Kisah Para Rasul 12:24--13:12
Konteks12:24 But the word of God 1 kept on increasing 2 and multiplying.
12:25 So Barnabas and Saul returned to 3 Jerusalem 4 when they had completed 5 their mission, 6 bringing along with them John Mark. 7
13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: 8 Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, 9 Lucius the Cyrenian, 10 Manaen (a close friend of Herod 11 the tetrarch 12 from childhood 13 ) and Saul. 13:2 While they were serving 14 the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart 15 for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted 16 and 17 prayed and placed their hands 18 on them, they sent them off.
13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, 19 sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, 20 and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 21 13:5 When 22 they arrived 23 in Salamis, 24 they began to proclaim 25 the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. 26 (Now they also had John 27 as their assistant.) 28 13:6 When they had crossed over 29 the whole island as far as Paphos, 30 they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 31 13:7 who was with the proconsul 32 Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul 33 summoned 34 Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear 35 the word of God. 13:8 But the magician Elymas 36 (for that is the way his name is translated) 37 opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul 38 away from the faith. 13:9 But Saul (also known as Paul), 39 filled with the Holy Spirit, 40 stared straight 41 at him 13:10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, 42 you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 43 13:11 Now 44 look, the hand of the Lord is against 45 you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness 46 and darkness came over 47 him, and he went around seeking people 48 to lead him by the hand. 13:12 Then when the proconsul 49 saw what had happened, he believed, 50 because he was greatly astounded 51 at the teaching about 52 the Lord.
[12:24] 1 sn A metonymy for the number of adherents to God’s word.
[12:25] 3 tc There are a number of variants at this point in the text: εἰς (eis, “to”) in א B Ï sams syhmg; ἀπό (apo, “from”) in D E Ψ 36 323 453 614 1175 al; ἐξ (ex, “from”) in Ì74 A 33 945 1739 al; ἐξ ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν (ex Ierousalhm ei" Antioceian, “from Jerusalem to Antioch”) in {a few later manuscripts and part of the Itala}. A decision on this problem is very difficult, but for several reasons εἰς can be preferred. It is the most difficult reading by far in light of the context, since Paul and Barnabas were going to Jerusalem in 11:30. It is found in better witnesses, א and B being very strong evidence. The other readings, ἐξ and ἀπό, are different from εἰς yet bear essentially the same meaning as each other; this seems to suggest that scribes had problems with εἰς and tried to choose an acceptable revision. If εἰς is the earliest reading, ἀπό may be a clarification of ἐξ, and ἐξ could have arisen through confusion of letters. Or ἐξ and ἀπό could both have independently arisen from εἰς as a more acceptable preposition. Despite such arguments, however, the case for εἰς is not airtight: either ἐξ or ἀπό could be preferred on other lines of reasoning. The reading ἐξ enjoys the earliest support, and εἰς could have arisen through the same confusion of letters mentioned above. The immediate and wider context seems to mitigate against εἰς as the original reading: The aorist participle πληρώσαντες (plhrwsante", “when they had completed”) seems to signal the end of the mission to Jerusalem with the famine relief, so it would make sense in the context for the team to be coming from Jerusalem (to Antioch) rather than to Jerusalem, and 13:1 certainly presents the scene at Antioch. The later addition εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν after ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ in some
[12:25] 4 sn That is, from Jerusalem to Antioch (see Acts 11:29-30).
[12:25] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:25] 6 tn Grk “ministry” or “service.”
[12:25] 7 tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”
[13:1] 8 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).
[13:1] map For location see JP1 F2; JP2 F2; JP3 F2; JP4 F2.
[13:1] 9 sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”
[13:1] 10 sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.
[13:1] 11 sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4
[13:1] 12 tn Or “the governor.”
[13:1] sn A tetrarch was a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king, who ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. Several times in the NT, Herod tetrarch of Galilee is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage.
[13:1] 13 tn Or “(a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch).” The meaning “close friend from childhood” is given by L&N 34.15, but the word can also mean “foster brother” (L&N 10.51). BDAG 976 s.v. σύντροφας states, “pert. to being brought up with someone, either as a foster-brother or as a companion/friend,” which covers both alternatives. Context does not given enough information to be certain which is the case here, although many modern translations prefer the meaning “close friend from childhood.”
[13:2] 14 tn This term is frequently used in the LXX of the service performed by priests and Levites in the tabernacle (Exod 28:35, 43; 29:30; 30:20; 35:19; 39:26; Num 1:50; 3:6, 31) and the temple (2 Chr 31:2; 35:3; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17, and many more examples). According to BDAG 591 s.v. λειτουργέω 1.b it is used “of other expression of religious devotion.” Since the previous verse described the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, it is probable that the term here describes two of them (Barnabas and Saul) as they were serving in that capacity. Since they were not in Jerusalem where the temple was located, general religious service is referred to here.
[13:3] 16 tn The three aorist participles νηστεύσαντες (nhsteusante"), προσευξάμενοι (proseuxamenoi), and ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") are translated as temporal participles. Although they could indicate contemporaneous time when used with an aorist main verb, logically here they are antecedent. On fasting and prayer, see Matt 6:5, 16; Luke 2:37; 5:33; Acts 14:23.
[13:3] 17 tn Normally English style, which uses a coordinating conjunction between only the last two elements of a series of three or more, would call for omission of “and” here. However, since the terms “fasting and prayer” are something of a unit, often linked together, the conjunction has been retained here.
[13:3] 18 sn The placing of hands on Barnabas and Saul (traditionally known as “the laying on of hands”) refers to an act picturing the commission of God and the church for the task at hand.
[13:4] 19 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:4] 20 sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.
[13:4] 21 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
[13:5] 22 tn Grk “And when.” 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.
[13:5] 23 tn The participle γενόμενοι (genomenoi) is taken temporally.
[13:5] 24 sn Salamis was a city on the southeastern coast of the island of Cyprus. This was a commercial center and a center of Judaism.
[13:5] 25 tn The imperfect verb κατήγγελλον (kathngellon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[13:5] 26 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[13:5] 27 sn John refers here to John Mark (see Acts 12:25).
[13:5] 28 tn The word ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") usually has the meaning “servant,” but it is doubtful John Mark fulfilled that capacity for Barnabas and Saul. He was more likely an apprentice or assistant to them.
[13:5] sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[13:6] 29 tn Or “had passed through,” “had traveled through.”
[13:6] 30 sn Paphos. A city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. It was the seat of the Roman proconsul.
[13:6] 31 sn Named Bar-Jesus. “Jesus” is the Latin form of the name “Joshua.” The Aramaic “bar” means “son of,” so this man was surnamed “son of Joshua.” The scene depicts the conflict between Judaism and the emerging new faith at a cosmic level, much like the Simon Magus incident in Acts 8:9-24. Paul’s ministry looks like Philip’s and Peter’s here.
[13:7] 32 sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.
[13:7] 33 tn Grk “This one”; the referent (the proconsul) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:7] 34 tn Grk “summoning Barnabas and Saul, wanted to hear.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[13:7] 35 sn The proconsul…wanted to hear the word of God. This description of Sergius Paulus portrays him as a sensitive, secular Gentile leader.
[13:8] 36 tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.
[13:8] 37 sn A parenthetical note by the author.
[13:8] 38 sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.
[13:9] 39 sn A parenthetical note by the author.
[13:9] 40 sn This qualifying clause in the narrative indicates who represented God in the dispute.
[13:9] 41 tn Or “gazed intently.”
[13:10] 42 tn Or “unscrupulousness.”
[13:10] 43 sn “You who…paths of the Lord?” This rebuke is like ones from the OT prophets: Jer 5:27; Gen 32:11; Prov 10:7; Hos 14:9. Five separate remarks indicate the magician’s failings. The closing rhetorical question of v. 10 (“will you not stop…?”) shows how opposed he is to the way of God.
[13:11] 44 tn Grk “And now.” 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.
[13:11] 45 tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.
[13:11] 46 sn The term translated mistiness here appears in the writings of the physician Galen as a medical technical description of a person who is blind. The picture of judgment to darkness is symbolic as well. Whatever power Elymas had, it represented darkness. Magic will again be an issue in Acts 19:18-19. This judgment is like that of Ananias and his wife in Acts 5:1-11.
[13:11] 48 tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”
[13:12] 49 sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.
[13:12] 50 sn He believed. The faith of the proconsul in the face of Jewish opposition is a theme of the rest of Acts. Paul has indeed become “a light to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:47).
[13:12] 51 tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplhssomeno") is given by L&N 25.219.
[13:12] 52 tn Grk “of,” but this could give the impression the Lord himself had done the teaching (a subjective genitive) when actually the Lord was the object of the teaching (an objective genitive).
