Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Acts 19:22

ἀποστείλας δὲ εἰς τὴν Μακεδονίαν, so having sent unto Macedonia. No doubt to make arrangements that the contributions of the Churches might be in readiness, and that there should be no gatherings when Paul himself came, as he says to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:2).

διακονούντων, of them that ministered unto him. The chief duty of such διάκονοι was in collecting and dispensing the alms of the brethren. On the former of these duties Timothy and Erastus were most likely now engaged.

Τιμόθεον καὶ Ἔραστον, Timothy and Erastus. The former had laboured in Macedonia and in Greece when St Paul was there before; the latter is mentioned (2 Timothy 4:20) as having stayed at Corinth, in that later period when the second Epistle to Timothy was written. He can hardly be the same person as Erastus the chamberlain of the city of Corinth spoken of in Romans 16:23.

αὐτὸς ἐπέσχεν χρόνον εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, he himself stayed in Asia for a season. For the phrase, in which ἑαυτόν must be supplied after the verb, cf. LXX. Genesis 8:10, καὶ ἐπισχὼν ἔτι ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ ἑτέρας. We may perhaps infer from the mention of Asia rather than Ephesus that St Paul did not remain constantly at Ephesus, at all events when the congregation there became firmly established, but making that city his head-quarters, went out into other districts of the province of proconsular Asia.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Acts 19:22

Old Testament

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