Acts 16:3

Acts 16:3

 

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

a. NLT: so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.

b. NIV: Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

c. YLT: This one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken him, he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father -- that he was a Greek.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Paul desired Timothy to go with him [as a missionary]; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places, all of whom knew that his father was a Greek.

e. Worrell Translation: This one Paul wished to go forth with him; and, taking him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

f. Wuest Translation: This one Paul desired to go forth with him. And having taken him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those regions, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

1. “Him would Paul have to go forth with him…”

a. Him [Strong: 5126 touton too'-ton accusative case singular masculine of 3778; this (person, as objective of verb or preposition):--him, the same, that, this.]

b. would [Strong: 2309 thelo thel'-o or ethelo eth-el'-o, in certain tenses theleo thel-eh'-o, and etheleo eth-el-eh'-o, which are otherwise obsolete apparently strengthened from the alternate form of 138; to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas 1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e. choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e. be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in:--desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather, (be) will (have, -ling, - ling(-ly)).]

c. Paul [Strong: 3972 Paulos pow'-los of Latin origin; (little; but remotely from a derivative of 3973, meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle:--Paul, Paulus.]

d. have to go forth [Strong: 1831 exerchomai ex-er'-khom-ahee from 1537 and 2064; to issue (literally or figuratively):--come (forth, out), depart (out of), escape, get out, go (abroad, away, forth, out, thence), proceed (forth), spread abroad.] [exerchomai; ek-out; erchomai-to go or come out of a place.]

1). Vincent’s Word Studies: The word is used of going forth as a missionary.

a). Luke 9:6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

b). 3John 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

    

e. with [Strong: 4862 sun soon a primary preposition denoting union; with or together (but much closer than 3326 or 3844), i.e. by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.:--beside, with. In composition it has similar applications, including completeness.]

f. him [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

1). Acts in Action, Gordon Lindsay: Among those there to welcome Paul was a young man by the name of Timothy, whom we have previously mentioned. He lived with his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois, both women of faith. There was something about the young man that attracted Paul. The fact that he came from such a family of faith had somethings to do with his confidence in him (2 Timothy 1:5). While Paul was in Derbe he apparently had a number of talks with Timothy, and observing that the young man had a definite call to the ministry, he considered adding him to the party. While they were still in the city, Paul and the presbytery laid hands on him and ordained him to the ministry. Apparently certain prophecies came forth at the time concerning his future work (1 Timothy 1:18). Paul in writing to him later admonished him to stir up the gift that he had received at that time (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). From these statements of Paul to Timothy we learn of the special service in which Timothy was ordained to the ministry, although Luke does not mention it.

    

2. “…and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters:

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. took [Strong: 2983 lambano lam-ban'-o a prolonged form of a primary verb, which is use only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively (properly objective or active, to get hold of; whereas 1209 is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while 138 is more violent, to seize or remove)):--accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).]

c. [and] circumcised [Strong: 4059 peritemno per-ee-tem'-no from 4012 and the base of 5114; to cut around, i.e. (specially) to circumcise:--circumcise.]

d. him [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of 

a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

    

e. because [Strong: 1223 dia dee-ah' a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

f. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

    

g. Jews [Strong: 2453 Ioudaios ee-oo-dah'-yos from 2448 (in the sense of 2455 as a country); Judaean, i.e. belonging to Jehudah:--Jew(-ess), of Judaea.]

h. which [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

i. were [Strong: 5607 on oan, including the feminine ousa oo'-sah; and the neuter on on present participle of 1510; being:--be, come, have.]

j. in [Strong: 1722 en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

k. those [Strong: 1565 ekeinos ek-i'-nos from 1563; that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed:--he, it, the other (same), selfsame, that (same, very), X their, X them, they, this, those.]

l. quarters [Strong: 5117 topos top'-os apparently a primary word; a spot (general in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas 5561 is a large but participle locality), i.e. location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); figuratively, condition, opportunity; specially, a scabbard:--coast, licence, place, X plain, quarter, + rock, room, where.]

1). The Book Of Acts, Stanley M. Horton: Paul wanted to take Timothy out of the church at Lystra for further training as well as to help in the ministry of these missionary journeys. But when he decided to do this, he did something very unuseal. He circumcised Timothy. Paul makes quite a point in Galatians 2:3-5 that the Jerusalem leaders did not require Titus to be circumcised. Why, then, did he circumcise Timothy? Titus was a Gentile. To circumcise him would have been to yield to the Judaizers who said Gentiles must become Jews to keep their salvation. Timothy, however, was brought up in the Jewish traditions by his Jewish mother and grandmother….Paul still went to the Jew first in every city that he visited. For him to take an uncircumcised Jew into a synagogue would be like taking a traitor into an army camp. It would be intolerable to the Jews; none of them would listen to him. As a result, Paul took Timothy and circumcised him for the sake of his witness to his own people…1 Timothy 4:14 indicates that the elders of the local assembly accepted this, prayed for Timothy, and sent him out with their blessing.

2). All of the sources I checked with agree with the reasoning above as to why Paul had Timothy circumcised.

3. “…for they knew all that his father was a Greek.”

a. for [Strong: 1063 gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. they knew [Strong: 1492 eido i'-do a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

c. all [Strong: 537 hapas hap'-as from 1 (as a particle of union) and 3956; absolutely all or (singular) every one:--all (things), every (one), whole.]

d. that [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

    

e. his [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. father [Strong: 3962 pater pat-ayr' apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):--father, parent.]

    

g. was [Strong: 5225 huparcho hoop-ar'-kho from 5259 and 756; to begin under (quietly), i.e. come into existence (be present or at hand); expletively, to exist (as copula or subordinate to an adjective, participle, adverb or preposition, or as an auxiliary to a principal (verb):--after, behave, live.]

h. h. a Greek [Strong: 1672 Hellen hel'-lane from 1671; a Hellen (Grecian) or inhabitant of Hellas; by extension a Greek-speaking person, especially a non-Jew:-- Gentile, Greek.]