Ptolemy, Geograph. L. 3., calls Apollonia in Mydonia.

1. Aιodeuσartes, having passed through. This verb answers to the Heb. ay in Ps. 89, 41. It appears that Paul and Silas merely went to Amphipolis and Apollonia, as being in their nearest way to Thessalonica; but made no stay there. Now Thessalonica was the metropolis of the second province of Macedonia, and the seat of the Roman President and Quæstor. See Liv. 45, 29. compared with 44. and 10, 45. It was formerly called Oépuai (see the Schol. on Thucyd. 1, 61.); but its name was afterwards changed, either by Cassander, in honour of his wife Thessalonica, daughter of Philip (according to Strabo, Ttetzas, Zonaras, and Diodor. Sic.), or (according to Steph. Byzant.) by Philip himself, in order to commemorate his conquest of Thessalia. [which, however, seems far less probable. Edit.] Its inhabitants consisted chiefly of Greeks and Romans; but there were also many Jews resident there. So Plin. H. N. 4, 10. (Kuin.)

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1. ὅπου ἦν ἡ συναγωγὴ τῶν Ἰουδαίων. Our English Translators render, "a synagogue," following the opinion of Beza and Piscator, who treat the article as pleonastic, or used for ris. But there seems reason to suppose, with Grotius, Wets., Heumann, Rosenm., Heinrichs, and Kuin., that it is emphatic, and hints that this was the only Synagogue in Macedonia; though there were (as we have reason to think from the preceding Chapter) several Proseuchæ.

κατὰ εἰωθὸς.

2. Kaτà de Tò Eiwbòs. Paul was, in all his journies, accustomed to attend on Divine worship at the Synagogues, and first to deliver his doctrines to the Jews, before he preached them to the Gentiles. See 18, 46. 14, 1. 17, 10. 18, 4 & 9. (Kuin.)

2. Διελέγετο αὐτοῖς. Διαλέγεσθαι is a term of very general sense, and denotes to discourse in any way, and especially to harangue. Thus it signifies to deliver orations, whether civil or military, and also disserere, maintain disputations, or bring forward discourses, as Philosophers or teachers used to do to

their scholars. So Ælian V. H. 3, 19. i dè Eevaкgáτης ἀκούσας παραχρήμα ἧκε πρὸς Πλάτωνα, καὶ κατέ λαβε διαλεγόμενον τοῖς συν ἑαυτῷ. So that it might apply to such discourses (or sermons) as St. Paul delivered. The sense of the passage, however, cannot satisfactorily be determined without settling the punctuation; and on that Commentators are not agreed. The ancient ones, (as Chrysostom,) and earlier modern, (as Beza and the authors of our English Version,) put a comma after ypapay, and at the words διανοίγων καὶ παρατιθέμενος subaud αὐτὰς, ἀπὸ being for k, as often: and they render, "docebat e scripturâ, explicans eam et demonstrans." So Luke 24, 32. διανοίγων τὰς γραφάς. But most recent Commentators, from the time of Grotius to the present day, place the comma after aurois, so that the following words ἀπὸ (for ἐκ) τῶν γραφῶν διανοίγων, &c. may be read in continuity: and they appeal to Acts 28, 23. πείθων τε αὐτοὺς τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησου ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου Μωσέως. And Klosius (cited by Kuinoel) maintains that διανοίγειν ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν is equivalent to διανοίYew Tas Ypapas in Luke 24, 32. Kuinoel, too, confirms this construction from Acts 28, 23., and offers some reasons, which, however, seem not very convincing; for, after all, the common construction, as it is the more natural and easy, so is it the more suitable to the simple and popular style of the New Testament; and therefore it ought (I think) to be retained. There is, however, no material difference in the sense, whichever construction be adopted.

γειν

2. Διανοίγων, opening out, explaining them. Παρατιθέμενος. TibéμEVOS. The word properly signifies to "place any thing before" another; as food: but it is often used, in the Classical writers, in a moral sense, for proponere, exponere, ostendere, "to lay any considerations before one;" of which examples are adduced by Elsner, Kypke, Wets., and Valcknaer.

3. ὅτι τὸν Χριστὸν ἔδει παθεῖν. In this he followed the example of his Divine master. See. Luke 24, 23. The transition which we now have, from the

oblique to the direct, is very frequent both in the sacred and profane writers. See Acts 1, 4. (Kuin.)

4. Exeίobnoav, were persuaded (to believe): equivalent to ríoTEUGav. To these are opposed, at ver. 5, the άeboÛVTES. Προσεκληρώθησαν τῷ Παύλῳ. The verb προσεκληροῦσθαι signifies to apportion to any one by lot, to allot, and generally adjoin, conjoin. In the passive, too, it has, like many other verbs, a reflected sense, namely, to join oneself to; as in the present passage, and in many others adduced by Loesner and Markland. See also Valcknaer. ΣeBoμévwv 'Ezańvwv, i. e. proselytes of the gate. See the note on 13, 16.

4. γυναικών τε τῶν πρώτων οὐκ ὀλίγαι. By these we are to understand, as in 13, 50., honourable matrons, wives of the respectable inhabitants who had the Jewish religion. They are, infr. ver. 12. (as in 13, 50.) called evo xoves. See the note there. Pricæus cites Achill. Tat. 5. γυναῖκα Εφεσίων πρώτην, and Apulej. L. 2. feminas primates.

5. προσλαβόμενοι τῶν ἀγοραίων τινὰς ἄνδρας π. The word aygalos denotes what is connected with a market place or a forum; and carries various significations in reference to the different kinds of business accustomed to be done there. Thus in 19, 38. ȧyopara quépaι are "days on which business is done in ραιαι ἡμέραι the forum." As applied to persons, it denoted those who keep the market. Wets. has illustrated the various uses of the word by a vast number of passages from the Classical writers; ex. gr. Herodot. 2, 141. and Xen. Hist. 6., where it signifies market people. But it also denoted not merely buyers and sellers in a market, but those idlers who (like the Lazzaroni at Naples) almost lived in the market, and even slept by night under the porticoes and other places of shelter. Hence it came to denote,

These seem to have been had in view by Horace, wher, in his Års Poetica 245, he speaks of the innati triviis ac pene forenses. Such are called by Cicero, in his Epist. Fam. 8, 1. subrostrani, by Plaut. Cap. 4, 2, 35. subbasilicani, and by Cicero the far and sentina urbis.

persons of the lowest and basest sort, the very dregs of society, a sense very frequent in the Classical writers; and most of Wetstein's examples tend to illustrate this last signification, which is noticed by ancient Lexicographers, as Suidas, Hesychius, and others. Kuinoel refers to Casaub. on Theophr. C. 6., Valcknaer on Ammon. p. 10., Græc. Lect. Hes. C. 1., and Suic. Thes. in v.: and Schleusner refers to Gronov. Obs. 3, 22., Puttman's Misc. 13, 25., and Arnuet's Dissert. on the use of this word in the New Testament.

Most Commentators agree in giving the word the figurative sense: but as Topous is added, I prefer, with Beza and others, circumforanei.

· 5. ὀχλοποίησαντες,

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raising a mob.” Ἐθορύβουν, "threw the city into a disturbance, set it into an uproar." So Thucyd. 6, 61. 3, 78. and elsewhere. Αγαγεῖν εἰς τὸν δῆμον. By the δήμος are not here meant the people, or the mob (as Doddridge renders), but the popular assembly in the forum, or elsewhere. So infr. 19, 30. βουλομένου εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δῆμον. Schleusner takes it for the forum, or place where the popular assembly was held; which comes to the same thing. Kuinoel interprets it concio populi; which seems very harsh and far-fetched.

6. ἔσυρον — επὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας, i. e. the city magistrates. This word has the same sense as πολίταρχος, which occurs in Eneas Polior. C. 26. (Schleusner.) Bo@vres, shouting, bawling, vociferating. See 8, 7. 21, 34. This verb is often used in Thucydides, as here, of the shouts and clamours of the populace; ex. gr. 7, 48. οἳ νῦν βοῶσιν ὡς ἐν δεινοῖς ὄντες, ἐκεῖσε ἀφικομένους τἀναντία βοήσεσθαι, 6, 28. et sepe.

* Valcknaer observes, that this use of the word is to be traced to the abhorrence in which the market rabble were held by the respectable citizens, and the notoriously lying and fraudulent character of the petty huckstering traders; as also to the market-place being the usual resort of those scurra in the Grecian cities who spent the day in utter idleness.

6. Οἱ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀναστατώσαντες. Most Commentators agree that this expression must be confined to the Roman empire; and Markland thinks that even thus that is overcharged, and savours more of malice than truth. But we need not be so nice in scanning the meaning of an expression, which (like the corresponding one in our own language) is perpetually used in a popular sense, and by no means in any extensive signification.

6. 'AvασTατaravτes. This is formed from the more Classical expression ἀναστάτους ποιήσαντες, which occurs in Thucyd. 6, 76. 6, 5. 8, 24. There, however, it is used in the full sense of destroying and expelling any people from their country; but here, and in 21, 38., it is employed like our turn upside down, to denote "perverting, exciting to tumult and insurrection." So avar elev in Luke 23, 5. The word is only used by the Translators of the Old Testament (see Schl. Lex. Vet. Test.); and is therefore considered as belonging to the Alexandrian dialect. See Sturz.

7. οὓς ὑποδέδεκται, "hath received as guests and friends." In this sense the word occurs in Luke 19.6., and James 2, 25.; as also in the best Classical writers. Kuinoel cites Xenoph. Mem. 2, 3, 13., to which I add 3, 111. 6, 22. 3, 12. Doddridge takes the rò to denote secretly. But this seems an unfounded refinement. Neither, however, is the ò in this sense of modéxeofas quite pleonastic; as will appear from the kindred expression "come under my roof," which occurs in Gen. 19, 8. Matt. 8, 8. and elsewhere.

7. ἀπέναντι τῶν δογμάτων Καίσαρος πράττουσι, “ act contrary to," &c. Απέναντι properly signifies over against; but sometimes contrary to; as here and in Sirach, 37, 4. καὶ ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως ἔσται ἀπέναντι. 5ο the Heb. 8 in Num. 21, 23. and 1 Paral. 19, 17. (Schleusner.) We may render, transgress the decrees of Cæsar." In preferring this charge of sedition, these accusers (we may observe) took ad