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THE ABODE AND LABORS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL IN ROME
Act_28:16-31
A.—The Discussions Of The Apostle With The Jews At Rome Terminate With The Rejection Of The Gospel By Them
Act_28:16-29
21And [But] they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee [nor did any one of the brethren come, who shewed or spake any evil thing ( ôé — ðïíçñüí )concerning thee.]. But [Nevertheless, äὲ ] we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against [that it every where meets with contradiction]. 23And when they had [But they] appointed him a day, [and then] there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them [and whom he sought to convince] concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets,from [early in the] morning till evening. 24And some believed the things which were spoken [And some were convinced ( ἐðåßèïíôï ) by that which he spake], and some [but others] believed not [ ïἱ äὲ ὴðßóôïõí ]. 25And when they agreed not [But as they did not agree] among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one [one ἕí ] word, Well [Very appropriately, ÷áëῶò ] spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias [Isaiah]the prophet unto our fathers, 26Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall [will] hear, and shall [will] not understand; and seeing [with the eyes] ye shall [will] see, and not perceive: 27For the heart of this people is waxed gross [has become fat], and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should [so that they should not] see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should [not] be converted, and I should [not] healthem. 28Be it known therefore unto you, that the [that this] salvation of God issent unto the Gentiles, and that they will [Gentiles; they will also] hear it. 29And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves [omit the whole of Act_28:29.].
b. For the favor which was granted to Paul, namely, that he could dwell êáè ̓ ἑáõôüí , i.e., not only apart from the other prisoners, but also, as it appears from Act_28:17 and Act_28:30, in a private house, which was very probably in the immediate vicinity of the prætorium, he was no doubt indebted to the accompanying report of the procurator Festus, and also to the personal intercession of the centurion Julius. But a prætorian soldier unquestionably always attended him as a guard, who was, according to the Roman custom, attached to his arm by a chain, Act_28:20. [“Different soldiers relieved each other in the performance of this office. Hence, as Paul states in Php_1:13, he became, in the course of time, personally known to a great number of the prætorian soldiers, and through them to their comrades, etc.”(Hackett).—Tr.]. Eadem catena et custodiam et militem copulat. (Seneca, Ephesians 5.)
Act_28:17-20. a. Three days after Paul’s arrival, he invited those who presided over the Jewish community at Rome, to visit him. During the first three days he, partly, sought repose, after the severe journey which he had accomplished, and he may have, partly, devoted the time to the Christians in the city, some of whom had gone forward to meet him, and with all of whom he had for some years longed to have personal intercourse, Rom_1:11 ff. But his first steps on passing beyond the comparatively narrow circle of those who were already converts, were directed, in accordance with his established principle and his common practice, towards Israel. And as the circumstances in which he was placed, did not allow him to seek the Jews, and to enter their synagogue, as he had done in other places in Asia and Europe, no other course remained than that he should request the representatives of the Jewish congregation to come to his lodging. These chief men of the Jews were, without doubt, partly, the rulers of the synagogue, and, partly, others whose position in social life was conspicuous. They accordingly complied with his request, and came to him. [In reply to an objection made by Zeller to the historical character of the narrative, Meyer says: “It cannot surprise us that Luke furnishes no details respecting the Roman congregation, for it is the object of the book to relate the acts of the apostles.”—“With regard to åßò ôὴí îåíßáí , Act_28:23, we are convinced, with Wieseler, that it is to be distinguished from ôὸ ἴäéïí ìßóèùìá mentioned below, Act_28:30. The latter was a hired lodging, which he took for his permanent residence; and the mention of the money he received from the Philippians (Phil. Acts 4) serves to show that he would not need the means of hiring a lodging. The îåíßá (hospitium) implies the temporary residence of a guest with friends, as in Phm_1:22. Nothing is more likely than that Aquila and Priscilla were his hosts at Rome, as formerly at Corinth.” (Conyb. and H. II. 382. n. 1.)—Tr.]
b. Men and brethren, etc.—This address to the assembled Jews is essentially of a personal nature, and is intended to counteract certain prejudices which the Roman Jews might entertain, in consequence, partly, of Paul’s imprisonment in general, partly, of the fact that he had appealed to the emperor, and, partly, of any slanders which were possibly brought from Judea. In order to justify himself, he assures them, in the first place, that his imprisonment and the delivery of his person to the Romans, did not proceed from any offence which he had committed against the people of Israel or the Mosaic institutions, Act_28:17. He makes this declaration with perfect propriety, for no one could believe that he had been guilty of any offence against his nation. But the assertion that Paul, by proclaiming his doctrine concerning Christ as the end of the law [Rom_10:4], had assailed the fundamental principles of the law, can be made by those alone, who form an erroneous opinion respecting his real position in reference to the law; for he entertains the utmost reverence for it, as an actual revelation of God, and he does not assail the Mosaic institutions themselves, but only maintains that they are not competent to justify and save men. Hence these statements of Paul are in perfect accordance with the truth.
c. Paul declares, in the second place, Act_28:18-19, that his appeal to the emperor had become indispensably necessary, only because the Jews protested against his acquittal, to which the Roman authorities judged him to be entitled. [“This may have been at Act_25:8. The possibility of such a release is asserted by Agrippa, ch Act_26:32.” (Alf.)—Tr]. He adds that, in making this appeal, it had not been his intention to bring forward any accusation against his own people before the emperor. Here Paul terms Israel, not ὁ ëáüò , as in Act_28:17, but ôὸ ἐèíïò ìïõ , because, in this respect, he viewed Israel, not as the people of God, but as the nation to which he himself belonged, and to which, in view of the Roman head of the government, he owed certain duties of patriotism.—Paul declares, in the last place, that these causes, namely, the honest and upright sentiments with which he regarded his people, combined with the fact that he had been bound with a chain solely for the Messianic hope of Israel, had induced him to invite them, in order that he might see and speak with them. [The hope of Israel; see Act_26:6-8.—Tr.]. ÉÉåñßêåéìáé alludes to the circumstance that his arm was encircled by the chain. [“For ðåñßêåéìáé with the accusative, comp. Heb_5:2; Kypke: Obs. II. p. 147; Jacobs ad Anthol. IX. p. 75.”(Meyer)—Tr.]
Act_28:21-22. And they said, etc.—The historical character of the reply of the Jews, viz., that they had received neither any written nor verbal communications which were unfavorable to Paul personally, has been frequently and harshly impugned. It has been asserted that such a reply could not possibly have been made by them, and that, hence, the whole statement is incredible. Those who adopt this view, think it just and proper to assume that the Roman Jews must necessarily have received information respecting Paul from the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. Others have, however, in opposition to this view, insisted with great justice on the following considerations:—Before the appeal of Paul was made, the leaders of the Sanhedrin could have had no reason for writing to the Jewish community at Rome in reference to him, for they had not even remotely expected such an issue (Meyer). But after the appeal was made, they no longer had time to convey intelligence to the Roman Jews previously to the personal arrival of Paul (Bengel, Meyer), as he probably commenced his journey soon after the appeal was made [ch. Act_25:12; Act_27:1. “Had any (messengers of the Sanhedrin) left within a few days, the same storm would have in all probability detained them over the winter, and they could not certainly have made a much quicker voyage than Paul’s ship to Puteoli.” (Alf.)—Tr.].—There is, however, another circumstance, which may seem surprising, namely, that these Roman Jews do not appear to have received even privately and incidentally, any information respecting Paul from Jews of Palestine, who were passing through Rome. Now it must be admitted, that they do not distinctly say that they had not hitherto heard any thing whatever concerning Paul: indeed, they themselves acknowledged, Act_28:22, that Christianity every where met with contradiction. Hence they had heard of Christianity, and of the disputes which, in consequence of it, had arisen in various places; and they had assuredly also heard of the individuals who proclaimed the Gospel, especially of Paul himself. All that they deny is, simply, that they had heard “any thing evil” [ ôé - - ðïíçñüí ], that is, any thing that was morally bad, concerning him. They may have expressed themselves in this manner, partly, from prudential considerations; in view of the imperial court and authority, from which the Roman Jews had already greatly suffered, and, partly, from a desire to encourage Paul to speak to them without reserve. If they observe silence with respect to the Christian congregation itself which existed in the capital, this circumstance, when we consider the peculiar state of affairs in a great city like Rome, can the less surprise us, as it is apparent that they are intentionally reserved in their remarks. [Meyer here adds: “However cautious and officially reserved they are, the Jewish contempt of Christianity may be plainly seen.”—Tr.]. If there actually were a contradiction between the fact of the existence of a Christian congregation at Rome, on the one hand, and this act of ignoring it, on the other, the narrator must have been extremely short-sighted, if in this place, Act_28:22, he forgot that he had, a few verses above [Act_28:15], spoken of the Christian congregation of the city.
Act_28:23. There came many, etc.—At the second meeting, not only the chief among the Jews, but also a much larger number [ ðëåßïíåò ] came to Paul. And on this occasion he delivered a comprehensive discourse, which occupied the whole day. He furnished a twofold exposition ( ἐîåôßèåôï ): he, first, testified the kingdom of God ( äéáìáñôýñåóèáé ), i.e., he announced the facts of redemption and of the establishment of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ; he furnished, in the second place, certain explanations concerning Jesus, which were derived from the Old Testament, and were intended to convince the minds of his hearers ( ðåßèåéí ). Thus he first delivered his testimony in favor of the historical Jesus of Nazareth, and then demonstrated that He was the Messiah promised under the Old Covenant: the latter constituted his main argument.
Act_28:24-27. And some believed, etc.—Paul succeeded in convincing some of his hearers ( ἐðåßèïíôï ), but others resisted, and refused to believe. Their conflicting opinions were doubtless audibly expressed ( ἀóýìöùíïé ). It was the language of unbelief, uttered by some of those who were present, to which the concluding remark of the apostle referred; it was one word, ῥῆìá ἕí , pronounced after many others had been spoken, but it was a word of the very deepest import. It consisted simply in the quotation of a prophetic declaration respecting Israel’s hardness of heart, which the apostle obviously applies to his own times, and to the unbelievers who were then present. That this is the correct interpretation, appears from the context, especially Act_28:28, and from the word êáëῶò , which, precisely as in Mat_15:7, describes a declaration or prophecy that may, with the utmost propriety, be applied to the present case. It was, indeed, the purpose of God that the word which He addressed to the prophet, should be proclaimed to the people (Isa_6:9-10), and in so far the words: ἐëÜëçóå … ðñὸò ô . ðáôÝñáò are fitly chosen. The passage, from ἀêïῇ to the end, is taken verbatim from the Septuagint. The divine command: ðïñåýèçôé , etc., Paul applied to himself and his mission; comp. Act_26:17. [Well spake the Holy Ghost, etc.—Quod Spiritum sanctum loquentem inducit potius quam prophetam, ad fidem oraculi valet: nam quum Deus se unum audiri postulet, non aliter potest constare doctrinæ auctoritas, quam si ab eo sciamus profectam esse, non in hominum capite natam. (Calvin).—Celebris est hic locus, quia sexies citatur in Novo Testamento (id.), namely, besides the present chapter, in Mat_13:14 (comp. Vol. I. p. 240); Mar_4:12; Luk_8:10; Joh_12:40; Rom_11:8.—Tr.]
Act_28:28. Be it known therefore unto you.—The consequence of this hardness of heart of Israel, which was manifested also in Rome, is, that this salvation of God ( ôïῦôï [comp. note 9, appended to the text, above] ôὸ óùô . i.e., which is this day proclaimed), is sent unto the Gentiles for their benefit. ἈðåóôÜëç , like ðïñåýèçôé in Act_28:26, refers to the apostolic mission of Paul. The word “also” [ êáὶ ], connected with “they will hear,” contrasts (in addition to the offer of salvation by God) the acceptance of this salvation by the Gentiles, with the ïὐ óõíéÝíïé , âáñÝùò ἀêïýåéí , etc., of Israel; i.e., the Gospel will not only be sent to them, but they will also hear it.
[Act_28:29. See note 10, above, appended to the text. “It (the verse) contains a natural though not necessary close of this transaction with the Jews at Rome, etc.”—“This is in one sense the conclusion of Paul’s ministry, i.e., so far as it extended both to Jews and Gentiles, etc.”—(Alexander).—Tr.]
2. Paul first explains and justifies his personal acts, and it is only afterwards that he proclaims the Gospel to the Jews. This course was very judicious, as he could not expect that they would listen to his words with favor, in case they entertained prejudices against his personal character. He not only exhibited wisdom by obviating any reproach which they might suppose that his character deserved, but he also thus fully conformed to the moral character of Christ and Christianity; for “a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.” Mat_7:18.
3. Paul experiences once more, in Rome, that the Jews are decidedly opposed to the Gospel. And once more he turns from the unbelieving Jews to the Gentiles, by whom the word is more favorably received.
Act_28:17. After three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together.—It requires no little effort to retain our attachment to our people and our mother-church, when men of authority in the latter treat us with gross injustice. (Rieger).—He who composed the incomparable hymn in praise of that charity which “beareth all things, and hopeth all things,” did not merely extol such charity, but also exemplified it in his life and conduct; as often as he encountered the deadly enmity of his brethren, and suffered agony of body and spirit amid their cruel persecutions, so often, too, did he exhibit patience and hope. (Baumgarten).—It may be doubted whether any teacher who ever came to a strange place, appeared under circumstances more humiliating than were those of Paul at the time when he entered Rome. Nevertheless, no one ever accomplished as much as this witness of Jesus, who was bound with a chain. For a fire glowed within him—an ardent desire to testify of Jesus, and to win the souls even of imbittered foes; and the divine call which he had received, guided all his steps, made his paths straight, opened, at his approach, the hearts of men, and caused “his paths to drop fatness.” [Psa_65:11]. It is, therefore, by no means necessary that a teacher should present himself in an imposing manner, or be received at a new place with great parade. But it is of vital consequence that he should be a servant of Jesus, that he should take up his cross and follow the Saviour, that God should have called him to that place, and that his heart should burn with the love of Jesus and with a desire for the salvation of men. (Ap. Past.).
Act_28:19. Not that I had aught to accuse my nation of.—All the malice of his enemies failed to create in him a thirst for revenge, or even to awaken unfriendly sentiments. It was not his wish to accuse them; he desired, on the contrary, to be the instrument of their conversion. Thus his conduct furnished the evidence that his whole nature was controlled by divine grace, and that the love of Jesus had suppressed all sensitiveness, all self-will, and all desire to exalt himself. (Ap. Past.).
Act_28:20. Because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.—When this hope is established in the heart, we can the more easily and joyfully bear our chains. And the thorn, too, in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, with all his buffeting [2Co_12:7], may thus be vanquished. (Ap. Past.).—The iron chains which a true Israelite bears for the hope of Israel, are a more honorable badge in the eyes of the God of Israel, than all the chains of gold which the world admires. (Lindhammer).
Act_28:21-22. We neither received letters … concerning thee, etc. But … as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.—This, then, was the result among the Jews, after a gracious visitation of thirty years! They spoke against the Gospel every where; the “sign”of Christ, concerning which Simeon had prophesied (Luk_2:34), was seen wherever Jews dwelt, from Jerusalem even to the ends of the earth. (Besser).—The poor Jews at Rome knew nothing more of the matter which Paul presented to their attention, than that the doctrine of Christ, which they called a “sect,” met with contradiction in every place. This is the evil which results, when we repose too much confidence in the judgment of men—either implicitly believing that which others believe, and entertaining the “collier’s blind faith,” or rashly and impetuously rejecting that which the multitude rejects. (Ap. Past.).—The aged Simeon had already understood that Christ was set for a sign which should be spoken against. Such is the characteristic feature by which genuine Christians may be recognized—they are every where spoken against. (Gossner).—And yet, the doctrine of this feeble “sect” has become the religion of the world, and has overcome the enmity of Israel and of Rome, without sword or bow, solely by the Davidic sling of the divine word. (Leonh. and Sp.).
Act_28:23. Persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets.—No better method for convincing the Jews that Jesus is the true Messiah, can be adopted, than that of conducting them to the law and the prophets. (Starke).—From morning till evening.—Should not this faithful and unwearied effort of the apostle put to shame the lukewarmness of those teachers, who restrict their official labors to the pulpit, and regard it as a sin to open their houses to awakened persons who seek instruction? (Ap. Past.).—If we desire to know Jesus according to the truth, and to enter through him into the kingdom of God, we must diligently search the Scriptures, and not speedily discontinue that work; we should rather exhibit the utmost diligence, even as Paul here preaches concerning the word till evening comes. (Bogatzky).
Act_28:24. And some believed, etc.—The seed of the word here fell, in some cases, by the wayside, in others, upon stony places or among thorns; nevertheless, some fell into good ground [Mat_13:4 ff.].—To some the Gospel is the savour of life unto life; to others, the savour of death unto death. [2Co_2:16]. (Starke).
Act_28:25. And when they agreed not among themselves.—If Christ, who is our peace and the sole bond of holy union, occasions contention even among those who had previously been intimate friends, the true cause must be traced to the malice and corrupt nature of unbelievers. When these Jews assemble for the purpose of hearing Paul, they are of one mind; but after listening to the preaching of the Atonement, they begin to differ, and form two hostile parties. Still, we ought not to suppose that this dissension did not arise until the Gospel was preached; such discord, on the contrary, already existed in secret in the hearts of men, but was not made manifest until the present, moment had arrived. So, too, the light of the sun does not create new colors, but only exhibits the difference between them, which did not appear while darkness reigned. (Calvin).
Act_28:26.Hearing ye shall bear, and shall not understand, etc.—In a similar manner John draws a general inference in his Gospel, Joh_12:37 ff., from the discourses of Jesus. (Williger).
Act_28:27. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, etc.—When the apostles speak of the divine judgment of the hardening of the heart, they always intend to teach that the destruction of those who thus harden themselves is by no means to be ascribed to God as the primary cause. This hardening is not only the natural result of a contemptuous neglect of divine grace, but is, at the same time, a divine judgment which befalls those who held the truth in unrighteousness. Like every other doctrine, that of the hardening of the heart should be publicly proclaimed, but we should be on our guard lest we speak irreverently of God and discourage benighted minds. (Ap. Past.).
Act_28:28. That the [this] salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, etc.—Thus, while we are gazing at the dark scene of the rejection of Israel, the light of the heaven of grace again appears, as a sign that the Lord is not always wroth [Isa_57:16], but remembers his covenant, and the sure mercies of David [Act_13:34]. (Leonh. and Sp.).—Although our hearers may become displeased, we are not permitted to “sew pillows to all armholes” (Eze_13:18). If the Jews will not come to the great supper of God, the Gentiles will fill his house, Luk_14:16; Luk_14:18; Luk_14:23. (Starke).—They will [also] hear it.—We, too, are here included. God be praised! (Besser).
ON THE WHOLE SECTION.—Paul’s farewell sermon, addressed to the Jews at Rome: I. His last testimony to his innocence, Act_28:17-20; II. His last confession of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, Act_28:23; III. The last effusion of his love to his people, Act_28:17; Act_28:19-20; IV. The last blow of his hammer on hardened hearts, Act_28:25-28.
The chains of Paul, Act_28:20 : I. A badge of infamy for his deluded people; II. A badge of honor for this faithful servant of the Lord; III. A precious consolation for all those who suffer for the sake of the truth.
The sect which is every where spoken against (Act_28:22), demonstrated precisely by the opposition of the world, to be the chosen people of God: for, I. The charges which are every where made against Christianity, refute each other—a proof of its undeniable truth; II. In the midst of so many enemies on the right hand and on the left, the little flock of confessors increased, until it became a church that rules the world—a proof of its indestructible vital power.
The twofold lot of the divine word, wherever it may be preached, even to the end of time, Act_28:24 : I. To some it proves to be the savour of life unto life; II. To others, the savour of death unto death. [2Co_2:16].
The awful judgment of hardness of heart: I. Inflicted, not by an unmerciful Creator, but by a righteous Judge; II. Merited, not by particular and heinous sins, but by an obstinate resistance to saving grace; III. Proclaimed, not for the purpose of driving men to despair, but for that of awakening a salutary fear.
“Be it known unto you that the [this] salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it,” (Act_28:28) —a warning addressed to Christians of modern times; it is intended, I. To rebuke them for being cold and ungrateful; II. To put them to shame, by exhibiting the eagerness with which pagans seek salvation; III. To remind them of the impending judgments of God, Rev_2:5.
[Act_28:29. The private discussions of Paul’s Jewish hearers at Rome, or, The conversion of the Jews: I. The circumstances which occasioned these discussions (the address of Paul, etc.); II. The subjects (the Messiahship of Jesus—the character, conduct, etc., of Paul); III. The probable course of argument of each party; IV. The influences by which some were conducted to faith in Christ; V. The causes of the continued blindness of others; VI. The means which the Christian should employ in laboring (or, The spirit in which the Christian should labor) for the conversion of the Jews.—Tr.]
Footnotes:
Act_28:16. The following words [in text. rec.] are probably spurious: ὁ ἑêáôüíôáñ÷ïò ðáñÝäùêå ôïὺò äåóìßïõò éῷ óôñáôïðåäÜñ÷ῃ .They are wanting in the oldest manuscripts [A. B. and also Vulg.], and were, for this reason, regarded as. spurious already by Mill, Bengel and Griesbach; they have, since, been cancelled by Lachmann and Tischendorf. No reason can be assigned for the omission of them, if they were genuine, whereas they may have easily been interpolated. Meyer maintains that they are genuine, without, however, adducing convincing arguments. Here, too, the testimony of the recently discovered Sinaitic Codex sustains the results of criticism [by also omitting the whole.—The text. rec. continues after the above thus: ôῷ äå Ðáýëῳ ἐðåôñÜðç , while Lach., as in Cod. Sin., reads: Ῥþìçí , ἐðåôñÜðç ô . Ð .—The words are found in G. H., and most of the minuscules, and also in Theophyl., Oecum.—Alf., who adopts the opinion of de Wette and Meyer, retains the words as genuine.—Tr.]
Act_28:17. áὐôüí is far better attested [by A. B. Cod. Sin., Vulg.] than ôὸí Ðáῦëïí [which reading is found in G. H Recent editors generally adopt áὐôüí .—Tr.]
Act_28:19. [Instead of êáôçãïñῆóáé , of text. rec., with G. H. (and retained by Alf.), Lach., Tisch., and Born., with A. B., and also Cod. Sin., read êáôçãïñåῖí . “The aorist is a mechanical correction to suit ἐðéêáëÝóáóèáé .” (Meyer).—Tr.]
Act_28:23. a. ἦêïí [of text. rec.] is not better sustained by external testimony [by G. H.] than ἦëèïí [which is found in A. B. and Cod. Sin., and is adopted by Lach. and Alf.]; but on account of the internal evidence, (precisely because ἤêù is less usual in the New Test.), it should be preferred to the latter. [It does not elsewhere occur in the Acts.—“Besides,”—adds de Wette, quoting from Passow, ad verb.—“as the present tense of ἥêù already has the sense of the imperfect (Luk_15:27), careful (Attic) writers do not employ the imperfect tense.” He regards ἦëèïí , accordingly, as a later correction.—Tr.]
Act_28:23. b. [ ôὰ , before ðåñὶ ô . Ἰçó ., of text. rec., with G., is dropped by Lach., Tisch., Born., and Alf., in accordance with A. B. H., and also Cod. Sin.—“Compare Act_8:12; Act_19:8.” (Meyer).—Tr.]
Act_28:25. The external authorities in favor, respectively, of ἡìῶí (text. rec.), and of ὑìῶí , are of equal weight. Lach and Tisch. prefer ὑìῶí , [with whom Alf. concurs]; it is found in the Alex. [A.], Vat. [B.] and Sinaitic manuscripts. Still it may have easily occurred, that, as the address unequivocally assumes a tone of rebuke, copyists may have supposed that they ought to substitute the second for the original first person. [ Ἠìῶí is found in G. H., and Vulg. (nostros), and some church fathers, while others of the latter, and the Syr. version exhibit ὑìῶí . According to de Wette, neither external nor internal evidence entitles ὑìῶí to the preference. Lechler’s observation, above, that copyists may have substituted the second person, is in accordance with the view of Born. and Meyer; the latter refers, for an illustration, to Act_7:51-52.—Tr.]
Act_28:26. [Instead of åἰðÝ , (text. rec.), which is the more usual form of the 2 aor. imperative, the less usual form åἰðüí (for which see Winer; Gram. N. T. § 6.1. k., and § 15, under åἰðåῖí ) has been substituted by later critics generally, in accordance with A. B. E. G. H. and Cod. Sin., most minuscules, etc. Comp. the critical editions on Mar_13:4; Luk_10:40.—Tr.]
Act_28:27. [Instead of the readings of text. rec., viz. ἐðéóôñÝøùóé , and ἰÜóùìáé , A. and E. exhibit ἐðéóôñÝøïõóé ; A. B. G. H. ἰÜóïìáé . Cod. Sin. reads ἐðéóôñÝøùóéí (subj.), but ἰÜóïìáé (indic.), and this accords with the usual printed text of the Sept. (Isa_6:10), although the Complut. Polyg., and several manuscripts of the Alex. version, exhbit ἰÜóùìáé . Comp. the critical editions on Joh_12:40.—Tr.]
Act_28:28. ôïῦôï ôὸ óùô . is the reading of the three oldest manuscripts, including the Sinaitic Codex, and should, in accordance with the opinion of Lach. and Tisch., be regarded as genuine; for the omission of ôïῦôï can be more easily explained than the insertion of it in the text by a later hand. [ Ôïῦôï is omitted in text. rec., with E. G. H., but is inserted as stated above, by Lach. and Tisch., and also by Born. and Alf., on the authority of A. B. Vulg. (hoc), and Meyer concurs with them. The pronoun is found in the original text of Cod. Sin., but Tischendorf remarks on it: “C improbavit.”—Tr.]
Act_28:29. The whole of Act_28:29 is spurious, namely: Êáἰ ôáῦôá áὐôïῦ åἰðüíôïò , ἀðῆëèïí ïἱ Ἰïõäáῖïé , ðïëëὴí ἕ÷ïíôåò ἐí ἑáõôïῖò óõæÞôçóéí . This reading is wanting in A. B. E., as well as in the Sinaitic Codex, and is also omitted by some minuscules and versions. It is found in the same manuscripts, namely G. H., which exhibit the interpolation in Act_28:16 above. The whole was added by copyists with the intention of appending a fitting conclusion to the scene. [The whole verse is omitted by Lach. and Tisch.; Alford inserts it in brackets. It is not found in A. B. E., as Lechler remarks above, and, although inserted in the common editions of the Vulgate, is not found in Cod. Amiatinus.—De Wette is disposed to receive the verse as genuine; Meyer remarks that the strongest argument for its genuineness, is the occurrence of only very unimportant various readings in those manuscripts which contain it.—Tr.]