Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options

Esther 6-10
New English Translation

The Turning Point: The King Honors Mordecai

6 Throughout that night the king was unable to sleep,[a] so he asked for the book containing the historical records[b] to be brought. As the records[c] were being read in the king’s presence, 2 it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana[d] and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate[e] King Ahasuerus.

3 The king asked, “What great honor[f] was bestowed on Mordecai because of this?” The king’s attendants who served him responded, “Not a thing was done for him.”

4 Then the king said, “Who is that in the courtyard?” Now Haman had come to the outer courtyard of the palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had constructed for him. 5 The king’s attendants said to him, “It is Haman who is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him enter.”

6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman thought to himself,[g] “Who is it that the king would want to honor more than me?” 7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, 8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one bearing the royal insignia.[h] 9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him[i] then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling[j] before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”

10 The king then said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the clothing and the horse, just as you have described, and do as you just indicated to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Don’t neglect[k] a single thing of all that you have said.”

11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai. He led him about on the horse throughout the plaza of the city, calling before him, “So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!”

12 Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head. 13 Haman then related to his wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. These wise men,[l] along with his wife Zeresh, said to him, “If indeed this Mordecai before whom you have begun to fall is Jewish,[m] you will not prevail against him. No, you will surely fall before him!”

14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

The King Has Haman Executed

7 So the king and Haman came to dine[n] with Queen Esther. 2 On the second day of the banquet of wine the king asked Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you. And what is your petition? Ask for up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done.”

3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have met with your approval,[o] O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition. 4 For we have been sold[p]—both I and my people—to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation. If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”

5 Then King Ahasuerus responded[q] to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough[r] to act in this way?”

6 Esther replied, “The oppressor and enemy is this evil Haman!”

Then Haman became terrified in the presence of the king and queen. 7 In rage the king arose from the banquet of wine and withdrew to the palace garden. Meanwhile, Haman stood to beg Queen Esther for his life,[s] for he realized that the king had now determined a catastrophic end for him.[t]

8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down[u] on the couch where Esther was lying.[v] The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building?”

As these words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Harbona,[w] one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Indeed, there is the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke out on the king’s behalf. It stands near Haman’s home and is 75 feet[x] high.”

The king said, “Hang him on it!” 10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.

The King Acts to Protect the Jews

8 On that same day King Ahasuerus gave the estate[y] of Haman, that adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Now Mordecai had come before the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her. 2 The king then removed his signet ring (the very one he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.

3 Then Esther again spoke with the king, falling at his feet. She wept and begged him for mercy, that he might nullify the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had intended against the Jews.[z] 4 When the king extended to Esther the gold scepter, she[aa] arose and stood before the king.

5 She said, “If the king is so inclined, and if I have met with his approval, and if the matter is agreeable to the king, and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,[ab] which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”[ac]

7 King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have already given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action[ad] against the Jews. 8 Now write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.”

9 The king’s scribes were quickly[ae] summoned—in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day.[af] They wrote out[ag] everything that Mordecai instructed to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the officials of the provinces all the way from India to Ethiopia[ah]—127 provinces in all—to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, and to the Jews according to their own script and their own language. 10 Mordecai[ai] wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers, who rode royal horses that were very swift.

11 The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves—to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children,[aj] and to confiscate their property. 12 This was to take place on a certain day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus—namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). 13 A copy of the edict was to be presented as law throughout each and every province and made known to all peoples, so that the Jews might be prepared on that[ak] day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 The couriers who were riding the royal horses went forth with the king’s edict without delay.[al] And the law was presented in Susa the citadel as well.

15 Now Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in blue and white royal attire, with a large golden crown and a purple linen mantle. The city of Susa shouted with joy.[am] 16 For the Jews there was radiant happiness and joyous honor.[an] 17 Throughout every province and throughout every city where the king’s edict and his law arrived, the Jews experienced happiness and joy, banquets and holidays. Many of the resident peoples[ao] pretended to be Jews,[ap] because the fear of the Jews had overcome them.[aq]

The Jews Prevail over Their Enemies

9 In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies. 2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 Mordecai was of high rank[ar] in the king’s palace, and word about him was spreading throughout all the provinces. His influence[as] continued to become greater and greater.

5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies. 6 In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men. 7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.

11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention. 12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”

13 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today’s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.”

14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa then assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed 300 men in Susa. But they did not confiscate their property.

16 The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed 75,000[at] of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property. 17 All this happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. They then rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day for banqueting and happiness.

The Origins of the Feast of Purim

18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness. 19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country—those who live in rural villages—set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar for happiness, banqueting, a holiday, and sending gifts to one another.

20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth days of the month of Adar each year 22 as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies—the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.

23 So the Jews committed themselves to continuing what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast pur (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them. 25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king[au] gave written orders that Haman’s[av] evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows. 26 For this reason these days are known as Purim, after the name of pur. Therefore, because of the account found in this letter and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established as binding on themselves, their descendants, and all who joined their company that they should observe these two days without fail, just as written and at the appropriate time on an annual basis. 28 These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second[aw] letter about Purim. 30 Letters were sent[ax] to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus—words of true peace[ay]— 31 to establish these days of Purim in their proper times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as they had established both for themselves and their descendants, matters pertaining to fasting and lamentation. 32 Esther’s command established these matters of Purim, and the matter was officially recorded.[az]

Mordecai’s Fame Increases

10 King Ahasuerus then imposed forced labor on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. 2 Now all the actions carried out under his authority and his great achievements, along with an exact statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles[ba] of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking[bb] Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives.[bc] He worked enthusiastically for[bd] the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of[be] all his descendants.[bf]

Footnotes

  1. Esther 6:1 tn Heb “and the sleep of the king fled.” In place of the rather innocuous comment of the Hebrew text, the LXX reads here, “And the Lord removed the sleep from the king.” The Greek text thus understands the statement in a more overtly theological way than does the Hebrew text, although even in the Hebrew text there may be a hint of God’s providence at work in this matter. After all, this event is crucial to the later reversal of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jewish people, and a sympathetic reader is likely to look beyond the apparent coincidence.
  2. Esther 6:1 tn Heb “the book of the remembrances of the accounts of the days”; NAB “the chronicle of notable events.”
  3. Esther 6:1 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the records) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  4. Esther 6:2 tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthan,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 2:21.
  5. Esther 6:2 tn Heb “to send a hand against”; NASB “had sought to lay hands on.”
  6. Esther 6:3 tn Heb “honor and greatness.” The expression is a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).
  7. Esther 6:6 tn Heb “said in his heart” (so ASV); NASB, NRSV “said to himself.”
  8. Esther 6:8 tc The final comment (“one on whose head the royal crown has been”) is not included in the LXX.tn Heb “a royal crown on his head.” The reference is to an official decoration or headdress for horses in royal service. See HALOT 506 s.v. כֶּתֶר; DCH 4:477 s.v. כֶּתֶר. Cf. TEV “a royal ornament”; CEV “a fancy headdress.”
  9. Esther 6:9 tc The present translation reads with the LXX וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ (vehilbisho, “and he will clothe him”) rather than the reading of the MT וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ (vehilbishu, “and they will clothe”). The reading of the LXX is also followed by NAB, NRSV, TEV, CEV, and NLT. Likewise, the later verbs in this verse (“cause him to ride” and “call”) are better taken as singulars rather than plurals.
  10. Esther 6:9 tn Heb “and let them call” (see the previous note).
  11. Esther 6:10 tn Heb “do not let fall”; NASB “do not fall short.”
  12. Esther 6:13 tc Part of the Greek tradition and the Syriac Peshitta understand this word as “friends,” probably reading the Hebrew term רֲכָמָיו (rakhamayv, “his friends”) rather than the reading of the MT חֲכָמָיו (hakhamayv, “his wise men”). Cf. NLT “all his friends”; the two readings appear to be conflated by TEV as “those wise friends of his.”
  13. Esther 6:13 tn Heb “from the seed of the Jews”; KJV, ASV similar.
  14. Esther 7:1 tn Heb “to drink”; NASB “to drink wine.” The expression is a metaphor for lavish feasting, cf. NRSV “to feast”; KJV “to banquet.”
  15. Esther 7:3 tn Heb “If I have found grace in your eyes” (so also in 8:5); TEV “If it please Your Majesty.”
  16. Esther 7:4 sn The passive verb (“have been sold”) is noncommittal and nonaccusatory with regard to the king’s role in the decision to annihilate the Jews.
  17. Esther 7:5 tc The second occurrence of the Hebrew verb וַיּאמֶר (vayyoʾmer, “and he said”) in the MT should probably be disregarded. The repetition is unnecessary in the context and may be the result of dittography in the MT.
  18. Esther 7:5 tn Heb “has so filled his heart”; NAB “who has dared to do this.”
  19. Esther 7:7 sn There is great irony here in that the man who set out to destroy all the Jews now finds himself begging for his own life from a Jew.
  20. Esther 7:7 tn Heb “for he saw that calamity was determined for him from the king”; NAB “the king had decided on his doom”; NRSV “the king had determined to destroy him.”
  21. Esther 7:8 tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”
  22. Esther 7:8 tn Heb “where Esther was” (so KJV, NASB). The term “lying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “was reclining.”
  23. Esther 7:9 sn Cf. 1:10, where Harbona is one of the seven eunuchs sent by the king to summon Queen Vashti to his banquet.
  24. Esther 7:9 tn Heb “50 cubits.” See the note on this expression in Esth 5:14.
  25. Esther 8:1 tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV; also in vv. 2, 7). Cf. TEV “all the property.”
  26. Esther 8:3 sn As in 7:4 Esther avoids implicating the king in this plot. Instead Haman is given sole responsibility for the plan to destroy the Jews.
  27. Esther 8:4 tn Heb “Esther.” The pronoun (“she”) was used in the translation for stylistic reasons. A repetition of the proper name is redundant here in terms of contemporary English style.
  28. Esther 8:5 tc The LXX does not include the expression “the Agagite.”
  29. Esther 8:6 tn Heb “my kindred” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “my race”; NIV “my family”; NLT “my people and my family.”
  30. Esther 8:7 tn Heb “sent forth his hand”; NAB, NIV “attacked”; NLT “tried to destroy.” Cf. 9:2.
  31. Esther 8:9 tn Heb “in that time”; NIV “At once.”
  32. Esther 8:9 sn Cf. 3:12. Two months and ten days have passed since Haman’s edict to wipe out the Jews.
  33. Esther 8:9 tn Heb “it was written”; this passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
  34. Esther 8:9 tn Heb “Cush” (so NIV), referring to the region of the upper Nile in Africa. Cf. KJV and most other English versions “Ethiopia.”
  35. Esther 8:10 tn Heb “He”; the referent (Mordecai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  36. Esther 8:11 tn Heb “children and women.” As in 3:13, the translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.
  37. Esther 8:13 tn Heb “this” (so NASB); most English versions read “that” here for stylistic reasons.
  38. Esther 8:14 tn Heb “making haste and hurrying”; KJV, ASV “being hastened and pressed.”
  39. Esther 8:15 tn Heb “shouted and rejoiced.” The expression is a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).
  40. Esther 8:16 tn Heb “light and gladness and joy and honor” (so NASB). The present translation understands the four terms to be a double hendiadys.
  41. Esther 8:17 tn Heb “peoples of the land” (so NASB); NIV “people of other nationalities”; NRSV “peoples of the country.”
  42. Esther 8:17 tn Heb “were becoming Jews”; NAB “embraced Judaism.” However, the Hitpael stem of the verb is sometimes used of a feigning action rather than a genuine one (see, e.g., 2 Sam 13:5, 6), which is the way the present translation understands the use of the word here (cf. NEB “professed themselves Jews”; NRSV “professed to be Jews”). This is the only occurrence of this verb in the Hebrew Bible, so there are no exact parallels. However, in the context of v. 17 the motivation of their conversion (Heb “the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them”) should not be overlooked. The LXX apparently understood the conversion described here to be genuine, since it adds the words “they were being circumcised and” before “they became Jews.”
  43. Esther 8:17 tn Heb “had fallen upon them” (so NRSV); NIV “had seized them.”
  44. Esther 9:4 tn Heb “great”; NRSV “powerful”; NIV “prominent”; NCV “very important.”
  45. Esther 9:4 tn Heb “the man Mordecai” (so NASB, NRSV).
  46. Esther 9:16 tc For this number much of the Greek ms tradition reads “fifteen thousand.” The Lucianic Greek recension reads “70,100.”
  47. Esther 9:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  48. Esther 9:25 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Haman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  49. Esther 9:29 tc The LXX and the Syriac Peshitta omit the word “second.”
  50. Esther 9:30 tc The present translation is based on the Niphal form וַיִּשָׁלַח (vayyishalakh, “were sent”; so also NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT) rather than the reading of the MT וַיִּשְׁלַח (vayyishlakh, Qal, “and he sent”). The subject of the MT verb would have to be Mordecai (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV), but this is problematic in light of v. 29, where both Esther and Mordecai are responsible for the letters.
  51. Esther 9:30 tn Heb “peace and truth.” The expression is probably a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).
  52. Esther 9:32 tn Heb “written in the book” (so NASB); NIV, NLT “written down in the records”; NRSV “recorded in writing.”
  53. Esther 10:2 tn Or “the Book of the Official Records.”
  54. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “great among the Jews” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “preeminent among the Jews”; NRSV “powerful among the Jews.”
  55. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “brothers”; NASB “kinsmen”; NIV “fellow Jews.”
  56. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “he was seeking”; NAB “as the promoter of his people’s welfare.”
  57. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “he was speaking peace to”; NRSV “and interceded for the welfare of.”
  58. Esther 10:3 sn A number of additions to the Book of Esther appear in the apocryphal (or deuterocanonical) writings. These additions supply further information about various scenes described in the canonical book and are interesting in their own right. However, they were never a part of the Hebrew Bible. The placement of this additional material in certain Greek manuscripts of the Book of Esther may be described as follows. At the beginning of Esther there is an account (= chapter 11) of a dream in which Mordecai is warned by God of a coming danger for the Jews. In this account two great dragons, representing Mordecai and Haman, prepare for conflict. But God responds to the prayers of his people, and the crisis is resolved. This account is followed by another one (= chapter 12) in which Mordecai is rewarded for disclosing a plot against the king’s life. After Esth 3:13 there is a copy of a letter from King Artaxerxes authorizing annihilation of the Jews (= chapter 13). After Esth 4:17 the account continues with a prayer of Mordecai (= part of chapter 13), followed by a prayer of Esther (= chapter 14), and an account which provides details about Esther’s appeal to the king in behalf of her people (= chapter 15). After Esth 8:12 there is a copy of a letter from King Artaxerxes in which he denounces Haman and his plot and authorizes his subjects to assist the Jews (= chapter 16). At the end of the book, following Esth 10:3, there is an addition which provides an interpretation to Mordecai’s dream, followed by a brief ascription of genuineness to the entire book (= chapter 11).
Next
Esther 5
Job 1
Next
Previous Next

Acts 17:22-18:17
New English Translation

22 So Paul stood[a] before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious[b] in all respects.[c] 23 For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship,[d] I even found an altar with this inscription:[e] ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it,[f] this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it,[g] who is[h] Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,[i] 25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything,[j] because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone.[k] 26 From one man[l] he made every nation of the human race[m] to inhabit the entire earth,[n] determining their set times[o] and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,[p] 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around[q] for him and find him,[r] though he is[s] not far from each one of us. 28 For in him we live and move about[t] and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’[u] 29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity[v] is like gold or silver or stone, an image[w] made by human[x] skill[y] and imagination.[z] 30 Therefore, although God has overlooked[aa] such times of ignorance,[ab] he now commands all people[ac] everywhere to repent,[ad] 31 because he has set[ae] a day on which he is going to judge the world[af] in righteousness, by a man whom he designated,[ag] having provided proof to everyone by raising[ah] him from the dead.”

32 Now when they heard about[ai] the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff,[aj] but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul left the Areopagus.[ak] 34 But some people[al] joined him[am] and believed. Among them[an] were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus,[ao] a woman[ap] named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul at Corinth

18 After this[aq] Paul[ar] departed from[as] Athens and went to Corinth.[at] 2 There he[au] found[av] a Jew named Aquila,[aw] a native of Pontus,[ax] who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius[ay] had ordered all the Jews to depart from[az] Rome. Paul approached[ba] them, 3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them[bb] (for they were tentmakers[bc] by trade).[bd] 4 He addressed[be] both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue[bf] every Sabbath, attempting to persuade[bg] them.

5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived[bh] from Macedonia,[bi] Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming[bj] the word, testifying[bk] to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.[bl] 6 When they opposed him[bm] and reviled him,[bn] he protested by shaking out his clothes[bo] and said to them, “Your blood[bp] be on your own heads! I am guiltless![bq] From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 7 Then Paul[br] left[bs] the synagogue[bt] and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God,[bu] whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue,[bv] believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it[bw] believed and were baptized. 9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision[bx] in the night,[by] “Do not be afraid,[bz] but speak and do not be silent, 10 because I am with you, and no one will assault[ca] you to harm[cb] you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So he stayed there[cc] a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.[cd]

Paul Before the Proconsul Gallio

12 Now while Gallio[ce] was proconsul[cf] of Achaia,[cg] the Jews attacked Paul together[ch] and brought him before the judgment seat,[ci] 13 saying, “This man is persuading[cj] people to worship God in a way contrary to[ck] the law!” 14 But just as Paul was about to speak,[cl] Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy,[cm] I would have been justified in accepting the complaint[cn] of you Jews,[co] 15 but since it concerns points of disagreement[cp] about words and names and your own law, settle[cq] it yourselves. I will not be[cr] a judge of these things!” 16 Then he had them forced away[cs] from the judgment seat.[ct] 17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue,[cu] and began to beat[cv] him in front of the judgment seat.[cw] Yet none of these things were of any concern[cx] to Gallio.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:22 tn Grk “standing…said.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zēlōsantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  2. Acts 17:22 tn The term δεισιδαιμονεστέρους (deisidaimonesterous) is difficult. On the one hand it can have the positive sense of “devout,” but on the other hand it can have the negative sense of “superstitious” (BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαίμων). As part of a laudatory introduction (the technical rhetorical term for this introduction was capatatio), the term is probably positive here. It may well be a “backhanded” compliment, playing on the ambiguity.
  3. Acts 17:22 tn BDAG 513 s.v. κατά B.6 translates the phrase κατὰ πάντα (kata panta) as “in all respects.”
  4. Acts 17:23 tn Or “your sanctuaries.” L&N 53.54 gives “sanctuary” (place of worship) as an alternate meaning for the word σεβάσματα (sebasmata).
  5. Acts 17:23 tn Grk “on which was written,” but since it would have been carved in stone, it is more common to speak of an “inscription” in English. To simplify the English the relative construction with a passive verb (“on which was inscribed”) was translated as a prepositional phrase with a substantive (“inscription”).
  6. Acts 17:23 tn BDAG 13 s.v. ἀγνοέω 1.b has “Abs. ὅ ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε what you worship without knowing it (on the subject matter Maximus Tyr. 11, 5e: all sorts of philosophers ἴσασιν οὐκ ἑκόντες καὶ λέγουσιν ἄκοντες sc. τὸ θεῖον = they know and name God without intending to do so) Ac 17:23.” Paul, in typical Jewish Christian style, informs them of the true God, of whom their idols are an ignorant reflection.
  7. Acts 17:24 tn Grk “all the things that are in it.” The speech starts with God as Creator, like 14:15.
  8. Acts 17:24 tn Or “because he is.” The participle ὑπάρχων (huparchōn) could be either adjectival, modifying οὗτος (houtos, “who is Lord…”) or adverbial of cause (“because he is Lord…”). Since the participle διδούς (didous) in v. 25 appears to be clearly causal in force, it is preferable to understand ὑπάρχων as adjectival in this context.
  9. Acts 17:24 sn On the statement does not live in temples made by human hands compare Acts 7:48. This has implications for idols as well. God cannot be represented by them or, as the following clause also suggests, served by human hands.
  10. Acts 17:25 tn L&N 57.45 has “nor does he need anything more that people can supply by working for him.”
  11. Acts 17:25 tn Grk “he himself gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.”
  12. Acts 17:26 sn The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).
  13. Acts 17:26 tn Or “mankind.” BDAG 276 s.v. ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”
  14. Acts 17:26 tn Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”
  15. Acts 17:26 tn BDAG 884-85 s.v. προστάσσω has “(οἱ) προστεταγμένοι καιροί (the) fixed times Ac 17:26” here, but since the following phrase is also translated “fixed limits,” this would seem redundant in English, so the word “set” has been used instead.
  16. Acts 17:26 tn Grk “the boundaries of their habitation.” L&N 80.5 has “fixed limits of the places where they would live” for this phrase.
  17. Acts 17:27 tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.
  18. Acts 17:27 sn Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.
  19. Acts 17:27 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (huparchonta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
  20. Acts 17:28 tn According to L&N 15.1, “A strictly literal translation of κινέω in Ac 17:28 might imply merely moving from one place to another. The meaning, however, is generalized movement and activity; therefore, it may be possible to translate κινούμεθα as ‘we come and go’ or ‘we move about’ or even ‘we do what we do.’”
  21. Acts 17:28 sn This quotation is from Aratus (ca. 310-245 b.c.), Phaenomena 5. Paul asserted a general relationship and accountability to God for all humanity.
  22. Acts 17:29 tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.
  23. Acts 17:29 tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.
  24. Acts 17:29 tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
  25. Acts 17:29 tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).
  26. Acts 17:29 tn Or “thought.” BDAG 336 s.v. ἐνθύμησις has “thought, reflection, idea” as the category of meaning here, but in terms of creativity (as in the context) the imaginative faculty is in view.
  27. Acts 17:30 tn Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”
  28. Acts 17:30 tn Or “times when people did not know.”
  29. Acts 17:30 tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).
  30. Acts 17:30 sn He now commands all people everywhere to repent. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded.
  31. Acts 17:31 tn Or “fixed.”
  32. Acts 17:31 sn The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.
  33. Acts 17:31 tn Or “appointed.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “of persons appoint, designate, declare: God judges the world ἐν ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὥρισεν through a man whom he has appointed Ac 17:31.”sn A man whom he designated. Jesus is put in the position of eschatological judge. As judge of the living and the dead, he possesses divine authority (Acts 10:42).
  34. Acts 17:31 tn The participle ἀναστήσας (anastēsas) indicates means here.
  35. Acts 17:32 tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousantes) has been taken temporally.
  36. Acts 17:32 tn L&N 33.408 has “some scoffed (at him) Ac 17:32” for ἐχλεύαζον (echleuazon) here; the imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to scoff”).
  37. Acts 17:33 tn Grk “left out of their midst”; the referent (the Areopagus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  38. Acts 17:34 tn Although the Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which normally refers to males, husbands, etc., in this particular context it must have a generic force similar to that of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), since “a woman named Damaris” is mentioned specifically as being part of this group (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 1.a).
  39. Acts 17:34 tn Grk “joining him, believed.” The participle κολληθέντες (kollēthentes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the use of this verb in Acts, see 5:13; 8:29; 9:26; 10:28.
  40. Acts 17:34 tn Grk “among whom.” Due to the length of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been translated as a third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
  41. Acts 17:34 tn Grk “the Areopagite” (a member of the council of the Areopagus). The noun “Areopagite” is not in common usage today in English. It is clearer to use a descriptive phrase “a member of the Areopagus” (L&N 11.82). However, this phrase alone can be misleading in English: “Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris” could be understood to refer to three people (Dionysius, an unnamed member of the Areopagus, and Damaris) rather than only two. Converting the descriptive phrase to a relative clause in English (“who was a member of the Areopagus”) removes the ambiguity.
  42. Acts 17:34 tn Grk “and a woman,” but 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.
  43. Acts 18:1 tn Grk “After these things.”
  44. Acts 18:1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  45. Acts 18:1 tn Or “Paul left.”
  46. Acts 18:1 sn Corinth was the capital city of the senatorial province of Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul. It was located 55 mi (88 km) west of Athens. Corinth was a major rival to Athens and was the largest city in Greece at the time.
  47. Acts 18:2 tn Grk “And he.” 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 word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
  48. Acts 18:2 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (heurōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  49. Acts 18:2 sn On Aquila and his wife Priscilla see also Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. Paul uses the name Prisca, while the author of Acts uses the diminutive form of the name Priscilla.
  50. Acts 18:2 sn Pontus was a region in the northeastern part of Asia Minor. It was a Roman province.
  51. Acts 18:2 sn Claudius refers to the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54. The edict expelling the Jews from Rome was issued in a.d. 49 (Suetonius, Claudius 25.4).
  52. Acts 18:2 tn Or “to leave.”
  53. Acts 18:2 tn Or “went to.”
  54. Acts 18:3 tn The prepositional phrase “with them” occurs only once in the Greek text, but since it occurs between the two finite verbs (ἔμενεν, emenen, and ἠργάζετο, ērgazeto) it relates (by implication) to both of them.
  55. Acts 18:3 tn On the term translated “tentmakers,” see BDAG 928-29 s.v. σκηνοποιός. Paul apparently manufactured tents. In contrast to the Cynic philosophers, Paul at times labored to support himself (see also v. 5).
  56. Acts 18:3 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
  57. Acts 18:4 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:4. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
  58. Acts 18:4 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
  59. Acts 18:4 tn Grk “Addressing in the synagogue every Sabbath, he was attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.” Because in English the verb “address” is not used absolutely but normally has an object specified, the direct objects of the verb ἔπειθεν (epeithen) have been moved forward as the objects of the English verb “addressed,” and the pronoun “them” repeated in the translation as the object of ἔπειθεν. The verb ἔπειθεν has been translated as a conative imperfect.
  60. Acts 18:5 tn Grk “came down.”
  61. Acts 18:5 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
  62. Acts 18:5 tn BDAG 971 s.v. συνέχω 6 states, “συνείχετο τῷ λόγῳ (Paul) was wholly absorbed in preaching Ac 18:5…in contrast to the activity cited in vs. 3.” The imperfect συνείχετο (suneicheto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“became wholly absorbed…”), stressing the change in Paul’s activity once Silas and Timothy arrived. At this point Paul apparently began to work less and preach more.
  63. Acts 18:5 tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “testify of, bear witness to solemnly (orig. under oath)…W. acc. and inf. foll. Ac 18:5.”
  64. Acts 18:5 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 2:31.
  65. Acts 18:6 tn The word “him” 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.
  66. Acts 18:6 tn The participle βλασφημούντων (blasphēmountōn) has been taken temporally. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 13:45. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). What they were doing was more like slander or defamation of character.
  67. Acts 18:6 tn Grk “shaking out his clothes, he said to them.” L&N 16:8 translates Acts 18:6 “when they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes.” The addition of the verb “protested by” in the translation is necessary to clarify for the modern reader that this is a symbolic action. It is similar but not identical to the phrase in Acts 13:51, where the dust from the feet is shaken off. The participle ἐκτιναξάμενος (ektinaxamenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.sn He protested by shaking out his clothes. A symbolic action of protest, similar but not identical to the practice of shaking the dust off one’s feet (see Acts 13:51). The two symbolic actions are related, however, since what is shaken off here is the dust raised by the feet and settling in the clothes. The meaning is, “I am done with you! You are accountable to God.”
  68. Acts 18:6 sn Your blood be on your own heads! By invoking this epithet Paul declared himself not responsible for their actions in rejecting Jesus whom Paul preached (cf. Ezek 33:4; 3:6-21; Matt 23:35; 27:25).
  69. Acts 18:6 tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”
  70. Acts 18:7 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  71. Acts 18:7 tn Grk “Then leaving from there he went.” The participle μεταβάς (metabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  72. Acts 18:7 tn Grk “from there”; the referent (the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  73. Acts 18:7 tn Grk “a worshiper of God.” The clarifying phrase “a Gentile” has been supplied for clarity, and is indicated by the context, since Paul had parted company with the Jews in the previous verse. The participle σεβομένου (sebomenou) is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44.sn Here yet another Gentile is presented as responsive to Paul’s message in Acts.
  74. Acts 18:8 tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (archisunagōgos) refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).
  75. Acts 18:8 tn Or “who heard him,” or “who heard Paul.” The ambiguity here results from the tendency of Greek to omit direct objects, which must be supplied from the context. The problem is that no less than three different ones may be supplied here: (1) “him,” referring to Crispus, but this is not likely because there is no indication in the context that Crispus began to speak out about the Lord; this is certainly possible and even likely, but more than the text here affirms; (2) “Paul,” who had been speaking in the synagogue and presumably, now that he had moved to Titius Justus’ house, continued speaking to the Gentiles; or (3) “about it,” that is, the Corinthians who heard about Crispus’ conversion became believers. In the immediate context this last is most probable, since the two incidents are juxtaposed. Other, less obvious direct objects could also be supplied, such as “heard the word of God,” “heard the word of the Lord,” etc., but none of these are obvious in the immediate context.
  76. Acts 18:9 sn Frequently in Acts such a vision will tell the reader where events are headed. See Acts 10:9-16 and 16:9-10 for other accounts of visions.
  77. Acts 18:9 tn BDAG 682 s.v. νύξ 1.c has “W. prep. ἐν ν. at night, in the night…Ac 18:9.”
  78. Acts 18:9 tn The present imperative here (with negation) is used (as it normally is) of a general condition (BDF §335).
  79. Acts 18:10 tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 2 has “to set upon, attack, lay a hand on” here, but “assault” is a contemporary English equivalent very close to the meaning of the original.
  80. Acts 18:10 tn Or “injure.”
  81. Acts 18:11 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
  82. Acts 18:11 tn See BDAG 326-27 s.v. ἐν 1.d. However, it is also possible that ἐν (en) followed by the dative here stands for the ordinary dative (“to them”).
  83. Acts 18:12 sn Gallio was proconsul of Achaia from a.d. 51-52. This date is one of the firmly established dates in Acts. Lucius Junius Gallio was the son of the rhetorician Seneca and the brother of Seneca the philosopher. The date of Gallio’s rule is established from an inscription (W. Dittenberger, ed., Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum 2.3 no. 8). Thus the event mentioned here is probably to be dated July-October a.d. 51.
  84. Acts 18:12 sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.
  85. Acts 18:12 sn Achaia was a Roman province initially created in 146 b.c. that included most of Greece. In 27 b.c. it was divided into the two separate provinces of Macedonia and Achaia. At that time Achaia was composed of the most important parts of Greece (Attica, Boeotia, and the Peloponnesus).
  86. Acts 18:12 tn Grk “with one accord.”
  87. Acts 18:12 tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), there is no need for an alternative translation here since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time.sn 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. So this was a very public event.
  88. Acts 18:13 tn Or “inciting.”
  89. Acts 18:13 tn Grk “worship God contrary to.” BDAG 758 s.v. παρά C.6 has “against, contrary to” for Acts 18:13. The words “in a way” are not in the Greek text, but are a necessary clarification to prevent the misunderstanding in the English translation that worshiping God was in itself contrary to the law. What is under dispute is the manner in which God was being worshiped, that is, whether Gentiles were being required to follow all aspects of the Mosaic law, including male circumcision. There is a hint of creating public chaos or disturbing Jewish custom here since Jews were the ones making the complaint. Luke often portrays the dispute between Christians and Jews as within Judaism.
  90. Acts 18:14 tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).
  91. Acts 18:14 tn BDAG 902 s.v. ῥᾳδιούργημα states, “From the sense ‘prank, knavery, roguish trick, slick deed’ it is but a short step to that of a serious misdeed, crime, villainy…a serious piece of villainy Ac 18:14 (w. ἀδίκημα).”
  92. Acts 18:14 tn According to BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνέχω 3 this is a legal technical term: “Legal t.t. κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν I would have been justified in accepting your complaint Ac 18:14.”
  93. Acts 18:14 tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”
  94. Acts 18:15 tn Or “dispute.”
  95. Acts 18:15 tn Grk “see to it” (an idiom).
  96. Acts 18:15 tn Or “I am not willing to be.” Gallio would not adjudicate their religious dispute.
  97. Acts 18:16 tn Grk “driven away,” but this could result in a misunderstanding in English (“driven” as in a cart or wagon?). “Forced away” conveys the idea; Gallio rejected their complaint. In contemporary English terminology the case was “thrown out of court.” The verb ἀπήλασεν (apēlasen) has been translated as a causative since Gallio probably did not perform this action in person, but ordered his aides or officers to remove the plaintiffs.
  98. Acts 18:16 sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.
  99. Acts 18:17 tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (archisunagōgos) refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
  100. Acts 18:17 tn The imperfect verb ἔτυπτον (etupton) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
  101. Acts 18:17 sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.
  102. Acts 18:17 tn L&N 25.223 has “‘none of these things were of any concern to Gallio’ Ac 18:17.”sn Rome was officially indifferent to such disputes. Gallio understood how sensitive some Jews would be about his meddling in their affairs. This is similar to the way Pilate dealt with Jesus. In the end, he let the Jewish leadership and people make the judgment against Jesus.
Next
Acts 16
Acts 19
Next
dropdown
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.