Discovery BoxActs 17:2 
Context17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, 1 as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed 2 them from the scriptures,
Acts 17:11
Context17:11 These Jews 3 were more open-minded 4 than those in Thessalonica, 5 for they eagerly 6 received 7 the message, examining 8 the scriptures carefully every day 9 to see if these things were so.
1 tn Grk “he went in to them”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 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 17:2. 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.
3 tn Grk “These”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue at Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Or “more willing to learn.” L&N 27.48 and BDAG 404 s.v. εὐγενής 2 both use the term “open-minded” here. The point is that they were more receptive to Paul’s message.
5 sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).
map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
6 tn Or “willingly,” “readily”; Grk “with all eagerness.”
7 tn Grk “who received.” Here the relative pronoun (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“they”) preceded by a semicolon, which is less awkward in contemporary English than a relative clause at this point.
8 tn This verb (BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 1) refers to careful examination.
9 tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.
