Acts 26:9–18

Footnotes

1. 27 οὖν 3 states, “It has been proposed that some traces of older Gk. usage in which οὖν is emphatic, = certainly, really, to be sure etc. (s. L-S-J-M 1) remain in the pap … and in the NT … indeed, of course Ac 26:9.”
2. 28 Grk “I thought to myself.” δοκέω 2.a has “ἕδοξα ἐμαυτῷ δῖν πρᾶξαι = Lat. mihi videbar I was convinced that it was necessary to do Ac 26:9.”
3. 29 Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labōn) has been taken instrumentally.
4. 30 Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone—‘to vote against.’ … ‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”
5. 31 Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).
6. 32 Grk “and punishing … I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timōrōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
7. 33 See the note on synagogue in .
8. 34 The imperfect verb ἠνάγκαζον (ēnankazon) has been translated as a conative imperfect (so ἀναγκάζω 1, which has “ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11”).
9. 35 Or “was so insanely angry with them.” ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged … περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind—‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ … ‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”
10. 36 Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”
11. 37 Grk “in which [activity].” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 in the translation. The referent of the relative pronoun (“which”) was specified as “this very thing” for clarity.
12. 38 Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.
13. 39 L&N 37.40 ἐπιτροπή states, “the full authority to carry out an assignment or commission—‘authority, complete power.’ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετʼ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ‘going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the high priests’ Ac 26:12. In Ac 26:12 the combination of ἐξουσία and ἐπιτροπή serves to reinforce the sense of complete authority.”
14. 40 Grk “O King.”
15. 41 Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
16. 42 The word “everywhere” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning of περιλάμψαν (perilampsan). Otherwise the modern reader might think that each of the individuals were encircled by lights or halos. See also Acts 9:7; 22:6, 9.
17. 43 Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.
18. 44 Grk “It is hard for you.”
19. 45 “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See κέντρον 2. Sayings which contain the imagery used here (kicking against the goads) were also found in Greek writings; see Pindar, Pythians 2.94–96; Euripides, Bacchae 795.
20. 46 Grk “said.”
21. 47 L&N 30.89 has “ ‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’ ”
22. 48 As a servant and witness. The commission is similar to Acts 1:8 and Luke 1:2. Paul was now an “eyewitness” of the Lord.
23. 49 ὁράω A.1.b states, “W. attraction of the relative ὧν = τούτων ἅ Lk 9:36; Ac 22:15. The attraction may be due to colloq. breviloquence in μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες με ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι a witness to the things in which you saw me and to those in which I shall appear to you Ac 26:16b.”
24. 50 Some read “of the things in which you have seen me.” The accusative object με (me, “me”) is found after εἶδές (eides) in B C*vid 614 945 1175 1505 1739 1891 2464 sy sa; it is lacking in 𝔓74 א A C2 E Ψ 096 𝔐 latt bo. The external evidence is relatively evenly divided, though there is a slight preference for the omission. includes the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
25. 51 Grk “rescuing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ἐξαιρούμενος (exairoumenos) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 17.
26. 52 That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
27. 53 The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.
28. 54 To open their eyes so that they turn … Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77–79; 3:3; 24:47.
29. 55 ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. 6)
30. 56 Or “and an inheritance.”