Acts 2:10

2:10-11 converts to Judaism: See study note on 13:43.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Act 2:10. Αἴγυπτον, Egypt) This region especially abounded in Jews.—τὰ μέρη, the parts) more than one.—Κυρήνην, Cyrene) a city of Libya towards the west, and therefore in a part of Libya even more remote.—οἱ ἐπιδημοῦντες Ῥωμαῖοι, strangers of Rome) Born at Rome, but now having their residence at Jerusalem. These seem to have come to Jerusalem after the rest previously enumerated. The Romans alone of the Europeans are now mentioned.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By Jews, he meaneth them that were both Jews by birth, and Jews by profession of religion though they were born in other places: and they were Proselytes, which were Gentiles born and embraced the Jews’ religion.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 10. PHRYGIA] A country in Asia Minor, southward of Pontus.

PAMPHYLIA] The ancient name of the country of Natolia, now called Caramania, between Lycia and Cilicia, near the Mediterranean Sea.

EGYPT] A very extensive country of African bounded by the Mediterranean on the north; by the Red Sea and the Isthmus of Suez, which divide it from Arabia, on the east; by Abyssinia or AEthiopia on the south; and by the deserts of Barca and Nubia on the west. It was called Mizraim by the ancient Hebrews, and now Mesr by the Arabians. It extends 600 miles from north to south; and from 100 to 250 in breadth, from east to west.

LIBYA] In a general way, among the Greeks, signified Africa; but the northern part, in the vicinity of Cyrene, is here meant.

CYRENE] A country in Africa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, southward of the most western point of the Island of Crete.

Strangers of Rome] Persons dwelling at Rome, and speaking the Latin language, partly consisting of regularly descended Jews and proselytes to the Jewish religion.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(10) Strangers of Rome . . .—Better, the Romans who were sojourning there—i.e., at Jerusalem. The verb is peculiar to St. Luke in the New Testament, and is used by him, as in Act_17:18, of the strangers and visitors of a city.

Jews and proselytes.—The words may possibly be applicable to the whole preceding list; but they read more like a note specially emphasising the prominence of the Roman proselytes in that mixed multitude of worshippers. It lies in the nature of the case, that they were proselytes in the full sense of the term, circumcised and keeping the Law. Looking to St. Luke’s use of another word (“they that worship God,” as in Act_16:14; Act_17:4; Act_17:17) for those whom the Rabbis classed as “proselytes of the gate,” it is probable that he used the term in its strictest sense for those who had been received into the covenant of Israel, and who were known in the Rabbinic classification as the “proselytes of righteousness.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt,.... Phrygia was a country in Asia, and had part of Galatia on the north, Lycaonia, Pisidia, and Mygdonia on the south, and on the east Cappadocia (x); here the Apostle Paul afterwards travelled, and strengthened the Christians; see Act 16:6. Pamphylia, now called Setilia, is another country in Asia, formerly called Mopsopia (y); which had on the west Lycia, and part of Asia, on the north Galatia, on the east Cilicia, and part of Cappadocia, and on the south the sea of Pamphylia (z), of which mention is made in Act 27:5. The chief city in it was Perga, where was a temple of Diana (a), and here the Apostle Paul also was; see Act 13:13. Others of these sojourning Jews lived in Egypt, which was a large country in Africa; which had on the east the deserts of Arabia, on the west Libya, on the south Ethiopia, and on the north the Mediterranean sea; hither many Jews were carried captive by Ptolomy Lagus, and these spoke the Egyptian language:

and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene; there were others at Jerusalem, which came from hence, The Arabic version reads this clause, "and in the parts of Africa, which is our country"; and Pliny says (b), the Greeks call Africa, Libya. The Jews say (c), Libya in Egypt; and for proselytes from Libya, they wait three generations; that is, before they receive them: Cyrene, or Cyreniaca, which is no other than upper Libya, is called by Pliny (d), the Pentapolitan country, from the five cities in it; Berenice, Arsinoe, Ptolemais, Apollonia, and Cyrene: to these are added,

and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes; that is, as the Syriac version renders it, "those that came from Rome"; to which the Arabic agrees: they were natives and inhabitants of the city of Rome, though now they were at Jerusalem; and some of these were Jews by birth, and lineal descent, though born at Rome; and others were such as were proselytes of righteousness, who were originally Gentiles, but were now circumcised, and had embraced the Jewish religion; concerning such; see Gill on Mat 23:15. These doubtless spoke in the Roman, or Latin tongue,

(x) Plin. l. 5. c. 32. (y) Ib. c. 27. (z) Ptolom. l. 5. c. 5. (a) Plin. l. 5. c. 27. Ptolom, ib. &. Mela, l. 1. c. 14. (b) Plin. l. 5. in principio. (c) T. Hieros. Kilaim, fol. 31. 3. & Sabbat, fol. 7. 2. (d) L. 5. c. 5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Ver. 10. Proselytes] Jethro was the first proselyte to the Jewish Church that we read of in Scripture.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Phrygia, and Pamphylia - These were also two provinces of Asia Minor. Phrygia was surrounded by Galatia, Cappadocia, and Pisidia. Pamphylia was on the Mediterranean, and was bounded north by Pisidia. The language of all these places was doubtless the Greek, more or less pure.

In Egypt - This was that extensive country, well known, on the south of the Mediterranean, watered by the Nile. It extends 600 miles from north to south, and from 100 to 120 miles east and west. The language used there was the Coptic tongue. At present the Arabic is spoken. Vast numbers of Jews dwelt in Egypt, and many from that country would be present at the great feasts at Jerusalem. In this country the first translation of the Old Testament was made, which is now called the Septuagint.

In the parts of Libya - Libya is a general name for Africa. It properly denoted the region which was near to Egypt; but the Greeks gave the name to all Africa.

About Cyrene - This was a region about 500 miles west of Alexandria in Egypt. It was also called Pentapolis, because there were in it five celebrated cities. This country now belongs to Tripoli. Great numbers of Jews resided here. A Jew of this place, Simon by name, was compelled to bear our Saviour’s cross after him to the place of crucifixion, Mat 27:32; Luk 23:26. Some of the Cyrenians are mentioned among the earliest Christians, Act 11:20; Act 13:1. The language which they spoke is not certainly known.

Strangers of Rome - This literally means “Romans dwelling or tarrying,” that is, at Jerusalem. It may mean either that they were permanently fixed, or only tarrying at Jerusalem - ὁι ἐπιδημοῦντες Ῥωμαῖοι hoi epidēmōuntes Rōmaioi. They were doubtless Jews who had taken up their residence in Italy, and had come to Jerusalem to attend the great feasts. The language which they spoke was the Latin. Great numbers of Jews were at that time dwelling at Rome. Josephus says that there were eight synagogues there. The Jews are often mentioned by the Roman writers. There was a Jewish colony across the Tiber from Rome. When Judea was conquered, about 60 years before Christ, vast numbers of Jews were taken captive and carried to Rome. But they had much difficulty in managing them as slaves. They pertinaciously adhered to their religion, observed the Sabbath, and refused to join in the idolatrous rites of the Romans. Hence, they were freed, and lived by themselves across the Tiber.

Jews - Native-born Jews, or descendants of Jewish families.

Proselytes - Those who had been converted to the Jewish religion from among the Gentiles. The great zeal of the Jews to make proselytes is mentioned by our Saviour as one of the special characteristics of the Pharisees, Mat 23:15. Some have supposed that the expression “Jews and proselytes” refers to the Romans only. But it is more probable that reference is made to all those that are mentioned. It has the appearance of a hurried enumeration; and the writer evidently mentioned them as they occurred to his mind, just as we would in giving a rapid account of so many different nations.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Strangers of Rome, who came either to Jerusalem to worship, or for any other business. It is evident that many in or about the city of Rome had embraced the Jewish religion; and of them it may be understood.

Jews: the others, mentioned Act 2:9, were such as then dwelt in Judea; these were such as lived elsewhere, only now came to worship or sojourn there.

Proselytes; these were of two sorts: the one, such as came over from paganism unto the Jewish religion, and were bound only to observe the precepts of Noah, and enjoyed a liberty to buy and sell, live and converse, amongst the Jews: hence they were called proselytes of the gate. The other were called proselytes of righteousness; for these were circumcised, and took upon them the observation of the whole law of Moses, and had all the privileges belonging to the people of God.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In Phrygia for Phrygia, A.V.; the parts for in the parts, A.V. ; sojourners from for strangers of, A.V. ; both Jews for Jews, A.V. Asia; i.e. the western coast region of Asia Minor, including Caria, Lydia, and Mysia" (Meyer). "Ionia and Lydia, of which Ephesus was the capital, called Proconsular Asia". (Wordsworth and "Speaker"s Commentary." See Act_20:16, 18 Rev_1:4, etc.) Egypt, etc. These represent the third great dispersion, that effected by Ptolemy Lagus. Some of this part of the dispersion are mentioned as very hostile to Stephen. (Act_6:9) "Twofifths of the population of Alexandria were Jews." "Jews formed one quarter of the population of Cyrene" ("Speaker"s Commentary.") See Mat_27:32 and Act_13:1 And sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes. The copula and couples the oiJ ejpidhmountev JRwmaioi with the oiJ katoikountev than, etc., of ver. 9. It is literally, those of us who are Roman sojourners at Jerusalem, whether Jews by race or proselytes. They were equally Roman sojourners, whether they were Jews whose home was at Rome or whether they were proselytes; and it is an interesting fact that there were such proselytes in the great capital of the heathen world. Sojourners, as in Act_17:21, the strangers sojourning at Athens. Many good commentators Alford, Meyer, Lechler (in Lange, "Bibel Works") etc. take the words "Jews and proselytes" as applying to the whole preceding list, not to the Roman sojourners only; but in that case one would not expect Cretans and Arabians to follow.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Roman sojourners - Born at Rome, but now living at Jerusalem. These seem to have come to Jerusalem after those who are above mentioned. All of them were partly Jews by birth, and partly proselytes.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 6

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. Phrygia and Pamphylia. Parts of what is called Asia Minor. Egypt. The great African province where many ten thousands of Jews had their home. Parts of Libya. Of Africa. About Cyrene. A great Grecian city on the coast west of Egypt. It is said that one-fourth of the population of Cyrene was Jewish. Strangers of Rome. Roman Jews sojourning at Jerusalem. Proselytes. Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

10. Φρυγίαν] ἡ μεγάλη φρυγία of Strabo, xii. 8: Jos. Antt. xvi. 2. 2. It was at this time part of the Roman province of Asia.

Παμφυλίαν] A small district, extending along the coast from Olbia (Strabo, xiv. 4), or Phaselis (Plin. v. 27), to Ptolemais (Strabo, l. c). It was a separate tributary district (χωρὶς ὅπλων φορολογεῖται, Jos. B. J. ii. 16. 4): we find it classed with Galatia and ruled by the same person, Tac. Hist. ii. 9.

Αἴγυπτον] Having enumerated the principal districts of Asia Minor, the catalogue passes (see above on the arrangement, ver. 9) to Egypt, a well-known habitation of Jews. Two-fifths of the population of Alexandria consisted of them, see Philo, in Flacc. 8, vol. ii. p. 525, and they had an Ethnarch of their own, Jos. Antt. xiv. 7. 2; xix. 5. 2.

τὰ μ. τ. Λιβύης τ. κ. Κυρήνην] By this expression is probably meant Pentapolis, where Josephus (Antt. xiv. 7. 2), quoting from Strabo, testifies to the existence of very many Jews,—amounting in Cyrene to a fourth part of the whole population. The Cyrenian Jews were so numerous in Jerusalem, that they had a special synagogue (see ch. 6:9). Several were Christian converts: see ch. 11:20; 13:1.

οἱ ἐπιδημοῦντες Ῥωμαῖοι] ‘The Roman Jews dwelling (or then being) in Jerusalem,’ see ref. The comma after Ῥωμαῖοι is better retained (against Wordsw.).

Ἰουδ. τ. κ. προσήλ.] This refers more naturally to the whole of the past catalogue, than merely to the Roman Jews. The τε καί shews that it does not take up a new designation, but expresses the classes or divisions of those which have gone before. See a similar construction in Joh 2:15, where τά τε πρόβατα κ. τοὺς βόας is epexegetic of πάντας preceding.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Egypt. Where the Jews were numerous. Two - fifths of the population of Alexandria were said to have been Jews.

Cyrene. In Libya, west of Egypt.

Strangers [επιδημουντες] . See on 1Pe 1:1. Rev., rightly, sojourners.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.