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Bede

Late Patristic · AD 500–800 · 6,271 passages across 45 books

Commentary

1,561–1,580 of 6,271
Acts 24:14

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

But I confess this to you, that according to the sect which they call a heresy, so I serve my Father God. It is better read in Greek: That according to the way which they call a heresy, so I serve the Father God. For what consistency is there for him who spoke Greek, to say: According to the sect which they call a heresy, since the same in Latin, sect, means heresy in Greek? But he said: So I serve the Father God, according namely to that way which the unbelievers call a heresy, that is, a sect, as if it has more persistence in its following than in the diligence of rightly discerning.
Acts 24:17

Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

However, after many years, I came to my nation to give alms and make offerings and vows. Alms pertain to those things which he had brought for the use of the saints, of which he makes frequent mention in his Epistles; offerings and vows, however, to those things which, at the urging of James and the elders, he offered to God in the temple. Although in Greek, vows are not added. Even though Luke in the order of the history did not say that Paul came to Jerusalem from Greece with the alms for the poor of Christ, from the words, however, which he reports Paul said, he shows that he had done this.
Acts 24:19

Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

But some Jews from Asia. Join this to the preceding, that is, these are the ones who found me in the temple.
Acts 24:27

But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

After two years were completed, Felix receives his successor Porcius Festus. He refers to the two years of Paul's stay in Caesarea, not Felix's procuratorship. For it is said above that he was a judge for that nation for many years. Especially since the histories recount that in the second year of Nero, the Apostle was sent to Rome, and that Claudius Caesar, at the time when he made Agrippa, the son of Herod, whom the angel struck down in Caesarea, king of the Jews, he also sent Felix as procurator of the whole province of Samaria and Galilee, and the region called across the Jordan.
Acts 25:4

But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

But Festus replied that Paul was being kept in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart soon. "Soon," he says, naturally means "quickly," although sometimes it is said to be "sooner" when something is done more slowly and with mature counsel. For in Greek it is written ἐν τάχει, that is, "in haste."
Acts 25:11

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

No one can grant me to them. I appeal to Caesar. The reason he appeals to Caesar and hastens to go to Rome is so that he may persist longer in preaching, and when many believe from this, and with everyone he will be crowned as he goes to Christ.
Acts 25:13

And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea. This Agrippa who came to Caesarea with his sister is (as I said) the son of Herod Agrippa, whom we read above was killed by the angel, who held the kingdom of Judea until the destruction of Jerusalem, always friendly to the Romans, and safest from all that Jewish sedition.
Acts 25:23

And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

When Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, etc. For "pomp," in Greek it is written φαντασία, by which term is designated a great display and royal pomp, with which he, being surrounded on all sides, was encircled.
Acts 26:2

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

Of all the things I am accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate before you, since you are to defend me today. Another Edition translated this verse thusly: I consider myself fortunate, starting today to render a defense before you. Which in a certain place, Saint Jerome placed with his exposition thus: "Of all the things I am accused of by the Jews, O King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate, since before you I am to be defended today, who especially know all the customs and questions among the Jews. For he had read that in Isaiah: Blessed is he who speaks into the ears of a listener, and knew that the words of an oration profit as much as the judge's prudence has understood."
Acts 26:5

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

For according to the most accurate sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. For "sect," in Greek it has "heresy." Whence it is proved that at that time even a good sect was called by this term among the Greeks, which now among us is accustomed to have only a bad sense.
Acts 26:10

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

And when they were to be killed, I delivered the sentence. Another Edition says, And I delivered the sentence on how they were to be killed, that is, I myself gave the sentence on their deaths.
Acts 26:24

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

Festus said in a loud voice: You are insane, Paul. He deemed it insanity that a man in chains, instead of just defending himself from external accusations, made a speech about the conscience by which he gloried inside and reviewed all the miracles of the revelation by which he was transformed from a persecutor into an apostle, and discussed the dispensation of our Redeemer and argued vehemently about the resurrection of the dead. Indeed, just as there is the foolish madness of the prodigal son feeding pigs after abandoning his father, so there is spiritual madness, that is, true madness, about which the Apostle says: "For whether we are out of our mind, it is for God; or whether we be sober, it is for you." And in comparison to this, the Psalmist sings: "Blessed is the man who has the name of the Lord as his hope, and has not looked to vanities and false insanities" (Psalm 39).
Acts 26:27

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe. This he speaks not in flattery, as some think, but truly. For Agrippa, as one versed in the rites and laws of the Jews, believed that the prophets spoke truth, but as a faithless man, he did not know to whom that truth referred, that is, the Lord Christ. Although it is recorded that in a certain council with the Jews, he said: But you rely on the help of religion, since the disciples of Jesus have already filled the Roman world, or do we think that this religion grows without God's will?
Acts 27:1

And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.

When it was decided that he should sail to Italy, Paul, along with the rest of the prisoners, was handed over to a centurion. More accurately read in Greek: "When it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion."
Acts 27:5

And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

And sailing through the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Lystrus, which is of Lycia. For Lystrus, in Greek, it is written Smyrna, for which Jerome in the book of Hebrew names puts Myra: which I think is found thus in some Codices, because in Greek μύῤῥα is called Smyrna. Furthermore, in the psalm where we sing: Myrrh, and aloes, and cassia (Psalm XLIV), in Greek it is written thus: Smyrna, and stacte, and cassia.
Acts 27:7

And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

And after we had sailed slowly for many days, and with difficulty had come against Chios. It is better read as against Cnidus, which is an island opposite Asia.
Acts 27:8

And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

We came to a certain place, which is called Fair Havens. THESE Fair Havens, not THIS Fair Havens.
Acts 27:11 · 2 passages

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

And he trusted the pilot more. The pilot in Greek is called the master of the ship.
But the centurion trusted the helmsman and the shipmaster. Shipmasters in Greek, in Latin are called navicularius.
Acts 27:12

And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

If by any means they might reach Phoenix to spend the winter, a port of Crete looking toward the southwest and northwest. The southwest wind, which in Greek is called λίψ, blows between the south and west, inclining; Corus, however, toward the north and west, but more deflected toward the west. It is clear, therefore, that the region of Phoenix had Crete to the west, and so its port of Crete looked in some places to the southwest; and in some places to the northwest, for that reason, whether the southwest wind or the northwest wind blew, they could sail from Crete to Phoenix. But even if the south wind itself, that is, the meridian wind, blew, they could nonetheless navigate to Phoenix with a wavering direction of rudders and with the trimming of sails, if divine judgments did not hinder them. Wherefore it is subsequently added:

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