Acts 21

Acts 21:1

After this sad parting (ch. xx. 37.) from the bishops of Asia at Miletus (ch. xx. 17.) we took ship, and sailed prosperously, without any incommodation, unto Coos—

Acts 21:4

And meeting there with some that had received the gospel, and were induced with gifts, particularly that of prophecy, (see ch. xx. 23, 24,) we stayed with

Acts 21:5

But this moved not Paul, (see ch. xxiii. 24,) but we left that place, all of them, men, women and children, attending us out of the city; and there on the seashore we kneeled down and prayed at parting. Paul and the rest of us that accompanied him (whereof Luke, the writer of this book, was one) went from Ptolemais to Cæsarea, a haven town in Syria, (see note [c] ch. xviii.,) called Strato’s tower, but rebuilt by Herod, and called Cæsarea, (see note

Acts 21:7

[a] when we had finished our course] Of this word διανύσαντες it is generally supposed that it is compounded of the old word ἀνύω, and that that is to be rendered perficio, “to perfect or finish.” But how this notion should be compatible to this place, where they are in the midst of their journey or navigation, it is not easy to determine. It were somewhat more reasonable to suspect that διανύσαντες might by a scribe be mistaken for διαναύσαντες, (as we find in Hesychius, Διαναῦσαι, δια- πλεῦσαι,) and then τὸν πλοῦν διαναύσαντες, will be no more than sailing, or having sailed, ἀπὸ Τύρου, from Tyre; and then it fitly follows, whither κατηντήσαμεν, which is again used in this sense, ch. xviii. 13, or, as the king’s MS. reads, κατέθημεν, (perhaps that should be κατήχθημεν, ch. xxvii. 3, contrary to ἀναχθέντες, launching out, ver. 4,) we advanced, or went forward, to Ptolemais. But if the ordinary reading be retained, then it must be observed, that as ἀνύω is generally explicated by πληρώω, and τελείω and ἐκτελῶ in Hesychius, so each of these in these writers signifies many times no more than ποιεῖν, to do, and receives the particular notion from the word that is joined with it. So ἐπιτελεῖν λατρείας, to perform the services, Heb. ix. 6. So τελεῖν δρόμον is to run a race, and is not so properly finishing his course, as that signifies life, 2 Tim. iv. 7; for there it appears, vv. 17, 18, that his life and his apostolacy was not at an end, (see note on the title of that Epistle.) So in the old verse of Linus,

Ῥᾴδια πάντα Θεῷ τελίσαι, καὶ ἀνήνυτον οὐδέν,

“All things are easy for God to do, and nothing is impossible,” it is evident that τελεῖν and ἀνύειν signifies to do, and no more. And then διανύσαντες τὸν πλοῦν ἀπὸ Τύρου (for there is no reason to set a comma before ἀπὸ) will be no more than ποιήσαντες, “having sailed or made our navigation, or having taken (but not finished) our course;” for it follows immediately, “we advanced to Ptolemais.”

Acts 21:21

These, said they, have heard it affirmed of thee, that not only according to the decrees of our council thou permittest the Gentile converts to remain uncircumcised, but also that those Jews that are dispersed in Asia and elsewhere, whom thou hast converted to the faith, thou persuadest them that they may leave off circumcision, and the other ceremonies of Moses’ law.

Acts 21:22

This, therefore, (say they,) will be the event, in all probability; all these Jewish Christians will hear of thy being come hither, and so will come in multitudes to see how thou behavest thyself in this matter.

Acts 21:23

Therefore take our advice: There be four men here at this time which have had a Nazarite’s vow upon them, which being accomplished, (see Acts xviii. 18,) they are now to perform the ceremonies prescribed, Numb. vi. 13;

Acts 21:24

These do thou perform with them, and make provision of sacrifices for them such as the law prescribes, Num. vi. 14, that so they may shave their heads according to order, Num. vi. 18. (see note [b] ch. xviii.): and by this means they will be persuaded that they have had false reports of thee, and that thou dost still observe the Mosaical rites.

Acts 21:25

As for the Gentiles that have received the gospel, ch. xv., we have made a decree, thou knowest, (and sent it to Antioch by thee and Barnabas,) by which they are not required to any such observances, or to any more than only to observe the precepts of the sons of Adam and Noah.

Acts 21:26

And Paul took their advice, thus far to comply with the Judaizing Christians, that he might not experate them, and went into the temple, and did all that belonged to the purifying of the Nazarites; and when that was done, gave solemn notice of it; upon which they were, according to the law of Moses, to proceed to offer an offering for each person.

Acts 21:27

And when the seven days, wherein those sacrifices were to be performed, were almost at an end, divers unbelieving Jews, that dwelt in Asia, and had opposed him there, and were now come to Jerusalem, as soon as they saw him in the temple, brought in the multitude tumultuously upon him, and apprehended him,

Acts 21:28

Crying out upon him as the man that had taught all men, wheresoever he preached, that the Jews should be destroyed, the Mosaical law be abolished, and the temple, where now he was purifying himself, laid waste; and had brought heathen men into the temple, which was utterly unlawful to be done, and was the profaning of it.

Acts 21:29

(This last thing they spake confidently, but not truly, only having seen Trophimus with him in the city of Jerusalem; and knowing him to be a Gentile of Ephesus, they believed that he had carried him into the temple, and from thence made this conclusion.)

Acts 21:30

And all the people were exasperated upon this, and having apprehended, haled him out of the temple; and the doors of the temple were presently shut after them.

Acts 21:31

And they fell a beating Paul, and had like to have killed him, had not the commander or colonel that was appointed to guard the temple, and to quell all tumults there (see note [y] Luke xxii.), been told that there was an uproar. ¹⁰ See note [b] Mark i.

Acts 21:32

But he taking with him some bands of soldiers came hastily in upon them: and when they saw the colonel, and his troops of soldiers, they gave over their violence toward Paul.

k guarded by two soldiers, and chained to each of them, (see note [c] ch. xxviii.,) and demanded who he was—

l the tower called Antonia: see note [g] Luke xxii.

Acts 21:35

I have, as by words, so by actions also, demonstrated to you, how that such as ye, that is, bishops and governors of the church, are to take care of the sick and poor, (see 1 Cor. xii.,) and rather endeavour by pains-taking to enable yourselves to relieve others, than to be chargeable or burdensome to others, according to that saying of Christ, (not recorded in the Gospels,) That it is a blessed and a heroical thing to give to others out of a man’s own earnings, and this infinitely more blessed, and better becoming a Christian, than to be relieved by others. ### CHAP. XXI.

And as they were going up the stairs, to the castle or tower, the violence of the multitude of Jews was so great, that the soldiers were fain to carry Paul in their arms, to secure him from them.

Acts 21:36

Who came pursuing him, and crying out to have him put to death.

Acts 21:37

And when he was at the castle door, he spake to the colonel in Greek, and asked him if he would be pleased to permit him to speak to him. And the colonel wondered that he spake Greek,

Acts 21:38

Thinking that he had been that Egyptian false prophet that had raised a sedition in Judæa not long before, and had gotten to him four thousand men into the wilderness.

[b] Egyptian] Under the time of Felix’s procuratorship of Ju- dæa, there were, saith Josephus, many which deceived the people, par- ticularly one that came out of Egypt to Jerusalem, saying that he was a prophet, and persuading the people that they should follow him to mount Olivet, and there they should see the walls of the city fall at his command, so that they might enter the city. These, saith he, Ant. l. 20. c. 6. Felix set upon, killed four hundred, and took two hundred, and put the Egyptian to flight. Which story being compared with this in the Acts, gives Africanus occasion to say, that under Felix’s government there was an Egyptian false prophet with many with him, νιθο μείζοσιν ἐπιχειρῶν πράγμασι τῇ Φήλικος κατελύθη στρατηγίᾳ, “setting on great designs, was discomfited by Felix’s army.” See Euseb. Chron. lib. 1. p. 67. But Eusebius, Hist. l. 2. c. 21, is more punctual, Μείζονι πληγῇ Ἰουδαίους ἐκάκωσεν ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ψευδοπροφήτης· παραγενόμενος γὰρ εἰς τὴν χώραν ἄνθρωπος γύης, καὶ προφήτου πίστιν ἐπιθεὶς ἑαυτῷ, περὶ

b See Euseb. l. 3. c. xv.