^16:1He also came to Derbe¹ and to Lystra.² A disciple³ named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,⁴ but whose father was a Greek.⁵^16:2The brothers in Lystra⁶ and Iconium⁷ spoke well⁸ of him.⁹^16:3Paul wanted Timothy¹⁰ to accompany him, and he took¹¹ him and circumcised¹² him because of the Jews who were in those places,¹³ for they all knew that his father was Greek.¹⁴^16:4As they went through the towns,¹⁵ they passed on¹⁶ the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem¹⁷ for the Gentile believers¹⁸ to obey.¹⁹^16:5So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day.²⁰

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Footnotes

1 Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. It was about 90 mi (145 km) from Tarsus. For location see ; ; .
2 Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium. For location see ; ; .
3 Grk “And behold, a disciple.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.
4 L&N 31.103 translates this phrase “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer.”
5 His father was a Greek. Timothy was the offspring of a mixed marriage between a Jewish woman (see 2 Tim 1:5) and a Gentile man. On mixed marriages in Judaism, see Neh 13:23–27; Ezra 9:1–10:44; Mal 2:10–16; . 30:7–17; Qiddushin 3.12; Yevamot 7.5.
6 Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.
7 Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 110 mi (175 km) east of Pisidian Antioch.
8 For this sense of μαρτυρέω (martureō), see 2.b.
9 Grk “who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who was a believer … who was well spoken of”) and the awkwardness of the passive verb (“was well spoken of”), the relative pronoun at the beginning of 16:2 (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“him”) and the construction converted from passive to active at the same time a new sentence was started in the translation.
10 Grk “this one”; the referent (Timothy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 Grk “and taking him he circumcised him.” The participle λαβών (labōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Paul’s cultural sensitivity showed in his action here. He did not want Timothy’s lack of circumcision to become an issue (1 Cor 9:15–23).
12 The verb περιέτεμεν (perietemen) here may be understood as causative (cf. ) if Paul did not personally perform the circumcision.
13 Or “who lived in the area.”
14 The anarthrous predicate nominative has been translated as qualitative (“Greek”) rather than indefinite (“a Greek”). His father was Greek. Under Jewish law at least as early as the 2nd century, a person was considered Jewish if his or her mother was Jewish. It is not certain whether such a law was in effect in the 1st century, but even if it was, Timothy would not have been accepted as fully Jewish because he was not circumcised.
15 Or “cities.”
16 παραδίδωμι 3 has “they handed down to them the decisions to observe Ac 16:4.”
17 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
18 Grk “for them”; the referent (Gentile believers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 Or “observe” or “follow.”
20 ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

NLTNew Living Translation

Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman but of a Greek father, who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this one to go with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the towns, they passed on to them to observe the rules that had been decided by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were growing in number every day.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

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