Kisah Para Rasul 9:1-9
Konteks9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats 1 to murder 2 the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 9:2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues 3 in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, 4 either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners 5 to Jerusalem. 6 9:3 As he was going along, approaching 7 Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed 8 around him. 9:4 He 9 fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, 10 why are you persecuting me?” 11 9:5 So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! 9:6 But stand up 12 and enter the city and you will be told 13 what you must do.” 9:7 (Now the men 14 who were traveling with him stood there speechless, 15 because they heard the voice but saw no one.) 16 9:8 So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, 17 he could see nothing. 18 Leading him by the hand, his companions 19 brought him into Damascus. 9:9 For 20 three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything. 21
Kisah Para Rasul 22:4-11
Konteks22:4 I 22 persecuted this Way 23 even to the point of death, 24 tying up 25 both men and women and putting 26 them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders 27 can testify about me. From them 28 I also received 29 letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way 30 to make arrests there and bring 31 the prisoners 32 to Jerusalem 33 to be punished. 22:6 As 34 I was en route and near Damascus, 35 about noon a very bright 36 light from heaven 37 suddenly flashed 38 around me. 22:7 Then I 39 fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 22:8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 22:9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand 40 the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, 41 ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up 42 and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything 43 that you have been designated 44 to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of 45 the brilliance 46 of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of 47 those who were with me.
Kisah Para Rasul 26:9-19
Konteks26:9 Of course, 48 I myself was convinced 49 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 50 from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote 51 against them when they were sentenced to death. 52 26:11 I punished 53 them often in all the synagogues 54 and tried to force 55 them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged 56 at them, I went to persecute 57 them even in foreign cities.
26:12 “While doing this very thing, 58 as I was going 59 to Damascus with authority and complete power 60 from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, 61 I saw a light from heaven, 62 brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around 63 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, 64 ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself 65 by kicking against the goads.’ 66 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, 67 ‘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 68 as a servant and witness 69 to the things 70 you have seen 71 and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue 72 you from your own people 73 and from the Gentiles, to whom 74 I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 75 from darkness to light and from the power 76 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 77 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, 78 I was not disobedient 79 to the heavenly 80 vision,
[9:1] 1 tn Or “Saul, making dire threats.”
[9:1] 2 tn The expression “breathing out threats and murder” is an idiomatic expression for “making threats to murder” (see L&N 33.293). Although the two terms “threats” and “murder” are syntactically coordinate, the second is semantically subordinate to the first. In other words, the content of the threats is to murder the disciples.
[9:2] 3 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[9:2] 4 sn The expression “the way” in ancient religious literature refers at times to “the whole way of life fr. a moral and spiritual viewpoint” (BDAG 692 s.v. ὁδός 3.c), and it has been so used of Christianity and its teachings in the book of Acts (see also 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It is a variation of Judaism’s idea of two ways, the true and the false, where “the Way” is the true one (1 En. 91:18; 2 En. 30:15).
[9:2] 5 tn Grk “bring them bound”; the translation “bring someone as prisoner” for δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά (dedemenon agein tina) is given by BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b.
[9:2] 6 sn From Damascus to Jerusalem was a six-day journey. Christianity had now expanded into Syria.
[9:2] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:3] 7 tn Grk “As he was going along, it happened that when he was approaching.” The phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[9:3] 8 tn Or “shone” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαστράπτω). The light was more brilliant than the sun according to Acts 26:13.
[9:4] 9 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
[9:4] 10 tn The double vocative suggests emotion.
[9:4] 11 sn Persecuting me. To persecute the church is to persecute Jesus.
[9:6] 13 tn Literally a passive construction, “it will be told to you.” This has been converted to another form of passive construction in the translation.
[9:7] 14 tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which is used only rarely in a generic sense of both men and women. In the historical setting here, Paul’s traveling companions were almost certainly all males.
[9:7] 15 tn That is, unable to speak because of fear or amazement. See BDAG 335 s.v. ἐνεός.
[9:7] 16 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Acts 22:9 appears to indicate that they saw the light but did not hear a voice. They were “witnesses” that something happened.
[9:8] 17 tn Grk “his eyes being open,” a genitive absolute construction that has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
[9:8] 18 sn He could see nothing. This sign of blindness, which was temporary until v. 18, is like the sign of deafness experienced by Zechariah in Luke 1. It allowed some time for Saul (Paul) to reflect on what had happened without distractions.
[9:8] 19 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Saul’s companions) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:9] 20 tn Grk “And for.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[9:9] 21 tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader. The fasting might indicate an initial realization of Luke 5:33-39. Fasting was usually accompanied by reflective thought.
[22:4] 22 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the first person pronoun (“I”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
[22:4] 23 sn That is, persecuted the Christian movement (Christianity). The Way is also used as a description of the Christian faith in Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22).
[22:4] 24 tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”
[22:4] 25 tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.
[22:4] 26 tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “W. local εἰς…εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3; cp. 22:4.”
[22:5] 27 tn That is, the whole Sanhedrin. BDAG 861 s.v. πρεσβυτέριον has “an administrative group concerned with the interests of a specific community, council of elders – a. of the highest Judean council in Jerusalem, in our lit. usu. called συνέδριον…ὁ ἀρχιερεύς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρ. Ac 22:5.”
[22:5] 28 tn Grk “from whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
[22:5] 29 tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:5] 30 tn Grk “letters to the brothers, [and] I was going to Damascus.” Such a translation, however, might be confusing since the term “brother” is frequently used of a fellow Christian. In this context, Paul is speaking about fellow Jews.
[22:5] 31 tn Grk “even there and bring…” or “there and even bring…” The ascensive καί (kai) shows that Paul was fervent in his zeal against Christians, but it is difficult to translate for it really belongs with the entire idea of arresting and bringing back the prisoners.
[22:5] 32 tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”
[22:5] 33 tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”
[22:5] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[22:6] 34 tn Grk “It happened that as.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:6] 35 tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”
[22:6] sn En route and near Damascus. This is the first retelling of Paul’s Damascus Road experience in Acts (cf. Acts 9:1-9; the second retelling is in Acts 26:9-20).
[22:6] 36 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”
[22:6] 37 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
[22:7] 39 tn This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the connective τέ (te), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. To indicate the logical sequence for the modern English reader, τέ was translated as “then.”
[22:9] 40 tn Grk “did not hear” (but see Acts 9:7). BDAG 38 s.v. ἀκούω 7 has “W. acc. τὸν νόμον understand the law Gal 4:21; perh. Ac 22:9; 26:14…belong here.” If the word has this sense here, then a metonymy is present, since the lack of effect is put for a failure to appreciate what was heard.
[22:10] 41 tn Grk “So I said.”
[22:10] 42 tn Grk “Getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.
[22:10] 43 tn Grk “about all things.”
[22:10] 44 tn Or “assigned,” “ordered.” BDAG 991 s.v. τάσσω 2.a has “act. and pass., foll. by acc. w. inf.…περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι concerning everything that you have been ordered to do 22:10.” There is an allusion to a divine call and commission here.
[22:11] 45 tn BDAG 106 s.v. ἀπό 5.a has “οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτός I could not see because of the brilliance of the light Ac 22:11.”
[22:11] 46 tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”
[22:11] 47 tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”
[26:9] 48 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] 49 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] 50 tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.
[26:10] 51 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] 52 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] 53 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] 54 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[26:11] 55 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] 56 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] 57 tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”
[26:12] 58 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] 59 tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.
[26:12] 60 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] 62 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
[26:13] 63 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] 64 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.
[26:14] 65 tn Grk “It is hard for you.”
[26:14] 66 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] 68 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”
[26:16] 69 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] 70 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] 71 tc ‡ Some
[26:17] 72 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] 73 tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[26:17] 74 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] 75 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] 76 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] 77 tn Or “and an inheritance.”
[26:19] 78 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:19] 79 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] 80 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.’”
