Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 2:10
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
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 Saviours 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 – hoi epidemountes Romaioi. 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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 Ac 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 Ac 27:5. The chief city in it was Perga, where was a temple of Diana a, and here the Apostle Paul also was; see Ac 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 comments on Mt 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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 [] . See on 1Pe 1:1. Rev., rightly, sojourners.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Phrygia, and Pamphylia,” (phrigian te kai Pamphulian) “Those continually dwelling in both Phrygia and Pamphylia; These were Syrian Jews of the Dispersion.
2) “In Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene,” (Aigupton kai ta mere tes Libues tes kata Kurenen) “in Egypt and the regions (areas) of Libya over against or alongside of Cyrene,” on the continent of Africa. These too had crossed the Mediterranean Sea to be at the great Pentecost. These were known as Egyptian Jews, perhaps last driven there under the Grecian Empire rule of Alexander.
3) “And strangers of Rome,” (kai hoi epidemountes Romaioi) “And those temporarily residing (dwelling in Jerusalem) who were Romans nationally,” from the European continent. They were known as Roman Jews.
4) “Jews and proselytes,” (loudaioi te kai proselutoi) “Who were both Jews and proselytes,” heard of Jesus in their own Roman dialect, as the newly empowered church witnessed of Jesus. Proselytes were Jews converted from heathenism.
Thus one is to realize there were four classes of Dispersed Jews from three continents in Jerusalem on that occasion:
1) The Eastern or Babylonian.
2) The Syrian.
3) The Egyptian.
4) The Roman.
Whether many of these were born in other nations, on other continents, thereafter came to Jerusalem and established citizenship, is not certain, but whether temporary or permanent dwellers all heard and understood the gospel plainly.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(10) Strangers of Rome . . .Better, the Romans who were sojourning therei.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. Lukes 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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Act 2:10. Strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, That is, Jews and proselytes who were by birth or habitation Romans, but now sojourned at Jerusalem. That there were great multitudes of Jews who dwelt at Rome,is evident not only from Josephus, but from Dio, Suetonius, Tacitus, and, I think we may say, all the Roman authors of that time, not excepting even the poets; and that there were not a few in that great city proselyted to the Jewish religion, sufficiently appears from the Satires of Horace, Juvenal, and Persius. The wonderful works of God, in the next verse, mean the several dispensations of God to mankind in the successive ages of the world, and particularly concerning the resurrection of Christ, and the Messiah’s kingdom. The original is expressive, : as if the dispensation of God in Jesus, was the only great and magnificent work of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. ] of Strabo, xii. 8: Jos. Antt. xvi. 2. 2. It was at this time part of the Roman province of Asia.
] A small district, extending along the coast from Olbia (Strabo, xiv. 4), or Phaselis (Plin. Act 2:27 ), to Ptolemais (Strabo, l. c). It was a separate tributary district ( , Jos. B. J. ii. 16. 4): we find it classed with Galatia and ruled by the same person, Tac. Hist. ii. 9.
] Having enumerated the principal districts of Asia Minor, the catalogue passes (see above on the arrangement, Act 2:9 ) 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.
. . . . ] 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. Act 6:9 ). Several were Christian converts: see ch. Act 11:20 ; Act 13:1 .
] ‘The Roman Jews dwelling (or then being) in Jerusalem,’ see ref. The comma after is better retained (against Wordsw.).
. . . .] This refers more naturally to the whole of the past catalogue, than merely to the Roman Jews. The 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 . is epexegetic of preceding.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Egypt, &c. These were from Africa.
strangers, &c. = sojourners from Rome. Greek. epidemeo. Only here and Act 17:21.
proselytes. See note on Mat 23:15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10. ] of Strabo, xii. 8: Jos. Antt. xvi. 2. 2. It was at this time part of the Roman province of Asia.
] A small district, extending along the coast from Olbia (Strabo, xiv. 4), or Phaselis (Plin. Act 2:27), to Ptolemais (Strabo, l. c). It was a separate tributary district ( , Jos. B. J. ii. 16. 4): we find it classed with Galatia and ruled by the same person, Tac. Hist. ii. 9.
] Having enumerated the principal districts of Asia Minor, the catalogue passes (see above on the arrangement, Act 2:9) 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.
. . . . ] 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. Act 6:9). Several were Christian converts: see ch. Act 11:20; Act 13:1.
] The Roman Jews dwelling (or then being) in Jerusalem, see ref. The comma after is better retained (against Wordsw.).
. . . .] This refers more naturally to the whole of the past catalogue, than merely to the Roman Jews. The 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 . is epexegetic of preceding.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 2:10. , Egypt) This region especially abounded in Jews.- , the parts) more than one.-, Cyrene) a city of Libya towards the west, and therefore in a part of Libya even more remote.- , 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.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Phrygia: Act 16:6, Act 18:23
Pamphylia: Act 13:13, Act 14:24, Act 15:38, Act 27:5
Egypt: Gen 12:10, Isa 19:23-25, Jer 9:26, Hos 11:1, Mat 2:15, Rev 11:8
Libya: Jer 46:9, Eze 30:5, Dan 11:43
Cyrene: Act 6:9, Act 11:20, Act 13:1, Mar 15:21
strangers: Act 18:2, Act 23:11, Act 28:15, Rom 1:7, Rom 1:15, 2Ti 1:17
Jews: Act 6:5, Act 13:43, Est 8:17, Zec 8:20, Zec 8:23
Reciprocal: 2Ch 6:32 – if they come 2Ch 12:3 – Lubims Mat 23:15 – proselyte Mat 27:32 – Cyrene Luk 23:26 – a Cyrenian Act 28:16 – Rome 1Pe 1:1 – Pontus
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Act 2:10. Phrygia lay on the east of Asia, but the greater part of it was then reckoned in that great province.
Pamphylia, a small division extending along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, was a tributary district. From these five provinces of Asia Minor St. Luke passes to the south.
Egypt. The vast numbers of Jewish residents in Egypt had necessitated the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into a language they could understand. The Greek Version prepared for them was known as the Septuagint. Owing to the numbers who used it, it acquired a peculiar authority, and was reverenced as almost an inspired translation. Two-fifths of the population of the great city Alexandria were said to have been Jews. They had an ethnarch of their own.
The prate of Libya about Cyrene. Libya lay to the west of Egypt. Cyrene was a large city of Libya, where the Jews, says Strabo (in Josephus), amounted to a fourth part of the whole population. The Jews of Cyrene were so numerous in Jerusalem that they had a special synagogue of their own (Act 6:9). Simon, who bore the Saviours cross at Golgotha, was a Cyrenian.
Strangers from Borne. Roman Jews who had made their home at Jerusalem, some as pilgrims, some as permanent residents. These were, no doubt, a Latin-speaking people. Tacit us speaks of the great number of Jews dwelling in Rome as exciting the jealousy of the government.
Jews and proselytes. This has reference not merely to the Romans last named, but to all the countries contained in the catalogue. It divides the various foreign hearers of the disciples inspired words into two classesJews by birth, and proselyte converts from heathenism.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 6
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, {f} Jews and proselytes,
(f) By Jews he means those that were both Jews by birth and Jews by profession of religion, though they were born in other places: and these latter ones were proselytes, who were born Gentiles, and embraced the Jewish religion.