Acts 18:7

7 And departing thence he came to the house of a certain [man], by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue.

Acts 18:7 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:7

And he departed thence
. Not from Corinth, but from the synagogue:

and entered into a certain man's house named Justus;
he did not return to Aquila and Priscilla, because they were Jews, lest he should be thought not to abide by his words, that he would henceforth go to the Gentiles; wherefore as he came out of the synagogue, he turned into a house adjoining to it, which belonged to one Justus: in one copy of Beza's, and in some others, and in the Vulgate Latin version, he is called "Titus Justus"; and in the Arabic version, "Titus the son of Justus"; the Syriac version only reads "Titus": whether this is not the same Titus, who afterwards was a companion of the apostle, and to whom he wrote an epistle, may be inquired.

One that worshipped God;
a Gentile, but a religious man, such an one as Cornelius: he might be a proselyte either of the gate, or of righteousness; though if he was the same with Titus, he could not be the latter, because he was not circumcised, ( Galatians 2:3 ) whose house joined hard to the synagogue; had this man been a Jew, his house might very well have been taken for the house which was (tonkh tybl Kwmo) , "near to the synagogue", in which travellers were entertained, and ate, and drank, and lodged ^F9; and that he was the person appointed to take care of them, and so a very suitable house for Paul, a stranger, to take up his lodging in. The Ethiopic version adds, very wrongly, taking it from the beginning of the next verse, "because he was the ruler of the synagogue"; as if Justus was the ruler of the synagogue; and this the reason why his house was so near; whereas not he, but Crispus, was the ruler, as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Vid. Maggid Misna in Maimon. Hilchot Sabbat, c. 29. sect. 3. & Gloss. in T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 10. 1. & in Bava Bathra, fol. 3. 2.

Acts 18:7 In-Context

5 And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

6 But as they opposed and spoke injuriously, he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: *I* [am] pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations.

7 And departing thence he came to the house of a certain [man], by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue.

8 But Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptised.

9 And the Lord said by vision in [the] night to Paul, Fear not, but speak and be not silent;

Footnotes

• [a] See Note, ch. 13.43.