Acts 15:12

ἐσίγησε : may mean “became silent,” “itaque antea non tacuerant” (Blass), cf. Burton, N. T. Moods and Tenses, 21, A. and R.V., “kept silence”. πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος : implying a general assembly of the Church; on the word see Acts 2:6; Acts 4:32, etc. ἤκουον : imperfect, marking a continuous hearing; the silence and the audience both testified to the effect produced by St. Peter's words. Βαρ. καὶ Π., on the order here and in Acts 15:25 cf. Ramsay, St. Paul, p. 84. ἐξηγουμένων : setting forth in detail; see above on Acts 15:3, and Acts 10:8. ὅσα ἐποί., cf. Acts 14:27 and Acts 15:4. In each case the appeal is made to what God had done, and to the further answer to the prayer of Acts 4:30 by the miracles wrought among the Gentiles: it was an answer which a Jewish audience would understand, John 3:2. The historical truthfulness of Paul and Barnabas thus recounting the facts, and leaving the actual proof of the rightfulness of their method of working to Peter and James, is to Zeller inconceivable an objection sufficiently answered by the consideration that Luke wished to represent not so much the attitude of Paul and Barnabas, but that of the original Apostles to the Gentile-question; and in Jerusalem it was only natural that Peter and James should be the spokesmen.