1
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ τὸν Ἀπολλῶ εἶναι ἐν Κορίνθῳ Παῦλον διελθόντα τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη ⸀ἐλθεῖν εἰς Ἔφεσον καὶ ⸀εὑρεῖν τινας μαθητάς,
And it came to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper parts, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples,
2
εἶπέν ⸀τε πρὸς αὐτούς· Εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; οἱ ⸀δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἔστιν ἠκούσαμεν.
and he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
Why this rendering
Acts.19.2 Observation
Syntactic observation
Εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; — did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? πιστεύσαντες (aorist participle) can be read as after you believed or when you believed — this edition keeps when and fixes no sequence. The answer, Ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἔστιν ἠκούσαμεν — we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit — has the shape of John 7:39, οὔπω γὰρ ἦν πνεῦμα, for there was not yet a Spirit (εἶναι + πνεῦμα); this edition renders both with is/was. V.3 Εἰς τί ἐβαπτίσθητε (into what were you baptized) — the εἰς is the εἰς of v.5, into the name of the Lord Jesus. That John’s baptism is a baptism of repentance (βάπτισμα μετανοίας) is the phrase of Luke 3:3 and Acts 13:24. Who these about twelve (ὡσεὶ δώδεκα) are, and whether they are connected with Apollos (18:25), the base text does not say.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “when you believed” — no sequence fixed; “whether there is a Holy Spirit” — εἶναι as it stands
Basis The participle’s openness is not closed.
3
εἶπέν ⸀τε· Εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Εἰς τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα.
And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
first here John Ἰωάννης Iōannēs
4
εἶπεν δὲ Παῦλος· ⸀Ἰωάννης ἐβάπτισεν βάπτισμα μετανοίας, τῷ λαῷ λέγων εἰς τὸν ἐρχόμενον μετ’ αὐτὸν ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν εἰς ⸀τὸν Ἰησοῦν.
And Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one coming after him — that is, in Jesus.”
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
5
ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἐβαπτίσθησαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ·
And hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
6
καὶ ἐπιθέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ ⸀Παύλου χεῖρας ἦλθε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ’ αὐτούς, ἐλάλουν τε γλώσσαις καὶ ἐπροφήτευον.
And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were speaking in languages and prophesying.
7
ἦσαν δὲ οἱ πάντες ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ ⸀δώδεκα.
And the men were in all about twelve.
8
Εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ἐπαρρησιάζετο ἐπὶ μῆνας τρεῖς διαλεγόμενος καὶ ⸀πείθων περὶ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ.
And going into the synagogue he was speaking openly for three months, reasoning and persuading about the kingdom of God.
9
ὡς δέ τινες ἐσκληρύνοντο καὶ ἠπείθουν κακολογοῦντες τὴν ὁδὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ πλήθους, ἀποστὰς ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἀφώρισεν τοὺς μαθητάς, καθ’ ἡμέραν διαλεγόμενος ἐν τῇ σχολῇ ⸀Τυράννου.
But when some were being hardened and disobeying, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
10
τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ ἔτη δύο, ὥστε πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν Ἀσίαν ἀκοῦσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ ⸀κυρίου, Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας.
And this went on for two years, so that all those dwelling in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
first here Jews Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios
first here Greeks Ἕλλην Hellēn
11
Δυνάμεις τε οὐ τὰς τυχούσας ⸂ὁ θεὸς ἐποίει⸃ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν Παύλου,
And God was doing works of power not of the ordinary kind through the hands of Paul,
12
ὥστε καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας ⸀ἀποφέρεσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτοῦ σουδάρια ἢ σιμικίνθια καὶ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι ἀπ’ αὐτῶν τὰς νόσους, τά τε πνεύματα τὰ πονηρὰ ⸀ἐκπορεύεσθαι.
so that even cloths or aprons from his skin were carried away to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.
13
ἐπεχείρησαν δέ τινες ⸀καὶ τῶν περιερχομένων Ἰουδαίων ἐξορκιστῶν ὀνομάζειν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔχοντας τὰ πνεύματα τὰ πονηρὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ λέγοντες· ⸀Ὁρκίζω ὑμᾶς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ⸀ὃν Παῦλος κηρύσσει.
But some also of the wandering Jewish exorcists undertook to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those having the evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
14
ἦσαν δέ ⸀τινος Σκευᾶ Ἰουδαίου ἀρχιερέως ἑπτὰ ⸀υἱοὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες.
And there were seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, doing this.
15
ἀποκριθὲν δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πονηρὸν εἶπεν ⸀αὐτοῖς· ⸀Τὸν Ἰησοῦν γινώσκω καὶ τὸν Παῦλον ἐπίσταμαι, ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνες ἐστέ;
And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know of; but who are you?”
Why this rendering
Acts.19.15 Observation
Syntactic observation
Τὸν Ἰησοῦν γινώσκω καὶ τὸν Παῦλον ἐπίσταμαι, ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνες ἐστέ; — Jesus I know, and Paul I know of; but who are you? The base text uses two verbs for knowing — γινώσκω (Jesus) and ἐπίσταμαι (Paul). This edition marks the second slightly (know / know of) and cannot fully carry that two verbs are used (recorded as a loss). V.13 ὁρκίζω, adjure, is the verb of Mark 5:7, the Gerasene demon saying to Jesus I adjure you by God — there a demon to a man, here men to a demon. ἐξορκιστής, exorcist, is unique in the New Testament. V.16 κατακυριεύσας is the verb of Matt 20:25 and Mark 10:42, lord it down over — a word used of the rulers of the nations is used of a man with an evil spirit. Naked and wounded (γυμνοὺς καὶ τετραυματισμένους) — the base text does not fix how many fled (ἀμφοτέρων, both, and seven sons stand in one story); this edition does not reconcile the count.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “both” · “seven sons” — the count not reconciled
Basis The base text prints both (⸂κατακυριεύσας ἀμφοτέρων⸃ stands inside a variant marker).
Lost in translation
γινώσκω (Jesus) and ἐπίσταμαι (Paul) are different verbs — this language can only hint at the difference (know / know of).
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
16
καὶ ⸀ἐφαλόμενος ⸂ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς⸃ ἐν ᾧ ἦν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πονηρὸν ⸂κατακυριεύσας ἀμφοτέρων⸃ ἴσχυσεν κατ’ αὐτῶν, ὥστε γυμνοὺς καὶ τετραυματισμένους ἐκφυγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου ἐκείνου.
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and lording it down over both he prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17
τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο γνωστὸν πᾶσιν Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησιν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν τὴν Ἔφεσον, καὶ ⸀ἐπέπεσεν φόβος ἐπὶ πάντας αὐτούς, καὶ ἐμεγαλύνετο τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ.
And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who dwelt in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.
18
πολλοί τε τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἤρχοντο ἐξομολογούμενοι καὶ ἀναγγέλλοντες τὰς πράξεις αὐτῶν.
And many of those who had believed were coming, confessing and reporting their deeds.
19
ἱκανοὶ δὲ τῶν τὰ περίεργα πραξάντων συνενέγκαντες τὰς βίβλους κατέκαιον ἐνώπιον πάντων· καὶ συνεψήφισαν τὰς τιμὰς αὐτῶν καὶ εὗρον ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε.
And a good number of those who had practised curious arts brought their books together and were burning them up before all; and they counted up their prices and found fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Why this rendering
Acts.19.19 Observation
Syntactic observation
συνεψήφισαν τὰς τιμὰς αὐτῶν καὶ εὗρον ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε — they counted up their prices and found fifty thousand pieces of silver. The base text names no unit — ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε is five myriads of silver, counted without pieces just as the thirty of silver (τριάκοντα ἀργύρια) at Matt 27:3; this edition renders the two places in the same shape. τὰ περίεργα, curious arts, occurs in the New Testament only here and at 1 Tim 5:13 (busybodies), and is a different word from Simon’s μαγεία, magic, at 8:9, 11 — this edition keeps curious arts and magic apart. V.18 ἐξομολογούμενοι, confessing, is the verb of Matt 3:6, confessing their sins. V.20 κατὰ κράτος … ηὔξανεν καὶ ἴσχυεν — was growing with might and prevailing: the third sentence in Acts in which the word grows (6:7; 12:24; 19:20). κράτος, might, is the word of Luke 1:51, he worked might with his arm — kept apart from ἰσχύς, strength (Mark 12:30), which Eph 1:19 sets beside it.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “fifty thousand pieces of silver” — no unit, in the shape of Matt 27:3
Basis Adding drachmas would insert a unit the base text does not have.
20
οὕτως κατὰ κράτος ⸂τοῦ κυρίου ὁ λόγος⸃ ηὔξανεν καὶ ἴσχυεν.
So the word of the Lord was growing with might and prevailing.
21
Ὡς δὲ ἐπληρώθη ταῦτα, ἔθετο ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῷ πνεύματι διελθὼν τὴν Μακεδονίαν καὶ Ἀχαΐαν πορεύεσθαι εἰς ⸀Ἱεροσόλυμα, εἰπὼν ὅτι Μετὰ τὸ γενέσθαι με ἐκεῖ δεῖ με καὶ Ῥώμην ἰδεῖν.
Now when these things were fulfilled, Paul set it in his spirit, having passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must see Rome also.”
22
ἀποστείλας δὲ εἰς τὴν Μακεδονίαν δύο τῶν διακονούντων αὐτῷ, Τιμόθεον καὶ Ἔραστον, αὐτὸς ἐπέσχεν χρόνον εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν.
And sending into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed on for a time in Asia.
23
Ἐγένετο δὲ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον τάραχος οὐκ ὀλίγος περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ.
And about that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.
24
Δημήτριος γάρ τις ὀνόματι, ἀργυροκόπος, ποιῶν ναοὺς ἀργυροῦς Ἀρτέμιδος παρείχετο τοῖς τεχνίταις ⸂οὐκ ὀλίγην ἐργασίαν⸃,
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing no small gain to the craftsmen;
25
οὓς συναθροίσας καὶ τοὺς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐργάτας εἶπεν· Ἄνδρες, ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἐκ ταύτης τῆς ἐργασίας ἡ εὐπορία ⸀ἡμῖν ἐστιν,
whom he gathered together, with the workmen in such things, and said, “Men, you know that from this gain we have our prosperity,
26
καὶ θεωρεῖτε καὶ ἀκούετε ὅτι οὐ μόνον Ἐφέσου ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν πάσης τῆς Ἀσίας ὁ Παῦλος οὗτος πείσας μετέστησεν ἱκανὸν ὄχλον, λέγων ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν θεοὶ οἱ διὰ χειρῶν γινόμενοι.
and you observe and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable crowd, saying that those made by hands are not gods.
27
οὐ μόνον δὲ τοῦτο κινδυνεύει ἡμῖν τὸ μέρος εἰς ἀπελεγμὸν ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τῆς μεγάλης θεᾶς ⸂Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερὸν⸃ εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι, μέλλειν ⸀τε καὶ καθαιρεῖσθαι ⸂τῆς μεγαλειότητος⸃ αὐτῆς, ἣν ὅλη ἡ Ἀσία καὶ ἡ οἰκουμένη σέβεται.
And not only is this our line in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis is in danger of being reckoned as nothing, and her greatness is about to be cast down — she toward whom all Asia and the inhabited world are devout.”
Why this rendering
Acts.19.27 Observation
Syntactic observation
τὸ τῆς μεγάλης θεᾶς Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερὸν εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι — the temple of the great goddess Artemis is in danger of being reckoned as nothing. Vv.24 and 27 use the two temple words apart — what Demetrius makes are ναούς (sanctuaries, small ones in silver) and what is in danger is the ἱερόν (temple, the building at Ephesus). The distinction this edition keeps (sanctuary / temple) stands in the base text for a pagan temple too. μεγάλη, great, is the axis of the chapter — v.27 the great goddess, vv.28, 34 great is Artemis, v.35 the great Artemis, v.27 μεγαλειότης (greatness — Luke 9:43, the greatness of God). This edition keeps the one word great and does not inflate it — the μέγας of Mark 4:41’s three steps. The two-hour cry (v.34) is two words (Μεγάλη ἡ Ἄρτεμις). V.27 this our line (τὸ μέρος) — μέρος is the word of Luke 10:42, part, and Acts 8:21, share; this edition divides it by place.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “sanctuaries” (v.24) ↔ “temple” (v.27); “great” as it stands
Basis The fixed distinction holds for a pagan temple as well.
28
Ἀκούσαντες δὲ καὶ γενόμενοι πλήρεις θυμοῦ ἔκραζον λέγοντες· Μεγάλη ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων.
And hearing this and becoming full of rage, they were crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”
29
καὶ ἐπλήσθη ἡ ⸀πόλις τῆς συγχύσεως, ὥρμησάν τε ὁμοθυμαδὸν εἰς τὸ θέατρον συναρπάσαντες Γάϊον καὶ Ἀρίσταρχον Μακεδόνας, συνεκδήμους Παύλου.
And the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one mind into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travelling companions.
30
⸂Παύλου δὲ⸃ βουλομένου εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δῆμον οὐκ εἴων αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταί·
And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples did not allow him;
31
τινὲς δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἀσιαρχῶν, ὄντες αὐτῷ φίλοι, πέμψαντες πρὸς αὐτὸν παρεκάλουν μὴ δοῦναι ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ θέατρον.
and some also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and were urging him not to give himself into the theatre.
32
ἄλλοι μὲν οὖν ἄλλο τι ἔκραζον, ἦν γὰρ ἡ ἐκκλησία συγκεχυμένη, καὶ οἱ πλείους οὐκ ᾔδεισαν τίνος ἕνεκα συνεληλύθεισαν.
So some were crying out one thing and some another, for the assembly was confounded, and the greater part did not know for what reason they had come together.
Why this rendering
Acts.19.32 Observation
Syntactic observation
ἦν γὰρ ἡ ἐκκλησία συγκεχυμένη — for the assembly was confounded. ἐκκλησία is the word this edition renders assembly — 5:11, the whole assembly; 8:1, the assembly in Jerusalem. Here the crowd in the theatre (v.32), the lawful assembly (v.39) and the assembly the scribe sends away (v.40) are all ἐκκλησία. The base text uses one word for church and civic assembly — this edition keeps assembly at all three places and does not switch to crowd or meeting; so the assembly was confounded is the base text’s own sentence. συγκεχυμένη, confounded, is the verb of Pentecost at 2:6 (συνεχύθη) — one place where everyone hears his own language, one where no one knows why they have come. V.35 γραμματεύς, scribe, likewise — the Gospels’ scribes and the city clerk of Ephesus are one word, so this edition keeps scribe. V.37 ἱεροσύλους, temple-robbers, carries ἱερόν; v.40 στάσις, insurrection, is the word of Barabbas at Luke 23:19.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “assembly” — at vv.32, 39, 40; “scribe” — v.35
Basis One word in the base text, one word here — the surprise is the base text’s.
“crowd” · “meeting” · “town clerk”
Basis Gives the institutional sense.
Rejected That church and civic assembly are one word would vanish in translation.
33
ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄχλου ⸀συνεβίβασαν Ἀλέξανδρον προβαλόντων αὐτὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ὁ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος κατασείσας τὴν χεῖρα ἤθελεν ἀπολογεῖσθαι τῷ δήμῳ.
And out of the crowd they instructed Alexander, the Jews putting him forward; and Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defence to the people.
first here Alexander Ἀλέξανδρος Alexandros
34
ἐπιγνόντες δὲ ὅτι Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν φωνὴ ἐγένετο μία ἐκ πάντων ⸀ὡς ἐπὶ ὥρας δύο κραζόντων· Μεγάλη ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων.
But recognizing that he was a Jew, one voice came from them all, crying out for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”
35
καταστείλας δὲ ⸂ὁ γραμματεὺς τὸν ὄχλον⸃ φησίν· Ἄνδρες Ἐφέσιοι, τίς γάρ ἐστιν ⸀ἀνθρώπων ὃς οὐ γινώσκει τὴν Ἐφεσίων πόλιν νεωκόρον οὖσαν τῆς ⸀μεγάλης Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ τοῦ διοπετοῦς;
And when the scribe had quieted the crowd, he says, “Men of Ephesus, who is there among men who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is sanctuary-keeper of the great Artemis and of what fell from the sky?
36
ἀναντιρρήτων οὖν ὄντων τούτων δέον ἐστὶν ὑμᾶς κατεσταλμένους ὑπάρχειν καὶ μηδὲν προπετὲς πράσσειν.
Since then these things cannot be contradicted, you must be quiet and do nothing rash.
37
ἠγάγετε γὰρ τοὺς ἄνδρας τούτους οὔτε ἱεροσύλους οὔτε βλασφημοῦντας τὴν θεὸν ⸀ἡμῶν.
For you brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38
εἰ μὲν οὖν Δημήτριος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τεχνῖται ἔχουσιν πρός τινα λόγον, ἀγοραῖοι ἄγονται καὶ ἀνθύπατοί εἰσιν, ἐγκαλείτωσαν ἀλλήλοις.
If then Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a word against anyone, the courts are held and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.
39
εἰ δέ τι ⸀περαιτέρω ἐπιζητεῖτε, ἐν τῇ ἐννόμῳ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιλυθήσεται.
But if you seek anything further, it will be settled in the lawful assembly.
40
καὶ γὰρ κινδυνεύομεν ἐγκαλεῖσθαι στάσεως περὶ τῆς σήμερον μηδενὸς αἰτίου ὑπάρχοντος περὶ οὗ οὐ δυνησόμεθα ⸀ἀποδοῦναι λόγον ⸀περὶ τῆς συστροφῆς ταύτης. καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
For indeed we are in danger of being charged with insurrection concerning today, there being no cause for which we will be able to render an account concerning this gathering.” And having said these things, he sent the assembly away.