Discovery BoxActs 12:4 
Context12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads 1 of soldiers to guard him. Herod 2 planned 3 to bring him out for public trial 4 after the Passover.
Acts 19:33
Context19:33 Some of the crowd concluded 5 it was about 6 Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. 7 Alexander, gesturing 8 with his hand, was wanting to make a defense 9 before the public assembly. 10
Acts 16:37
Context16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, 11 “They had us beaten in public 12 without a proper trial 13 – even though we are Roman citizens 14 – and they threw us 15 in prison. And now they want to send us away 16 secretly? Absolutely not! They 17 themselves must come and escort us out!” 18
1 sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.
2 tn Grk “guard him, planning to bring him out.” The Greek construction continues with a participle (βουλόμενος, boulomeno") and an infinitive (ἀναγαγεῖν, anagagein), but this creates an awkward and lengthy sentence in English. Thus a reference to Herod was introduced as subject and the participle translated as a finite verb (“Herod planned”).
3 tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”
4 tn Grk “to bring him out to the people,” but in this context a public trial (with certain condemnation as the result) is doubtless what Herod planned. L&N 15.176 translates this phrase “planning to bring him up for a public trial after the Passover.”
5 tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”
6 tn The words “it was about” are not in the Greek text but are implied; ᾿Αλέξανδρον (Alexandron) is taken to be an accusative of general reference.
7 tn BDAG 865 s.v. προβάλλω 1 has “to cause to come forward, put forward…τινά someone…push someone forward to speak in the theater…Ac 19:33.”
8 tn Or “motioning.”
9 sn The nature of Alexander’s defense is not clear. It appears he was going to explain, as a Jew, that the problem was not caused by Jews, but by those of “the Way.” However, he never got a chance to speak.
10 tn Or “before the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…ἀπολογεῖσθαι τῷ δ. make a defense before the assembly vs. 33.”
11 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Grk “Having us beaten in public.” The participle δείραντες (deirante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
13 tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.
14 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (Juparconta") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
15 tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
16 tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.
17 tn Grk “But they.”
18 sn They themselves must come and escort us out! Paul was asking for the injustice he and Silas suffered to be symbolically righted. It was a way of publicly taking their actions off the record and showing the apostles’ innocence, a major public statement. Note the apology given in v. 39.
