Kisah Para Rasul 23:23--28:14
Konteks23:23 Then 1 he summoned 2 two of the centurions 3 and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea 4 along with seventy horsemen 5 and two hundred spearmen 6 by 7 nine o’clock tonight, 8 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride 9 so that he may be brought safely to Felix 10 the governor.” 11 23:25 He wrote 12 a letter that went like this: 13
23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor 14 Felix, 15 greetings. 23:27 This man was seized 16 by the Jews and they were about to kill him, 17 when I came up 18 with the detachment 19 and rescued him, because I had learned that he was 20 a Roman citizen. 21 23:28 Since I wanted to know 22 what charge they were accusing him of, 23 I brought him down to their council. 24 23:29 I found he 25 was accused with reference to controversial questions 26 about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. 27 23:30 When I was informed 28 there would be a plot 29 against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges 30 against him before you.
23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, 31 took 32 Paul and brought him to Antipatris 33 during the night. 23:32 The next day they let 34 the horsemen 35 go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. 36 23:33 When the horsemen 37 came to Caesarea 38 and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented 39 Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor 40 had read 41 the letter, 42 he asked 43 what province he was from. 44 When he learned 45 that he was from Cilicia, 46 23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing 47 when your accusers arrive too.” Then 48 he ordered that Paul 49 be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. 50
24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias 51 came down with some elders and an attorney 52 named 53 Tertullus, and they 54 brought formal charges 55 against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul 56 had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, 57 saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time 58 of peace through your rule, 59 and reforms 60 are being made in this nation 61 through your foresight. 62 24:3 Most excellent Felix, 63 we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way 64 with all gratitude. 65 24:4 But so that I may not delay 66 you any further, I beg 67 you to hear us briefly 68 with your customary graciousness. 69 24:5 For we have found 70 this man to be a troublemaker, 71 one who stirs up riots 72 among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader 73 of the sect of the Nazarenes. 74 24:6 He 75 even tried to desecrate 76 the temple, so we arrested 77 him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] 78 24:8 When you examine 79 him yourself, you will be able to learn from him 80 about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” 81 24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, 82 claiming 83 that these things were true.
24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know 84 that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. 85 24:11 As you can verify 86 for yourself, not more than twelve days ago 87 I went up to Jerusalem 88 to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing 89 with anyone or stirring up a crowd 90 in the temple courts 91 or in the synagogues 92 or throughout the city, 93 24:13 nor can they prove 94 to you the things 95 they are accusing me of doing. 96 24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship 97 the God of our ancestors 98 according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law 99 and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have 100 a hope in God (a hope 101 that 102 these men 103 themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 104 24:16 This is the reason 105 I do my best to always 106 have a clear 107 conscience toward God and toward people. 108 24:17 After several years 109 I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor 110 and to present offerings, 111 24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, 112 without a crowd or a disturbance. 113 24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia 114 who should be here before you and bring charges, 115 if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here 116 should tell what crime 117 they found me guilty of 118 when I stood before the council, 119 24:21 other than 120 this one thing 121 I shouted out while I stood before 122 them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” 123
24:22 Then Felix, 124 who understood the facts 125 concerning the Way 126 more accurately, 127 adjourned their hearing, 128 saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” 129 24:23 He ordered the centurion 130 to guard Paul, 131 but to let him have some freedom, 132 and not to prevent any of his friends 133 from meeting his needs. 134
24:24 Some days later, when Felix 135 arrived with his wife Drusilla, 136 who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak 137 about faith in Christ Jesus. 138 24:25 While Paul 139 was discussing 140 righteousness, self-control, 141 and the coming judgment, Felix 142 became 143 frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, 144 I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, 145 and for this reason he sent for Paul 146 as often as possible 147 and talked 148 with him. 24:27 After two years 149 had passed, Porcius Festus 150 succeeded Felix, 151 and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. 152
25:1 Now 153 three days after Festus 154 arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem 155 from Caesarea. 156 25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men 157 of the Jews brought formal charges 158 against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, 159 they urged Festus 160 to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush 161 to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus 162 replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, 163 and he himself intended to go there 164 shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders 165 go down there 166 with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, 167 they may bring charges 168 against him.”
25:6 After Festus 169 had stayed 170 not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, 171 and the next day he sat 172 on the judgment seat 173 and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, 174 bringing many serious 175 charges that they were not able to prove. 176 25:8 Paul said in his defense, 177 “I have committed no offense 178 against the Jewish law 179 or against the temple or against Caesar.” 180 25:9 But Festus, 181 wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried 182 before me there on these charges?” 183 25:10 Paul replied, 184 “I am standing before Caesar’s 185 judgment seat, 186 where I should be tried. 187 I have done nothing wrong 188 to the Jews, as you also know very well. 189 25:11 If then I am in the wrong 190 and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, 191 but if not one of their charges against me is true, 192 no one can hand me over to them. 193 I appeal to Caesar!” 194 25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, 195 Festus 196 replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; 197 to Caesar 198 you will go!” 199
25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa 200 and Bernice arrived at Caesarea 201 to pay their respects 202 to Festus. 203 25:14 While 204 they were staying there many days, Festus 205 explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, 206 saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, 207 the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed 208 me about him, 209 asking for a sentence of condemnation 210 against him. 25:16 I answered them 211 that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone 212 before the accused had met his accusers face to face 213 and had been given 214 an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. 215 25:17 So after they came back here with me, 216 I did not postpone the case, 217 but the next day I sat 218 on the judgment seat 219 and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge 220 him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. 221 25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement 222 with him about their own religion 223 and about a man named Jesus 224 who was dead, whom Paul claimed 225 to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss 226 how I could investigate these matters, 227 I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried 228 there on these charges. 229 25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, 230 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 231 25:22 Agrippa 232 said to Festus, 233 “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, 234 “you will hear him.”
25:23 So the next day Agrippa 235 and Bernice came with great pomp 236 and entered the audience hall, 237 along with the senior military officers 238 and the prominent men of the city. When Festus 239 gave the order, 240 Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus 241 said, “King Agrippa, 242 and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace 243 petitioned 244 me both in Jerusalem 245 and here, 246 shouting loudly 247 that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, 248 and when he appealed 249 to His Majesty the Emperor, 250 I decided to send him. 251 25:26 But I have nothing definite 252 to write to my lord 253 about him. 254 Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, 255 so that after this preliminary hearing 256 I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating 257 the charges against him.”
26:1 So Agrippa 258 said to Paul, “You have permission 259 to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand 260 and began his defense: 261
26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, 262 I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially 263 familiar with all the customs and controversial issues 264 of the Jews. Therefore I ask 265 you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived 266 from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people 267 and in Jerusalem. 268 26:5 They know, 269 because they have known 270 me from time past, 271 if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party 272 of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 273 26:6 And now I stand here on trial 274 because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 275 26:7 a promise 276 that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God 277 night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, 278 Your Majesty! 279 26:8 Why do you people 280 think 281 it is unbelievable 282 that 283 God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, 284 I myself was convinced 285 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 286 from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote 287 against them when they were sentenced to death. 288 26:11 I punished 289 them often in all the synagogues 290 and tried to force 291 them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged 292 at them, I went to persecute 293 them even in foreign cities.
26:12 “While doing this very thing, 294 as I was going 295 to Damascus with authority and complete power 296 from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, 297 I saw a light from heaven, 298 brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around 299 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, 300 ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself 301 by kicking against the goads.’ 302 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, 303 ‘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 304 as a servant and witness 305 to the things 306 you have seen 307 and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue 308 you from your own people 309 and from the Gentiles, to whom 310 I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 311 from darkness to light and from the power 312 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 313 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, 314 I was not disobedient 315 to the heavenly 316 vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 317 and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, 318 performing deeds consistent with 319 repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts 320 and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced 321 help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except 322 what the prophets and Moses said 323 was going to happen: 26:23 that 324 the Christ 325 was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people 326 and to the Gentiles.” 327
26:24 As Paul 328 was saying these things in his defense, Festus 329 exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, 330 Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, 331 “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, 332 but am speaking 333 true and rational 334 words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely 335 to him, 336 because I cannot believe 337 that any of these things has escaped his notice, 338 for this was not done in a corner. 339 26:27 Do you believe the prophets, 340 King Agrippa? 341 I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa 342 said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” 343 26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time 344 not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” 345
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, 346 “This man is not doing anything deserving 347 death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa 348 said to Festus, 349 “This man could have been released 350 if he had not appealed to Caesar.” 351
27:1 When it was decided we 352 would sail to Italy, 353 they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion 354 of the Augustan Cohort 355 named Julius. 27:2 We went on board 356 a ship from Adramyttium 357 that was about to sail to various ports 358 along the coast of the province of Asia 359 and put out to sea, 360 accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian 361 from Thessalonica. 362 27:3 The next day we put in 363 at Sidon, 364 and Julius, treating Paul kindly, 365 allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed. 366 27:4 From there we put out to sea 367 and sailed under the lee 368 of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed across the open sea 369 off Cilicia and Pamphylia, 370 we put in 371 at Myra 372 in Lycia. 373 27:6 There the centurion 374 found 375 a ship from Alexandria 376 sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly 377 for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. 378 Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, 379 we sailed under the lee 380 of Crete off Salmone. 381 27:8 With difficulty we sailed along the coast 382 of Crete 383 and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. 384
27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous 385 because the fast 386 was already over, 387 Paul advised them, 388 27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end 389 in disaster 390 and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 391 27:11 But the centurion 392 was more convinced 393 by the captain 394 and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. 395 27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided 396 to put out to sea 397 from there. They hoped that 398 somehow they could reach 399 Phoenix, 400 a harbor of Crete facing 401 southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought 402 they could carry out 403 their purpose, so they weighed anchor 404 and sailed close along the coast 405 of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force 406 wind called the northeaster 407 blew down from the island. 408 27:15 When the ship was caught in it 409 and could not head into 410 the wind, we gave way to it and were driven 411 along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of 412 a small island called Cauda, 413 we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat 414 under control. 27:17 After the crew 415 had hoisted it aboard, 416 they used supports 417 to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground 418 on the Syrtis, 419 they lowered the sea anchor, 420 thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, 421 they began throwing the cargo overboard, 422 27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear 423 overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent 424 storm continued to batter us, 425 we finally abandoned all hope of being saved. 426
27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, 427 Paul 428 stood up 429 among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me 430 and not put out to sea 431 from Crete, thus avoiding 432 this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise 433 you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. 434 27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong 435 and whom I serve 436 came to me 437 27:24 and said, 438 ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before 439 Caesar, 440 and God has graciously granted you the safety 441 of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God 442 that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must 443 run aground on some island.”
27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven 444 across the Adriatic Sea, 445 about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. 446 27:28 They took soundings 447 and found the water was twenty fathoms 448 deep; when they had sailed a little farther 449 they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms 450 deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid 451 that we would run aground on the rocky coast, 452 they threw out 453 four anchors from the stern and wished 454 for day to appear. 455 27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending 456 that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion 457 and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you 458 cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes 459 of the ship’s boat and let it drift away. 460
27:33 As day was about to dawn, 461 Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense 462 and have gone 463 without food; you have eaten nothing. 464 27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important 465 for your survival. 466 For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul 467 took bread 468 and gave thanks to God in front of them all, 469 broke 470 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 471 persons on the ship.) 472 27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, 473 they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat 474 into the sea.
27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed 475 a bay 476 with a beach, 477 where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped 478 the anchors 479 and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage 480 that bound the steering oars 481 together. Then they hoisted 482 the foresail 483 to the wind and steered toward 484 the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents 485 and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force 486 of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners 487 so that none of them would escape by swimming away. 488 27:43 But the centurion, 489 wanting to save Paul’s life, 490 prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 491 27:44 and the rest were to follow, 492 some on planks 493 and some on pieces of the ship. 494 And in this way 495 all were brought safely to land.
28:1 After we had safely reached shore, 496 we learned that the island was called Malta. 497 28:2 The local inhabitants 498 showed us extraordinary 499 kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain 500 and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood 501 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 502 saw the creature hanging from Paul’s 503 hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself 504 has not allowed him to live!” 505 28:5 However, 506 Paul 507 shook 508 the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up 509 or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited 510 a long time and had seen 511 nothing unusual happen 512 to him, they changed their minds 513 and said he was a god. 514
28:7 Now in the region around that place 515 were fields belonging to the chief official 516 of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father 517 of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him 518 and after praying, placed 519 his hands on him and healed 520 him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick 521 also came and were healed. 522 28:10 They also bestowed many honors, 523 and when we were preparing to sail, 524 they gave 525 us all the supplies we needed. 526
28:11 After three months we put out to sea 527 in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” 528 as its figurehead. 529 28:12 We put in 530 at Syracuse 531 and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off 532 and arrived at Rhegium, 533 and after one day a south wind sprang up 534 and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 535 28:14 There 536 we found 537 some brothers 538 and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. 539
[23:23] 1 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] 2 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] 3 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:23] 4 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] map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[23:23] 6 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] sn Two hundred soldiers…along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen. The resulting force assembled to guard Paul was almost a full cohort. The Roman commander was taking no chances, but was sending the issue up the chain of command to the procurator to decide.
[23:23] 8 tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”
[23:24] 9 tn Grk “provide mounts to put Paul on.”
[23:24] sn Mounts for Paul to ride. The fact they were riding horses indicates they wanted everyone to move as quickly as possible.
[23:24] 10 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
[23:24] 11 tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:25] 12 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] 13 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] 14 tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:26] 15 sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.
[23:27] 16 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] 17 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] 18 tn Or “approached.”
[23:27] 19 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] 20 tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.
[23:27] 21 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[23:27] sn The letter written by the Roman commander Claudius Lysias was somewhat self-serving. He made it sound as if the rescue of a Roman citizen had been a conscious act on his part. In fact, he had made the discovery of Paul’s Roman citizenship somewhat later. See Acts 21:37-39 and 22:24-29.
[23:28] 23 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] 24 tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:29] 25 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] 26 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] sn With reference to controversial questions. Note how the “neutral” Roman authorities saw the issue. This was a religious rather than a civil dispute. See Acts 18:15.
[23:29] 27 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.”
[23:29] sn Despite the official assessment that no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment, there was no effort to release Paul.
[23:30] 28 tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.
[23:30] 29 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] 30 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] 31 tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”
[23:31] 32 tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:31] 33 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] 34 tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:32] 35 tn Or “cavalrymen.”
[23:32] 36 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] 37 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] 38 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] 39 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] 40 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:34] 41 tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:34] 42 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] 43 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] 44 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] 45 tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:34] 46 sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.
[23:35] 47 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] 48 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] 49 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:35] 50 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
[24:1] 51 sn Ananias was in office from
[24:1] 52 tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).
[24:1] 53 tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”
[24:1] 54 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] 55 tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”
[24:2] 56 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:2] 57 tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”
[24:2] 58 tn Grk “experienced much peace.”
[24:2] 59 tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).
[24:2] 60 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] 61 tn Or “being made for this people.”
[24:2] 62 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] 63 sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.
[24:3] 64 tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”
[24:3] 65 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] 66 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] 68 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] 69 tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”
[24:5] 70 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] 71 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] 72 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] 73 tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).
[24:5] sn A ringleader. Tertullus’ basic argument was that Paul was a major disturber of the public peace. To ignore this the governor would be shunning his duty to preserve the peace and going against the pattern of his rule. In effect, Tertullus claimed that Paul was seditious (a claim the governor could not afford to ignore).
[24:5] 74 sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.
[24:6] 75 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] 76 tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.
[24:6] 77 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] 78 tc Some later
[24:8] 80 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] 81 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] 82 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] 83 tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).
[24:10] 84 tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[24:10] 85 sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.
[24:11] 86 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] 87 tn Grk “it is not more than twelve days from when.” This has been simplified to “not more than twelve days ago.”
[24:11] sn Part of Paul’s defense is that he would not have had time to organize a revolt, since he had arrived in Jerusalem not more than twelve days ago.
[24:11] 88 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[24:12] 89 tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”
[24:12] 90 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] 91 tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.
[24:12] 92 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[24:12] 93 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] 94 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] sn Nor can they prove. This is a formal legal claim that Paul’s opponents lacked proof of any wrongdoing. They had no witness who could justify the arrest at the temple.
[24:13] 95 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] 96 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] 98 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[24:14] 99 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] 100 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] 101 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] 102 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] 103 tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:15] 104 tn Or “the unjust.”
[24:15] sn This is the only mention of the resurrection of the unrighteous in Acts. The idea parallels the idea of Jesus as the judge of both the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 17:31).
[24:16] 105 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] 106 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] 107 tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”
[24:16] 108 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).
[24:17] 109 tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”
[24:17] 110 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] 111 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] 112 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] 113 tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”
[24:19] 114 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] 115 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.’”
[24:19] sn Who should be here…and bring charges. Paul was asking, where were those who brought about his arrest and claimed he broke the law? His accusers were not really present. This subtle point raised the issue of injustice.
[24:20] 116 tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”
[24:20] 117 tn Or “unrighteous act.”
[24:20] 118 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] 119 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[24:21] 120 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] 121 tn Grk “one utterance.”
[24:21] 122 tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”
[24:21] 123 sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?
[24:22] 124 sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.
[24:22] 125 tn Grk “the things.”
[24:22] 126 tn That is, concerning Christianity.
[24:22] 127 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] 128 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] 129 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] 130 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[24:23] 131 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] 132 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] 133 tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).
[24:23] 134 tn Grk “from serving him.”
[24:24] 135 sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.
[24:24] 136 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] 137 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] 138 tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:25] 139 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:25] 140 tn Or “speaking about.”
[24:25] 141 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] sn The topic of self-control was appropriate in view of the personal history of both Felix and Drusilla (see the note on “Drusilla” in the previous verse), and might well account for Felix’s anxiety.
[24:25] 142 sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.
[24:25] 143 tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[24:25] 144 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] 145 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] sn Would give him money. That is, would offer him a bribe in exchange for his release. Such practices were fairly common among Roman officials of the period (Josephus, Ant. 2.12.3 [2.272-274]).
[24:26] 146 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:26] 147 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] 148 tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.
[24:27] 149 tn Grk “After a two-year period.”
[24:27] 150 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
[24:27] 151 tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”
[24:27] sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.
[24:27] 152 tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”
[24:27] sn Felix left Paul in prison. Luke makes the point that politics got in the way of justice here; keeping Paul in prison was a political favor to the Jews.
[25:1] 153 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] 154 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:1] 155 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:1] 156 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).
[25:1] map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:2] 157 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] 158 tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”
[25:2] sn Note how quickly the Jewish leadership went after Paul: They brought formal charges against him within three days of Festus’ arrival in the province.
[25:3] 159 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] 160 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] 161 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] 162 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:4] 163 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] 164 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[25:5] 165 tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).
[25:5] 166 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[25:5] 167 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] 168 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] 169 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:6] 170 tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.
[25:6] 171 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] map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:6] 172 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] 173 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.
[25:6] sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
[25:7] 174 tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”
[25:7] 175 tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).
[25:7] 176 tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).
[25:8] 177 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] 178 tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”
[25:8] 179 tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[25:8] sn The Jewish law refers to the law of Moses.
[25:8] 180 tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:8] sn Paul’s threefold claim to be innocent with respect to the law…the temple and Caesar argues that he has not disturbed the peace at any level. This was the standard charge made against early Christians (Luke 23:2; Acts 17:6-7). The charges here are emphatically denied, with the Greek conjunction oute repeated before each charge.
[25:9] 181 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:9] 182 tn Or “stand trial.”
[25:9] 183 tn Grk “concerning these things.”
[25:10] 185 tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:10] 186 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] sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
[25:10] 187 tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.
[25:10] 188 sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.
[25:10] 189 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] 190 tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”
[25:11] 191 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] 192 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] 193 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] 194 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:11] sn The appeal to Caesar was known as the provocatio ad Caesarem. It was a Roman citizen’s right to ask for a direct judgment by the emperor (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.96). It was one of the oldest rights of Roman citizens.
[25:12] 195 tn That is, with his advisers.
[25:12] 196 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:12] 197 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:12] 198 tn Or “to the emperor.”
[25:12] 199 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] 200 sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (
[25:13] 201 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] map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:13] 202 tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”
[25:13] 203 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:14] 204 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] 205 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:14] 206 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] 207 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:15] 208 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] 209 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] 210 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] 211 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] sn “I answered them.” In the answer that follows, Festus is portrayed in a more positive light, being sensitive to justice and Roman law.
[25:16] 212 tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).
[25:16] 213 tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”
[25:16] 214 tn Grk “and receives.”
[25:16] 215 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] 216 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] 217 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] 218 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] 219 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.
[25:17] sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
[25:18] 220 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] 221 tn Or “I was expecting.”
[25:19] 222 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] 223 tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.
[25:19] sn About their own religion. Festus made it clear that in his view as a neutral figure (and as one Luke had noted was disposed to help the Jews), he saw no guilt in Paul. The issue was a simple religious dispute.
[25:19] 224 tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”
[25:20] 226 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] 227 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] 228 tn Or “stand trial.”
[25:20] 229 tn Grk “on these things.”
[25:21] 230 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] 231 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:22] 232 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:22] 233 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:23] 235 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:23] 236 tn Or “great pageantry” (BDAG 1049 s.v. φαντασία; the term is a NT hapax legomenon).
[25:23] sn Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp. The “royals” were getting their look at Paul. Everyone who was anyone would have been there.
[25:23] 237 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] 238 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] 239 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:23] 240 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] 241 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:24] 242 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:24] 243 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] 244 tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).
[25:24] 245 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:24] 246 sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”
[25:24] 247 tn Or “screaming.”
[25:25] 248 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] 249 tn The participle ἐπικαλεσαμένου (epikalesamenou) has been taken temporally. It could also be translated as causal: “and because he appealed…”
[25:25] 250 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] 251 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] 252 sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.
[25:26] 253 sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”
[25:26] 254 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] 255 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:26] 256 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] 257 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.”
[25:27] sn Without clearly indicating the charges against him. Again the point is made by Festus himself that there is difficulty even in articulating a charge against Paul.
[26:1] 258 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:1] 259 tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”
[26:1] 260 tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).
[26:1] 261 tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”
[26:2] 262 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:3] 263 tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”
[26:3] 264 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] 265 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] 266 tn Grk “my manner of life.”
[26:4] 268 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[26:5] 269 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] 270 tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[26:5] 271 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] 272 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] 273 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
[26:6] 274 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] 275 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[26:7] 276 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] 277 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] 278 tn Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.
[26:8] 280 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] 281 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] 282 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] 283 tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.
[26:9] 284 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] 285 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] 286 tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.
[26:10] 287 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] 288 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] 289 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] 290 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[26:11] 291 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] 292 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] 293 tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”
[26:12] 294 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] 295 tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.
[26:12] 296 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] 298 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
[26:13] 299 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] 300 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.
[26:14] 301 tn Grk “It is hard for you.”
[26:14] 302 tn “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.
[26:14] sn Sayings which contain the imagery used here (kicking against the goads) were also found in Greek writings; see Pindar, Pythians 2.94-96; Euripides, Bacchae 795.
[26:16] 304 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”
[26:16] 305 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] 306 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] 307 tc ‡ Some
[26:17] 308 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] 309 tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[26:17] 310 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] 311 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] 312 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] 313 tn Or “and an inheritance.”
[26:19] 314 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:19] 315 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] 316 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 οὐρανόςa ‘sky,’ but it seems preferable to regard οὐράνιος in this context as meaning simply ‘from heaven’ or ‘heavenly.’”
[26:20] 317 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] 318 sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.
[26:20] 319 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] 320 tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.
[26:22] 321 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] 322 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] 323 sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.
[26:23] 324 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] 325 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[26:23] sn See the note on Christ in 2:31.
[26:23] 326 tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[26:23] 327 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] 328 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:24] 329 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[26:24] 330 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.”
[26:24] sn The expression “You have lost your mind” would be said to someone who speaks incredible things, in the opinion of the hearer. Paul’s mention of the resurrection (v. 23) was probably what prompted Festus to say this.
[26:25] 332 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[26:25] 333 tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”
[26:25] 334 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] 335 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] 336 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] 337 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] 338 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] 339 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] 340 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] 341 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:28] 342 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:28] 343 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.
[26:28] sn The question “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” was probably a ploy on Agrippa’s part to deflect Paul from his call for a decision. Note also how the tables have turned: Agrippa was brought in to hear Paul’s defense, and now ends up defending himself. The questioner is now being questioned.
[26:29] 344 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] 345 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] 346 tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[26:31] 347 tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”
[26:31] sn Not doing anything deserving death… Here is yet another declaration of Paul’s innocence, but still no release. The portrayal shows how unjust Paul’s confinement was.
[26:32] 348 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:32] 349 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[26:32] 351 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[26:32] sn If he had not appealed to Caesar. Ultimately Agrippa and Festus blamed what Paul himself had done in appealing to Caesar for his own continued custody. In terms of Luke’s narrative, this still appears unjust and a denial of responsibility.
[27:1] 352 sn The last “we” section in Acts begins here and extends to 28:16 (the previous one ended at 21:18).
[27:1] 353 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] 354 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:1] 355 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.
[27:1] sn The Augustan Cohort. A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion. There is considerable debate over the identification of this particular cohort and the meaning of the title Augustan mentioned here. These may well have been auxiliary (provincial) troops given the honorary title.
[27:2] 356 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] 357 sn Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia on the western coast of Asia Minor.
[27:2] 359 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] 360 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] sn Although not explicitly stated, the ship put out to sea from the port of Caesarea (where the previous events had taken place (cf. 25:13) and then sailed along the Asiatic coast (the first stop was Sidon, v. 3).
[27:2] 361 sn A Macedonian. The city of Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was in the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
[27:2] 362 map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
[27:3] 363 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] 364 sn Sidon is another seaport 75 mi (120 km) north of Caesarea.
[27:3] map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[27:3] 365 tn BDAG 1056 s.v. φιλανθρώπως states, “benevolently, kindly φιλανθρώπως χρῆσθαί (τινι) treat someone in kindly fashion…Ac 27:3.”
[27:3] sn Treating Paul kindly. Paul’s treatment followed the pattern of the earlier imprisonment (cf. Acts 24:23).
[27:3] 366 tn Grk “to go to his friends to be cared for.” The scene is an indication of Christian hospitality.
[27:4] 367 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] 368 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] 369 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] 370 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] 371 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] 372 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] 373 sn Lycia was the name of a peninsula on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia.
[27:6] 374 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:6] 375 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:6] 376 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] 377 tn The participle βραδυπλοοῦντες (braduploounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:7] 378 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] 379 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] 380 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] 381 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] 382 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] 383 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Crete) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[27:8] 384 sn Lasea was a city on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 60 mi (96 km) farther.
[27:9] 385 tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.
[27:9] 386 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] 387 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] 388 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.
[27:9] sn Paul advised them. A literary theme surfaces here: Though Paul is under arrest, he will be the one to guide them all through the dangers of the storm and shipwreck, showing clearly God’s presence and protection of him. The story is told in great detail. This literary effect of slowing down the passage of time and narrating with many details serves to add a sense of drama to the events described.
[27:10] 389 tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”
[27:10] 390 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] 391 tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).
[27:11] 392 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:11] 393 tn Or “persuaded.”
[27:11] 394 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] 395 tn Grk “than by what was said by Paul.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
[27:11] sn More convinced by the captain and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. The position taken by the centurion was logical, since he was following “professional” advice. But this was not a normal voyage.
[27:12] 396 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] 397 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] 398 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] 399 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] 400 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] 401 tn Or “a harbor of Crete open to the southwest and northwest.”
[27:13] 402 tn Grk “thinking.” The participle δόξαντες (doxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:13] 403 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] 405 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] 406 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] 407 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] 408 tn Grk “from it”; the referent (the island) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:15] 409 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] 410 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] 411 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] 412 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] 413 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] 414 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] 415 tn Grk “After hoisting it up, they…”; the referent (the ship’s crew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:17] 416 tn The participle ἄραντες (arantes) has been taken temporally.
[27:17] 417 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] 418 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] 419 tn That is, on the sandbars and shallows of the Syrtis.
[27:17] sn On the Syrtis. The Syrtis was the name of two gulfs on the North African coast (modern Libya), feared greatly by sailors because of their shifting sandbars and treacherous shallows. The Syrtis here is the so-called Great Syrtis, toward Cyrenaica. It had a horrible reputation as a sailors’ graveyard (Pliny, Natural History 5.26). Josephus (J. W. 2.16.4 [2.381]) says the name alone struck terror in those who heard it. It was near the famous Scylla and Charybdis mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey.
[27:17] 420 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] 421 tn BDAG 980 s.v. σφόδρῶς states, “very much, greatly, violently…σφ. χειμάζεσθαι be violently beaten by a storm Ac 27:18.”
[27:18] 422 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.
[27:18] sn The desperation of the sailors in throwing the cargo overboard is reminiscent of Jonah 1:5. At this point they were only concerned with saving themselves.
[27:19] 423 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] 424 tn Grk “no small storm” = a very great storm.
[27:20] 425 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] 426 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] 427 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] 428 tn Here τότε (tote) is redundant (pleonastic) according to BDAG 1012-13 s.v. τότε 2; thus it has not been translated.
[27:21] 429 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] 430 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] sn By saying “you should have listened to me and not put out to sea from Crete” Paul was not “rubbing it in,” but was reasserting his credibility before giving his next recommendation.
[27:21] 431 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] 432 tn The infinitive κερδῆσαι (kerdhsai) has been translated as resultative.
[27:22] 433 tn The same verb is used for Paul’s original recommendation in Ac 27:9.
[27:22] 434 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.
[27:22] sn The “prophecy” about the ship serves to underscore Paul’s credibility as an agent of God. Paul addressed his audience carefully and drew attention to the sovereign knowledge of God.
[27:23] 435 tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.
[27:23] 437 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] 438 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] 439 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] 440 tn Or “before the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[27:24] 441 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.
[27:24] sn The safety of all who are sailing with you. In a sense, Paul’s presence protects them all. For Luke, it serves as a picture of what the gospel does through Christ and through the one who brings the message.
[27:25] 442 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] 443 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] 444 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] 445 sn The Adriatic Sea. They were now somewhere between Crete and Malta.
[27:27] 446 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] 447 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] 448 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] 449 tn L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”
[27:28] 450 sn Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).
[27:29] 451 tn Grk “fearing.” The participle φοβούμενοι (foboumenoi) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[27:29] 452 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] 453 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] 454 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] 455 tn Grk “and wished for day to come about.”
[27:29] sn And wished for day to appear. The sailors were hoping to hold the ship in place until morning, when they could see what was happening and where they were.
[27:30] 456 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] 457 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:31] 458 sn The pronoun you is plural in Greek.
[27:32] 459 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] 460 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] 461 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] 462 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] 463 tn Or “continued.”
[27:33] 464 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] 465 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] 466 tn Or “deliverance” (‘salvation’ in a nontheological sense).
[27:35] 467 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:35] 468 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] 469 tn Or “before them all,” but here this could be misunderstood to indicate a temporal sequence.
[27:35] 470 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] 471 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] 472 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[27:38] 473 tn Or “When they had eaten their fill.”
[27:39] 475 tn Or “observed,” “saw.”
[27:39] 476 tn Or “gulf” (BDAG 557 s.v. κόλπος 3).
[27:39] 477 sn A beach would refer to a smooth sandy beach suitable for landing.
[27:40] 478 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] 479 tn The term is used of a ship’s anchor. (BDAG 12 s.v. ἄγκυρα a).
[27:40] 480 tn Grk “bands”; possibly “ropes.”
[27:40] 482 tn Grk “hoisting…they.” The participle ἐπάραντες (eparante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:40] 483 tn Grk “sail”; probably a reference to the foresail.
[27:40] 484 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] 485 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] 486 tn Or “violence” (BDAG 175 s.v. βία a).
[27:42] 487 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] 488 tn The participle ἐκκολυμβήσας (ekkolumbhsa") has been taken instrumentally.
[27:43] 489 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:43] 490 tn Or “wanting to rescue Paul.”
[27:43] sn Thanks to the centurion who wanted to save Paul’s life, Paul was once more rescued from a potential human threat.
[27:43] 491 tn BDAG 347 s.v. I. ἔξειμι has “ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν get to land Ac 27:43.”
[27:44] 492 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] 493 tn Or “boards” according to BDAG 913 s.v. σανίς.
[27:44] 494 tn Grk “on pieces from the ship”; that is, pieces of wreckage from the ship.
[27:44] sn Both the planks and pieces of the ship were for the weak or nonswimmers. The whole scene is a historical metaphor representing how listening to Paul and his message could save people.
[27:44] 495 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] 496 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] 497 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.
[28:1] map For location see JP4 A3.
[28:2] 498 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] 499 tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11. Cp. 28:2.”
[28:2] 500 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).”
[28:4] 502 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] 503 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:4] 504 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] 505 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] 506 tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 4 indicates the particle has an adversative sense here: “but, however.”
[28:5] 507 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:5] 508 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] 509 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] 510 tn The participle προσδοκώντων (prosdokwntwn) has been taken temporally.
[28:6] 511 tn The participle θεωρούντων (qewrountwn) has been taken temporally.
[28:6] 512 tn Grk “happening.” The participle γινόμενον (ginomenon) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:6] 513 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] 514 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] 515 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] 516 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] 517 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] 518 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] 519 tn The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:8] 520 sn And healed him. Here are healings like Luke 9:40; 10:30; 13:13; Acts 16:23.
[28:9] 521 tn BDAG 142 s.v. ἀσθένεια 1 states, “ἔχειν ἀ. be ill Ac 28:9.”
[28:9] 522 sn Many…also came and were healed. Again, here is irony. Paul, though imprisoned, “frees” others of their diseases.
[28:10] 523 tn Or “they also honored us greatly”; Grk “they also honored us with many honors” (an idiom).
[28:10] 524 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] 525 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] 526 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] 527 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] 528 tn Or “the ‘Twin Gods’”; Grk “the Dioscuri” (a joint name for the pagan deities Castor and Pollux).
[28:11] sn That had the ‘Heavenly Twins’ as its figurehead. The twin brothers Castor and Pollux, known collectively as the Dioscuri or ‘Heavenly Twins,’ were the twin sons of Zeus and Leda according to Greek mythology. The Alexandrian ship on which Paul and his companions sailed from Malta had a carved emblem or figurehead of these figures, and they would have been the patron deities of the vessel. Castor and Pollux were the “gods of navigation.” To see their stars was considered a good omen (Epictetus, Discourses 2.18.29; Lucian of Samosata, The Ship 9).
[28:11] 529 tn Or “as its emblem.”
[28:12] 530 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] 531 sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.
[28:13] 532 tc A few early
[28:13] 533 sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.
[28:13] 534 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] 535 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] 536 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] 537 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
