It is more natural for the English speaker to say Paul had a vision than to say, as does the Greek, “a vision appeared to Paul.” Luke probably intends to say that the vision came to Paul that night (New English Bible “during the night”), rather than to say, in a general sense, “one night.” The meaning that night (the first night after his arrival) is supported both by the context and by the article which appears in Greek before night (literally “the night”). Macedonia was a Roman province, across the Aegean Sea from the province of Asia, and its capital was Thessalonica.

In translating begging him, one must obviously avoid the connotation of “begging for money.” In many languages the appropriate equivalent is “asking him strongly” or “pleading with him.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .