And it came to pass, that after we had gotten from them,.... Which was with great difficulty, with many tears, and much wringing of hands: the word signifies that they were "plucked from" them; they clung about them, as husband and wife, and parents and children do; so strong were their affections; and their parting was like the parting of such...
We have, with a great deal of pleasure, attended the apostle in his travels throughout the Gentile nations to preach the gospel, and have seen a great harvest of souls gathered in to Christ; there we have seen likewise what persecutions he endured; yet still out of them all the Lord presently delivered him, 2 Tim. iii. 11. But now we are to attend...
And finding a ship sailing over unto Phoenicia,.... For it seems that the ship they went aboard at Assos, Acts 20:13 went no further, at least in the way the apostle was going, than Patara; but lighting on another ship, which was bound for Phoenicia, for the city of Tyre, which bordered on the land of Israel, and indeed originally belonged to...
Now when we had discovered Cyprus,.... An island, as the Syriac version here calls it, which lay between Syria and Cilicia; [See comments on Acts 4:36]; and was, according to R. Benjamin (l), four days sail from Rhodes, before mentioned: we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria; that part of it called Phoenicia: and landed at Tyre; the...
And finding disciples,.... At Tyre, for the Gospel had been preached in Phoenicia by the ministers of the word, who were scattered by the persecution raised at the death of Stephen; and here were brethren, such as had believed in Christ, embraced and professed his Gospel, and were baptized in his name; see Acts 11:19 and who also had extraordinary...
And when we had accomplished those days,.... The seven days before mentioned: we departed and went our way; from their quarters where they lodged, or from some one house of the disciples, where they met, and had conversed together: and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city; that is, the disciples,...
And when we had taken our leave one of another,.... The Alexandrian copy reads, "having prayed, we saluted one another"; with a kiss, as in Acts 20:37 and so parted: we took ship; or went aboard the ship, and they returned home again; to their own houses, as the Syriac version renders it; for by "their own", as it is in the Greek text, cannot be...
And when we had finished our course from Tyre,.... Or sailed from thence, we came to Ptolemais: the Syriac version calls it "Aco" or "Acu": and the Arabic version, "Aco"; and Ptolemais, according to Pliny (x) and Harpocratian (y), was called Ace. Frequent mention is made of Aco in the Jewish writings, and which according to them was a sea port,...
And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed,.... From Ptolemais, as Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Timotheus, Tychicus, Trophimus, and Luke, the writer of this history; see Acts 20:4 and came unto Caesarea; not Caesarea Philippi, mentioned in Matthew 16:13 but that Caesarea which was formerly called Strato's tower, and was a very...
And the same man had four daughters,.... So that he was a married man, which may be observed against the Papists, who forbid marriage to ecclesiastics: and they were, virgins: not under any vow of virginity, but they had not as yet changed their state of life, and were pure and incorrupt: which did prophesy; not explain and interpret Scripture, or...
And as we tarried there many days,.... How many days is not said, it could not be very many, if the apostle got to Jerusalem by Pentecost, as he desired, Acts 20:6 there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus; of whom mention is made in Acts 11:28 who is there said to come from Jerusalem, to Antioch, and here from Judea to Caesarea;...
And when he was come unto us,.... In Philip's house: he took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet; and so prophesied by types and symbols, and gestures, as the prophets of old did; as Isaiah in Isaiah 20:2 and Jeremiah in Jeremiah 13:1, and Ezekiel in Ezekiel 4:1 and Hosea in Hosea 1:2, some understand this of his binding Paul's hands...
And when we heard these things,.... These prophecies, concerning the binding of the apostle by the Jews, and the delivery of him to the Romans, and saw the symbolical representations of these things: both we; the companions of the apostle, Luke and the rest: and they of that place; of Caesarea, Philip and his daughters, and the disciples that...
Then Paul answered, what mean ye to weep,.... For they were crying about him, both his companions and the disciples of Caesarea; which affected him, and gave him great uneasiness, even more than the prophecies of Agabus did: and to break my heart? for though he was resolved to go to Jerusalem, and nothing could move him from it, his heart was firm...
And when he would not be persuaded,.... But was determined to go to Jerusalem at all events: we ceased; both from tears and arguments: saying, the will of the Lord be done; which was right, and to which they ought to have submitted, and acquiesced in at first, without using any arguments to have dissuaded the apostle from going to Jerusalem; since...
And after those days we took up our carriages,.... Or prepared themselves, both for their journey, and for whatever trials and exercises they were to meet with; they took up their bundles, which hitherto were brought by sea, and now put them upon beasts, going by land from Caesarea: and went up to Jerusalem; which stood on higher ground, and was,...
There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea,.... Members of the church at Caesarea; of the church here, [See comments on Acts 10:48]. To which may be added the account of the pastors or bishops of this church, as given by Reland (o); Theophilus, who was in the council held at Caesarea, in the year 198; Agricola, who subscribed in...
And when we were come to Jerusalem,.... That is, Paul and his companions, attended with the disciples of Caesarea, and Mnason the old disciple with them: the brethren received us gladly; readily, willingly, and cheerfully; they did not treat them with an air of coldness and indifference, or look shy on them, or show any resentment to them,...
And the day following,.... After they were come into Jerusalem: Paul went in with us to James; not the son of Zebedee and brother of John, for he was killed by Herod some years ago; but James the son of Alphaeus, and brother of our Lord, who presided over this church; it seems there were no other apostles now at Jerusalem, but they were all...
And when he had saluted them,.... James and the elders with him; which was either done by a kiss, as the Arabic version adds; or by asking of their health, and wishing a continuance of it, and all prosperity to attend them: the Ethiopic version reads, they saluted him; and no doubt the salutations were reciprocal: he declared particularly what...