Discovery BoxActs 19:8-9 
Context19:8 So Paul 1 entered 2 the synagogue 3 and spoke out fearlessly 4 for three months, addressing 5 and convincing 6 them about the kingdom of God. 7 19:9 But when 8 some were stubborn 9 and refused to believe, reviling 10 the Way 11 before the congregation, he left 12 them and took the disciples with him, 13 addressing 14 them every day 15 in the lecture hall 16 of Tyrannus.
Acts 19:25-28
Context19:25 He gathered 17 these 18 together, along with the workmen in similar trades, 19 and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity 20 comes from this business. 19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded 21 and turned away 22 a large crowd, 23 not only in Ephesus 24 but in practically all of the province of Asia, 25 by saying 26 that gods made by hands are not gods at all. 27 19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, 28 but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis 29 will be regarded as nothing, 30 and she whom all the province of Asia 31 and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” 32
19:28 When 33 they heard 34 this they became enraged 35 and began to shout, 36 “Great is Artemis 37 of the Ephesians!”
1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Grk “So entering the synagogue, he spoke out fearlessly.” The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
3 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
4 tn Or “boldly.”
5 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 19:8. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
6 tn Or “addressing them persuasively.” The two participles διαλεγόμενος and πείθων (dialegomeno" and peiqwn) can be understood as a hendiadys (so NIV, NRSV), thus, “addressing them persuasively.”
7 sn To talk about Jesus as the Christ who has come is to talk about the kingdom of God. This is yet another summary of the message like that in 18:28.
8 tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b lists this use as a temporal conjunction.
9 tn Or “some became hardened.” See BDAG 930 s.v. σκληρύνω b and Acts 7:51-53.
10 tn Or “speaking evil of.” BDAG 500 s.v. κακολογέω has “speak evil of, revile, insult…τὶ someth. τὴν ὁδόν the Way (i.e. Christian way of life) Ac 19:9.”
11 sn The Way refers to the Christian movement (Christianity). Luke frequently refers to it as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).
12 tn Grk “leaving them, he took.” The participle ἀποστάς (apostas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
13 tn The words “with him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
14 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 19:9. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
15 tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.
16 tn The “lecture hall” was a place where teachers and pupils met. The term is a NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 982 s.v. σχολή). L&N 7.14 notes, “it is better to use a translation such as ‘lecture hall’ rather than ‘school,’ since one does not wish to give the impression of the typical classroom situation characteristic of present-day schools.”
17 tn Grk “gathering.” The participle συναθροίσας (sunaqroisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
18 tn Grk “whom”; because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a pronoun (“these”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.
19 sn Workmen in similar trades. In effect, Demetrius gathered the Ephesian chamber of commerce together to hear about the threat to their prosperity.
20 tn Another possible meaning is “that this business is an easy way for us to earn a living.”
21 tn Grk “persuading.” The participle πείσας (peisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
22 tn Or “misled.”
23 tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.a has “of pers. ὄχλος a large crowd…Ac 11:24, 26; 19:26.”
24 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
25 tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.
26 tn The participle λέγων (legwn) has been regarded as indicating instrumentality.
27 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.
28 tn Or “come under public criticism.” BDAG 101 s.v. ἀπελεγμός has “come into disrepute Ac 19:27.”
29 sn Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.
30 tn BDAG 597 s.v. λογίζομαι 1.b has “εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι be looked upon as nothing…Ac 19:27.”
31 tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.
32 tn Or “her magnificence.” BDAG 488 s.v. καθαιρέω 2.b has “καθαιρεῖσθαι τῆς μεγαλειότητος αὐτῆς suffer the loss of her magnificence Ac 19:27”; L&N 13.38 has “‘and to have her greatness done away with’ Ac 19:27.”
sn Suffer the loss of her greatness. It is important to appreciate that money alone was not the issue, even for the pagan Ephesians. The issue was ultimately the dishonor of their goddess to whom they were devoted in worship. The battle was a “cosmic” one between deities.
33 tn Grk “And when.” 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.
34 tn Grk “And hearing.” The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.
35 tn Grk “they became filled with rage” (an idiom). The reaction of the Ephesians here is like that of the Jews earlier, though Luke referred to “zeal” or “jealousy” in the former case (Acts 7:54).
36 tn Grk “and began shouting, saying.” The imperfect verb ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
37 sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.
