Discovery BoxActs 20:3-7 
Context20:3 where he stayed 1 for three months. Because the Jews had made 2 a plot 3 against him as he was intending 4 to sail 5 for Syria, he decided 6 to return through Macedonia. 7 20:4 Paul 8 was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, 9 Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, 10 Gaius 11 from Derbe, 12 and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 13 20:5 These had gone on ahead 14 and were waiting for us in Troas. 15 20:6 We 16 sailed away from Philippi 17 after the days of Unleavened Bread, 18 and within five days 19 we came to the others 20 in Troas, 21 where we stayed for seven days. 20:7 On the first day 22 of the week, when we met 23 to break bread, Paul began to speak 24 to the people, and because he intended 25 to leave the next day, he extended 26 his message until midnight.
1 tn BDAG 841 s.v. ποιέω 5.c, “w. an acc. of time spend, stay.”
2 tn The participle βενομένης (benomenh") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 30.71 has “ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ‘because the Jews had made a plot against him’ Ac 20:3.”
3 sn This plot is one of several noted by Luke (Acts 9:20; 20:19; 23:30).
4 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
5 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 gives “put out to sea” here (as a nautical technical term). However, since the English expression “put out to sea” could be understood to mean Paul was already aboard the ship (which is not clear from the context), the simpler expression “sail” is used at this point in the translation.
6 tn BDAG 199 s.v. γίνομαι 7 has “ἐγένετο γνώμης he decided Ac 20:3.”
7 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
8 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) from Thessalonica.
map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
10 tn Grk “of the Thessalonians.”
map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
11 tn Grk “and Gaius,” but this 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 sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 30 mi (50 km) southeast of Lystra.
map For location see JP1 E2; JP2 E2; JP3 E2.
13 tn Grk “the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus.” In the NT “Asia” always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
14 tn Grk “These, having gone on ahead, were waiting.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
15 sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor.
16 sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.
17 map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
18 sn The days of Unleavened Bread refer to the week following Passover. Originally an agricultural festival commemorating the beginning of harvest, it was celebrated for seven days beginning on the fifteenth day of the month Nisan (March-April). It was later combined with Passover (Exod 12:1-20; Ezek 45:21-24; Matt 26:17; Luke 22:1).
19 tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.a.α has “ἄ. ἡμερῶν πέντε within five days Ac 20:6.”
20 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the others mentioned in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. From Philippi to Troas was about 125 mi (200 km).
22 sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).
23 tn Or “assembled.”
24 tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. 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. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
25 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
26 tn Or “prolonged.”
