Handelingen 18:15

15 Maar indien er geschil is over een woord, en namen, en over de wet, die onder u is, zo zult gij zelven toezien; want ik wil over deze dingen geen rechter zijn.

Handelingen 18:15 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:15

But if it be a question of words
"Or of the word", what the Jews called the word of God, which Gallio did not pretend to understand: "and names"; as the names of God, of Jesus, and of Christ, whether he is God, and the Messiah:

and of your law;
concerning circumcision, whether these Christians, and the proselytes they make, are obliged unto it:

look ye to it;
suggesting that this was a matter that lay before them, and they were the proper judges of, and might determine for themselves, since they had the free exercise of their religion, and a right of judging of everything that respected that within themselves, and for which they were best furnished, as having a more competent knowledge of them; as the Arabic version renders it, "and ye are more learned in these things"; and most conversant with them:

for I will be no judge of such matters;
and it would be well if every civil magistrate would act the same part, and not meddle with religious affairs, any further than to preserve the public peace.

Handelingen 18:15 In-Context

13 Zeggende: Deze raadt den mensen aan, dat zij God zouden dienen tegen de wet.

14 En als Paulus zijn mond zou opendoen, zeide Gallio tot de Joden: Zo er enig ongelijk, of kwaad stuk begaan ware, o Joden, zo zou ik met reden ulieden verdragen;

15 Maar indien er geschil is over een woord, en namen, en over de wet, die onder u is, zo zult gij zelven toezien; want ik wil over deze dingen geen rechter zijn.

16 En hij dreef hen weg van den rechterstoel.

17 Maar al de Grieken namen Sosthenes, den overste der synagoge, en sloegen hem voor den rechterstoel; en Gallio trok zich geen van deze dingen aan.