Acts 21:16

There went with us also … of Cesarea The Greek text has a conjunction to introduce the sentence, " And there went, &c.… from Cæsarea." The Evangelist had formed a Church where he had settled, and the congregation were, like their teacher, concerned at St Paul's danger, and so some went with him to Jerusalem. Perhaps the nucleus of the Church may be dated from the baptism of Cornelius, and Philip settling in Cæsarea carried on what had been begun by St Peter.

and brought with them There is no special word in Greek for the last two English words. The original is a participle, meaning "leading." Therefore the Rev. Ver.renders "bringing," and adds "with them" in italics. But seeing that "to lead" is "to bring somebody with you," the A. V. seems justified in printing "with them" in Roman letters as being necessary to the sense and implied in the meaning of the verb.

one Mnason of Cyprus This man belonged to Cyprus, but had now his home in Jerusalem. Just as Barnabas and his sister Mary, the mother of John Mark, who were also Cypriotes, seem to have done.

an old disciple Rev. Ver." early." He had become a Christian in the first days of the gospel preaching, in the beginning of the Church of Jerusalem.

with … lodge At such a time this was no unnecessary precaution, for at the Feast Jerusalem was certain to be full of people, and by this arrangement made in Cæsarea, the whole party was saved the trouble of searching for a lodging when they arrived. To find a house in which the Apostle and those with him might all be received would probably have been attended with much difficulty. To be the owner of such a house Mnason must have been one of the wealthier members of the congregation. His name is Greek, and he was most likely one of the Hellenists. Or, if he were a Jew, Mnason was perhaps substituted for some Jewish name, e. g. Manasseh.