Acts 19:39

But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δέ de	G1161	but · conjunction
if	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
enquire	ἐπιζητεῖτε, epizēteite	G1934	to search (inquire) for · verb — present active indicative, 2nd person plural
thing	τι ti	G5100	some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — accusative singular neuter
concerning	περί perí	G4012	properly
matters	ἕτερος héteros	G2087	(an-
determined	ἐπιλυθήσεται. epiluthēsetai	G1956	to solve further · verb — future passive indicative, 3rd person singular
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
lawful	ἐννόμῳ ennomō	G1772	(subjectively) legal · adjective — dative singular feminine
assembly	ἐκκλησίᾳ ekklēsia	G1577	a calling out · noun — dative singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 19:21–end

I. Paul is here brought into some trouble at Ephesus, just when he is forecasting to go thence, and to cut out work for himself elsewhere. See here, 1. How he laid his purpose of going to other places, Act 19:21, Act 19:22. He was a man of vast designs for God, and was for making his influences as widely diffusive as might be. Having spent above two years at Ephesus, (1.) He designed a visit to the churches of Macedonia and Achaia, especially of Philippi and Corinth, the chief cities of those provinces, Act 19:21. There he had planted churches, and now is concerned to visit them. He purposed in the spirit, either in his own spirit, not communicating his purpose as yet, but keeping it to hims…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 19:39

if ye inquire--"have any question." concerning other matters--of a public nature.

Adam Clarke on Acts 19:39

But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters - In which the safety of the state, or the national worship, is concerned, know that such a matter is not the business of the mob; it must be heard and determined in a lawful assembly, εν τη εννομῳ εκκλησιᾳ, one legally constituted, and properly authorized to hear and determine on the subject.

John Gill on Acts 19:39

But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters,.... Than what belongs to the craft and business of Demetrius, and the artificers: it shall be determined in a lawful assembly; that is, called together according to law, and who have a right to hear, try, and judge causes, which such a confused lawless assembly as this in the theatre had not.

John Calvin on Acts 19:35–end

Acts 19:35-40 35. And when the town-clerk had pacified the multitude, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is he that knoweth not the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image that came down from Jupiter? 36. And seeing these things are out of question, you must be quiet, and do nothing rashly. 37. For ye have brought men which are neither church-robbers, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 38. But and if Demetrius and the craftsmen that are with him have a matter against any man, there be open assemblies, and there be deputies: let them accuse one another. 39. But and if there be any other matter in question, it shall be decided in a lawful assembl…

The Church Fathers

"But if ye enquire anything concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly." "A lawful assembly," he says, for there were three assemblies according to law in each month; but this one was contrary to law.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 42

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Church — Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., “the Lord’s house”), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia,…
Diana — So called by the Romans; called Artemis by the Greeks, the “great” goddess worshipped among heathen nations under various modifications. Her most noted temple was that at Ephesus. It was built…
John, Third Epistle of — Is addressed to Caius, or Gaius, but whether to the Christian of that name in Macedonia (Acts 19: 29) or in Corinth (Rom. 16:23) or in Derbe (Acts 20:4) is uncertain. It was written for the purpose…
Citizens · DUTIES OF — DUTIES OF
Mob · At Ephesus — At Ephesus
Tact · The town clerk of Ephesus — The town clerk of Ephesus

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 19:21–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 19:39

Adam Clarke on Acts 19:39

John Gill on Acts 19:39

John Calvin on Acts 19:35–end

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 19:21–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 19:39

Adam Clarke on Acts 19:39

John Gill on Acts 19:39

John Calvin on Acts 19:35–end

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Acts 19:35-41