41 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when they heard it,.... The narrative of the wonderful spread of the Gospel among the Gentiles, and the numerous conversions of them: they glorified the Lord; or "God", as the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions read; as Paul ascribed all to God, so they give the glory of it to him, and in this they were both agreed: and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they are informed of thee,.... By persons that came from the several parts of the Gentile world, where the apostle had been preaching; and by letters which came from the Jews in those parts, who were no friends to the apostle's ministry: that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses: or "apostatize from Moses";...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
What is it therefore?.... Is it true or not? or what must be done in this case? what method must be taken to remove these objections, and reconcile the minds of the people? the multitude must needs come together; either the whole church at Jerusalem, or the great confluence of people, even of believing Jews, that were come from all parts thither;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Do therefore this that we say to thee,.... This is said not as commanding, but as advising; and not to what was a duty, and necessary to be done as such, but as a point of prudence: we have four men which have a vow on them; that is, there were four men who were of the church at Jerusalem, believers in Christ, but weak ones, who were zealous of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Them take, and purify, thyself with them,.... That is, join thyself to them, make one of their number, and attend to the rules prescribed to a Nazarite, who is to be holy to the Lord; and in case of any ceremonial uncleanness, is to be cleansed, or purified in the manner directed, Numbers 6:5. And be at charges with them; join with them in the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As touching the Gentiles which believe,.... This is said, to show that the Jews were not offended with Paul, for not insisting upon the circumcision of the believing Gentiles, and their conformity to the ceremonial law; and to remove an objection that Paul might make, that should he comply with this advice, and the believing Gentiles should hear...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then Paul took the men,.... The four men that had the vow on them; he joined himself to them, and put himself in the same condition, and under a like vow: this he did, not as what he thought himself bound to do in obedience to the law, and much less as necessary to salvation; but to satisfy weak minds, and remove their prejudices, that he might...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the seven days were almost ended,.... The Syriac version renders it, "when the seventh day was come"; from the time that Paul came to Jerusalem: some understand this of the seven weeks from the passover to Pentecost, and that it was when they were almost ended, and the day of Pentecost was at hand, for which Paul came up to Jerusalem; but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Crying out, men of Israel, help,.... The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "help us"; to hold Paul, on whom they had laid their hands, and to assist in beating him: but why such an outcry for help against a single man, and he but little of stature, and weak in body, and so easily held and overpowered? it may be they chose to engage others with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For they had seen before with him in the city,.... Not of Ephesus, but of Jerusalem: Trophimus an Ephesian; the same that is mentioned in Acts 20:4 whom these Jews of Asia, and who very probably were inhabitants of Ephesus, knew very well to be a Gentile: whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple; for seeing him walk with the apostle...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together,.... The outcry in the temple reached the ears of some that were without, and these alarmed others; so that the report of a disturbance in the temple soon went through the whole city; and brought people out of their houses, who ran together in great numbers, to see what was the matter: and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And as they went about to kill him,.... In the manner as zealots did, without bringing him before any court of judicature, without any charge, trial, and condemnation: tidings came unto the chief captain of the band; the Roman band of soldiers, who were placed near the temple, to keep the peace of the city, and persons in order; and who were more...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Who immediately took soldiers and centurions,.... A very large number of soldiers, for they are called an army, in Acts 23:27 with a sufficient number of officers called centurions, who were each of them over an hundred men, to command them, and put them in order: and ran down unto them: from the tower to the temple, the outer part of it; perhaps...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the chief captain came near,.... To the place where the Jews were beating Paul: and took him the Arabic version adds, "from them"; he rescued him out of their hands, as he himself says, Acts 23:27. And commanded him to be bound with two chains: partly to appease the people, and partly to secure Paul; who, he supposed, had been guilty of some...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And some cried one thing, and some another, among the multitude,.... For though they agreed to beat him, and even to kill him, yet some of them knew not for what; being led by a blind zeal for Moses, the law and temple, or rather by fury and madness: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult; could not come at the truth of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he came upon the stairs,.... Or steps, which led up to the castle; for it was built upon a very high place, as appears from the account of it in the preceding verse; to which agrees what Aristaeas (g) says of it in the following words; "in order to have knowledge of all things, we went up to a castle adjoining to the city, which is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For the multitude of the people followed after,.... The captain and the soldiers, who had taken away Paul from them, and were carrying him to the castle: crying, away with him; or "take him away", that is, by death; or "lift him up", upon the cross, crucify him, crucify him, as they said concerning Christ.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And as Paul was to be led into the castle,.... Just as he was got up to the top of the steps, or stairs, that led up to the castle, and was about to go into the door of it: he said unto the chief captain, may I speak unto thee? the apostle was one that had had a good education, and was a man of address, and this his modest and respectful way of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Art thou not that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar,.... Josephus speaks (i) of one that came out of Egypt to Jerusalem, and gave out that he was a prophet, and deceived the people, whom he persuaded to follow him to the Mount of Olives, where they should see the walls of the city fall at his command, and so through the ruins of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus,.... And not that Egyptian; he was not of that country, much less that man; but a Jew, both by birth and religion; he was born of Jewish parents, and brought up in the Jewish religion; though his native place was Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, where it is placed by Pliny (n), Ptolomy (o), and Mela...