tioch, spake unto the Greeks, i. e. Gentile proselytes, preaching unto them also the Lord Jesus.

(In regard to the names, Greeks, and Grecians, so essentially affecting the sense of the whole passage, satisfaction, it is hoped, will be afforded in the NOTE on this verse.)

ACTs xi. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them in this new spiritual enterprise and a great number of the Greeks believed and turned unto the Lord, i. e. became converts to the gospel.

22. Then tidings of these things, of proselytes also being taught and converted, came unto the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem: and they, in consequence of it, sent forth Barnabas, that he should go, with their authority, as far as Antioch,

23. Who, when he came there and had seen the grace of God thus farther extended, was glad accordingly; and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

24. For he was a man truely benevolent, and not only so, but full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people (of the proselyte class) was now added to the Lord.

25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus (vide A. ix. 30.) for to seek Saul and to take him as his coadjutor. 26. And when Barnabas had found him, he brought him unto Antioch.

-On this part of Saul's history while at Tarsus, and afterwards in company with Barnabas, H. P. 71, 2. may be profitably consulted.

And it came to pass, that for a whole year Barnabas and Saul assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.

And it is thought worthy of being recorded here, that by an appropriate appellation the disciples were called CHRISTIANS first in Antioch.

ACTS xi. 27. And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

28. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all that part of the world (especially Judea): which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar.

29. Then the disciples at Antioch, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea :

30. Which also they did, and sent it to the elders there by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

"As far as we know or have reason to believe, this is the first transaction of the kind in the history of the world." Bishop Sumner's Practical Exposition on the Acts.

11

PART II.

THE THREE APOSTOLIC PROGRESSES FROM

ANTIOCH,

WITH THE PRIVATE JOURNEY AND THE PUBLIC MISSION TO JERUSALEM, BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND

PROGRESS.

(FROM ACTS xii. 25. TO ACTs xxi. 6.)

THE FIRST PROGRESS.

(ACTS xiii. to Acts xiv. 27.)

ACTS xii. 25. And Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, that of carrying relief unto the brethren (those first believers) which dwelt in Judea (A. xi. 27...30.) to meet the distress of that dearth which Agabus had predicted :

And they took with them from Jerusalem John, whose surname was Mark, and whose mother, Mary, a person of some eminence among the Christians of Jerusalem (H. P. 147, 8.), was sister to Barnabas.

Barnabas himself so surnamed (Son of Consolation) by the apostles (his original name having been Joses,) was a Levite, of the country of Cyprus; whose disinterested generosity is duely recorded, as worthy of especial remark, A. iv. 36, 7.

A. xiii. 1. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

ACTS xiii. 2. As they ministered to the Lord in fasting and prayer, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the extraordinary work of preaching the gospel among the Gentiles, to which I have expressly called them.

3. And when on a solemn day appointed for the purpose they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on the two apostles, they after that special ordination sent them away on their great errand.

4. So they, Barnabas and Saul, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed from Antioch.

Outline of the First Progress.

The places to which they travelled, with the principal events, may be traced in the following sketch or summary.

A. xiii. From Antioch to Seleucia; thence to the isle of Cyprus, v. 4., where at Salamis they preach, v. 5. at Paphos they meet with Elymas the sorcerer: Sergius Paulus, the governor, v. 7., is converted, and Saul now takes the name of Paul, v. 9.

From Paphos, to Perga in Pamphylia, v. 13., where John-Mark leaves them from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia, v. 14., where Paul preaches in the synagogue, vv. 16...41.; the effects of it on the proselytes and the Gentiles, and on the Jews, to v. 50.

They next go to Iconium, v. 51., and are driven away, xiv. 5., by persecution of the Jews.

They now first visit Lystra, xiv. 6., where Paul healeth the cripple; its extraordinary consequences, to

v. 18.

From Lystra, driven away by Jews (of Antioch and Iconium), who stoned Paul apparently to death, they

go next to Derbe, unmolested there, v. 21., in preaching the word.

Thence return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, to confirm the disciples, ordain elders, &c., to v. 23.

Through Pisidia into Pamphylia, to Perga and then to Attalia; from thence finally to Antioch in Syria, the Gentile metropolis, close of ch. xiv.

ACTS xiii. 4. Barnabas and Saul then departed from Antioch, and went first to the city of Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to the isle of Cyprus, the native country of Barnabas (A. iv. 36.), where soon after the martyrdom of Stephen the gospel had been preached to none but unto the Jews only, A. xi. 19.

5. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God (first, as usual) in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John surnamed Mark, sister's son to Barnabas, for their minister and attendant.

6. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:

7. Which was with the proconsular governor of the country, Sergius Paulus, a man of good understanding; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

8. But Elymas the Sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the governor from the faith.

9. Then Saul, who from this time took the Roman name of Paul after the proconsul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

10. And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?