Romans 15:16-19

15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve ¹  the gospel of God ²  like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, ³  sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

15:17 So I boast ⁴  in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience ⁵  of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Acts 9:15

9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument ⁶  to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. ⁷ 

Acts 13:2

13:2 While they were serving ⁸  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ⁹  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 22:21

22:21 Then ¹⁰  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

Acts 26:17-18

26:17 I will rescue ¹¹  you from your own people ¹²  and from the Gentiles, to whom ¹³  I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ¹⁴  from darkness to light and from the power ¹⁵  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ¹⁶  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Galatians 1:16

1:16 to reveal his Son in ¹⁷  me so that I could preach him ¹⁸  among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from ¹⁹  any human being, ²⁰ 

Galatians 2:2

2:2 I went there ²¹  because of ²²  a revelation and presented ²³  to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so ²⁴  only in a private meeting with the influential people, ²⁵  to make sure that I was not running – or had not run ²⁶  – in vain.

Galatians 2:7-9

2:7 On the contrary, when they saw ²⁷  that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised ²⁸  just as Peter was to the circumcised ²⁹  2:8 (for he who empowered ³⁰  Peter for his apostleship ³¹  to the circumcised ³²  also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles) ³³  2:9 and when James, Cephas, ³⁴  and John, who had a reputation as ³⁵  pillars, ³⁶  recognized ³⁷  the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me ³⁸  the right hand of fellowship, agreeing ³⁹  that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ⁴⁰ 

Ephesians 3:8

3:8 To me – less than the least of all the saints ⁴¹  – this grace was given, ⁴²  to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

Ephesians 3:1

Paul's Relationship to the Divine Mystery

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus ⁴³  for the sake of you Gentiles –

Ephesians 2:7

2:7 to demonstrate in the coming ages ⁴⁴  the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward ⁴⁵  us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:2

2:2 in which ⁴⁶  you formerly lived ⁴⁷  according to this world’s present path, ⁴⁸  according to the ruler of the kingdom ⁴⁹  of the air, the ruler of ⁵⁰  the spirit ⁵¹  that is now energizing ⁵²  the sons of disobedience, ⁵³ 

Ephesians 1:11-12

1:11 In Christ ⁵⁴  we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, ⁵⁵  since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will 1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope ⁵⁶  on Christ, ⁵⁷  would be to the praise of his glory.

[15:16]  ¹ tn Grk “serving.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but in keeping with contemporary English style, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[15:16]  ² tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.

[15:16]  ³ tn Grk “so that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable.” This could be understood to refer to an offering belonging to the Gentiles (a possessive genitive) or made by the Gentiles (subjective genitive), but more likely the phrase should be understood as an appositive genitive, with the Gentiles themselves consisting of the offering (so J. D. G. Dunn, Romans [WBC 38], 2:860). The latter view is reflected in the translation “so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering.”

[15:17]  ⁴ tc ‡ After οὖν (oun), several important Alexandrian and Western mss (B C D F G 81 365 pc) have τήν (thn). The article is lacking in א A Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï however. Ì⁴⁶ supplies a relative pronoun and has a different reading entirely (“which I have [as a] boast”). Articles were frequently introduced to clarify the meaning of the text. In this instance, since the word modified (καύχησιν, kauchsin) is third declension, a visual oversight (resulting in omission) is less likely. Hence, the shorter reading is probably original. The difference in translation between these first two options is negligible (“I have the boast” or “I have a boast”). NA²⁷ puts the article in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[15:18]  ⁵ tn Grk “unto obedience.”

[9:15]  ⁶ tn Or “tool.”

[9:15]  ⁷ tn Grk “the sons of Israel.” In Acts, Paul is a minister to all nations, including Israel (Rom 1:16-17).

[13:2]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Or “Appoint.”

[22:21]  ¹⁰ 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.

[26:17]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[26:17]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[1:16]  ¹⁷ tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.

[1:16]  ¹⁸ tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.

[1:16]  ¹⁹ tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.

[1:16]  ²⁰ tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”

[2:2]  ²¹ tn Grk “I went up”; one always spoke idiomatically of going “up” to Jerusalem.

[2:2]  ²² tn Or “in accordance with.” According to BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.5.a.δ, “Oft. the norm is at the same time the reason, so that in accordance with and because of are merged…Instead of ‘in accordance w.’ κ. can mean simply because of, as a result of, on the basis of…κ. ἀποκάλυψιν Gal 2:2.”

[2:2]  ²³ tn Or “set before them.”

[2:2]  ²⁴ tn Grk “Gentiles, but only privately…to make sure.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with “But” and the words “I did so,” an implied repetition from the previous clause, were supplied to make a complete English sentence.

[2:2]  ²⁵ tn L&N 87.42 has “important persons, influential persons, prominent persons” for οἱ δοκοῦντες and translates this phrase in Gal 2:2 as “in a private meeting with the prominent persons.” The “prominent people” referred to here are the leaders of the Jerusalem church.

[2:2]  ²⁶ tn Here the first verb (τρέχω, trecw, “was not running”) is present subjunctive, while the second (ἔδραμον, edramon, “had not run”) is aorist indicative.

[2:7]  ²⁷ tn The participle ἰδόντες (idontes) has been taken temporally to retain the structure of the passage. Many modern translations, because of the length of the sentence here, translate this participle as a finite verb and break the Greek sentences into several English sentences (NIV, for example, begins new sentences at the beginning of both vv. 8 and 9).

[2:7]  ²⁸ tn Grk “to the uncircumcision,” that is, to the Gentiles.

[2:7]  ²⁹ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.

[2:8]  ³⁰ tn Or “worked through”; the same word is also used in relation to Paul later in this verse.

[2:8]  ³¹ tn Or “his ministry as an apostle.”

[2:8]  ³² tn Grk “to the circumcision,” i.e., the Jewish people.

[2:8]  ³³ tn Grk “also empowered me to the Gentiles.”

[2:9]  ³⁴ sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).

[2:9]  ³⁵ tn Or “who were influential as,” or “who were reputed to be.” See also the note on the word “influential” in 2:6.

[2:9]  ³⁶ sn Pillars is figurative here for those like James, Peter, and John who were leaders in the Jerusalem church.

[2:9]  ³⁷ tn The participle γνόντες (gnontes) has been taken temporally. It is structurally parallel to the participle translated “when they saw” in v. 7.

[2:9]  ³⁸ tn Grk “me and Barnabas.”

[2:9]  ³⁹ tn Grk “so,” with the ἵνα (Jina) indicating the result of the “pillars” extending the “right hand of fellowship,” but the translation “they gave…the right hand of fellowship so that we would go” could be misunderstood as purpose here. The implication of the scene is that an agreement, outlined at the end of v. 10, was reached between Paul and Barnabas on the one hand and the “pillars” of the Jerusalem church on the other.

[2:9]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.

[3:8]  ⁴¹ sn In Pauline writings saints means any true believer. Thus for Paul to view himself as less than the least of all the saints is to view himself as the most unworthy object of Christ’s redemption.

[3:8]  ⁴² sn The parallel phrases to proclaim and to enlighten which follow indicate why God’s grace was manifested to Paul. Grace was not something just to be received, but to be shared with others (cf. Acts 13:47).

[3:1]  ⁴³ tc Several early and important witnesses, chiefly of the Western text (א* D* F G [365]), lack ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) here, while most Alexandrian and Byzantine mss (Ì⁴⁶ א¹ A B [C] D¹ Ψ 33 1739 [1881] Ï lat sy bo) have the word. However, because of the Western text’s proclivities to add or delete to the text, seemingly at whim, serious doubts should be attached to the shorter reading. It is strengthened, however, by א’s support. Nevertheless, since both א and D were corrected with the addition of ᾿Ιησοῦ, their testimony might be questioned. Further, in uncial script the nomina sacra here could have led to missing a word by way of homoioteleuton (cMuiMu). At the same time, in light of the rarity of scribal omission of nomina sacra (see TCGNT 582, n. 1), a decision for inclusion of the word here must be tentative. NA²⁷ rightly places ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets.

[2:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Or possibly “to the Aeons who are about to come.”

[2:7]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “upon.”

[2:2]  ⁴⁶ sn The relative pronoun which is feminine as is sins, indicating that sins is the antecedent.

[2:2]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “walked.”

[2:2]  ⁴⁸ tn Or possibly “Aeon.”

[2:2]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “domain, [place of] authority.”

[2:2]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “of” (but see the note on the word “spirit” later in this verse).

[2:2]  ⁵¹ sn The ruler of the kingdom of the air is also the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience. Although several translations regard the ruler to be the same as the spirit, this is unlikely since the cases in Greek are different (ruler is accusative and spirit is genitive). To get around this, some have suggested that the genitive for spirit is a genitive of apposition. However, the semantics of the genitive of apposition are against such an interpretation (cf. ExSyn 100).

[2:2]  ⁵² tn Grk “working in.”

[2:2]  ⁵³ sn Sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” However, it also contains a subtle allusion to vv. 4-10: Some of those sons of disobedience have become sons of God.

[1:11]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “in whom,” as a continuation of the previous verse.

[1:11]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “we were appointed by lot.” The notion of the verb κληρόω (klhrow) in the OT was to “appoint a portion by lot” (the more frequent cognate verb κληρονομέω [klhronomew] meant “obtain a portion by lot”). In the passive, as here, the idea is that “we were appointed [as a portion] by lot” (BDAG 548 s.v. κληρόω 1). The words “God’s own” have been supplied in the translation to clarify this sense of the verb. An alternative interpretation is that believers receive a portion as an inheritance: “In Christ we too have been appointed a portion of the inheritance.” See H. W. Hoehner, Ephesians, 226-27, for discussion on this interpretive issue.

[1:12]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “who had already hoped.”

[1:12]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “the Messiah.”