Acts 28:11-30

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 28:11 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.”
2. Acts 28:11 tn Or “the ‘Twin Gods’”; Grk “the Dioscuri” (a joint name for the pagan deities Castor and Pollux).sn That had the ‘Heavenly Twins’ as its figurehead. The twin brothers Castor and Pollux, known collectively as the Dioscuri or ‘Heavenly Twins,’ were the twin sons of Zeus and Leda according to Greek mythology. The Alexandrian ship on which Paul and his companions sailed from Malta had a carved emblem or figurehead of these figures, and they would have been the patron deities of the vessel. Castor and Pollux were the “gods of navigation.” To see their stars was considered a good omen (Epictetus, Discourses 2.18.29; Lucian of Samosata, The Ship 9).
3. Acts 28:11 tn Or “as its emblem.”
4. Acts 28:12 tn Grk “And putting in.” The participle καταχθέντες (katachthentes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the meaning of the participle, BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Συρακούσας Ac 28:12.” 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.
5. Acts 28:12 sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.
6. Acts 28:13 tc A few early mss (א* B Ψ [gig] sa [bo]) read περιελόντες (perielontes, “[From there we] cast off [and arrived at Rhegium]”; cf. Acts 27:40). The other major variant, περιελθόντες (perielthontes, “[we] sailed from place to place”), is found in P⁷⁴ א² A 066 1739 M lat sy. Although περιελόντες is minimally attested, it is found in the better witnesses. As well, it is a more difficult reading, for its meaning as a nautical term is uncertain, requiring something like “τὰς ἀγκύρας be supplied = ‘we weighed anchor’” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαιρέω 1). It thus best explains the rise of the other readings.
7. Acts 28:13 sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.
8. Acts 28:13 tn Grk “after one day, a south wind springing up, on the second day.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπιγενομένου (epigenomenou) has been translated as a clause with a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
9. Acts 28:13 sn Puteoli was a city on the western coast of Italy south of Rome. It was in the Bay of Naples some 220 mi (350 km) to the north of Rhegium. Here the voyage ended; the rest of the journey was by land.
10. Acts 28:14 tn Grk “where.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“where”) has been replaced with the demonstrative pronoun (“there”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.
11. Acts 28:14 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (heurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
12. Acts 28:14 sn That is, some fellow Christians.
13. Acts 28:15 sn Mention of Christian brothers from there (Rome) shows that God’s message had already spread as far as Italy and the capital of the empire.
14. Acts 28:15 sn The Forum of Appius was a small traveler’s stop on the Appian Way about 43 Roman miles (62 km) south of Rome (BDAG 125 s.v. ᾿Αππίου φόρον). It was described by Horace as “crammed with boatmen and stingy tavernkeepers” (Satires 1.5.3).
15. Acts 28:15 sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 Roman miles (49 km) south of Rome.
16. Acts 28:15 tn Grk “whom, when he saw [them], Paul.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.
17. Acts 28:16 tn Or “to stay.”sn Allowed to live by himself. Paul continued to have a generous prison arrangement (cf. Acts 27:3).
18. Acts 28:17 tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” 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.
19. Acts 28:17 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20. Acts 28:17 tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”
21. Acts 28:17 tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.
22. Acts 28:17 tn The participle ποιήσας (poiēsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
23. Acts 28:17 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”sn I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. Once again Paul claimed to be faithful to the Jewish people and to the God of Israel.
24. Acts 28:17 tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredothēn) has been translated “handed over.”
25. Acts 28:18 tn Grk “who when.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced by the personal pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.
26. Acts 28:18 tn Or “had questioned me”; or “had examined me.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 2 states, “to conduct a judicial hearing, hear a case, question.”
27. Acts 28:18 sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.
28. Acts 28:18 tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.
29. Acts 28:19 tn That is, objected to my release.
30. Acts 28:19 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
31. Acts 28:19 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, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context—‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”
32. Acts 28:19 tn Or “my own nation.”
33. Acts 28:20 sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).
34. Acts 28:21 tn Grk “they said to him.”
35. Acts 28:21 tn Or “arrived”; Grk “come” (“from there” is implied). Grk “coming.” The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
36. Acts 28:22 tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
37. Acts 28:22 tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.
38. Acts 28:22 tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.
39. Acts 28:23 tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
40. Acts 28:23 tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
41. Acts 28:23 tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”
42. Acts 28:23 tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”
43. Acts 28:23 tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
44. Acts 28:23 tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.
45. Acts 28:23 tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”
46. Acts 28:23 sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures. This is yet another summary of the message like that in 18:28. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching (along with Paul’s teaching here) has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See also Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21; Acts 1:3.
47. Acts 28:23 tn Or “persuade.”
48. Acts 28:24 tn Or “persuaded.”
49. Acts 28:24 tn Grk “by the things spoken.”
50. Acts 28:24 sn Some were convinced…but others refused to believe. Once again the gospel caused division among Jews, as in earlier chapters of Acts (13:46; 18:6).
51. Acts 28:25 tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
52. Acts 28:25 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
53. Acts 28:26 tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).
54. Acts 28:26 tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).
55. Acts 28:27 tn Or “insensitive.”sn The heart of this people has become dull. The charge from Isaiah is like Stephen’s against the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 7:51-53). They were a hard-hearted and disobedient people.
56. Acts 28:27 tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).
57. Acts 28:27 sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.
58. Acts 28:27 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.
59. Acts 28:28 tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”
60. Acts 28:28 tn Or “of God.”
61. Acts 28:28 sn The term Gentiles is in emphatic position in the Greek text of this clause. Once again there is the pattern: Jewish rejection of the gospel leads to an emphasis on Gentile inclusion (Acts 13:44-47).
62. Acts 28:28 tn Grk “they also.”
63. Acts 28:28 tc Some later mss include 28:29: “When he had said these things, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.” Verse 29 is lacking in P^74vid א A B E Ψ 048 33 81 1175 1739 2464 and a number of versions. They are included (with a few minor variations) in M it and some versions. This verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, as it lacks the best credentials. The present translation follows NA²⁸ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.
64. Acts 28:30 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
65. Acts 28:30 tn Or “stayed.”
66. Acts 28:30 tn Or perhaps, “two whole years at his own expense.” BDAG 654 s.v. μίσθωμα states, “the customary act. mng. ‘contract price, rent’…is not found in our lit. (Ac) and the pass. what is rented, a rented house is a mng. not found outside it (even Ammonius Gramm. [100 ad] p. 93 Valck. knows nothing of it. Hence the transl. at his own expense [NRSV] merits attention) ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι in his own rented lodgings Ac 28:30 (for the idea cf. Jos., Ant. 18, 235).”
67. Acts 28:30 tn Or “and received.”