Acts 11–12

Footnotes

1. 1 See δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.
2. 2 Here the phrase “word of God” is another way to describe the gospel (note the preceding verb ἐδέξαντο, edexanto, “accepted”). The phrase could also be translated “the word [message] from God.”
3. 3 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
4. 4 Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.
5. 5 Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” ( διακρίνω 5.b).
6. 6 Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).
7. 7 Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.
8. 8 Or “to them in logical sequence,” “to them in order.” καθεξῆς has “explain to someone point by point” for this phrase. This is the same term used in Luke 1:3.
9. 9 This term describes a supernatural vision and reflects a clear distinction from something imagined ( ὅραμα 1). Peter repeated the story virtually word for word through v. 13. The repetition with this degree of detail shows the event’s importance.
10. 10 Or “coming down.”
11. 11 Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
12. 12 Grk “Staring I looked into it.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
13. 13 Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25–26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate.
14. 14 Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. πετεινόν).
15. 15 Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (thuson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.
16. 16 Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. The sentiment Peter expressed is like Ezek 4:14.
17. 17 Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.
18. 18 Grk “And behold.”
19. 19 Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in . For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
20. 20 See ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epestēsan) here.
21. 21 The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
22. 22 Six witnesses is three times more than what would normally be required. They could confirm the events were not misrepresented by Peter.
23. 23 Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rhēmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.
24. 24 Or “came down on.”
25. 25 The words “he did” are not in the Greek text but are implied. They form an ellipsis which must be supplied for the modern English reader. Some modern translations supply “it” rather than “he” because the gender of πνεῦμα (pneuma) in Greek is neuter, but there are sufficient NT contexts that use masculine pronouns to refer to the Spirit to justify the use of a masculine pronoun here in the translation.
26. 26 At the beginning is an allusion to Acts 2 and Pentecost. The beginning is a way to refer to the start of the period of the realization of Jesus’ promise in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. Peter was arguing that God gave Gentiles the same benefits he gave the Jews at the start of their mission.
27. 27 The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rhēma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.
28. 28 The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.
29. 29 John … Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.
30. 30 Codex Bezae (D) and {a few other Western witnesses} here lack ὁ θεός (ho theos, “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.
31. 31 That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.
32. 32 Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (hēmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edōken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.
33. 33 Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
34. 34 Or “prevent,” “forbid” ( κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.
35. 35 Grk “these things.”
36. 36 Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.
37. 37 Or “glorified.”
38. 38 Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7–42; 7:37–39).
39. 39 In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.
40. 40 The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b–3.
41. 41 Or “finally reached.” The translations “went as far as” and “finally reached” for διῆλθον (diēlthon) in this verse are given in L&N 15.17.
42. 42 Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.
43. 43 Grk “and Cyprus,” but 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. Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
44. 44 Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). This was probably the third largest city in the Greco-Roman world (Alexandria in Egypt was the second largest, and Rome the largest) and was the seat of government in Syria. Five miles away was a major temple to Artemis, Apollo, and Astarte, major pagan deities. For location see ; ; ; .
45. 45 Grk “word.”
46. 46 Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
47. 47 Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.
48. 48 Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elthontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
49. 49 Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in .
50. 50 The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene … began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.
51. 51 Grk “And the.” 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.
52. 52 The participle πιστεύσας (pisteusas) is articular and thus cannot be adverbial. It is adjectival, modifying ἀριθμός (arithmos), but has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who believed”).
53. 53 Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.
54. 54 Grk “Word.”
55. 55 Grk “was heard in the ears,” an idiom. L&N 24.67 states that the idiom means “to hear in secret” (which it certainly does in Matt 10:27), but secrecy does not seem to be part of the context here, and there is no particular reason to suggest the report was made in secret.
56. 56 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
57. 57 Most read the infinitive “to travel” after “Barnabas.” διελθεῖν (dielthein) is found before ἕως (heōs) in D E Ψ 33 𝔐 and some versional . It is lacking in 𝔓74 א A B 81 1739 and some versional . Although the infinitive with ἕως fits Lukan style, it has the appearance of a scribal clarification. The infinitive has the earmarks of a Western expansion on the text and thus is unlikely to be original. has the infinitive in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
58. 58 Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in . Again the Jerusalem church exercised an oversight role.
59. 59 Grk “Antioch, who when.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
60. 60 προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse. He … encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord. The call to faithfulness is frequent in Acts (2:40; 14:22; 15:32; 16:39; 20:1–2).
61. 61 Grk “with purpose of heart”; πρόθεσις 2.a translates this phrase “purpose of heart, i.e. devotion” here.
62. 62 Grk “a significant crowd.”
63. 63 Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in .
64. 64 Grk “So it happened that” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
65. 65 Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
66. 66 Grk “a significant crowd.”
67. 67 Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in .
68. 68 The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.
69. 69 Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.
70. 70 The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.
71. 71 Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.
72. 72 Came down from Jerusalem. Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude).
73. 73 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
74. 74 Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in . For location see ; ; ;
75. 75 Grk “getting up, predicted.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
76. 76 Or “made clear”; Grk “indicated beforehand” ( σημαίνω 2).
77. 77 Grk “great.”
78. 78 This famine is one of the firmly fixed dates in Acts. It took place from a.d. 45–48. The events described in chap. 11 of Acts occurred during the early part of that period.
79. 79 Or “whole Roman Empire.” While the word οἰκουμένη (oikoumenē) does occasionally refer specifically to the Roman Empire, οἰκουνένη 2 does not list this passage (only Acts 24:5 and 17:6).
80. 80 Grk “world, which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “this” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
81. 81 This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Claudius was the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41–54.
82. 82 So εὐπορέω.
83. 83 Or “determined,” “resolved.”
84. 84 Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters. The financial relief reflects the oneness of the church, meeting the needs of another (even racially distinct) community. Jerusalem, having ministered to them, now received ministry back. A later collection from Greece is noted in Rom 15:25–27, but it reflects the same spirit as this gift.
85. 85 Grk “Judea, which they did.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
86. 86 The words “their financial aid” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
87. 1 King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great). His mediocre career is summarized in Josephus, 18–19. This event took place in a.d. 42 or 43.
88. 2 Or “King Herod had some from the church arrested.”
89. 3 Or “to cause them injury.”
90. 4 The expression executed with a sword probably refers to a beheading. James was the first known apostolic martyr (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 2.9.1–3). On James, not the Lord’s brother, see Luke 5:10; 6:14. This death ended a short period of peace noted in Acts 9:31 after the persecution mentioned in 8:1–3.
91. 5 This could be a reference to the Jewish people (so ) or to the Jewish leaders (so ). The statement in v. 4 that Herod intended to bring Peter “out to the people” (i.e., for a public trial) may suggest the former is somewhat more likely.
92. 6 This is a parenthetical note by the author.
93. 7 Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.
94. 8 Grk “guard him, planning to bring him out.” The Greek construction continues with a participle (βουλόμενος, boulomenos) and an infinitive (ἀναγαγεῖν, anagagein), but this creates an awkward and lengthy sentence in English. Thus a reference to Herod was introduced as subject and the participle translated as a finite verb (“Herod planned”).
95. 9 Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”
96. 10 Grk “to bring him out to the people,” but in this context a public trial (with certain condemnation as the result) is doubtless what Herod planned. L&N 15.176 translates this phrase “planning to bring him up for a public trial after the Passover.”
97. 11 Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:15 and Acts 26:7.
98. 12 Grk “but earnest prayer was being made by the church to God for him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to follow English style, and the somewhat awkward passive “prayer was being made” has been changed to the simpler active verb “were praying.” Luke portrays what follows as an answer to prayer.
99. 13 Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.
100. 14 Grk “two chains, and.” Logically it makes better sense to translate this as a temporal clause, although technically it is a coordinate clause in Greek.
101. 15 Or “were guarding.”
102. 16 Grk “And behold.” 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 interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.
103. 17 Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in .
104. 18 Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap ( πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
105. 19 Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
106. 20 Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.
107. 21 While ζώννυμι (zōnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.
108. 22 Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
109. 23 Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
110. 24 Or “outer garment.”
111. 25 Grk “And going out he followed.”
112. 26 Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
113. 27 The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
114. 28 Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see ἀληθής 3).
115. 29 Or perhaps, “guard posts.”
116. 30 The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).
117. 31 Grk “which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
118. 32 The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automatē), indicates something that happens without visible cause ( αὐτόματος).
119. 33 Or “lane,” “alley” ( ῥύμη).
120. 34 Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
121. 35 Or “delivered.”
122. 36 Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.
123. 37 King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
124. 38 Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).
125. 39 Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
126. 40 Grk “John who was also called Mark.” John Mark becomes a key figure in Acts 12:25; 13:5, 13; 15:37–39.
127. 41 Or “responded.”
128. 42 Or “informed.”
129. 43 The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
130. 44 “You’ve lost your mind!” Such a response to the miraculous is not unusual in Luke-Acts. See Luke 24:11; Acts 26:25. The term μαίνομαι (mainomai) can have the idea of being “raving mad” or “totally irrational” ( ). It is a strong expression.
131. 45 Grk “she kept insisting that the situation was thus” (cf. ἔχω 10.a). Most translations supply a less awkward English phrase like “it was so”; the force of her insistence, however, is that “it was Peter,” which was the point under dispute.
132. 46 The two imperfect tense verbs, διϊσχυρίζετο (diischurizeto) and ἔλεγον (elegon), are both taken iteratively. The picture is thus virtually a shouting match between Rhoda and the rest of the believers.
133. 47 The assumption made by those inside, “It is his angel,” seems to allude to the idea of an attending angel (cf. Gen 48:16 ; Matt 18:10; Test. Jacob 1:10).
134. 48 The words “the door” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see Acts 12:13).
135. 49 That they were greatly astonished is a common response in Luke-Acts to God’s work (Luke 8:56; Acts 2:7, 12; 8:13; 9:21; 10:45).
136. 50 Or “He gave them a signal.” Grk “Giving them a signal … he related to them.” The participle κατασείσας (kataseisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
137. 51 Most , including some of the most important ones (B D E Ψ 𝔐 sy), read αὐτοῖς (autois, “to them”) here, while some excellent and early witnesses (𝔓45vid,74vid א A 33 81 945 1739 ) lack the pronoun. Although it is possible that the pronoun was deleted because it was seen as superfluous, it is also possible that it was added as a natural expansion on the text, strengthening the connection between Peter and his listeners. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading is slightly preferred. puts the pronoun in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
138. 52 Or “led.”
139. 53 He … went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.
140. 54 ῥμέρα 1.a has “day is breaking” for ῥμέρα γίνεται (hēmera ginetai) in this verse.
141. 55 Grk “no little consternation.” The translation given for τάραχος (tarachos) in this verse by τάραχος 1 is “mental agitation.” The situation indicated by the Greek word is described in L&N 25.243 as “a state of acute distress and great anxiety, with the additional possible implications of dismay and confusion—‘great distress, extreme anxiety.’ ” The English word “consternation” is preferred here because it conveys precisely such a situation of anxiety mixed with fear. The reason for this anxiety is explained in the following verse.
142. 56 King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
143. 57 Or “had instigated a search” (Herod would have ordered the search rather than conducting it himself).
144. 58 “Questioned” is used to translate ἀνακρίνας (anakrinas) here because a possible translation offered by ἀνακρίνω for this verse is “examined,” which could be understood to mean Herod inspected the guards rather than questioned them. The translation used by the , “cross-examined,” also avoids this possible misunderstanding.
145. 59 The meaning “led away to execution” for ἀπαχθῆναι (apachthēnai) in this verse is given by ἀπάγω 2.c. Although an explicit reference to execution is lacking here, it is what would usually occur in such a case (Acts 16:27; 27:42; Code of Justinian 9.4.4). “Led away to torture” is a less likely option (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10, 96, 8).
146. 60 Grk “and,” but the sequence of events is better expressed in English by “then.” A new sentence is begun in the translation because of the length of the sentence in Greek, which exceeds normal English sentence length.
147. 61 Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Since Herod has been the subject of the preceding material, and the circumstances of his death are the subject of the following verses (20–23), it is best to understand Herod as the subject here. This is especially true since according to Josephus, 19.8.2 [19.343–352], Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44, and vv. 20–23 here describe his death. Thus the end of v. 19 provides Luke’s transition to explain how Herod got from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he died. In spite of all this evidence, the translates this phrase “Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there,” understanding the referent to be Peter rather than Herod Agrippa I. King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great), who died at Caesarea in a.d. 44 according to Josephus, 19.8.2 [19.343–352].
148. 62 Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in . For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
149. 63 Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
150. 64 Or “was extremely angry.” L&N 33.453 gives the meaning “be angry and quarrel, quarrel angrily” here. However, in L&N 88.180 the alternative “to be violently angry, to be furious” is given. The term is used only once in the NT ( θυμομαχέω).
151. 65 Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. For location see ; ; ; ; .
152. 66 Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre ( Σιδών). For location see ; ; .
153. 67 Or “with one accord.”
154. 68 Or “persuading.”
155. 69 On the term translated “personal assistant” κοιτῶν states, “used as part of a title: ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος the one in charge of the bed-chamber, the chamberlain.” This individual was not just a domestic servant or butler, but a highly respected person who had considerable responsibility for the king’s living quarters and personal affairs. The English word “chamberlain” corresponds very closely to this meaning but is not in common use today. The term “personal assistant,” while it might convey more business associations than management of personal affairs, nevertheless communicates the concept well in contemporary English.
156. 70 The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
157. 71 Or “for a reconciliation.” There were grave political risks in having Herod angry at them. The detail shows the ruler’s power.
158. 72 Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
159. 73 Or “apparel.” On Herod’s robes see Josephus, 19.8.2 (19.344), summarized in the note at the end of v. 23.
160. 74 Although βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “speaker’s platform” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“rostrum,” ; “platform,” ), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here. The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
161. 75 Or “delivered a public address.”
162. 76 The translation “crowd” is given by δῆμος; the word often means a gathering of citizens to conduct public business. Here it is simply the group of people gathered to hear the king’s speech.
163. 77 The imperfect verb ἐπεφώνει (epephōnei) is taken ingressively in the sequence of events. Presumably the king had started his speech when the crowd began shouting.
164. 78 The voice of a god. Contrast the response of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:13–15.
165. 79 Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in .
166. 80 On being struck … down by an angel, see Acts 23:3; 1 Sam 25:28; 2 Sam 12:15; 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Chr 13:20; 2 Macc 9:5.
167. 81 Grk “him”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
168. 82 He was eaten by worms and died. Josephus, 19.8.2 (19.343–352), states that Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44. The account by Josephus, while not identical to Luke’s account, is similar in many respects: On the second day of a festival, Herod Agrippa appeared in the theater with a robe made of silver. When it sparkled in the sun, the people cried out flatteries and declared him to be a god. The king, carried away by the flattery, saw an owl (an omen of death) sitting on a nearby rope, and immediately was struck with severe stomach pains. He was carried off to his house and died five days later. The two accounts can be reconciled without difficulty, since while Luke states that Herod was immediately struck down by an angel, his death could have come several days later. The mention of worms with death adds a humiliating note to the scene. The formerly powerful ruler had been thoroughly reduced to nothing (cf. Jdt 16:17; 2 Macc 9:9; cf. also Josephus, 17.6.5 [17.168–170], which details the sickness which led to Herod the Great’s death).
169. 83 A metonymy for the number of adherents to God’s word.
170. 84 Or “spreading.”
171. 85 There are a number of variants at this point in the text: εἰς (eis, “to”) in א B 𝔐 sams syhmg; ἀπό (apo, “from”) in D E Ψ 36 323 453 614 1175 ; ἐξ (ex, “from”) in 𝔓74 A 33 945 1739 ; ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν (ex Ierousalēm eis Antiocheian, “from Jerusalem to Antioch”) in {a few later manuscripts and part of the Itala}. A decision on this problem is very difficult, but for several reasons εἰς can be preferred. It is the most difficult reading by far in light of the context, since Paul and Barnabas were going to Jerusalem in 11:30. It is found in better witnesses, א and B being very strong evidence. The other readings, ἐξ and ἀπό, are different from εἰς yet bear essentially the same meaning as each other; this seems to suggest that scribes had problems with εἰς and tried to choose an acceptable revision. If εἰς is the earliest reading, ἀπό may be a clarification of ἐξ, and ἐξ could have arisen through confusion of letters. Or ἐξ and ἀπό could both have independently arisen from εἰς as a more acceptable preposition. Despite such arguments, however, the case for εἰς is not airtight: either ἐξ or ἀπό could be preferred on other lines of reasoning. The reading ἐξ enjoys the earliest support, and εἰς could have arisen through the same confusion of letters mentioned above. The immediate and wider context seems to mitigate against εἰς as the original reading: The aorist participle πληρώσαντες (plērōsantes, “when they had completed”) seems to signal the end of the mission to Jerusalem with the famine relief, so it would make sense in the context for the team to be coming from Jerusalem (to Antioch) rather than to Jerusalem, and 13:1 certainly presents the scene at Antioch. The later addition εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν after Ἰερουσαλήμ in some seems to be a clarification in light of 13:1 (notice that some of the that read ἐξ add εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν [945 1739], and some that read ἀπό also add εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν [E 323 1175]). Thus, the idea of spatial separation from Jerusalem is strongly implied by the context. This problem is so difficult that some scholars resort to conjectural emendation to determine the original reading. All in all, the reading εἰς should be preferred as original, recognizing that there is a good measure of uncertainty with this solution. For additional discussion, see .
172. 86 That is, from Jerusalem to Antioch (see Acts 11:29–30). For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
173. 87 Grk “fulfilled.”
174. 88 Grk “ministry” or “service.”
175. 89 Grk “John who was also called Mark.”