Acts 19:30

30 But [when] Paul wanted to enter into the popular assembly, the disciples would not let him.

Acts 19:30 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 19:30

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.

Acts 19:30 In-Context

28 And [when they] heard [this] and became full of rage, they began to shout, saying, "Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians!"

29 And the city was filled with the tumult, and with one purpose they rushed into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians [who were] traveling companions of Paul.

30 But [when] Paul wanted to enter into the popular assembly, the disciples would not let him.

31 And even some of the Asiarchs who were his friends sent [word] to him [and] were urging [him] not to risk himself [by going] into the theater.

32 So some were shouting [one thing] [and] some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know {why} they had assembled.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("wanted")