And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. The brethren at Antioch being troubled about circumcision by Judaizing zealots from Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas, with certain others, are sent up to J... [ Continue Reading ]
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. WHEN THEREFORE PAUL AND BARNABAS HAD NO SMALL DISSENSION AND DISPUTATI... [ Continue Reading ]
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. AND BEING BROUGHT ON THEIR WAY (OR 'ESCORTED') BY THE CHURCH - in token of respect, and to mark the importance attache... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. AND WHEN THEY WERE COME TO JERUSALEM. This was the apostle's third visit to Jerusalem after his conversion; and it was on this occasio... [ Continue Reading ]
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. BUT THERE ROSE UP CERTAIN OF THE SECT OF THE PHARISEES WHICH BELIEVED - `of the believing Pharisees;' just the quarter from which s... [ Continue Reading ]
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. AND THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS CAME TOGETHER - not, however, without "the church," as appears from ; Acts 15:22. FOR TO CONSIDER OF THIS MATTER. It will be observed that when they had simply to hear from the deputies what Go... [ Continue Reading ]
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. AND WHEN THERE HAD BEEN MUCH DISPUTING - the apostles, meanwhile... [ Continue Reading ]
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; AND GOD, WHICH KNOWETH THE HEARTS - implying that the state of the heart before God is the real test of one's rightful standing in the visible Church; and though this cannot be certainly kno... [ Continue Reading ]
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. AND PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND THEM, PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH. Whereas "the uncircumcision of the flesh" of those Gentile converts was regarded by the zealots as rendering them 'unclean,' Peter says, that Go... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? NOW THEREFORE WHY TEMPT (OR 'TRY')YEGOD - standing in the way of His demonstrated purpose NOW THEREFORE WHY TEMPT (OR 'TRY') YE GOD - standing in the way of His demon... [ Continue Reading ]
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS [CHRIST] (THIS BRACKETED WORD IS OF VERY DOUBTFUL AUTHORITY) WE SHALL BE SAVED, EVEN AS (THAT IS, NO OTHERWISE THAN) THEY - circumcision being t... [ Continue Reading ]
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. THEN ALL THE MULTITUDE, [ pan (G3956 ) to (G3588 ) pleethos (G4128 )] KEPT SILENCE, [ esigeesen (G4601)]. As the same word in the next verse... [ Continue Reading ]
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: AND AFTER THEY HAD HELD THEIR PEACE, JAMES ANSWERED. Whether this was James the son of Alphaeus, or James "the Lord's brother," or whether these were one and the same person-see the note at . At any ra... [ Continue Reading ]
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. SIMEON - a Hebrew variation of "Simon" (as in , Gr.), the Jewish and family name of Peter, here perhaps used at the outset of his address (as a Hebrew addressing Hebrews) to propitiate th... [ Continue Reading ]
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, AND TO THIS AGREE THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS - the prophets generally; but particularly, as it is written (in Amos 9:11 - here given nearly as in the Septuagint).... [ Continue Reading ]
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN - or revisit in mercy the covenant people, AND WILL BUILD AGAIN THE (FALLEN) TABERNACLE OF DAVID - that is, wil... [ Continue Reading ]
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. THAT THE RESIDUE OF MEN - those outside the pale of the Jewish economy, MIGHT SEEK AFTER THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES, UPON WHOM MY NAME IS (OR 'H... [ Continue Reading ]
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. KNOWN UNTO GOD ARE ALL HIS WORKS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD. This is the reading of the majority of manuscripts; though a very ancient reading (adopted by Tischendorf and most critics after him, except Lachmann) closes (Acts 1... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: WHEREFORE MY SENTENCE - rather, 'judgment' [ egoo (G1473) krinoo (G2919)] - is, that we trouble not (with needless Jewish burdens) THEM WHICH FROM AMONG THE GENTILES ARE TURNED, [ eperefousin ... [ Continue Reading ]
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM, THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM POLLUTIONS - from all that was polluting either in itself or in the estimation of their Jewish brethren. F... [ Continue Reading ]
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME HATH IN EVERY CITY THEM THAT PREACH HIM, BEING READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY - thus keeping alive in every Jew those feelings which such practices would... [ Continue Reading ]
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: THEN PLEASED IT THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS, WITH THE WHOLE CHURCH. There is no reason f... [ Continue Reading ]
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: AND THEY WROTE LETTERS BY THEM. This is the earliest mention of writing as an element in the development of Christiani... [ Continue Reading ]
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: FORASMUCH AS WE HAVE HEARD, THAT CERTAIN WHICH WENT OUT FROM US - without the authority or e... [ Continue Reading ]
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, IT SEEMED GOOD UNTO US BEING ASSEMBLED WITH ONE ACCORD (SEE THE NOTE AT ), TO SEND CHOSEN MEN - or 'to choose out men, and send them unto you,' WITH OUR BELOVED BARNABAS AND... [ Continue Reading ]
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. MEN THAT HAVE HAZARDED [ paradedookosin (G3860)] - literally, 'rendered up,' as in will they did, THEIR LIVES FOR THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Noble testimony to those beloved men! It was doubtless prompted more imme... [ Continue Reading ]
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. WE HAVE SENT THEREFORE JUDAS AND SILAS, WHO SHALL ALSO TELL YOU THE SAME THINGS BY MOUTH, [ dia (G1223) logou (G3056) - or 'by word' (word of mouth)]. They had thus a double expression of the mind of the cou... [ Continue Reading ]
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; FOR IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TO US - the One inwardly guiding the other; as if it had been said (as Olshausen expresses it), 'It seemed good to the Holy Spirit in' or 'by... [ Continue Reading ]
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. THAT YE ABSTAIN FROM MEATS OFFERED TO IDOLS, AND FROM BLOOD, AND FROM THINGS STRANGLED, AND FROM FORNICATION: FROM WHICH... [ Continue Reading ]
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: SO WHEN THEY WERE DISMISSED, THEY CAME TO ANTIOCH: AND WHEN THEY HAD GATHERED THE MULTITUDE TOGETHER, THEY DELIVERED THE LETTER:... [ Continue Reading ]
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. WHICH WHEN THEY HAD READ, THEY REJOICED FOR THE CONSOLATION, [ tee (G3588) parakleesei (G3874)]. As the same word is in the next verse properly rendered "exhorted," the meaning is thought by some (as Beza, Meyer, Humphry, Webster and Wi... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. AND JUDAS AND SILAS, BEING PROPHETS ALSO THEMSELVES - as well as Paul and Barnabas-that is, inspired teachers (see the notes at Acts 11:27; Acts 13:1), EXHORTED THE BRETHREN WITH MANY... [ Continue Reading ]
And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. AND AFTER THEY HAD TARRIED THERE A SPACE, [ chronon (G5550)], or 'some time;' but how long cannot with certainty be determined, THEY WERE LET GO IN PEACE, [ met' (G3326) eireenees (G1515)]... [ Continue Reading ]
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. [NOTWITHSTANDING IT PLEASED SILAS TO ABIDE THERE STILL.] The evidence against the genuineness of this verse is decisive [it is wanting in 'Aleph (') A B E G H, and in about fifty cursives; in the Syriac, the Vulgate, and other versions, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_PAUL ALSO AND BARNABAS CONTINUED IN ANTIOCH, TEACHING AND PREACHING THE WORD OF THE LORD, WITH MANY OTHERS ALSO._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. AND SOME DAYS AFTER - that is, after the return of Judas and Silas to Jerusalem. How long after, is left undetermined; but as Antioc... [ Continue Reading ]
And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. AND BARNABAS DETERMINED - rather 'counseled,' or 'was minded.' [The received reading, ebouleusato (G1014), is rightly preferred by Tischendorf, though on less manuscript authority than ebouleto (G1011) - volebat-which Lachma... [ Continue Reading ]
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. BUT PAUL THOUGHT NOT GOOD TO TAKE HIM WITH THEM, WHO DEPARTED FROM THEM, [ ton (G3588) apostanta (G868) ap' (G575) autoon (G846)] - rather, 'who had fallen away from them.'... [ Continue Reading ]
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; AND THE CONTENTION WAS SO SHARP BETWEEN THEM. The single word here rendered 'sharp contention' [ paroxusmos (G3948)] is a strong one, expressing 'irritat... [ Continue Reading ]
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. AND PAUL CHOSE SILAS (Silvanus) - going two and two, just as the Twelve and the Seventy were sent forth (; ). Whether Silas had returned to Antioch, or had to be sent for to Jerusalem, we cannot tell. Bu... [ Continue Reading ]
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. AND HE WENT THROUGH SYRIA AND CILICIA, CONFIRMING THE CHURCHES (see the note at ) - taking probably the same route as when he was despatched in haste from Jerusalem to Tarsus, when we have reason to think that he went by land (see th... [ Continue Reading ]