John Gill

So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

“When they therefore were come together,.... That is, Christ, and his eleven apostles; for not the hundred and twenty disciples hereafter mentioned, nor the five hundred brethren Christ appeared to at once, are here intended, but the apostles, as appears from Act 1:2.”

With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

“These all continued, with one accord, in prayer and supplication,.... For the promise of the Spirit Christ had given them reason to expect; and that they might be preserved from their enemies, and kept faithful to their Lord; and be abundantly qualified for the preaching…”

“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’

“For it is written in the book of Psalms,.... In Psa 69:25. These are the words of Peter, citing the Scripture he had said must be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost, by David, had spoke concerning Judas: let his habitation be desolate.”

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.

“And they appointed two,.... The motion made by Peter was attended to by the whole company; they approved of it, and accordingly proposed two persons by name; one of which was to be chosen, not by the apostles, but by the whole assembly.”

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,.... With the gifts of the Holy Spirit; they had received the Spirit before, as a Spirit of grace, and were endowed with great gifts; but now they had great plenty of them, a large abundance; they…”

How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language?

“And how hear we every man in our own tongue,.... Them speaking, as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, we everyone of us hear one or another, speak in the same language, wherein we were born; our native language; for though these men were Jews…”

No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. This affair, which is a matter of wonder and amazement with some, and of speculation with others, and of ridicule and contempt with the most, not the effect of wine, but the fulfilment of…”

‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days,.... In Joel it is, "afterwards"; instead of which Peter puts, "in the last days"; the sense is the same: and so R.”

Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

“And on my servants, and on my handmaidens,.... In Joel it is only the servants and the handmaids; and which Kimchi interprets of strangers that should stand in the land of Israel, and serve the Israelites.”

I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

“And I will show wonders in heaven above,.... The word above is not in Joel, nor in the Syriac version here, as neither the word "beneath", in the next clause.”

But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.

“Therefore being a prophet,.... Who could foretell things to come, as he did many things concerning the sufferings and death of Christ, and the circumstances attending it, concerning his resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of God.”

For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand

“For David is not ascended into the heavens,.... In his body, that being still in the grave, in his sepulchre, which remained to that day, though in his soul he was ascended to heaven; his Spirit had returned to God that gave it, and was…”

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

“Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple,.... Just as they were entering through the gate at which he lay, he looked at them; and though they were strangers to him, he concluded they were Israelites by their going into the temple…”

So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

“And he gave heed unto them,.... Or "he looked at them", as the Syriac version renders it, as they bid him: he was not only attentive to them in his mind, but he directed his eyes towards them, and looked wistly at them.”

Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.

“And he took him by the right hand,.... In imitation of Christ, whom he had often seen using the same action on such occasions: and lift him up; believing he was cured, and that it might be manifest.”

When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

“And all the people,.... That were in the temple, saw him walking; who before lay on a couch, or on the ground, and was so lame, that he was obliged to be carried; and praising God; for this miraculous cure.”

You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

“But ye denied the Holy One, and the just,.... Who is "holy" both in his divine and human nature, and the fountain of holiness to his people; see Psa 16:10 and who is "just" or "righteous", both in his person, and in the discharge of…”

You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.

“And killed the Prince of life,.... Or author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; who not only is the living God, and has life in himself; and as man, had such a power over his own life, as no man ever had; but he is…”

Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

“Repent ye therefore,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "and be baptized"; see Gill on Act 2:38, and be converted.”

For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.

“For Moses truly said unto the fathers,.... The Jewish fathers, the Israelites in the times of Moses. The Ethiopic version reads, "our fathers".”

When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

“Unto you first, God having raised his Son Jesus,.... Which may be understood, either of the incarnation of Christ, and his exhibition in the flesh; which is sometimes expressed by raising him up, and is no other than the mission, or manifestation of him in…”

The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,

“And it came to pass on the morrow,.... The disciples being kept in custody all night: that their rulers, and elders, and Scribes; that is, their ecclesiastical rulers; the chief priests, who, with the Scribes, and elders of the people, made up the great council…”

along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many others from the high priest’s family.

“And Annas the high priest,.... So called, either because he had been an high priest, though he was not now, but Caiaphas his son-in-law; or because he was the Sagan of the high priest, and had all the other priests under his government; and is…”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,.... At that very instant, having received a fresh measure of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, besides what he had poured forth upon him at the day of Pentecost; so that he had great courage and presence…”

So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

“But when they had commanded them,.... That is, when the sanhedrim had ordered the apostles; or "commanded that both", as the Arabic version reads, both Peter and John; and, it may be, the man that was healed too: to go aside out of the council…”