Acts 23:20

Act 23:20 . συνέθεντο , Luk 22:5 , Joh 9:22 , so in classical Greek in middle, cf. 1Sa 22:13 , Dan. (Th.) Act 2:9 . τοῦ ἐρωτῆσαι : the word certainly points to a certain equality with the person asked (not αἰτέω ), see above on Act 23:15 but still a request, not a demand. μέλλοντες , see critical note; if plural, the clause intimates the pretext put forward by the conspirators; if singular, it is perhaps more in accordance with the deference of the youth, who would refer the control of the proceedings to the chiliarch.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. as though they would inquire] The oldest MSS. give “as though thou wouldest inquire.” It is more probable that this older reading was altered to agree with the plural in Act_23:15, than that the plural was changed into the singular. It was natural enough for the speaker among the Zealots to say to the chief priests “as though ye would inquire,” and it is equally natural that Paul’s nephew, speaking to the chief captain, who had control of the whole proceedings, should say “as though thou wouldest inquire.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But do not thou yield unto them,.... Or be persuaded by them, to bring Paul down from the castle to the sanhedrim; this must not be imputed to the young man's pride and vanity, in taking upon him to give advice to the chief captain; but to his great affection for his uncle, which moved him to entreat, rather than to direct him, for which he gives a good reason:

for there lie in wait for him more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; See Gill on Act 23:12. See Gill on Act 23:13.

and now are they ready; to execute their designs, being met together, and lying in ambush in some place, between the castle and the place where the sanhedrim met:

looking for a promise from thee; that when the sanhedrim should apply to him, he would promise them to bring Paul down according to their request; and for the making and performing of this promise, these men were waiting.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

Ver. 20. As though they would] See Act 23:15.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he said ... - In what way this young man had received intelligence of this, we can only conjecture. It is not improbable that he was a student under some one of the Jewish teachers, and that he might have learned it of him. It is not at all probable that the purpose of the 40 men would be very closely kept. Indeed, it is evident that they were not themselves very anxious about concealing their oath, as they mentioned it freely to the chief priests and elders, Act 23:14.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Jews; both the council, and those forty and upwards spoken of, in Act 23:12,13.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ask thee to bring for desire thee that then wouldest bring, A.V.; unto for into, A.V; thou wouldest for they would, A.V. and T.R.; more exactly concerning him for of him more perfectly, A.V. Have agreed. Suntiqhmi occurs four times in the New Testament, of which three are in St. Luke"s writings, (Luk_22:5; this passage; and Act_24:9) and the fourth in Joh_9:22. As though thou wouldest. The R.T., which reads (me) for mellontev, must surely be wrong. It is in contradiction to ver. 15, and makes no sense. The pretext of further inquiry was theirs, not Lysias"s.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 17

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Jews have agreed

This does not mean all Jews, but all of the group that was there. AT: "Some of the Jews have agreed" (See: Synecdoche)

to bring down Paul

"to bring Paul down from the fortress"

they were going to ask more precisely about his case

"they want to learn more about what Paul has done"

forty men

"40 men" (See: Numbers)

lying in wait for him

"ready to ambush Paul" or "ready to kill Paul"

They have called a curse down on themselves, neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him

"They have sworn to eat or drink nothing until they have killed Paul. And they asked God to curse them if they do not do what they promised to do"

translationWords

Jew

Paul

council

curse

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

20. τὸν Παῦλον καταγάγῃς εἰς τὸ συνέδριον with אABE. Vulg. ‘producas Paulum in concilium.’

μέλλων for μέλλοντες with אABE. Vulg. represents the plural.

20. ὡς μέλλων τι ἀκριβέστερον πυνθάνεσθαι, as though thou wouldest enquire somewhat more accurately. μέλλων is to be preferred to μέλλοντες, for in addressing the chief captain Paul’s nephew would naturally speak as though he, who had control of the whole proceedings, was the person to enquire; while the plural in Act 23:15 is equally natural in the mouth of a speaker among the Zealots, who would say to the chief priests ‘as though ye would enquire.’

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.