Acts 13:16

κατασείσας τῇ χειρί, beckoning with his hand. Cf. Acts 12:17, where it is explained that the gesture was for the purpose of procuring silence.

ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν, men of Israel and ye that fear God. The audience consisted of born Jews and proselytes as well as perhaps some Gentiles. (See Acts 13:42-43.) When the audience and the subject and the end aimed at were so entirely in accord on all three occasions we cannot be surprised that the address of St Paul at Antioch partakes largely of the character, and also of the language, of those of St Peter at Pentecost and St Stephen in his defence. St Paul had heard the last of these, and the vision on the way to Damascus had taught him to speak with boldness on the truth of the Resurrection.