Acts 21:14

Act 21:14. Μὴ πειθομένου, when he would not be persuaded) Often a person is moved for the sake of others, who is not moved on his own account. Hence we may perceive the stedfastness of Paul.—ἡσυχάσαμεν, we acquiesced) With pious modesty.—τὸ θέλημα, the will) This, they acknowledged hereby, was known to Paul.

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

Act 21:14 . ἡσυχάσαμεν : only in Luke and Paul, cf. Luk 14:3 , Act 11:18 . In LXX, Job 32:6 , Neh 5:8 . τὸ θέλ . τοῦ Κ ., cf. Mat 6:10 , Luk 22:42 , and also St. Paul’s own expression in Act 18:21 , 1Co 4:19 ; 1Co 16:7 (Heb 6:3 ), cf. Mayor’s note on Jas 4:15 for similar phrases amongst Greeks and Romans, as also amongst Jews and Arabians, Taylor’s Sayings of the Jewish Fathers , pp. 29, 95, 128, 2nd edit.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The will of God bridleth all affections in them which earnestly seek the glory of God.

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

Verse 14. The will of the Lord be done.] May that which is most for his glory take place! They plainly saw from the prophecy what would take place, if Paul went to Jerusalem; and every one saw that he had power to go, or not to go.

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

14. We ceased saying. If they had thought that he ran rashly unto death, they would not have ceased so. Therefore, they yield lest they resist the Holy Spirit, whereby they understand that Paul is governed. For that which they had heard before, by the mouth of Paul, that he was drawn, as it were, by the bands of the Spirit, was quite out of their heads by reason of the sorrow which they had conceived; but when they be taught again that it was the will of God that it should be so, they think it unlawful for them to resist any longer. And with this bridle must all our affections be kept in, that nothing be so bitter, or doleful, or hard, which the will of God may not mitigate and mollify. For so often as any thing which is hard or sharp doth fall out, we give God small honor, unless this cogitation prevail with us, that we must obey him.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(14) The will of the Lord be done.—It is, perhaps, too much to see in these words an acceptance of his purpose as being in accordance with the will of the Lord. They were the natural expressions of resignation to what was seen to be inevitable, possibly used as a quotation from the prayer which the Lord had taught the disciples, and which He had used Himself (Luk_22:42).

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

14. And … be done] They gathered from the language of St Paul that he had a higher leading than theirs in what he was doing, and feeling that Christ’s guidance was better than any other, they quieted their minds with the thought that the work was “for the name of the Lord Jesus,” who would strengthen His servant to do His will.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he would not be persuaded,.... But was determined to go to Jerusalem at all events:

we ceased; both from tears and arguments:

saying, the will of the Lord be done; which was right, and to which they ought to have submitted, and acquiesced in at first, without using any arguments to have dissuaded the apostle from going to Jerusalem; since they might have concluded from Agabus's prophecy, that it was the will of the Lord he should go thither, and be bound; and the revelation was made to him, not to deter him from it, and to take methods for his own safety, which his friends would have put him upon, but to acquaint him with the will of God, and make him still more certain of it, and to prepare for it, and this effect it had upon him. This will of the Lord, is not the will of the Lord revealed in his word, either respecting the salvation, sanctification, and final perseverance of the saints, which is always accomplished; "for who hath resisted his will", or can resist it, so as to frustrate his designs, or hinder these things taking place? or the duty which is to be performed by them, the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God, which every gracious soul desires may be perfectly done, even as it is done in heaven: but here the secret will of God relating to the events of providence is designed, and which is the rule of all the divine proceedings; and though it is unknown to men, until facts make it appear, it is ever fulfilled, and sometimes by persons who have no regard to the revealed will of God; and should be continually thought of; and everything that is determined, or attempted to be done, should be resolved upon, and undertaken in submission to it; and whilst it is performing should be patiently bore, even in things not so agreeable to the minds and wills of men: it becomes saints to be still and acquiesce in it, when things are not so well with them in spiritual affairs as to be wished for; and when their worldly circumstances are not so thriving and flourishing; yea, though they may be attended with much poverty and meanness, and be reduced to so low a condition as Job was; as also when they part with their near and dear friends and relations by death, and with the ministers of the Gospel, who have been their spiritual fathers, instructors, and comforters; and even when they are called to suffer in the severest manner, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel: not that they are to be indolent, unconcerned, and unaffected, with things of this nature; nor should they neglect the means of having things otherwise with them; but it becomes them to exercise patience, faith, and courage, under every dispensation of providence; as knowing that what is done by the Lord is done well and wisely, and is for the good of them; and when the people of God are helped, to act such a part, they are the most comfortable in themselves, and to all that are about them; such a spirit and disposition is very commendable, and what makes men like to Christ, who in the most disagreeable circumstances submitted his will to his Father's. Beza's ancient copy reads, "the will of God"; and so the Arabic and Ethiopic versions.

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

14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Ver. 14. The will of the Lord be done] Vox vere Christianorum, saith one, Voluntas Dei, necessitas rei. A godly man says Amen to God’s Amen; and puts his Fiat Let him do it, and Placet let it be pleasing, to God’s. One said, he could have what he would of God. Why? how was that? Because whatsoever was God’s will, that was his. It is said that I shall be burned in Smithfield (said blessed Bradford), and that very shortly, Fiat voluntas Domini: Ecce ego, mitte me. Let the will of God be done, behold, me, send me, Mr Beza’s last text was the third petition of the Lord’s prayer, "Thy will be done," &c. In qua deficere potius quam desinere visas est, saith he that writeth his life. (Melch. Adam.)

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.

Would not be persuaded - To remain. He was resolved to go.

We ceased - We ceased remonstrating with him, and urging him to remain.

The will of the Lord be done - They were now assured that it was the will of God that he should go, and they were now ready to submit to that will. This is an instance and an evidence of true piety. It was the expression of a wish that whatever God might judge to be necessary for the advancement of his cause might take place, even though it should be attended with many trials. They commended their friend to the protection of God, confident that whatever should occur would be right. Compare the notes on Mat 6:10; Mat 26:42.

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

We ceased; as having done their utmost, and what became them.

Saying, The will of the Lord be done; they commit the event unto God: thus we pray daily, that God’s will may be done, Mat 6:10; Luk 11:2; and thus our Saviour, not only by his precept, but by his example, hath taught us, Mat 26:42; Luk 22:42; and when God’s will is done, our will is done also, if the mind and spirit be in us that was in Christ, Phi 2:5, and otherwise we are none of his, Rev 8:9.

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

The will of the Lord, etc. A beautiful application of the petition in the Lord"s prayer, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven". (Luk_22:42)

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

And when he would not be persuaded - This was not obstinacy, but true Christian resolution. We should never be persuaded, either to do evil, or to omit doing any good which is in our power; saying, the will of the Lord be done - Which they were satisfied Paul knew.

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

See notes on verse 10

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.

14. τοῦ κυρίου τὸ θέλημα with אABCE. Vulg. ‘Domini voluntas.’

14. τοῦ κυρίον τὸ θέλημα γινέσθω, the will of the Lord be done. They gathered; from the Apostle’s language that he had a higher leading than theirs in what he was doing, and feeling that Christ’s guidance was better than any other, they quieted their minds with the thought that the work was ‘for the name of the Lord Jesus,’ who would strengthen His servant to do His will.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. τ. κ. τὸ θέλ. γιν.] One of the passages from which we may not unfairly infer, that the Lord’s prayer was used by the Christians of the apostolic age. See note on 2Ti 4:18.

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