⁴ sn Their council is probably a reference to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the council of seventy leaders.

⁴ sn The council refers to the Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Jerusalem that was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews.

² tn Or “to the council of the Areopagus.” See also the term in v. 22.

¹ tn Grk “said to them”; the referent (the council) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Or “the council” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

¹ tn Heb “men of my confidence,” or “men of my council,” i.e., intimate friends, confidants.

³ tn Grk “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery” (i.e., the council of elders).

² sn Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).

² sn The members of the council understood the force of the claim and asked Jesus about another title, Son of God.

¹ tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁴ sn He…went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.

³ tn Grk “standing up in the council, ordered.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹ tn That is, the whole Sanhedrin. BDAG 861 s.v. πρεσβυτέριον has “an administrative group concerned with the interests of a specific community, council of elders—a. of the highest Judean council in Jerusalem, in our lit. usu. called συνέδριον…ὁ ἀρχιερεύς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρ. Ac 22:5.”

¹ tn The Hebrew term may refer to the secret council of the Lord (Jer 23:18; Job 15:8), but here it more likely refers to a human council comprised of civic leaders (Gen 49:6; Jer 6:11; 15:17; Pss 64:3; 111:1).

⁶ sn To commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Note the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:29, which specifically prohibits Gentile Christians from engaging in these activities.

² tn L&N 37.93 defines πολιτάρχης (politarchēs) as “a public official responsible for administrative matters within a town or city and a member of the ruling council of such a political unit—‘city official.’”

¹ tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.

¹ tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.

² tc The LXX freely adds “when he sits in council (ἐν συνεδρίῳ, en sunedriō), he insults everyone.” The MT does not suggest that the setting is in a court of law; so the LXX addition is highly unlikely.

² sn The Areopagus has been traditionally understood as reference to a rocky hill near the Acropolis in Athens, although this place may well have been located in the marketplace at the foot of the hill (L&N 93.412; BDAG 129 s.v. ῎Αρειος πάγος). This term does not refer so much to the place, however, as to the advisory council of Athens known as the Areopagus, which dealt with ethical, cultural, and religious matters, including the supervision of education and controlling the many visiting lecturers. Thus it could be translated the council of the Areopagus. See also the term in v. 22.