Discovery BoxActs 6:3 
Context6:3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, 1 seven 2 men who are well-attested, 3 full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge 4 of this necessary task. 5
Acts 20:24
Context20:24 But I do not consider my life 6 worth anything 7 to myself, so that 8 I may finish my task 9 and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news 10 of God’s grace.
Acts 21:37
Context21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 11 he said 12 to the commanding officer, 13 “May I say 14 something to you?” The officer 15 replied, 16 “Do you know Greek? 17
Acts 25:26
Context25:26 But I have nothing definite 18 to write to my lord 19 about him. 20 Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, 21 so that after this preliminary hearing 22 I may have something to write.
Acts 26:18
Context26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 23 from darkness to light and from the power 24 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 25 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
1 tn It is not clear from a historical standpoint (but it is unlikely) that women would have been involved in the selection process too. For this reason the translation “brothers” has been retained, rather than “brothers and sisters” (used in contexts where both male and female believers are clearly addressed).
2 sn Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).
3 tn Or “are of good reputation” (BDAG 618 s.v. μαρτυρέω 2.b).
4 tn The translation “put in charge” is given by BDAG 492 s.v. καθίστημι 2.
5 tn Grk “of this need”; translated “necessary work” or “needed task” by L&N 42.22.
6 tn Grk “soul.”
7 tn Or “I do not consider my life worth a single word.” According to BDAG 599 s.v. λόγος 1.a.α, “In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’).”
8 tn BDAG 1106 s.v. ὡς 9 describes this use as “a final particle, expressing intention/purpose, with a view to, in order to.”
9 tn Grk “course.” See L&N 42.26, “(a figurative extension of meaning of δρόμος ‘race’) a task or function involving continuity, serious, effort, and possibly obligation – ‘task, mission’…Ac 20:24.” On this Pauline theme see also Phil 1:19-26; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 4:6-7.
10 tn Or “to the gospel.”
11 tn Or “the headquarters.” BDAG 775 s.v. παρεμβολή 2 has “barracks/headquarters of the Roman troops in Jerusalem Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32.”
12 tn Grk “says” (a historical present).
13 tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers) See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 31.
14 tn Grk “Is it permitted for me to say” (an idiom).
15 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the officer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16 tn Grk “said.”
17 sn “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.
18 sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.
19 sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”
20 tn Grk “about whom I have nothing definite…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 26.
21 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
22 tn Or “investigation.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνάκρισις has “a judicial hearing, investigation, hearing, esp. preliminary hearing…τῆς ἀ. γενομένης Ac 25:26.” This is technical legal language.
23 sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.
24 tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)
25 tn Or “and an inheritance.”
