Discovery BoxActs 28:22 
Context28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know 1 that people 2 everywhere speak against 3 it.”
Acts 24:5
Context24:5 For we have found 4 this man to be a troublemaker, 5 one who stirs up riots 6 among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader 7 of the sect of the Nazarenes. 8
Acts 24:14
Context24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship 9 the God of our ancestors 10 according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law 11 and that is written in the prophets.
1 tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
2 tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.
3 tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.
4 tn Grk “For having found.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
5 tn L&N 22.6 has “(a figurative extension of meaning of λοιμός ‘plague,’ 23.158) one who causes all sorts of trouble – ‘troublemaker, pest.’ … ‘for we have found this man to be a troublemaker” Ac 24:5.”
6 tn Or “dissensions.” While BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3 translates this phrase “κινεῖν στάσεις (v.l. στάσιν) τισί create dissension among certain people Ac 24:5,” it is better on the basis of the actual results of Paul’s ministry to categorize this usage under section 2, “uprising, riot, revolt, rebellion” (cf. the use in Acts 19:40).
7 tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).
sn A ringleader. Tertullus’ basic argument was that Paul was a major disturber of the public peace. To ignore this the governor would be shunning his duty to preserve the peace and going against the pattern of his rule. In effect, Tertullus claimed that Paul was seditious (a claim the governor could not afford to ignore).
8 sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.
9 tn Or “serve.”
10 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
11 sn That is, the law of Moses. Paul was claiming that he legitimately worshiped the God of Israel. He was arguing that this amounted to a religious dispute rather than a political one, so that the Roman authorities need not concern themselves with it.
