Acts 19:1. Paul returning to Ephesus finds there some disciples of John the Baptist 1. _And it came to pass that, while Apollos was at Corinth_ The digression concerning Apollos being ended, the history now returns to St Paul. Apollos found, no doubt, that Corinth was the most effective centre for... [ Continue Reading ]
AND _he said unto them_ The different reading in the last verse renders a conjunction needful here, and this the oldest MSS. have. DID YE RECEIVE the _Holy Ghost_ WHEN YE BELIEVED?] The two verbs in the original are in the same tense, and there is nothing to justify the "since" of the A. V. The de... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he said_ The oldest authorities omit "unto them," and it is more natural to do so in the account of these brief questions and answers. INTO _what then were ye baptized?_ The New Testament phrase is "baptized in" or "into," to express the close union with God into which men are brought by bapti... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance_ More simply, _And Paul said_. The best MSS. omit the word for "verily." Such was John's description of his own baptism (Matthew 3:11), but after the day of Pentecost the language of the Christian preacher (Acts 2:38) is, "Repent a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND _when they heard this_ The A. V. omits the conjunction which stands in the _Textus Receptus_. What they heard was not the mere statement that Jesus was the Messiah; but all the arguments with which St Paul demonstrated that this was so, and proved that in Him the Scriptures were fulfilled. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when Paul_, &c. The gift of the Holy Ghost to these disciples appears to have been a special provision of the Spirit for the great work which was to change Ephesus, from the city wholly devoted to the goddess Diana, into the centre of Christian life throughout the west of Asia Minor for several... [ Continue Reading ]
_And all the men were about twelve The Revised Version_"And they were in all about twelve men," is a more strict rendering of the Greek, but it does not give a different sense, and "men" in that position receives an undue accent. The verse has been the cause of much remark. Why the inspired histori... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul preaches to the Jews first and afterwards to the Gentiles. The Word of God prevails mightily 8. _And he_ ENTERED _into the synagogue_ As the incident of John's disciples is mentioned before anything else, it seems likely that St Paul found them among the few Christian brethren in Ephesus, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_But when divers were hardened, and believed not_ Perhaps there may be a little gain to those unfamiliar with older English in putting (as _Rev. Ver._) "some" for "divers," there seems to be none in giving "and disobedient" instead of "and believed not." The original looks back to the verb "persuade... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this continued by the space of two years_ The _Rev. Ver._changes "by" into "for." As Englishmen still take a house at so much "_by_the week, or the year," the older phrase might well be retained, as the Revisers do in Acts 10:31. Speaking to the Ephesian elders at Miletus the Apostle says he ce... [ Continue Reading ]
_And God wrought special miracles_[Gr. powers] _by the hands of Paul_ The language of the historian is noteworthy. God works, Paul is the instrument. (Cp. The mighty hand of Moses, Deuteronomy 34:12.) The imperfect tense of the verb in the Greek implies that these manifestations of God's power were... [ Continue Reading ]
_so that from his body were brought unto the sick_ In the oldest MSS. the verb signifies "to be carried away from." The _Rev. Version_brings out the meaning fully, and in a verse like this it is well to keep, as much as may be, the Greek order of the words. Read "Insomuch that unto the sick were car... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists_ The best MSS. have " AND _certain_ ALSO, &c." In addition to the real, though ignorant, faith of the converts alluded to in Acts 19:12, some impostors, who had no faith, tried to win more credit for their jugglery by employing the names of Paul and Jesu... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests_ The Greek says simply A CHIEF PRIEST, and so _Rev. Ver._We cannot tell why the title is given to him, but it is most likely that the name was applied to the heads of the twenty-four courses of the Levitical priesthood, who are... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the evil spirit answered and said_ The most ancient texts add UNTO THEM. They had taken upon them to use the name of Jesus, but the result was far contrary to their wishes and intentions. "Evil spirit" is used for the man in whom the spirit was. Cp. Mark 3:11. _Jesus I know, and Paul I know_ T... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the man in whom the evil spirit was leapt on them_ With that power, more than natural, so often displayed by madmen. _and overcame them_ Here we have a singular variation from the texts of the oldest MSS. These read, BOTH OF THEM, a reading which seems to preserve for us the information that o... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this was known to all_ It is better to render, with _Rev. Ver._, the verb literally, " BECAME _known_." It was no doubt a gradual spreading of the story. We may be sure that the "sons of Sceva" said little about it. _the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus_ Better, _both Jews and Greeks,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And many that believed_ i.e. who had made a profession of their faith. It was clearly as yet but an imperfect faith. The _Rev. Ver._" _had believed_" is the more correct tense. _came, and confessed_ Came before the Apostle and the Christian brethren, and in their fear owned that their profession h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Many also of them which used curious arts_ The Greek has not the same word for "many" here, as in the previous verse. To mark this the _Rev. Ver._has here "not a few." The "curious arts" were magic, jugglery and all such practices as make pretence to supernatural agency. The word is used of magic a... [ Continue Reading ]
_So mightily grew the word of God_, &c. The oldest Greek texts have "the word _of the Lord_" (adopted by _R. V._), The full sense of the words rendered "mightily" is "with overpowering force and strength, which nothing could resist.... [ Continue Reading ]
St Paul's Plans for his Journey from Ephesus 21. _After these things were ended_ The foundations of the Ephesian Church seemed fully laid, when sacrifices of such a kind had been made by the converts, and so St Paul feels that he may leave the seed sown in good hope that it will grow. _Paul purpos... [ Continue Reading ]
_So he sent into Macedonia_ No doubt, 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). _two of them that ministered unto him_ The verb is that from which the noun "deacon... [ Continue Reading ]
Heathen Outbreak against St Paul and his Teaching 23. _And the same time_ Literally, _And about that time_. There is some gain in accuracy of rendering of these connecting phrases. The literal rendering allows of the lapse of some period between the action of the converts in burning their magic boo... [ Continue Reading ]
_For a certain man … shrines for Diana_ Better, _shrines of Diana_. These appear to have been little models in silver either of the temple or of the shrine in which the image was preserved. We may be quite sure that the ingenuity of Greek artists devised forms enough and sizes enough to suit all nee... [ Continue Reading ]
_whom he called_[Better, GATHERED] _together with the workmen of like occupation_ His own special craft was the carving and engraving of these shrines, as we learn from the word rendered silversmith. But before the work reached that higher stage, the materials had to pass through many hands in prepa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover ye see and hear_ Better, AND _ye_, &c. They were eyewitnesses of what had taken place in Ephesus, and the falling-off in the demand would be made known from all the country round, for the preaching and preachers spread far and wide. _that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all As... [ Continue Reading ]
_so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought_ This is an instance where the _Rev. Ver._, though more literal, gains nothing in force, and loses in diction. "And not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute." The requirements of the connexion would be sufficie... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they heard these sayings_ The A.V. indicates that there is no Greek for the two last words. It is enough, with the _Rev. Ver._, to say " THIS." _they were full of wrath_ The verb in the original expresses that the anger _grew_as they listened. So better, FILLED WITH, as _Rev. Ver._Demetri... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the whole city was filled with confusion_ The oldest texts omit "whole" and add an article before "confusion." It is the special tumult which is meant. The city was not so much interested in the gains of the silversmiths, but equally with them in the glory and magnificence which Ephesus had, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when Paul would have entered in unto the people_ This scarcely gives the idea of St Paul's wish, which the Greek contains. Read, with _Rev. Ver._, WAS MINDED TO ENTER IN. Through a strength not his own, the Apostle, feeble in frame though he seems to have been, waxed bold in danger and where an... [ Continue Reading ]
_And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends_ The Greek is one word, literally "Asiarchs." These were officers in the various cities of proconsular Asia, who were appointed to preside over the games and religious festivals. The _Rev. Ver._is "_And certain also of the chief officers of A... [ Continue Reading ]
_Some therefore_, &c. As the craftsmen had not secured St Paul there was no central object to which attention could at once be called, and one general cry raised. _for the assembly was confused_ The confusion in the city (Acts 19:29) had become intensified by the rush to the theatre. _and the more... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they drew_(_Rev. Ver. brought) Alexander out of the multitude_ There is a various reading in the verb here; and the sense may be "And some of the multitude instructed Alexander." The verb in the _Text. Recept_. is the same which is used of the daughter of Herodias being _instructed_by her mothe... [ Continue Reading ]
_But when they knew that he was a Jew_ Better (with _Rev. Ver._), PERCEIVED. The stamp of his nationality was on his face, and no doubt on his dress also. _all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out_ They now had one object against which to direct their uproar and thus became all of... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when the townclerk_ It is not easy to find an English word which comes at all near the significance of this title. "Recorder" has been proposed, because he had charge of the city archives, and Luther calls him "chancellor." He was a most important personage, and his title is found at times on t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seeing … cannot be spoken against_ Better, GAINSAID with _Rev. Ver._Paul had spoken, and others would speak, against the worship, nobody could gainsay the facts, they were incontrovertible. _ye ought to be quiet_ The verb is the same as is used in Acts 19:35, of his own quieting the people, which... [ Continue Reading ]
_For … robbers of churches_ Better, ROBBERS OF TEMPLES with _Rev. Ver._As the temple at Ephesus had a great treasure-chamber, the offence might not be unknown among them. All that was placed under the guardianship of the goddess would be for the time the property of the temple, to steal which would... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore if … have a matter against any man_ i.e. have any charge which they wish to bring. For the concerns in which they are interested will be such as the legal tribunals can attend to. _the law is open_ This gives the general sense. The words are in the plural number and mean either "court- _... [ Continue Reading ]
_But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters Rev. Ver. But if ye seek anything about other matters_. The "seeking" which the townclerk means is by a legal process. If the matter were of such a character as to come before the proconsul, there he was, ready to hear the cause. It was, as we mi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar_. The A. V. seems here to be incorrect. -The word for "uproar" ought not to be joined with "this day." The construction is contrary to N. T. usage, and the adoption of it has caused some violence to be done to the other words. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_And … assembly_ This he could do in his official capacity. Probably the last argument which he used would have most weight with his audience. If such riotous conduct were reported at Rome it might lead to a curtailment of the privileges of their city.... [ Continue Reading ]