Acts 21:19

19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

Acts 21:19 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 21:19

And when he had saluted them
James and the elders with him; which was either done by a kiss, as the Arabic version adds; or by asking of their health, and wishing a continuance of it, and all prosperity to attend them: the Ethiopic version reads,

they saluted him;
and no doubt the salutations were reciprocal:

he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the
Gentiles by his ministry;
it is very likely that this account begins where that ends, which he had delivered in the presence of James, and others, some years ago, ( Acts 15:12 ) and takes in all his travels and ministry, and the success of it; not only in Syria, Cilicia, and Lycaonia, after he had set out from Antioch again, but in Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia; as at Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, and elsewhere: he declared, what multitudes of souls were converted, and what numbers of churches were planted; and this he ascribes not to himself, but to the power and grace of God, which had attended his ministry; he was only an instrument, God was the efficient, and ought to have the glory.

Acts 21:19 In-Context

17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law;

21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.