Then all the multitude kept silence
Upon this oration of Peter's, there was a profound silence in the
whole assembly, among all the brethren of the church, who were
come together on this occasion; they were all satisfied with, and
by their silence acquiesced in, what Peter said; and waited to
hear what might be further said about this matter, by other
persons in the assembly; and even those who were on the other
side of the question, were confounded and nonplussed, and knew
not what to say, and the more so, when they perceived that the
rest of the apostles and elders were of the same mind; for Beza's
most ancient copy introduces this clause thus; "then the elders
agreeing to the things that were said by Peter, the whole
multitude was silent": and this gave Paul and Barnabas an
opportunity of being heard; who, perhaps, could not so well be
heard before, for the clamour of the people against them, who
might not have so good an opinion of them, and of their
practices:
and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul;
Barnabas is mentioned first, he being most known to the Jews, and
of whom they might have the better opinion; and who probably gave
the account of their proceedings and success among the Gentiles:
declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among
the
Gentiles by them;
what wonders of grace were wrought in the conversion of
multitudes of them, wherever they came; and what miracles in
nature were wrought for the confirmation of the Gospel, such as
the striking blind Elymas the sorcerer, at Paphos in Cyprus, and
curing the cripple at Lystra; and which they ascribe not to
themselves but to God, whose instruments they only were.
