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Ezra 4-7
New English Translation

Opposition to the Building Efforts

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles[a] were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders[b] and said to them, “Let us help you build,[c] for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him[d] from the time[e] of King Esarhaddon[f] of Assyria, who brought us here.”[g] 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right[h] to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.” 4 Then the local people[i] began to discourage[j] the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. 5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time[k] of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius[l] of Persia.[m]

Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews

6 [n] At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus[o] they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And during the reign[p] of Artaxerxes, Bishlam,[q] Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues[r] wrote to King Artaxerxes[s] of Persia. This letter[t] was first written in Aramaic but then translated.

[What follows is in Aramaic][u]

8 Rehum the commander[v] and Shimshai the scribe[w] wrote a letter concerning[x] Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: 9 From[y] Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is,[z] the Elamites), 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal[aa] deported and settled in the cities[ab] of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates.[ac] 11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent to him.)

“To King Artaxerxes,[ad] from your servants in[ae] Trans-Euphrates: 12 Now[af] let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city.[ag] They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. 13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury[ah] will suffer loss. 14 In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king,[ai] and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage,[aj] we are sending the king this information[ak] 15 so that he may initiate a search of the records[al] of his predecessors[am] and discover in those records[an] that this city is rebellious[ao] and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts[ap] from long ago.[aq] It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. 16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control[ar] of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

17 The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings![as] 18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. 19 So I gave orders,[at] and it was determined[au] that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in[av] rebellion and revolt. 20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates[aw] and who were the beneficiaries of[ax] tribute, custom, and toll. 21 Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct.[ay] 22 Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that the king sustains damage?”

23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem[az] and stopped them with threat of armed force.[ba]

24 So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.[bb]

Tattenai Appeals to Darius

5 Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son[bc] of Iddo[bd] prophesied concerning the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began[be] to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

3 At that time Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues came to them and asked, “Who gave you authority[bf] to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?”[bg] 4 They[bh] also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?” 5 But God was watching over[bi] the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped[bj] until a report could be dispatched[bk] to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.

6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and his colleagues (who were the officials of Trans-Euphrates) sent to King Darius. 7 The report they sent to him was written as follows:[bl]

“To King Darius: All greetings![bm] 8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones,[bn] and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands. 9 We inquired of those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?’ 10 We also inquired of their names in order to inform you, so that we might write the names of the men who were their leaders. 11 They responded to us in the following way: ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple which was previously built many years ago. A great king[bo] of Israel built it and completed it. 12 But after our ancestors[bp] angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands[bq] of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and exiled the people to Babylon.[br] 13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon,[bs] King Cyrus enacted a decree to rebuild this temple of God. 14 Even the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the palace[bt] of Babylon—even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented[bu] to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor. 15 He said to him, “Take these vessels and go deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in its proper location.”[bv] 16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment[bw] it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

17 “Now if the king is so inclined,[bx] let a search be conducted in the royal archives[by] there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”

Darius Issues a Decree

6 So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives[bz] of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel[ca] of Ecbatana which is in the province of Media, and it was inscribed as follows:

“Memorandum: 3 In the first year of his reign,[cb] King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place.[cc] Its height is to be 90 feet and its width 90 feet,[cd] 4 with three layers of large stones[ce] and one[cf] layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized[cg] by the royal treasury.[ch] 5 Furthermore, let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar brought from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, be returned and brought to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. Let them be deposited in the temple of God.’

6 “Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials of Trans-Euphrates—all of you stay far away from there. 7 Leave the work on this temple of God alone.[ci] Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this temple of God in its proper place.

8 “I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates, the complete costs are to be given to these men so that there may be no interruption of the work.[cj] 9 Whatever is needed—whether oxen or rams or lambs for burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by[ck] the priests who are in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without any neglect, 10 so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family.[cl]

11 “I hereby give orders that if anyone changes this directive a beam is to be pulled out from his house and he is to be raised up and impaled[cm] on it, and his house is to be reduced[cn] to a rubbish heap[co] for this indiscretion.[cp] 12 May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation[cq] who reaches out[cr] to cause such change so as to destroy this temple of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given orders. Let them be carried out with precision!”

The Temple Is Finally Dedicated

13 Then Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues acted accordingly—with precision, just as Darius the king had given instructions.[cs] 14 The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time[ct] Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo continued prophesying. They built and brought it to completion by the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 They finished this temple on the third day of the month Adar, which is the sixth[cu] year of the reign of King Darius.

16 The people[cv] of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles[cw]—observed the dedication of this temple of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this temple of God they offered 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and 12 male goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their divisions over the worship of God at Jerusalem, in accord with[cx] the book of Moses. 19 [cy] The exiles[cz] observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 The priests and the Levites had purified themselves, every last one,[da] and they all were ceremonially pure. They sacrificed the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their colleagues[db] the priests, and for themselves. 21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them[dc] in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel. 22 They observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for the Lord had given them joy and had changed the opinion[dd] of the king of Assyria[de] toward them so that he assisted them[df] in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.

The Arrival of Ezra

7 Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes[dg] of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon.[dh] Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 2 who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub, 3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth, 4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki, 5 who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron the chief priest. 6 This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought up[di] to Jerusalem some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 9 On the first day of the first month he had determined to make[dj] the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem,[dk] for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 Now Ezra had dedicated himself[dl] to the study of the law of the Lord, to its observance, and to teaching[dm] its statutes and judgments in Israel.

Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission

11 What follows[dn] is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe.[do] Ezra was[dp] a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:

12 [dq] “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:[dr] 13 I have now issued a decree[ds] that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel—even the priests and Levites—who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. 14 You are authorized[dt] by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession,[du] 15 and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, 16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect[dv] throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. 17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate[dw] meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues[dx] with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 19 Deliver to[dy] the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. 20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply,[dz] you may do so from the royal treasury.

21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of[ea] Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you— 22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil,[eb] and unlimited[ec] salt. 23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath[ed] against the empire of the king and his sons? 24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact[ee] that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.

25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess,[ef] appoint judges[eg] and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. 26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely[eh] liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”

27 [ei] Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem! 28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:1 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.”
  2. Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.
  3. Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “Let us build with you.”
  4. Ezra 4:2 tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran ms, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (velo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (veloʾ, “and not”).
  5. Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “days.”
  6. Ezra 4:2 sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669 b.c.
  7. Ezra 4:2 sn The Assyrian policy had been to resettle Samaria with peoples from other areas (cf. 2 Kgs 17:24-34). These immigrants acknowledged Yahweh as well as other deities in some cases. The Jews who returned from the Exile regarded them with suspicion and were not hospitable to their offer of help in rebuilding the temple.
  8. Ezra 4:3 tn Heb “not to you and to us.”
  9. Ezra 4:4 tn Heb “the people of the land.” Elsewhere this expression sometimes has a negative connotation, referring to a lay population that was less zealous for Judaism than it should have been. Here, however, it seems to refer to the resident population of the area without any negative connotation.
  10. Ezra 4:4 tn Heb “were making slack the hands of.”
  11. Ezra 4:5 tn Heb “all the days of.”
  12. Ezra 4:5 sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c.
  13. Ezra 4:5 sn The purpose of the opening verses of this chapter is to summarize why the Jews returning from the exile were unable to complete the rebuilding of the temple more quickly than they did. The delay was due not to disinterest on their part but to the repeated obstacles that had been placed in their path by determined foes.
  14. Ezra 4:6 sn The chronological problems of Ezra 4:6-24 are well known and have been the subject of extensive discussion since ancient times. Both v. 5 and v. 24 describe the reign of Darius I Hystaspes, who ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c. and in whose time the rebuilt temple was finished. The material in between is from later times (v. 16 describes the rebuilding of the walls, not the temple), and so appear to be a digression. Even recognizing this, there are still questions, such as why Cambyses (530-522 b.c.) is not mentioned at all, and why events from the time of Xerxes (486-465 b.c.) and Artaxerxes (464-423 b.c.) are included here if the author was discussing opposition to the building of the temple, which was finished in 516 b.c. Theories to explain these difficulties are too numerous to mention here, but have existed since ancient times: Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, rearranged the account to put Cambyses before Xerxes and replacing Artaxerxes with Xerxes (for further discussion of Josephus’ rearrangement see L. L. Grabbe, “Josephus and the Reconstruction of the Judean Restoration” JBL 106 [1987]: 231-46). In brief, it seems best to view the author’s primary concern here as thematic (the theme of opposition to the Jewish resettlement in Jerusalem, including the rebuilding of the temple and restoration of Jerusalem’s walls) rather than purely chronological. In the previous verses the author had shown how the Jews had rejected an offer of assistance from surrounding peoples and how these people in turn harassed them. The inserted account shows how, in light of the unremitting opposition the Jews experienced (even extending down to more recent times), this refusal of help had been fully justified. Some of the documents the author employed show how this opposition continued even after the temple was rebuilt. (The failure to mention Cambyses may simply mean the author had no documents available from that period.) For detailed discussion of the difficulties presented by the passage and the various theories advanced to explain them, see H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 56-60.
  15. Ezra 4:6 sn Ahasuerus, otherwise known as Xerxes I, ruled ca. 486-464 b.c.
  16. Ezra 4:7 tn Heb “And in the days.”
  17. Ezra 4:7 tn The LXX understands this word as a prepositional phrase (“in peace”) rather than as a proper name (“Bishlam”). Taken this way it would suggest that Mithredath was “in agreement with” the contents of Tabeel’s letter. Some scholars regard the word in the MT to be a textual variation of an original “in Jerusalem” (i.e., “in the matter of Jerusalem”) or “in the name of Jerusalem.” The translation adopted above follows the traditional understanding of the word as a name.
  18. Ezra 4:7 tc The translation reads the plural with the Qere rather than the singular found in the MT Kethib.
  19. Ezra 4:7 sn Artaxerxes I ruled in Persia from ca. 465-425 b.c.
  20. Ezra 4:7 tc It is preferable to delete the MT’s וּכְתָב (ukhetav) here.
  21. Ezra 4:7 sn The double reference in v. 7 to the Aramaic language is difficult. It would not make sense to say that the letter was written in Aramaic and then translated into Aramaic. Some interpreters understand the verse to mean that the letter was written in the Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language, but this does not seem to give sufficient attention to the participle “translated” at the end of the verse. The second reference to Aramaic in the verse is more probably a gloss that calls attention to the fact that the following verses retain the Aramaic language of the letter in its original linguistic form. A similar reference to Aramaic occurs in Dan 2:4b, where the language of that book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. Ezra 4:8-6:18 and 7:12-26 are written in Aramaic, whereas the rest of the book is written in Hebrew.
  22. Ezra 4:8 tn Aram “lord of the command.” So also in vv. 9, 17.
  23. Ezra 4:8 sn Like Rehum, Shimshai was apparently a fairly high-ranking official charged with overseeing Persian interests in this part of the empire. His title was “scribe” or “secretary,” but in a more elevated political sense than that word sometimes has elsewhere. American governmental titles such as “Secretary of State” perhaps provide an analogy in that the word “secretary” can have a broad range of meaning.
  24. Ezra 4:8 tn Or perhaps “against.”
  25. Ezra 4:9 tn Aram “then.” What follows in v. 9 seems to be the preface of the letter, serving to identify the senders of the letter. The word “from” is not in the Aramaic text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  26. Ezra 4:9 tn For the Qere of the MT (דֶּהָיֵא, dehayeʾ, a proper name) it seems better to retain the Kethib דִּהוּא (dihuʾ, “that is”). See F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 25, §35; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 36.
  27. Ezra 4:10 tn Aram “Osnappar” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), another name for Ashurbanipal.sn Ashurbanipal succeeded his father Esarhaddon as king of Assyria in 669 b.c. Around 645 b.c. he sacked the city of Susa, capital of Elam, and apparently some of these people were exiled to Samaria and other places.
  28. Ezra 4:10 tc The translation reads with the ancient versions the plural בְּקֻרְיַהּ (bequryah, “in the cities”) rather than the singular (“in the city”) of the MT.
  29. Ezra 4:10 tn Aram “beyond the river.” In Ezra this term is a technical designation for the region west of the Euphrates river.
  30. Ezra 4:11 tn The Masoretic accents indicate that the phrase “to Artaxerxes the king” goes with what precedes and that the letter begins with the words “from your servants.” But it seems better to understand the letter to begin by identifying the addressee.
  31. Ezra 4:11 tn Aram “men of.”
  32. Ezra 4:12 tn The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.
  33. Ezra 4:12 sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.
  34. Ezra 4:13 tn Aram “the treasury of kings.” The plural “kings” is Hebrew, not Aramaic. If the plural is intended in a numerical sense the reference is not just to Artaxerxes but to his successors as well. Some scholars understand this to be the plural of majesty, referring to Artaxerxes. See F. C. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT), 74.
  35. Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”
  36. Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”
  37. Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “and we have made known.”
  38. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”
  39. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “of your fathers.”
  40. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
  41. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”
  42. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”
  43. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.
  44. Ezra 4:16 tn Aram “will not be to you.”
  45. Ezra 4:17 tn Aram “peace.”
  46. Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”
  47. Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “and they searched and found.”
  48. Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “are being done.”
  49. Ezra 4:20 sn The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.
  50. Ezra 4:20 tn Aram “were being given to them.”
  51. Ezra 4:21 tn Aram “until a command is issued from me.”
  52. Ezra 4:23 tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”
  53. Ezra 4:23 tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.
  54. Ezra 4:24 sn Darius I Hystaspes ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c.
  55. Ezra 5:1 tn Aram “son.” According to Zech 1:1 he was actually the grandson of Iddo.
  56. Ezra 5:1 tn Aram “and Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo the prophet.”
  57. Ezra 5:2 tn Aram “arose and began.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
  58. Ezra 5:3 tn Aram “who placed to you a command?” So also v. 9.
  59. Ezra 5:3 tn The exact meaning of the Aramaic word אֻשַּׁרְנָא (ʾussarnaʾ) here and in v. 9 is uncertain (BDB 1083 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it to mean “wall.” Here it is used in collocation with בַּיְתָא (baytaʾ, “house” as the temple of God), while in 5:3, 9 it is used in parallelism with this term. It might be related to the Assyrian noun ashurru (“wall”) or ashru (“sanctuary”; so BDB). F. Rosenthal, who translates the word “furnishings,” thinks that it probably enters Aramaic from Persian (Grammar, 62-63, §189).
  60. Ezra 5:4 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew ms, the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitta אֲמַרוּ (ʾamaru, “they said”) rather than the reading אֲמַרְנָא (ʾamarnaʾ, “we said”) of the MT.
  61. Ezra 5:5 tn Aram “the eye of their God was on.” The idiom describes the attentive care that one exercises in behalf of the object of his concern.
  62. Ezra 5:5 tn Aram “they did not stop them.”
  63. Ezra 5:5 tn Aram “[could] go.” On this form see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 58, §169.
  64. Ezra 5:7 tn Aram “and it was written in its midst.”
  65. Ezra 5:7 tn Aram “all peace.”
  66. Ezra 5:8 tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.
  67. Ezra 5:11 sn This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.
  68. Ezra 5:12 tn Aram “fathers.”
  69. Ezra 5:12 tn Aram “hand” (singular).
  70. Ezra 5:12 sn A reference to the catastrophic events of 586 b.c.
  71. Ezra 5:13 sn Cyrus was actually a Persian king, but when he conquered Babylon in 539 b.c. he apparently appropriated to himself the additional title “king of Babylon.” The Syriac Peshitta substitutes “Persia” for “Babylon” here, but this is probably a hyper-correction.
  72. Ezra 5:14 tn Or “temple.”
  73. Ezra 5:14 tn Aram “they were given.”
  74. Ezra 5:15 tn Aram “upon its place.”
  75. Ezra 5:16 tn Aram “from then and until now.”
  76. Ezra 5:17 tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”
  77. Ezra 5:17 tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”
  78. Ezra 6:1 tn Aram “the house of the archives.”
  79. Ezra 6:2 tc The translation reads בִירְתָא (birtaʾ, citadel”) rather than the reading בְּבִירְתָא (beviretaʾ, “in the citadel”) found in the MT. The MT probably experienced dittography here.
  80. Ezra 6:3 tn Aram “In the first year of Cyrus the king.”
  81. Ezra 6:3 tn Aram “raised”; or perhaps “retained” (so NASB; cf. NLT), referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.
  82. Ezra 6:3 tc The Syriac Peshitta reads “20 cubits” here, a measurement probably derived from dimensions given elsewhere for Solomon’s temple. According to 1 Kgs 6:2 the dimensions of the Solomonic temple were as follows: length, 60 cubits; width, 20 cubits; height, 30 cubits. Since one would expect the dimensions cited in Ezra 6:3 to correspond to those of Solomon’s temple, it is odd that no dimension for length is provided. The Syriac has apparently harmonized the width dimension provided here (“20 cubits”) to that given in 1 Kgs 6:2.tn Aram “Its height 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about 18 inches (45 cm) long.
  83. Ezra 6:4 tn Aram “stones of rolling.”
  84. Ezra 6:4 tc The translation follows the LXX reading חַד (khad, “one”) rather than the MT חֲדַת (khadat, “new”). If the MT reading “new” is understood to mean freshly cut timber that has not yet been seasoned it would seem to be an odd choice for construction material.
  85. Ezra 6:4 tn Aram “let be given.”
  86. Ezra 6:4 tn Aram “house.”
  87. Ezra 6:7 tc For the MT reading “the work on this temple of God” the LXX reads “the servant of the Lord Zurababel” [= Zerubbabel].
  88. Ezra 6:8 tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
  89. Ezra 6:9 tn Aram “according to the word of.”
  90. Ezra 6:10 tn Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”
  91. Ezra 6:11 sn The practice referred to in v. 11 has been understood in various ways: hanging (cf. 1 Esd 6:32 and KJV); flogging (cf. NEB, NLT); impalement (BDB 1091 s.v. זְקַף; HALOT 1914 s.v. מחא hitpe; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). The last seems the most likely.
  92. Ezra 6:11 tn Aram “made.”
  93. Ezra 6:11 tn Aram “a dunghill.”
  94. Ezra 6:11 tn Aram “for this.”
  95. Ezra 6:12 tn Aram “people.”
  96. Ezra 6:12 tn Aram “who sends forth his hand.”
  97. Ezra 6:13 tn Aram “sent.”
  98. Ezra 6:14 tn Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.
  99. Ezra 6:15 sn The sixth year of the reign of Darius would be ca. 516 b.c.
  100. Ezra 6:16 tn Aram “sons of.”
  101. Ezra 6:16 tn Aram “sons of the exile.”
  102. Ezra 6:18 tn Aram “according to the writing of.”
  103. Ezra 6:19 sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (4:8-6:18) back to Hebrew. Aramaic will again be used in Ezra 7:12-26.
  104. Ezra 6:19 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.” So also in v. 20.
  105. Ezra 6:20 tn Heb “as one.” The expression is best understood as referring to the unity shown by the religious leaders in preparing themselves for the observance of Passover. On the meaning of the Hebrew phrase see DCH 1:182 s.v. אֶחָד 3b. See also HALOT 30 s.v. אֶחָד 5.
  106. Ezra 6:20 tn Heb “brothers.”
  107. Ezra 6:21 tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”
  108. Ezra 6:22 tn Heb “heart.”
  109. Ezra 6:22 sn The expression “king of Assyria” is anachronistic, since Assyria fell in 612 b.c., long before the events of this chapter. Perhaps the expression is intended subtly to contrast earlier kings of Assyria who were hostile toward Israel with this Persian king who showed them favor.
  110. Ezra 6:22 tn Heb “to strengthen their hands.”
  111. Ezra 7:1 sn If the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7:1 is Artaxerxes I Longimanus (ca. 464-423 b.c.), Ezra must have arrived in Jerusalem ca. 458 b.c., since Ezra 7:7-8 connects the time of his arrival to the seventh year of the king. The arrival of Nehemiah is then linked to the twentieth year of the king (Neh 1:1), or ca. 445 b.c. Some scholars, however, have suggested that Ezra 7:7 should be read as “the thirty-seventh year” rather than “the seventh year.” This would have Ezra coming to Jerusalem after, rather than before, the arrival of Nehemiah. Others have taken the seventh year of Ezra 7:7-8 to refer not to Artaxerxes I but to Artaxerxes II, who ruled ca. 404-358 b.c. In this understanding Ezra would have returned to Jerusalem ca. 398 b.c., a good many years after the return of Nehemiah. Neither of these views is certain, however, and it seems better to retain the traditional understanding of the chronological sequence of returns by Ezra and Nehemiah. With this understanding there is a gap of about fifty-eight years between chapter six, which describes the dedication of the temple in 516 b.c., and chapter seven, which opens with Ezra’s coming to Jerusalem in 458 b.c.
  112. Ezra 7:1 tn The words “came up from Babylon” do not appear in the Hebrew text until v. 6. They have been supplied here for the sake of clarity.
  113. Ezra 7:7 tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּעֲל (vayyaʿal, “he [Ezra] brought up”) rather than the Qal plural וַיַּעַלוּ (vayyaʿalu, “they came up”) of the MT.tn Heb “he brought”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  114. Ezra 7:9 tc The translation reads יִסַּד (yissad, “he appointed” [= determined]) rather than the reading יְסֻד (yesud, “foundation”) of the MT. (The words “to make” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.)
  115. Ezra 7:9 sn Apparently it took the caravan almost four months to make the 500 mile journey.
  116. Ezra 7:10 tn Heb “established his heart.”
  117. Ezra 7:10 tn Heb “to do and to teach.” The expression may be a hendiadys, in which case it would have the sense of “effectively teaching.”
  118. Ezra 7:11 tn Heb “this.”
  119. Ezra 7:11 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.
  120. Ezra 7:11 tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
  121. Ezra 7:12 sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
  122. Ezra 7:12 tn The verse ends with גְּמִיר וּכְעֶנֶת (gemir ukheʿenet) meaning “completed and now” or “perfect and now.” Some take the masculine form גְּמִיר (gemir) to apply to Ezra, as an expert scribe (Youngs, Holman, Darby). Many others take it as an abbreviated greeting “perfect (peace)” (KJV, NASB, ESV). Some simply render “Greetings” (NIV). The second term “and now” is understood either as beginning the letter’s text, i.e., that it belongs in the next verse (ESV), or as a form of “et cetera” meaning that the full introduction, whether of Ezra’s titles or of a lengthier list of greetings was deliberately omitted as extraneous to Ezra’s purposes here. The LXX interprets it as an introduction, “the message and answer are completed.”
  123. Ezra 7:13 tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.
  124. Ezra 7:14 tn Aram “sent.”
  125. Ezra 7:14 tn Aram “in your hand.”
  126. Ezra 7:16 tn Aram “find.”
  127. Ezra 7:17 tn Aram “their meal offerings and their libations.”
  128. Ezra 7:18 tn Aram “brothers.”
  129. Ezra 7:19 tn Or “before.”
  130. Ezra 7:20 tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”
  131. Ezra 7:21 tn Aram “who are in.”
  132. Ezra 7:22 tc The translation reads מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (meshakh battin) rather than מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (battin meshakh) of the MT.
  133. Ezra 7:22 tn Aram “he did not write.”
  134. Ezra 7:23 tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qetsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.
  135. Ezra 7:24 tn Aram “we are making known to you.”
  136. Ezra 7:25 tn Aram “in your hand.”
  137. Ezra 7:25 tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammateis, “scribes”).
  138. Ezra 7:26 tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.
  139. Ezra 7:27 sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (7:12-26) back to Hebrew.
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Acts 10:44-11:30
New English Translation

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on[a] all those who heard the message.[b] 45 The[c] circumcised believers[d] who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished[e] that[f] the gift of the Holy Spirit[g] had been poured out[h] even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising[i] God. Then Peter said, 47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did,[j] can he?”[k] 48 So he gave orders to have them baptized[l] in the name of Jesus Christ.[m] Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Peter Defends His Actions to the Jerusalem Church

11 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted[n] the word of God.[o] 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers[p] took issue with[q] him, 3 saying, “You went to[r] uncircumcised men and shared a meal with[s] them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point,[t] saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision,[u] an object something like a large sheet descending,[v] being let down from heaven[w] by its four corners, and it came to me. 6 As I stared[x] I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles,[y] and wild birds.[z] 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter[aa] and eat!’ 8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean[ab] has ever entered my mouth!’ 9 But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider[ac] ritually unclean!’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11 At that very moment,[ad] three men sent to me from Caesarea[ae] approached[af] the house where we were staying.[ag] 12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers[ah] also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 14 who will speak a message[ai] to you by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 15 Then as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on[aj] them just as he did[ak] on us at the beginning.[al] 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord,[am] as he used to say,[an] ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’[ao] 17 Therefore if God[ap] gave them the same gift[aq] as he also gave us after believing[ar] in the Lord Jesus Christ,[as] who was I to hinder[at] God?” 18 When they heard this,[au] they ceased their objections[av] and praised[aw] God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance[ax] that leads to life even to the Gentiles.”[ay]

Activity in the Church at Antioch

19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen[az] went as far as[ba] Phoenicia,[bb] Cyprus,[bc] and Antioch,[bd] speaking the message[be] to no one but Jews. 20 But there were some men from Cyprus[bf] and Cyrene[bg] among them who came[bh] to Antioch[bi] and began to speak to the Greeks[bj] too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. 21 The[bk] hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed[bl] turned[bm] to the Lord. 22 A report[bn] about them came to the attention[bo] of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas[bp] to Antioch.[bq] 23 When[br] he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true[bs] to the Lord with devoted hearts,[bt] 24 because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a significant number of people[bu] were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.[bv] So[bw] for a whole year Barnabas and Saul[bx] met with the church and taught a significant number of people.[by] Now it was in Antioch[bz] that the disciples were first called Christians.[ca]

Famine Relief for Judea

27 At that time[cb] some[cc] prophets[cd] came down[ce] from Jerusalem to Antioch.[cf] 28 One of them, named Agabus, got up[cg] and predicted[ch] by the Spirit that a severe[ci] famine[cj] was about to come over the whole inhabited world.[ck] (This[cl] took place during the reign of Claudius.)[cm] 29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability,[cn] decided[co] to send relief[cp] to the brothers living in Judea. 30 They did so,[cq] sending their financial aid[cr] to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 10:44 tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.
  2. Acts 10:44 tn Or “word.”
  3. Acts 10:45 tn Grk “And the.” 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.
  4. Acts 10:45 tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”
  5. Acts 10:45 sn The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.
  6. Acts 10:45 tn Or “because.”
  7. Acts 10:45 tn That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumatos) is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.
  8. Acts 10:45 sn The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Cf. the account in Acts 2, especially 2:33. Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18.
  9. Acts 10:46 tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”
  10. Acts 10:47 tn Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).
  11. Acts 10:47 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.
  12. Acts 10:48 tn The Greek construction (passive infinitive with accusative subject) could be translated either “he ordered them to be baptized” or “he ordered that they be baptized,” but the implication in English in either case is that Peter was giving orders to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, telling them to get baptized. It is much more likely in the context that Peter was ordering those Jewish Christians who accompanied him to baptize the new Gentile converts. They would doubtless have still had misgivings even after witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit and hearing the tongues. It took Peter’s apostolic authority (“ordered”) to convince them to perform the baptisms.
  13. Acts 10:48 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Jesus’ right to judge as the provider of forgiveness is highlighted here.
  14. Acts 11:1 tn See BDAG 221 s.v. δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.
  15. Acts 11:1 tn Here the phrase “word of God” is another way to describe the gospel (note the preceding verb ἐδέξαντο, edexanto, “accepted”). The phrase could also be translated “the word [message] from God.”
  16. Acts 11:2 tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.
  17. Acts 11:2 tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).
  18. Acts 11:3 tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).
  19. Acts 11:3 tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.
  20. Acts 11:4 tn Or “to them in logical sequence,” “to them in order.” BDAG 490 s.v. καθεξῆς has “explain to someone point by point” for this phrase. This is the same term used in Luke 1:3.
  21. Acts 11:5 tn This term describes a supernatural vision and reflects a clear distinction from something imagined (BDAG 718 s.v. ὅραμα 1). Peter repeated the story virtually word for word through v. 13. The repetition with this degree of detail shows the event’s importance.
  22. Acts 11:5 tn Or “coming down.”
  23. Acts 11:5 tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
  24. Acts 11:6 tn Grk “Staring I looked into it.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  25. Acts 11:6 tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate.
  26. Acts 11:6 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
  27. Acts 11:7 tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (thuson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.
  28. Acts 11:8 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. The sentiment Peter expressed is like Ezek 4:14.
  29. Acts 11:9 tn Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.
  30. Acts 11:11 tn Grk “And behold.”
  31. Acts 11:11 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.
  32. Acts 11:11 tn See BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epestēsan) here.
  33. Acts 11:11 tn The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
  34. Acts 11:12 sn Six witnesses is three times more than what would normally be required. They could confirm the events were not misrepresented by Peter.
  35. Acts 11:14 tn Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rhēmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.
  36. Acts 11:15 tn Or “came down on.”
  37. Acts 11:15 tn The words “he did” are not in the Greek text but are implied. They form an ellipsis which must be supplied for the modern English reader. Some modern translations supply “it” rather than “he” because the gender of πνεῦμα (pneuma) in Greek is neuter, but there are sufficient NT contexts that use masculine pronouns to refer to the Spirit to justify the use of a masculine pronoun here in the translation.
  38. Acts 11:15 sn At the beginning is an allusion to Acts 2 and Pentecost. The beginning is a way to refer to the start of the period of the realization of Jesus’ promise in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. Peter was arguing that God gave Gentiles the same benefits he gave the Jews at the start of their mission.
  39. Acts 11:16 sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rhēma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8; 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.
  40. Acts 11:16 tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.
  41. Acts 11:16 sn John…Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.
  42. Acts 11:17 tc Codex Bezae (D) and a few other Western witnesses here lack ὁ θεός (ho theos, “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.
  43. Acts 11:17 sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.
  44. Acts 11:17 tn Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (hēmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edōken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.
  45. Acts 11:17 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
  46. Acts 11:17 tn Or “prevent,” “forbid” (BDAG 580 s.v. κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.
  47. Acts 11:18 tn Grk “these things.”
  48. Acts 11:18 tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.
  49. Acts 11:18 tn Or “glorified.”
  50. Acts 11:18 sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).
  51. Acts 11:18 sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.
  52. Acts 11:19 sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.
  53. Acts 11:19 tn Or “finally reached.” The translations “went as far as” and “finally reached” for διῆλθον (diēlthon) in this verse are given in L&N 15.17.
  54. Acts 11:19 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.
  55. Acts 11:19 tn Grk “and Cyprus,” but 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.sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
  56. Acts 11:19 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). This was probably the third largest city in the Greco-Roman world (Alexandria in Egypt was the second largest, and Rome the largest) and was the seat of government in Syria. Five miles away was a major temple to Artemis, Apollo, and Astarte, major pagan deities.
  57. Acts 11:19 tn Grk “word.”
  58. Acts 11:20 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
  59. Acts 11:20 sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.
  60. Acts 11:20 tn Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elthontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  61. Acts 11:20 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
  62. Acts 11:20 sn The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.
  63. Acts 11:21 tn Grk “And the.” 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.
  64. Acts 11:21 tn The participle πιστεύσας (pisteusas) is articular and thus cannot be adverbial. It is adjectival, modifying ἀριθμός (arithmos), but has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who believed”).
  65. Acts 11:21 sn Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.
  66. Acts 11:22 tn Grk “Word.”
  67. Acts 11:22 tn Grk “was heard in the ears,” an idiom. L&N 24.67 states that the idiom means “to hear in secret” (which it certainly does in Matt 10:27), but secrecy does not seem to be part of the context here, and there is no particular reason to suggest the report was made in secret.
  68. Acts 11:22 tc ‡ Most mss read the infinitive “to travel” after “Barnabas.” διελθεῖν (dielthein) is found before ἕως (heōs) in D E Ψ 33 M and some versional mss. It is lacking in P74 א A B 81 1739 and some versional mss. Although the infinitive with ἕως fits Lukan style, it has the appearance of a scribal clarification. The infinitive has the earmarks of a Western expansion on the text and thus is unlikely to be autographic. NA28 has the infinitive in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
  69. Acts 11:22 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19. Again the Jerusalem church exercised an oversight role.
  70. Acts 11:23 tn Grk “Antioch, who when.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
  71. Acts 11:23 tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse.sn He…encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord. The call to faithfulness is frequent in Acts (2:40; 14:22; 15:32; 16:39; 20:1-2).
  72. Acts 11:23 tn Grk “with purpose of heart”; BDAG 869 s.v. πρόθεσις 2.a translates this phrase “purpose of heart, i.e. devotion” here.
  73. Acts 11:24 tn Grk “a significant crowd.”
  74. Acts 11:26 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
  75. Acts 11:26 tn Grk “So it happened 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.
  76. Acts 11:26 tn Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  77. Acts 11:26 tn Grk “a significant crowd.”
  78. Acts 11:26 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
  79. Acts 11:26 sn The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.
  80. Acts 11:27 tn Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.
  81. Acts 11:27 tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.
  82. Acts 11:27 sn Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.
  83. Acts 11:27 sn Came down from Jerusalem. Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude).
  84. Acts 11:27 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.
  85. Acts 11:28 tn Grk “getting up, predicted.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  86. Acts 11:28 tn Or “made clear”; Grk “indicated beforehand” (BDAG 920 s.v. σημαίνω 2).
  87. Acts 11:28 tn Grk “great.”
  88. Acts 11:28 sn This famine is one of the firmly fixed dates in Acts. It took place from a.d. 45-48. The events described in chap. 11 of Acts occurred during the early part of that period.
  89. Acts 11:28 tn Or “whole Roman Empire.” While the word οἰκουμένη (oikoumenē) does occasionally refer specifically to the Roman Empire, BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουνένη 2 does not list this passage (only Acts 24:5 and 17:6).
  90. Acts 11:28 tn Grk “world, which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “this” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
  91. Acts 11:28 sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Claudius was the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54.
  92. Acts 11:29 tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.
  93. Acts 11:29 tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”
  94. Acts 11:29 tn Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters.sn The financial relief reflects the oneness of the church, meeting the needs of another (even racially distinct) community. Jerusalem, having ministered to them, now received ministry back. A later collection from Greece is noted in Rom 15:25-27, but it reflects the same spirit as this gift.
  95. Acts 11:30 tn Grk “Judea, which they did.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
  96. Acts 11:30 tn The words “their financial aid” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
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