John Gill

When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.

“Which when they had read,.... That is, when the brethren of the church at Antioch had read the letter delivered to them; for not Paul and Barnabas, or Judas and Silas, who were sent with it, read it, but the brethren to whom it was…”

“Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still,.... Though he had leave to go, and was actually dismissed with Judas; and doubtless intended to have gone with him, but for some reason or another he changed his mind, and thought fit to continue at Antioch…”

but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

“And Paul chose Silas,.... To be his companion and assistant; this being the design of the Holy Ghost in influencing his, mind to stay longer at Antioch, after he, with Judas, was dismissed by the church to go to Jerusalem, Act 15:33.”

And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

“And he went through Syria and Cilicia,.... Antioch was the metropolis of the former, and Tarsus, the apostle's native place, was in the latter; and in both these countries he had been before, and had been the instrument of converting many souls, and of planting…”

The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

“Which was well reported of,.... Not the father of Timothy, but Timothy himself; to whose piety, virtue, and good conversation witness was borne, by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium; the members of the churches which were in these places, and which were…”

As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

“And as they went through the cities,.... Of Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, and others in Lycaonia, and in Phrygia and Galatia; the Arabic version reads, "they both"; that is, Paul and Barnabas: they delivered them the decrees for to keep; they gave the churches, in…”

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

“And they passed by Mysia,.... Without stopping or staying there, though they came to it: came down to Troas; either the country of Troas, as the Syriac version renders it; which, according to Solinus (m), is bordered on the north part of Galatia, and was…”

Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God.

“And a certain woman, named Lydia,.... Whether this woman was a Jewess or a Gentile, is not certain, her name will not determine; she might be called so from the country of Lydia, which was in Asia minor, and where was Thyatira, her native place…”

On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.

“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…”

As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

“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 (l) in…”

But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.

“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…”

Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

“And they that conducted Paul,.... From Berea to the sea side: brought him unto Athens; a famous city in Attica, where both (q) Pliny and Ptolomy (r) place it, well known for the learning and wisdom of the ancient philosophers, who had their schools and…”

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

“God that made the world, and all things therein,.... In this account of the divine Being, as the Creator of the world, and all things in it, as the apostle agrees with Moses, and the rest of the sacred Scriptures; so he condemns both the…”

From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

“And hath made of one blood,.... That is, of one man's blood; the Vulgate Latin version reads, "of one"; and the Arabic version of De Dieu reads, "of one man"; of Adam, the first parent of all mankind, and who had the blood of all…”

There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave…

“And found a certain Jew named Aquila,.... This seems to have been his Roman name, which he had took, or was given him, while he was at Rome; very likely his Jewish name was נשד, "Nesher", which signifies an eagle, as "Aquila" does: unless it…”

and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

“And because he was of the same craft, Art, occupation, or trade: he abode with them; in the same house in which they were: and wrought; with his own hands, to support himself, for he was a stranger in this place; and as yet here…”

“This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.

“Saying, this fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. Meaning either to the law of the Romans, which forbad the bringing in of any new gods, without the leave of the senate; See Gill on Act 16:21; or rather to the law…”

But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to…

“And when Paul was now about to open his mouth,.... In his own defence, and plead his own cause, and answer to the charge exhibited against him: Gallio said unto the Jews, if it was matter of wrong; of injury to any man's person or…”

And he drove them away from the judgment seat.

“And he drave them from the judgment seat. He would not hear, and try the cause; but dismissed them with threatening them, if ever they brought an affair of that kind to him any more.”

When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.

“When they desired him to tarry longer time with them,.... Either Aquila and Priscilla, whom he left here, for here they were, as is certain from Ac 18:24,26 or rather the Jews with whom he reasoned, who might be desirous of further conference with him…”

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples

“And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth,.... Whither he came after the Apostle Paul, and where he watered what the apostle had planted, and where he became very famous and eminent; insomuch that he was set up, though not with his…”

There were about twelve men in all.

“And all the men were about twelve. The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, have not the word "about"; but affirm, that the men were twelve; and indeed the number being so small, the historian might be at a certainty about it: these seem to be…”

God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,

“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. For the confirmation of the doctrine which he preached, and of his mission, as an apostle; and these were not any sort of miracles, common and vulgar ones, and much less things of chance, and…”

Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.

“And many that believed,.... In Jesus Christ, whose name was spoken of with great respect, and which spread fear in every person: came; to the apostle: and confessed; their sins; and acknowledged what a wicked life they had led: and showed their deeds; their former…”

So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.

“So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed. Over conjuring books, conjurers themselves, yea, even the devils; the power of God going along with it, many were converted; which is meant by the increase of it, and were delivered from the power of darkness…”