27 But G1161 Barnabas G921 took G1949 him, G846 and brought G71 him to G4314 the apostles, G652 and G2532 declared G1334 unto them G846 how G4459 he had seen G1492 the Lord G2962 in G1722 the way, G3598 and G2532 that G3754 he had spoken G2980 to him, G846 and G2532 how G4459 he had preached boldly G3955 at G1722 Damascus G1154 in G1722 the name G3686 of Jesus. G2424
And G1161 Joses, G2500 who G3588 by G5259 the apostles G652 was surnamed G1941 Barnabas, G921 (which G3739 is, G2076 being interpreted, G3177 The son G5207 of consolation,) G3874 a Levite, G3019 and of the country G1085 of Cyprus, G2953
And G2532 now, G3569 Lord, G2962 behold G1896 G1909 their G846 threatenings: G547 and G2532 grant unto G1325 thy G4675 servants, G1401 that with G3326 all G3956 boldness G3954 they may speak G2980 thy G4675 word, G3056
Then G1899 after G3326 three G5140 years G2094 I went up G424 to G1519 Jerusalem G2414 to see G2477 Peter, G4074 and G2532 abode G1961 with G4314 him G846 fifteen G1178 days. G2250 But G1161 other G2087 of the apostles G652 saw I G1492 none, G3756 save G1508 James G2385 the Lord's G2962 brother. G80
Now G1161 when they saw G2334 the boldness G3954 of Peter G4074 and G2532 John, G2491 and G2532 perceived G2638 that G3754 they were G1526 unlearned G62 and G2532 ignorant G2399 men, G444 they marvelled; G2296 and G5037 they took knowledge G1921 of them, G846 that G3754 they had been G2258 with G4862 Jesus. G2424
Paul G3972 also G1161 and G2532 Barnabas G921 continued G1304 in G1722 Antioch, G490 teaching G1321 and G2532 preaching G2097 the word G3056 of the Lord, G2962 with G3326 many G4183 others G2087 also. G2532 And G1161 some G5100 days G2250 after G3326 Paul G3972 said G2036 unto G4314 Barnabas, G921 G1211 Let us go again G1994 and visit G1980 our G2257 brethren G80 in G2596 every G3956 city G4172 where G1722 G3739 we have preached G2605 the word G3056 of the Lord, G2962 and see how G4459 they do. G2192 And G1161 Barnabas G921 determined G1011 to take with them G4838 John, G2491 whose surname was G2564 Mark. G3138 But G1161 Paul G3972 thought G515 not G3361 good G515 to take G4838 him G5126 with them, G4838 who G3588 departed G868 from G575 them G846 from G575 Pamphylia, G3828 and G2532 went G4905 not G3361 with them G846 to G1519 the work. G2041 And G3767 the contention G3948 was G1096 so sharp G3948 between them, G846 that G5620 they departed asunder G673 one from the other: G575 G240 and so G5037 Barnabas G921 took G3880 Mark, G3138 and sailed G1602 unto G1519 Cyprus; G2954
And G2532 for G5228 me, G1700 that G2443 utterance G3056 may be given G1325 unto me, G3427 that I may open G1722 G457 my G3450 mouth G4750 boldly, G1722 G3954 to make known G1107 the mystery G3466 of the gospel, G2098 For G5228 which G3739 I am an ambassador G4243 in G1722 bonds: G254 that G2443 therein G1722 G846 I may speak boldly, G3955 as G5613 I G3165 ought G1163 to speak. G2980
And G2532 the other G3062 Jews G2453 dissembled G4942 likewise G2532 with him; G846 insomuch G5620 that Barnabas G921 also G2532 was carried away G4879 with their G846 dissimulation. G5272
And G2532 when James, G2385 G2532 Cephas, G2786 and G2532 John, G2491 who G3588 seemed G1380 to be G1511 pillars, G4769 perceived G1097 the grace G5485 that was given G1325 unto me, G3427 they gave G1325 to me G1698 and G2532 Barnabas G921 the right hands G1188 of fellowship; G2842 that G2443 we G2249 should go unto G1519 the heathen, G1484 and G1161 they G846 unto G1519 the circumcision. G4061
Or G2228 I G1473 only G3441 and G2532 Barnabas, G921 have G2192 not G3756 we G2192 power G1849 to forbear G3361 working? G2038
And G1161 as he G846 journeyed, G4198 G1722 he came G1096 near G1448 Damascus: G1154 and G2532 suddenly G1810 there shined round about G4015 him G846 a light G5457 from G575 heaven: G3772 And G2532 he fell G4098 to G1909 the earth, G1093 and heard G191 a voice G5456 saying G3004 unto him, G846 Saul, G4549 Saul, G4549 why G5101 persecutest thou G1377 me? G3165 And G1161 he said, G2036 Who G5101 art thou, G1488 Lord? G2962 And G1161 the Lord G2962 said, G2036 I G1473 am G1510 Jesus G2424 whom G3739 thou G4771 persecutest: G1377 it is hard G4642 for thee G4671 to kick G2979 against G4314 the pricks. G2759 And G5037 he trembling G5141 and G2532 astonished G2284 said, G2036 Lord, G2962 what G5101 wilt thou have G2309 me G3165 to do? G4160 And G2532 the Lord G2962 said unto G4314 him, G846 Arise, G450 and G2532 go G1525 into G1519 the city, G4172 and G2532 it shall be told G2980 thee G4671 what G5101 thou G4571 must G1163 do. G4160
It seemed good G1380 unto us, G2254 being assembled G1096 with one accord, G3661 to send G3992 chosen G1586 men G435 unto G4314 you G5209 with G4862 our G2257 beloved G27 Barnabas G921 and G2532 Paul, G3972 Men G444 that have hazarded G3860 their G846 lives G5590 for G5228 the name G3686 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547
When therefore G3767 Paul G3972 and G2532 Barnabas G921 had G1096 no G3756 small G3641 dissension G4714 and G2532 disputation G4803 with G4314 them, G846 they determined G5021 that Paul G3972 and G2532 Barnabas, G921 and G2532 certain G5100 other G243 of G1537 them, G846 should go up G305 to G1519 Jerusalem G2419 unto G4314 the apostles G652 and G2532 elders G4245 about G4012 this G5127 question. G2213
Then G1161 departed G1831 Barnabas G921 to G1519 Tarsus, G5019 for to seek G327 Saul: G4569
Then G1161 tidings G3056 of G4012 these things G846 came G191 unto G1519 the ears G3775 of the church G1577 which G3588 was in G1722 Jerusalem: G2414 and G2532 they sent forth G1821 Barnabas, G921 that he should go G1330 as far as G2193 Antioch. G490
And G2532 straightway G2112 he preached G2784 Christ G5547 in G1722 the synagogues, G4864 that G3754 he G3778 is G2076 the Son G5207 of God. G2316 But G1161 all G3956 that heard G191 him were amazed, G1839 and G2532 said; G3004 Is G2076 not G3756 this G3778 he that destroyed G4199 them which G3588 called on G1941 this G5124 name G3686 in G1722 Jerusalem, G2419 and G2532 came G2064 hither G5602 for G1519 that G5124 intent, G1519 that G2443 he might bring G71 them G846 bound G1210 unto G1909 the chief priests? G749 But G1161 Saul G4569 increased G1743 the more G3123 in strength, G1743 and G2532 confounded G4797 the Jews G2453 which G3588 dwelt G2730 at G1722 Damascus, G1154 proving G4822 that G3754 this G3778 is G2076 very Christ. G5547
And G1161 Ananias G367 went his way, G565 and G2532 entered G1525 into G1519 the house; G3614 and G2532 putting G2007 his hands G5495 on G1909 him G846 said, G2036 Brother G80 Saul, G4549 the Lord, G2962 even Jesus, G2424 that appeared G3700 unto thee G4671 in G1722 the way G3598 as G3739 thou camest, G2064 hath sent G649 me, G3165 that G3704 thou mightest receive thy sight, G308 and G2532 be filled with G4130 the Holy G40 Ghost. G4151
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 9
Commentary on Acts 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
In this chapter we have,
Act 9:1-9
We found mention made of Saul twice or thrice in the story of Stephen, for the sacred penman longed to come to his story; and now we are come to it, not quite taking leave of Peter but from henceforward being mostly taken up with Paul the apostle of the Gentiles, as Peter was of the circumcision. His name in Hebrew was Saul-desired, though as remarkably little in stature as his namesake king Saul was tall and stately; one of the ancients calls him, Homo tricubitalis-but four feet and a half in height; his Roman name which he went by among the citizens of Rome was Paul-little. He was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a free city of the Romans, and himself a freeman of that city. His father and mother were both native Jews; therefore he calls himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews; he was of the tribe of Benjamin, which adhered to Judah. His education was in the schools of Tarsus first, which was a little Athens for learning; there he acquainted himself with the philosophy and poetry of the Greeks. Thence he was sent to the university at Jerusalem, to study divinity and the Jewish law. His tutor was Gamaliel, an eminent Pharisee. He had extraordinary natural parts, and improved mightily in learning. He had likewise a handicraft trade (being bred to tent-making), which was common with those among the Jews who were bred scholars (as Dr. Lightfoot saith), for the earning of their maintenance, and the avoiding of idleness. This is the young man on whom the grace of God wrought this mighty change here recorded, about a year after the ascension of Christ, or little more. We are here told,
Act 9:10-22
As for God, his work is perfect; if he begin, he will make an end: a good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet, in that word, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any that were brought to that. Though Saul was sadly mortified when he lay three days blind, yet he was not abandoned. Christ here takes care of the work of his own hands. He that hath torn will heal-that hath smitten will bind up-that hath convinced will comfort.
Act 9:23-31
Luke here makes no mention of Paul's journey into Arabia, which he tells us himself was immediately after his conversion, Gal. 1:16, 17. As soon as God had revealed his Son in him, that he might preach him, he went not up to Jerusalem, to receive instructions from the apostles (as any other convert would have done, that was designed for the ministry), but he went to Arabia, where there was new ground to break up, and where he would have opportunity of teaching, but not learning; thence he returned to Damascus, and there, three years after his conversion, this happened, which is here recorded.
Act 9:32-35
Here we have,
Act 9:36-43
Here we have another miracle wrought by Peter, for the confirming of the gospel, and which exceeded the former-the raising of Tabitha to life when she had been for some time dead. Here is,