New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Acts

19

:

22

And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
And having sent to send, send away V-APA-NMS H649 ἀποστείλας aposteilas
into Macedonia Macedonia, a region of Greece N-AFS H3109 Μακεδονίαν makedonian
Analysis:
Read more about: Macedonia
two two Adj-AMP H1417 δύο duo
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

of those the Art-AFS H3588 τὴν tēn
who ministered to serve, minister V-PPA-GMP H1247 διακονούντων diakonountōn
to him, Timothy Timothy, a Christian N-AMS H5095 Τιμόθεον timotheon
and Erastus, "beloved," Erastus, the name of two Christian N-AMS H2037 Ἔραστον eraston
Analysis:
Read more about: Erastus
he himself (1) self (emphatic) (2) he, she, it (used for the third pers. pron.) (3) the same PPro-NM3S H846 αὐτῷ autō
stayed to hold fast, to hold toward, to stop V-AIA-3S H1907 ἐπέσχεν epeschen
in Asia Asia, a Roman province N-AFS H773 Ἀσίαν asian
Analysis:
Read more about: Asia
for a while. time N-AMS H5550 χρόνον chronon

Locations

Asia

ASIAa'-shi-a (Asia): A Roman province embracing the greater part of western Asia Minor, including the older countries of Mysia, Lydia, Caria, and a part of Phrygia, also several of the independent coast cities, the Troad, and apparently the islands of Lesbos, Samos, Patmos, Cos and others near the Asia Minor coast (Acts 16:6; Acts 19:10, 27). It is exceeding... View Details

Macedonia

MACEDONIAmas-e-do'-ni-a (Makedonia, ethnic Makedon,):I. THE MACEDONIAN PEOPLE AND LANDII. HISTORY OF MACEDONIA1. Philip and Alexander2. Roman Intervention3. Roman Conquest4. Macedonia a Roman Province5. Later HistoryIII. PAUL AND MACEDONIA1. Paul's First Visit2. Paul's Second Visit3. Paul's Third Visit4. Paul's Later VisitsIV. THE MACEDONIAN CHURCH1. Promine... View Details

People

Erastus

Erastus [N] [H] [S] beloved.  The "chamberlain" of the city of Corinth ( Romans 16:23 ), and one of Paul's disciples. As treasurer of such a city he was a public officer of great dignity, and his conversion to the gospel was accordingly a proof of the wonderful success of the apostle's labours.    A companion of Paul at Ephesus, who was sent by him along with Timothy into Macedonia... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
King James Bible And having So he sent into Macedonia two of those who them that ministered to unto him, Timothy Timotheus and Erastus, Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a while.season.
Berean Bible And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself stayed in Asia remained for a while.time in Asia.
Hebrew Greek English And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.