New Testament in a Year

Footnotes

1. Acts 19:1 tn Grk “It happened that while.” 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.
2. Acts 19:1 tn Or “interior.”
3. Acts 19:1 tn BDAG 92 s.v. ἀνωτερικός has “upper τὰ ἀ. μέρη the upper (i.e., inland) country, the interior Ac 19:1.”
4. Acts 19:1 tn Grk “and found.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the sequencing with the following verse the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
5. Acts 19:1 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
6. Acts 19:2 tn The participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusantes) is taken temporally.
7. Acts 19:2 tn Grk “they [said] to him” (the word “said” is implied in the Greek text).
8. Acts 19:2 tn This use of ἀλλά (alla) is ascensive and involves an ellipsis (BDAG 45 s.v. ἀλλά 3): “No, [not only did we not receive the Spirit,] but also we have not heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” However, this is lengthy and somewhat awkward in English, and the ascensive meaning can be much more easily represented by including the word “even” after the negation. Apparently these disciples were unaware of the provision of the Spirit that is represented in baptism. The language sounds like they did not know about a Holy Spirit, but this seems to be only linguistic shorthand for not knowing about the Spirit’s presence (Luke 3:15-18). The situation is parallel to that of Apollos. Apollos and these disciples represent those who “complete” their transition to messianic faith as Jews.
9. Acts 19:3 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10. Acts 19:3 tn Grk “they said.”
11. Acts 19:4 sn These disciples may have had their contact with John early on in the Baptist’s ministry before Jesus had emerged. This is the fifth time Luke links John the Baptist and Jesus (Acts 1:5; 11:16; 13:25; 18:25).
12. Acts 19:6 tn Or “laid.”
13. Acts 19:6 sn The coming of the Holy Spirit here is another case where the Spirit comes and prophecy results in Acts (see Acts 2). Paul’s action parallels that of Peter (Acts 8) and not just with Gentiles.
14. Acts 19:6 tn The imperfect verb ἐλάλουν (elaloun) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
15. Acts 19:6 tn The imperfect verb ἐπροφήτευον (eprophēteuon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
16. Acts 19:7 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
17. Acts 19:8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18. Acts 19:8 tn Grk “So entering the synagogue, he spoke out fearlessly.” The participle εἰσελθών (eiselthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
19. Acts 19:8 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
20. Acts 19:8 tn Or “boldly.”
21. Acts 19:8 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 19:8. 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.
22. Acts 19:8 tn Or “addressing them persuasively.” The two participles διαλεγόμενος and πείθων (dialegomenos and peithōn) can be understood as a hendiadys (so NIV, NRSV), thus, “addressing them persuasively.”
23. Acts 19:8 sn To talk about Jesus as the Christ who has come is to talk about the kingdom of God. This is yet another summary of the message like that in 18:28. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching (along with Paul’s teaching here) has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21; Acts 1:3.
24. Acts 19:9 tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b lists this use as a temporal conjunction.
25. Acts 19:9 tn Or “some became hardened.” See BDAG 930 s.v. σκληρύνω b and Acts 7:51-53.
26. Acts 19:9 tn Or “speaking evil of.” BDAG 500 s.v. κακολογέω has “speak evil of, revile, insult…τὶ someth. τὴν ὁδόν the Way (i.e. Christian way of life) Ac 19:9.”
27. Acts 19:9 sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity). Luke frequently refers to it as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).
28. Acts 19:9 tn Grk “leaving them, he took.” The participle ἀποστάς (apostas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
29. Acts 19:9 tn The words “with him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
30. Acts 19:9 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 19:9. 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.
31. Acts 19:9 tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.
32. Acts 19:9 tn The “lecture hall” was a place where teachers and pupils met. The term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 982 s.v. σχολή). L&N 7.14 notes, “it is better to use a translation such as ‘lecture hall’ rather than ‘school,’ since one does not wish to give the impression of the typical classroom situation characteristic of present-day schools.”
33. Acts 19:10 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.sn The expression all who lived in the province of Asia is good Semitic hyperbole (see Col 1:7, “all the world”). The message was now available to the region.
34. Acts 19:10 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; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:20; 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.
35. Acts 19:11 tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11.”
36. Acts 19:12 tn Or “skin” (the outer surface of the body).
37. Acts 19:12 tn Or “were taken.” It might be that as word went out into the region that since the sick could not come to Paul, healing was brought to them this way. The “handkerchiefs” are probably face cloths for wiping perspiration (see BDAG 934 s.v. σουδάριον) while the “aprons” might be material worn by workmen (BDAG 923-24 s.v. σιμικίνθιον).
38. Acts 19:12 tn The words “of them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
39. Acts 19:13 tn Grk “some Jewish exorcists who traveled about.” The adjectival participle περιερχομένων (perierchomenōn) has been translated as “itinerant.”
40. Acts 19:13 tn Grk “to name the name.”
41. Acts 19:13 tn Grk “who had.” Here ἔχω (echō) is used of demon possession, a common usage according to BDAG 421 s.v. ἔχω 7.a.α.
42. Acts 19:13 sn The expression I sternly warn you means “I charge you as under oath.”
43. Acts 19:14 tn Grk “a certain Sceva.”
44. Acts 19:14 sn Within the sequence of the narrative, this amounts to a parenthetical note by the author.
45. Acts 19:15 tn Grk “answered and said to them.” The expression, redundant in English, has been simplified to “replied.”
46. Acts 19:15 tn Grk “Jesus I know about.” Here ᾿Ιησοῦν (Iēsoun) is in emphatic position in Greek, but placing the object first is not normal in contemporary English style.
47. Acts 19:15 tn BDAG 380 s.v. ἐπίσταμαι 2 has “know, be acquainted with τινά…τὸν Παῦλον Ac 19:15.” Here the translation “be acquainted with” was used to differentiate from the previous phrase which has γινώσκω (ginōskō).
48. Acts 19:15 sn But who are you? This account shows how the power of Paul was so distinct that parallel claims to access that power were denied. In fact, such manipulation, by those who did not know Jesus, was judged (v. 16). The indirect way in which the exorcists made the appeal shows their distance from Jesus.
49. Acts 19:16 tn Grk “in whom the evil spirit was.”
50. Acts 19:16 tn Grk “the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them.” The participle ἐφαλόμενος (ephalomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 15.239 has “ἐφαλόμενος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ‘the man jumped on them’ Ac 19:16.”
51. Acts 19:16 tn Grk “and beating them all into submission.” The participle κατακυριεύσας (katakurieusas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. According to W. Foerster, TDNT 3:1098, the word means “the exercise of dominion against someone, i.e., to one’s own advantage.” These exorcists were shown to be powerless in comparison to Jesus who was working through Paul.
52. Acts 19:16 tn BDAG 484 s.v. ἰσχύω 3 has “win out, prevail…κατά τινος over, against someone Ac 19:16.”
53. Acts 19:17 tn Grk “fell on.” BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 2 has “φόβος ἐ. ἐπί τινα fear came upon someone…Ac 19:17.”
54. Acts 19:17 tn Or “exalted.”
55. Acts 19:18 tn Grk “came”; the word “forward” is supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning and to conform to the contemporary English idiom.
56. Acts 19:18 tn Or “confessing and disclosing their deeds.” BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναγγέλλω 2 has “W. ἐξομολογεῖσθαι: ἀ. τὰς πράξεις αὐτὸν make their deeds known Ac 19:18.”sn Making their deeds known. Ephesus was a major pagan religious center with much syncretistic “magical” practice. Coming to Jesus changed the lives and attitudes of these believers, creating a social impact.
57. Acts 19:19 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 4.a has “many, quite a few” for ἱκανοί (hikanoi) in this verse.
58. Acts 19:19 tn On this term see BDAG 800 s.v. περίεργος 2.
59. Acts 19:19 tn Or “scrolls.”
60. Acts 19:19 tn Or “burned them up publicly.” L&N 14.66 has “‘they brought their books together and burned them up in the presence of everyone’ Ac 19:19.”
61. Acts 19:19 tn Grk “and when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
62. Acts 19:19 tn Or “fifty thousand silver drachmas.” BDAG 128 s.v. ἀργύριον 2.c states, “ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε 50,000 (Attic silver) drachmas Ac 19:19.” Another way to express the value would be in sheep: One drachma could buy one sheep. So this many drachmas could purchase a huge flock of sheep. A drachma also equals a denarius, or a day’s wage for the average worker. So this amount would be equal to 50,000 work days or in excess of 8,300 weeks of labor (the weeks are calculated at six working days because of the Jewish cultural context). The impact of Christianity on the Ephesian economy was considerable (note in regard to this the concerns expressed in 19:26-27).
63. Acts 19:20 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; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10; 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.
64. Acts 19:20 tn The imperfect verb ηὔξανεν (ēuxanen) has been translated as a progressive imperfect, as has the following verb ἴσχυεν (ischuen).
65. Acts 19:20 sn The word of the Lord…to prevail. Luke portrays the impact of Christianity in terms of the Lord’s transforming power in the lives of individuals.