And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
After his conversion Paul spoke fearlessly in Jesus' name at Jerusalem, disputing with Greek-speaking Jews in the synagogue to show from prophecy that the crucified Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of God who died for sins, rose from the dead and was seen by witnesses. His clear reasoning that his opponents could not answer strengthened the church and won others to faith, taking up the cause for which Stephen had died. His former associates and the Jewish leaders refused belief and, enraged by his testimony, plotted to kill and assassinate him with the same fury that had put Stephen to death. Though from love for them he longed to stay and even give his life to win them and to vindicate Stephen, the Lord warned him in vision that they would not receive his testimony and sent him to the Gentiles, so the brethren secured his secret escape, which checked the violence and gave the church a time of rest and growth. His bold witness warns that without converting power unconverted men under satanic agencies will still do all in their power to slay faithful speakers, as they crucified Christ.
Paul's Bold Witness
After his conversion Paul spoke and disputed fearlessly in the name of Jesus, and the courage, clear reasoning, and strong power of speech he had once used against the followers of Jesus now strengthened the church and helped bring new believers to faith. He proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God and the promised Messiah who died for sins, rose from the dead, and appeared to witnesses. In this he took up and defended the same cause Stephen had defended.
He disputed with the Grecians, meaning the Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem, meeting them even in the synagogue. There he sought to explain from prophecy how the prophecies concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in the crucified Jesus. His arguments were so strong that his opponents could not answer him.
This bold witness belongs to Paul's arrival in Jerusalem, where he sought to meet the apostles, especially Peter. It stands just before Peter visited the believers at Lydda, where he healed Aeneas, who had been confined to bed with palsy for eight years. Peter declared to him that Jesus Christ makes him whole and told him to arise and make his bed, and he arose immediately, and all who dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord.
Opposition, Escape, and Warning
The Jewish leaders, priests and rulers, and Paul's former brethren and associates would not believe him when he spoke boldly in Jerusalem. His testimony about his conversion did not persuade them but enraged them, stirring the same fury that had led to Stephen's death. That fury turned against Paul himself, so they plotted to kill and assassinate him.
He grieved over their rejection of the truth from love for his former associates and hoped to persuade them to believe. He wanted to keep laboring for them in Jerusalem and was willing to give his own life if it could bring them to the truth. Because he had taken part in Stephen's martyrdom, he deeply desired to vindicate the truth for which Stephen had died and to wipe out his own part in that death. So he lingered unwilling to leave Jerusalem, anxious to labor longer for the Jews, felt sorrow at separation from his brethren, and regarded flight as cowardice, even though the disciples urged him to go.
The Lord warned him in a vision that they would not accept his testimony and sent him to the Gentiles. This showed he was indeed a chosen vessel to bear the truth to the Gentiles. The brethren, fearing his assassination and learning of his vision and God's care over him, arranged his secret escape from Jerusalem. His secret departure suspended their violent opposition for a time and checked it temporarily. That pause gave the church a period of rest in which many people joined the believers and were added to their number.
Saul's pre-conversion work of hunting up souls to persecute warns that without converting power Satan will use brethren the same way. Bold speaking in Jesus' name stirs unconverted men to do all in their power to slay the witness, as satanic agencies crucified Christ. The whole chapter teaches that this history of self-exalting opposition under Lucifer's power will be repeated in present and future experience.
After his conversion Paul spoke fearlessly in Jesus' name at Jerusalem, disputing with Greek-speaking Jews in the synagogue to show from prophecy that the crucified Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of God who died for sins, rose from the dead and was seen by witnesses. His clear reasoning that his opponents could not answer strengthened the church and won others to faith, taking up the cause for which Stephen had died. His former associates and the Jewish leaders refused belief and, enraged by his testimony, plotted to kill and assassinate him with the same fury that had put Stephen to death. Though from love for them he longed to stay and even give his life to win them and to vindicate Stephen, the Lord warned him in vision that they would not receive his testimony and sent him to the Gentiles, so the brethren secured his secret escape, which checked the violence and gave the church a time of rest and growth. His bold witness warns that without converting power unconverted men under satanic agencies will still do all in their power to slay faithful speakers, as they crucified Christ.
Paul's Bold Witness
After his conversion Paul spoke and disputed fearlessly in the name of Jesus, and the courage, clear reasoning, and strong power of speech he had once used against the followers of Jesus now strengthened the church and helped bring new believers to faith. He proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God and the promised Messiah who died for sins, rose from the dead, and appeared to witnesses. In this he took up and defended the same cause Stephen had defended.
He disputed with the Grecians, meaning the Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem, meeting them even in the synagogue. There he sought to explain from prophecy how the prophecies concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in the crucified Jesus. His arguments were so strong that his opponents could not answer him.
This bold witness belongs to Paul's arrival in Jerusalem, where he sought to meet the apostles, especially Peter. It stands just before Peter visited the believers at Lydda, where he healed Aeneas, who had been confined to bed with palsy for eight years. Peter declared to him that Jesus Christ makes him whole and told him to arise and make his bed, and he arose immediately, and all who dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord.
Opposition, Escape, and Warning
The Jewish leaders, priests and rulers, and Paul's former brethren and associates would not believe him when he spoke boldly in Jerusalem. His testimony about his conversion did not persuade them but enraged them, stirring the same fury that had led to Stephen's death. That fury turned against Paul himself, so they plotted to kill and assassinate him.
He grieved over their rejection of the truth from love for his former associates and hoped to persuade them to believe. He wanted to keep laboring for them in Jerusalem and was willing to give his own life if it could bring them to the truth. Because he had taken part in Stephen's martyrdom, he deeply desired to vindicate the truth for which Stephen had died and to wipe out his own part in that death. So he lingered unwilling to leave Jerusalem, anxious to labor longer for the Jews, felt sorrow at separation from his brethren, and regarded flight as cowardice, even though the disciples urged him to go.
The Lord warned him in a vision that they would not accept his testimony and sent him to the Gentiles. This showed he was indeed a chosen vessel to bear the truth to the Gentiles. The brethren, fearing his assassination and learning of his vision and God's care over him, arranged his secret escape from Jerusalem. His secret departure suspended their violent opposition for a time and checked it temporarily. That pause gave the church a period of rest in which many people joined the believers and were added to their number.
Saul's pre-conversion work of hunting up souls to persecute warns that without converting power Satan will use brethren the same way. Bold speaking in Jesus' name stirs unconverted men to do all in their power to slay the witness, as satanic agencies crucified Christ. The whole chapter teaches that this history of self-exalting opposition under Lucifer's power will be repeated in present and future experience.