使徒行傳 22
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
22 「各位父老兄弟,請聽我解釋!」 2 在場的人聽見保羅講的是希伯來話,更加安靜了。保羅說: 3 「我是猶太人,生於基利迦的大數,在耶路撒冷長大,曾在迦瑪列門下嚴格地按著我們祖先的律法接受教育,像你們今日一樣熱心事奉上帝。 4 我曾經把信奉這道的男女信徒抓進監獄,迫害他們,置他們於死地。 5 大祭司和眾長老都可以為我作證。我還拿著他們寫給大馬士革的猶太人的信去拘捕那裡的信徒,押回耶路撒冷受刑。
6 「當我快到大馬士革的時候,大約中午時分,突然從天上有一道強光四面照著我。 7 我就仆倒在地,聽見有聲音對我說,『掃羅!掃羅!你為什麼迫害我?』 8 我回答說,『主啊,你是誰?』他說,『我就是你迫害的拿撒勒人耶穌!』 9 我的同伴雖然也看見那道強光,卻聽不懂那位說話者的聲音。 10 接著我又問,『主啊!我該怎麼辦?』主說,『起來,到大馬士革去,那裡會有人將指派給你的事告訴你。』
11 「那道耀眼的光照得我雙眼失明,於是同行的人拉著我的手,帶我進了大馬士革。 12 那裡有一個嚴守律法的虔誠人名叫亞拿尼亞,深受當地所有猶太人的尊敬。 13 他來探望我,站在我身邊說,『掃羅弟兄,重見光明吧!』就在那一刻,我抬頭看見了他。 14 他又說,『我們祖先的上帝揀選了你,要你明白祂的旨意,又讓你親自看見那位公義者、聽到祂的聲音。 15 因為你將作祂的見證人,把所見所聞告訴萬民。 16 現在你還等什麼呢?起來求告祂的名,接受洗禮,洗淨你的罪。』
17 「後來,我回到耶路撒冷,在聖殿裡禱告的時候,進入異象, 18 看見主對我說,『趕快離開耶路撒冷,因為這裡的人不會接受你為我做的見證。』 19 我說,『主啊!他們都知道我從前搜遍各會堂,逮捕、毒打信你的人。 20 當你的見證人司提凡為你流血殉道時,我自己也站在旁邊贊同殺他的人,還替他們保管衣服。』 21 主卻對我說,『去吧!我要差遣你到遙遠的外族人那裡。』」
因羅馬公民身分而免刑
22 眾人一聽到這裡,就高喊:「從世上除掉這樣的人!他不配活著!」 23 百姓咆哮著脫掉外衣,揚起塵土。 24 千夫長下令把保羅押回營房,預備鞭打拷問他,要查出眾人向他咆哮的緣由。 25 他們把保羅綁起來正要鞭打,保羅問旁邊的百夫長:「未經定罪就拷打羅馬公民合法嗎?」
26 百夫長一聽,立刻去稟告千夫長說:「你看該怎麼辦?這人是羅馬公民。」
27 千夫長就來問保羅:「告訴我,你是羅馬公民嗎?」
保羅說:「是的。」
28 千夫長說:「我花了很多錢才當上羅馬公民!」
保羅說:「我生來就是。」
29 那些準備拷問保羅的士兵立刻退下了。千夫長也害怕起來,因為發現保羅是羅馬公民,他卻下令捆綁了保羅。
保羅在公會申辯
30 第二天,千夫長想知道保羅被猶太人指控的真相,就為保羅鬆了綁,並召聚了祭司長和全公會的人,然後將保羅帶來,讓他站在眾人面前。
使徒行传 22
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
22 “各位父老弟兄,請聽聽我現在對你們的申辯。” 2 他們聽見保羅用希伯來語說話,就更加安靜了。保羅說: 3 “我是猶太人,生在基利家的大數,在城裡長大,按照我們祖宗律法的嚴格要求,在迦瑪列門下受教,我為 神熱心,好像你們大家今天一樣。 4 我曾經迫害信奉這道的人直至死地,把男男女女都捆綁起來,送進監獄, 5 這是大祭司和全公議會都可以給我作證的。我也從他們那裡得到了寫給眾弟兄的信,就去大馬士革,要把那裡的人捆綁起來,帶到耶路撒冷接受懲罰。
保羅自述信主經過
6 “約在正午,當我走近大馬士革的時候,忽然有大光從天上向我四面照射, 7 我仆倒在地上,聽見有聲音對我說:‘掃羅,掃羅,你為甚麼迫害我?’ 8 我回答:‘主啊,你是誰?’他說:‘我就是你所迫害的拿撒勒人耶穌。’ 9 跟我在一起的人,只看見那光,卻聽不清楚那位對我說話的聲音。 10 我說:‘主啊,我應當作甚麼呢?’主說:‘起來,進大馬士革去,在那裡有人會把指定給你作的一切事告訴你。’ 11 因為那光太強烈,我的眼睛就瞎了,跟我在一起的人就牽著我的手,進了大馬士革。
12 “有一個人名叫亞拿尼亞的,他是一個虔誠而遵守律法的人,當地所有的猶太人都稱讚他。 13 他來見我,站在我旁邊,對我說:‘掃羅弟兄,你現在可以看見了。’我立刻往上一看,看見了他。 14 他又說:‘我們祖先的 神選派了你,讓你明白他的旨意,看見那義者,聽見他口中的聲音。 15 因為你要把所看見所聽見的,向萬人為他作見證。 16 現在你為甚麼還耽擱呢?起來受洗,求告他的名,洗淨你的罪吧。’
保羅蒙差遣向外族人傳福音
17 “後來,我回到耶路撒冷,在殿裡禱告的時候,魂遊象外, 18 看見主對我說:‘你要快快離開耶路撒冷,因為你為我作的見證,他們是不會接受的。’ 19 我說:‘主啊,他們知道我曾把信你的人監禁起來,又在各會堂拷打他們, 20 並且你的見證人司提反受害流血的時候,我也親自在場,表示同意,並且為殺他的人看守衣服。’ 21 他對我說:‘你走吧,我要派你到遠方的外族人那裡去。’”
保羅與千夫長
22 眾人聽見他說到這句話,就高聲說:“這樣的人應該從地上除掉,不應該活著!” 23 大家正在喊叫著,拋擲衣服,向空中揚灰撒土的時候, 24 千夫長下令把保羅帶到營樓去,吩咐人用鞭子拷問他,要知道群眾為甚麼這樣向他喊叫。 25 士兵正用皮帶綁他的時候,保羅對站在旁邊的百夫長說:“你們鞭打一個還沒有定罪的羅馬公民,是合法的嗎?” 26 百夫長聽了,就去報告千夫長,說:“這個人是羅馬公民,你要怎麼辦呢?” 27 千夫長就來問保羅:“告訴我,你是羅馬公民嗎?”他說:“是的。” 28 千夫長說:“我花了一大筆錢,才取得羅馬籍。”保羅說:“我生下來就是羅馬公民。” 29 於是那些要拷問他的人,立刻離開他走了。千夫長既知道他是羅馬公民,又因捆綁過他,就害怕起來。
保羅在公議會面前申辯
30 第二天,千夫長為要知道猶太人控告保羅的真相,就解開他,召集了祭司長和公議會全體在一起,把保羅帶下來,叫他站在他們面前。
Acts 22
New English Translation
Paul’s Defense
22 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense[a] that I now[b] make to you.” 2 (When they heard[c] that he was addressing[d] them in Aramaic,[e] they became even[f] quieter.)[g] Then[h] Paul said, 3 “I am a Jew,[i] born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up[j] in this city, educated with strictness[k] under[l] Gamaliel[m] according to the law of our ancestors,[n] and was[o] zealous[p] for God just as all of you are today. 4 I[q] persecuted this Way[r] even to the point of death,[s] tying up[t] both men and women and putting[u] them in prison, 5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders[v] can testify about me. From them[w] I also received[x] letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way[y] to make arrests there and bring[z] the prisoners[aa] to Jerusalem[ab] to be punished. 6 As[ac] I was en route and near Damascus,[ad] about noon a very bright[ae] light from heaven[af] suddenly flashed[ag] around me. 7 Then I[ah] fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand[ai] the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 So I asked,[aj] ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up[ak] and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything[al] that you have been designated[am] to do.’ 11 Since I could not see because of[an] the brilliance[ao] of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of[ap] those who were with me. 12 A man named Ananias,[aq] a devout man according to the law,[ar] well spoken of by all the Jews who live there,[as] 13 came[at] to me and stood beside me[au] and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’[av] And at that very moment[aw] I looked up and saw him.[ax] 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors[ay] has already chosen[az] you to know his will, to see[ba] the Righteous One,[bb] and to hear a command[bc] from his mouth, 15 because you will be his witness[bd] to all people[be] of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for?[bf] Get up,[bg] be baptized, and have your sins washed away,[bh] calling on his name.’[bi] 17 When[bj] I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance[bk] 18 and saw the Lord[bl] saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 I replied,[bm] ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues[bn] who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of your witness[bo] Stephen was shed,[bp] I myself was standing nearby, approving,[bq] and guarding the cloaks[br] of those who were killing him.’[bs] 21 Then[bt] he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
The Roman Commander Questions Paul
22 The crowd[bu] was listening to him until he said this.[bv] Then[bw] they raised their voices and shouted,[bx] “Away with this man[by] from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!”[bz] 23 While they were screaming[ca] and throwing off their cloaks[cb] and tossing dust[cc] in the air, 24 the commanding officer[cd] ordered Paul[ce] to be brought back into the barracks.[cf] He told them[cg] to interrogate Paul[ch] by beating him with a lash[ci] so that he could find out the reason the crowd[cj] was shouting at Paul[ck] in this way. 25 When they had stretched him out for the lash,[cl] Paul said to the centurion[cm] standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen[cn] without a proper trial?”[co] 26 When the centurion[cp] heard this,[cq] he went to the commanding officer[cr] and reported it,[cs] saying, “What are you about to do?[ct] For this man is a Roman citizen.”[cu] 27 So the commanding officer[cv] came and asked[cw] Paul,[cx] “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”[cy] He replied,[cz] “Yes.” 28 The commanding officer[da] answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.”[db] “But I was even[dc] born a citizen,”[dd] Paul replied.[de] 29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away[df] from him, and the commanding officer[dg] was frightened when he realized that Paul[dh] was[di] a Roman citizen[dj] and that he had had him tied up.[dk]
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30 The next day, because the commanding officer[dl] wanted to know the true reason[dm] Paul[dn] was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council[do] to assemble. He then brought[dp] Paul down and had him stand before them.
Footnotes
- Acts 22:1 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.
- Acts 22:1 tn The adverb νυνί (nuni, “now”) is connected with the phrase τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας (tēs pros humas nuni apologias) 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.
- Acts 22:2 tn ἀκούσαντες (akousantes) has been taken temporally.
- Acts 22:2 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.”
- Acts 22:2 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See the note on “Aramaic” in 21:40.
- Acts 22:2 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.”
- Acts 22:2 tn BDAG 440 s.v. ἡσυχία 2 has “παρέχειν ἡσυχίαν quiet down, give a hearing…Ac 22:2.”sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.
- Acts 22:2 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.
- Acts 22:3 tn Grk “a Jewish man.”
- Acts 22:3 tn BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b has “of mental and spiritual nurture bring up, rear, train…ἀνατεθραμμένος ἐν τ. πόλει ταύτῃ 22:3.”
- Acts 22:3 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.”
- Acts 22:3 tn Grk “strictly at the feet of” (an idiom).
- Acts 22:3 tn Or “brought up in this city under Gamaliel, educated with strictness…” The phrase παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ (para tous podas Gamaliēl) could be understood with what precedes or with what follows. The punctuation of NA28 and UBS5, which place a comma after ταύτῃ (tautē), has been followed in the translation.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.
- Acts 22:3 tn Or “our forefathers.”
- Acts 22:3 tn Grk “ancestors, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (huparchōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
- Acts 22:3 tn BDAG 427 s.v. ζηλωτής 1.a.α has “of pers.…ζ. τοῦ θεοῦ one who is loyal to God Ac 22:3.”
- Acts 22:4 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.
- Acts 22:4 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).
- Acts 22:4 tn BDAG 442-43 s.v. θάνατος 1.a has “διώκειν ἄχρι θανάτου persecute even to death Ac 22:4.”
- Acts 22:4 tn Grk “binding.” See Acts 8:3.
- Acts 22:4 tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “W. local εἰς…εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3; cp. 22:4.”
- Acts 22:5 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.”
- Acts 22:5 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.
- Acts 22:5 tn Grk “receiving.” The participle δεξάμενος (dexamenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
- Acts 22:5 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.
- Acts 22:5 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.
- Acts 22:5 tn BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b has “δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά bring someone as prisoner…Ac 9:2, 21; 22:5.”
- Acts 22:5 tn Grk “I was going…to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners that they might be punished.”
- Acts 22:6 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.
- Acts 22:6 tn Grk “going and nearing Damascus.”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).
- Acts 22:6 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.b has “φῶς a very bright light Ac 22:6.”
- Acts 22:6 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
- Acts 22:6 tn Or “shone.”
- Acts 22:7 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.”
- Acts 22:9 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.
- Acts 22:10 tn Grk “So I said.”
- Acts 22:10 tn Grk “Getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.
- Acts 22:10 tn Grk “about all things.”
- Acts 22:10 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.
- Acts 22:11 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.”
- Acts 22:11 tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”
- Acts 22:11 tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, hupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”
- Acts 22:12 tn Grk “a certain Ananias.”
- Acts 22:12 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
- Acts 22:12 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.”
- Acts 22:13 tn Grk “coming.” The participle ἐλθών (elthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
- Acts 22:13 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.
- Acts 22:13 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).
- Acts 22:13 tn Grk “hour,” but ὥρα (hōra) 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.
- Acts 22:13 tn Grk “I looked up to him.”
- Acts 22:14 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”sn The expression God of our ancestors is a description of the God of Israel. The God of promise was at work again.
- Acts 22:14 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.”
- Acts 22:14 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.
- Acts 22:14 sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ (Acts 3:14).
- Acts 22:14 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.”
- Acts 22:15 tn Or “a witness to him.”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.
- Acts 22:15 tn Grk “all men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos).
- Acts 22:16 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.”
- Acts 22:16 tn Grk “getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.
- Acts 22:16 sn The expression have your sins washed away means “have your sins purified” (the washing is figurative).
- Acts 22:16 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.
- Acts 22:17 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.
- Acts 22:17 tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἔκστασις 2 has “γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκστάσει fall into a trance Ac 22:17.”
- Acts 22:18 tn Or “Jesus”; Grk “him.” The referent (the Lord, cf. v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:19 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 [kagō]) has not been translated here.
- Acts 22:19 tn For the distributive sense of the expression κατὰ τὰς συναγωγάς (kata tas sunagōgas) 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.sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
- Acts 22:20 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.
- Acts 22:20 sn When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed means “when your witness Stephen was murdered.”
- Acts 22:20 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.
- Acts 22:20 tn Or “outer garments.”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).
- Acts 22:20 tn Or “who were putting him to death.” For the translation of ἀναιρούντων (anairountōn) as “putting to death” see BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2.
- Acts 22:21 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.
- Acts 22:22 tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:22 tn Grk “until this word.”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.
- Acts 22:22 tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.
- Acts 22:22 tn Grk “and said.”
- Acts 22:22 tn Grk “such a one.”
- Acts 22:22 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.”
- Acts 22:23 tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontōn) has been translated temporally.
- Acts 22:23 tn Or “outer garments.”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).
- Acts 22:23 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.
- Acts 22:24 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (chiliarchos) 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.
- Acts 22:24 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:24 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.”
- Acts 22:24 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.
- Acts 22:24 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:24 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.
- Acts 22:24 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:24 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:25 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).”
- Acts 22:25 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
- Acts 22:25 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
- Acts 22:25 tn Or “a Roman citizen and uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.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.
- Acts 22:26 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
- Acts 22:26 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.
- Acts 22:26 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
- Acts 22:26 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.
- Acts 22:26 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?”
- Acts 22:26 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
- Acts 22:27 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
- Acts 22:27 tn Grk “and said to.”
- Acts 22:27 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:27 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
- Acts 22:27 tn Grk “He said.”
- Acts 22:28 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
- Acts 22:28 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.
- Acts 22:28 tn BDAG 495-96 s.v. καί 2.b has “intensive: even…Ac 5:39; 22:28.”
- Acts 22:28 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.sn Paul’s reference to being born a citizen suggests he inherited his Roman citizenship from his family.
- Acts 22:28 tn Grk “Paul said.” This phrase has been placed at the end of the sentence in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Acts 22:29 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.
- Acts 22:29 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.
- Acts 22:29 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:29 tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.
- Acts 22:29 tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.
- Acts 22:29 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.
- Acts 22:30 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:30 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.”
- Acts 22:30 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Acts 22:30 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
- Acts 22:30 tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagōn) 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.
Acts 22
New International Version
22 1 “Brothers and fathers,(A) listen now to my defense.”
2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,(B) they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew,(C) born in Tarsus(D) of Cilicia,(E) but brought up in this city. I studied under(F) Gamaliel(G) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.(H) I was just as zealous(I) for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted(J) the followers of this Way(K) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,(L) 5 as the high priest and all the Council(M) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates(N) in Damascus,(O) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.(P) 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,(Q) whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light,(R) but they did not understand the voice(S) of him who was speaking to me.
10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’(T) 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.(U)
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me.(V) He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.(W) 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors(X) has chosen you to know his will and to see(Y) the Righteous One(Z) and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness(AA) to all people of what you have seen(AB) and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized(AC) and wash your sins away,(AD) calling on his name.’(AE)
17 “When I returned to Jerusalem(AF) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance(AG) 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison(AH) and beat(AI) those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’(AJ)
21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”(AK)
Paul the Roman Citizen
22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him!(AL) He’s not fit to live!”(AM)
23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks(AN) and flinging dust into the air,(AO) 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(AP) He directed(AQ) that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”(AR)
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 Those who were about to interrogate him(AS) withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen,(AT) in chains.(AU)
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.(AV) So the next day he released him(AW) and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin(AX) to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
Footnotes
- Acts 22:20 Or witness
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