God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,
Parallel Translations
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God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,
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And god wrought no small miracles by the hondes of Paul:
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And God wrought no small miracles by the handes of Paul,
Cross-references (10)
Passages linked to Acts 19:11 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Mark 16:17-20 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.
- Acts 5:12 By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
- Romans 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;
- Hebrews 2:4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?
- Acts 8:13 Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
- Acts 16:18 She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.
- Galatians 3:5 He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?
- Acts 15:12 All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.
- John 14:12 Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.
- Acts 14:3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 11. No small miracles. He calleth miracles virtutes or…
11. No small miracles. He calleth miracles virtutes or powers, after the common custom of the Scripture, which were testimonies of the extraordinary power of God. And showeth that Paul’s apostleship was set forth with these ensigns, that his doctrine might have the greater authority. For it is a common speech, That wonders and signs are showed by the hand of men. So that the praise thereof is ascribed to God alone as to the author; and man is only the minister. And that he may the more amplify the miracles, he saith that handkerchiefs and partlets were brought unto the sick, which so soon as they touched they were healed. It is not unknown to what end Paul had such power given him, to wit, that he might prove himself to be a true apostle of Christ, that he might make the gospel to be believed, and might confirm his ministry. And here it is expedient to call to mind those things which we had before, touching the lawful use of miracles. And whereas God did heal the sick with Paul’s handkerchiefs, it tended to that end, that even those who had never seen the man might, notwithstanding, reverently embrace his doctrine, though he himself were absent. For which cause the Papists are more blockish, who wrest this place unto their relics; as if Paul sent his handkerchiefs that men might worship them and kiss them in honor of them; as in Papistry, they worship Francis’ shoes and mantle, Rose’s girdle, Saint Margaret’s comb, and such like trifles. Yea, rather, he did choose most simple things, lest any superstition should arise by reason of the price or pomp. For he was fully determined to keep Christ’s glory sound and undiminished.
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.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands…
11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Ver. 11. And God wrought special miracles] Virtutes non vulgares, not common power, yet ordinary in the infancy of the Church, but now not to be expected. Manna ceased when they came to Canaan; as if it would say, Ye need no miracles now you have means. So here.
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Special miracles; not common or ordinary things, or such…
Special miracles; not common or ordinary things, or such as might happen by chance.
By the hands of Paul; as Act 5:12; by his means and ministry.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Then certain of the vagabond Jews,.... Who strolled about…
Then certain of the vagabond Jews,.... Who strolled about from place to place, pretending to tell fortunes, cure diseases by charms, and dispossess devils by conjuration, and therefore are called as follows,
exorcists; such there were among the Jews, as Justin Martyr observes (h), who adjured by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: these
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took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus; they imitated the Apostle Paul, and attempted to do as he did, using the same: name; hoping to get money or applause, or both, in this way; and it may be observed, that there were some who really did cast out devils in the name of Christ, who did not belong to him, Mat 7:22
Saying, we adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth; that is, to come out the bodies of those men which they had possessed: and the Jews made use of the name of Jesus for healing diseases; for it is said of one (i), that
"he swallowed something which almost choked him, and one came, and muttered to him in the name of Jesus ben Pandira, and he was well''
The Alexandrian copy, Beza's ancient one, and others, the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read, "I adjure you", &c.
(h) Dialog. cum Tryphon. p. 311. (i) T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 4. & Avoda Zara, fol. 40. 4.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Special miracles - Wrought in a very uncommon manner.
Special miracles - Wrought in a very uncommon manner.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 11. God wrought special miracles] Δυναμεις τε ου…
Verse 11. God wrought special miracles] Δυναμεις τε ου τας τυχαυσας, Miracles of no ordinary kind, i.e. extraordinary miracles.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Act 19:11-12. And God — To add the greater…
Act 19:11-12. And God — To add the greater efficacy and success to this important doctrine; wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul — Who, as he abode longer at Ephesus than at any other city we read of, so he wrought more and greater miracles than in any other. So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs, or aprons — Greek, σουδαρια η σιμικινθια, sudaria vel semicinctia. These two words, originally Latin, have been differently rendered, but the etymology of the first plainly determines it to signify pieces of linen with which they wiped the sweat from their faces, and the latter word signifies things round their waists, doubtless girdles or sashes. Aprons made no part of the ordinary dress of the Greeks; yet they might possibly be occasionally used, both by men and women, to preserve their clothes clean, while they were engaged in some particular kind of work. Dr. Macknight thinks, that these handkerchiefs and aprons belonged to the sick, from whom they were brought to touch Paul’s body, and then taken back to them, when they had the effect here mentioned. And the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits — Which occasioned many of these diseases, though they might appear purely natural; went out of them — In this respect Paul was equal to Peter, whose shadow, as he passed by, overshadowing the sick, who were laid on couches in the streets of Jerusalem, cured them of their distempers, Act 5:15. Hence we may infer, that it was in a great measure owing to the multitude and greatness of Paul’s miracles, that so many of the inhabitants of Ephesus, and of the province of Asia, embraced the gospel.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Special miracles - Miracles that were remarkable; that were…
Special miracles - Miracles that were remarkable; that were not common, or that were very unusual (οὐ τὰς τυχών ou tas tuchōn). This expression is Classical Greek. Thus, Longinus says of Moses that he was no common man - οὐχ ̓ ὁ τύχων ἀνήρ ouch ho tuchōn anēr.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain God wrought special--no ordinary
God wrought special--no ordinary
miracles by the hands of Paul--implying that he had not been accustomed to work such.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 11. And God wrought special miracles [Gr. powers] by…
11. And God wrought special miracles [Gr. powers] by the hands of Paul] The language of the historian is noteworthy. God works, Paul is the instrument. (Cp. The mighty hand of Moses, Deu_34:12.) The imperfect tense of the verb in the Greek implies that these manifestations of God’s power were continued during the Apostle’s stay. This was no mere spasmodic excitement over some powerful discourse. “By the hands” is probably only the Jewish mode of expressing “by.” See note on Act_5:12.
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (11) And God wrought special miracles by the hands…
(11) And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.—The Greek phrase is negative: no common works of power—not such as one might meet with any day. (See Note on Act_28:2, where the same phrase recurs.) The noun is that which was technically used by physicians for the healing “powers” or “virtues” of this or that remedy, and is so far, though used freely by other writers, characteristic of St. Luke.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 11, 12. Special miracles.
Vers. 11, 12. Special miracles.
Under ordinary circumstances this description of miracles wrought by God by the hands of Paul might be liable to the supposition is here that it is found. And when we look a moment beneath the surface we discover ample justification for the epithet applied to these miracles. Let us observe
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I IN WHAT THE SPECIALTY OF THESE MIRACLES CONSISTS. We are taught the answer in one verse.
1. They are wrought without the laying on of the hands of Paul, without his presence, without his voice, without (so far as appears) even any knowledge on his part of the persons or the needs of the persons who received healing. These four circumstances do incontestably entitle them to the description of "special;" the nearest approach to them being miracles of the kind that were wrought when one touched "the hem of the garment" of Jesus. But Jesus did then perceive and know that "virtue was gone out of him.
2. They are wrought with intervening signs of most unusual kind; the connecting visible links being handkerchiefs and aprons that have been in some contact with the body of the apostle, and are now carried to the sick and possessed by any one presumably any one of their friends. The nearest approach to anything so special" as this may, perhaps, be considered to occur in the conduct of those who brought their sick on their couches into the streets, that haply the mere "shadow of Peter might overshadow some of them". (Act_5:15) But in these cases there was far nearer and closer connection between the miracles wrought (if such were wrought) and Peter than the connection of handkerchiefs fitfully carried by any one.
II THE OBJECTS OF THIS SPECIALTY OF MIRACLE.
1. To arrest a lively attention.
2. To suggest really far deeper thoughtfulness in all those who had thought to think.
3. To spread far and wide blessings themselves, each one of which had a hundred tongues to speak the praise of some one.
4. To attract attention to the miracle itself and the blessing wrapt in it and to the real Worker of it, rather than to suffer attention to be distracted by an apparently too close relation of the miracle to Paul personally. It is true that many in their blindness might still think and speak of all the wonderfulness of Paul, and even of the body of Paul. But yet others would be helped to see (what with time all the world would be sure to see) that it was no more due to Paul than to the handkerchief, that the miracle was wrought, but all due to God, and all to his praise and glory.
III THE MORE GENERAL AND PERMANENT LESSONS OF THIS SPECIALTY OF MIRACLE. For the "special miracle" helps to reveal only the more definitely and distinctly the meaning of any miracle.
1. It is for the attainment of a great moral end; to give sufficient and just ground, for instance, to believe, to trust, and to act the things which, without it, might be only believed and trusted by credulity, or not at all.
2. It is to attain this moral end, without overriding the exercise of men"s own reason and heart and conscience. The just suggestion, s of a miracle, forcible as they ought to prove, are still only moral helps and guides.
3. The miracle is so far forth for darker days and for the more backward stages of humanity. The foundation work for much to be built upon as time should travel on; the time fittest for the miracle is the earlier time, the more childish time of the world. Then the besetting snare of the miracle would, at all events, count for less harm, and the moral good of it would be enshrined a "possession for ever.
4. The miracle is useless if permanent. Evidently the day of miracle was drawing near its end when Peter"s shadow was waited for. But very near indeed to its end was it when even Scripture says, God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul." If their end had not been now near, one of two things must have followed. Either they must have taken their place as grateful resources for the healing of the diseased and the dispossessing of the possessed, or, in order to keep their moral virtue and effect, they must have been becoming in long vista yet more and more "special. B.
The call for special miracles.
It should be carefully shown that Scripture miracles are never mere wonders, or displays of mere power. They are always signs, and always wrought for the sake of some immediate or prospective moral benefit. This may be affirmed, however singular the mere form of the miracle may be. The circumstances under which God sees fit to allow his servants to work miracles need careful examination and consideration. In connection with the text we find special circumstances. St. Paul had separated the disciples, and formed a distinct Christian community. For his own sake, and for the satisfaction of the people, it was important that some attestation of the Divine approval should be given. The question had to be settled Was the Christian community, thus separately constituted, as fully under the power of the Holy Ghost as the older Jewish Christian community had been? The speciality of the miracles is designed to intimate that, under these circumstances, a new and mightier baptism of God"s Spirit came upon the apostle, so that, apart from conscious efforts of his own will, healing virtue went forth from him. It is also noticed that "This great effusion of healing power, which, it is implied by the tense of the verb wrought, continued for some time, was granted as a counterpoise to the magical and theurgic practices to which the Ephesians were addicted" (vers. 13, 19). In explanation of the agency of "handkerchiefs and aprons," the following notes from Eastern travelers may be helpfully suggestive: Thomson, in "The Land and the Book," says, "The external instruments connected with working miracles had, in ancient times, transferred to them, in imagination, a portion of the sanctity and reverence due to him who used them, or to that Divine power which was transmitted through them. This applied not only to the staves, robes, and mantles of prophets while living, but to such things as their bones also, and even their very gravestones, when dead. It is now common to bind on or wrap round the sick some part of the robes of reputed saints, in the belief that healing virtue will be communicated from it." Morier says, "At a short distance, near the roadside, we saw the burial-place of a Persian saint, enclosed by very rude walls. Close to it grew a small bush, upon the branches of which were tied a variety of rags and remnants of garments. The Persians conceive that these rags, from their vicinity to the saint, acquire peculiar preservative virtues against sickness; and, substituting others, they take bits away, and, tying them about their persons, use them as talismans." How far God was pleased to fit in with the common sentiment of the age, in his gracious condescension, requires consideration; we may observe that such special manifestations of miraculous powers were strictly temporary, limited to the particular occasion for which they were required. We view these "special miracles" as the outward sign of three things.
I GOD"S APPROVAL OF ST. PAUL"S ACTION IN SEPARATING THE DISCIPLES. That action had been intensely trying to the apostle himself; and a very questionable thing to the view of the synagogue folk, and of the disciples who followed the apostle. If miraculous attestations had been withheld just at this juncture, the enemies of St. Paul would have been enabled to assert the Divine disapproval of his conduct, and St. Paul would himself have been disheartened. Compare how graciously now God often gives success to his servants when they are called to take special action; giving them converts in unusual numbers, and so silencing their adversaries.
II GOD"S ATTESTING PRESENCE WITH THE CHURCH"S LIFE AND LABOR. In those days miracles were the strong affirmation, is with us." The very point of them is that they were wrought in the power of God. The very purpose of them is to bring home to men"s hearts the conviction that what the miracle-worker says is from God, seeing that, so evidently, what he does is from God. Miracles are needed when men are dependent on outward and sensible proofs. Miracles are not needed when men are able to estimate moral and spiritual proofs. And, therefore, miracles are not needed now.
III GOD"S CONDESCENSION IN PERSUADING THE EPHESIANS BY ADAPTING HIS DEALINGS TO THEIR SENTIMENTS. They were inclined to magic, and based their belief on superstitious rites. God would not admit the truth of their "black arts," but he would consider the tone and temper of mind which characterized them, and adapt his dealings so as to meet their prejudices and persuade them. So teaching us that while we must never misrepresent or prejudice God"s truth, we must always seek so to know men that we may adapt our presentations of truth to them, and meet them on their more impressionable sides. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 11, 12. God wrought special miracles. If miracles are…
11, 12. God wrought special miracles. If miracles are wrought, it is always God's work, and he can work them as he wills. In this case, in order to magnify the name of his preacher, he let his power go with articles that were carried from Paul to the sick. The Lord, in his wisdom, can make use of any instrument he chooses.
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.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain 11, 12. We see divine healing became an exceedingly…
11, 12. We see divine healing became an exceedingly prominent auxiliary of the spiritual work during the Pauline revival at Ephesus, so that diseases were removed and demons exorcised by the mere application of handkerchiefs and aprons, carried from the body of Paul and applied to the bodies of the persons thus possessed of diseases and demons.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain See notes on verse 8
See notes on verse 8
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.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Here the words "them" and "they" refer to those who were sick.
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God was doing mighty deeds by the hands of Paul
Here "hands" stands for Paul's whole person. AT: "God was causing Paul to do miracles" or "God was doing miracles through Paul" (See: Synecdoche)
even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and
This can be stated in active form. AT: "when they took to sick people even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul"
even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him
Possible meanings are 1) these were cloth items that Paul had touched or 2) these were cloth items that Paul had worn or used.
handkerchiefs
cloths worn around the head
aprons
clothing worn on the front of the body to protect the clothes of people
the sick
This refers to sick people. AT: "sick people" or "those who were sick" (See: Nominal Adjectives)
their illnesses left them
"those who were sick became healthy"
translationWords
God
might
works
cure
demon
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 19:11-12 Paul, like other Christian evangelists (3:1-11; 4:22; 5:12-16;…
19:11-12 Paul, like other Christian evangelists (3:1-11; 4:22; 5:12-16; 6:8; 8:6-7, 13; 9:33-42), performed unusual miracles. • evil spirits were expelled: As Jesus and Peter had done (cp. 5:16; Mark 1:21-34; Luke 4:31-37).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.