King James Version
Acts 14
28 verses with commentary
Paul and Barnabas in Iconium
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>They went both together into the synagogue</strong>—Paul and Barnabas maintained their pattern of synagogue evangelism, demonstrating continuity between Judaism and Christianity. The phrase <strong>so spake</strong> (Greek <em>lalēsai houtōs</em>) emphasizes rhetorical power and Spirit-anointed persuasiveness, not mere eloquence. The result—<strong>a great multitude both of the Jews and al...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XIV.
(1) **Both of the Jews and also of the Greeks.**—The latter term is used in its wider sense, as in Mark 7:26 and elsewhere, as equivalent to Gentile, but it implies that those who were so described spoke and understood Greek. In the former instance these would probably be the “proselytes of the gate” who heard the Apostles in the synagogue.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles</strong>—The Greek <em>ēgeiran</em> (stirred up) suggests deliberate agitation, arousing latent hostility. <strong>Made their minds evil affected</strong> translates <em>ekakōsan tas psychas</em> (poisoned the souls), depicting systematic corruption of attitudes through slander. This reveals how religious opposition weaponizes community sentimen...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles . . .**—It is the distinguishing feature of nearly all the persecutions in the Acts that they originated in the hostility of the Jews. The case of Demetrius furnishes almost the only exception (Acts 19:24), and even there the Jews apparently fomented the enmity of the Greek craftsmen. So at a considerably later date (A.D. 169) we find them promine...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord</strong>—The Greek <em>parrhēsiazomenoi</em> (speaking boldly) describes fearless, frank speech despite opposition, a term repeatedly used in Acts for Spirit-empowered witness under pressure. The phrase <strong>in the Lord</strong> shows their boldness derived from union with Christ, not personal courage. The Lord's response—<stron...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Long time therefore abode they.**—This can hardly be understood as involving a stay of less than several months, during which, Paul and Barnabas, as before, were working for their livelihood.
**Speaking boldly.**—The “boldness” consisted, as the context shows, in a full declaration of the gospel of the grace of God as contrasted with the narrowing Judaism with which the Greek proselytes had ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The multitude of the city was divided</strong>—The Greek <em>eschisthē to plēthos</em> uses the verb 'schizō' (split, divide), from which we get 'schism.' The gospel inevitably creates division, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy that He came to bring not peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34). Some <strong>held with the Jews</strong> (the opposing party), others <strong>with the apostles</strong>. Luk...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **The multitude of the city was divided.**—The context shows that St. Luke writes of the bulk of the heathen population. No numbers are given, but we may fairly assume that the converts were in a minority, and that they belonged, as a rule, to the lower classes (1Corinthians 1:26-27), and that the chief men and women of the city, as at the Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:50), were against them. The ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>An assault made... to use them despitefully, and to stone them</strong>—The Greek <em>hormē</em> (assault) suggests violent rushing or hostile momentum, not merely verbal threats. <strong>Use them despitefully</strong> translates <em>hybrisai</em> (to outrage, insult violently), denoting shameful treatment and physical abuse. <strong>Stone them</strong> reveals the Jewish faction's influen...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **To use them despitefully.**—The verb expresses wanton insult and outrage. St. Paul uses the noun derived from it to express the character of his own conduct as a persecutor (1Timothy 1:13), and must have felt, as afterwards in the actual stoning of Acts 14:19, that he was receiving the just reward of his own deeds.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>They were ware of it, and fled</strong>—The apostles' strategic retreat demonstrates wisdom, not cowardice. The Greek <em>synidontes</em> (being aware) suggests advance warning, possibly from converts. Jesus had instructed His disciples to flee persecution when possible (Matthew 10:23). <strong>Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia</strong>—fleeing to these less sophisticated cities provide...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **And fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia.**—Here again, as in Acts 13:51, we can scarcely fail to trace a literal obedience to our Lord’s commands. (See Note on Matthew 10:23.) The direction of the Apostles journey now took them into a wilder and less civilised region. The range of the Taurus cut it off from the more cultivated country of Cilicia and Pisidia. It is described as a d...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →And there they preached the gospel .
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And there they preached the gospel</strong>—This brief verse captures the missionaries' single-minded focus. The Greek <em>euangelizomenoi ēsan</em> (they were gospelizing) uses imperfect tense, indicating continuous, ongoing proclamation. Neither persecution in Iconium nor unfamiliar territory in Lycaonia deterred their mission. The simplicity of Luke's statement emphasizes that gospel pr...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 14
Chapter Outline
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium.(1-7)
A cripple healed at Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas.(8-18)
Paul stoned at Lystra, The churches visited again.(19-28)
**Verses 1-7**
The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; tha...
Read full commentary →A Cripple Healed at Lystra
And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>A certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet</strong>—Luke's medical precision appears in his description: <em>adynatos tois posin</em> (powerless in the feet), <strong>being a cripple from his mother's womb</strong> (Greek <em>cholos ek koilias mētros autou</em>), <strong>who never had walked</strong>. This threefold emphasis—congenital condition, lifelong disability, complete inability—...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Being a cripple from his mother’s womb.**—We note, as in Acts 3:2; Acts 9:33, the characteristic care to record the duration of the infirmity which was supernaturally cured.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The same heard Paul speak</strong>—The crippled man's faith arose from hearing gospel proclamation, illustrating Romans 10:17: 'faith cometh by hearing.' Paul's action—<strong>stedfastly beholding him</strong> (Greek <em>atenisas autō</em>)—describes intense, penetrating gaze, the same verb used of Peter's look at the lame man (Acts 3:4). Paul <strong>perceived that he had faith to be heal...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **Who stedfastly beholding him.**—We note once more the recurrence of the characteristic word and look. (See Note on Acts 13:9.)
**Perceiving that he had faith to be healed.**—Here, as so often, as if it were the general, though not the universal, law of miraculous working (see Notes on Mark 10:23), faith is pre-supposed as the condition. It follows from this, no less than from the tense of th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Stand upright on thy feet</strong> (στῆθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου ὀρθός)—Paul's command demonstrates apostolic authority mirroring Christ's healing ministry. The Greek <em>orthos</em> (upright) emphasizes complete restoration, not merely assistance to stand. The man's immediate response—<strong>he leaped and walked</strong> (ἥλατο καὶ περιεπάτει)—echoes Isaiah 35:6's messianic promise: 'then sh...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **Stand upright on thy feet.**—What may be called the *modus operandi* of the miracle reminds us of that of the paralytic in Matthew 9:6, and the cripple at Bethesda in John 5:11, and the lame man in Acts 3:6. The command, which would have seemed a mockery to one who did not rise beyond the limits of experience, is obeyed by the will that had been inspired by the new power of faith. The natur...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The crowd's response—<strong>The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men</strong>—reveals pagan mythology's grip on Lycaonian thinking. Speaking in <strong>the speech of Lycaonia</strong> (Λυκαονιστὶ) meant Paul and Barnabas initially didn't understand the danger, creating dramatic irony. Local legend held that Zeus and Hermes had visited this region disguised as men, refused hospitality, ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **Saying in the speech of Lycaonia.**—The fact is clearly recorded with a definite purpose, and no explanation seems so natural as that which assumes it to be given as accounting for the passive attitude of the Apostles till what was then said had borne its fruit in acts. It will be admitted by all who are not under the influence of a theory that this serves almost as a crucial instance, show...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 11 Ac 11:1-18. Peter Vindicates Himself before the Church in Jerusalem for His Procedure towards the Gentiles.
**1-11. the apostles and brethren ... in Judea--**rather, "throughout Judea."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius</strong>—The assignment reveals ancient rhetorical expectations. Zeus (Jupiter) was king of gods, typically silent and majestic. Hermes (Mercury/Mercurius) was the messenger god and patron of eloquence. The Greek <em>ho hēgoumenos tou logou</em> (the chief speaker) explains Paul's identification with Hermes: his speaking role matched the h...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius.**—St. Luke gives, as was natural, the Greek forms—Zeus and Hermes. The main reason for the assignment of the two names was that the listeners recognised in St. Paul the gift of eloquence, which was the special attribute of Hermes. Possibly, also, unlike as were the weak bodily presence and the many infirmities of the Apostle to the sculptu...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The priest of Jupiter, which was before their city</strong>—The temple's location ('before their city,' πρὸ τῆς πόλεως) suggests a prominent sanctuary at Lystra's gates. The <strong>oxen and garlands</strong> (ταύρους καὶ στέμματα) indicate full sacrificial ritual: flower-crowned bulls for major deity worship. The Greek <em>ethelen</em> (would have done) shows official religious establishm...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) **The priest of Jupiter, which was before their city.**—The latter clause probably describes the position of the Temple of Zeus, standing at the entrance of the city, as the shrine of its protecting deity. The identical phrase used by St. Luke is found in Greek inscriptions at Ephesus.
**Brought oxen and garlands unto the gates.**—The garlands were the well-known *vittae, *so familiar to us i...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>They rent their clothes</strong> (διαρρήξαντες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν)—This dramatic gesture expressed horror at blasphemy, following Jewish custom when hearing God's name profaned (see Matthew 26:65). The apostles' violent response—tearing garments and <strong>running in among the people, crying out</strong>—demonstrates their anguish at being treated as deity. The Greek <em>eisepēdēsan</em> (ru...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(14) **Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of.**—They were, we may believe, in the house, within the court-yard, and therefore did not see the sacrificial procession; but they heard the noise of the multitude, perhaps also of some sacrificial hymn, and asked what it meant.
**They rent their clothes.**—The act is obviously recorded as that of men who are startled and surprised, and is...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein :
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Paul's emphatic rejection of worship ('We also are men of like passions with you') establishes the unbridgeable distinction between human servants and divine Lord. The call to 'turn from these vanities unto the living God' presents the gospel as radical monotheism. The creational theology ('which made heaven, and earth, and the sea') provides natural revelation foundation for evangelism.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(15) **Sirs, why do ye these things?**—It is natural to suppose that the words were spoken in the Greek in which St. Luke records them, and therefore that St. Paul’s previous teaching had been in the same language. The metrical structure of the. close of the speech (see Note on Acts 14:17) leaves hardly a shadow of doubt on this point.
**We also are men of like passions with you.**—The word, which...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways</strong>—Paul's sermon introduces the biblical theology of divine forbearance toward Gentile ignorance. The Greek <em>eiasen</em> (suffered/allowed) doesn't imply approval but judicial patience, echoing Romans 3:25's 'passing over' of sins. <strong>All nations</strong> (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη) contrasts with Israel's covenantal privil...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(16) **Who in times past suffered all nations.**—Better, *all the heathen;* the term used being that which is always employed of the nations outside the covenant of Israel. We have here the first germ of what may be fairly described as St. Paul’s philosophy of history. The times of ignorance had been permitted by God, and those who had lived in them would be equitably dealt with, and judged accord...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>He left not himself without witness</strong> (οὐκ ἀμάρτυρον αὑτὸν ἀφῆκεν)—Despite nations walking in their own ways, God provided general revelation through creation. The <strong>rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons</strong> (ὑετοὺς...καιροὺς καρποφόρους) demonstrate providential care, echoing Psalm 145:15-16 and anticipating Romans 1:20's testimony of creation. The Greek <em>agathourgeō...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(17) **He left not himself without witness.**—Here again we have the outline of what is afterwards expanded (Romans 1:19-20). In speaking to peasants like those at Lystra, St. Paul naturally dwells most on the witness given through the divine goodness as manifested in nature. In addressing philosophers at Athens and at Rome, he points to the yet fuller witness of consciousness and conscience (Acts...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>With these sayings scarce restrained they the people</strong> (μόλις κατέπαυσαν τοὺς ὄχλους)—The Greek <em>molis</em> (scarce/with difficulty) reveals how narrowly disaster was averted. Even after explaining they were mere men, after appealing to natural revelation, the crowd's pagan devotion nearly overpowered reason. The verb <em>katepausan</em> (restrained) suggests forceful prevention,...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **with these sayings scarce restrained they the people.**—On some of those who were thus restrained the effect may well have been that they were roused to a higher life and did turn from “vanities” to the living God. We must, at any rate, think of St. Paul’s work at Lystra as lasting long enough to allow time for the foundation of a church there. Among the more conspicuous converts were the d...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-18. we entered the man's house--**No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that affected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised," he simply speaks of the uncircumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-18**
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and d...
Read full commentary →And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
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KJV Study Commentary
The shocking reversal - from attempted worship (verse 18) to stoning Paul - demonstrates crowd volatility and the opposition's influence. Jews from Antioch and Iconium traveled significant distances to oppose Paul, showing determined resistance to the gospel. Paul's survival after stoning (they 'supposed he had been dead') demonstrates either divine protection or remarkable resilience.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(19) **There came thither certain Jews from Antioch.**—The context shows that the Pisidian Antioch is meant. The strength of the hostility is shown by the facts, (1) that the Jews of the two cities were acting in concert, and (2) that those of the former had travelled not less than one hundred and thirty miles to hinder the Apostle’s work.
**Who persuaded the people.**—The sudden change of feeling...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Ac 11:19-24. The Gospel Being Preached to Gentiles at Antioch Also Barnabas Is Sent Thither from Jerusalem, Who Hails Their Accession and Labors among Them.
**19. they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen--**and who "went everywhere preaching the word" (Ac 8:4).
**travelled as far as Phenice--**that part of the Mediterranean coast which, commencing a little ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>As the disciples stood round about him, he rose up</strong>—After being stoned and dragged outside the city as dead, Paul's recovery was either miraculous preservation or resurrection. The Greek simply states <em>anastas</em> (rising up), the same word used for resurrection, leaving the nature of recovery ambiguous. That he <strong>came into the city</strong> (εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν) immed...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(20) **Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him.**—They, it is obvious, had been powerless to prevent the attack; but they stole out, when all was over, it may be, with the purpose of giving at least a decent interment. We may fairly think of Lois, and Eunice, and Timotheus, as present in that crowd, weeping first for sorrow, and then for exceeding joy, to find that the teacher whom they lo...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20. some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene--**(see on Lu 23:26); as Lucius, mentioned in Ac 13:1.
**spake unto the Grecians--**rather, "the Greeks," that is, uncircumcised Gentiles (as the true reading beyond doubt is). The Gospel had, from the first, been preached to "the Grecians" or Greek-speaking Jews, and these "men of Cyprus and Cyrene" were themselves "Grecians." How, then, can we s...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →The Return to Antioch
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, had taught many: Gr. had made many disciples
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>When they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many</strong> (εὐαγγελισάμενοί τε τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην καὶ μαθητεύσαντες ἱκανούς)—The verb <em>mathēteuō</em> (made disciples) indicates successful gospel work in Derbe despite recent persecution. Then <strong>they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch</strong>—this requires careful attention. Paul intentionally re...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(21) **And had taught many**.—Better, *made many disciples.* The word is the same as in Matthew 28:19. Among these we may note Gaius, or Caius, afterwards conspicuous as one of St. Paul’s companions (Acts 20:4). The work done implies a stay of, it may be, some months’ duration. During this time the violence of the hostility of the Jews at Antioch and Iconium had probably subsided, and the Apostles...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**21. a great number believed--**Thus the accession of Cornelius and his party was not the first admission of uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church. (See on Ac 10:1.) Nay, we read of no influence which the accession of Cornelius and his house had on the further progress of the Gospel among the Gentiles; whereas there here open upon us operations upon the Gentiles from quite a different quarter, a...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
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KJV Study Commentary
Paul's message 'we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God' presents suffering as normative Christian experience, not exceptional. The Greek 'dei' (must) indicates divine necessity, not optional hardship. This realistic discipleship contrasts modern prosperity gospel, emphasizing that kingdom glory comes through present tribulation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(22) **Confirming the souls of the disciples.**—Better, perhaps, *strengthening, *so as to avoid the more definite associations connected with the other term. In Acts 18:23, the word is so rendered. It is not the same as that used by later writers for the ecclesiastical rite of Confirmation.
**Exhorting them to continue in the faith.**—The question meets us whether “faith” is used in its subjectiv...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**22. sent ... Barnabas ... as far as Antioch--**implying that even on the way to Antioch he found churches to visit [Olshausen]. It was in the first instance, no doubt, a mission of inquiry; and no one could be more suitable to inquire into the proceedings of those Cyprians and Cyrenians than one who was himself a "Grecian" of Cyprus (Ac 4:36), and "a son of consolation."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
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KJV Study Commentary
Paul and Barnabas's 'ordaining of elders in every church' established local leadership before departing. The combination of prayer and fasting with this appointment shows the serious spiritual nature of leadership selection. The phrase 'commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed' indicates both the leaders' and churches' ultimate dependence on Christ rather than apostolic presence.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(23) **And when they had ordained them elders.**—The word for “ordained” occurs in the New Testament here and in 2Corinthians 8:19, where it is translated “chosen,” and certainly seems to imply popular election (election by show of hands), which is, indeed, the natural meaning of the word. In Acts 10:41 a compound form of the verb is translated “chosen of God,” and clearly excludes any action but ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**23. when he ... had seen the grace of God--**in the new converts.
**was glad--**owned and rejoiced in it at once as divine, though they were uncircumcised.
**exhorted them all that with purpose of heart--**as opposed to a hasty and fickle discipleship.
**they would cleave unto the Lord--**the Lord Jesus.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>After they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.</strong> Paul and Barnabas's return journey through Asia Minor demonstrates apostolic strategy: revisiting churches to strengthen disciples. The Greek <em>dierchomai</em> (διέρχομαι, "passed throughout") suggests thorough ministry, not mere transit. Pisidia was a rugged highland region where they'd faced persecution in Antio...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24. For he was a good man--**The sense of "good" here is plainly "large-hearted," "liberal-minded," rising above narrow Jewish sectarianism, and that because, as the historian adds, he was "full of the Holy Ghost and of faith."
**and much people were added unto the Lord--**This proceeding of Barnabas, so full of wisdom, love, and zeal, was blessed to the great increase of the Christian communi...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia.</strong> This seemingly simple travel notice reveals important principles about apostolic ministry. "Preached the word" (<em>lalēsantes ton logon</em>, λαλήσαντες τὸν λόγον) indicates faithful proclamation of the gospel message. Perga was a significant city in Pamphylia where John Mark had earlier deserted Paul and ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(25) **And when they had preached the word in Perga.**—The travellers retrace their steps. There is a coincidence more or less striking in the report of what they did at Perga. In Acts 13:13 there is no mention of their having preached in that city. We are simply told that Mark left them there, and that they then went on to Antioch. On their return, accordingly, they did what they had then left un...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul--**Of course, this was after the hasty despatch of Saul to Tarsus, no doubt by Barnabas himself among others, to escape the fury of the Jews at Jerusalem. And as Barnabas was the first to take the converted persecutor by the hand and procure his recognition as a disciple by the brethren at Jerusalem (Ac 9:27), so he alone seems at that early ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.</strong> The missionaries' return to their sending church demonstrates accountability and partnership in gospel work. The Greek <em>paradothentes</em> (παραδοθέντες, "recommended") means "handed over, committed," emphasizing the church's role in commissioning. They were co...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
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KJV Study Commentary
The missionaries' report upon returning emphasized 'how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles,' attributing success to God's action. The metaphor of God 'opening the door' shows divine initiative in creating gospel opportunities. Their rehearsal of 'all that God had done with them' demonstrates accountability and partnership with the sending church.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(27) **And when they were come.**—Two years or thereabouts (A.D. 45-48) had passed since their mission. During that interval little probably had been heard of them, and we can picture to ourselves the eagerness with which the *Christiani* of Antioch would gather to listen to their report.
**How he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.**—This is noticeable as the first occurrence, as far ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Ac 11:27-30. By Occasion of a Famine Barnabas and Saul Return to Jerusalem with a Contribution for the Relief of Their Suffering Brethren.
**27. came prophets from Jerusalem--**inspired teachers, a class we shall afterwards frequently meet with, who sometimes, but not necessarily, foretold future events. They are classed next to apostles (1Co 12:28, 29; Ep 4:11).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →And there they abode long time with the disciples.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And there they abode long time with the disciples</strong>—After completing their first missionary journey (Acts 13-14), Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch (διέτριβον, <em>dietribon</em>, 'they spent time') with the church that had originally commissioned them. This extended stay (χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον, <em>chronon ouk oligon</em>, 'not a little time'—likely a year or more) was strategic: i...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(28) **There they abode long time.**—The words probably cover an interval of more than a year, during which it is reasonable to suppose that the preaching of the two Apostles drew together a large number of Gentile converts.
**Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28. that there should be great dearth throughout all the world--**the whole Roman empire.
**which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar--**Four famines occurred during his reign. This one in Judea and the adjacent countries took place, A.D. 41 [Josephus, Antiquities, 20.2,5]. An important date for tracing out the chronology of the Acts. (But this subject is too difficult and extensive to ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 19-28**
See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been wo...
Read full commentary →