Acts 9:33

33 And he found [there] a man, Aeneas by name, that from eight years he had lain bed-ridden; and he was sick in the palsy. [Forsooth he found there some man, Aeneas by name, from eight years lying in bed; the which was sick in palsy.]

Acts 9:33 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 9:33

And there he found a certain man
In a house in that city, into which he entered:

named Aeneas;
which is a Gentile name, and so might the person be; though there is mention made of this name among the Jews. We read of one R. Samuel Bar, (ayyna) "Aenea, or Aeneas" ^F12; but it was more common among the Greeks. Aeneas the Trojan is well known in history, who, after the destruction of Troy, went into Italy, and settled there; and from him the Trojans are sometimes called Aeneadae. The name comes from the Greek word (ainw) , "ainoo", which signifies "to praise"; and Aeneas is one "worthy of praise": though Jerom ^F13 takes it to be an Hebrew name, which he interprets "one that answers", or a "poor man", or "misery"; as if it came from the Hebrew word (hne) , "anah", which signifies "to answer, or to afflict".

Which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy;
so that the distemper was grown stubborn, and thought incurable; nor perhaps had he, or his friends, any hope of his ever being restored to health again.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 T. Hieros. Yebamot, fol. 6. 2. & Midrash Kohelet, fol. 73. 3.
F13 De Nominibus Hebraicis, fol. 105. H.

Acts 9:33 In-Context

31 And the church by all Judaea, and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, and was edified, and walked in the dread of the Lord, and was filled with comfort of the Holy Ghost [walking in the dread of the Lord, and was full-filled in the comfort of the Holy Ghost].

32 And it befelled, that Peter, the while he passed about all [+Forsooth it was made, that Peter, while he passed by all], came to the holy men that dwelled at Lydda.

33 And he found [there] a man, Aeneas by name, that from eight years he had lain bed-ridden; and he was sick in the palsy. [Forsooth he found there some man, Aeneas by name, from eight years lying in bed; the which was sick in palsy.]

34 And Peter said to him, Aeneas, the Lord Jesus Christ heal thee; rise thou, and array, either make ready, thee. And at once he rose [And anon he rose].

35 And all men that dwelt at Lydda, and at Saron [And all men that dwelled at Lydda, and Saron], saw him, which were converted to the Lord.