Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin 8 – that is, the whole high council 9 of the Israelites 10 – and sent to the jail to have the apostles 11 brought before them. 12
12:20 Now Herod 13 was having an angry quarrel 14 with the people of Tyre 15 and Sidon. 16 So they joined together 17 and presented themselves before him. And after convincing 18 Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, 19 to help them, 20 they asked for peace, 21 because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country.
22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 22 wanted to know the true reason 23 Paul 24 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 25 to assemble. He then brought 26 Paul down and had him stand before them.
1 tn Grk “Remaining to you.”
2 tn The negative interrogative particle οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply to this question and the following one (“And when it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”).
3 tn Grk “it”; the referent of the pronoun (the money generated from the sale of the land) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Grk “How is it that you have [or Why have you] placed this deed in your heart?” Both of these literal translations differ from the normal way of expressing the thought in English.
5 tn Grk “to men.” If Peter’s remark refers only to the apostles, the translation “to men” would be appropriate. But if (as is likely) the action was taken to impress the entire congregation (who would presumably have witnessed the donation or been aware of it) then the more general “to people” is more appropriate, since the audience would have included both men and women.
6 tn Grk “the temple.” See the note on the same phrase in the preceding verse.
7 tn The imperfect verb ἐδίδασκον (edidaskon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
8 tn Or “the council” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
9 tn A hendiadys (two different terms referring to a single thing) is likely here (a reference to a single legislative body rather than two separate ones) because the term γερουσίαν (gerousian) is used in both 1 Macc 12:6 and Josephus, Ant. 13.5.8 (13.166) to refer to the Sanhedrin.
10 tn Grk “sons of Israel.”
11 tn Grk “have them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn The words “before them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
13 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
sn Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
14 tn Or “was extremely angry.” L&N 33.453 gives the meaning “be angry and quarrel, quarrel angrily” here. However, in L&N 88.180 the alternative “to be violently angry, to be furious” is given. The term is used only once in the NT (BDAG 461 s.v. θυμομαχέω).
15 sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.
map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
16 sn Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre (BDAG 923 s.v. Σιδών).
map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
17 tn Or “with one accord.”
18 tn Or “persuading.”
19 tn On the term translated “personal assistant” BDAG 554 s.v. κοιτῶν states, “used as part of a title: ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος the one in charge of the bed-chamber, the chamberlain.” This individual was not just a domestic servant or butler, but a highly respected person who had considerable responsibility for the king’s living quarters and personal affairs. The English word “chamberlain” corresponds very closely to this meaning but is not in common use today. The term “personal assistant,” while it might convey more business associations than management of personal affairs, nevertheless communicates the concept well in contemporary English.
20 tn The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
21 tn Or “for a reconciliation.” There were grave political risks in having Herod angry at them. The detail shows the ruler’s power.
22 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
23 tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”
24 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
25 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
26 tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.
27 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
28 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 10.
29 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.”
30 tn Grk “determine the things about him.”
31 tn The expression “more thorough inquiry” reflects the comparative form of ἀκριβέστερον (akribesteron).
32 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.
33 tn The words “this place” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.