13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: 3 Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, 4 Lucius the Cyrenian, 5 Manaen (a close friend of Herod 6 the tetrarch 7 from childhood 8 ) and Saul.
1 tn Or “he kept close company with.”
2 sn He was amazed. Now Simon, the one who amazed others, is himself amazed, showing the superiority of Philip’s connection to God. Christ is better than anything the culture has to offer.
3 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).
map For location see JP1-F2; JP2-F2; JP3-F2; JP4-F2.
4 sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”
5 sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.
6 sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4
7 tn Or “the governor.”
sn A tetrarch was a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king, who ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. Several times in the NT, Herod tetrarch of Galilee is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage.
8 tn Or “(a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch).” The meaning “close friend from childhood” is given by L&N 34.15, but the word can also mean “foster brother” (L&N 10.51). BDAG 976 s.v. σύντροφας states, “pert. to being brought up with someone, either as a foster-brother or as a companion/friend,” which covers both alternatives. Context does not given enough information to be certain which is the case here, although many modern translations prefer the meaning “close friend from childhood.”