1
ἀτενίσας δὲ ⸂ὁ Παῦλος τῷ συνεδρίῳ⸃ εἶπεν· Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ πάσῃ συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ ἄχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας.
And Paul, gazing fixedly at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived as a citizen before God in all good conscience up to this day.”
2
ὁ δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς Ἁνανίας ἐπέταξεν τοῖς παρεστῶσιν αὐτῷ τύπτειν αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα.
And the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike his mouth.
3
τότε ὁ Παῦλος πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν· Τύπτειν σε μέλλει ὁ θεός, τοῖχε κεκονιαμένε· καὶ σὺ κάθῃ κρίνων με κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ παρανομῶν κελεύεις με τύπτεσθαι;
Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And do you sit judging me according to the law, and contrary to the law order me to be struck?”
Why this rendering
Acts.23.3 Observation
Syntactic observation
Τύπτειν σε μέλλει ὁ θεός, τοῖχε κεκονιαμένε — God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! κονιάω, whitewash, is the verb of Matt 23:27, whitewashed graves (τάφοις κεκονιαμένοις), and occurs only twice in the New Testament — the picture Jesus used of the Pharisees, Paul uses of the high priest. τοῖχος, wall, is unique in the New Testament and a different word from 9:25 τεῖχος, city wall — this edition keeps them apart. τύπτω, strike, comes three times in one verse — the high priest orders strike, Paul says will strike, and asks back order me to be struck. V.5, I did not know that he is high priest — the base text does not say whether this is ignorance or irony; this edition renders only the sentence. In the quotation you shall not speak evilly of a ruler of your people (Exod 22:28 LXX), ἄρχων, ruler, is the word of Nicodemus at John 3:1 and of Acts 3:17. V.1 πεπολίτευμαι, I have lived as a citizen, is the verb of πολίτης (citizen, 21:39) — the man who declared Roman citizenship uses the citizen’s word before God too.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “whitewashed wall” — the “whitewashed” of Matt 23:27; “lived as a citizen”
Basis The link of a two-place verb and the root of πολίτης are kept.
4
οἱ δὲ παρεστῶτες εἶπαν· Τὸν ἀρχιερέα τοῦ θεοῦ λοιδορεῖς;
And those standing by said, “Do you revile the high priest of God?”
5
ἔφη τε ὁ Παῦλος· Οὐκ ᾔδειν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀρχιερεύς· γέγραπται γὰρ ⸀ὅτι Ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς.
And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he is high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evilly of a ruler of your people.’”
6
Γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ὅτι τὸ ἓν μέρος ἐστὶν Σαδδουκαίων τὸ δὲ ἕτερον Φαρισαίων ⸀ἔκραζεν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ· Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ Φαρισαῖός εἰμι, υἱὸς ⸀Φαρισαίων· περὶ ἐλπίδος καὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ⸀ἐγὼ κρίνομαι.
Now Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council, “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged.”
first here Sadducees Σαδδουκαῖος Saddoukaios
first here Pharisee Φαρισαῖος Pharisaios
7
τοῦτο δὲ αὐτοῦ ⸀λαλοῦντος ἐγένετο στάσις τῶν Φαρισαίων ⸂καὶ Σαδδουκαίων⸃, καὶ ἐσχίσθη τὸ πλῆθος.
And when he said this, there arose strife between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
8
Σαδδουκαῖοι ⸀μὲν γὰρ λέγουσιν μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν ⸀μήτε ἄγγελον μήτε πνεῦμα, Φαρισαῖοι δὲ ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀμφότερα.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them both.
Why this rendering
Acts.23.8 Observation
Syntactic observation
Σαδδουκαῖοι μὲν γὰρ λέγουσιν μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν μήτε ἄγγελον μήτε πνεῦμα, Φαρισαῖοι δὲ ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀμφότερα — for the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them both. The only place where the author explains the two parties to the reader — the Gospels said only that the Sadducees say there is no resurrection (Matt 22:23; Mark 12:18; Luke 20:27). Listing three and saying both (τὰ ἀμφότερα) is the base text’s own count — whether angel and spirit are one item, or resurrection and [angel, spirit] are two — this edition keeps both and does not reconcile the count. V.6, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees (υἱὸς Φαρισαίων, plural) — the base text attaches son to a plural. V.7 στάσις, strife, is the word of the Jerusalem meeting (15:2) and returns in v.10 — this edition keeps strife at both places, apart from insurrection at 19:40.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “them both” — the count not reconciled
Basis The base text lists three and says both — the translation does not correct it.
9
ἐγένετο δὲ κραυγὴ μεγάλη, καὶ ἀναστάντες ⸂τινὲς τῶν γραμματέων⸃ τοῦ μέρους τῶν Φαρισαίων διεμάχοντο λέγοντες· Οὐδὲν κακὸν εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ· εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ἢ ⸀ἄγγελος—
And there arose a great cry, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part rose up and were contending, saying, “We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel —”
10
πολλῆς δὲ ⸀γινομένης στάσεως ⸀φοβηθεὶς ὁ χιλίαρχος μὴ διασπασθῇ ὁ Παῦλος ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἐκέλευσεν τὸ στράτευμα ⸀καταβὰν ἁρπάσαι αὐτὸν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, ἄγειν ⸀τε εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν.
And when much strife arose, the tribune, fearing that Paul would be torn apart by them, ordered the troops to go down and snatch him from their midst and bring him into the barracks.
11
Τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ ἐπιστὰς αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος εἶπεν· ⸀Θάρσει, ὡς γὰρ διεμαρτύρω τὰ περὶ ἐμοῦ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ οὕτω σε δεῖ καὶ εἰς Ῥώμην μαρτυρῆσαι.
And on the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly testified to the things about me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness in Rome also.”
first here Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm
Why this rendering
Acts.23.11 Observation
Syntactic observation
Θάρσει, ὡς γὰρ διεμαρτύρω τὰ περὶ ἐμοῦ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ οὕτω σε δεῖ καὶ εἰς Ῥώμην μαρτυρῆσαι — take courage; for as you have solemnly testified to the things about me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness in Rome also. θάρσει, take courage, is the imperative of Matt 9:2 (take courage, child), 14:27 and Mark 6:50 (take courage, it is I) — a word Jesus used in the Gospels comes in Acts only at this one place. One verse has two verbs of witness — διαμαρτύρομαι (solemnly testify, Jerusalem) ↔ μαρτυρέω (bear witness, Rome); this edition keeps them apart. δεῖ, must, is the δεῖ of 19:21, I must see Rome also — what Paul set in his spirit the Lord takes up as must. ἐπιστάς, standing by, is the verb of the angel standing by Peter at 12:7 (site rule: angels and the Lord stand by, enemies come upon).
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “solemnly testified … bear witness” — two verbs kept apart
Basis The base text chose two verbs in one verse.
12
Γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας ποιήσαντες ⸂συστροφὴν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι⸃ ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνωσιν τὸν Παῦλον.
And when day came, the Jews, gathering together, cursed themselves, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
first here Jews Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios
13
ἦσαν δὲ πλείους τεσσεράκοντα οἱ ταύτην τὴν συνωμοσίαν ⸀ποιησάμενοι·
And there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy,
14
οἵτινες προσελθόντες τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις εἶπαν· Ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν ἑαυτοὺς μηδενὸς γεύσασθαι ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνωμεν τὸν Παῦλον.
who came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
Why this rendering
Acts.23.14 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν ἑαυτοὺς — we have cursed ourselves with a curse. Noun and verb of one root doubled for force — a Semitic shape (the Septuagint’s idiom); this edition keeps the doubling (with a curse … cursed). ἀναθεματίζω is the verb of Mark 14:71, Peter began to curse and to swear — in the New Testament only that place and the three in this chapter (vv.12, 14, 21). What became of the oath of the more than forty the base text does not say. V.16, the son of Paul’s sister — the only place in Acts where Paul’s family appears. ἐνέδρα (ambush, v.16) and ἐνεδρεύω (lie in wait, v.21) are the words of Luke 11:54, lying in wait for him. V.23 δεξιολάβος, spearmen, is unique in the New Testament and a word of uncertain meaning — this edition keeps spearmen and records the uncertainty here.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “cursed ourselves with a curse” — the doubling kept
Basis The Semitic intensifier rendered as grammar.
15
νῦν οὖν ὑμεῖς ἐμφανίσατε τῷ χιλιάρχῳ σὺν τῷ συνεδρίῳ ⸀ὅπως ⸂καταγάγῃ αὐτὸν εἰς⸃ ὑμᾶς ὡς μέλλοντας διαγινώσκειν ἀκριβέστερον τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἡμεῖς δὲ πρὸ τοῦ ἐγγίσαι αὐτὸν ἕτοιμοί ἐσμεν τοῦ ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν.
Now therefore you, with the council, notify the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were about to determine the things about him more accurately; and we, before he draws near, are ready to do away with him.”
16
Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀδελφῆς Παύλου ⸂τὴν ἐνέδραν⸃ παραγενόμενος καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Παύλῳ.
But the son of Paul’s sister heard of the ambush, and arriving and going into the barracks he reported it to Paul.
17
προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ἕνα τῶν ἑκατονταρχῶν ἔφη· Τὸν νεανίαν τοῦτον ⸀ἄπαγε πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον, ἔχει γὰρ ⸂ἀπαγγεῖλαί τι⸃ αὐτῷ.
And Paul, calling one of the commanders of a hundred, said, “Bring this young man to the tribune, for he has something to report to him.”
18
ὁ μὲν οὖν παραλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἤγαγεν πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον καὶ φησίν· Ὁ δέσμιος Παῦλος προσκαλεσάμενός με ἠρώτησεν τοῦτον τὸν ⸀νεανίαν ἀγαγεῖν πρὸς σέ, ἔχοντά τι λαλῆσαί σοι.
So he took him and brought him to the tribune and says, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.”
19
ἐπιλαβόμενος δὲ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ χιλίαρχος καὶ ἀναχωρήσας κατ’ ἰδίαν ἐπυνθάνετο· Τί ἐστιν ὃ ἔχεις ἀπαγγεῖλαί μοι;
And the tribune, taking hold of his hand and withdrawing privately, inquired, “What is it that you have to report to me?”
20
εἶπεν δὲ ὅτι Οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέθεντο τοῦ ἐρωτῆσαί σε ὅπως αὔριον ⸂τὸν Παῦλον καταγάγῃς εἰς τὸ συνέδριον⸃ ὡς ⸀μέλλον τι ἀκριβέστερον πυνθάνεσθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ·
And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though about to inquire something more accurately about him.
21
σὺ οὖν μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς, ἐνεδρεύουσιν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες πλείους τεσσεράκοντα, οἵτινες ἀνεθεμάτισαν ἑαυτοὺς μήτε φαγεῖν μήτε πιεῖν ἕως οὗ ἀνέλωσιν αὐτόν, καὶ νῦν ⸂εἰσιν ἕτοιμοι⸃ προσδεχόμενοι τὴν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπαγγελίαν.
So do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty men of them are lying in wait for him, who have cursed themselves neither to eat nor to drink until they have done away with him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”
22
ὁ μὲν οὖν χιλίαρχος ἀπέλυσε τὸν ⸀νεανίσκον παραγγείλας μηδενὶ ἐκλαλῆσαι ὅτι ταῦτα ἐνεφάνισας πρὸς ⸀ἐμέ.
So the tribune released the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”
23
Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενός ⸂τινας δύο⸃ τῶν ἑκατονταρχῶν εἶπεν· Ἑτοιμάσατε στρατιώτας διακοσίους ὅπως πορευθῶσιν ἕως Καισαρείας, καὶ ἱππεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ δεξιολάβους διακοσίους, ἀπὸ τρίτης ὥρας τῆς νυκτός,
And calling two of the commanders of a hundred, he said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night,
first here Caesarea Καισάρεια Kaisareia
24
κτήνη τε παραστῆσαι ἵνα ἐπιβιβάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον διασώσωσι πρὸς Φήλικα τὸν ἡγεμόνα,
and provide mounts, so that setting Paul on them they may bring him safely through to Felix the governor.”
25
γράψας ἐπιστολὴν ⸀ἔχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον·
And he wrote a letter having this form:
26
Κλαύδιος Λυσίας τῷ κρατίστῳ ἡγεμόνι Φήλικι χαίρειν.
“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.
Why this rendering
Acts.23.26 Observation
Syntactic observation
Κλαύδιος Λυσίας τῷ κρατίστῳ ἡγεμόνι Φήλικι χαίρειν — Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. The second letter in Acts (the first is 15:23, the Jerusalem meeting) — both open with χαίρειν, greeting. κράτιστος, most excellent, is the word of Luke 1:3, most excellent Theophilus — the title Luke gave his own reader stands in a Roman officer’s letter (and at 24:3; 26:25). The tribune gets his name here for the first time — the tribune since chapter 21 names himself only as sender. V.27, having learned that he is a Roman, I rescued him — the letter reverses the order of 22:25-29 (he learned it after binding him). The base text prints both accounts and does not say which is right — neither does this edition. ἐξαιρέω, rescue, is the verb of 7:10 and 12:11. V.35 πραιτώριον, praetorium, is Pilate’s word at Matt 27:27 and John 18:28 — this edition keeps the transliteration.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “having learned that he is a Roman, I rescued him” — not aligned with chapter 22
Basis The letter is rendered as a letter; the discrepancy is in the base text.
27
τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον συλλημφθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ μέλλοντα ἀναιρεῖσθαι ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἐπιστὰς σὺν τῷ στρατεύματι ⸀ἐξειλάμην, μαθὼν ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν,
This man, having been seized by the Jews and about to be done away with by them, I rescued, coming upon them with the troops, having learned that he is a Roman.
first here Romans Ῥωμαῖος Rhōmaios
28
βουλόμενός ⸀τε ⸀ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν αἰτίαν δι’ ἣν ἐνεκάλουν αὐτῷ, ⸀κατήγαγον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον αὐτῶν.
And wanting to learn the cause for which they were bringing charges against him, I brought him down to their council,
29
ὃν εὗρον ἐγκαλούμενον περὶ ζητημάτων τοῦ νόμου αὐτῶν, μηδὲν ⸀δὲ ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ⸂ἔχοντα ἔγκλημα⸃.
whom I found to be charged concerning questions of their law, but having no charge worthy of death or of bonds.
30
μηνυθείσης δέ μοι ἐπιβουλῆς εἰς τὸν ⸀ἄνδρα ἔσεσθαι ⸀ἐξαυτῆς ἔπεμψα πρὸς σέ, παραγγείλας καὶ τοῖς κατηγόροις ⸀λέγειν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ⸀σοῦ.
And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, charging his accusers also to speak against him before you.”
31
Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται κατὰ τὸ διατεταγμένον αὐτοῖς ἀναλαβόντες τὸν Παῦλον ἤγαγον ⸀διὰ νυκτὸς εἰς τὴν Ἀντιπατρίδα·
So the soldiers, according to what had been directed to them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris;
32
τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἐάσαντες τοὺς ἱππεῖς ⸀ἀπέρχεσθαι σὺν αὐτῷ ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν·
and on the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks.
33
οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν καὶ ἀναδόντες τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῷ ἡγεμόνι παρέστησαν καὶ τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ.
And they, entering Caesarea and delivering the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.
34
ἀναγνοὺς ⸀δὲ καὶ ἐπερωτήσας ἐκ ποίας ⸀ἐπαρχείας ἐστὶν καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτι ἀπὸ Κιλικίας,
And having read it and asked from what province he was, and learning that he was from Cilicia,
35
Διακούσομαί σου, ἔφη, ὅταν καὶ οἱ κατήγοροί σου παραγένωνται· ⸀κελεύσας ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ ⸀τοῦ Ἡρῴδου φυλάσσεσθαι ⸀αὐτόν.
he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive,” ordering him to be kept in Herod’s praetorium.
first here Herod Ἡρῴδης Hērōdēs