Bible Commentaries

Found

"A Jewish guild always keeps together, whether in street or synagogue. In Alexandria the different trades sat in the synagogue arranged into guilds; and St. Paul could have no difficulty in meeting, in the bazaar of his trade, with the like-minded Aquila and Priscilla" (Edersheim, "Jewish Social Life").

Lately (προσφάτως)

Only here in New Testament, though the kindred adjective, rendered new, is found in Hebrews 10:20. It is derived from φένω, to slay, and the adjective means, originally, lately slain; thence, fresh, new, recent. It is quite common in medical writings in this sense.

Of the same craft (ὁμότεχνον)

It was a Rabbinical principle that whoever does not teach his son a trade is as if he brought him up to be a robber. All the Rabbinical authorities in Christ's time, and later, were working at some trade. Hillel, Paul's teacher, was a wood-cutter, and his rival, Shammai, a carpenter. It is recorded of one of the celebrated Rabbis that he was in the habit of discoursing to his students from the top of a cask of his own making, which he carried every day to the academy.

Tent-makers (σκηνοποιοὶ)

Not weavers of the goat's-hair cloth of which tents were made, which could easily be procured at every large town in the Levant, but makers of tents used by shepherds and travellers. It was a trade lightly esteemed and poorly paid.

Was pressed in the spirit (συνείχετο τῷ πνεύματι)

Instead of spirit the best texts read λόγῳ, by the word. On pressed or constrained, see note on taken, Luke 4:38. The meaning is, Paul was engrossed by the word. He was relieved of anxiety by the arrival of his friends, and stimulated to greater activity in the work of preaching the word.

Opposed themselves (ἀντιτασσομένων)

Implying an organized or concerted resistance. See on resisteth, 1 Peter 5:5.

Gallio

Brother of the philosopher Seneca (Nero's tutor), and uncle of the poet Lucan, the author of the "Pharsalia." Seneca speaks of him as amiable and greatly beloved.

Deputy

See on Acts 13:7. The verb, to be deputy, occurs only here.

Judgment-seat

See on Acts 7:5.

Lewdness (ῥᾳδιούργημα)

See on mischief, Acts 13:10. Rev., villany.

Question

The best texts read the plural, questions. See on Acts 15:2.

Judge

In the Greek the position of the word is emphatic, at the beginning of the sentence: "Judge of these matters I am not minded to be."