Kisah Para Rasul 23:23--24:27
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
[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.
