the participle ἀπολογουμένου (apologoumenou) could be taken temporally (“when Paul said…”), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation. BDAG 116-17 s.v. ἀπολογέομαι has “W. ὅτι foll. τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου, ὅτι when Paul said in his defense (direct quot. foll.) Ac 25:8.”

[25:8]  ¹⁶⁴⁹ tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”

[25:8]  ¹⁶⁵⁰ tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[25:8]  ¹⁶⁵¹ tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:9]  ¹⁶⁵¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ¹⁶⁵² tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ¹⁶⁵³ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[25:10]  ¹⁶⁵⁴ tn Grk “said.”

[25:10]  ¹⁶⁵⁵ tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:10]  ¹⁶⁵⁶ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here. Here of course Paul’s reference to “Caesar’s judgment seat” is a form of metonymy; since Festus is Caesar’s representative, Festus’ judgment seat represents Caesar’s own.

[25:10]  ¹⁶⁵⁷ tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.

[25:10]  ¹⁶⁵⁸ sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.

[25:10]  ¹⁶⁵⁹ tn BDAG 506 s.v. καλῶς 7 states, “comp. κάλλιον (for the superl., as Galen, Protr. 8 p. 24, 19J.=p. 10, 31 Kaibel; s. B-D-F §244, 2) ὡς καί σὺ κ. ἐπιγινώσκεις as also you know very well Ac 25:10.”

[25:11]  ¹⁶⁵⁷ tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”

[25:11]  ¹⁶⁵⁸ tn BDAG 764 s.v. παραιτέομαι 2.b.β, “οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν I am not trying to escape death Ac 25:11 (cp. Jos., Vi. 141).” To avoid redundancy in the translation, the English gerund “dying” is used to translate the Greek infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (apoqanein).

[25:11]  ¹⁶⁵⁹ tn Or “but if there is nothing to their charges against me.” Both “if” clauses in this verse are first class conditions. Paul stated the options without prejudice, assuming in turn the reality of each for the sake of the argument.

[25:11]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.

[25:11]  ¹⁶⁶¹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ tn That is, with his advisers.

[25:12]  ¹⁶⁶¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:12]  ¹⁶⁶² tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ¹⁶⁶³ tn Or “to the emperor.”

[25:12]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ sn “To Caesar you will go!” In all probability Festus was pleased to send Paul on to Rome and get this political problem out of his court.

[25:13]  ¹⁶⁶³ sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (a.d. 27-92/93), son of Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1). He ruled over parts of Palestine from a.d. 53 until his death. His sister Bernice was widowed when her second husband, Herod King of Chalcis, died in a.d. 48. From then she lived with her brother. In an attempt to quiet rumors of an incestuous relationship between them, she resolved to marry Polemo of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to Herod Agrippa II. Their incestuous relationship became the gossip of Rome according to Josephus (Ant. 20.7.3 [20.145-147]). The visit of Agrippa and Bernice gave Festus the opportunity to get some internal Jewish advice. Herod Agrippa II was a trusted adviser because he was known to be very loyal to Rome (Josephus, J. W. 2.16.4 [2.345-401]).

[25:13]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ sn 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.

[25:13]  ¹⁶⁶⁵ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b states, “w. pres. or impf. while, when, as long as…Ac 1:10; 7:23; 9:23; 10:17; 13:25; 19:9; 21:27; 25:14.”

[25:14]  ¹⁶⁶⁷ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ¹⁶⁶⁸ tn Grk “Festus laid Paul’s case before the king for consideration.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατίθημι 2 states, “otherw. only mid. to lay someth. before someone for consideration, declare, communicate, refer w. the added idea that the pers. to whom a thing is ref. is asked for his opinion lay someth. before someone for consideration…Ac 25:14.”

[25:15]  ¹⁶⁶⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:15]  ¹⁶⁷⁰ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “to convey a formal report about a judicial matter, present evidence, bring charges…ἐ. περί τινος concerning someone 25:15.”

[25:15]  ¹⁶⁷¹ tn Grk “about whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 15 (where the phrase περὶ οὗ [peri Jou] occurs in the Greek text).

[25:15]  ¹⁶⁷² tn BDAG 516 s.v. καταδίκη states, “condemnation, sentence of condemnation, conviction, guilty verdict…αἰτεῖσθαι κατά τινος κ. ask for a conviction of someone Ac 25:15.”

[25:16]  ¹⁶⁷² tn Grk “to whom I answered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 16.

[25:16]  ¹⁶⁷³ tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ¹⁶⁷⁴ tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ¹⁶⁷⁶ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklhma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone – ‘indictment, accusation, case.’ …‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

[25:17]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ tn BDAG 969-70 s.v. συνέρχομαι 2 states, “συνελθόντων ἐνθάδε prob. means (because of συνκαταβάντες 25:5) they came back here with (me) 25:17.”

[25:17]  ¹⁶⁷⁶ tn BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβολή states, “‘delay’…legal t.t. postponement…ἀ. μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενος I did not postpone the matter Ac 25:17.” “Case” has been supplied instead of “matter” since it is more specific to the context. The participle ποιησάμενος (poihsameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ¹⁶⁷⁷ tn Grk “sitting…I ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ¹⁶⁷⁸ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:18]  ¹⁶⁷⁸ tn Grk “they brought no charge of any of the evil deeds.” BDAG 31 s.v. αἰτία 3.b has “αἰτίαν φέρειν…bring an accusation Ac 25:18.” Since κατήγοροι (kathgoroi, “accusers”) in the previous clause is somewhat redundant with this, “charge” was used instead.

[25:18]  ¹⁶⁷⁹ tn Or “I was expecting.”

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁸¹ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” 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.”

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁸² tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁸³ tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”

[25:19]  ¹⁶⁸⁴ tn Or “asserted.”

[25:20]  ¹⁶⁸⁴ tn Or “Because I was undecided.” Grk “Being at a loss.” The participle ἀπορούμενος (aporoumeno") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[25:20]  ¹⁶⁸⁵ tn L&N 27.34 states, “ἀπορούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν περὶ τούτων ζήτησιν ‘I was undecided about how I could get information on these matters’ Ac 25:20. The clause ‘about how I could get information on these matters’ may also be rendered as ‘about how I should try to find out about these matters’ or ‘about how I could learn about these matters.’”

[25:20]  ¹⁶⁸⁶ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:20]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ tn Grk “on these things.”

[25:21]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).” It was a translation into Greek of the Latin “Augustus.”

[25:21]  ¹⁶⁸⁸ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:22]  ¹⁶⁹⁰ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:22]  ¹⁶⁹¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:22]  ¹⁶⁹² tn Grk “said.”

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁹³ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁹⁴ tn Or “great pageantry” (BDAG 1049 s.v. φαντασία; the term is a NT hapax legomenon).

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁹⁵ tn Or “auditorium.” “Auditorium” may suggest to the modern English reader a theater where performances are held. Here it is the large hall where a king or governor would hold audiences. Paul once spoke of himself as a “spectacle” to the world (1 Cor 4:8-13).

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ tn Grk “the chiliarchs” (officers 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.

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁹⁷ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:23]  ¹⁶⁹⁸ tn Grk “and Festus ordering, Paul was brought in.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has not been translated. The participle κελεύσαντος (keleusanto") has been taken temporally.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁹⁷ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁹⁸ tn Probably best understood as rhetorical hyperbole. BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ states, “people, populace, population…τὸ πλῆθος the populace…ἅπαν τὸ πλ. τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων Ac 25:24.” However, the actions of the leadership are seen by Luke as representing the actions of the entire nation, so the remark is not inaccurate.

[25:24]  ¹⁶⁹⁹ tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).

[25:24]  ¹⁷⁰⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:24]  ¹⁷⁰¹ sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”

[25:24]  ¹⁷⁰² tn Or “screaming.”

[25:25]  ¹⁶⁹⁹ sn He had done nothing that deserved death. Festus’ opinion of Paul’s guilt is like Pilate’s of Jesus (Luke 23:4, 14, 22).

[25:25]  ¹⁷⁰⁰ tn The participle ἐπικαλεσαμένου (epikalesamenou) has been taken temporally. It could also be translated as causal: “and because he appealed…”

[25:25]  ¹⁷⁰¹ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).”

[25:25]  ¹⁷⁰² tn The word “him” 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.

[25:26]  ¹⁷⁰² sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.

[25:26]  ¹⁷⁰³ sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”

[25:26]  ¹⁷⁰⁴ tn Grk “about whom I have nothing definite…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 26.

[25:26]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:26]  ¹⁷⁰⁶ tn Or “investigation.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνάκρισις has “a judicial hearing, investigation, hearing, esp. preliminary hearing…τῆς ἀ. γενομένης Ac 25:26.” This is technical legal language.

[25:27]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ tn L&N 33.153 s.v. σημαίνω, “to cause something to be both specific and clear – ‘to indicate clearly, to make clear’… ‘for it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him’ Ac 25:27.”

[26:1]  ¹⁷⁰⁸ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:1]  ¹⁷⁰⁹ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

[26:1]  ¹⁷¹⁰ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

[26:1]  ¹⁷¹¹ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”

[26:2]  ¹⁷¹¹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:3]  ¹⁷¹⁴ tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”

[26:3]  ¹⁷¹⁵ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” 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.”

[26:3]  ¹⁷¹⁶ tn BDAG 218 s.v. δέομαι states, “In our lit. only w. the mng. to ask for something pleadingly, ask, request,” and then in section a.α states, “w. inf. foll.…Ac 26:3.”

[26:4]  ¹⁷¹⁷ tn Grk “my manner of life.”

[26:4]  ¹⁷¹⁸ tn Or “nation.”

[26:4]  ¹⁷¹⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[26:5]  ¹⁷²⁰ tn These words are repeated from v. 4 (“all the Jews know”). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, it was necessary to begin a new sentence at the beginning of v. 5 in the translation, but for this to make sense, the main verb ἵσασι ({isasi) has to be repeated to connect with the ὅτι (Joti) clause (indirect discourse) in v. 5.

[26:5]  ¹⁷²¹ tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[26:5]  ¹⁷²² tn BDAG 866 s.v. προγινώσκω 2 has “Know from time past…προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν Ac 26:5.” L&N 28.6 states, “‘they have already known me beforehand, if they are willing to testify’ Ac 26:5.”

[26:5]  ¹⁷²³ tn That is, strictest religious party. “Party” alone is used in the translation because “the strictest religious party of our religion” would be redundant.

[26:5]  ¹⁷²⁴ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[26:6]  ¹⁷²³ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.a.α has “κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τινι be on trial because of a thing Ac 26:6.”

[26:6]  ¹⁷²⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[26:7]  ¹⁷²⁶ tn Grk “to which [promise] our twelve tribes…” The antecedent of the relative pronoun (the promise in v. 6) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:7]  ¹⁷²⁷ tn Or “earnestly worship.” The object of this service, God, is omitted but implied: BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω states, “Without the dat. of the one to whom service is given: ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν λ. serve (God) earnestly night and day Ac 26:7.” Although clear from the context in Greek, “God” must be supplied as the recipient of the service for the modern English reader.

[26:7]  ¹⁷²⁸ tn Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.

[26:7]  ¹⁷²⁹ tn Grk “O King!”

[26:8]  ¹⁷²⁹ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate that the second person pronoun (“you”) is plural (others in addition to King Agrippa are being addressed).

[26:8]  ¹⁷³⁰ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 3 states, “τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν; why do you think it is incredible? Ac 26:8.” The passive construction (“why is it thought unbelievable…”) has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[26:8]  ¹⁷³¹ tn Or “incredible.” BDAG 103 s.v. ἄπιστος 1 states, “unbelievable, incredible…τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν…; why does it seem incredible to you? Ac 26:8.”

[26:8]  ¹⁷³² tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.

[26:9]  ¹⁷³² tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 3 states, “It has been proposed that some traces of older Gk. usage in which οὖν is emphatic, = certainly, really, to be sure etc. (s. L-S-J-M s.v. 1) remain in the pap…and in the NT…indeed, of course Ac 26:9.”

[26:9]  ¹⁷³³ tn Grk “I thought to myself.” BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.a has “ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ δεῖν πρᾶξαι = Lat. mihi videbar I was convinced that it was necessary to do Ac 26:9.”

[26:10]  ¹⁷³⁵ tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.

[26:10]  ¹⁷³⁶ tn Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone – ‘to vote against.’ …‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”

[26:10]  ¹⁷³⁷ tn Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).

[26:11]  ¹⁷³⁸ tn Grk “and punishing…I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timwrwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[26:11]  ¹⁷³⁹ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[26:11]  ¹⁷⁴⁰ tn The imperfect verb ἠνάγκαζον (hnankazon) has been translated as a conative imperfect (so BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 1, which has “ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11”).

[26:11]  ¹⁷⁴¹ tn Or “was so insanely angry with them.” BDAG 322 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged…περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind – ‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ …‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”

[26:11]  ¹⁷⁴² tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”

[26:12]  ¹⁷⁴¹ tn Grk “in which [activity].” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 in the translation. The referent of the relative pronoun (“which”) was specified as “this very thing” for clarity.

[26:12]  ¹⁷⁴² tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.

[26:12]  ¹⁷⁴³ tn L&N 37.40 s.v. ἐπιτροπή states, “the full authority to carry out an assignment or commission – ‘authority, complete power.’ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ‘going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the high priests’ Ac 26:12. In Ac 26:12 the combination of ἐξουσία and ἐπιτροπή serves to reinforce the sense of complete authority.”

[26:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁴ tn Grk “O King.”

[26:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁵ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[26:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁶ tn The word “everywhere” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning of περιλάμψαν (perilamyan). Otherwise the modern reader might think that each of the individuals were encircled by lights or halos. See also Acts 9:7; 22:6, 9.

[26:14]  ¹⁷⁴⁷ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.

[26:14]  ¹⁷⁴⁸ tn Grk “It is hard for you.”

[26:14]  ¹⁷⁴⁹ tn “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.

[26:15]  ¹⁷⁵⁰ tn Grk “said.”

[26:16]  ¹⁷⁵³ tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”

[26:16]  ¹⁷⁵⁴ sn As a servant and witness. The commission is similar to Acts 1:8 and Luke 1:2. Paul was now an “eyewitness” of the Lord.

[26:16]  ¹⁷⁵⁵ tn BDAG 719 s.v. ὁράω A.1.b states, “W. attraction of the relative ὧν = τούτων ἅ Lk 9:36; Ac 22:15. The attraction may be due to colloq. breviloquence in μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες με ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι a witness to the things in which you saw me and to those in which I shall appear to you Ac 26:16b.”

[26:16]  ¹⁷⁵⁶ tc ‡ Some mss read “of the things in which you have seen me.” The accusative object με (me, “me”) is found after εἶδές (eide") in B C*^vid 614 945 1175 1505 1739 1891 2464 pc sy sa; it is lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A C² E Ψ 096 Ï latt bo. The external evidence is relatively evenly divided, though there is a slight preference for the omission. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[26:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁶ tn Grk “rescuing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ἐξαιρούμενος (exairoumeno") has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 17.

[26:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁷ tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:17]  ¹⁷⁵⁸ tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.

[26:18]  ¹⁷⁵⁹ sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.

[26:18]  ¹⁷⁶⁰ tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)

[26:18]  ¹⁷⁶¹ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[26:19]  ¹⁷⁶² sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:19]  ¹⁷⁶³ sn I was not disobedient. Paul’s defense is that he merely obeyed the risen Jesus. He was arrested for obeying heavenly direction and preaching the opportunity to turn to God.

[26:19]  ¹⁷⁶⁴ tn According to L&N 1.5, “In Ac 26:19 the adjective οὐράνιος could be interpreted as being related simply to the meaning of οὐρανός^a ‘sky,’ but it seems preferable to regard οὐράνιος in this context as meaning simply ‘from heaven’ or ‘heavenly.’”

[26:20]  ¹⁷⁶⁵ tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”

[26:20]  ¹⁷⁶⁶ sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ¹⁷⁶⁷ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.

[26:21]  ¹⁷⁶⁸ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[26:22]  ¹⁷⁷¹ tn Grk “So experiencing…I stand.” The participle τυχών (tucwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[26:22]  ¹⁷⁷² tn BDAG 311 s.v. ἐκτός 3.b, “functions as prep. w. gen. οὐδὲν ἐ. ὧν nothing except what (cf. 1 Ch 29:3; 2 Ch 17:19; TestNapht. 6:2) Ac 26:22.”

[26:22]  ¹⁷⁷³ sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.

[26:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ tn BDAG 277-78 s.v. εἰ 2 has “marker of an indirect question as content, that…Sim. also (Procop. Soph., Ep. 123 χάριν ἔχειν εἰ = that) μαρτυρόμενος…εἰ παθητὸς ὁ Χριστός testifying…that the Christ was to suffer…Ac 26:23.”

[26:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁵ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[26:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁶ tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:23]  ¹⁷⁷⁷ sn Note how the context of Paul’s gospel message about Jesus, resurrection, and light both to Jews and to the Gentiles is rooted in the prophetic message of the OT scriptures. Paul was guilty of following God’s call and preaching the scriptural hope.

[26:24]  ¹⁷⁷⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:24]  ¹⁷⁷⁸ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:24]  ¹⁷⁷⁹ tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁸⁰ tn Grk “said.”

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁸¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁸² tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”

[26:25]  ¹⁷⁸³ tn BDAG 987 s.v. σωφροσύνη 1 has “gener. soundness of mind, reasonableness, rationality…ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα true and rational words (opp. μαίνομαι) Ac 26:25.”

[26:26]  ¹⁷⁸³ tn BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1 states, “speak freely, openly, fearlessly…likew. in the ptc. w. a verb of saying foll.…παρρησιασάμενοι εἶπαν 13:46. – 26:26.” This could refer to boldness in speaking here.

[26:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁴ tn Grk “to whom I am speaking freely.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“him”) to simplify the translation.

[26:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁵ tn Grk “I cannot convince myself.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.a states, “οὐ πείθομαι w. acc. and inf. I cannot believe Ac 26:26” (see also BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω).

[26:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ tn BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω states, “λανθάνειν αὐτὸν τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν I cannot bring myself to believe that any of these things has escaped his notice Ac 26:26.”

[26:26]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ tn This term refers to a hidden corner (BDAG 209 s.v. γωνία). Paul’s point is that these events to which he refers were not done in a secret, hidden place, tucked away outside of view. They were done in public for all the world to see.

[26:27]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ sn “Do you believe the prophets?” Note how Paul made the issue believing the OT prophets and God’s promise which God fulfilled in Christ. He was pushing King Agrippa toward a decision not for or against Paul’s guilt of any crime, but concerning Paul’s message.

[26:27]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ¹⁷⁸⁹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:28]  ¹⁷⁹⁰ tn Or “In a short time you will make me a Christian.” On the difficulty of the precise nuances of Agrippa’s reply in this passage, see BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b. The idiom is like 1 Kgs 21:7 LXX. The point is that Paul was trying to persuade Agrippa to accept his message. If Agrippa had let Paul persuade him, he would have converted to Christianity.

[26:29]  ¹⁷⁹² tn BDAG 703 s.v. ὀλίγος 2.b.β has “καὶ ἐν ὀλ. καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ whether in a short or a long time vs. 29 (cf. B-D-F §195; GWhitaker, The Words of Agrippa to St. Paul: JTS 15, 1914, 82f; AFridrichsen, SymbOsl 14, ’35, 50; Field, Notes 141-43; s. Rob. 653).”

[26:29]  ¹⁷⁹³ sn Except for these chains. The chains represented Paul’s unjust suffering for the sake of the message. His point was, in effect, “I do not care how long it takes. I only hope you and everyone else hearing this would become believers in Christ, but without my unjust suffering.”

[26:31]  ¹⁷⁹⁵ tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[26:31]  ¹⁷⁹⁶ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”

[26:32]  ¹⁷⁹⁸ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:32]  ¹⁷⁹⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:32]  ¹⁸⁰⁰ tn Or “set free.”

[26:32]  ¹⁸⁰¹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:1]  ¹⁸⁰¹ sn The last “we” section in Acts begins here and extends to 28:16 (the previous one ended at 21:18).

[27:1]  ¹⁸⁰² sn Sail to Italy. This voyage with its difficulty serves to show how God protected Paul on his long journey to Rome. From the perspective of someone in Palestine, this may well picture “the end of the earth” quite literally (cf. Acts 1:8).

[27:1]  ¹⁸⁰³ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:1]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ tn According to BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός, “In σπεῖρα Σεβαστή 27:1 (cp. OGI 421) Σεβαστή is likew. an exact transl. of Lat. Augusta, an honorary title freq. given to auxiliary troops (Ptolem. renders it Σεβαστή in connection w. three legions that bore it: 2, 3, 30; 2, 9, 18; 4, 3, 30) imperial cohort.” According to W. Foerster (TDNT 7:175), “In Ac. 27:1 the σπεῖρα Σεβαστή is an expression also found elsewhere for ‘auxiliary troops.’” In no case would this refer to a special imperial bodyguard, and to translate “imperial regiment” or “imperial cohort” might give this impression. There is some archaeological evidence for a Cohors Augusta I stationed in Syria during the time of Augustus, but whether this is the same unit is very debatable.

[27:2]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ tn Grk “Going on board.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:2]  ¹⁸⁰⁵ sn Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia on the western coast of Asia Minor.

[27:2]  ¹⁸⁰⁶ tn Grk “places.”

[27:2]  ¹⁸⁰⁷ 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.

[27:2]  ¹⁸⁰⁸ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 states, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:2]  ¹⁸⁰⁹ sn A Macedonian. The city of Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was in the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.

[27:2]  ¹⁸¹⁰ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[27:3]  ¹⁸⁰⁷ tn BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Σιδῶνα Ac 27:3.”

[27:3]  ¹⁸⁰⁸ sn Sidon is another seaport 75 mi (120 km) north of Caesarea.

[27:3]  ¹⁸⁰⁹ tn BDAG 1056 s.v. φιλανθρώπως states, “benevolently, kindly φιλανθρώπως χρῆσθαί (τινι) treat someone in kindly fashion…Ac 27:3.”

[27:3]  ¹⁸¹⁰ tn Grk “to go to his friends to be cared for.” The scene is an indication of Christian hospitality.

[27:4]  ¹⁸¹⁰ tn Grk “putting out to sea.” The participle ἀναχθέντες (anacqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 states, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:4]  ¹⁸¹¹ tn BDAG 1040 s.v. ὑποπλέω states, “sail under the lee of an island, i.e. in such a way that the island protects the ship fr. the wind Ac 27:4, 7.” Thus they were east and north of the island.

[27:5]  ¹⁸¹³ tn Grk “the depths,” the deep area of a sea far enough from land that it is not protected by the coast (L&N 1.73).

[27:5]  ¹⁸¹⁴ sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor; it was west of Cilicia (see BDAG 753 s.v. Παμφυλία).

[27:5]  ¹⁸¹⁵ tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “Of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’: arrive, put in…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[27:5]  ¹⁸¹⁶ sn Myra was a city on the southern coast of Lycia in Asia Minor. This journey from Sidon (v. 3) was 440 mi (700 km) and took about 15 days.

[27:5]  ¹⁸¹⁷ sn Lycia was the name of a peninsula on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia.

[27:6]  ¹⁸¹⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:6]  ¹⁸¹⁷ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:6]  ¹⁸¹⁸ sn Alexandria (modern Alexandria) was a great city of northern Egypt which was a center for grain trade to Rome. Therefore this type of travel connection was common at the time. For a winter journey (considered hazardous) there were special bonuses and insurance provided (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18.1-2).

[27:7]  ¹⁸¹⁹ tn The participle βραδυπλοοῦντες (braduploounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:7]  ¹⁸²⁰ sn Cnidus was the name of a peninsula on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. This was about 130 mi (210 km) from Myra.

[27:7]  ¹⁸²¹ tn This genitive absolute construction with προσεῶντος (prosewnto") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 13.139 translates the phrase μὴ προσεῶντος ἡμᾶς τοῦ ἀνέμου (mh prosewnto" Jhma" tou anemou) as “the wind would not let us go any farther.”

[27:7]  ¹⁸²² tn BDAG 1040 s.v. ὑποπλέω states, “sail under the lee of an island, i.e. in such a way that the island protects the ship fr. the wind Ac 27:4, 7.”

[27:7]  ¹⁸²³ sn Salmone was the name of a promontory on the northeastern corner of the island of Crete. This was about 100 mi (160 km) farther along.

[27:8]  ¹⁸²² tn Grk “sailing along the coast…we came.” The participle παραλεγόμενοι (paralegomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 54.8, “παραλέγομαι: (a technical, nautical term) to sail along beside some object – ‘to sail along the coast, to sail along the shore.’ …‘they sailed along the coast of Crete’ Ac 27:13.”

[27:8]  ¹⁸²³ tn Grk “it”; the referent (Crete) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[27:8]  ¹⁸²⁴ sn Lasea was a city on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 60 mi (96 km) farther.

[27:9]  ¹⁸²⁵ tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.

[27:9]  ¹⁸²⁶ sn The fast refers to the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It was now into October and the dangerous winter winds would soon occur (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18; Josephus, J. W. 1.14.2-3 [1.279-281]).

[27:9]  ¹⁸²⁷ tn The accusative articular infinitive παρεληλυθέναι (parelhluqenai) after the preposition διά (dia) is causal. BDAG 776 s.v. παρέρχομαι 2 has “διὰ τὸ τὴν νηστείαν ἤδη παρεληλυθέναι because the fast was already over Ac 27:9.”

[27:9]  ¹⁸²⁸ tn Grk “Paul advised, saying to them.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated. On the term translated “advised,” see BDAG 764 s.v. παραινέω, which usually refers to recommendations.

[27:10]  ¹⁸²⁸ tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”

[27:10]  ¹⁸²⁹ tn Or “hardship,” “damage.” BDAG 1022 s.v. ὕβρις 3 states, “fig. hardship, disaster, damage caused by the elements…w. ζημία Ac 27:10.”

[27:10]  ¹⁸³⁰ tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).

[27:11]  ¹⁸³¹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:11]  ¹⁸³² tn Or “persuaded.”

[27:11]  ¹⁸³³ tn BDAG 456 s.v. κυβερνήτης 1 has “one who is responsible for the management of a ship, shipmaster…W. ναύκληρος, the ‘shipowner’…Ac 27:11” See further L. Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, 316-18.

[27:11]  ¹⁸³⁴ tn Grk “than by what was said by Paul.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[27:12]  ¹⁸³⁴ tn BDAG 181-82 s.v. βουλή 2.a, “β. τίθεσθαι (Judg 19:30; Ps 12:3) decide 27:12 (w. inf. foll.).”

[27:12]  ¹⁸³⁵ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:12]  ¹⁸³⁶ tn Grk “from there, if somehow” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation and the introductory phrase “They hoped that” supplied (with the subject, “they,” repeated from the previous clause) to make a complete English sentence.

[27:12]  ¹⁸³⁷ tn Grk “if somehow, reaching Phoenix, they could…” The participle καταντήσαντες (katanthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:12]  ¹⁸³⁸ sn Phoenix was a seaport on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 30 mi (48 km) further west.

[27:12]  ¹⁸³⁹ tn Or “a harbor of Crete open to the southwest and northwest.”

[27:13]  ¹⁸³⁷ tn Grk “thinking.” The participle δόξαντες (doxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:13]  ¹⁸³⁸ tn Or “accomplish.” L&N 68.29, for κρατέω, has “to be able to complete or finish, presumably despite difficulties – ‘to accomplish, to do successfully, to carry out.’ …‘thinking that they could carry out their purpose’ Ac 27:13.”

[27:13]  ¹⁸³⁹ tn Or “departed.”

[27:13]  ¹⁸⁴⁰ tn L&N 54.8, “παραλέγομαι: (a technical, nautical term) to sail along beside some object – ‘to sail along the coast, to sail along the shore.’…‘they sailed along the coast of Crete’ Ac 27:13.” With the addition of the adverb ἆσσον (asson) this becomes “sailed close along the coast of Crete.”

[27:14]  ¹⁸⁴⁰ tn Grk “a wind like a typhoon.” That is, a very violent wind like a typhoon or hurricane (BDAG 1021 s.v. τυφωνικός).

[27:14]  ¹⁸⁴¹ sn Or called Euraquilo (the actual name of the wind, a sailor’s term which was a combination of Greek and Latin). According to Strabo (Geography 1.2.21), this was a violent northern wind.

[27:14]  ¹⁸⁴² tn Grk “from it”; the referent (the island) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:15]  ¹⁸⁴³ tn Or “was forced off course.” Grk “The ship being caught in it.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle συναρπασθέντος (sunarpasqento") has been taken temporally; it could also be translated as causal (“Because the ship was caught in it”).

[27:15]  ¹⁸⁴⁴ tn BDAG 91 s.v. ἀντοφθαλμέω states, “Metaph. of a ship τοῦ πλοίου μὴ δυναμένοι ἀ. τῷ ἀνέμῳ since the ship was not able to face the wind, i.e. with its bow headed against the forces of the waves Ac 27:15.”

[27:15]  ¹⁸⁴⁵ sn Caught in the violent wind, the ship was driven along. They were now out of control, at the mercy of the wind and sea.

[27:16]  ¹⁸⁴⁶ tn BDAG 1042 s.v. ὑποτρέχω states, “run or sail under the lee of, nautical t.t.…Ac 27:16.” The participle ὑποδραμόντες (Jupodramonte") has been taken temporally (“as we ran under the lee of”). While this could also be translated as a participle of means (“by running…”) this might suggest the ship was still under a greater degree of control by its crew than it probably was.

[27:16]  ¹⁸⁴⁷ sn Cauda. This island was located south of Crete, about 23 mi (36 km) from where they began. There are various ways to spell the island’s name (e.g., Clauda, BDAG 546 s.v. Κλαῦδα).

[27:16]  ¹⁸⁴⁸ sn The ship’s boat was a small rowboat, normally towed behind a ship in good weather rather than stowed on board. It was used for landings, to maneuver the ship for tacking, and to lay anchors (not a lifeboat in the modern sense, although it could have served as a means of escape for some of the sailors; see v. 30). See L. Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, 248f.

[27:17]  ¹⁸⁴⁹ tn Grk “After hoisting it up, they…”; the referent (the ship’s crew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:17]  ¹⁸⁵⁰ tn The participle ἄραντες (arantes) has been taken temporally.

[27:17]  ¹⁸⁵¹ tn Possibly “ropes” or “cables”; Grk “helps” (a word of uncertain meaning; probably a nautical technical term, BDAG 180 s.v. βοήθεια 2).

[27:17]  ¹⁸⁵² tn BDAG 308 s.v. ἐκπίπτω 2 states, “drift off course, run aground, nautical term εἴς τι on someth….on the Syrtis 27:17.”

[27:17]  ¹⁸⁵³ tn That is, on the sandbars and shallows of the Syrtis.

[27:17]  ¹⁸⁵⁴ tn Or perhaps “mainsail.” The meaning of this word is uncertain. BDAG 927 s.v. σκεῦος 1 has “τὸ σκεῦος Ac 27:17 seems to be the kedge or driving anchor” while C. Maurer (TDNT 7:362) notes, “The meaning in Ac. 27:17: χαλάσαντες τὸ σκεῦος, is uncertain. Prob. the ref. is not so much to taking down the sails as to throwing the draganchor overboard to lessen the speed of the ship.” In spite of this L&N 6.1 states, “In Ac 27:17, for example, the reference of σκεῦος is generally understood to be the mainsail.” A reference to the sail is highly unlikely because in a storm of the force described in Ac 27:14, the sail would have been taken down and reefed immediately, to prevent its being ripped to shreds or torn away by the gale.

[27:18]  ¹⁸⁵² tn BDAG 980 s.v. σφόδρῶς states, “very much, greatly, violently…σφ. χειμάζεσθαι be violently beaten by a storm Ac 27:18.”

[27:18]  ¹⁸⁵³ tn Or “jettisoning [the cargo]” (a nautical technical term). The words “the cargo” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[27:19]  ¹⁸⁵⁵ tn Or “rigging,” “tackle”; Grk “the ship’s things.” Here the more abstract “gear” is preferred to “rigging” or “tackle” as a translation for σκεῦος (skeuos) because in v. 40 the sailors are still able to raise the (fore)sail, which they could not have done if the ship’s rigging or tackle had been jettisoned here.

[27:20]  ¹⁸⁵⁸ tn Grk “no small storm” = a very great storm.

[27:20]  ¹⁸⁵⁹ tn Grk “no small storm pressing on us.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπικειμένου (epikeimenou) has been translated as parallel to the previous genitive absolute construction (which was translated as temporal). BDAG 373 s.v. ἐπίκειμαι 2.b states, “of impersonal force confront χειμῶνος ἐπικειμένου since a storm lay upon us Ac 27:20.” L&N 14.2, “‘the stormy weather did not abate in the least’ or ‘the violent storm continued’ Ac 27:20.” To this last was added the idea of “battering” from the notion of “pressing upon” inherent in ἐπίκειμαι (epikeimai).

[27:20]  ¹⁸⁶⁰ tn Grk “finally all hope that we would be saved was abandoned.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation. This represents a clearly secular use of the term σῴζω (swzw) in that it refers to deliverance from the storm. At this point those on board the ship gave up hope of survival.

[27:21]  ¹⁸⁶¹ tn Or “Since they had no desire to eat for a long time.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὑπαρχούσης (Juparcoush") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. It could also be translated temporally (“When many of them had no desire to eat”). The translation of πολλῆς (pollhs) as a substantized adjective referring to the people on board the ship (“many of them”) rather than a period of time (“for a long time”; so most modern versions) follows BDAG 143 s.v. ἀσιτία, which has “πολλῆς ἀ. ὑπαρχούσης since almost nobody wanted to eat because of anxiety or seasickness…Ac 27:21.” This detail indicates how turbulent things were on board the ship.

[27:21]  ¹⁸⁶² tn Here τότε (tote) is redundant (pleonastic) according to BDAG 1012-13 s.v. τότε 2; thus it has not been translated.

[27:21]  ¹⁸⁶³ tn Grk “standing up…said.” The participle σταθείς (staqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:21]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ tn L&N 36.12 has “πειθαρχήσαντάς μοι μὴ ἀνάγεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς Κρήτης ‘you should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete’ Ac 27:21.”

[27:21]  ¹⁸⁶⁵ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:21]  ¹⁸⁶⁶ tn The infinitive κερδῆσαι (kerdhsai) has been translated as resultative.

[27:22]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ tn The same verb is used for Paul’s original recommendation in Ac 27:9.

[27:22]  ¹⁸⁶⁵ tn Grk “except the ship.” Here “but” is used to translate the improper preposition πλήν (plhn; see BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 2) since an exception like this, where two different categories of objects are involved (people and a ship), is more naturally expressed in contemporary English with an adversative (“but”). The words “will be lost” are also supplied for clarity.

[27:23]  ¹⁸⁶⁷ tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.

[27:23]  ¹⁸⁶⁸ tn Or “worship.”

[27:23]  ¹⁸⁶⁹ tn Or “stood by me.” BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “approach, come τινί (to) someone…Ac 9:39; 27:23.”

[27:24]  ¹⁸⁷⁰ tn Grk “came to me saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:24]  ¹⁸⁷¹ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “Also as a t.t. of legal usage appear before, come before…Καίσαρι σε δεῖ παραστῆναι you must stand before the Emperor (as judge) Ac 27:24.” See Acts 23:11. Luke uses the verb δεῖ (dei) to describe what must occur.

[27:24]  ¹⁸⁷² tn Or “before the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:24]  ¹⁸⁷³ tn Grk “God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.” The words “the safety of” have been supplied to clarify the meaning of the verb κεχάρισται (kecaristai) in this context.

[27:25]  ¹⁸⁷³ tn BDAG 817 s.v. πιστεύω 1.c states, “w. pers. and thing added π. τινί τι believe someone with regard to someth….W. dat. of pers. and ὅτι foll…. πιστεύετέ μοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί J 14:11a. Cp. 4:21; Ac 27:25.”

[27:26]  ¹⁸⁷⁶ tn This is another use of δεῖ (dei) to indicate necessity (see also v. 24). Acts 28:1 shows the fulfillment of this.

[27:27]  ¹⁸⁷⁹ tn Here “being driven” has been used to translate διαφέρω (diaferw) rather than “drifting,” because it is clear from the attempt to drop anchors in v. 29 that the ship is still being driven by the gale. “Drifting” implies lack of control, but not necessarily rapid movement.

[27:27]  ¹⁸⁸⁰ sn The Adriatic Sea. They were now somewhere between Crete and Malta.

[27:27]  ¹⁸⁸¹ tn Grk “suspected that some land was approaching them.” BDAG 876 s.v. προσάγω 2.a states, “lit. ὑπενόουν προσάγειν τινά αὐτοῖς χώραν they suspected that land was near (lit. ‘approaching them’) Ac 27:27.” Current English idiom would speak of the ship approaching land rather than land approaching the ship.

[27:28]  ¹⁸⁸² tn Grk “Heaving the lead, they found.” The participle βολίσαντες (bolisante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. See also BDAG 180 s.v. βολίζω. Although the term is used twice in this verse (and thus is technically not a NT hapax legomenon), it occurs nowhere else in the NT.

[27:28]  ¹⁸⁸³ sn A fathom is about 6 feet or just under 2 meters (originally the length of a man’s outstretched arms). This was a nautical technical term for measuring the depth of water. Here it was about 120 ft (36 m).

[27:28]  ¹⁸⁸⁴ tn L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”

[27:28]  ¹⁸⁸⁵ sn Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁸⁵ tn Grk “fearing.” The participle φοβούμενοι (foboumenoi) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁸⁶ tn Grk “against a rough [rocky] place.” L&N 79.84 has “φοβούμενοί τε μή που κατὰ τραχεῖς τόποις ἐκπέσωμεν ‘we were afraid that we would run aground on the rocky coast’ Ac 27:29.”

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁸⁷ tn Grk “throwing out…they.” The participle ῥίψαντες (rJiyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁸⁸ tn BDAG 417 s.v. εὔχομαι 2 states, “wish…τὶ for someth.…Foll. by acc. and inf….Ac 27:29.” The other possible meaning for this term, “pray,” is given in BDAG 417 s.v. 1 and employed by a number of translations (NAB, NRSV, NIV). If this meaning is adopted here, then “prayed for day to come” must be understood metaphorically to mean “prayed that they would live to see the day,” or “prayed that it would soon be day.”

[27:29]  ¹⁸⁸⁹ tn Grk “and wished for day to come about.”

[27:30]  ¹⁸⁸⁸ tn BDAG 889 s.v. πρόφασις 2 states, “προφάσει ὡς under the pretext that, pretending that…Ac 27:30.” In other words, some of the sailors gave up hope that such efforts would work and instead attempted to escape while pretending to help.

[27:31]  ¹⁸⁹¹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:31]  ¹⁸⁹² sn The pronoun you is plural in Greek.

[27:32]  ¹⁸⁹⁴ sn The soldiers cut the ropes. The centurion and the soldiers were now following Paul’s advice by cutting the ropes to prevent the sailors from escaping.

[27:32]  ¹⁸⁹⁵ tn Or “let it fall away.” According to BDAG 308 s.v. ἐκπίπτω 1 and 2 the meaning of the verb in this verse could be either “fall away” or “drift away.” Either meaning is acceptable, and the choice between them depends almost entirely on how one reconstructs the scene. Since cutting the boat loose would in any case result in it drifting away (whether capsized or not), the meaning “drift away” as a nautical technical term has been used here.

[27:33]  ¹⁸⁹⁷ tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.b.α has “ἄ. οὗ ἡμέρα ἤμελλεν γίνεσθαι until the day began to dawn 27:33.”

[27:33]  ¹⁸⁹⁸ tn Or “have waited anxiously.” Grk “waiting anxiously.” The participle προσδοκῶντες (prosdokwnte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:33]  ¹⁸⁹⁹ tn Or “continued.”

[27:33]  ¹⁹⁰⁰ tn Grk “having eaten nothing.” The participle προσλαβόμενοι (proslabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb (with subject “you” supplied) due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:34]  ¹⁹⁰⁰ tn Or “necessary.” BDAG 873-74 s.v. πρός 1 has “πρ. τῆς σωτηρίας in the interest of safety Ac 27:34”; L&N 27.18 has “‘therefore, I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your deliverance’ or ‘…for your survival’ Ac 27:34.”

[27:34]  ¹⁹⁰¹ tn Or “deliverance” (‘salvation’ in a nontheological sense).

[27:35]  ¹⁹⁰³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35]  ¹⁹⁰⁴ tn Grk “taking bread, gave thanks.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:35]  ¹⁹⁰⁵ tn Or “before them all,” but here this could be misunderstood to indicate a temporal sequence.

[27:35]  ¹⁹⁰⁶ tn Grk “and breaking it, he began.” The participle κλάσας (klasas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:37]  ¹⁹⁰⁶ tc One early ms (B) and an early version (sa) read “about seventy-six.” For discussion of how this variant probably arose, see F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles, 465.

[27:37]  ¹⁹⁰⁷ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[27:38]  ¹⁹⁰⁹ tn Or “When they had eaten their fill.”

[27:38]  ¹⁹¹⁰ tn Or “grain.”

[27:39]  ¹⁹¹² tn Or “observed,” “saw.”

[27:39]  ¹⁹¹³ tn Or “gulf” (BDAG 557 s.v. κόλπος 3).

[27:39]  ¹⁹¹⁴ sn A beach would refer to a smooth sandy beach suitable for landing.

[27:40]  ¹⁹¹⁵ tn That is, released. Grk “slipping…leaving.” The participles περιελόντες (perielonte") and εἴων (eiwn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40]  ¹⁹¹⁶ tn The term is used of a ship’s anchor. (BDAG 12 s.v. ἄγκυρα a).

[27:40]  ¹⁹¹⁷ tn Grk “bands”; possibly “ropes.”

[27:40]  ¹⁹¹⁸ tn Or “rudders.”

[27:40]  ¹⁹¹⁹ tn Grk “hoisting…they.” The participle ἐπάραντες (eparante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40]  ¹⁹²⁰ tn Grk “sail”; probably a reference to the foresail.

[27:40]  ¹⁹²¹ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατέχω 7 states, “hold course, nautical t.t., intr….κατεῖχον εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν they headed for the beach Ac 27:40.”

[27:41]  ¹⁹¹⁸ tn Grk “fell upon a place of two seas.” The most common explanation for this term is that it refers to a reef or sandbar with the sea on both sides, as noted in BDAG 245 s.v. διθάλασσος: the “τόπος δ. Ac 27:41 is a semantic unit signifying a point (of land jutting out with water on both sides).” However, Greek had terms for a “sandbank” (θῖς [qis], ταινία [tainia]), a “reef” (ἑρμα [Jerma]), “strait” (στενόν [stenon]), “promontory” (ἀρωτήρον [arwthron]), and other nautical hazards, none of which are used by the author here. NEB here translates τόπον διθάλασσον (topon diqalasson) as “cross-currents,” a proposal close to that advanced by J. M. Gilchrist, “The Historicity of Paul’s Shipwreck,” JSNT 61 (1996): 29-51, who suggests the meaning is “a patch of cross-seas,” where the waves are set at an angle to the wind, a particular hazard for sailors. Thus the term most likely refers to some sort of adverse sea conditions rather than a topographical feature like a reef or sandbar.

[27:41]  ¹⁹¹⁹ tn Or “violence” (BDAG 175 s.v. βία a).

[27:42]  ¹⁹²¹ sn The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners. The issue here was not cruelty, but that the soldiers would be legally responsible if any prisoners escaped and would suffer punishment themselves. So they were planning to do this as an act of self-preservation. See Acts 16:27 for a similar incident.

[27:42]  ¹⁹²² tn The participle ἐκκολυμβήσας (ekkolumbhsa") has been taken instrumentally.

[27:43]  ¹⁹²⁴ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:43]  ¹⁹²⁵ tn Or “wanting to rescue Paul.”

[27:43]  ¹⁹²⁶ tn BDAG 347 s.v. I. ἔξειμι has “ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν get to land Ac 27:43.”

[27:44]  ¹⁹²⁷ tn The words “were to follow” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. They must be supplied to clarify the sense in contemporary English.

[27:44]  ¹⁹²⁸ tn Or “boards” according to BDAG 913 s.v. σανίς.

[27:44]  ¹⁹²⁹ tn Grk “on pieces from the ship”; that is, pieces of wreckage from the ship.

[27:44]  ¹⁹³⁰ tn Grk “And in this way it happened that.” 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.

[28:1]  ¹⁹³⁰ tn Grk “We having been brought safely through” [to land] (same verb as 27:44). The word “shore” is implied, and the slight variations in translation from 27:44 have been made to avoid redundancy in English. The participle διασωθέντες (diaswqente") has been taken temporally.

[28:1]  ¹⁹³¹ sn Malta is an island (known by the same name today) in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. The ship had traveled 625 mi (1,000 km) in the storm.

[28:2]  ¹⁹³³ tn Although this is literally βάρβαροι (barbaroi; “foreigners, barbarians”) used for non-Greek or non-Romans, as BDAG 166 s.v. βάρβαρος 2.b notes, “Of the inhabitants of Malta, who apparently spoke in their native language Ac 28:2, 4 (here β. certainly without derogatory tone…).”

[28:2]  ¹⁹³⁴ tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11. Cp. 28:2.”

[28:2]  ¹⁹³⁵ tn Or “because it was about to rain.” BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 4 states, “διὰ τ. ὑετὸν τὸν ἐφεστῶτα because it had begun to rain Ac 28:2…But the mng. here could also be because it threatened to rain (s. 6).”

[28:3]  ¹⁹³⁶ tn Or “sticks.”

[28:4]  ¹⁹³⁹ tn Although this is literally βάρβαροι (barbaroi; “foreigners, barbarians”) used for non-Greek or non-Romans, as BDAG 166 s.v. βάρβαρος 2.b notes, “Of the inhabitants of Malta, who apparently spoke in their native language Ac 28:2, 4 (here β. certainly without derogatory tone…).”

[28:4]  ¹⁹⁴⁰ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ¹⁹⁴¹ tn That is, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live. BDAG 250 s.v. δίκη 2 states, “Justice personified as a deity Ac 28:4”; L&N 12.27, “a goddess who personifies justice in seeking out and punishing the guilty – ‘the goddess Justice.’ ἡ δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν ‘the goddess Justice would not let him live’ Ac 28:4.” Although a number of modern English translations have rendered δίκη (dikh) “justice,” preferring to use an abstraction, in the original setting it is almost certainly a reference to a pagan deity. In the translation, the noun “justice” was capitalized and the reflexive pronoun “herself” was supplied to make the personification clear. This was considered preferable to supplying a word like ‘goddess’ in connection with δίκη.

[28:4]  ¹⁹⁴² sn The entire scene is played out initially as a kind of oracle from the gods resulting in the judgment of a guilty person (Justice herself has not allowed him to live). Paul’s survival of this incident without ill effects thus spoke volumes about his innocence.

[28:5]  ¹⁹⁴² tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 4 indicates the particle has an adversative sense here: “but, however.”

[28:5]  ¹⁹⁴³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:5]  ¹⁹⁴⁴ tn Grk “shaking the creature off…he suffered no harm.” The participle ἀποτινάξας (apotinaxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁴⁵ tn Or “going to burn with fever.” According to BDAG 814 s.v. πίμπρημι, either meaning (“swell up” or “burn with fever”) is possible for Acts 28:6.

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁴⁶ tn The participle προσδοκώντων (prosdokwntwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁴⁷ tn The participle θεωρούντων (qewrountwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ tn Grk “happening.” The participle γινόμενον (ginomenon) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁴⁹ tn Grk “changing their minds.” The participle μεταβαλόμενοι (metabalomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁵⁰ sn And said he was a god. The reaction is like Acts 14:11-19 where the crowd wanted to make Paul and Barnabas into gods. The providence of God had protected Paul again.

[28:7]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ tn BDAG 798 s.v. περί 2.a.γ states, “of nearby places…τὰ περὶ τὸν τὸπον the region around the place Ac 28:7.” The presence of ἐκεῖνον (ekeinon) results in the translation “that place.”

[28:7]  ¹⁹⁴⁹ tn That is, the chief Roman official. Several inscriptions have confirmed the use of πρῶτος (prwtos) as an administrative title used on the island of Malta for the highest Roman official. See further BDAG 852 s.v. Πόπλιος.

[28:8]  ¹⁹⁵¹ tn Grk “It happened that the father.” 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.

[28:8]  ¹⁹⁵² tn Grk “to whom Paul going in.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation. The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8]  ¹⁹⁵³ tn The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8]  ¹⁹⁵⁴ sn And healed him. Here are healings like Luke 9:40; 10:30; 13:13; Acts 16:23.

[28:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁴ tn BDAG 142 s.v. ἀσθένεια 1 states, “ἔχειν ἀ. be ill Ac 28:9.”

[28:9]  ¹⁹⁵⁵ sn Many…also came and were healed. Again, here is irony. Paul, though imprisoned, “frees” others of their diseases.

[28:10]  ¹⁹⁵⁷ tn Or “they also honored us greatly”; Grk “they also honored us with many honors” (an idiom).

[28:10]  ¹⁹⁵⁸ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.” In this case the simpler English “sail” is more appropriate. The English participle “preparing” has also been supplied, since the provisioning of the ship would take place some time before the actual departure.

[28:10]  ¹⁹⁵⁹ tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 1.b has “give τινί τι someth. to someone…ἀναγομένοις τὰ πρὸς τὰς χρείας when we sailed they gave us what we needed Ac 28:10.”

[28:10]  ¹⁹⁶⁰ sn They gave us all the supplies we needed. What they had lost in the storm and shipwreck was now replaced. Luke describes these pagans very positively.

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁶⁰ tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁶¹ tn Or “the ‘Twin Gods’”; Grk “the Dioscuri” (a joint name for the pagan deities Castor and Pollux).

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁶² tn Or “as its emblem.”

[28:12]  ¹⁹⁶³ tn Grk “And putting in.” The participle καταχθέντες (katacqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the meaning of the participle, BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Συρακούσας Ac 28:12.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[28:12]  ¹⁹⁶⁴ sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.

[28:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁶ tc A few early mss (א* B Ψ [gig] {sa [bo]}) read περιελόντες (perielonte", “[From there we] cast off [and arrived at Rhegium]”; cf. Acts 27:40). The other major variant, περιελθόντες (perielqonte", “[we] sailed from place to place”), is found in Ì⁷⁴ א² A 066 1739 Ï lat sy. Although περιελόντες is minimally attested, it is found in the better witnesses. As well, it is a more difficult reading, for its meaning as a nautical term is uncertain, requiring something like “τὰς ἀγκύρας be supplied = ‘we weighed anchor’” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαιρέω 1). It thus best explains the rise of the other readings.

[28:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁷ sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.

[28:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁸ tn Grk “after one day, a south wind springing up, on the second day.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπιγενομένου (epigenomenou) has been translated as a clause with a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:13]  ¹⁹⁶⁹ sn Puteoli was a city on the western coast of Italy south of Rome. It was in the Bay of Naples some 220 mi (350 km) to the north of Rhegium. Here the voyage ended; the rest of the journey was by land.

[28:14]  ¹⁹⁶⁹ tn Grk “where.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“where”) has been replaced with the demonstrative pronoun (“there”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[28:14]  ¹⁹⁷⁰ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:14]  ¹⁹⁷¹ sn That is, some fellow Christians.

[28:14]  ¹⁹⁷² map For location see JP4 A1.

[28:15]  ¹⁹⁷² sn Mention of Christian brothers from there (Rome) shows that God’s message had already spread as far as Italy and the capital of the empire.

[28:15]  ¹⁹⁷³ sn The Forum of Appius was a small traveler’s stop on the Appian Way about 43 mi (71 km) south of Rome (BDAG 125 s.v. ᾿Αππίου φόρον). It was described by Horace as “crammed with boatmen and stingy tavernkeepers” (Satires 1.5.3).

[28:15]  ¹⁹⁷⁴ sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 mi (55 km) south of Rome.

[28:15]  ¹⁹⁷⁵ tn Grk “whom, when he saw [them], Paul.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[28:16]  ¹⁹⁷⁵ tn Or “to stay.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁷⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁸⁰ tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁸¹ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁸² tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁸³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:17]  ¹⁹⁸⁵ tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

[28:18]  ¹⁹⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁹⁸² 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]  ¹⁹⁸³ sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.

[28:18]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[28:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ tn That is, objected to my release.

[28:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[28:19]  ¹⁹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁷ tn Or “my own nation.”

[28:20]  ¹⁹⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁹⁰ tn Grk “they said to him.”

[28:21]  ¹⁹⁹¹ 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.

[28:22]  ¹⁹⁹³ tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[28:22]  ¹⁹⁹⁴ tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.

[28:22]  ¹⁹⁹⁵ tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁹⁶ tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁹⁷ tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁹⁸ tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”

[28:23]  ¹⁹⁹⁹ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”

[28:23]  ²⁰⁰⁰ tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[28:23]  ²⁰⁰¹ tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:23]  ²⁰⁰² tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”

[28:23]  ²⁰⁰³ sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.

[28:23]  ²⁰⁰⁴ tn Or “persuade.”

[28:24]  ¹⁹⁹⁹ tn Or “persuaded.”

[28:24]  ²⁰⁰⁰ tn Grk “by the things spoken.”

[28:24]  ²⁰⁰¹ sn Some were convinced…but others refused to believe. Once again the gospel caused division among Jews, as in earlier chapters of Acts (13:46; 18:6).

[28:25]  ²⁰⁰² tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[28:25]  ²⁰⁰³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:26]  ²⁰⁰⁵ tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).

[28:26]  ²⁰⁰⁶ tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).

[28:27]  ²⁰⁰⁸ tn Or “insensitive.”

[28:27]  ²⁰⁰⁹ tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).

[28:27]  ²⁰¹⁰ sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.

[28:27]  ²⁰¹¹ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.

[28:28]  ²⁰¹¹ tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”

[28:28]  ²⁰¹² tn Or “of God.”

[28:28]  ²⁰¹³ sn The term Gentiles is in emphatic position in the Greek text of this clause. Once again there is the pattern: Jewish rejection of the gospel leads to an emphasis on Gentile inclusion (Acts 13:44-47).

[28:28]  ²⁰¹⁴ tn Grk “they also.”

[28:29]  ²⁰¹⁴ tc Some later mss include 28:29: “When he had said these things, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.” Verse 29 is lacking in Ì^74vid א A B E Ψ 048 33 81 1175 1739 2464 pc and a number of versions. They are included (with a few minor variations) in Ï it and some versions. This verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, as it lacks the best credentials. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[28:30]  ²⁰¹⁷ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:30]  ²⁰¹⁸ tn Or “stayed.”

[28:30]  ²⁰¹⁹ tn Or perhaps, “two whole years at his own expense.” BDAG 654 s.v. μίσθωμα states, “the customary act. mng. ‘contract price, rent’…is not found in our lit. (Ac) and the pass. what is rented, a rented house is a mng. not found outside it (even Ammonius Gramm. [100 ad] p. 93 Valck. knows nothing of it. Hence the transl. at his own expense [NRSV] merits attention) ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι in his own rented lodgings Ac 28:30 (for the idea cp. Jos., Ant. 18, 235).”

[28:30]  ²⁰²⁰ tn Or “and received.”

[28:31]  ²⁰²⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[28:31]  ²⁰²¹ tn Or “openness.”

[28:31]  ²⁰²² sn Proclaiming…with complete boldness and without restriction. Once again Paul’s imprisonment is on benevolent terms. The word of God is proclaimed triumphantly and boldly in Rome. Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop it, the message goes forth.