Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 14:25
And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
25. when they had preached ( spoken) the word in Perga ] which they do not appear to have done when they passed through it before. See Act 13:13-14, note.
Attalia ] A seaport of Pamphylia, at the mouth of the river Catarrhactes. For its history see Dictionary of the Bible. The Apostles had sailed, as they came from Paphos, directly to Perga, which they reached by coming some way up the river Cestrus. Now they go by land from Perga to the seacoast at Attalia, where there was more likelihood of finding a vessel in which they could sail into Syria.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In Perga – See the notes on Act 13:13.
They went down into Attalia – Attalia had something of the same relation to Perga which Cadiz has to Seville. In each case the latter city is approached by a river voyage, and the former is more conveniently placed on the open sea. Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamus, whose dominions extended from the northwestern corner of Asia Miner to the Sea of Pamphylia, had built this city in a convenient position for commanding the trade of Syria or Egypt. When Alexander the Great passed this way, no such city was in existence; but since the days of the kings of Pergamus, who inherited a fragment of his vast empire, Attalia has always existed and flourished, retaining the name of the monarch who built it. Its ancient site is not now certainly known (Life and Epistles of Paul, vol. i. pp. 200, 201). It is probable that it is the modern Satalia.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 25. They went down into Attalia] This was a sea-port town in Pamphylia. Thus we find the apostles travelled from Derbe to Lystra; from Lystra to Iconium; from Iconium to Antioch of Pisidia; from Antioch to Perga in Pamphylia; and from Perga to Attalia; and it appears that they travelled over three provinces of Asia Minor, Pamphylia, Lycaonia, and Pisidia. See Calmet, and see the map.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The word; the gospel, the word of the Lord; or Christ, who is the word, and who is the sum of what the ministers of the gospel preach about.
Perga: mentioned Act 8:13; a city, or as some, a country, in Pamphylia, by the sea side. But the bounds of provinces were often altered by the Romans, and some made larger, and others lesser.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. when they had preached the wordin Perganow doing what, for some reason, they had not done ontheir former visit, but probably with no visible fruit.
they went down into Attailaaseaport on the Gulf of Pamphylia, drawing to itself the commerce ofEgypt and Syria.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had preached the word in Perga,…. A city in Pamphylia, Ac 13:13. The Alexandrian copy, and others, and three manuscripts of Beza’s, read, “the word of the Lord”; as do the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions: they went down into “Attalia”; not Italia or Italy, as some Latin copies, and as the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read; but a city in Pamphylia, bordering on the sea, as Ptolomy writes b; as this place did, as appears by what follows. So Jerom says c, that Attalia is a city of Pamphylia, on the sea coast; it was formerly the metropolis of it: it is now in the hands of the Turks, and is called Sattalia; near it is a bay, called Golfo di Sattalia, where there is a considerable mart for the whole country: it is famous for tapestry, which is made in it: it had its name from Attalus, king of Pergamus, the first founder of it. Beza’s ancient copy here adds, “preaching the Gospel to them”; to the inhabitants of Attalia, and doubtless with success, though no mention is made of it here, nor elsewhere, nor of any church in this place; nor do we read of any in ecclesiastical history until the “sixth” century, when Dionysius, bishop of Attalia, is said to be present in the fifth synod at Rome d; unless Attalia, called a city of Lycia, can be thought to be the same with this, of which another Dionysius was bishop in the fifth century; and assisted at the council of Chalcedon e.
b Geograh. l. 5, c. 5. c De locis Hebraicis. fol. 95. K. d Magdeburg. Hist. Eccles. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 4. e Ib. cent. 5. c. 10. p. 589.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “And when they had preached the word of God in Perga,” (kai lalesantes eis ten Pargen ton logon) “And having repeatedly preached or spoken the word in Perga,” the first inland city of Asia Minor, they visited on this their first missionary tour, the particular city from which John Mark had earlier departed from them, Act 13:13; Act 15:38; Gal 6:9; Mark had not, at this point in life become persevering, abounding in the work of the Lord, 1Co 15:58.
2) “They went down into Attalia:” (katebesan eis Attaleian) “They came down into Attalia,” across the plain about sixteen miles toward the Mediterranean coast from Perga which was inland, The seaport is now called Satalia.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
14.
AT PERGA. Act. 14:25 a.
Act. 14:25
And when they had spoken the word in Perga,
Act. 14:25 a The mountain passes would not be open until the middle of May, so it must have been about this time that Paul and Barnabas bade their last farewells to the brethren at the Pisidian Antioch and made their way down to Perga where they seemed to have stayed some time preaching the Word as they had been unable to do so when there before. It has been suggested that upon the first visit to Perga the missionaries arrived in the middle of the summer and that it was the habit of the people of the town to leave the now sultry plains of Perga for the cooler climate of the mountains back of the city. Hence there was not opportunity to preach on the first visit.
15.
AT ATTALIA. Act. 14:25 b.
Act. 14:25 b
they Went down to Attalia;
Act. 14:25 b Then, perhaps in July, they went to Attalia and sailed out of its small harbour, round which the streets now rise, one above the other, like the seats of a theatre, with a fringe of square towers surmounting the flat top of the hillsand then coasted along the land eastward, often in full view of the vast mountains, beyond which they had gathered to Christ, the first fruits of the Gentiles of Asia Minor, won with so much sufferings; and yet worth it all, as the earnest of the conversion of the great heathen world to the faith of the Cross (ibid, page 293).
492.
How far from Antioch to Perga?
493.
What time of the year was it when the Apostles left Antioch?
494.
Why not preach in Perga on the first visit?
495.
What was the physical appearance of Attalia?
496.
Explain the touching situation that must have faced the missionaries as they sailed homeward.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(25) And when they had preached the word in Perga.The travellers retrace their steps. There is a coincidence more or less striking in the report of what they did at Perga. In Act. 13:13 there is no mention of their having preached in that city. We are simply told that Mark left them there, and that they then went on to Antioch. On their return, accordingly, they did what they had then left undone.
They went down into Attalia.On their first journey they had gone straight from Paphos to Perga up the Cestrus. Now they made a dtour which led them to the port at the mouth of the Catarrhactes, named after Attalus Philadelphus, King of Pergamus. There is no record of any work done there, and they probably only went to it as the port where they were most likely to find a sailing-vessel that would take them to Antioch. Their ship would naturally pass between Cilicia and Cyprus, enter the Orontes at Seleucia, and sail up to Antioch.
Whence they had been recommended.Better, perhaps, commended, the compound form having slightly changed its meaning. The words seem to imply a mental survey on the part of the travellers of all that had passed since they had started on their journey. The grace of God, to which they had then been commended, had not failed them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. Perga (See note on Act 13:13.) Now on Paul’s return southward the inhabitants have returned, and he accordingly preached the word.
Into Attalia In going into Asia Minor they had sailed up the Cestrus; but in this their return they take a land route to Attalia, and there embark to Syrian Antioch.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 14:25. Attalia: This was a maritime town on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Some manuscripts and versions read here,and preaching the gospel there.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 14:25-26 . ] see on Act 13:13 .
Attalia (now Adalia; see Fellows, Travels in Asia Minor , p. 133 ff.) was a seaport of Pamphylia, at the mouth of the Catarrhactes, built by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamus. Strabo, xiv. 4, p. 667.
.] They returned to Syria, to the mother church which had sent them forth.
. . . .] from which they were commended to the grace of God for (the object) the work which they had accomplished . denotes the direction outwards , in which the recommendation of the apostles to the grace of God had taken place at Antioch. See Act 13:3 f. Comp. Act 15:40 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
25. ] A maritime town at the mouth of the river Catarrhactes, in Pamphylia, not far from the border of Lycia, built by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamus, in a convenient position to command the trade of Syria or Egypt. It is still an important place, called Satalia. (Winer, Realw. C. and H. i. p. 242.) To reach it they had to cross the plain from Perga.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 14:25 . . : in the beginning of their journey they probably made a slight stay at Perga, but without preaching there possibly for the reason mentioned above which prompted them to hurry on to Antioch, and possibly because, as C. and H. (so Felten) think, the inhabitants at the time of the Apostles’ first visit were all leaving Perga for the cool mountain districts, their summer retreats, whereas on the return journey of the missionaries Perga would again be full (C. and H., pp. 131, 158, smaller edition). ., see critical notes. , went down, i.e. , to the sea coast where Attalia lay, cf. Act 16:8 (Act 13:4 ), Jon 1:3 , so in classical Greek , to go up from the coast. : mentioned because it was the harbour of embarkation, and so called from Attalus II. Philadelphus, king of Pergamus, its builder, B.C. 159 138; is a port for the trade of Egypt and Syria, Strabo, xiv., 4. It bears the modern name of Adalia, and until quite recent days it was the chief harbour of the south coast of Asia Minor. See B.D. 2 , and Hastings’ B.D., “Attalia” (Ramsay). The distance from Perga was about sixteen miles, and the travellers would reach it across the plain: formerly they had gone up the Cestrus to Perga, and probably they now go to Attalia to find a ship for Antioch. See Hackett, in loco , and C. and H.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
preached = spoken. Greek. laleo. App-121.
Attalia. A town on the coast of Pamphylia. Greek. Attaleia.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25. ] A maritime town at the mouth of the river Catarrhactes, in Pamphylia, not far from the border of Lycia, built by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamus, in a convenient position to command the trade of Syria or Egypt. It is still an important place, called Satalia. (Winer, Realw. C. and H. i. p. 242.) To reach it they had to cross the plain from Perga.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Perga: Perga was a considerable city of Pamphylia, towards the sea coast, and near the Caystrus, famous for the temple of Diana.
Attalia: Attalia, now Antalia, or Satalie, was a maritime city of Pamphylia, the chief residence of the prefect. Act 14:25
Reciprocal: Mar 2:2 – and he Act 13:13 – Perga Act 15:36 – in every Rom 15:19 – so that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
Act 14:25. Perga was in Pamphylia, the city where Mark deserted the work. They again preached in that city before going on to the seaport town of Attalia in Lycia.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 14:25. And when they had preached the word in Perga. This was the second visit of the apostles to this place. On the first occasion they merely passed through it, now they formally preach the Gospel within its walls. The history of the Acts says nothing of success, recounts no opposition. We conclude, therefore, that few converts were the result of the missionaries labours. Apathy seems to have been the characteristic feature of the citizens; perhaps they cared for none of these things.
They went down into Attalia. This was a port on the Pamphylian Gulf, at no great distance from the important city of Perga. It was built and named after Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamos, who had built this city in a convenient position for commanding the trade of Syria or Egypt. Attalia was famous in the story of the Crusades, under the name of Sataleia, as the port whence King Louis of France, after his disastrous march through Anatolia, embarked with his knights and nobles for Antioch, leaving the plebeian crowd of infantry to perish at the foot of the Pamphylian hills, A.D. 1148.
It is now called Adalia, and is a harbour much frequented.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 24
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
14:25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into {h} Attalia:
(h) Attalia was a sea city of Pamphylia, near to Lycia.