Discovery BoxActs 18:14 
Context18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, 1 Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, 2 I would have been justified in accepting the complaint 3 of you Jews, 4
Acts 19:26
Context19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded 5 and turned away 6 a large crowd, 7 not only in Ephesus 8 but in practically all of the province of Asia, 9 by saying 10 that gods made by hands are not gods at all. 11
Acts 21:24
Context21:24 take them and purify 12 yourself along with them and pay their expenses, 13 so that they may have their heads shaved. 14 Then 15 everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told 16 about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with 17 the law. 18
Acts 23:3
Context23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! 19 Do 20 you sit there judging me according to the law, 21 and in violation of the law 22 you order me to be struck?”
Acts 23:30
Context23:30 When I was informed 23 there would be a plot 24 against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges 25 against him before you.
Acts 25:10
Context25:10 Paul replied, 26 “I am standing before Caesar’s 27 judgment seat, 28 where I should be tried. 29 I have done nothing wrong 30 to the Jews, as you also know very well. 31
1 tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).
2 tn BDAG 902 s.v. ῥᾳδιούργημα states, “From the sense ‘prank, knavery, roguish trick, slick deed’ it is but a short step to that of a serious misdeed, crime, villainy…a serious piece of villainy Ac 18:14 (w. ἀδίκημα).”
3 tn According to BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνέχω 3 this is a legal technical term: “Legal t.t. κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν I would have been justified in accepting your complaint Ac 18:14.”
4 tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”
5 tn Grk “persuading.” The participle πείσας (peisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
6 tn Or “misled.”
7 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.a has “of pers. ὄχλος a large crowd…Ac 11:24, 26; 19:26.”
8 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
9 tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.
10 tn The participle λέγων (legwn) has been regarded as indicating instrumentality.
11 tn The words “at all” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
sn Gods made by hands are not gods at all. Paul preached against paganism’s idolatry. Here is a one-line summary of a speech like that in Acts 17:22-31.
12 sn That is, undergo ritual cleansing. Paul’s cleansing would be necessary because of his travels in “unclean” Gentile territory. This act would represent a conciliatory gesture. Paul would have supported a “law-free” mission to the Gentiles as an option, but this gesture would represent an attempt to be sensitive to the Jews (1 Cor 9:15-22).
13 tn L&N 57.146 has “δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ‘pay their expenses’ Ac 21:24.”
14 tn The future middle indicative has causative force here. BDAG 686 s.v. ξυράω has “mid. have oneself shaved…τὴν κεφαλήν have one’s head shaved…Ac 21:24.”
sn Having their heads shaved probably involved ending a voluntary Nazirite vow (Num 6:14-15).
15 tn Grk “and.” 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 indicate the logical sequence.
16 tn The verb here describes a report or some type of information (BDAG 534 s.v. κατηχέω 1).
17 tn Grk “adhere to the keeping of the law.” L&N 41.12 has “στοιχέω: to live in conformity with some presumed standard or set of customs – ‘to live, to behave in accordance with.’”
18 sn The law refers to the law of Moses.
19 sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.
20 tn Grk “And do.” 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.
21 tn The law refers to the law of Moses.
22 tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”
sn In violation of the law. Paul was claiming that punishment was given before the examination was complete (m. Sanhedrin 3:6-8). Luke’s noting of this detail shows how quickly the leadership moved to react against Paul.
23 tn Grk “It being revealed to me.” The participle μηνυθείσης (mhnuqeish") has been taken temporally.
24 tn The term translated “plot” here is a different one than the one in Acts 23:16 (see BDAG 368 s.v. ἐπιβουλή).
25 tn Grk “the things against him.” This could be rendered as “accusations,” “grievances,” or “charges,” but since “ordered his accusers to state their accusations” sounds redundant in English, “charges” was used instead.
26 tn Grk “said.”
27 tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
28 tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here. Here of course Paul’s reference to “Caesar’s judgment seat” is a form of metonymy; since Festus is Caesar’s representative, Festus’ judgment seat represents Caesar’s own.
sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
29 tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.
30 sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.
31 tn BDAG 506 s.v. καλῶς 7 states, “comp. κάλλιον (for the superl., as Galen, Protr. 8 p. 24, 19J.=p. 10, 31 Kaibel; s. B-D-F §244, 2) ὡς καί σὺ κ. ἐπιγινώσκεις as also you know very well Ac 25:10.”
