Acts 21:13-15

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Acts 21:13 tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).
2. Acts 21:13 tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together—‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (deō) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.
3. Acts 21:14 tn The participle πειθομένου (peithomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
4. Acts 21:14 tn Grk “we became silent, saying.”
5. Acts 21:14 sn “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.
6. Acts 21:15 tn Or “we made preparations.”
7. Acts 21:15 tn Grk “were going up”; the imperfect verb ἀνεβαίνομεν (anebainomen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect. sn In colloquial speech Jerusalem was always said to be “up” from any other location in Palestine. The group probably covered the 65 mi (105 km) in two days using horses. Their arrival in Jerusalem marked the end of Paul’s third missionary journey.