Acts 17:1-21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:5

But the Jews which believed not ,.... The Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions leave out the words, "which believed not"; but whether this character is expressed or not, it is certain that the unbelieving Jews are here intended: moved with envy ; at the success of the apostles, many of their own people and of their proselytes, and some of the better sort being converted by them: or "with zeal"; for what they called the glory of God, but it was not according to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:6

And when they found them not ,.... In Jason's house, as they expected: they drew Jason, and certain brethren : the Syriac version adds, "who were there": in Jason's house, who either came along with the apostle, and lodged with him there; or they were some of the inhabitants of Thessalonica, who were lately converted, and were come thither in order to have some Christian conversation; these with Jason the rabble seized on, and in a rude and violent manner dragged them out of the house,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:7

Whom Jason hath received ,.... Into his house in a private manner, and has entertained, contrary to law, which forbids men to receive and entertain persons of seditious principles, and practices, for this is mentioned as a charge against Jason: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar ; both the apostle and those with him, and Jason, and the brethren, whom they now had set before the magistrates, who were all of the same sentiments and practices; and which were opposite to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:8

And they troubled the people, and the rulers of the city ,.... Fearing some revolution would be made, and some new king, or rather tyrant, would start up, and usurp a power over them; or that they should come under some suspicion or charge with the Roman government, and should be called to an account, for admitting such men and tenets among them; with such fears were they possessed, when they heard these things ; alleged against the apostle and his company. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:9

And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other ,.... That is, received satisfaction from them, by the defence which they made for themselves, and the apostles, by the account that they gave of them and of their doctrines; whereby it plainly appeared to the full satisfaction of the magistrates, that their principles had no tendency to move sedition, or to alter the form of their government, or to do anything detrimental to Caesar, as was suggested: the Syriac, and Arabic versions... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:10

And the brethren ,.... The believers in Thessalonica, the young converts there, who were full of love and affection to their spiritual fathers: immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea ; another city in Macedonia: and so it is placed by Pliny F12 Nat. Hist. l. 4. c. 10. in the north part of it; and, according to Ptolomy F13 Geograph. l. 3. c. 13. it was, in that part of Macedonia called Emathia, and was not far from Pella, the native place of Alexander the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:11

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica ,.... That is, the Jews at Berea were more noble than the Jews in Thessalonica, as the Syriac version expresses it; for the comparison is not between the native inhabitants of Berea and Thessalonica, but between the Jews that dwelt in these places: and the one being "more noble" than the other, does not refer to their birth, lineage, and descent, as in 1 Corinthians 1:26 few such were called; and besides, both sorts were Jews, and of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:12

Therefore many of them believed ,.... What the apostle preached, and in Jesus of Nazareth, as the true Messiah, and professed their faith in him, upon finding, through reading and searching the Scriptures, that the characters of the Messiah agreed in him, and that what the apostle delivered were entirely consonant to those writings: also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men not a few ; besides the Jews, there were Gentiles also, both men and women; who were proselytes to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:13

But when the Jews of Thessalonica ,.... The unbelieving Jews there, had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea ; which they came at, either by persons that came from thence to Thessalonica, or by letters sent them: they came thither also ; as the Jews from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra on a like account, Acts 14:19 and stirred up the people ; the common people, the natives of the place, against the apostles; suggesting that they were wicked men, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 17:14

And then immediately the brethren ,.... That were at Berea, the new converts there: sent away Paul , whom they knew the Jews mostly sought after, and were offended with: to go as it were to the sea ; the Aegean sea, or Archipelago, near to which Berea was: this seems to have been done, in order to make the people conclude that he intended to take shipping, and go into some other parts of the world, when the design was to go to Athens by foot, and so be safe from any lying in wait of... read more

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