COMMENTARY:
: 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. (4912 “pressed” [sunecho] means engrossed, to hold together, to compress, devoted entirely, keep on doing, devoted exclusively, occupied, be taken with, to urge or to hold completely.)… Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, “These have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” (3625 “world” [oikoumene] means earth, inherited earth, a portion of the earth inhabited by Greeks, universe, empire, Roman world, humankind or globe.… Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. (1577 “churches” [ekklesia] means congregation, assembly, gathering of persons with a purpose, gathering, or a calling out.)
DEVOTION: The people who gathered on the day of Pentecost started what is called the congregation of the righteous in the … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. (“saved” [sozo] means heal, preserve, be whole, or to rescue from danger or destruction.)
DEVOTION: The early church had doctrinal issues from the beginning. This … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. (2559 “evil affected” [kakow] means oppress, afflict, harm, embittered, poisoned, cause to dislike, vex or maltreat.)
DEVOTION: People who didn’t like the message of Paul weren’t tolerant of it. The liberals in Paul’s days wanted … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. (3522 “fasted” [nesteuo] means abstinence, lack of food, a religious exercise to abstain from food and drink for a day or a number of days.)
DEVOTION: Fasting was a practice of the Pharisees. They fasted … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. (1618 “without ceasing” [ektenes] means to stretch out, urgent, fervent, intent, more earnestly, constantly, unceasing intense activity or continuously.)
DEVOTION: Have you ever been involved in an all-night prayer meeting? One of the … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him. (1252 “contended” [diakrino] means doubt, judge, discriminate, to separate one’s self in a hostile spirit, strive with dispute, evaluate carefully, argue, or express disapproval.)
DEVOTION: You would think that at the beginning of the church … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. (2152 “devout” [eusebes] means godly, pious, dutiful, religious, or well-reverent.)
DEVOTION: One of the problems with many people is they think that if they are well-behavior and religious … Read More
COMMENTARY:
: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes you me? (1377 “persecutes” [dioko] means to run after, trouble, to pursue in a hostile manner, harass, follow in haste, seek after, or to chase.)
DEVOTION: One of the facts that most people … Read More