Acts 18:15

15 but if questions be of the word, and of names of your law, busy yourselves [ye yourselves see]; I will not be doomsman of these things.

Acts 18:15 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:15

But if it be a question of words
"Or of the word", what the Jews called the word of God, which Gallio did not pretend to understand: "and names"; as the names of God, of Jesus, and of Christ, whether he is God, and the Messiah:

and of your law;
concerning circumcision, whether these Christians, and the proselytes they make, are obliged unto it:

look ye to it;
suggesting that this was a matter that lay before them, and they were the proper judges of, and might determine for themselves, since they had the free exercise of their religion, and a right of judging of everything that respected that within themselves, and for which they were best furnished, as having a more competent knowledge of them; as the Arabic version renders it, "and ye are more learned in these things"; and most conversant with them:

for I will be no judge of such matters;
and it would be well if every civil magistrate would act the same part, and not meddle with religious affairs, any further than to preserve the public peace.

Acts 18:15 In-Context

13 and said [saying], Against the law this counseleth men to worship God.
14 And when Paul began to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If there were any wicked thing, either evil trespass, ye Jews, rightly I should suffer you; [+Soothly when Paul began to open the mouth, Gallio said to Jews, Forsooth, if there were any wicked thing, or worst trespass, ye men Jews, rightly I should sustain you;]
15 but if questions be of the word, and of names of your law, busy yourselves [ye yourselves see]; I will not be doomsman of these things.
16 And he drove them from the doom place.
17 And all took Sosthenes, prince of the synagogue, and smote him before the doom place; and nothing of these was to care to Gallio [and nothing of these was to charge to Gallio].
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.