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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 21:1-7

We may observe here, I. How much ado Paul had to get clear from Ephesus, intimated in the first words of the chapter, after we had gotten from them, that is, were drawn from them as by violence. It was a force put upon both sides; Paul was loth to leave them, and they were loth to part with him, and yet there was no remedy, but so it must be. When good people are taken away by death, they are, as it were, gotten from their friends here below, who struggled hard to have detained them if... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 21:1-16

21:1-16 When we had torn ourselves away from them and had set sail, we sailed a straight course and came to Cos; on the next day we reached Rhodes; and from there we came to Patara. There we found a ship which was sailing across to Phoenicia and we embarked on her and set sail. After we had sighted Cyprus and had left it behind on the left hand side we sailed on to Syria and came down to Tyre, for there the ship was to discharge her cargo. We sought out the disciples and we stayed there for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 21:1

And it came to pass, that after we had gotten from them ,.... Which was with great difficulty, with many tears, and much wringing of hands: the word signifies that they were "plucked from" them; they clung about them, as husband and wife, and parents and children do; so strong were their affections; and their parting was like the parting of such near relations, or like the plucking of the flesh from the bones, or the drawing and separating one member from another; such is the cement of true... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 21:2

And finding a ship sailing over unto Phoenicia ,.... For it seems that the ship they went aboard at Assos, Acts 20:13 went no further, at least in the way the apostle was going, than Patara; but lighting on another ship, which was bound for Phoenicia, for the city of Tyre, which bordered on the land of Israel, and indeed originally belonged to Canaan; see Acts 11:19 . we went aboard ; the said ship: and set forth ; on the voyage. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 21:3

Now when we had discovered Cyprus ,.... An island, as the Syriac version here calls it, which lay between Syria and Cilicia; See Gill on Acts 4:36 ; and was, according to R. Benjamin F12 Itinerar. p. 30. , four days sail from Rhodes, before mentioned: we left it on the left hand , and sailed into Syria; that part of it called Phoenicia: and landed at Tyre ; the chief city of Phoenicia, famous for navigation and commerce: it stood about four furlongs distant from the shore,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 21:1

Came with a straight course - Having had, as is necessarily implied, wind and tide in their favor. Coos - An island in the Archipelago, or Aegean Sea, one of those called the Sporades. It was famous for the worship of Aesculapius and Juno; and for being the birthplace of Hippocrates, the most eminent of physicians, and Apelles, the most celebrated of painters. Rhodes - Another island in the same sea, celebrated for its Colossus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. This... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 21:2

Phoenicia - A part of Syria. See the note on Acts 11:19 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 21:3

Cyprus - See the note on Acts 4:36 , and see the track of this journey on the map. Tyre - A city of Phoenicia, one of the most celebrated maritime towns in the world. See the notes on Acts 12:20 ; Matthew 11:21 ; (note). There the ship was to unlade her burden - The freight that she had taken in at Ephesus she was to unlade at Tyre; to which place she was bound. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 21:1

Verse 1− 1.Luke reckoneth up briefly the course of his sailing; and that not only to win credit to the history, that we may know what was done in every place, but that the readers may weigh with themselves the invincible and heroic fortitude which was in Paul, who would rather be tossed and troubled with such long, unlevel, − (452) and troublesome journeys, that he might serve Christ, than provide for his own quietness. Whereas he saith that they were drawn and pulled away, it is not simply... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 21:1

When it came to pass float we were parted from them, and had set sail for it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, A.V.; Cos for Coos , A.V. and T.R.; next day for day following, A.V. Parted from them ( ἀποσπασθέντας ) . "Non sine desiderio magno" (Bengel). "He shows the violence of the parting by saying, ' Having torn ourselves away '" (Chrysostom). The word is properly applied to those who have been unwillingly torn away from their... read more

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