14 and Paul being about to open `his' mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, `If, indeed, then, it was anything unrighteous, or an act of wicked profligacy, O Jews, according to reason I had borne with you,
And he answering him, said, `O generation unbelieving, till when shall I be with you? till when shall I suffer you? bring him unto me;'
and before all these, they shall lay on you their hands, and persecute, delivering up to synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and governors for my name's sake; and it shall become to you for a testimony. `Settle, then, to your hearts, not to meditate beforehand to reply, for I will give to you a mouth and wisdom that all your opposers shall not be able to refute or resist.
This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them -- having come with the soldiery, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman; and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim, whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;
for if indeed I am unrighteous, and anything worthy of death have done, I deprecate not to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favour of me to them; to Caesar I appeal!'
concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against `him' no accusation of the things I was thinking of, but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive; and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, said, If he would wish to go on to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things --
concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to `my' lord, wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;
And Agrippa said unto Paul, `It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;' then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defence: `Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,
O that ye were bearing with me a little of the folly, but ye also do bear with me:
for if, indeed, he who is coming doth preach another Jesus whom we did not preach, or another Spirit ye receive which ye did not receive, or other good news which ye did not accept -- well were ye bearing `it',
but if ye also should suffer because of righteousness, happy `are ye'! and of their fear be not afraid, nor be troubled, and the Lord God sanctify in your hearts. And `be' ready always for defence to every one who is asking of you an account concerning the hope that `is' in you, with meekness and fear;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 18
Commentary on Acts 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
In this chapter we have,
Act 18:1-6
We do not find that Paul was much persecuted at Athens, nor that he was driven thence by any ill usage, as he was from those places where the Jews had or could make any interest; but this reception at Athens being cold, and little prospect of doing good there, he departed from Athens, leaving the care of those there who believed with Dionysius; and thence he came to Corinth, where he was now instrumental in planting a church that became on many accounts considerable. Corinth was the chief city of Achaia, now a province of the empire, a rich and splendid city. Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum-It is not permitted every man to see Corinth. The country thereabouts at this day is called the Morea. Now here we have,
Act 18:7-11
Here we are told,
Act 18:12-17
We have here an account of some disturbance given to Paul and his friends at Corinth, but no great harm done, nor much hindrance given to the work of Christ there.
Act 18:18-23
We have here Paul in motion, as we have had him at Corinth for some time at rest, but in both busy, very busy, in the service of Christ; if he sat still, if he went about, still it was to do good. Here is,
Act 18:24-28
The sacred history leaves Paul upon his travels, and goes here to meet Apollos at Ephesus, and to give us some account of him, which was necessary to our understanding some passages in Paul's epistles.