HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  The Church in Antioch

  19Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. 20But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenistsd also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. 22News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; 24for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met withe the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

  27At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. 29The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believersf living in Judea; 30this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

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  a Gk brothers

  b Gk lacks believers

  c Or not to hesitate

  d Other ancient authorities read Greeks

  e Or were guests of

  f Gk brothers

  11.1–18 The focus here is on the endorsement of Peter’s actions by the Jerusalem community, while Peter recapitulates the Cornelius episode from his perspective.

  11.2–3 The circumcised believers are mentioned not as a faction (cf. 15.5) but by contrast with the uncircumcised men to whom they object. Why did you…eat with them? The objection focuses on social interaction.

  11.14 By which you…will be saved. Only here is Peter’s message characterized as a means to salvation; cf. 10.4–5, 22, 31–33.

  11.16 See Lk 3.16. In 10.44–48 no reference to John is made.

  11.18 The repentance that leads to life. See 2.38; 5.31; 26.20. Nothing here restricts the inclusion of Gentiles to admirable people such as Cornelius.

  11.19–30 Luke connects Antioch with the first intentional mission among Gentiles, the beginning of Saul’s witness among Gentiles, the designation of believers as Christians, and the first Christian benevolence to Christians in other regions. Historically, the relationship between the origin of the gentile mission as portrayed here and as portrayed in 10.1–11.18 is probably beyond recovery.

  11.19 The persecution. See 8.1b. The movement here is northward on the Mediterranean coast to Phoenicia, then northwest to the island of Cyprus, and finally northeast to Antioch on the Orontes, third largest city in the Roman world and seat of the Roman government in Syria, which contained a large and strong Jewish community. Luke does not distinguish this Antioch from the several other cities of the same name, probably because he assumed its prominence.

  11.20 Men of Cyprus and Cyrene, thus probably Hellenistic Christians, consistent with the suggestion that this is the group that fled Jerusalem (see 6.1–6;8.1). Early manuscripts conflict here, with some reading Hellenists (i.e., probably Greek-speaking Jews; see 6.1), others Greeks (i.e., Gentiles); see text note d. Whatever the earliest reading, the context requires that the group at least include Gentiles even if it is not exclusively gentile.

  11.21 See note on 6.7. Turned to the Lord. See note on 9.35.

  11.22 As in Samaria (8.14) and the Cornelius episode (11.1–3), the church in Jerusalem investigates developments in the mission, even when the initiative arises elsewhere. For Luke, Jerusalem’s continuing authority is important, and he may well exaggerate its actual role in the gentile mission. Barnabas, already introduced in connection with the sale of his property (4.36–37) and with the support of Saul (9.27), now enters as a major figure in the gentile mission.

  11.25 Tarsus. See 9.30.

  11.26 Reconciling this account with Paul’s words in Gal 1–2 is exceedingly difficult. Christians, possibly derogatory, indicating that outsiders see believers as a group that is somehow distinguished from other forms of Judaism.

  11.27–30 Just as Christians in Jerusalem generously support those in need (see 2.45; 4.32–37), Christians in Antioch send relief to those in Judea.

  11.28 Agabus. See 21.10. Josephus reports a famine in Judea ca. 45–48 CE (Antiquities 20.51–53, 101), and there are indications of food shortages in Rome during Claudius’s rule, although a famine over all the world seems exaggerated, and relief sent from Antioch to Jerusalem would be curious in that case. Luke may use Antioch’s gift to signal both the church’s charity and its indebtedness to Jerusalem. Claudius, Roman emperor 41–54 CE.

  11.30 Barnabas and Saul are here confirmed as central figures in the Antiochene church. Correlating this trip with Paul’s report in Gal 1.11–2.14 is extremely difficult.

  Acts 12

  James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

  1About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

  Peter Delivered from Prison

  6The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9Petera went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

  12As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. 13When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16Meanwhile Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. 17He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.”b Then he left and went to another place.

  18When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

  The Death of Herod

  20Now Herodc was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platf
orm, and delivered a public address to them. 22The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!” 23And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

  24But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned tod Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

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  a Gk He

  b Gk brothers

  c Gk he

  d Other ancient authorities read from

  12.1–25 Luke here drops the story of Antioch and returns to Jerusalem, vividly depicting a clash between the Christians (Peter) and their ostensibly powerful enemy (Herod).

  12.1 King Herod, i.e., Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great. In 37 CE he inherited the territory of Philip in the northern Transjordan (see Lk 3.1), but at his death (44 CE) he controlled a region almost as extensive as that of Herod the Great. (See “The Herods: A Simplified Family Tree, p. 1672.)

  12.2 James. See Lk 5.10; 9.54.

  12.3 The Jews. For the first time in Acts, resistance comes from the larger population rather than the Sadducees or temple officials (e.g., 4.1–4; 5.17; cf. 6.12). That these events occur during the festival of Unleavened Bread, just before Passover, recalls the arrest of Jesus at the same season (Lk 22.1, 7) and connects this incident with Jesus’ own arrest and execution.

  12.4 Four squads of soldiers, one for each watch of the night.

  12.6–11 For other miraculous releases from captivity, see 5.17–21; 16.23–29; see also 26.17, 22. Features of this escape (the awakening, the chains falling off, and gates opening automatically) are also found in other ancient literature.

  12.7 On angels as agents of rescue, see 5.19; 1 Kings 19.5; Dan 3.19–28; Mt 18.10; cf. Acts 8.26; 10.3, 7, 22; 11.13; 27.23. The wording here is very close to that of Lk 2.9. Light accompanies the divine presence; see 9.3; 26.13.

  12.11 For God’s role in such rescues, see Ex 18.4; Dan 6.23; see also Acts 7.9–10, 34; 26.17.

  12.12 Mary, the mother of John…Mark. Both persons are referred to here for the first time. Luke often introduces new characters with this sort of brief notice. The reference to Mary’s home may indicate that she is unmarried. On John Mark, see v. 25; 15.37, 39. Later traditions identify him as the author of the Second Gospel.

  12.13–16 An iron gate did not prevent Peter’s escape from Herod, but incredulity nearly prevents his welcome by those who are praying for him.

  12.17 James, the brother of Jesus, introduced here (see notes on 1.14; 12.12) and mentioned again in 15.13; 21.18. Went to another place, i.e., left safely (see vv. 18–19).

  12.18–19 Cf. 5.21–24. No small commotion, i.e., a large commotion; a figure of speech, litotes, in which an assertion is made by negating its opposite (see also 15.2; 19.23, 24; 20.12; 27.20). Herod’s treatment of the guards conforms to Roman law, according to which guards were responsible for their captives (see 16.27–28).

  12.20–23 According to Josephus, Herod Agrippa I was greeted as a god, did not reject the title, and immediately saw an owl, which prompted him to recall earlier predictions about his death. He then declared his imminent death to be God’s will, succumbed to severe abdominal pain, and died five days later (Antiquities 19.343–52).

  12.21 Agrippa is said to have worn royal robes made entirely of silver; see Josephus, Antiquities 19.343–44.

  12.22 See Ezek 28.2, 6, 9.

  12.23 Unlike Peter, who praises God for his rescue (v. 11), Herod fails to praise God and is struck down. On death for blasphemy, see Sir 48.21; 1 Macc 7.41; on death by worms, see Jdt 16.17; 2 Macc 9.9.

  12.24 This typical Lukan summary (see note on 6.7) contrasts with the outcome of Herod’s story to comment wryly on the fate of the church’s enemies.

  12.25 A transitional verse prepares for the Antiochene mission and connects Antioch with Jerusalem by means of John Mark. Although the story requires that Barnabas and Saul return to Antioch from Jerusalem (see text note a), important early manuscripts read the opposite (to or in Jerusalem), creating logical confusion (cf. 11.29–30). Another suggested translation: “Barnabas and Saul returned, after completing their mission in Jerusalem.”

  According to Acts the church in Antioch on the Orontes became an important base for Paul’s missionary journeys westward through Asia Minor and into Europe (13.1–3; 14.24–28; 15.22–35; 18.22–23).

  Acts 13

  Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

  1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler,a and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

  The Apostles Preach in Cyprus

  4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. 7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

  Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia

  13Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem; 14but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it.” 16So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak:

  “You Israelites,b and others who fear God, listen. 17The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18For about forty years he put up withc them in the wilderness. 19After he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20for about four hundred fifty years. After that he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 22When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.’ 23Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised; 24before his coming John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And as John was finishing his work, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandalsd on his feet.’

  26“My brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to use the message of this salvation has been sent. 27Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him. 28Even though they found
no cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29When they had carried out everything that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead; 31and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people. 32And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors 33he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm,

  ‘You are my Son;

  today I have begotten you.’

  34As to his raising him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

  ‘I will give you the holy promises made to David.’

  35Therefore he has also said in another psalm,

  ‘You will not let your Holy One experience corruption.’

  36For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, died,f was laid beside his ancestors, and experienced corruption; 37but he whom God raised up experienced no corruption. 38Let it be known to you therefore, my brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you; 39by this Jesusg everyone who believes is set free from all those sinsh from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40Beware, therefore, that what the prophets said does not happen to you: