28:17 After three days 6 Paul 7 called the local Jewish leaders 8 together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, 9 although I had done 10 nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, 11 from Jerusalem 12 I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. 13
1 tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”
2 tn BDAG 764 s.v. παραιτέομαι 2.b.β, “οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν I am not trying to escape death Ac 25:11 (cp. Jos., Vi. 141).” To avoid redundancy in the translation, the English gerund “dying” is used to translate the Greek infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (apoqanein).
3 tn Or “but if there is nothing to their charges against me.” Both “if” clauses in this verse are first class conditions. Paul stated the options without prejudice, assuming in turn the reality of each for the sake of the argument.
4 sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.
5 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
sn The appeal to Caesar was known as the provocatio ad Caesarem. It was a Roman citizen’s right to ask for a direct judgment by the emperor (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.96). It was one of the oldest rights of Roman citizens.
6 tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” 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.
7 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”
9 tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.
10 tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
11 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
sn I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. Once again Paul claimed to be faithful to the Jewish people and to the God of Israel.
12 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
13 tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”