translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ACT

label: NET study note

text: 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.


text: Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea.


text: Rhodes was an island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.


text: Patara was a city in Lycia on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. The entire journey was about 185 mi (295 km).


text: Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.


text: Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.


text: The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.


text: Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage. map For location see Map1-A2 ; Map2-G2 ; Map4-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


text: Although they told this to Paul through the Spirit , it appears Paul had a choice here (see v. 14 ). Therefore this amounted to a warning: There was risk in going to Jerusalem, so he was urged not to go.


text: On praying in Acts, see 1:14, 24; 2:47; 4:23; 6:6; 10:2; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 16:25 .


text: These words are part of v. 5 in the standard critical Greek text.


text: Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.


text: Ptolemais was a seaport on the coast of Palestine about 30 mi (48 km) south of Tyre.


text: Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1 . This was another 40 mi (65 km). map For location see Map2-C1 ; Map4-B3 ; Map5-F2 ; Map7-A1 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed in the Jerusalem church ( Acts 6:1-7 ).


text: This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Luke again noted women who were gifted in the early church (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.31; 3.39).


text: Agabus also appeared in Acts 11:28 . He was from Jerusalem, so the two churches were still in contact with one another.


text: The belt was a band or sash used to keep money as well as to gird up the tunic (BDAG 431 s.v. ζώνη ).


text: “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.


text: Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1 . map For location see Map2-C1 ; Map4-B3 ; Map5-F2 ; Map7-A1 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.


text: That is, the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians had remained close to their Jewish practices after becoming believers ( 1 Cor 7:18-19 ; Acts 16:3 ).


text: That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.


text: That is, undergo ritual cleansing. Paul’s cleansing would be necessary because of his travels in “unclean” Gentile territory. This act would represent a conciliatory gesture. Paul would have supported a “law-free” mission to the Gentiles as an option, but this gesture would represent an attempt to be sensitive to the Jews ( 1 Cor 9:15-22 ).


text: The law refers to the law of Moses.


text: What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law ( Lev 17:13-14 ) Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the preceding provision in this verse, and blood ).


text: The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.


text: A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion.


text: See the note on the word centurion in 10:1 .


text: The mob stopped beating Paul because they feared the Romans would arrest them for disturbing the peace and for mob violence. They would let the Roman officials take care of the matter from this point on.


text: Paul had to be carried. Note how the arrest really ended up protecting Paul. The crowd is portrayed as irrational at this point.


text: “Do you know Greek?” Paul as an educated rabbi was bilingual. Paul’s request in Greek allowed the officer to recognize that Paul was not the violent insurrectionist he thought he had arrested (see following verse). The confusion of identities reveals the degree of confusion dominating these events.