Acts 12:7
Context12:7 Suddenly 1 an angel of the Lord 2 appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck 3 Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s 4 wrists. 5
Acts 18:18
Context18:18 Paul, after staying 6 many more days in Corinth, 7 said farewell to 8 the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by 9 Priscilla and Aquila. 10 He 11 had his hair cut off 12 at Cenchrea 13 because he had made a vow. 14
Acts 20:15
Context20:15 We set sail 15 from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. 16 The next day we approached 17 Samos, 18 and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. 19
1 tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.
2 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.
3 tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
4 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.
6 tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.
7 map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.
8 tn Or “Corinth, took leave of.” Grk “saying farewell to”; the participle ἀποταξάμενος (apotaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
9 tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”
10 sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.
11 tn Or “Aquila, who.” The relationship of the participle κειράμενος (keirameno") is difficult to determine. Traditionally it is taken to refer to Paul, meaning that Paul had his hair cut off because of the vow. However, due to the proximity of the noun ᾿Ακύλας (Akula") and the reversal of the normal order (Aquila and Priscilla, Acts 17:34), the participle is taken as adjectival referring to Aquila by H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, n. 11. The later references to Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:23) do not resolve the problem, because the cutting of Paul’s own hair, while it may be implied, is not specifically mentioned in connection with the completion of the vows made by the other four.
12 tn The word “off” is supplied in the translation to indicate that this was not a normal haircut, but the shaving of the head connected with taking the vow (see Acts 21:24).
13 tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”
sn Cenchrea was one of the seaports for the city of Corinth, on the eastern side of the Isthmus of Corinth, on the Aegean Sea. It was 7 mi (11 km) east of Corinth.
14 sn He had made a vow. It is debated whether this vow is a private vow of thanksgiving or the Nazirite vow, because it is not clear whether the Nazirite vow could be taken outside Jerusalem. Some have cited the Mishnah (m. Nazir 3:6, 5:4) to argue that the shaving of the hair can occur outside Jerusalem, and Josephus, J. W. 2.15.1 (2.313) is sometimes suggested as a parallel, but these references are not clear. H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, is certain that this refers to the Nazirite vow. Regardless, it is clear that Paul reflected his pious dependence on God.
15 tn Grk “setting sail from there.” The participle ἀποπλεύσαντες (apopleusante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
16 tn Or “offshore from Chios.”
sn Chios was an island in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of Asia Minor with a city of the same name.
17 tn Or “crossed over to,” “arrived at.” L&N 54.12 has “παραβάλλω: (a technical, nautical term) to sail up to or near – ‘to approach, to arrive at, to sail to.’ παρεβάλομεν εἰς Σάμον ‘we approached Samos’ or ‘we arrived at Samos’ Ac 20:15.”
18 sn Samos is an island in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of Asia Minor.
19 sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 40 mi (70 km) south of Ephesus. From Mitylene to Miletus was about 125 mi (200 km).