And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. AND THE APOSTLES AND BRETHREN THAT WERE IN JUDEA [ kata (G2596) teen (G3588) Ioudaian (G2449)] - rather, 'throughout Judea' (see the note at Acts 15:23), HEARD THAT THE GENTILES HAD ALSO... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, AND WHEN PETER WAS COME UP TO JERUSALEM - probably hastening his return there, in order to report the great revolution which God had worked in his views about the Gentiles, and to meet any difficultie... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. SAYING, THOU WENTEST IN TO MEN UNCIRCUMCISED, AND DIDST EAT WITH THEM - (see the note at .) These objectors, it will be observed, scruple not to demand of Peter-though the first among the apostles, and up to this time the pri... [ Continue Reading ]
But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, BUT PETER REHEARSED THE MATTER FROM THE BEGINNING, AND EXPOUNDED IT BY ORDER, arxamenos (G756), exetitheto (G1620)] - rather, 'But Peter, beginning, laid it out,' or 'set it forth order' unto them, sa... [ Continue Reading ]
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: I WAS IN THE CITY OF JOPPA PRAYING: AND IN A TRANCE I SAW A VISION, A CERTAIN VESSEL DESCEND, AS IT HAD BEEN A... [ Continue Reading ]
And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: AND THE SPIRIT BADE ME GO WITH THEM, [NOTHING DOUBTING]. We have bracketed the last two words, as of doubtful authority: they may have been copied from ; but in... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; AND HE SHOWED US HOW HE HAD SEEN AN ANGEL, [ ton (G3588) angelon (G32)] - rather, 'the angel,' of whom the rumour may have spoken, or (if not so d... [ Continue Reading ]
Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. WHO SHALL TELL THEE WORDS, WHEREBY, [ en (G1722) hois (G3739)] - or 'wherein.' i:e., in the 'reception of which,' THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE SHALL BE SAVED. The historian's own statement of this (Acts 10:6) is much more gener... [ Continue Reading ]
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. AND AS I BEGAN TO SPEAK - in point of fact, it was not until he was closing his address; but the apostle's design was to intimate how quickly, as cause and effect, the one was followed by the other. THE HOLY SPIRI... [ Continue Reading ]
Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. THEN REMEMBERED I THE WORD OF THE LORD ( ), HOW THAT HE SAID, JOHN INDEED BAPTIZED WITH WATER; BUT YE SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. The contrast betw... [ Continue Reading ]
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? FORASMUCH THEN AS GOD GAVE THEM THE LIKE GIFT AS HE DID UNTO US, WHO BELIEVED ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. The sense would be more clear thus: 'Forasmuch,... [ Continue Reading ]
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. WHEN THEY HEARD THESE THINGS, THEY HELD THEIR PEACE, AND GLORIFIED GOD, [ edoxazon (G1392)] - the imperfect tense, implying more than a momentary burst... [ Continue Reading ]
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. NOW THEY WHICH WERE SCATTERED ABROAD UPON THE PERSECUTION THAT AROSE ABOUT STEPHEN, [ epi (G1909) Stefanoo ... [ Continue Reading ]
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. AND SOME OF THEM WERE MEN OF CYPRUS AND CYRENE. Cyrene lay on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, between Carthage and Egypt, where Jews were settled in... [ Continue Reading ]
And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. AND THE HAND OF THE LORD, [ yad (H3028) Yahweh (H3068)] - His converting power, put forth by His Spirit, WAS WITH THEM: AND A GREAT NUMBER BELIEVED, AND TURNED UNTO THE LORD - or [according to the rea... [ Continue Reading ]
Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. THEN TIDINGS OF THESE THINGS CAME UNTO THE EARS, [ eekousthee (G191) eis (G1519) ta (G3588) oota (G3775), a special Hebraistic phrase, though no... [ Continue Reading ]
Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. WHO, WHEN HE CAME, AND HAD SEEN THE GRACE OF GOD, WAS GLAD, [ echaree (G5463 ), OR 'REJOICED,'] AND EXHORTED THEM ALL [ parekalei (G3870)] - an allusion,... [ Continue Reading ]
For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. FOR HE WAS A GOOD MAN, AND FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OF FAITH. The sense of "good" here is evidently 'large-hearted' (cf. ), 'liberal-minded,' rising above narrow Jewish sectarianism; while... [ Continue Reading ]
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: THEN DEPARTED BARNABAS (OR, 'DEPARTED HE,' ACCORDING TO THE BETTER READING), TO TARSUS - a short run by sea from Seleucia, which he would probably prefer to the more tedious land-route, which would have obliged him to thread the defiles of the... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. AND WHEN HE HAD FOUND HIM, may imply that he had been on some evangelistic t... [ Continue Reading ]
And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. AND IN THESE DAYS CAME PROPHETS - that is, 'inspired teachers, or persons speaking with supernatural authority;' a class with which we shall frequently meet in the sequel, who sometimes (as on this occasion) foretold future events, tho... [ Continue Reading ]
And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. AND THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM NAMED AGABUS, AND SIGNIFIED BY THE SPIRIT (by divine inspiration), that there sho... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: THEN THE DISCIPLES, EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITY, DETERMINED TO SEND RELIEF UNTO THE BRETHREN WHICH DWELT IN JUDEA. The manner of expression here seems clearly to impl... [ Continue Reading ]
Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. WHICH ALSO THEY DID, AND SENT IT TO THE ELDERS. Here, for the first time in the Acts, the term "elders" (or 'presbyters') is used to denote an office in the Christian Church. And as no definition is given of its na... [ Continue Reading ]