Acts 23:14-16

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 23:14 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
2. Acts 23:14 tn Grk “going.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselthontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
3. Acts 23:14 sn They went to the chief priests. The fact that the high priest knew of this plot and did nothing shows the Jewish leadership would even become accomplices to murder to stop Paul. They would not allow Roman justice to take its course. Paul’s charge in v. 3 of superficially following the law is thus shown to be true.
4. Acts 23:14 tn Or “bound ourselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone…pleonastically ἀναθέματι ἀ. ἑαυτόν Ac 23:14…ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.” The pleonastic use ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (literally “we have cursed ourselves with a curse”) probably serves as an intensifier following Semitic usage, and is represented in the translation by the word “solemn.” On such oaths see m. Nedarim 3:1, 3.
5. Acts 23:14 tn This included both food and drink (γεύομαι [geuomai] is used of water turned to wine in John 2:9).
6. Acts 23:15 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
7. Acts 23:15 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
8. Acts 23:15 tn Or “decide.” BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω has “ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ to make a more thorough examination of his case Ac 23:15.”
9. Acts 23:15 tn Grk “determine the things about him.”
10. Acts 23:15 tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).
11. Acts 23:15 sn “We are ready to kill him.” Now those Jews involved in the conspiracy, along with the leaders as accomplices, are going to break one of the ten commandments.
12. Acts 23:15 tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
13. Acts 23:16 tn Or “plot” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνέδρα).
14. Acts 23:16 tn Grk “coming and entering…, he told.” The participles παραγενόμενος (paragenomenos) and εἰσελθών (eiselthōn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.
15. Acts 23:16 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”