Kisah Para Rasul 21:1--24:27

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21:1 After ¹  we ²  tore ourselves away ³  from them, we put out to sea, ⁴  and sailing a straight course, ⁵  we came to Cos, ⁶  on the next day to Rhodes, ⁷  and from there to Patara. ⁸  21:2 We found ⁹  a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, ¹⁰  went aboard, ¹¹  and put out to sea. ¹²  21:3 After we sighted Cyprus ¹³  and left it behind on our port side, ¹⁴  we sailed on to Syria and put in ¹⁵  at Tyre, ¹⁶  because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located ¹⁷  the disciples, we stayed there ¹⁸  seven days. They repeatedly told ¹⁹  Paul through the Spirit ²⁰  not to set foot ²¹  in Jerusalem. ²²  21:5 When ²³  our time was over, ²⁴  we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied ²⁵  us outside of the city. After ²⁶  kneeling down on the beach and praying, ²⁷  21:6 we said farewell ²⁸  to one another. ²⁹  Then ³⁰  we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. ³¹  21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre ³²  and arrived at Ptolemais, ³³  and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left ³⁴  and came to Caesarea, ³⁵  and entered ³⁶  the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, ³⁷  and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried ³⁸  daughters who prophesied.) ³⁹ 

21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, ⁴⁰  a prophet named Agabus ⁴¹  came down from Judea. 21:11 He came ⁴²  to us, took ⁴³  Paul’s belt, ⁴⁴  tied ⁴⁵  his own hands and feet with it, ⁴⁶  and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over ⁴⁷  to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people ⁴⁸  begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking ⁴⁹  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, ⁵⁰  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, ⁵¹  we said no more except, ⁵²  “The Lord’s will be done.” ⁵³ 

21:15 After these days we got ready ⁵⁴  and started up ⁵⁵  to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea ⁵⁶  came along with us too, and brought us to the house ⁵⁷  of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, ⁵⁸  with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ⁵⁹  21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. ⁶⁰  21:19 When Paul ⁶¹  had greeted them, he began to explain ⁶²  in detail ⁶³  what God ⁶⁴  had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised ⁶⁵  God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews ⁶⁶  there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers ⁶⁷  of the law. ⁶⁸  21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ⁶⁹  among the Gentiles to abandon ⁷⁰  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ⁷¹  or live ⁷²  according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt ⁷³  hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what ⁷⁴  we tell you: We have four men ⁷⁵  who have taken ⁷⁶  a vow; ⁷⁷  21:24 take them and purify ⁷⁸  yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ⁷⁹  so that they may have their heads shaved. ⁸⁰  Then ⁸¹  everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told ⁸²  about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with ⁸³  the law. ⁸⁴  21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided ⁸⁵  that they should avoid ⁸⁶  meat that has been sacrificed to idols ⁸⁷  and blood and what has been strangled ⁸⁸  and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, ⁸⁹  and after he had purified himself ⁹⁰  along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice ⁹¹  of the completion of the days of purification, ⁹²  when ⁹³  the sacrifice would be offered for each ⁹⁴  of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, ⁹⁵  the Jews from the province of Asia ⁹⁶  who had seen him in the temple area ⁹⁷  stirred up the whole crowd ⁹⁸  and seized ⁹⁹  him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, ¹⁰⁰  help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, ¹⁰¹  and this sanctuary! ¹⁰²  Furthermore ¹⁰³  he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple ¹⁰⁴  and made this holy place ritually unclean!” ¹⁰⁵  21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and ¹⁰⁶  they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) ¹⁰⁷  21:30 The whole city was stirred up, ¹⁰⁸  and the people rushed together. ¹⁰⁹  They seized ¹¹⁰  Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, ¹¹¹  and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying ¹¹²  to kill him, a report ¹¹³  was sent up ¹¹⁴  to the commanding officer ¹¹⁵  of the cohort ¹¹⁶  that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ¹¹⁷  21:32 He ¹¹⁸  immediately took ¹¹⁹  soldiers and centurions ¹²⁰  and ran down to the crowd. ¹²¹  When they saw ¹²²  the commanding officer ¹²³  and the soldiers, they stopped beating ¹²⁴  Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer ¹²⁵  came up and arrested ¹²⁶  him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; ¹²⁷  he ¹²⁸  then asked who he was and what ¹²⁹  he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, ¹³⁰  and when the commanding officer ¹³¹  was unable ¹³²  to find out the truth ¹³³  because of the disturbance, ¹³⁴  he ordered Paul ¹³⁵  to be brought into the barracks. ¹³⁶  21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul ¹³⁷  had to be carried ¹³⁸  by the soldiers because of the violence ¹³⁹  of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people ¹⁴⁰  followed them, ¹⁴¹  screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, ¹⁴²  he said ¹⁴³  to the commanding officer, ¹⁴⁴  “May I say ¹⁴⁵  something to you?” The officer ¹⁴⁶  replied, ¹⁴⁷  “Do you know Greek? ¹⁴⁸  21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion ¹⁴⁹  and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ ¹⁵⁰  into the wilderness ¹⁵¹  some time ago?” ¹⁵²  21:39 Paul answered, ¹⁵³  “I am a Jew ¹⁵⁴  from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. ¹⁵⁵  Please ¹⁵⁶  allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer ¹⁵⁷  had given him permission, ¹⁵⁸  Paul stood ¹⁵⁹  on the steps and gestured ¹⁶⁰  to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, ¹⁶¹  he addressed ¹⁶²  them in Aramaic, ¹⁶³ 

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ¹⁶⁴  that I now ¹⁶⁵  make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard ¹⁶⁶  that he was addressing ¹⁶⁷  them in Aramaic, ¹⁶⁸  they became even ¹⁶⁹  quieter.) ¹⁷⁰  Then ¹⁷¹  Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, ¹⁷²  born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up ¹⁷³  in this city, educated with strictness ¹⁷⁴  under ¹⁷⁵  Gamaliel ¹⁷⁶  according to the law of our ancestors, ¹⁷⁷  and was ¹⁷⁸  zealous ¹⁷⁹  for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I ¹⁸⁰  persecuted this Way ¹⁸¹  even to the point of death, ¹⁸²  tying up ¹⁸³  both men and women and putting ¹⁸⁴  them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ¹⁸⁵  can testify about me. From them ¹⁸⁶  I also received ¹⁸⁷  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ¹⁸⁸  to make arrests there and bring ¹⁸⁹  the prisoners ¹⁹⁰  to Jerusalem ¹⁹¹  to be punished. 22:6 As ¹⁹²  I was en route and near Damascus, ¹⁹³  about noon a very bright ¹⁹⁴  light from heaven ¹⁹⁵  suddenly flashed ¹⁹⁶  around me. 22:7 Then I ¹⁹⁷  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 ¹⁹⁸  the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, ¹⁹⁹  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ²⁰⁰  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ²⁰¹  that you have been designated ²⁰²  to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of ²⁰³  the brilliance ²⁰⁴  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ²⁰⁵  those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, ²⁰⁶  a devout man according to the law, ²⁰⁷  well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ²⁰⁸  22:13 came ²⁰⁹  to me and stood beside me ²¹⁰  and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ ²¹¹  And at that very moment ²¹²  I looked up and saw him. ²¹³  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors ²¹⁴  has already chosen ²¹⁵  you to know his will, to see ²¹⁶  the Righteous One, ²¹⁷  and to hear a command ²¹⁸  from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness ²¹⁹  to all people ²²⁰  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? ²²¹  Get up, ²²²  be baptized, and have your sins washed away, ²²³  calling on his name.’ ²²⁴  22:17 When ²²⁵  I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ²²⁶  22:18 and saw the Lord ²²⁷  saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, ²²⁸  ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues ²²⁹  who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness ²³⁰  Stephen was shed, ²³¹  I myself was standing nearby, approving, ²³²  and guarding the cloaks ²³³  of those who were killing him.’ ²³⁴  22:21 Then ²³⁵  he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ²³⁶  was listening to him until he said this. ²³⁷  Then ²³⁸  they raised their voices and shouted, ²³⁹  “Away with this man ²⁴⁰  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ²⁴¹  22:23 While they were screaming ²⁴²  and throwing off their cloaks ²⁴³  and tossing dust ²⁴⁴  in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer ²⁴⁵  ordered Paul ²⁴⁶  to be brought back into the barracks. ²⁴⁷  He told them ²⁴⁸  to interrogate Paul ²⁴⁹  by beating him with a lash ²⁵⁰  so that he could find out the reason the crowd ²⁵¹  was shouting at Paul ²⁵²  in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, ²⁵³  Paul said to the centurion ²⁵⁴  standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen ²⁵⁵  without a proper trial?” ²⁵⁶  22:26 When the centurion ²⁵⁷  heard this, ²⁵⁸  he went to the commanding officer ²⁵⁹  and reported it, ²⁶⁰  saying, “What are you about to do? ²⁶¹  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ²⁶²  22:27 So the commanding officer ²⁶³  came and asked ²⁶⁴  Paul, ²⁶⁵  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ²⁶⁶  He replied, ²⁶⁷  “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer ²⁶⁸  answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” ²⁶⁹  “But I was even ²⁷⁰  born a citizen,” ²⁷¹  Paul replied. ²⁷²  22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ²⁷³  from him, and the commanding officer ²⁷⁴  was frightened when he realized that Paul ²⁷⁵  was ²⁷⁶  a Roman citizen ²⁷⁷  and that he had had him tied up. ²⁷⁸ 

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ²⁷⁹  wanted to know the true reason ²⁸⁰  Paul ²⁸¹  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ²⁸²  to assemble. He then brought ²⁸³  Paul down and had him stand before them.

23:1 Paul looked directly ²⁸⁴  at the council ²⁸⁵  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ²⁸⁶  before God to this day.” 23:2 At that ²⁸⁷  the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near ²⁸⁸  Paul ²⁸⁹  to strike ²⁹⁰  him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ²⁹¹  Do ²⁹²  you sit there judging me according to the law, ²⁹³  and in violation of the law ²⁹⁴  you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him ²⁹⁵  said, “Do you dare insult ²⁹⁶  God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, ²⁹⁷  “I did not realize, ²⁹⁸  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ²⁹⁹ 

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ³⁰⁰  that part of them were Sadducees ³⁰¹  and the others Pharisees, ³⁰²  he shouted out in the council, ³⁰³  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ³⁰⁴  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ³⁰⁵  an argument ³⁰⁶  began ³⁰⁷  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.) ³⁰⁸  23:9 There was a great commotion, ³⁰⁹  and some experts in the law ³¹⁰  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ³¹¹  and protested strongly, ³¹²  “We find nothing wrong ³¹³  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became ³¹⁴  so great the commanding officer ³¹⁵  feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, ³¹⁶  he ordered the detachment ³¹⁷  to go down, take him away from them by force, ³¹⁸  and bring him into the barracks. ³¹⁹ 

23:11 The following night the Lord ³²⁰  stood near ³²¹  Paul ³²²  and said, “Have courage, ³²³  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ³²⁴  so you must also testify in Rome.” ³²⁵ 

The Plot to Kill Paul

23:12 When morning came, ³²⁶  the Jews formed ³²⁷  a conspiracy ³²⁸  and bound themselves with an oath ³²⁹  not to eat or drink anything ³³⁰  until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ³³¹  23:14 They ³³²  went ³³³  to the chief priests ³³⁴  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ³³⁵  not to partake ³³⁶  of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council ³³⁷  request the commanding officer ³³⁸  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ³³⁹  his case ³⁴⁰  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ³⁴¹  We are ready to kill him ³⁴²  before he comes near this place.” ³⁴³ 

23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, ³⁴⁴  he came and entered ³⁴⁵  the barracks ³⁴⁶  and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called ³⁴⁷  one of the centurions ³⁴⁸  and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, ³⁴⁹  for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion ³⁵⁰  took him and brought him to the commanding officer ³⁵¹  and said, “The prisoner Paul called ³⁵²  me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer ³⁵³  took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want ³⁵⁴  to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, ³⁵⁵  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ³⁵⁶  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ³⁵⁷  because more than forty of them ³⁵⁸  are lying in ambush ³⁵⁹  for him. They ³⁶⁰  have bound themselves with an oath ³⁶¹  not to eat or drink anything ³⁶²  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ³⁶³  23:22 Then the commanding officer ³⁶⁴  sent the young man away, directing him, ³⁶⁵  “Tell no one that you have reported ³⁶⁶  these things to me.” 23:23 Then ³⁶⁷  he summoned ³⁶⁸  two of the centurions ³⁶⁹  and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea ³⁷⁰  along with seventy horsemen ³⁷¹  and two hundred spearmen ³⁷²  by ³⁷³  nine o’clock tonight, ³⁷⁴  23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride ³⁷⁵  so that he may be brought safely to Felix ³⁷⁶  the governor.” ³⁷⁷  23:25 He wrote ³⁷⁸  a letter that went like this: ³⁷⁹ 

23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor ³⁸⁰  Felix, ³⁸¹  greetings. 23:27 This man was seized ³⁸²  by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ³⁸³  when I came up ³⁸⁴  with the detachment ³⁸⁵  and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ³⁸⁶  a Roman citizen. ³⁸⁷  23:28 Since I wanted to know ³⁸⁸  what charge they were accusing him of, ³⁸⁹  I brought him down to their council. ³⁹⁰  23:29 I found he ³⁹¹  was accused with reference to controversial questions ³⁹²  about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. ³⁹³  23:30 When I was informed ³⁹⁴  there would be a plot ³⁹⁵  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ³⁹⁶  against him before you.

23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, ³⁹⁷  took ³⁹⁸  Paul and brought him to Antipatris ³⁹⁹  during the night. 23:32 The next day they let ⁴⁰⁰  the horsemen ⁴⁰¹  go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. ⁴⁰²  23:33 When the horsemen ⁴⁰³  came to Caesarea ⁴⁰⁴  and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented ⁴⁰⁵  Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor ⁴⁰⁶  had read ⁴⁰⁷  the letter, ⁴⁰⁸  he asked ⁴⁰⁹  what province he was from. ⁴¹⁰  When he learned ⁴¹¹  that he was from Cilicia, ⁴¹²  23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing ⁴¹³  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ⁴¹⁴  he ordered that Paul ⁴¹⁵  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ⁴¹⁶ 

The Accusations Against Paul

24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias ⁴¹⁷  came down with some elders and an attorney ⁴¹⁸  named ⁴¹⁹  Tertullus, and they ⁴²⁰  brought formal charges ⁴²¹  against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul ⁴²²  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ⁴²³  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ⁴²⁴  of peace through your rule, ⁴²⁵  and reforms ⁴²⁶  are being made in this nation ⁴²⁷  through your foresight. ⁴²⁸  24:3 Most excellent Felix, ⁴²⁹  we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way ⁴³⁰  with all gratitude. ⁴³¹  24:4 But so that I may not delay ⁴³²  you any further, I beg ⁴³³  you to hear us briefly ⁴³⁴  with your customary graciousness. ⁴³⁵  24:5 For we have found ⁴³⁶  this man to be a troublemaker, ⁴³⁷  one who stirs up riots ⁴³⁸  among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader ⁴³⁹  of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁴⁴⁰  24:6 He ⁴⁴¹  even tried to desecrate ⁴⁴²  the temple, so we arrested ⁴⁴³  him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] ⁴⁴⁴  24:8 When you examine ⁴⁴⁵  him yourself, you will be able to learn from him ⁴⁴⁶  about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” ⁴⁴⁷  24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, ⁴⁴⁸  claiming ⁴⁴⁹  that these things were true.

Paul’s Defense Before Felix

24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know ⁴⁵⁰  that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. ⁴⁵¹  24:11 As you can verify ⁴⁵²  for yourself, not more than twelve days ago ⁴⁵³  I went up to Jerusalem ⁴⁵⁴  to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing ⁴⁵⁵  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ⁴⁵⁶  in the temple courts ⁴⁵⁷  or in the synagogues ⁴⁵⁸  or throughout the city, ⁴⁵⁹  24:13 nor can they prove ⁴⁶⁰  to you the things ⁴⁶¹  they are accusing me of doing. ⁴⁶²  24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship ⁴⁶³  the God of our ancestors ⁴⁶⁴  according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law ⁴⁶⁵  and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have ⁴⁶⁶  a hope in God (a hope ⁴⁶⁷  that ⁴⁶⁸  these men ⁴⁶⁹  themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁷⁰  24:16 This is the reason ⁴⁷¹  I do my best to always ⁴⁷²  have a clear ⁴⁷³  conscience toward God and toward people. ⁴⁷⁴  24:17 After several years ⁴⁷⁵  I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor ⁴⁷⁶  and to present offerings, ⁴⁷⁷  24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, ⁴⁷⁸  without a crowd or a disturbance. ⁴⁷⁹  24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia ⁴⁸⁰  who should be here before you and bring charges, ⁴⁸¹  if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here ⁴⁸²  should tell what crime ⁴⁸³  they found me guilty of ⁴⁸⁴  when I stood before the council, ⁴⁸⁵  24:21 other than ⁴⁸⁶  this one thing ⁴⁸⁷  I shouted out while I stood before ⁴⁸⁸  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ⁴⁸⁹ 

24:22 Then Felix, ⁴⁹⁰  who understood the facts ⁴⁹¹  concerning the Way ⁴⁹²  more accurately, ⁴⁹³  adjourned their hearing, ⁴⁹⁴  saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” ⁴⁹⁵  24:23 He ordered the centurion ⁴⁹⁶  to guard Paul, ⁴⁹⁷  but to let him have some freedom, ⁴⁹⁸  and not to prevent any of his friends ⁴⁹⁹  from meeting his needs. ⁵⁰⁰ 

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24:24 Some days later, when Felix ⁵⁰¹  arrived with his wife Drusilla, ⁵⁰²  who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak ⁵⁰³  about faith in Christ Jesus. ⁵⁰⁴  24:25 While Paul ⁵⁰⁵  was discussing ⁵⁰⁶  righteousness, self-control, ⁵⁰⁷  and the coming judgment, Felix ⁵⁰⁸  became ⁵⁰⁹  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ⁵¹⁰  I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ⁵¹¹  and for this reason he sent for Paul ⁵¹²  as often as possible ⁵¹³  and talked ⁵¹⁴  with him. 24:27 After two years ⁵¹⁵  had passed, Porcius Festus ⁵¹⁶  succeeded Felix, ⁵¹⁷  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ⁵¹⁸ 

[21:1]  ¹ tn Grk “It happened that when.” 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. Since the action described by the participle ἀποσπασθέντας (apospasqenta", “tearing ourselves away”) is prior to the departure of the ship, it has been translated as antecedent action (“after”).

[21:1]  ² sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.

[21:1]  ³ tn BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποσπάω 2.b has “pass. in mid. sense ἀ. ἀπό τινος tear oneself away Ac 21:1”; LSJ 218 gives several illustrations of this verb meaning “to tear or drag away from.”

[21:1]  ⁴ 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.”

[21:1]  ⁵ tn BDAG 406 s.v. εὐθυδρομέω has “of a ship run a straight course”; L&N 54.3 has “to sail a straight course, sail straight to.”

[21:1]  ⁶ sn Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea.

[21:1]  ⁷ sn Rhodes was an island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.

[21:1]  ⁸ sn Patara was a city in Lycia on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. The entire journey was about 185 mi (295 km).

[21:2]  ⁹ tn Grk “and finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun in the translation.

[21:2]  ¹⁰ sn Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[21:2]  ¹¹ tn Grk “going aboard, we put out to sea.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:2]  ¹² 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.”

[21:3]  ¹³ sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[21:3]  ¹⁴ sn The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.

[21:3]  ¹⁵ tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”

[21:3]  ¹⁶ sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage.

[21:3]  map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[21:4]  ¹⁷ tn BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνευρίσκω has “look/search for (w. finding presupposed) τινά…τοὺς μαθητάς Ac 21:4.” The English verb “locate,” when used in reference to persons, has the implication of both looking for and finding someone. The participle ἀνευρόντες (aneuronte") has been taken temporally.

[21:4]  ¹⁸ tn BDAG 154 s.v. αὐτοῦ states, “deictic adv. designating a position relatively near or far…there…Ac 21:4.”

[21:4]  ¹⁹ tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγον (elegon) has been taken iteratively.

[21:4]  ²⁰ sn Although they told this to Paul through the Spirit, it appears Paul had a choice here (see v. 14). Therefore this amounted to a warning: There was risk in going to Jerusalem, so he was urged not to go.

[21:4]  ²¹ tn BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω places Ac 21:4 under 1, “go up/upon, mount, board…πλοίῳ…Ac 27:2…Abs. go on board, embark…21:1 D, 2. – So perh. also ἐ. εἰς ᾿Ιεροσόλυμα embark for Jerusalem (i.e. to the seaport of Caesarea) vs. 4.” BDAG notes, however, “But this pass. may also belong to 2. to move to an area and be there, set foot in.” Because the message from the disciples to Paul through the Holy Spirit has the character of a warning, the latter meaning has been adopted for this translation.

[21:4]  ²² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:5]  ²³ tn Grk “It happened that when.” 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.

[21:5]  ²⁴ tn Grk “When our days were over.” L&N 67.71 has “ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἡμᾶς ἐξαρτίσαι τὰς ἡμέρας ‘when we brought that time to an end’ or ‘when our time with them was over’ Ac 21:5.”

[21:5]  ²⁵ tn Grk “accompanying.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the participle προπεμπόντων (propempontwn) translated as a finite verb.

[21:5]  ²⁶ tn Grk “city, and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[21:5]  ²⁷ sn On praying in Acts, see 1:14, 24; 2:47; 4:23; 6:6; 10:2; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 16:25.

[21:6]  ²⁸ tn BDAG 98 s.v. ἀπασπάζομαι has “take leave of, say farewell to τινά someone…ἀπησπασάμεθα ἀλλήλους we said farewell to one another Ac 21:6.”

[21:6]  ²⁹ sn These words are part of v. 5 in the standard critical Greek text.

[21:6]  ³⁰ 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.

[21:6]  ³¹ tn Grk “to their own”; the word “homes” is implied.

[21:7]  ³² sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[21:7]  ³³ sn Ptolemais was a seaport on the coast of Palestine about 30 mi (48 km) south of Tyre.

[21:8]  ³⁴ tn Grk “On the next day leaving, we came.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8]  ³⁵ 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 another 40 mi (65 km).

[21:8]  map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:8]  ³⁶ tn Grk “and entering…we stayed.” The participle εἰσελθόντες (eiselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:8]  ³⁷ sn Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-7).

[21:9]  ³⁸ tn Grk “virgin.” While the term παρθένος (parqeno") can refer to a woman who has never had sexual relations, the emphasis in this context seems to be on the fact that Philip’s daughters were not married (L&N 9.39).

[21:9]  ³⁹ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Luke again noted women who were gifted in the early church (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.31; 3.39).

[21:10]  ⁴⁰ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.α has “ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους for a (large) number of days, for many days…Ac 13:31. – 21:10…24:17; 25:14; 27:20.”

[21:10]  ⁴¹ sn Agabus also appeared in Acts 11:28. He was from Jerusalem, so the two churches were still in contact with one another.

[21:11]  ⁴² tn Grk “And coming.” 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. The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ⁴³ tn Grk “and taking.” 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. The participle ἄρας (aras) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ⁴⁴ sn The belt was a band or sash used to keep money as well as to gird up the tunic (BDAG 431 s.v. ζώνη).

[21:11]  ⁴⁵ tn The participle δήσας (dhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:11]  ⁴⁶ tn The words “with it” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[21:11]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “and will deliver him over into the hands of” (a Semitic idiom).

[21:11]  sn The Jews…will tie up…and will hand him over. As later events will show, the Jews in Jerusalem did not personally tie Paul up and hand him over to the Gentiles, but their reaction to him was the cause of his arrest (Acts 21:27-36).

[21:12]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “the people there.”

[21:13]  ⁴⁹ tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

[21:13]  ⁵⁰ tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.

[21:14]  ⁵¹ tn The participle πειθομένου (peiqomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[21:14]  ⁵² tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”

[21:14]  ⁵³ sn “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.

[21:15]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “we made preparations.”

[21:15]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “were going up”; the imperfect verb ἀνεβαίνομεν (anebainomen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:15]  sn In colloquial speech Jerusalem was always said to be “up” from any other location in Palestine. The group probably covered the 65 mi (105 km) in two days using horses. Their arrival in Jerusalem marked the end of Paul’s third missionary journey.

[21:16]  ⁵⁶ 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.

[21:16]  map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:16]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “to Mnason…”; the words “the house of” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the verb ξενισθῶμεν (xenisqwmen).

[21:16]  ⁵⁸ tn Or perhaps, “Mnason of Cyprus, one of the original disciples.” BDAG 137 s.v. ἀρχαῖος 1 has “ἀ. μαθητής a disciple of long standing (perh. original disc.) Ac 21:16.”

[21:17]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “warmly” (see BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσμένως).

[21:18]  ⁶⁰ 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]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:19]  ⁶² tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[21:19]  ⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁴ sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.

[21:20]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “glorified.”

[21:20]  ⁶⁶ 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]  ⁶⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸ 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]  ⁶⁹ 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]  ⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷¹ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21]  ⁷² tn Grk “or walk.”

[21:22]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “do this that.”

[21:23]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “There are four men here.”

[21:23]  ⁷⁶ 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]  ⁷⁷ tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.

[21:24]  ⁷⁸ 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]  ⁷⁹ tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”

[21:24]  ⁸⁰ 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]  ⁸¹ 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]  ⁸² tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).

[21:24]  ⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁴ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:25]  ⁸⁵ 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]  ⁸⁶ 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]  ⁸⁷ 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]  ⁸⁸ 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]  ⁸⁹ 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]  ⁹⁰ tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.

[21:26]  ⁹¹ 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]  ⁹² sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.

[21:26]  ⁹³ 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]  ⁹⁴ tn Grk “for each one.”

[21:27]  ⁹⁵ 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]  ⁹⁶ 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]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “in the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:27]  ⁹⁸ 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]  ⁹⁹ tn Grk “and laid hands on.”

[21:28]  ¹⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁰¹ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[21:28]  ¹⁰² 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]  ¹⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “whom.”

[21:29]  ¹⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁸ tn On this term see BDAG 545 s.v. κινέω 2.b.

[21:30]  ¹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “out of the temple.” See the note on the word “temple” in v. 28.

[21:31]  ¹¹² tn Grk “seeking.”

[21:31]  ¹¹³ tn Or “information” (originally concerning a crime; BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσις).

[21:31]  ¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.

[21:31]  ¹¹⁷ tn BDAG 953 s.v. συγχέω has “Pass. w. act.force be in confusion…ὅλη συγχύννεται ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ 21:31.”

[21:32]  ¹¹⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁹ 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]  ¹²⁰ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[21:32]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:32]  ¹²² tn Grk “seeing.” The participle ἰδόντες (idonte") has been taken temporally.

[21:32]  ¹²³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:32]  ¹²⁴ 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]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:33]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “seized.”

[21:33]  ¹²⁷ tn The two chains would be something like handcuffs (BDAG 48 s.v. ἅλυσις and compare Acts 28:20).

[21:33]  ¹²⁸ 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]  ¹²⁹ tn Grk “and what it is”; this has been simplified to “what.”

[21:34]  ¹³⁰ 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]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ¹³² 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]  ¹³³ tn Or “find out what had happened”; Grk “the certainty” (BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2).

[21:34]  ¹³⁴ tn Or “clamor,” “uproar” (BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος).

[21:34]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:34]  ¹³⁶ 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]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:35]  ¹³⁸ 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]  ¹³⁹ tn This refers to mob violence (BDAG 175 s.v. βία b).

[21:36]  ¹⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁴² 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]  ¹⁴³ tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

[21:37]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.

[21:37]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).

[21:37]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[21:37]  ¹⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “desert.”

[21:38]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “before these days.”

[21:39]  ¹⁵³ tn Grk “said.”

[21:39]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[21:39]  ¹⁵⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “I beg you.”

[21:40]  ¹⁵⁷ tn The referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[21:40]  ¹⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Grk “standing.” The participle ἑστώς (Jestws) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:40]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Or “motioned.”

[21:40]  ¹⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁶² 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]  ¹⁶³ 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]  ¹⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁶ tn ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[22:2]  ¹⁶⁷ 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]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.

[22:2]  ¹⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁷² tn Grk “a Jewish man.”

[22:3]  ¹⁷³ 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]  ¹⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).

[22:3]  ¹⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or “our forefathers.”

[22:3]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:3]  ¹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁸² tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”

[22:4]  ¹⁸³ tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.

[22:4]  ¹⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:5]  ¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁹⁰ tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”

[22:5]  ¹⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁹² 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]  ¹⁹³ 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]  ¹⁹⁴ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”

[22:6]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[22:6]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Or “shone.”

[22:7]  ¹⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ²⁰⁰ 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]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ²⁰² 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]  ²⁰³ 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]  ²⁰⁴ tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

[22:11]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

[22:12]  ²⁰⁶ tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”

[22:12]  ²⁰⁷ sn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[22:12]  ²⁰⁸ 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]  ²⁰⁹ tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[22:13]  ²¹⁰ 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]  ²¹¹ 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]  ²¹² 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]  ²¹³ tn Grk “I looked up to him.”

[22:14]  ²¹⁴ 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]  ²¹⁵ 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]  ²¹⁶ 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]  ²¹⁷ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).

[22:14]  ²¹⁸ 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]  ²¹⁹ 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]  ²²⁰ tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[22:16]  ²²¹ 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]  ²²² 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]  ²²³ sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).

[22:16]  ²²⁴ 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]  ²²⁵ 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]  ²²⁶ tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”

[22:18]  ²²⁷ tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:19]  ²²⁸ 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]  ²²⁹ 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]  ²³⁰ 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]  ²³¹ sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”

[22:20]  ²³² 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]  ²³³ 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]  ²³⁴ 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]  ²³⁵ 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]  ²³⁶ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ²³⁷ 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]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ²³⁹ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ²⁴⁰ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ²⁴¹ 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]  ²⁴² tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ²⁴³ 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]  ²⁴⁴ 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]  ²⁴⁵ 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]  ²⁴⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁴⁷ 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]  ²⁴⁸ 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]  ²⁴⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁵⁰ 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]  ²⁵¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:24]  ²⁵² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ²⁵³ 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]  ²⁵⁴ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:25]  ²⁵⁵ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:25]  ²⁵⁶ 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]  ²⁵⁷ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[22:26]  ²⁵⁸ 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]  ²⁵⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:26]  ²⁶⁰ 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]  ²⁶¹ 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]  ²⁶² tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁶³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ²⁶⁴ tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ²⁶⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁶⁶ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ²⁶⁷ tn Grk “He said.”

[22:28]  ²⁶⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:28]  ²⁶⁹ 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]  ²⁷⁰ tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”

[22:28]  ²⁷¹ 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]  ²⁷² tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:29]  ²⁷³ 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]  ²⁷⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:29]  ²⁷⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:29]  ²⁷⁶ 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]  ²⁷⁷ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:29]  ²⁷⁸ 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]  ²⁷⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ²⁸⁰ 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]  ²⁸¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ²⁸² tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ²⁸³ 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]  ²⁸⁴ 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]  ²⁸⁵ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ²⁸⁶ 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]  ²⁸⁷ tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2]  ²⁸⁸ tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2]  ²⁸⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2]  ²⁹⁰ 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]  ²⁹¹ 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]  ²⁹² 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]  ²⁹³ tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3]  ²⁹⁴ 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]  ²⁹⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4]  ²⁹⁶ 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]  ²⁹⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ²⁹⁸ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ²⁹⁹ 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]  ³⁰⁰ 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]  ³⁰¹ sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ³⁰² sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ³⁰³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ³⁰⁴ 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]  ³⁰⁵ tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ³⁰⁶ tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ³⁰⁷ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ³⁰⁸ 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]  ³⁰⁹ 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]  ³¹⁰ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ³¹¹ tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ³¹² 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]  ³¹³ 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]  ³¹⁴ tn This genitive absolute construction with the participle γινομένης (ginomenhs) has been taken temporally (it could also be translated as causal).

[23:10]  ³¹⁵ 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]  ³¹⁶ 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]  ³¹⁷ 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]  ³¹⁸ tn Or “to go down, grab him out of their midst.”

[23:10]  ³¹⁹ 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]  ³²⁰ sn The presence of the Lord indicated the vindicating presence and direction of God.

[23:11]  ³²¹ 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]  ³²² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:11]  ³²³ tn Or “Do not be afraid.”

[23:11]  ³²⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[23:11]  ³²⁵ 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]  ³²⁶ tn Grk “when it was day.”

[23:12]  ³²⁷ 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]  ³²⁸ 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]  ³²⁹ 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]  ³³⁰ 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]  ³³¹ 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]  ³³² 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]  ³³³ tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:14]  ³³⁴ 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]  ³³⁵ 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]  ³³⁶ tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).

[23:15]  ³³⁷ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:15]  ³³⁸ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:15]  ³³⁹ 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]  ³⁴⁰ tn Grk “determine the things about him.”

[23:15]  ³⁴¹ tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).

[23:15]  ³⁴² 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]  ³⁴³ tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[23:16]  ³⁴⁴ tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).

[23:16]  ³⁴⁵ 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]  ³⁴⁶ 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]  ³⁴⁷ 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]  ³⁴⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:17]  ³⁴⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ³⁵⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ³⁵¹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:18]  ³⁵² tn Grk “calling.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:19]  ³⁵³ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:19]  ³⁵⁴ 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]  ³⁵⁵ tn Grk “He said.”

[23:20]  ³⁵⁶ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:21]  ³⁵⁷ 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]  ³⁵⁸ 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]  ³⁵⁹ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ³⁶⁰ 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]  ³⁶¹ 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]  ³⁶² 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]  ³⁶³ 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]  ³⁶⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.

[23:22]  ³⁶⁵ 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]  ³⁶⁶ 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]  ³⁶⁷ 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]  ³⁶⁸ 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]  ³⁶⁹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[23:23]  ³⁷⁰ 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]  ³⁷¹ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:23]  ³⁷² 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]  ³⁷³ tn Grk “from.”

[23:23]  ³⁷⁴ tn Grk “from the third hour of the night.”

[23:24]  ³⁷⁵ 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]  ³⁷⁶ 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 a.d. 52/53. His administration was notorious for its corruption, cynicism, and cruelty. According to the historian Tacitus (History 5.9) Felix “reveled in cruelty and lust, and wielded the power of a king with the mind of a slave.”

[23:24]  ³⁷⁷ tn Grk “Felix the procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:25]  ³⁷⁸ 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]  ³⁷⁹ 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]  ³⁸⁰ tn Grk “Procurator.” The official Roman title has been translated as “governor” (BDAG 433 s.v. ἡγεμών 2).

[23:26]  ³⁸¹ sn Governor Felix. See the note on Felix in v. 24.

[23:27]  ³⁸² 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]  ³⁸³ 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]  ³⁸⁴ tn Or “approached.”

[23:27]  ³⁸⁵ 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]  ³⁸⁶ tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

[23:27]  ³⁸⁷ 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]  ³⁸⁸ tn Or “determine.”

[23:28]  ³⁸⁹ 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]  ³⁹⁰ tn Grk “their Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:29]  ³⁹¹ 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]  ³⁹² 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]  ³⁹³ 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]  ³⁹⁴ tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.

[23:30]  ³⁹⁵ 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]  ³⁹⁶ 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]  ³⁹⁷ tn BDAG 237-38 s.v. διατάσσω 2 has “κατὰ τὸ δ. αὐτοῖς in accordance w. their orders…Ac 23:31.”

[23:31]  ³⁹⁸ tn Grk “taking.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:31]  ³⁹⁹ 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]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “letting.” The participle ἐάσαντες (easante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:32]  ⁴⁰¹ tn Or “cavalrymen.”

[23:32]  ⁴⁰² 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]  ⁴⁰³ 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]  ⁴⁰⁴ 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]  ⁴⁰⁵ 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]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the governor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:34]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Grk “having read.” The participle ἀναγνούς (anagnou") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ⁴⁰⁸ 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]  ⁴⁰⁹ 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]  ⁴¹⁰ 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]  ⁴¹¹ tn Grk “and learning.” The participle πυθόμενος (puqomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:34]  ⁴¹² sn Cilicia was a province in northeastern Asia Minor.

[23:35]  ⁴¹³ 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]  ⁴¹⁴ 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]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:35]  ⁴¹⁶ 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 a.d. 56-57.

[24:1]  ⁴¹⁷ sn Ananias was in office from a.d. 47-59.

[24:1]  ⁴¹⁸ tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).

[24:1]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”

[24:1]  ⁴²⁰ 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]  ⁴²¹ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[24:2]  ⁴²² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ⁴²³ tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ⁴²⁴ tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ⁴²⁵ tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ⁴²⁶ 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]  ⁴²⁷ tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ⁴²⁸ 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]  ⁴²⁹ sn Most excellent Felix. See the note on Felix in 23:24.

[24:3]  ⁴³⁰ tn Grk “in every way and everywhere.”

[24:3]  ⁴³¹ 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]  ⁴³² 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]  ⁴³³ tn Or “request.”

[24:4]  ⁴³⁴ 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]  ⁴³⁵ tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”

[24:5]  ⁴³⁶ 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]  ⁴³⁷ 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]  ⁴³⁸ 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]  ⁴³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁴⁰ sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.

[24:6]  ⁴⁴¹ 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]  ⁴⁴² tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.

[24:6]  ⁴⁴³ 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]  ⁴⁴⁴ tc Some later mss include some material at the end of v. 6, all of 24:7, and some material at the beginning of v. 8: “and we wanted to judge him according to our law. 24:7 But Lysias the commanding officer came and took him out of our hands with a great deal of violence, 24:8 ordering those who accused him to come before you.” Acts 24:6b, 7, and 8a are lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B H L P 049 81 1175 1241 pm and a few versional witnesses. They are included (with a few minor variations) in E Ψ 33 323 614 945 1505 1739 pm and a few versional witnesses. This verse (and parts of verses) is most likely not a part of the original text of Acts, for not only is it lacking from the better witnesses, there is no easy explanation as to how such could be missing from them. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[24:8]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Or “question.”

[24:8]  ⁴⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).

[24:10]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[24:10]  ⁴⁵¹ sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.

[24:11]  ⁴⁵² 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]  ⁴⁵³ 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]  ⁴⁵⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:12]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn Or “disputing,” “conducting a heated discussion.”

[24:12]  ⁴⁵⁶ 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]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[24:12]  ⁴⁵⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[24:12]  ⁴⁵⁹ 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]  ⁴⁶⁰ 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]  ⁴⁶¹ 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]  ⁴⁶² 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]  ⁴⁶³ tn Or “serve.”

[24:14]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[24:14]  ⁴⁶⁵ 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]  ⁴⁶⁶ 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]  ⁴⁶⁷ 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]  ⁴⁶⁸ 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]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Grk “that they”; the referent (these men, Paul’s accusers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:15]  ⁴⁷⁰ 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]  ⁴⁷¹ 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]  ⁴⁷² 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]  ⁴⁷³ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ⁴⁷⁴ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:17]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn BDAG 401 s.v. ἔτος has “δι᾿ ἐ. πλειόνων after several years 24:17.”

[24:17]  ⁴⁷⁶ 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]  ⁴⁷⁷ 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]  ⁴⁷⁸ 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]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn BDAG 458 s.v. θόρυβος 3.b has “μετὰ θορύβου…with a disturbance Ac 24:18.”

[24:19]  ⁴⁸⁰ 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]  ⁴⁸¹ 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]  ⁴⁸² tn Grk “these [men] themselves.”

[24:20]  ⁴⁸³ tn Or “unrighteous act.”

[24:20]  ⁴⁸⁴ 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]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[24:21]  ⁴⁸⁶ 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]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn Grk “one utterance.”

[24:21]  ⁴⁸⁸ tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”

[24:21]  ⁴⁸⁹ sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?

[24:22]  ⁴⁹⁰ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:22]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Grk “the things.”

[24:22]  ⁴⁹² tn That is, concerning Christianity.

[24:22]  ⁴⁹³ 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]  ⁴⁹⁴ 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]  ⁴⁹⁵ 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]  ⁴⁹⁶ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[24:23]  ⁴⁹⁷ 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]  ⁴⁹⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).

[24:23]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn Grk “from serving him.”

[24:24]  ⁵⁰¹ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:24]  ⁵⁰² 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]  ⁵⁰³ 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]  ⁵⁰⁴ tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:25]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ⁵⁰⁷ 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]  ⁵⁰⁸ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ⁵¹⁰ 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]  ⁵¹¹ 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]  ⁵¹² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:26]  ⁵¹³ 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]  ⁵¹⁴ tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.

[24:27]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ⁵¹⁶ 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 a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ⁵¹⁷ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:27]  ⁵¹⁸ 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.