Οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι, ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Παῦλος, ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν, Λυκαονιστὶ λέγοντες" Οἱ θεοὶ ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις κατέβησαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. 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. VER. 12. Ἐκάλουν τε τὸν μὲν Βαρνάβαν, Δία· τὸν δὲ Παῦλον, ̔Ερμῶν, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ λόγου. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. VER. 14. A. D. 46. Ακούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολος Βαρνάβας καὶ Παῦλος, διαῤῥήξαντες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν, εἰσεπήδησαν εἰς τὸν ὄχλον, κράζοντες, Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, VER. 15. Καὶ λέγοντες· "Ανδρες, τί ταῦτα ποιεῖτε ; καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ἐσμεν ὑμῖν, ἄνθρω ποι, εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ὑμᾶς, ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ζάντα, ὃς ἐποίησε τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτ τοῖς 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 bthe living Gorl, c which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein : a They that make a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit: and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Isa. xii. 9, 10. They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it worship. They bear him upon the a god: they fall down; yea, they shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove : yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. Remember this, and shew yourselves men; bring it again to For the customs of the people are vain: mind, O ye transgressors, xlvi. 6—8. for one cutteth a tree out of the forest (the work of the hands of the workman) with the axe : They deck it with with nails and with hammers, that it silver and with gold; they fasten it palm-tree, but speak not, Jer. x. 35. move not. They are upright as the Who would not fear thee, O king of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. But they are altogether brutish and foolish; the stock is a doctrine of vanities. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing; they are all the work of cunning men. But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is brutish in his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish, 7-15. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? Art not thou he, O LORD our God ? therefore we will wait upon thee ; for thou hast made all these things, xiv. 22. We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one, 1 Cor. viii. 4. See on John v. ver. 26. clause 1. VER. 16. *Ος ἐν ταῖς παρωχημέναις γενεαῖς εἴασε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη πορεύεσθαι ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν. Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust; and they walked in their own counsels, Psal. Lxxxi. 12. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish A. D. 46. heart was darkened: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a, lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, Rom. i. 21-26. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity: whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them, 28-32. VER. 17. Καί τοί γε οὐκ ἀμάρτυρον ἑαυτὸν ἀφῆ κεν, ἀγαθοποιῶν, οὐρανόθεν ἡμῖν ὑετοὺς διδοὺς καὶ καιροὺς καρποφόρους, ἐμπιπλῶν τροφῆς καὶ εὐφροσύνης τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν. a Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, band gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. aThy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings, Psal. xxxvi. 5-7. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually, lii. 1. O LORD, how manifold A. D. 46. ACTS XIV. 17-19. are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches; So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships; there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That thou givest them, they gather thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou tak est away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth, civ. 24-30. The LORD is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing, cxlv. 9-16. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust, Matt. v. 45. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil, Luke vi. 35. bI would seek unto God, and unto A. D. 46. them upon the face of the world in the earth. He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy, xxxvii. 10-13. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it, Psal. lxv. 9-13. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou settlest the furrows thereof; thou makest it soft with showers; thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn: they shout for joy, they also sing. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God; Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry, cxlvii. 7-9. Neither say they in their hearts, Let us now fear the LORD our God that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest, Jer. v. 24. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? Art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee; for thou hast made all these things, xiv. 22. VER. 18. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντες, μόλις κατέπαυσαν τοὺς ὄχλους τοῦ μὴ θύειν αὐτοῖς. ed they the people, that they had not done And with these sayings scarce restrainsacrifice unto them. VER. 19. Επῆλθον δὲ ἀπὸ ̓Αντιοχείας καὶ Ικονίου Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ πείσαντες τοὺς ὄχλους, καὶ λιθάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον, ἔσυρον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, νομίσαντες αὐτὸν τεθνάναι. God would I commit my cause; Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields, Job v. 810. By the breath of God frost is given ; and the breath of the waters is straitened. Also by watering he a And there came thither certain Jews ⚫ wearieth the thick cloud; he scatter- from Antioch and Iconium, who pereth his bright cloud, And it is turned suaded the people, and, having stoned round about by his counsels; that they Paul, drew him out of the city, supposmay do whatsoever he commandething he had been dead. A. D. 46. ACTS XIV. 19-28.-xv. 1. a Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, Always bearabout in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus | might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh, 2 Cor. iv. 911. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, xi. 25. VER. 20. Κυκλωσάντων δὲ αὐτὸν τῶν μαθητῶν, ἀναστὰς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν· καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον ἐξῆλθε σὺν τῷ Βαρνάβα εἰς Δές βην. 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. Επιστηρίζοντες τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν, παρακαλοῦντες ἐμμένειν τῇ πίστει, καὶ ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελ θεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Confirming the souls of the disciples, a and exhorting them to continue in the faith, band that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. VER. 24. 445 A. D. 51. Καὶ διελθόντες τὴν Πισιδίαν, ἦλθον εἰς Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. VER. 26. ὅθεν ἦσαν παραδεδομένοι τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Κακεῖθεν ἀπέπλευσαν εἰς ̓Αντιόχειαν· Θεοῦ εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ ἐπλήρωσαν. And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. VER. 27. Παραγενόμενοι δὲ καὶ συναγαγόντες τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἀνήγγειλαν ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς μετ ̓ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὅτι ἤνοιξε τοῖς ἔθνεσι θύραν πίστεως. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they re hearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. a See on Matt. xii. ver. 18. clause 5. VER. 28. Διέτριβον δὲ ἐκεῖ χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς. And there they abode long time with the disciples. CHAP. XV.—VER. 1. Καὶ τινες κατελθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἐδίδασκον τοὺς ἀδελφούς· Οτι ἐὰν μὴ περιτέμνησθε τῷ ἔθει Μωϋσέως, οὐ δύνασθε a See on John viii. ver. 31. VER. 23. Χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς πρεσβυτέρους κατ ̓ ἐκκλησίαν, προσηυξάμενοι μετὰ νησ τειῶν, παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ εἰς ὃν πεπιστεύκεισαν. a 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. a Stand fast therefore in the liberty and be not entangled again with the wherewith Christ hath made us free, yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, That if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I b See on Matt. vi. ver. 16. clause 1. cumcised, that he is a debtor to do testify again to every man that is cir a See on chap. xi. ver. 30. 446 A. D. 51. ACTS XV. 1-10. the whole law, Gal. v. 1-3. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another, 11-13. VER. 2. Γενομένης οὖν στάσεως καὶ συζητήσεως οὐκ ὀλίγης τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Βαρνάβα πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ἔταξαν ἀναβαίνειν Παῦλον καὶ Βαρνάβαν καί τίνας ἄλλους ἐξ αὐτῶν πρὸς | τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ πρεσβυτέρους εἰς Ιερουσαλὴμ, περὶ τοῦ ζητήματος τούτου. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention and disputation arith them ; s they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. * Then, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles: but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, in vain, Gal. ii. 1, 2. or had run, A. D. 52. γοντες· Οτι δεῖ περιτέμειν αὐτοὺς, παραγ γέλλειν τε τηρεῖν τὸν νόμον Μωϋσέως. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. * Or, rose up, said they, certain. VER. 6. Συνήχθησαν δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἰδεῖν περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. VER. 7. Πολλῆς δὲ συζητήσεως γενομένης, έναστὰς Πέτρος εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· "Ανδρες ἀδελφοὶ, ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἀφ ̓ ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν ἐξελέξατο διὰ τοῦ στόματός μου ἀκοῦσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὸν λόγον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, καὶ πιστεῦσαι. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, aye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe, a See on chap. x. VER. 8. Καὶ ὁ καρδιογνώστης Θεὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτοῖς, δοὺς αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, και θὼς καὶ ἡμῖν· a And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, b giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us ; a See on Matt. ix. ver. 4. clause 1. VER. 9. Καὶ οὐδὲν διέκρινε μεταξὺ ἡμῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν, τῇ πίστει καθαρίσας τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. * And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou com mon, Acts x. 15. See also on Luke i. ver. 75. VER. 10. Νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε τὸν Θεὸν, ἐσιθεῖται ζυγόν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῶν μαθητῶν, ὃν οὔτε οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἰσχύσα μεν βαστάσαι ; |