And when Paul would have entered in unto the
people
In the theatre, in order to have preached to the people, and to
have removed their prejudices against him, and the Gospel
preached by him, and to have shown them the error and evil of
their idolatrous ways and worship, and to have reconciled them to
him, and his friends, and to have persuaded them to do them no
hurt; which shows the apostle's greatness of soul, his firmness,
constancy, and intrepidity, and his great concern and affection
for his companions, to risk his life in this manner: but
the disciples suffered him not;
the believers, the members of the church at Ephesus would by no
means agree to it, but dissuaded him from it; who hereby, on
their part, showed great love to him, and what a value they had
for him, and how much they esteemed the life of so great an
apostle, and faithful preacher of the Gospel. The Ethiopic
version renders it, "the apostles prohibited him"; but there were
none of that office with him.