31 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea,.... The rest of the twelve apostles, and the private members of the churches that were in Judea, for there were in it now more churches than that at Jerusalem, Acts 9:31 heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God; as well as Samaria, Acts 8:14 the news by some means or other were...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. Peter's necessary vindication of what he did in receiving Cornelius and his friends into the church, from the censure he lay under for it among the brethren, and their acquiescence in it, ver. 1-18. II. The good success of the gospel at Antioch, and the parts adjacent, ver. 19-21. III. The carrying on of the good work...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem,.... From Caesarea, after he had stayed some certain days in Cornelius's house; so a journey from Caesarea to Jerusalem is called an ascending from the one to the other, Acts 25:1 because Jerusalem stood on higher ground, as well as was the metropolis of the country; and this was a journey of six hundred...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Saying, thou wentest into men uncircumcised,.... Into the houses of such, and lodged with them, and familiarly conversed with them: and didst eat with them; which, according to the traditions of the Jews, were unlawful; [See comments on Acts 10:28] they say nothing about his preaching to them, and baptizing them, because these were so manifestly...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning,.... Of the vision at Joppa; and expounded it by order unto them; or related every particular, in a very methodical and orderly manner: he did not insist upon his authority as an apostle, and much less pretended to a primacy to the rest of the apostles; but submitted to have his case heard,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I was in the city of Joppa,.... And so it is called by Josephus (w), and in the Apocrypha: "And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.'' (1 Maccabees 10:75) "The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes,.... Not of his body, but of his mind; for this was only in vision presented to him, when he was as Paul was, not knowing whether in the body or out of it: I considered: being intent upon this object, he considered in his mind what it was, and what it should mean; it being something strange and unusual;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I heard a voice saying unto me,.... As he apprehended in his mind; and this voice he heard in the same sense and manner, as the Apostle Paul heard when in a trance, Acts 22:17. arise, Peter, slay and eat; that is, get up and slay some of these creatures upon the sheet, and dress them and eat them.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But I said, not so, Lord,.... For he took the voice he heard to be the voice of the Lord, and yet he was not obedient to the heavenly vision, and even though he was an hungry; which shows what a strict observer he was of the ceremonies of the law, and how much he was prejudiced in favour of them: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But the voice answered me again from heaven,.... From whence the former voice came, and was the voice of the Lord, or of an angel of the Lord, and which answered him again, or a second time; not that it said to him a second time kill and eat, but what follows; what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common; that is, had declared to be clean and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And this was done three times,.... That is, the voice from heaven answered three times, and encouraged Peter to kill and eat; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "and he likewise said unto me the third time"; the words as before: and all were drawn up again into heaven; the sheet with all the creatures upon it, by the same hands that let it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And behold, immediately,.... The moment the vision was over; there were three men already come unto the house where I was; they stood before the gate, as in Acts 10:17 and as the Syriac and Ethiopic here have it, and were inquiring for Peter, whether he lodged there; and these men were sent from Caesarea unto me; the Syriac version adds, "by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting,.... [See comments on Acts 10:20], moreover, these six brethren accompanied me; it seems by this, that the six brethren that went along with Peter from Joppa to Caesarea, came also with him from thence to Jerusalem, and were now present, whom he points to; so that it looks as if Peter was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house,.... The clause, "in his house", is very appropriately put; for since an angel had entered into his house, it could not be criminal in Peter, and the six brethren, to follow him. In one place he is called a man, and in another place an angel; see Acts 10:3, because, though he was an angel, yet...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Who shall tell thee words,.... Preach doctrines, such as relate to the person and office of Christ, to peace and pardon, and righteousness and salvation by him; such as Peter did preach, as appears by his discourse in the preceding chapter: whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved; that is, which would be a means of instructing him and his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And as I began to speak,...., That is, whilst he was speaking; the word "begin" with Luke, both, in his Gospel and in this history, is used not to denote the time or order of any action, but the thing itself; as in Lu 4:21 for otherwise it was towards the close, and not at the beginning of his discourse, that what follows happened: the Holy Ghost...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said,.... Just before his ascension, Acts 1:5. John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost; as they were on the day of Pentecost, and as now Cornelius and his family were; and since they had the greater baptism, the baptism of the Spirit, the lesser baptism of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift,.... Of the Spirit, of speaking with divers tongues: as he did unto us; the apostles: who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ: which clause stands either connected with "us" the apostles, and so is descriptive of them who first believed in Christ, and became followers of him; or with "them" the Gentiles,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When they heard these things,.... Peter's vision at Joppa, and Cornelius's at Caesarea, and the wonderful pouring forth of the Spirit upon these Gentiles under Peter's sermon: they held their peace; and ceased contending and disputing with Peter, or blaming him for his conduct; for otherwise they were not silent, but made use of their tongues: and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now they which were scattered abroad,.... These were not the apostles, but the other ministers of the word; see Acts 8:1 who were dispersed upon the persecution that arose about Stephen; his preaching and miracles, his oration in defence of himself, and his death: these travelled as far as Phenice; a country near to Syria and Galilee; its chief...