Discovery BoxActs 9:24-27 
Context9:24 but Saul learned of their plot against him. 1 They were also watching 2 the city gates 3 day and night so that they could kill him. 9:25 But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening 4 in the wall by lowering him in a basket. 5
9:26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, 6 he attempted to associate 7 with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe 8 that he was a disciple. 9:27 But Barnabas took 9 Saul, 10 brought 11 him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that 12 the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly 13 in the name of Jesus.
1 tn The words “against him” are implied, as suggested by L&N 30.71.
2 tn Or “guarding.” This is a negative term in Luke-Acts (Luke 6:7; 14:1; 20:20).
3 tn The word πύλη (pulh) may refer to a house door or gate, or to the large gates used in a palace, temple, or city wall. Here the context clearly indicates a reference to the latter, so the translation “city gates” is used.
4 tn The opening in the wall is not specifically mentioned here, but the parallel account in 2 Cor 11:33 mentions a “window” or “opening” (θυρίς, quris) in the city wall through which Paul was lowered. One alternative to introducing mention of the opening is to translate Acts 9:25 “they let him down over the wall,” as suggested in L&N 7.61. This option is not employed by many translations, however, because for the English reader it creates an (apparent) contradiction between Acts 9:25 and 2 Cor 11:33. In reality the account here is simply more general, omitting the detail about the window.
5 tn On the term for “basket” used here, see BDAG 940 s.v. σπυρίς.
6 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
7 tn Or “join.”
8 tn The participle πιστεύοντες (pisteuonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
9 tn Grk “taking Saul, brought him.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενος (epilabomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
10 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Grk “and brought,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
12 tn Grk “and that,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
13 tn On this verb which is used 7 times in Acts, see BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1. See also v. 28.
