Kisah Para Rasul 21:17--28:31
Konteks21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 1 21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. 2 21:19 When Paul 3 had greeted them, he began to explain 4 in detail 5 what God 6 had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised 7 God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews 8 there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers 9 of the law. 10 21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living 11 among the Gentiles to abandon 12 Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children 13 or live 14 according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt 15 hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what 16 we tell you: We have four men 17 who have taken 18 a vow; 19 21:24 take them and purify 20 yourself along with them and pay their expenses, 21 so that they may have their heads shaved. 22 Then 23 everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told 24 about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with 25 the law. 26 21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided 27 that they should avoid 28 meat that has been sacrificed to idols 29 and blood and what has been strangled 30 and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, 31 and after he had purified himself 32 along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice 33 of the completion of the days of purification, 34 when 35 the sacrifice would be offered for each 36 of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, 37 the Jews from the province of Asia 38 who had seen him in the temple area 39 stirred up the whole crowd 40 and seized 41 him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, 42 help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, 43 and this sanctuary! 44 Furthermore 45 he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple 46 and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 47 21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and 48 they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) 49 21:30 The whole city was stirred up, 50 and the people rushed together. 51 They seized 52 Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, 53 and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying 54 to kill him, a report 55 was sent up 56 to the commanding officer 57 of the cohort 58 that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 59 21:32 He 60 immediately took 61 soldiers and centurions 62 and ran down to the crowd. 63 When they saw 64 the commanding officer 65 and the soldiers, they stopped beating 66 Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer 67 came up and arrested 68 him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; 69 he 70 then asked who he was and what 71 he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, 72 and when the commanding officer 73 was unable 74 to find out the truth 75 because of the disturbance, 76 he ordered Paul 77 to be brought into the barracks. 78 21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul 79 had to be carried 80 by the soldiers because of the violence 81 of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people 82 followed them, 83 screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 84 he said 85 to the commanding officer, 86 “May I say 87 something to you?” The officer 88 replied, 89 “Do you know Greek? 90 21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion 91 and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ 92 into the wilderness 93 some time ago?” 94 21:39 Paul answered, 95 “I am a Jew 96 from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. 97 Please 98 allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer 99 had given him permission, 100 Paul stood 101 on the steps and gestured 102 to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, 103 he addressed 104 them in Aramaic, 105
22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense 106 that I now 107 make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard 108 that he was addressing 109 them in Aramaic, 110 they became even 111 quieter.) 112 Then 113 Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, 114 born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up 115 in this city, educated with strictness 116 under 117 Gamaliel 118 according to the law of our ancestors, 119 and was 120 zealous 121 for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I 122 persecuted this Way 123 even to the point of death, 124 tying up 125 both men and women and putting 126 them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders 127 can testify about me. From them 128 I also received 129 letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way 130 to make arrests there and bring 131 the prisoners 132 to Jerusalem 133 to be punished. 22:6 As 134 I was en route and near Damascus, 135 about noon a very bright 136 light from heaven 137 suddenly flashed 138 around me. 22:7 Then I 139 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 140 the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, 141 ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up 142 and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything 143 that you have been designated 144 to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of 145 the brilliance 146 of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of 147 those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, 148 a devout man according to the law, 149 well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, 150 22:13 came 151 to me and stood beside me 152 and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ 153 And at that very moment 154 I looked up and saw him. 155 22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors 156 has already chosen 157 you to know his will, to see 158 the Righteous One, 159 and to hear a command 160 from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness 161 to all people 162 of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? 163 Get up, 164 be baptized, and have your sins washed away, 165 calling on his name.’ 166 22:17 When 167 I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 168 22:18 and saw the Lord 169 saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, 170 ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues 171 who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness 172 Stephen was shed, 173 I myself was standing nearby, approving, 174 and guarding the cloaks 175 of those who were killing him.’ 176 22:21 Then 177 he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22:22 The crowd 178 was listening to him until he said this. 179 Then 180 they raised their voices and shouted, 181 “Away with this man 182 from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” 183 22:23 While they were screaming 184 and throwing off their cloaks 185 and tossing dust 186 in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer 187 ordered Paul 188 to be brought back into the barracks. 189 He told them 190 to interrogate Paul 191 by beating him with a lash 192 so that he could find out the reason the crowd 193 was shouting at Paul 194 in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, 195 Paul said to the centurion 196 standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen 197 without a proper trial?” 198 22:26 When the centurion 199 heard this, 200 he went to the commanding officer 201 and reported it, 202 saying, “What are you about to do? 203 For this man is a Roman citizen.” 204 22:27 So the commanding officer 205 came and asked 206 Paul, 207 “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” 208 He replied, 209 “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer 210 answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” 211 “But I was even 212 born a citizen,” 213 Paul replied. 214 22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away 215 from him, and the commanding officer 216 was frightened when he realized that Paul 217 was 218 a Roman citizen 219 and that he had had him tied up. 220
22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 221 wanted to know the true reason 222 Paul 223 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 224 to assemble. He then brought 225 Paul down and had him stand before them.
23:1 Paul looked directly 226 at the council 227 and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience 228 before God to this day.” 23:2 At that 229 the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near 230 Paul 231 to strike 232 him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! 233 Do 234 you sit there judging me according to the law, 235 and in violation of the law 236 you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him 237 said, “Do you dare insult 238 God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, 239 “I did not realize, 240 brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” 241
23:6 Then when Paul noticed 242 that part of them were Sadducees 243 and the others Pharisees, 244 he shouted out in the council, 245 “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection 246 of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, 247 an argument 248 began 249 between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) 250 23:9 There was a great commotion, 251 and some experts in the law 252 from the party of the Pharisees stood up 253 and protested strongly, 254 “We find nothing wrong 255 with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became 256 so great the commanding officer 257 feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, 258 he ordered the detachment 259 to go down, take him away from them by force, 260 and bring him into the barracks. 261
23:11 The following night the Lord 262 stood near 263 Paul 264 and said, “Have courage, 265 for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, 266 so you must also testify in Rome.” 267
23:12 When morning came, 268 the Jews formed 269 a conspiracy 270 and bound themselves with an oath 271 not to eat or drink anything 272 until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. 273 23:14 They 274 went 275 to the chief priests 276 and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath 277 not to partake 278 of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council 279 request the commanding officer 280 to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine 281 his case 282 by conducting a more thorough inquiry. 283 We are ready to kill him 284 before he comes near this place.” 285
23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, 286 he came and entered 287 the barracks 288 and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called 289 one of the centurions 290 and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, 291 for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion 292 took him and brought him to the commanding officer 293 and said, “The prisoner Paul called 294 me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer 295 took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want 296 to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, 297 “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council 298 tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, 299 because more than forty of them 300 are lying in ambush 301 for him. They 302 have bound themselves with an oath 303 not to eat or drink anything 304 until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” 305 23:22 Then the commanding officer 306 sent the young man away, directing him, 307 “Tell no one that you have reported 308 these things to me.” 23:23 Then 309 he summoned 310 two of the centurions 311 and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea 312 along with seventy horsemen 313 and two hundred spearmen 314 by 315 nine o’clock tonight, 316 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride 317 so that he may be brought safely to Felix 318 the governor.” 319 23:25 He wrote 320 a letter that went like this: 321
23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor 322 Felix, 323 greetings. 23:27 This man was seized 324 by the Jews and they were about to kill him, 325 when I came up 326 with the detachment 327 and rescued him, because I had learned that he was 328 a Roman citizen. 329 23:28 Since I wanted to know 330 what charge they were accusing him of, 331 I brought him down to their council. 332 23:29 I found he 333 was accused with reference to controversial questions 334 about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. 335 23:30 When I was informed 336 there would be a plot 337 against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges 338 against him before you.
23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, 339 took 340 Paul and brought him to Antipatris 341 during the night. 23:32 The next day they let 342 the horsemen 343 go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. 344 23:33 When the horsemen 345 came to Caesarea 346 and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented 347 Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor 348 had read 349 the letter, 350 he asked 351 what province he was from. 352 When he learned 353 that he was from Cilicia, 354 23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing 355 when your accusers arrive too.” Then 356 he ordered that Paul 357 be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. 358
24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias 359 came down with some elders and an attorney 360 named 361 Tertullus, and they 362 brought formal charges 363 against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul 364 had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, 365 saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time 366 of peace through your rule, 367 and reforms 368 are being made in this nation 369 through your foresight. 370 24:3 Most excellent Felix, 371 we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way 372 with all gratitude. 373 24:4 But so that I may not delay 374 you any further, I beg 375 you to hear us briefly 376 with your customary graciousness. 377 24:5 For we have found 378 this man to be a troublemaker, 379 one who stirs up riots 380 among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader 381 of the sect of the Nazarenes. 382 24:6 He 383 even tried to desecrate 384 the temple, so we arrested 385 him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] 386 24:8 When you examine 387 him yourself, you will be able to learn from him 388 about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” 389 24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, 390 claiming 391 that these things were true.
24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know 392 that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. 393 24:11 As you can verify 394 for yourself, not more than twelve days ago 395 I went up to Jerusalem 396 to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing 397 with anyone or stirring up a crowd 398 in the temple courts 399 or in the synagogues 400 or throughout the city, 401 24:13 nor can they prove 402 to you the things 403 they are accusing me of doing. 404 24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship 405 the God of our ancestors 406 according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law 407 and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have 408 a hope in God (a hope 409 that 410 these men 411 themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 412 24:16 This is the reason 413 I do my best to always 414 have a clear 415 conscience toward God and toward people. 416 24:17 After several years 417 I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor 418 and to present offerings, 419 24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, 420 without a crowd or a disturbance. 421 24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia 422 who should be here before you and bring charges, 423 if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here 424 should tell what crime 425 they found me guilty of 426 when I stood before the council, 427 24:21 other than 428 this one thing 429 I shouted out while I stood before 430 them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” 431
24:22 Then Felix, 432 who understood the facts 433 concerning the Way 434 more accurately, 435 adjourned their hearing, 436 saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” 437 24:23 He ordered the centurion 438 to guard Paul, 439 but to let him have some freedom, 440 and not to prevent any of his friends 441 from meeting his needs. 442
24:24 Some days later, when Felix 443 arrived with his wife Drusilla, 444 who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak 445 about faith in Christ Jesus. 446 24:25 While Paul 447 was discussing 448 righteousness, self-control, 449 and the coming judgment, Felix 450 became 451 frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, 452 I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, 453 and for this reason he sent for Paul 454 as often as possible 455 and talked 456 with him. 24:27 After two years 457 had passed, Porcius Festus 458 succeeded Felix, 459 and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. 460
25:1 Now 461 three days after Festus 462 arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem 463 from Caesarea. 464 25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men 465 of the Jews brought formal charges 466 against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, 467 they urged Festus 468 to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush 469 to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus 470 replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, 471 and he himself intended to go there 472 shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders 473 go down there 474 with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, 475 they may bring charges 476 against him.”
25:6 After Festus 477 had stayed 478 not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, 479 and the next day he sat 480 on the judgment seat 481 and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, 482 bringing many serious 483 charges that they were not able to prove. 484 25:8 Paul said in his defense, 485 “I have committed no offense 486 against the Jewish law 487 or against the temple or against Caesar.” 488 25:9 But Festus, 489 wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried 490 before me there on these charges?” 491 25:10 Paul replied, 492 “I am standing before Caesar’s 493 judgment seat, 494 where I should be tried. 495 I have done nothing wrong 496 to the Jews, as you also know very well. 497 25:11 If then I am in the wrong 498 and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, 499 but if not one of their charges against me is true, 500 no one can hand me over to them. 501 I appeal to Caesar!” 502 25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, 503 Festus 504 replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; 505 to Caesar 506 you will go!” 507
25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa 508 and Bernice arrived at Caesarea 509 to pay their respects 510 to Festus. 511 25:14 While 512 they were staying there many days, Festus 513 explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, 514 saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, 515 the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed 516 me about him, 517 asking for a sentence of condemnation 518 against him. 25:16 I answered them 519 that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone 520 before the accused had met his accusers face to face 521 and had been given 522 an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. 523 25:17 So after they came back here with me, 524 I did not postpone the case, 525 but the next day I sat 526 on the judgment seat 527 and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge 528 him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. 529 25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement 530 with him about their own religion 531 and about a man named Jesus 532 who was dead, whom Paul claimed 533 to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss 534 how I could investigate these matters, 535 I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried 536 there on these charges. 537 25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, 538 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 539 25:22 Agrippa 540 said to Festus, 541 “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, 542 “you will hear him.”
25:23 So the next day Agrippa 543 and Bernice came with great pomp 544 and entered the audience hall, 545 along with the senior military officers 546 and the prominent men of the city. When Festus 547 gave the order, 548 Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus 549 said, “King Agrippa, 550 and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace 551 petitioned 552 me both in Jerusalem 553 and here, 554 shouting loudly 555 that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, 556 and when he appealed 557 to His Majesty the Emperor, 558 I decided to send him. 559 25:26 But I have nothing definite 560 to write to my lord 561 about him. 562 Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, 563 so that after this preliminary hearing 564 I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating 565 the charges against him.”
26:1 So Agrippa 566 said to Paul, “You have permission 567 to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand 568 and began his defense: 569
26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, 570 I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially 571 familiar with all the customs and controversial issues 572 of the Jews. Therefore I ask 573 you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived 574 from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people 575 and in Jerusalem. 576 26:5 They know, 577 because they have known 578 me from time past, 579 if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party 580 of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 581 26:6 And now I stand here on trial 582 because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 583 26:7 a promise 584 that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God 585 night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, 586 Your Majesty! 587 26:8 Why do you people 588 think 589 it is unbelievable 590 that 591 God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, 592 I myself was convinced 593 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 594 from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote 595 against them when they were sentenced to death. 596 26:11 I punished 597 them often in all the synagogues 598 and tried to force 599 them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged 600 at them, I went to persecute 601 them even in foreign cities.
26:12 “While doing this very thing, 602 as I was going 603 to Damascus with authority and complete power 604 from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, 605 I saw a light from heaven, 606 brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around 607 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, 608 ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself 609 by kicking against the goads.’ 610 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, 611 ‘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 612 as a servant and witness 613 to the things 614 you have seen 615 and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue 616 you from your own people 617 and from the Gentiles, to whom 618 I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 619 from darkness to light and from the power 620 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 621 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, 622 I was not disobedient 623 to the heavenly 624 vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 625 and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, 626 performing deeds consistent with 627 repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts 628 and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced 629 help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except 630 what the prophets and Moses said 631 was going to happen: 26:23 that 632 the Christ 633 was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people 634 and to the Gentiles.” 635
26:24 As Paul 636 was saying these things in his defense, Festus 637 exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, 638 Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, 639 “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, 640 but am speaking 641 true and rational 642 words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely 643 to him, 644 because I cannot believe 645 that any of these things has escaped his notice, 646 for this was not done in a corner. 647 26:27 Do you believe the prophets, 648 King Agrippa? 649 I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa 650 said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” 651 26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time 652 not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” 653
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, 654 “This man is not doing anything deserving 655 death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa 656 said to Festus, 657 “This man could have been released 658 if he had not appealed to Caesar.” 659
27:1 When it was decided we 660 would sail to Italy, 661 they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion 662 of the Augustan Cohort 663 named Julius. 27:2 We went on board 664 a ship from Adramyttium 665 that was about to sail to various ports 666 along the coast of the province of Asia 667 and put out to sea, 668 accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian 669 from Thessalonica. 670 27:3 The next day we put in 671 at Sidon, 672 and Julius, treating Paul kindly, 673 allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed. 674 27:4 From there we put out to sea 675 and sailed under the lee 676 of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed across the open sea 677 off Cilicia and Pamphylia, 678 we put in 679 at Myra 680 in Lycia. 681 27:6 There the centurion 682 found 683 a ship from Alexandria 684 sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly 685 for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. 686 Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, 687 we sailed under the lee 688 of Crete off Salmone. 689 27:8 With difficulty we sailed along the coast 690 of Crete 691 and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. 692
27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous 693 because the fast 694 was already over, 695 Paul advised them, 696 27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end 697 in disaster 698 and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 699 27:11 But the centurion 700 was more convinced 701 by the captain 702 and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. 703 27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided 704 to put out to sea 705 from there. They hoped that 706 somehow they could reach 707 Phoenix, 708 a harbor of Crete facing 709 southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought 710 they could carry out 711 their purpose, so they weighed anchor 712 and sailed close along the coast 713 of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force 714 wind called the northeaster 715 blew down from the island. 716 27:15 When the ship was caught in it 717 and could not head into 718 the wind, we gave way to it and were driven 719 along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of 720 a small island called Cauda, 721 we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat 722 under control. 27:17 After the crew 723 had hoisted it aboard, 724 they used supports 725 to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground 726 on the Syrtis, 727 they lowered the sea anchor, 728 thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, 729 they began throwing the cargo overboard, 730 27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear 731 overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent 732 storm continued to batter us, 733 we finally abandoned all hope of being saved. 734
27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, 735 Paul 736 stood up 737 among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me 738 and not put out to sea 739 from Crete, thus avoiding 740 this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise 741 you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. 742 27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong 743 and whom I serve 744 came to me 745 27:24 and said, 746 ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before 747 Caesar, 748 and God has graciously granted you the safety 749 of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God 750 that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must 751 run aground on some island.”
27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven 752 across the Adriatic Sea, 753 about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. 754 27:28 They took soundings 755 and found the water was twenty fathoms 756 deep; when they had sailed a little farther 757 they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms 758 deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid 759 that we would run aground on the rocky coast, 760 they threw out 761 four anchors from the stern and wished 762 for day to appear. 763 27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending 764 that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion 765 and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you 766 cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes 767 of the ship’s boat and let it drift away. 768
27:33 As day was about to dawn, 769 Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense 770 and have gone 771 without food; you have eaten nothing. 772 27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important 773 for your survival. 774 For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul 775 took bread 776 and gave thanks to God in front of them all, 777 broke 778 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 779 persons on the ship.) 780 27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, 781 they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat 782 into the sea.
27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed 783 a bay 784 with a beach, 785 where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped 786 the anchors 787 and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage 788 that bound the steering oars 789 together. Then they hoisted 790 the foresail 791 to the wind and steered toward 792 the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents 793 and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force 794 of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners 795 so that none of them would escape by swimming away. 796 27:43 But the centurion, 797 wanting to save Paul’s life, 798 prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 799 27:44 and the rest were to follow, 800 some on planks 801 and some on pieces of the ship. 802 And in this way 803 all were brought safely to land.
28:1 After we had safely reached shore, 804 we learned that the island was called Malta. 805 28:2 The local inhabitants 806 showed us extraordinary 807 kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain 808 and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood 809 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 810 saw the creature hanging from Paul’s 811 hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself 812 has not allowed him to live!” 813 28:5 However, 814 Paul 815 shook 816 the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up 817 or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited 818 a long time and had seen 819 nothing unusual happen 820 to him, they changed their minds 821 and said he was a god. 822
28:7 Now in the region around that place 823 were fields belonging to the chief official 824 of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father 825 of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him 826 and after praying, placed 827 his hands on him and healed 828 him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick 829 also came and were healed. 830 28:10 They also bestowed many honors, 831 and when we were preparing to sail, 832 they gave 833 us all the supplies we needed. 834
28:11 After three months we put out to sea 835 in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” 836 as its figurehead. 837 28:12 We put in 838 at Syracuse 839 and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off 840 and arrived at Rhegium, 841 and after one day a south wind sprang up 842 and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 843 28:14 There 844 we found 845 some brothers 846 and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. 847 28:15 The brothers from there, 848 when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius 849 and Three Taverns 850 to meet us. When he saw them, 851 Paul thanked God and took courage. 28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live 852 by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
28:17 After three days 853 Paul 854 called the local Jewish leaders 855 together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, 856 although I had done 857 nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, 858 from Jerusalem 859 I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. 860 28:18 When 861 they had heard my case, 862 they wanted to release me, 863 because there was no basis for a death sentence 864 against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, 865 I was forced to appeal to Caesar 866 – not that I had some charge to bring 867 against my own people. 868 28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” 869 28:21 They replied, 870 “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there 871 and reported or said anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know 872 that people 873 everywhere speak against 874 it.”
28:23 They set 875 a day to meet with him, 876 and they came to him where he was staying 877 in even greater numbers. 878 From morning until evening he explained things 879 to them, 880 testifying 881 about the kingdom of God 882 and trying to convince 883 them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced 884 by what he said, 885 but others refused 886 to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, 887 unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors 888 through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,
‘Go to this people and say,
“You will keep on hearing, 889 but will never understand,
and you will keep on looking, 890 but will never perceive.
28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, 891
and their ears are hard of hearing, 892
and they have closed their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, 893 and I would heal them.”’ 894
28:28 “Therefore be advised 895 that this salvation from God 896 has been sent to the Gentiles; 897 they 898 will listen!”
28:29 [[EMPTY]] 89928:30 Paul 900 lived 901 there two whole years in his own rented quarters 902 and welcomed 903 all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ 904 with complete boldness 905 and without restriction. 906
[21:17] 1 tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).
[21:18] 2 tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”
[21:18] sn All the elders were there. This meeting shows how the Jerusalem church still regarded Paul and his mission with favor, but also with some concerns because of the rumors circulating about his actions.
[21:19] 3 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:19] 4 tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[21:19] 5 tn BDAG 293 s.v. εἷς 5.e has “καθ᾿ ἕν one after the other (hence τὸ καθ᾿ ἕν ‘a detailed list’: PLille 11, 8 [III bc]; PTebt. 47, 34; 332, 16) J 21:25. Also καθ᾿ ἕν ἕκαστον…Ac 21:19.”
[21:19] 6 sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.
[21:20] 8 tn Grk “how many thousands there are among the Jews.”
[21:20] sn How many thousands of Jews. See Acts 2-5 for the accounts of their conversion, esp. 2:41 and 4:4. Estimates of the total number of Jews living in Jerusalem at the time range from 20,000 to 50,000.
[21:20] 9 tn Or “are all zealous for the law.” BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.β has “of thing…τοῦ νόμου an ardent observer of the law Ac 21:20.”
[21:20] 10 sn That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers (1 Cor 7:18-19; Acts 16:3).
[21:21] 11 tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.
[21:21] 12 tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”
[21:21] sn The charge that Paul was teaching Jews in the Diaspora to abandon Moses was different from the issue faced in Acts 15, where the question was whether Gentiles needed to become like Jews first in order to become Christians. The issue also appears in Acts 24:5-6, 13-21; 25:8.
[21:21] 13 sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.
[21:22] 15 tn L&N 71.16 has “pertaining to being in every respect certain – ‘certainly, really, doubtless, no doubt.’…‘they will no doubt hear that you have come’ Ac 21:22.”
[21:23] 16 tn Grk “do this that.”
[21:23] 17 tn Grk “There are four men here.”
[21:23] 18 tn L&N 33.469 has “‘there are four men here who have taken a vow’ or ‘we have four men who…’ Ac 21:23.”
[21:23] 19 tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.
[21:24] 20 sn That is, undergo ritual cleansing. Paul’s cleansing would be necessary because of his travels in “unclean” Gentile territory. This act would represent a conciliatory gesture. Paul would have supported a “law-free” mission to the Gentiles as an option, but this gesture would represent an attempt to be sensitive to the Jews (1 Cor 9:15-22).
[21:24] 21 tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”
[21:24] 22 tn The future middle indicative has causative force here. BDAG 686 s.v. ξυράω has “mid. have oneself shaved…τὴν κεφαλήν have one’s head shaved…Ac 21:24.”
[21:24] sn Having their heads shaved probably involved ending a voluntary Nazirite vow (Num 6:14-15).
[21:24] 23 tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.
[21:24] 24 tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).
[21:24] 25 tn Grk “adhere to the keeping of the law.” L&N 41.12 has “στοιχέω: to live in conformity with some presumed standard or set of customs – ‘to live, to behave in accordance with.’”
[21:24] 26 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[21:25] 27 tn L&N 13.154 has “‘having decided that they must keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from an animal that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality’ Ac 21:25.”
[21:25] sn Having decided refers here to the decision of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:6-21). Mention of this previous decision reminds the reader that the issue here is somewhat different: It is not whether Gentiles must first become Jews before they can become Christians (as in Acts 15), but whether Jews who become Christians should retain their Jewish practices. Sensitivity to this issue would suggest that Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians might engage in different practices.
[21:25] 28 tn This is a different Greek word than the one used in Acts 15:20, 29. BDAG 1068 s.v. φυλάσσω 3 has “to be on one’s guard against, look out for, avoid…w. acc. of pers. or thing avoided…Ac 21:25.” The Greek word used in Acts 15:20, 29 is ἀπέχω (apecw). The difference in meaning, although slight, has been maintained in the translation.
[21:25] 29 tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.
[21:25] 30 sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14) Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the preceding provision in this verse, and blood).
[21:26] 31 tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 11.b.β has “temporal, to be next, immediately following…τῇ ἐχομένῃ…on the next day Lk 13:33…Ac 20:15; w. ἡμέρᾳ added…21:26.”
[21:26] 32 tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.
[21:26] 33 tn Grk “entered the temple, giving notice.” The participle διαγγέλλων (diangellwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:26] 34 sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.
[21:26] 35 tn Grk “until” (BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.β.א), but since in English it is somewhat awkward to say “the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice would be offered,” the temporal clause was translated “when the sacrifice would be offered.” The point is that the sacrifice would be offered when the days were completed. Paul honored the request of the Jewish Christian leadership completely. As the following verse makes clear, the vow was made for seven days.
[21:26] 36 tn Grk “for each one.”
[21:27] 37 tn BDAG 975 s.v. συντελέω 4 has “to come to an end of a duration, come to an end, be over…Ac 21:27.”
[21:27] 38 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
[21:27] sn Note how there is a sense of Paul being pursued from a distance. These Jews may well have been from Ephesus, since they recognized Trophimus the Ephesian (v. 29).
[21:27] 39 tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.
[21:27] 40 tn Or “threw the whole crowd into consternation.” L&N 25.221 has “συνέχεον πάντα τὸν ὄχλον ‘they threw the whole crowd into consternation’ Ac 21:27. It is also possible to render the expression in Ac 21:27 as ‘they stirred up the whole crowd.’”
[21:27] 41 tn Grk “and laid hands on.”
[21:28] 42 tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage since “the whole crowd” is mentioned in v. 27, although it can also be argued that these remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.
[21:28] 43 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[21:28] 44 tn Grk “this place.”
[21:28] sn This sanctuary refers to the temple. The charges were not new, but were similar to those made against Stephen (Acts 6:14) and Jesus (Luke 23:2).
[21:28] 45 tn BDAG 400 s.v. ἔτι 2.b has “ἔ. δὲ καί furthermore…al. ἔ. τε καί…Lk 14:26; Ac 21:28.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek, but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
[21:28] 46 tn Grk “into the temple.” The specific reference is to the Court of the Sons of Israel (see the note following the term “unclean” at the end of this verse). To avoid giving the modern reader the impression that they entered the temple building itself, the phrase “the inner courts of the temple” has been used in the translation.
[21:28] 47 tn Or “and has defiled this holy place.”
[21:28] sn Has brought Greeks…unclean. Note how the issue is both religious and ethnic, showing a different attitude by the Jews. A Gentile was not permitted to enter the inner temple precincts (contrast Eph 2:11-22). According to Josephus (Ant. 15.11.5 [15.417]; J. W. 5.5.2 [5.193], cf. 5.5.6 [5.227]), the inner temple courts (the Court of the Women, the Court of the Sons of Israel, and the Court of the Priests) were raised slightly above the level of the Court of the Gentiles and were surrounded by a wall about 5 ft (1.5 m) high. Notices in both Greek and Latin (two of which have been discovered) warned that any Gentiles who ventured into the inner courts would be responsible for their own deaths. See also Philo, Embassy 31 (212). In m. Middot 2:3 this wall was called “soreq” and according to m. Sanhedrin 9:6 the stranger who trespassed beyond the soreq would die by the hand of God.
[21:29] 49 tn On the phrase “inner temple courts” see the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.
[21:29] sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. The note explains the cause of the charge and also notes that it was false.
[21:30] 50 tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.
[21:30] 51 tn Or “the people formed a mob.” BDAG 967 s.v. συνδρομή has “formation of a mob by pers. running together, running together…ἐγένετο σ. τοῦ λαοῦ the people rushed together Ac 21:30.”
[21:30] 52 tn Grk “and seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[21:30] 53 tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.
[21:31] 55 tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).
[21:31] 56 tn Grk “went up”; this verb is used because the report went up to the Antonia Fortress where the Roman garrison was stationed.
[21:31] 57 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.
[21:31] 58 sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.
[21:31] 59 tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”
[21:32] 60 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated as a pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
[21:32] 61 tn Grk “taking…ran down.” The participle κατέδραμεν (katedramen) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:32] 62 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[21:32] 63 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:32] 64 tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.
[21:32] 65 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
[21:32] 66 sn The mob stopped beating Paul because they feared the Romans would arrest them for disturbing the peace and for mob violence. They would let the Roman officials take care of the matter from this point on.
[21:33] 67 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
[21:33] 69 tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).
[21:33] 70 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been replaced with a semicolon. “Then” has been supplied after “he” to clarify the logical sequence.
[21:33] 71 tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”
[21:34] 72 tn L&N 33.77 has “ἄλλοι δὲ ἄλλο τι ἐπεφώνουν ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ ‘some in the crowd shouted one thing; others, something else’ Ac 21:34.”
[21:34] 73 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:34] 74 tn This genitive absolute construction has been translated temporally; it could also be taken causally: “and since the commanding officer was unable to find out the truth.”
[21:34] 75 tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).
[21:34] 76 tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).
[21:34] 77 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:34] 78 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
[21:35] 79 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:35] 80 sn Paul had to be carried. Note how the arrest really ended up protecting Paul. The crowd is portrayed as irrational at this point.
[21:35] 81 tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).
[21:36] 82 tn Grk “the multitude of people.” While πλῆθος (plhqo") is articular, it has been translated “a crowd” since it was probably a subset of the larger mob that gathered in v. 30.
[21:36] 83 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[21:37] 84 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
[21:37] 85 tn Grk “says” (a historical present).
[21:37] 86 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
[21:37] 87 tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).
[21:37] 88 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:37] 90 sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.
[21:38] 91 tn L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”
[21:38] 92 tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”
[21:38] sn The term ‘Assassins’ is found several times in the writings of Josephus (J. W. 2.13.3 [2.254-257]; Ant. 20.8.10 [20.186]). It was the name of the most fanatical group among the Jewish nationalists, very hostile to Rome, who did not hesitate to assassinate their political opponents. They were named Sicarii in Latin after their weapon of choice, the short dagger or sicarius which could be easily hidden under one’s clothing. In effect, the officer who arrested Paul had thought he was dealing with a terrorist.
[21:38] 94 tn Grk “before these days.”
[21:39] 96 tn Grk “a Jewish man.”
[21:39] 97 tn Grk “of a not insignificant city.” The double negative, common in Greek, is awkward in English and has been replaced by a corresponding positive expression (BDAG 142 s.v. ἄσημος 1).
[21:39] 98 tn Grk “I beg you.”
[21:40] 99 tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
[21:40] 100 tn Grk “Giving him permission.” The participle ἐπιτρέψαντος (epitreyanto") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:40] 101 tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[21:40] 103 tn γενομένης (genomenhs) has been taken temporally. BDAG 922 s.v. σιγή has “πολλῆς σιγῆς γενομένης when a great silence had fallen = when they had become silent Ac 21:40.”
[21:40] 104 tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”
[21:40] 105 tn Grk “in the Hebrew dialect, saying.” This refers to the Aramaic spoken in Palestine in the 1st century (BDAG 270 s.v. ῾Εβραΐς). The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[22:1] 106 sn Listen to my defense. This is the first of several speeches Paul would make in his own defense: Acts 24:10ff.; 25:8, 16; and 26:1ff. For the use of such a speech (“apologia”) in Greek, see Josephus, Ag. Ap. 2.15 [2.147]; Wis 6:10.
[22:1] 107 tn The adverb νυνί (nuni, “now”) is connected with the phrase τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας (th" pro" Juma" nuni apologia") rather than the verb ἀκούσατε (akousate), and the entire construction (prepositional phrase plus adverb) is in first attributive position and thus translated into English by a relative clause.
[22:2] 108 tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.
[22:2] 109 tn Or “spoke out to.” L&N 33.27 has “to address an audience, with possible emphasis upon loudness – ‘to address, to speak out to.’ πολλῆς δέ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ᾿Εβραίδι διαλέκτῳ ‘when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew’ Ac 21:40.”
[22:2] 110 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.
[22:2] 111 tn BDAG 613-14 s.v. μᾶλλον 1 “Abs. μ. can mean to a greater degree (than before), even more, now more than ever Lk 5:15; Jn 5:18; 19:8; Ac 5:14; 22:2; 2 Cor 7:7.”
[22:2] 112 tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”
[22:2] sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.
[22:2] 113 tn Grk “and.” Since this represents a continuation of the speech begun in v. 1, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.
[22:3] 114 tn Grk “a Jewish man.”
[22:3] 115 tn BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b has “of mental and spiritual nurture bring up, rear, train…ἀνατεθραμμένος ἐν τ. πόλει ταύτῃ 22:3.”
[22:3] 116 tn Or “with precision.” Although often translated “strictly” this can be misunderstood for “solely” in English. BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκρίβεια gives the meaning as “exactness, precision.” To avoid the potential misunderstanding the translation “with strictness” is used, although it is slightly more awkward than “strictly.”
[22:3] 117 tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).
[22:3] 118 tn Or “brought up in this city under Gamaliel, educated with strictness…” The phrase παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ (para tou" poda" Gamalihl) could be understood with what precedes or with what follows. The punctuation of NA27 and UBS4, which place a comma after ταύτῃ (tauth), has been followed in the translation.
[22:3] sn Gamaliel was a famous Jewish scholar and teacher mentioned here and in Acts 5:34. He had a grandson of the same name and is referred to as “Gamaliel the Elder” to avoid confusion. He is quoted a number of times in the Mishnah, was given the highest possible title for Jewish teachers, Rabba (cf. John 20:16), and was highly regarded in later rabbinic tradition.
[22:3] 119 tn Or “our forefathers.”
[22:3] 120 tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:3] 121 tn BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.α has “of pers. …ζ. τοῦ θεοῦ one who is loyal to God Ac 22:3.”
[22:4] 122 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] 123 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] 124 tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”
[22:4] 125 tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.
[22:4] 126 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] 127 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] 128 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] 129 tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:5] 130 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] 131 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] 132 tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”
[22:5] 133 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] 134 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] 135 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] 136 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”
[22:6] 137 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
[22:7] 139 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] 140 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] 141 tn Grk “So I said.”
[22:10] 142 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] 143 tn Grk “about all things.”
[22:10] 144 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] 145 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] 146 tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”
[22:11] 147 tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”
[22:12] 148 tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”
[22:12] 149 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[22:12] 150 tn BDAG 534 s.v. κατοικέω 1.a translates this present participle “ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν (sc. ἐκεῖ) κατοικούντων ᾿Ιουδαίων by all the Jews who live there Ac 22:12.”
[22:13] 151 tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:13] 152 tn Grk “coming to me and standing beside [me] said to me.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[22:13] 153 tn Grk “Brother Saul, look up” (here an idiom for regaining one’s sight). BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβλέπω places this usage under 1, “look up Ac 22:13a. W. εἰς αὐτόν to show the direction of the glance…22:13b; but perh. this vs. belongs under 2a.” BDAG 59 s.v. 2.a.α states, “of blind persons, who were formerly able to see, regain sight.” The problem for the translator is deciding between the literal and the idiomatic usage and at the same time attempting to retain the wordplay in Acts 22:13: “[Ananias] said to me, ‘Look up!’ and at that very moment I looked up to him.” The assumption of the command is that the effort to look up will be worth it (through the regaining of sight).
[22:13] 154 tn Grk “hour,” but ὥρα (Jwra) is often used for indefinite short periods of time (so BDAG 1102-3 s.v. ὥρα 2.c: “αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ at that very time, at once, instantly…Lk 2:38, 24:33; Ac 16:18; 22:13”). A comparison with the account in Acts 9:18 indicates that this is clearly the meaning here.
[22:13] 155 tn Grk “I looked up to him.”
[22:14] 156 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[22:14] sn The expression God of our ancestors is a description of the God of Israel. The God of promise was at work again.
[22:14] 157 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance’…‘the God of our ancestors has already chosen you to know his will’ Ac 22:14.”
[22:14] 158 tn Grk “and to see.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[22:14] 159 sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).
[22:14] 160 tn Or “a solemn declaration”; Grk “a voice.” BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c states, “that which the voice gives expression to: call, cry, outcry, loud or solemn declaration (… = order, command)…Cp. 22:14; 24:21.”
[22:15] 161 tn Or “a witness to him.”
[22:15] sn You will be his witness. See Acts 1:8; 13:31. The following reference to all people stresses all nationalities (Eph 3:7-9; Acts 9:15). Note also v. 21.
[22:15] 162 tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").
[22:16] 163 tn L&N 67.121 has “to extend time unduly, with the implication of lack of decision – ‘to wait, to delay.’ νῦν τί μέλλεις… ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι ‘what are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized’ Ac 22:16.”
[22:16] 164 tn Grk “getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.
[22:16] 165 sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).
[22:16] 166 sn The expression calling on his name describes the confession of the believer: Acts 2:17-38, esp. v. 38; Rom 10:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2.
[22:17] 167 tn Grk “It happened to me that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:17] 168 tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”
[22:18] 169 tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:19] 170 tn Grk “And I said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai, in καγώ [kagw]) has not been translated here.
[22:19] 171 tn For the distributive sense of the expression κατὰ τὰς συναγωγάς (kata ta" sunagwga") BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.1.d has “of places viewed serially, distributive use w. acc.…κατ᾿ οἶκαν from house to house…Ac 2:46b; 5:42…Likew. the pl.…κ. τὰς συναγωγάς 22:19.” See also L&N 37.114.
[22:19] sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[22:20] 172 sn Now Paul referred to Stephen as your witness, and he himself had also become a witness. The reversal was now complete; the opponent had now become a proponent.
[22:20] 173 sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”
[22:20] 174 tn Grk “and approving.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[22:20] 175 tn Or “outer garments.”
[22:20] sn The cloaks. The outer garment, or cloak, was taken off and laid aside to leave the arms free (in this case for throwing stones).
[22:20] 176 tn Or “who were putting him to death.” For the translation of ἀναιρούντων (anairountwn) as “putting to death” see BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2.
[22:21] 177 tn Grk “And.” Since this represents a response to Paul’s reply in v. 19, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.
[22:22] 178 tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:22] 179 tn Grk “until this word.”
[22:22] sn Until he said this. Note it is the mention of Paul’s mission to the Gentiles with its implication of ethnic openness that is so disturbing to the audience.
[22:22] 180 tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.
[22:22] 181 tn Grk “and said.”
[22:22] 182 tn Grk “this one.”
[22:22] 183 tn BDAG 491 s.v. καθήκω has “to be appropriate, come/reach to, be proper/fitting…Usu. impers. καθήκει it comes (to someone)…foll. by acc. and inf….οὐ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν he should not be allowed to live Ac 22:22.”
[22:23] 184 tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.
[22:23] 185 tn Or “outer garments.”
[22:23] sn Their cloaks. The outer garment, or cloak, was taken off and laid aside to leave the arms free (perhaps in this case as preparation for throwing stones).
[22:23] 186 sn The crowd’s act of tossing dust in the air indicated they had heard something disturbing and offensive. This may have been a symbolic gesture, indicating Paul’s words deserved to be thrown to the wind, or it may have simply resulted from the fact they had nothing else to throw at him at the moment.
[22:24] 187 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.
[22:24] 188 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 189 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
[22:24] 190 tn Grk “into the barracks, saying.” This is a continuation of the same sentence in Greek using the participle εἴπας (eipas), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence a new sentence was begun in the translation here. The direct object “them” has been supplied; it is understood in Greek.
[22:24] 191 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 192 sn To interrogate Paul by beating him with a lash. Under the Roman legal system it was customary to use physical torture to extract confessions or other information from prisoners who were not Roman citizens and who were charged with various crimes, especially treason or sedition. The lashing would be done with a whip of leather thongs with pieces of metal or bone attached to the ends.
[22:24] 193 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:24] 194 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:25] 195 tn Grk “for the thongs” (of which the lash was made). Although often translated as a dative of means (“with thongs”), referring to thongs used to tie the victim to the whipping post, BDAG 474-75 s.v. ἱμάς states that it “is better taken as a dat. of purpose for the thongs, in which case οἱ ἱμάντες = whips (Posidonius: 87 fgm. 5 Jac.; POxy. 1186, 2 τὴν διὰ τῶν ἱμάντων αἰκείαν. – Antiphanes 74, 8, Demosth. 19, 197 and Artem. 1, 70 use the sing. in this way).”
[22:25] 196 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[22:25] 197 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:25] 198 tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.
[22:25] sn The fact that Paul was a Roman citizen protected him from being tortured to extract information; such protections were guaranteed by the Porcian and Julian law codes. In addition, the fact Paul had not been tried exempted him from punishment.
[22:26] 199 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[22:26] 200 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[22:26] 201 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:26] 202 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[22:26] 203 tn Or perhaps, “What do you intend to do?” Although BDAG 627 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.α lists this phrase under the category “be about to, be on the point of,” it is possible it belongs under 1.c.γ, “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; what do you intend to do?”
[22:26] 204 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:27] 205 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:27] 206 tn Grk “and said to.”
[22:27] 207 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:27] 208 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:28] 210 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:28] 211 sn Sometimes Roman citizenship was purchased through a bribe (Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.17.4-9). That may well have been the case here.
[22:28] 212 tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”
[22:28] 213 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:28] sn Paul’s reference to being born a citizen suggests he inherited his Roman citizenship from his family.
[22:28] 214 tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:29] 215 tn BDAG 158 s.v. ἀφίστημι 2.b has “keep away…ἀπό τινος… Lk 4:13; Ac 5:38; 2 Cor 12:8…cp. Ac 22:29.” In context, the point would seem to be not that the interrogators departed or withdrew, but that they held back from continuing the flogging.
[22:29] 216 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
[22:29] 217 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:29] 218 tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.
[22:29] 219 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
[22:29] 220 sn Had him tied up. Perhaps a reference to the chains in Acts 21:33, or the preparations for the lashing in Acts 22:25. A trial would now be needed to resolve the matter. The Roman authorities’ hesitation to render a judgment in the case occurs repeatedly: Acts 22:30; 23:28-29; 24:22; 25:20, 26-27. The legal process begun here would take the rest of Acts and will be unresolved at the end. The process itself took four years of Paul’s life.
[22:30] 221 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
[22:30] 222 tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”
[22:30] 223 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:30] 224 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[22:30] 225 tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.
[23:1] 226 tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:1] 227 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:1] 228 tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”
[23:2] 229 tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.
[23:2] 230 tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”
[23:2] 231 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:2] 232 tn Or “hit” (‘strike’ maintains the wordplay with the following verse). The action was probably designed to indicate a rejection of Paul’s claim to a clear conscience in the previous verse.
[23:3] 233 sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.
[23:3] 234 tn Grk “And do.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[23:3] 235 tn The law refers to the law of Moses.
[23:3] 236 tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”
[23:3] sn In violation of the law. Paul was claiming that punishment was given before the examination was complete (m. Sanhedrin 3:6-8). Luke’s noting of this detail shows how quickly the leadership moved to react against Paul.
[23:4] 237 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[23:4] 238 tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”
[23:4] sn Insult God’s high priest. Paul was close to violation of the Mosaic law with his response, as the citation from Exod 22:28 in v. 5 makes clear.
[23:5] 241 sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.
[23:6] 242 tn BDAG 200 s.v. γινώσκω 4 has “to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize”; this is further clarified by section 4.c: “w. ὅτι foll….Ac 23:6.”
[23:6] 243 sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.
[23:6] 244 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
[23:6] 245 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:6] 246 tn That is, concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected. Grk “concerning the hope and resurrection.” BDAG 320 s.v. ἐλπίς 1.b.α states, “Of Israel’s messianic hope Ac 23:6 (ἐ. καὶ ἀνάστασις for ἐ. τῆς ἀν. [obj. gen] as 2 Macc 3:29 ἐ. καὶ σωτηρία).” With an objective genitive construction, the resurrection of the dead would be the “object” of the hope.
[23:7] 247 tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.
[23:7] 248 tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).
[23:7] 249 tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”
[23:8] 250 tn BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφότεροι 2 has “all, even when more than two are involved…Φαρισαῖοι ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀ. believe in them all 23:8.” On this belief see Josephus, J. W. 2.8.14 (2.163); Ant. 18.1.3 (18.14).
[23:8] sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[23:9] 251 tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).
[23:9] 252 tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
[23:9] 253 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:9] 254 tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
[23:9] 255 sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.
[23:10] 256 tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).
[23:10] 257 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militare, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.
[23:10] 258 tn Grk “that Paul would be torn to pieces by them.” BDAG 236 s.v. διασπάω has “of an angry mob μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν that Paul would be torn in pieces by them Ac 23:10.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been converted to an equivalent active construction in the translation.
[23:10] 259 tn Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.
[23:10] 260 tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”
[23:10] 261 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
[23:11] 262 sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.
[23:11] 263 tn Grk “standing near Paul, said.” The participle ἐπιστάς (epistas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:11] 264 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:11] 265 tn Or “Do not be afraid.”
[23:11] 266 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[23:11] 267 sn Like Jesus went to Jerusalem, Paul would now go to Rome. This trip forms the concluding backdrop to Acts. This is the second notice about going to Rome (see Acts 19:21 for the first).
[23:11] map For location see JP4 A1.
[23:12] 268 tn Grk “when it was day.”
[23:12] 269 tn Grk “forming a conspiracy, bound.” The participle ποιήσαντες (poihsantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:12] 270 tn L&N 30.72 has ‘some Jews formed a conspiracy’ Ac 23:12”; BDAG 979 s.v. συστροφή 1 has “Judeans came together in a mob 23:12. But in the last pass. the word may also mean – 2. the product of a clandestine gathering, plot, conspiracy” (see also Amos 7:10; Ps 63:3).
[23:12] 271 tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” On such oaths see m. Shevi’it 3:1-5. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[23:12] 272 tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[23:13] 273 tn L&N 30.73 defines συνωμοσία (sunwmosia) as “a plan for taking secret action someone or some institution, with the implication of an oath binding the conspirators – ‘conspiracy, plot.’ …‘there were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy’ Ac 23:13.”
[23:14] 274 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
[23:14] 275 tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:14] 276 sn They went to the chief priests. The fact that the high priest knew of this plot and did nothing shows the Jewish leadership would even become accomplices to murder to stop Paul. They would not allow Roman justice to take its course. Paul’s charge in v. 3 of superficially following the law is thus shown to be true.
[23:14] 277 tn Or “bound ourselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” The pleonastic use ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (literally “we have cursed ourselves with a curse”) probably serves as an intensifier following Semitic usage, and is represented in the translation by the word “solemn.” On such oaths see m. Nedarim 3:1, 3.
[23:14] 278 tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).
[23:15] 279 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:15] 280 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:15] 281 tn Or “decide.” BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω has “ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ to make a more thorough examination of his case Ac 23:15.”
[23:15] 282 tn Grk “determine the things about him.”
[23:15] 283 tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).
[23:15] 284 sn “We are ready to kill him.” Now those Jews involved in the conspiracy, along with the leaders as accomplices, are going to break one of the ten commandments.
[23:15] 285 tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[23:16] 286 tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).
[23:16] 287 tn Grk “coming and entering…, he told.” The participles παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") and εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:16] 288 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
[23:17] 289 tn Grk “calling…Paul said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:17] 290 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:17] 291 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:18] 292 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:18] 293 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:18] 294 tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:19] 295 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:19] 296 tn Grk “you have,” but the expression “have to report” in English could be understood to mean “must report” rather than “possess to report.” For this reason the nearly equivalent expression “want to report,” which is not subject to misunderstanding, was used in the translation.
[23:20] 298 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:21] 299 tn Grk “do not be persuaded by them.” The passive construction μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς (mh peisqh" autoi") has been converted to an active construction in the translation, and the phrase “to do this” supplied to indicate more clearly the object of their persuasion.
[23:21] 300 tn Grk “forty men of them.” In the expression ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες (ex autwn andre") “men” is somewhat redundant and has not been included in the English translation.
[23:21] 301 tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.
[23:21] 302 tn Grk “for him, who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
[23:21] 303 tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone… ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.”
[23:21] 304 tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[23:21] 305 tn Grk “waiting for your approval,” “waiting for your agreement.” Since it would be possible to misunderstand the literal translation “waiting for your approval” to mean that the Jews were waiting for the commander’s approval to carry out their plot or to kill Paul (as if he were to be an accomplice to their plot), the object of the commander’s approval (their request to bring Paul to the council) has been specified in the translation as “their request.”
[23:22] 306 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
[23:22] 307 tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγγέλλω has “to make an announcement about someth. that must be done, give orders, command, instruct, direct of all kinds of persons in authority, worldly rulers, Jesus, the apostles…παραγγέλλειν w. an inf. and μή comes to mean forbid to do someth.: π. τινί w. aor. inf. Lk 5:14; 8:56; without the dat., which is easily supplied fr. the context Ac 23:22.” However, if the direct discourse which follows is to be retained in the translation, a different translation must be used since it is awkward to introduce direct discourse with the verb to forbid. Thus the alternative to direct was used.
[23:22] 308 tn On this verb, see BDAG 325-26 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 2. The term was frequently used of an official report to authorities. In modern terms, this was a police tip.
[23:23] 309 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] 310 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] 311 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[23:23] 312 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] 313 tn Or “cavalrymen.”
[23:23] 314 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] 316 tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”
[23:24] 317 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] 318 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] 319 tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:25] 320 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] 321 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] 322 tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).
[23:26] 323 sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.
[23:27] 324 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] 325 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] 326 tn Or “approached.”
[23:27] 327 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] 328 tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.
[23:27] 329 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] 330 tn Or “determine.”
[23:28] 331 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] 332 tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[23:29] 333 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] 334 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] 335 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] 336 tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.
[23:30] 337 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] 338 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] 339 tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”
[23:31] 340 tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:31] 341 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] 342 tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:32] 343 tn Or “cavalrymen.”
[23:32] 344 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] 345 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] 346 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] 347 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] 348 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:34] 349 tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:34] 350 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] 351 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] 352 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] 353 tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[23:34] 354 sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.
[23:35] 355 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] 356 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] 357 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:35] 358 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] 359 sn Ananias was in office from
[24:1] 360 tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).
[24:1] 361 tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”
[24:1] 362 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] 363 tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”
[24:2] 364 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:2] 365 tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”
[24:2] 366 tn Grk “experienced much peace.”
[24:2] 367 tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).
[24:2] 368 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] 369 tn Or “being made for this people.”
[24:2] 370 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] 371 sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.
[24:3] 372 tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”
[24:3] 373 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] 374 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] 376 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] 377 tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”
[24:5] 378 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] 379 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] 380 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] 381 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] 382 sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.
[24:6] 383 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] 384 tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.
[24:6] 385 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] 386 tc Some later
[24:8] 388 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] 389 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] 390 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] 391 tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).
[24:10] 392 tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[24:10] 393 sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.
[24:11] 394 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] 395 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] 396 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[24:12] 397 tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”
[24:12] 398 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] 399 tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.
[24:12] 400 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[24:12] 401 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] 402 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] 403 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] 404 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] 406 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[24:14] 407 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] 408 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] 409 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] 410 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] 411 tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:15] 412 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] 413 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] 414 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] 415 tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”
[24:16] 416 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).
[24:17] 417 tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”
[24:17] 418 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] 419 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] 420 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] 421 tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”
[24:19] 422 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] 423 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] 424 tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”
[24:20] 425 tn Or “unrighteous act.”
[24:20] 426 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] 427 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[24:21] 428 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] 429 tn Grk “one utterance.”
[24:21] 430 tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”
[24:21] 431 sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?
[24:22] 432 sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.
[24:22] 433 tn Grk “the things.”
[24:22] 434 tn That is, concerning Christianity.
[24:22] 435 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] 436 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] 437 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] 438 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[24:23] 439 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] 440 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] 441 tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).
[24:23] 442 tn Grk “from serving him.”
[24:24] 443 sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.
[24:24] 444 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] 445 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] 446 tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:25] 447 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:25] 448 tn Or “speaking about.”
[24:25] 449 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] 450 sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.
[24:25] 451 tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[24:25] 452 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] 453 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] 454 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:26] 455 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] 456 tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.
[24:27] 457 tn Grk “After a two-year period.”
[24:27] 458 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] 459 tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”
[24:27] sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.
[24:27] 460 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] 461 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] 462 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:1] 463 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:1] 464 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] 465 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] 466 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] 467 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] 468 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] 469 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] 470 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:4] 471 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] 472 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[25:5] 473 tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).
[25:5] 474 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[25:5] 475 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] 476 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] 477 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:6] 478 tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.
[25:6] 479 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] 480 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] 481 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] 482 tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”
[25:7] 483 tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).
[25:7] 484 tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).
[25:8] 485 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] 486 tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”
[25:8] 487 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] 488 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] 489 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:9] 490 tn Or “stand trial.”
[25:9] 491 tn Grk “concerning these things.”
[25:10] 493 tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:10] 494 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] 495 tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.
[25:10] 496 sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.
[25:10] 497 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] 498 tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”
[25:11] 499 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] 500 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] 501 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] 502 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] 503 tn That is, with his advisers.
[25:12] 504 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:12] 505 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:12] 506 tn Or “to the emperor.”
[25:12] 507 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] 508 sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (
[25:13] 509 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] 510 tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”
[25:13] 511 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:14] 512 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] 513 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:14] 514 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] 515 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:15] 516 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] 517 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] 518 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] 519 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] 520 tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).
[25:16] 521 tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”
[25:16] 522 tn Grk “and receives.”
[25:16] 523 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] 524 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] 525 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] 526 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] 527 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] 528 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] 529 tn Or “I was expecting.”
[25:19] 530 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] 531 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] 532 tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”
[25:20] 534 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] 535 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] 536 tn Or “stand trial.”
[25:20] 537 tn Grk “on these things.”
[25:21] 538 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] 539 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[25:22] 540 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:22] 541 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:23] 543 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:23] 544 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] 545 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] 546 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] 547 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:23] 548 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] 549 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[25:24] 550 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:24] 551 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] 552 tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).
[25:24] 553 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:24] 554 sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”
[25:24] 555 tn Or “screaming.”
[25:25] 556 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] 557 tn The participle ἐπικαλεσαμένου (epikalesamenou) has been taken temporally. It could also be translated as causal: “and because he appealed…”
[25:25] 558 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] 559 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] 560 sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.
[25:26] 561 sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”
[25:26] 562 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] 563 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[25:26] 564 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] 565 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] 566 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:1] 567 tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”
[26:1] 568 tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).
[26:1] 569 tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”
[26:2] 570 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:3] 571 tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”
[26:3] 572 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] 573 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] 574 tn Grk “my manner of life.”
[26:4] 576 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[26:5] 577 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] 578 tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[26:5] 579 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] 580 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] 581 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
[26:6] 582 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] 583 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[26:7] 584 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] 585 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] 586 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] 588 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] 589 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] 590 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] 591 tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.
[26:9] 592 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] 593 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] 594 tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.
[26:10] 595 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] 596 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] 597 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] 598 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[26:11] 599 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] 600 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] 601 tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”
[26:12] 602 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] 603 tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.
[26:12] 604 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] 606 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
[26:13] 607 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] 608 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.
[26:14] 609 tn Grk “It is hard for you.”
[26:14] 610 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] 612 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”
[26:16] 613 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] 614 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] 615 tc ‡ Some
[26:17] 616 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] 617 tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[26:17] 618 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] 619 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] 620 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] 621 tn Or “and an inheritance.”
[26:19] 622 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:19] 623 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] 624 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] 625 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] 626 sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.
[26:20] 627 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] 628 tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.
[26:22] 629 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] 630 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] 631 sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.
[26:23] 632 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] 633 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] 634 tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[26:23] 635 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] 636 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:24] 637 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[26:24] 638 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] 640 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[26:25] 641 tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”
[26:25] 642 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] 643 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] 644 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] 645 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] 646 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] 647 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] 648 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] 649 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:28] 650 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:28] 651 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] 652 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] 653 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] 654 tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[26:31] 655 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] 656 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
[26:32] 657 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
[26:32] 659 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] 660 sn The last “we” section in Acts begins here and extends to 28:16 (the previous one ended at 21:18).
[27:1] 661 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] 662 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:1] 663 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] 664 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] 665 sn Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia on the western coast of Asia Minor.
[27:2] 667 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] 668 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] 669 sn A Macedonian. The city of Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was in the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
[27:2] 670 map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
[27:3] 671 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] 672 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] 673 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] 674 tn Grk “to go to his friends to be cared for.” The scene is an indication of Christian hospitality.
[27:4] 675 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] 676 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] 677 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] 678 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] 679 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] 680 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] 681 sn Lycia was the name of a peninsula on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia.
[27:6] 682 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:6] 683 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:6] 684 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] 685 tn The participle βραδυπλοοῦντες (braduploounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:7] 686 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] 687 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] 688 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] 689 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] 690 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] 691 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Crete) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[27:8] 692 sn Lasea was a city on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 60 mi (96 km) farther.
[27:9] 693 tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.
[27:9] 694 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] 695 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] 696 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] 697 tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”
[27:10] 698 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] 699 tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).
[27:11] 700 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:11] 701 tn Or “persuaded.”
[27:11] 702 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] 703 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] 704 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] 705 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] 706 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] 707 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] 708 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] 709 tn Or “a harbor of Crete open to the southwest and northwest.”
[27:13] 710 tn Grk “thinking.” The participle δόξαντες (doxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:13] 711 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] 713 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] 714 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] 715 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] 716 tn Grk “from it”; the referent (the island) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:15] 717 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] 718 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] 719 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] 720 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] 721 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] 722 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] 723 tn Grk “After hoisting it up, they…”; the referent (the ship’s crew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:17] 724 tn The participle ἄραντες (arantes) has been taken temporally.
[27:17] 725 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] 726 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] 727 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] 728 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] 729 tn BDAG 980 s.v. σφόδρῶς states, “very much, greatly, violently…σφ. χειμάζεσθαι be violently beaten by a storm Ac 27:18.”
[27:18] 730 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] 731 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] 732 tn Grk “no small storm” = a very great storm.
[27:20] 733 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] 734 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] 735 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] 736 tn Here τότε (tote) is redundant (pleonastic) according to BDAG 1012-13 s.v. τότε 2; thus it has not been translated.
[27:21] 737 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] 738 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] 739 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] 740 tn The infinitive κερδῆσαι (kerdhsai) has been translated as resultative.
[27:22] 741 tn The same verb is used for Paul’s original recommendation in Ac 27:9.
[27:22] 742 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] 743 tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.
[27:23] 745 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] 746 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] 747 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] 748 tn Or “before the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[27:24] 749 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] 750 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] 751 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] 752 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] 753 sn The Adriatic Sea. They were now somewhere between Crete and Malta.
[27:27] 754 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] 755 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] 756 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] 757 tn L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”
[27:28] 758 sn Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).
[27:29] 759 tn Grk “fearing.” The participle φοβούμενοι (foboumenoi) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[27:29] 760 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] 761 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] 762 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] 763 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] 764 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] 765 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:31] 766 sn The pronoun you is plural in Greek.
[27:32] 767 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] 768 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] 769 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] 770 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] 771 tn Or “continued.”
[27:33] 772 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] 773 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] 774 tn Or “deliverance” (‘salvation’ in a nontheological sense).
[27:35] 775 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:35] 776 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] 777 tn Or “before them all,” but here this could be misunderstood to indicate a temporal sequence.
[27:35] 778 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] 779 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] 780 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[27:38] 781 tn Or “When they had eaten their fill.”
[27:39] 783 tn Or “observed,” “saw.”
[27:39] 784 tn Or “gulf” (BDAG 557 s.v. κόλπος 3).
[27:39] 785 sn A beach would refer to a smooth sandy beach suitable for landing.
[27:40] 786 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] 787 tn The term is used of a ship’s anchor. (BDAG 12 s.v. ἄγκυρα a).
[27:40] 788 tn Grk “bands”; possibly “ropes.”
[27:40] 790 tn Grk “hoisting…they.” The participle ἐπάραντες (eparante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[27:40] 791 tn Grk “sail”; probably a reference to the foresail.
[27:40] 792 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] 793 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] 794 tn Or “violence” (BDAG 175 s.v. βία a).
[27:42] 795 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] 796 tn The participle ἐκκολυμβήσας (ekkolumbhsa") has been taken instrumentally.
[27:43] 797 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
[27:43] 798 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] 799 tn BDAG 347 s.v. I. ἔξειμι has “ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν get to land Ac 27:43.”
[27:44] 800 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] 801 tn Or “boards” according to BDAG 913 s.v. σανίς.
[27:44] 802 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] 803 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] 804 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] 805 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] 806 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] 807 tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11. Cp. 28:2.”
[28:2] 808 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] 810 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] 811 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:4] 812 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] 813 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] 814 tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 4 indicates the particle has an adversative sense here: “but, however.”
[28:5] 815 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:5] 816 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] 817 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] 818 tn The participle προσδοκώντων (prosdokwntwn) has been taken temporally.
[28:6] 819 tn The participle θεωρούντων (qewrountwn) has been taken temporally.
[28:6] 820 tn Grk “happening.” The participle γινόμενον (ginomenon) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:6] 821 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] 822 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] 823 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] 824 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] 825 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] 826 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] 827 tn The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:8] 828 sn And healed him. Here are healings like Luke 9:40; 10:30; 13:13; Acts 16:23.
[28:9] 829 tn BDAG 142 s.v. ἀσθένεια 1 states, “ἔχειν ἀ. be ill Ac 28:9.”
[28:9] 830 sn Many…also came and were healed. Again, here is irony. Paul, though imprisoned, “frees” others of their diseases.
[28:10] 831 tn Or “they also honored us greatly”; Grk “they also honored us with many honors” (an idiom).
[28:10] 832 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] 833 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] 834 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] 835 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] 836 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] 837 tn Or “as its emblem.”
[28:12] 838 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] 839 sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.
[28:13] 840 tc A few early
[28:13] 841 sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.
[28:13] 842 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] 843 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] 844 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] 845 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:14] 846 sn That is, some fellow Christians.
[28:14] 847 map For location see JP4 A1.
[28:15] 848 sn Mention of Christian brothers from there (Rome) shows that God’s message had already spread as far as Italy and the capital of the empire.
[28:15] 849 sn The Forum of Appius was a small traveler’s stop on the Appian Way about 43 mi (71 km) south of Rome (BDAG 125 s.v. ᾿Αππίου φόρον). It was described by Horace as “crammed with boatmen and stingy tavernkeepers” (Satires 1.5.3).
[28:15] 850 sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 mi (55 km) south of Rome.
[28:15] 851 tn Grk “whom, when he saw [them], Paul.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.
[28:16] sn Allowed to live by himself. Paul continued to have a generous prison arrangement (cf. Acts 27:3).
[28:17] 853 tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[28:17] 854 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:17] 855 tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”
[28:17] 856 tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.
[28:17] 857 tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
[28:17] 858 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[28:17] sn I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. Once again Paul claimed to be faithful to the Jewish people and to the God of Israel.
[28:17] 859 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[28:17] 860 tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”
[28:18] 861 tn Grk “who when.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced by the personal pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.
[28:18] 862 tn Or “had questioned me”; or “had examined me.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 2 states, “to conduct a judicial hearing, hear a case, question.”
[28:18] 863 sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.
[28:18] 864 tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.
[28:19] 865 tn That is, objected to my release.
[28:19] 866 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[28:19] 867 tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”
[28:19] 868 tn Or “my own nation.”
[28:20] 869 sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).
[28:21] 870 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[28:21] 871 tn Or “arrived”; Grk “come” (“from there” is implied). Grk “coming.” The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:22] 872 tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
[28:22] 873 tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.
[28:22] 874 tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.
[28:23] 875 tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[28:23] 876 tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[28:23] 877 tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”
[28:23] 878 tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”
[28:23] 879 tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[28:23] 880 tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.
[28:23] 881 tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”
[28:23] 882 sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.
[28:24] 884 tn Or “persuaded.”
[28:24] 885 tn Grk “by the things spoken.”
[28:24] 886 sn Some were convinced…but others refused to believe. Once again the gospel caused division among Jews, as in earlier chapters of Acts (13:46; 18:6).
[28:25] 887 tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[28:25] 888 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[28:26] 889 tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).
[28:26] 890 tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).
[28:27] 891 tn Or “insensitive.”
[28:27] sn The heart of this people has become dull. The charge from Isaiah is like Stephen’s against the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 7:51-53). They were a hard-hearted and disobedient people.
[28:27] 892 tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).
[28:27] 893 sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.
[28:27] 894 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.
[28:28] 895 tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”
[28:28] 897 sn The term Gentiles is in emphatic position in the Greek text of this clause. Once again there is the pattern: Jewish rejection of the gospel leads to an emphasis on Gentile inclusion (Acts 13:44-47).
[28:28] 898 tn Grk “they also.”
[28:29] 899 tc Some later
[28:30] 900 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:30] 902 tn Or perhaps, “two whole years at his own expense.” BDAG 654 s.v. μίσθωμα states, “the customary act. mng. ‘contract price, rent’…is not found in our lit. (Ac) and the pass. what is rented, a rented house is a mng. not found outside it (even Ammonius Gramm. [100 ad] p. 93 Valck. knows nothing of it. Hence the transl. at his own expense [NRSV] merits attention) ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι in his own rented lodgings Ac 28:30 (for the idea cp. Jos., Ant. 18, 235).”
[28:30] 903 tn Or “and received.”
[28:31] 904 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[28:31] 906 sn Proclaiming…with complete boldness and without restriction. Once again Paul’s imprisonment is on benevolent terms. The word of God is proclaimed triumphantly and boldly in Rome. Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop it, the message goes forth.