Judaea. The dialect of Galilee being different from that of Judaea.
Asia. Not the Asiatic continent nor Asia Minor. In the time of the apostles the term was commonly understood of the proconsular province of Asia, principally of the kingdom of Pergamus left by Attalus III. to the Romans, and including
Cu. IL] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 451
Lydia, Mysia, Caria, and at times parts of Phrygia. The name Asia Minor did not come into use until the fourth century of our era.
10. Egypt. Where the Jews were numerous. Two-fifths of the population of Alexandria were said to have been Jews.
Cyrene. In Libya, west of Egypt.
Strangers (ézvdnpotvres). See on 1 Pet. i. 1. Rev., rightly, sojourners.
11. Arabians. Whose country bordered on Judaea, and must have contained many Jews.
Speak (AadovvTwv). Rev., rightly, gives the force of the participle, speaking.
Wonderful works (ueyareia). See on majesty, 2 Pet. i. 16. From péyas, great. Rev., mighty works. Used by Luke only.
12. Were in doubt (Suj7dpour). Used by Luke only. See on Luke ix. 7. Better, as Rev., perplexed.
13. Others (€repov). Of a different class. The first who commented on the wonder did so curiously, but with no preju- dice. Those who now spoke did so in a hostile spirit. See on ver. 4.
Mocking (dvaydevdlovtes ; so the best texts). From VNEUN, a joke. Only here in New Testament.
New wine (yAevxous). Lit., “sweet swine.” Of course in- toxicating.
14. Standing up (ora3els). See on Luke xviii. 11; xix. 8.
Said (amep3éyEaro). See on ver. 4. Better, Rev., spake Jorth. “This most solemn, earnest, yet sober speech” (Bengel).
452 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cx. IL
Hearken (évwricac9e). Only here in New Testament. From év, in; and ods, the ear. Rev., giwe ear.
Words (frjuata). See on Luke 1. Ot;
15. Third hour. Nine in the morning: the hour of morn- ing prayer. Compare 1 Thess. v. 7.
17. Allflesh. Without distinction of age, sex, or condition. Visions (opdceus). Waking visions.
Dream dreams (évirrma éevutacdjoovrat). The best texts read évumvios, with dreams. The verb occurs only here and Jude 8. The reference is to visions in sleep.
19. | will shew (dc). Lit., Z well gwve. Wonders (répara). Or portents. See on Matt. xi. 20. Signs. See on Matt. xi. 20.
90. That great and notable day of the Lord come. The Rev. heightens the emphasis by following the Greek order, the day of the Lord, that great and notable day. Nc otable (émupavi)) only here in New Testament. The kindred noun émupdveca, appearing (compare our word Epiphany), is often used of the second coming of the Lord. See 1 Tim. vi. 14; 2 Tim, av45 Ditsiisd.3:
22. Approved (azodedeuyuévov). The verb means to point out or shew forth. Shewn to be that which he claimed to be.
Miracles (Suvdyeor). Better, Rev., mighty works. Lit., powers. See on Matt. xi. 20.
23. Being delivered (éxdorov). An adjective: gwen forth, betrayed.
Ve have taken. The best texts omit.
CrIig THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 453
Wicked hands. The best texts read by the hand of lawless
men.
Crucified (7poomnEavres). Only here in New Testament. The verb simply means to affix to or on anything. The idea of the cross is left to be supplied.
Have slain (avei\ere). See on Luke xxiii. 32. Rev., ren- dering the aorist more closely, did slay.
24, Pains (@divas). The meaning is disputed. Some claim that Peter followed the Septuagint mistranslation of Ps. xviii. 5, where the Hebrew word for snares is rendered by the word used here, pains; and that, therefore, it should be ren- dered snares of death ; the figure being that of escape from the snare of a huntsman. Others suppose that death is represented in travail, the birth-pangs ceasing with the delivery ; 7e., the resurrection. This seems to be far-fetched, though it is true that in classical Greek the word is used commonly of birth- throes. It is better, perhaps, on the whole, to take the expres- sion in the sense of the A. V., and to make the pains of death stand for death generally.