They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.
Parallel Translations
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They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.
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Some of the company drue forth Alexander the Iewes thrustynge him forwardes. Alexander beckened with the honde and wolde have geven the people an answer.
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And some of the company drew foorth Alexander, the Iewes thrusting him forwards. Alexander then beckened with the hande, and woulde haue excused the matter to the people.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Acts 19:33 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Acts 12:17 But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
- 1 Timothy 1:20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
- 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds,
- Luke 1:22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
- Acts 13:16 Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
- Acts 21:40–22:1 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”
- Acts 24:10 When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense,
- Acts 26:1-2 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,
- Philippians 1:7 It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 33. They drew out Alexander. It is to be…
33. They drew out Alexander. It is to be thought that the Jews did not send forth this Alexander to plead the common cause of the nation, but that they were desirous to bring him before the people that he might be murdered. Nevertheless, the name Jew made him to be so hated, that they did outrageously refuse whatsoever he was about to speak in the matter and cause; yea, he did hardly escape with his life in such an uproar. Moreover, it is uncertain whether this be that Alexander of whom Paul maketh mention elsewhere, (1 Timothy 1:20; and 2 Timothy 4:14) yet the conjecture seemeth to me allowable. But and if we believe that it is he, let us learn by this fearful example to walk circumspectly, lest Satan carry us away into like falling away [defection]. For we see that he who was at the point to suffer martyrdom, became a treacherous and wicked revolt [apostate].
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 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude,…
33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Ver. 33. And they drew Alexander] The coppersmith, who was here near to martyrdom, yet afterwards made shipwreck of the faith, 1Ti 1:19-20, and did the apostle much evil, and greatly withstood not his person only, but his preachings, 2Ti 4:15-16, which was a sin of a high and heinous nature.
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Would have made his defence] He would have excused his countrymen the Jews (who therefore put him forward), and have turned all the rage of the people upon the apostles. But by a sweet providence of God he could not have audience.
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 They drew Alexander out of the multitude, where he…
They drew Alexander out of the multitude, where he could not be seen and heard, unto some more convenient place, from whence he might make a vindication or defence for them; and that most likely in behalf of the Jews, who were equally obnoxious to the rage of the people for being against their idolatry, as the Christians were. This
Alexander is thought to have been that Alexander of whom we read, 1Ti 1:20; 2Ti 4:14; though some think that this was another of that name.
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Beckoned with the hand, to procure silence; as Act 12:17.
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 For ye have brought hither these men,.... The Arabic…
For ye have brought hither these men,.... The Arabic version reads, "these two men"; that is, Gaius and Aristarchus, whom they had brought by force into the theatre to fight with wild beasts:
which are neither robbers of churches; or "temples"; or, as the Arabic version renders it, "robbers of the vessels of the temple", sacrilegious persons; they have not stolen anything out of the temple of Diana, nor any other:
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nor yet blasphemers of your goddess; they have not made mention of her name, much less said anything against her, at least this officer did not know that they had; and if he had, he did not stick to tell an officious lie to screen them, as did the Egyptian midwives in favour of the Hebrew women.
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 And they thrust forward - Namely, the artificers and…
And they thrust forward - Namely, the artificers and workmen, Alexander - Probably some well-known Christian whom they saw in the crowd: the Jews pushing him on - To expose him to the more danger. And Alexander waving with his hand - In token of desiring silence, would have made a defense - For himself and his brethren.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 33. They drew Alexander out of the multitude,…
Verse 33. They drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward] From this and the following verses it is pretty evident that this Alexander was brought forward on this occasion by the Jews, that he might make an oration to the multitude, in order to exculpate the Jews, who were often by the heathens confounded with the Christians; and cast the whole blame of the uproar upon Paul and his party. And he was probably chosen because he was an able speaker; and when he beckoned with his hand; to gain an audience, the Greeks, knowing that he was a Jew, and consequently as much opposed to the worship of Diana as Paul was, would not hear him; and therefore, to drown his apology, τω δημω, for the people, viz. the Jews, they vociferated for the space of two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians! There does not seem any just ground from the text to suppose that this Alexander was a Christian; or that he was about to make an apology for the Christians: it is generally believed that he is the same with Alexander the coppersmith, of whom St. Paul speaks, 2Ti 4:14, and whom, with Philetus, he was obliged to excommunicate, 1Ti 1:20. By the Jews putting him forward, we are to understand their earnestness to get him to undertake their defence, and criminate, as much as possible, St. Paul and his companions, and the Christian cause in general; which he would no doubt have done, without vindicating the worship of Diana, which, as a Jew, he would not dare to attempt.
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 19:33-34. And they — Namely, the artificers and…
Act 19:33-34. And they — Namely, the artificers and workmen; drew — Greek, προεβιβασαν, thrust forward; Alexander — Probably some well- known Christian whom they saw in the crowd; the Jews — Whom he had offended by embracing the gospel; pushing him forward — To expose him to the enraged multitude, as one who was active in destroying the established religion. And Alexander, beckoning with his hand — In token of desiring silence; would have made a defence — For himself and his brethren. But, when they knew he was a Jew — And consequently an enemy to their religion and the worship of images, they would not suffer him to speak; but all with one voice (the whole multitude uniting as one man) vociferated, Great is Diana of the Ephesians — This was all the cry for two hours together; and it was thought a sufficient confutation of Paul’s doctrine, that they are no gods which are made with hands! and thus the most sacred truths are often run down with nothing else but noise and clamour and popular fury! It was said of old, (Jer 50:38,) concerning idolaters, that they were mad upon their idols; and here is an instance of it: Diana made the Ephesians great, for the town was enriched by the vast concourse of people from all parts to her temple there, and therefore they are concerned, by all means possible, to keep up her sinking reputation, and hope to do it effectually with, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!
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 And they drew Alexander - Who this Alexander was…
And they drew Alexander - Who this Alexander was is not known. Grotius supposes that it was “Alexander the coppersmith, who had in some way done Paul much harm 2Ti 4:14; and whom, with Philetus, Paul had excommunicated. He supposes that it was a device of the Jews to put forward one who had been of the Christian party, in order to accuse Paul, and to attempt to cast the odium of the tumult on him. But it is not clear that the Alexander whom Paul had excommunicated was the person concerned in this transaction. All that appears in this narrative is, that Alexander was one who was known to be a Jew, and who wished to defend the Jews from being regarded as the authors of this tumult. It would be supposed by the pagan that the Christians Were only a sect of the Jews, and the Jews wished, doubtless, to show that they had not been concerned in giving occasion to this tumult, but that it was to be traced wholly to Paul and his friends.
The Jews putting him forward - That he might have a convenient opportunity to speak to the people.
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Would have made his defence - Our translation, by the phrase “his defense,” would seem to imply that he was personally accused. But it was not so. The Greek is simply, “was about to apologize to the people”; that is, to make a defense, not of himself particularly, but of the Jews in general. The translation should have been “a defense.”
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 they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews…
they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward--rather, "some of the multitude urged forward Alexander, the Jews thrusting him forward." As the blame of such a tumult would naturally be thrown upon the Jews, who were regarded by the Romans as the authors of all religious disturbances, they seem to have put forward this man to clear them of all responsibility for the riot. (BENGEL'S conjecture, that this was Alexander the coppersmith, Ti2 4:14, has little to support it).
beckoned with the hand--compare Act 13:16; Act 21:40.
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would have made his defence--"offered to speak in defense."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 33. They—A portion of the crowd. That there should…
33. They—A portion of the crowd. That there should be three Alexanders, all of Ephesus, each coming into relation with Paul, and each mentioned as a well known character, is quite inadmissible. The facts were, perhaps, thus: Certain friends of Paul nominated Alexander, a Jewish convert, to make defence for the prisoners, and the Jews, in order to expose the apostate to danger, push him on, but his Jewish features induce the crowd to clamour him down. After that he became a heretic (1 Timothy 1:25) and an enemy of Paul, (2Ti_4:14.)
The Jews—The Jews pushed him forward after he was prompted by other parties. Those other parties not being Jews, but intending a defence, must have been friends to the prisoners, probably Christians.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 33. And they drew (Rev. Ver. brought) Alexander out…
33. And they drew (Rev. Ver. brought) Alexander out of the multitude] There is a various reading in the verb here; and the sense may be “And some of the multitude instructed Alexander.” The verb in the Text. Recept. is the same which is used of the daughter of Herodias being instructed by her mother what she should ask. What appears to have been intended was that Alexander should explain on behalf of the Jews, that he and his fellow-Jews had no more sympathy with St Paul than the heathen multitude. It is just possible that this Alexander may be the same with him who is mentioned 2Ti_4:14.
the Jews putting him forward] This appears to make it clear that he was no Christian. For the Jews could have had no interest in bringing forward anybody who would speak in defence of St Paul. But they were clearly concerned in hindering, if they could, this uproar, raised against one who to the heathen would be counted as a Jew, from developing into a general attack on their race. We see that this might be no unlikely result, for the crowd, recognising the Jewish face of the intending speaker, would not hear a word that he had to say.
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And Alexander … his defence unto the people] Better, a defence. There was no charge against which he had to defend himself, and he need never have been heard of, had not the Jews put him forward to be the mouthpiece of their disclaimer.
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 (33) And they drew Alexander out of the multitude…
(33) And they drew Alexander out of the multitude . . .—The fact that he was put forward by the Jews indicates, probably, that they were anxious to guard against the suspicion that they were at all identified with St. Paul or his companions. If we identify this Alexander with the “coppersmith” of 2Ti_4:14, who wrought so much evil against the Apostle on his third and last visit to Ephesus, we may assume some trade-connection with Demetrius which would give him influence with the crowd of artisans. His apologia, or defence, was obviously made by him as the representative of the Jews. The whole scene is again painted vividly—the vain attempt to gain a hearing by signs and gestures, the fury of the people on recognising his Jewish features and dress, their ready assumption that all Jews were alike in abhorring idols. Perhaps, also, they may have known or suspected that that abhorrence was sometimes accompanied by a readiness to traffic in what had been stolen from the idol’s temple. St. Paul’s words in Rom_2:22 may have had a personal application. The language of the town-clerk in Act_19:37 suggests the same thought. He could point to Aristarchus and Gaius, and say emphatically, “These men are not robbers of temples, whatever others may be.”
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 Brought for drew, A.V. and T.R.; a defense for…
Brought for drew, A.V. and T.R.; a defense for his defense, A.V. (ajpologeisqai). Alexander. Some think he is the same as "Alexander the coppersmith," of whose conduct St. Paul complains so bitterly (2Ti_4:14, 2Ti_4:15; 1Ti_1:20) and he may or may not be. It seems likely that, as St. Paul"s offence was speaking against the gods and their temples, the Jews, who were commonly accused of being atheists, and one of whose nation Paul was, came in for their share of the popular odium. They were anxious, therefore, to excuse themselves before the people of having had any share in St. Paul"s work, and put forward Alexander, no doubt a clever man and a good speaker, to make their defense. But as soon as the people knew that he was a Jew, they refused to listen to him, and drowned his voice with incessant shouts of "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Meyer, however, thinks he was a Christian, because of the word ajpologeisqai. The people (dhmov, as ver. 30). It was a true ejkklhsia, though an irregular one, and the people who formed it were the dhmov, different from the oclov, the mere crowd outside.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain See notes on verse 32
See notes on verse 32
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 This is the name of a man. (See: How…
Alexander
This is the name of a man. (See: How to Translate Names)
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motioned with his hand
You can make explicit that Alexander was showing the crowd that he wanted them to be quiet. AT: "gestured to the crowd to be quiet" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
to give an explanation
"wanting to explain"
with one voice
The shouting together of the people at the same time is spoken of as though they were speaking with one voice. AT: "in unison" or "together" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
Jew
hour
Ephesus
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.