Acts 18:4
in Acts 18Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
KJV
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
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This verse in Acts 18
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath - Discoursed at large concerning Jesus as the Messiah, proving this point from their own Scriptures, collated with the facts of our Lord’s life, etc. And persuaded the Jews and the Greeks - Many, both Jews and proselytes, were convinced of the truth of his doctrine. Among his converts was Epenetus, the first fruit of his labor in Achaia, Rom 16:5; and the family of Stephanas was the next; and then Crispus and Caius, or Gaius; all of whom the apostle himself baptized, 1Co 1:14-16. See on Act 18:8 (note).
This site's exposition
he reasoned in the synagogue
Every Sabbath Paul reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike, the pattern of Thessalonica and Berea. The verb for persuade, used often of Paul's preaching in Acts, describes reasoned argument.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was straitened in the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ." "And when the Jews opposed and blasphemed," i.e. they tried to bear him down, they set upon him. "And he disputed in the synagogue every sabbath day, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks": but "when they opposed and blasphemed" he withdrew, by this expecting to draw them more.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
While he steadily adhered to the laws and rules of equity, he might despise their contempts; but, if it be meant (as I think it is) that he concerned not himself for the abuses done to good men, it carries his indifference too far, and gives us but an ill character of him. Here is wickedness done in the place of judgment (which Solomon complains of, Eccl. iii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath,....
The great success of his ministry there, and the encouragement Christ gave him in a vision to continue his labours there, in hopes of further success,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He now wrote his FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS, in which the "pressure" which resulted from all this strikingly appears. (See Introduction to First Thessalonians). Such emotions are known only to the ministers of Christ, and, even of them, only to such as "travail in birth until Christ be formed in" their hearers.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And he reasoned ... - See the notes on Act 17:2.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διελέγετο | dielegeto | he was reasoning | G1256 → | 13 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συναγωγῇ | sunagogea | synagogue | G4864 → | 56 times |
| κατὰ | kata | on | G2596 → | 468 times |
| πᾶν | pan | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| σάββατον, | sabbaton | Sabbath, | G4521 → | 68 times |
| ἔπειθέν | epeithen | was persuading | G3982 → | 51 times |
| τε | te | both | G5037 → | 213 times |
| Ἰουδαίους | ioudaious | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Ἕλληνας.¶ | hellenas | Greeks. | G1672 → | 25 times |
διελέγετοhe was reasoning
dielegetoG1256 →13 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
συναγωγῇsynagogue
sunagogeaG4864 →56 times
κατὰon
kataG2596 →468 times
πᾶνevery
panG3956 →1235 times
σάββατον,Sabbath,
sabbatonG4521 →68 times
ἔπειθένwas persuading
epeithenG3982 →51 times
τεboth
teG5037 →213 times
ἸουδαίουςJews
ioudaiousG2453 →192 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
Ἕλληνας.¶Greeks.
hellenasG1672 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 5:11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.
it leads to
- Jude 1:23
save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
- Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- 2 Timothy 2:24–26
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
- Jude 1:23
Through
Acts 28:23So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and…
it leads to
- Acts 19:8
Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 19:8
Through
Acts 13:14And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.
it leads to
- Acts 16:13
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
- Acts 14:19
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.
- Acts 17:2
As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- Acts 13:5
When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.
- Acts 16:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 39; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.