A Reexamination of τάσσω in Acts 13.48: “Enrolled,” “Appointed,” or “Arranged”?

Abstract

Most commentaries interpret Acts 13.48 as a strongly predestinarian verse. Key to this reading is the perfect passive participle τεταγµένοι. Modern translations frequently translate the word with the equivalent of “to appoint,” “to ordain,” or “to choose.” Typically, God is understood as the unstated active agent of this participle form of τάσσω, which results in a translation of “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (ESV). Often the biblical concept of enrollment in the Book of Life is woven into explanations. In this article, the evidence for this interpretation and translation is critically evaluated and demonstrated to be problematic to support the typical understanding. Instead, by examining the semantic range of τάσσω and the discourse context, the following translation has better lexical and contextual merit. The thesis is that Acts 13.48b should be understood as, “they believed, as many as were arranged by Paul for eternal life, specifically the Gospel.”