THEN WE KNEW (τοτε επεγνωμεν). Second aorist (ingressive) active indicative of επιγινωσκω. Then we recognized. See Acts 27:39.WAS CALLED (καλειτα). Present passive indicative retained in indirect discourse.MELITA (Μελιτη). Not Μιλετενη as only B reads, a clerical error, but retained in the te... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BARBARIANS (ο βαρβαρο). The Greeks called all men "barbarians" who did not speak Greek (Romans 1:14), not "barbarians" in our sense of rude and uncivilized, but simply "foreign folk." Diodorus Siculus (V. 12) says that it was a colony of the Phoenicians and so their language was Punic (Page).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN PAUL HAD GATHERED (συστρεψαντος του Παυλου). Genitive absolute with first aorist active participle of συστρεφω, old verb to twist or turn together or roll into a bundle. In N.T. only here and Matthew 17:22.A BUNDLE OF STICKS (φρυγανων τ πληθος). "Some multitude (or pile) of dry twigs" (φρυ... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEAST (το θηριον). Diminutive of θηρ and so little beast. See on Mark 1:13. Aristotle and the medical writers apply the word to venomous serpents, the viper in particular (Knowling), as Luke does here. Vincent calls attention to the curious history of our word "_treacle_" for molasses (Latin... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOOK OFF (αποτιναξας). First aorist active participle of αποτινασσω, to shake off. Rare word (Euripides, Galen, LXX). In N.T. only here and Luke 9:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY EXPECTED (ο δε προσεδοκων). Imperfect active, were expecting, continued to expect.THAT HE WOULD HAVE SWOLLEN (αυτον μελλειν πιμπρασθα). More exactly, "Expecting him to be about (or that he was about) to swell up." Πιμπρασθα is present middle infinitive from πιμπρημ, to blow, to burn, t... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE CHIEF MAN OF THE ISLAND (τω πρωτω της νησου). An official title correct in Malta (Ramsay, _St. Paul_, p. 343). An inscription in Malta calls Prudens "Primate of the Maltese" (πρωτος Μελιταιων). Here it is plainly a title and not the common use seen in Acts 13:50; Acts 25:2; Acts 28:17.PUBL... [ Continue Reading ]
LAY (κατακεισθα). Common verb for the sick (Mark 1:30; John 5:6).SICK (συνεχομενον). "Held together." Common verb again for the sick as in Luke 4:38.OF FEVER (πυρετοις). Instrumental case, and plural "fevers," medical term for intermittent attacks of fever (Demosthenes, Lucian, medical writer... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HAD WINTERED (παρακεχειμακοτ). Perfect active participle of παραχειμαζω, to pass the winter. Old verb, in N.T. only Acts 27:12; Acts 28:11; 1 Corinthians 16:6; Titus 3:12. The locative case agreeing with πλοιω. Navigation in the Mediterranean usually opened up in February (always by March),... [ Continue Reading ]
TOUCHING (καταχθεντες). First aorist passive participle of καταγω, to go down to land, just the opposite of ανηχθημεν in verse Acts 28:11 from αναγω, to go up to sea.AT SYRACUSE (εις Συρακουσας). The chief city of Sicily and eighty miles from Malta. Perhaps open weather and a southerly wind hel... [ Continue Reading ]
WE MADE A CIRCUIT (περιελθοντες). Second aorist active of περιερχομα, to go around, old verb, already in Acts 19:13. See also Hebrews 11:37; 1 Timothy 5:13. But Westcott and Hort read περιελοντες after Aleph B (from περιαιρεω) as in Acts 27:40, though here it could only mean casting loose, for wh... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE WE FOUND BRETHREN (ου ευροντες αδελφους). Possibly from Alexandria, but, as Blass observes, it is no more strange to find "brethren" in Christ in Puteoli when Paul arrives than in Rome. There was a large Jewish quarter.SEVEN DAYS (ημερας επτα). Accusative of extent of time. Paul and his p... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY HEARD OF US (ακουσαντες τα περ ημων). How "they heard the things concerning us" we do not know. Good news had its way of travel even before the days of telegraph, telephone, daily papers. Possibly Julius had to send on special couriers with news of his arrival after the shipwreck. Possi... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL WAS SUFFERED TO ABIDE BY HIMSELF (επετραπη τω Παυλω μενειν καθ' εαυτον). Second aorist passive of επιτρεπο, to permit or allow. Literally, "It was permitted to Paul to abide by himself." Some late documents (Textus Receptus) here add: "The centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOSE THAT WERE THE CHIEF OF THE JEWS (τους οντας των Ιουδαιων πρωτους). This use of πρωτος for the leading men of a city or among the Jews we have already had in Acts 13:50; Acts 25:2; Luke 19:47. Literally, "Those that were first among the Jews." The position of the participle οντας between the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY HAD EXAMINED ME (ανακριναντες με). First aorist active participle of ανακρινω, the same verb used already in Acts 24:8; Acts 25:6; Acts 25:26 of the judicial examinations by Felix and Festus.DESIRED (εβουλοντο). Imperfect middle of attempted action or picture of their real attitude. T... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE JEWS SPAKE AGAINST IT (αντιλεγοντων των Ιουδαιων). Genitive absolute again, αντιλεγοντων (αντιλεγω) common verb for speaking against as in Acts 13:45. _Clementer dicit_ (Bengel). "The word is a mild one to describe the bitter enmity of the Jews" (Knowling).I WAS CONSTRAINED (ηναγκασθην)... [ Continue Reading ]
DID I INTREAT (παρεκαλεσα). Did I invite you.BECAUSE OF THE HOPE OF ISRAEL (εινεκεν της ελπιδος του Ισραελ). Genitive with preposition εινεκεν. The hope of the Messiah is his point as in Acts 26:6.I AM BOUND WITH THIS CHAIN (την αλυσιν ταυτην περικειμα). This old verb means to lie around as i... [ Continue Reading ]
LETTERS (γραμματα). Official documents from the Sanhedrin about the charges against Paul.ANY HARM OF THEE (τ περ σου πονηρον).EVIL (πονηρον). The three aorists (εδεξαμεθα, απηγγειλεν, ελαλησεν) cover the past. These Jews do not mean to say that they had never heard of Paul. It is hardly likel... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WE DESIRE (αξιουμεν δε). Old verb αξιοω, to deem worthy, to think right or proper as in Acts 15:38 which see. They think it only fair to hear Paul's side of his case.CONCERNING THIS SECT (περ της αιρεσεως ταυτης). Paul had identified Christianity with Judaism (verse Acts 28:20) in its Messi... [ Continue Reading ]
APPOINTED (ταξαμενο). First aorist middle participle of τασσω. Formal arrangement as in Matthew 28:16 when Jesus appointed the mountain for his meeting in Galilee.IN GREAT NUMBER (πλειονες). Comparative of πολυς, "more than a few."EXPOUNDED (εξετιθετο). Imperfect middle of εκτιθημ, to set for... [ Continue Reading ]
SOME BELIEVED (ο μεν επειθοντο). Imperfect passive indicative of πειθω. More exactly, "some began to be persuaded" (inchoative).SOME DISBELIEVED (ο δε ηπιστουν). Imperfect active of απιστεω, to disbelieve, continued to disbelieve. It is usually so.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY AGREED NOT (ασυμφωνο οντες). Old adjective, only here in N.T., double compound (α privative, συμ, φωνη), without symphony, out of harmony, dissonant, discordant. It was a triumph to gain adherents at all in such an audience.THEY DEPARTED (απελυοντο). Imperfect middle (direct) indicati... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY (ειπον). Second aorist active imperative instead of the old form ειπε. The quotation is from Isaiah 6:9; Isaiah 6:10. This very passage is quoted by Jesus (Matthew 13:14; Matthew 13:15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10) in explanation of his use of parables and in John 12:40 the very point made by Paul he... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SALVATION (τουτο το σωτηριον). Adjective from σωτηρ (Saviour), saving, bringing salvation. Common in the old Greek. The neuter as here often in LXX (as Psalms 67:2) as substantive like σωτηρια (cf. Luke 3:6).THEY WILL ALSO HEAR (αυτο κα ακουσοντα). Αυτο as opposed to the rejection by the J... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO WHOLE YEARS (διετιαν ολην). Only here in N.T. and Acts 24:27 which see. During these busy years in Rome Paul wrote Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, Epistles that would immortalize any man, unless, forsooth, one or more of them was written from Ephesus or Caesarea, which has not y... [ Continue Reading ]