4 And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater [son] of Pyrrhus, a Berean; and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius and Timotheus of Derbe, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These going before waited for us in Troas; 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and we came to them to Troas in five days, where we spent seven days.
7 And the first day of the week, we being assembled to break bread, Paul discoursed to them, about to depart on the morrow. And he prolonged the discourse till midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper room where we were assembled. 9 And a certain youth, by name Eutychus, sitting at the window-opening, overpowered by deep sleep, while Paul discoursed very much at length, having been overpowered by the sleep, fell from the third story down to the bottom, and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul descending fell upon him, and enfolding [him] [in his arms], said, Be not troubled, for his life is in him. 11 And having gone up, and having broken the bread, and eaten, and having long spoken until daybreak, so he went away. 12 And they brought [away] the boy alive, and were no little comforted.
13 And we, having gone before on board ship, sailed off to Assos, going to take in Paul there; for so he had directed, he himself being about to go on foot. 14 And when he met with us at Assos, having taken him on board, we came to Mitylene; 15 and having sailed thence, on the morrow arrived opposite Chios, and the next day put in at Samos; and having stayed at Trogyllium, the next day we came to Miletus: 16 for Paul thought it desirable to sail by Ephesus, so that he might not be made to spend time in Asia; for he hastened, if it was possible for him, to be the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.
17 But from Miletus having sent to Ephesus, he called over [to him] the elders of the assembly. 18 And when they were come to him, he said to them, Ye know how I was with you all the time from the first day that I arrived in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all lowliness, and tears, and temptations, which happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I held back nothing of what is profitable, so as not to announce [it] to you, and to teach you publicly and in every house, 21 testifying to both Jews and Greeks repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, bound in my spirit I go to Jerusalem, not knowing what things shall happen to me in it; 23 only that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and tribulations await me. 24 But I make no account of [my] life [as] dear to myself, so that I finish my course, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom [of God], shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I witness to you this day, that I am clean from the blood of all, 27 for I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own. 29 [For] I know [this,] that there will come in amongst you after my departure grievous wolves, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves shall rise up men speaking perverted things to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one [of you] with tears. 32 And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [you] up and give [to you] an inheritance among all the sanctified. 33 I have coveted [the] silver or gold or clothing of no one. 34 Yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my wants, and to those who were with me. 35 I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring [we] ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
36 And having said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And they all wept sore; and falling upon the neck of Paul they ardently kissed him, 38 specially pained by the word which he had said, that they would no more see his face. And they went down with him to the ship.
211 And when, having got away from them, we at last sailed away, we came by a direct course to Cos, and on the morrow to Rhodes, and thence to Patara. 2 And having found a ship passing over into Phoenicia, we went on board and sailed; 3 and having sighted Cyprus, and left it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and made the land at Tyre, for there the ship was to discharge her cargo. 4 And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven days; who said to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. 5 But when we had completed the days, we set out and took our journey, all of them accompanying us, with wives and children, till [we were] out of the city. And kneeling down upon the shore we prayed. 6 And having embraced one another, we went on board ship, and they returned home. 7 And we, having completed the voyage, arrived from Tyre at Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren, we remained one day with them.
8 And leaving on the morrow, we came to Caesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was of the seven, we abode with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 And as we stayed there many days, a certain man, by name Agabus, a prophet, came down from Judaea, 11 and coming to us and taking the girdle of Paul, and having bound his own hands and feet, said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose this girdle is shall the Jews thus bind in Jerusalem, and deliver him up into the hands of [the] Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we and those of the place besought [him] not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 But Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we were silent, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
15 And after these days, having got our effects ready, we went up to Jerusalem. 16 And [some] of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing [with them] a certain Mnason, a Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we were to lodge.
17 And when we arrived at Jerusalem the brethren gladly received us. 18 And on the morrow Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders came there. 19 And having saluted them, he related one by one the things which God had wrought among the nations by his ministry. 20 And they having heard [it] glorified God, and said to him, Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of the Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the law. 21 And they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews among the nations apostasy from Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children, nor walk in the customs. 22 What is it then? a multitude must necessarily come together, for they will hear that thou art come. 23 This do therefore that we say to thee: We have four men who have a vow on them; 24 take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved; and all will know that [of those things] of which they have been informed about thee nothing is [true]; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law. 25 But concerning [those of] the nations who have believed, we have written, deciding that they should [observe no such thing, only to] keep themselves both from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul, taking the men, on the next day, having been purified, entered with them into the temple, signifying the time the days of the purification would be fulfilled, until the offering was offered for every one of them.
27 And when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, set all the crowd in a tumult, and laid hands upon him, 28 crying, Israelites, help! this is the man who teaches all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and has brought Greeks too into the temple, and profaned this holy place. 29 For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple. 30 And the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people; and having laid hold on Paul they drew him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31 And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult; 32 who, taking with him immediately soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. But they, seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul. 33 Then the chiliarch came up and laid hold upon him, and commanded [him] to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he might be, and what he had done. 34 And different persons cried some different thing in the crowd. But he, not being able to know the certainty on account of the uproar, commanded him to be brought into the fortress. 35 But when he got upon the stairs it was so that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd. 36 For the multitude of the people followed, crying, Away with him.
37 But as he was about to be led into the fortress, Paul says to the chiliarch, Is it allowed me to say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? 38 Thou art not then that Egyptian who before these days raised a sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins? 39 But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people. 40 And when he had allowed him, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and a great silence having been made, he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
221 Brethren and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you. 2 And hearing that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more quiet; and he says,
3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to [the] exactness of the law of [our] fathers, being zealous for God, as ye are all this day; 4 who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women; 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about mid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me. 7 And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazaraean, whom thou persecutest. 9 But they that were with me beheld the light, [and were filled with fear], but heard not the voice of him that was speaking to me. 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do. 11 And as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus. 12 And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews who dwelt [there], 13 coming to me and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And I, in the same hour, received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth; 15 for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard. 16 And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name.
17 And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy, 18 and saw him saying to me, Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. 19 And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those that believe on thee; 20 and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him. 21 And he said to me, Go, for I will send thee to the nations afar off.
22 And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live. 23 And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air, 24 the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him. 25 But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood [by], Is it lawful for you to scourge a man [who is] a Roman and uncondemned? 26 And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman. 27 And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes. 28 And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also [free] born. 29 Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 And on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty [of the matter] why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.
231 And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day. 2 But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten? 4 And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God? 5 And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.
6 But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead. 7 And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. 8 For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them. 9 And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel ... 10 And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress. 11 But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.
12 And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul. 13 And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath; 14 and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul. 15 Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him. 16 But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul. 17 And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him. 18 He therefore, having taken him with [him], led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to [him] and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee. 19 And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me? 20 And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him. 21 Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee. 22 The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.
23 And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night. 24 And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor, 25 having written a letter, couched in this form: 26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. 27 This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman. 28 And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council; 29 whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds. 30 But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.] 31 The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris, 32 and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress. 33 And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him. 34 And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia, 35 he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 1:0
Complete ConciseChapter Contents
Proofs of Christ's resurrection. (1-5) Christ's ascension. (6-11) The apostles unite in prayer. (12-14) Matthias chosen in the place of Judas. (15-26)
Commentary on Acts 1:1-5
(Read Acts 1:1-5)
Our Lord told the disciples the work they were to do. The apostles met together at Jerusalem; Christ having ordered them not to depart thence, but to wait for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. This would be a baptism by the Holy Ghost, giving them power to work miracles, and enlightening and sanctifying their souls. This confirms the Divine promise, and encourages us to depend upon it, that we have heard it from Christ; for in Him all the promises of God are yea and amen.
Commentary on Acts 1:6-11
(Read Acts 1:6-11)
They were earnest in asking about that which their Master never had directed or encouraged them to seek. Our Lord knew that his ascension and the teaching of the Holy Spirit would soon end these expectations, and therefore only gave them a rebuke; but it is a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of a desire of forbidden knowledge. He had given his disciples instructions for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and this knowledge is enough for a Christian. It is enough that He has engaged to give believers strength equal to their trials and services; that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may, in one way or other, be witnesses for Christ on earth, while in heaven he manages their concerns with perfect wisdom, truth, and love. When we stand gazing and trifling, the thoughts of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us: when we stand gazing and trembling, they should comfort and encourage us. May our expectation of it be stedfast and joyful, giving diligence to be found of him blameless.
Commentary on Acts 1:12-14
(Read Acts 1:12-14)
God can find hiding-places for his people. They made supplication. All God's people are praying people. It was now a time of trouble and danger with the disciples of Christ; but if any is afflicted, let him pray; that will silence cares and fears. They had now a great work to do, and before they entered upon it, they were earnest in prayer to God for his presence. They were waiting for the descent of the Spirit, and abounded in prayer. Those are in the best frame to receive spiritual blessings, who are in a praying frame. Christ had promised shortly to send the Holy Ghost; that promise was not to do away prayer, but to quicken and encourage it. A little company united in love, exemplary in their conduct, fervent in prayer, and wisely zealous to promote the cause of Christ, are likely to increase rapidly.
Commentary on Acts 1:15-26
(Read Acts 1:15-26)
The great thing the apostles were to attest to the world, was, Christ's resurrection; for that was the great proof of his being the Messiah, and the foundation of our hope in him. The apostles were ordained, not to wordly dignity and dominion, but to preach Christ, and the power of his resurrection. An appeal was made to God; "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men," which we do not; and better than they know their own. It is fit that God should choose his own servants; and so far as he, by the disposals of his providence, or the gifts of his Spirit, shows whom he was chosen, or what he has chosen for us, we ought to fall in with his will. Let us own his hand in the determining everything which befalls us, especially in those by which any trust may be committed to us.