Acts 18 · Verse 12

Acts 18:12

And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Acts 18:12, King James Version

Acts 18:12 in other translations

BSBWhile Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.
WEBBut when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,
ASVBut when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat,
YLTAnd Gallio being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a rush with one accord upon Paul, and brought him unto the tribunal,
DARBYBut when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one consent rose against Paul and led him to the judgment-seat,
BBEBut when Gallio was ruler of Achaia, all the Jews together made an attack on Paul, and took him to the judge's seat,
WebsterAnd when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment-seat,

What does Acts 18:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 18:12-17
12-17. when Gallio was the deputy--"the proconsul." See on Ac 13:7. He was brother to the celebrated philosopher Seneca, the tutor of Nero, who passed sentence of death on both.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. And when Gallio. After the Romans had conquered Greece, they reduced it to two provinces, Macedonia and Achaia, which were each governed by a proconsul. Gallio was the brother of the celebrated philosopher Seneca, and was made proconsul of Achaia, A.D. 53. His proper name was Marcus Annaeus Novatus; but having been adopted into the family of Gallio, a rhetorician, he took his name. He is described by ancient writers as having been of a remarkably mild and amiable disposition. His brother Seneca (Pref. Quest. Natu. 4) describes him as being of the most lovely temper: "No mortal," says he, "was ever so mild to any one, as he was to all; and in him there was such a natural power of goodness, that there was no semblance of art or dissimulation."

Was the deputy. See this word explained in Acts 13:7. It means, here, proconsul.

Of Achaia. This word, in its largest sense, comprehended the whole of Greece. Achaia Proper, however, was a province of which Corinth was the capital. It embraced that part of Greece lying between Thessaly and the southern part of the Peloponnesus.

The Jews made insurrection. Excited a tumult, as they had in Philippi, Antioch, etc.

And brought him to the judgment seat. The tribunal of Gallio; probably intending to arraign him as a disturber of the peace.

(a) "judgment seat" Jas 2:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 When Gallio was the deputy of Achaia - The Romans comprehended, under the name of Achaia, all that part of Greece which lay between Thessaly and the southernmost coasts of Peloponnesus. Pausanias, in Attic. vii. 16, says that the Romans were accustomed to send a governor into that country, and that they called him the governor of Achaia, not of Greece; because the Achaeans, when they subdued Greece, were the leaders in all the Grecian affairs see also Suetonius, in his life of Claudius, cap. xxv., and Dio Cassius, lx. 24. Edit. Reimari. Deputy - Ανθυπατευοντος, serving the office of Ανθυπατος, or deputy: see the note on Act 13:7. Gallio - This deputy, or proconsul, was eldest brother to the celebrated Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the stoic philosopher, preceptor of Nero, and who is so well known among the learned by his works. The name of Gallio, was at first Marcus Annaeus Novatus; but, having been adopted in the family of Gallio, he took the name of Lucius Junius Gallio. He, and Annaeus Mela his brother, father of the poet Lucan, shared in the disgrace of their brother Seneca; and by this tyrant, Nero, whose early years were so promising, the three brothers were put to death; see Tacitus, Annal. lib. xv. 70, and xvi. 17. It was to this Gallio that Seneca dedicates his book De Ira. Seneca describes him as a man of the most amiable mind and manners: "Quem nemo non parum amat, etiam qui amare plus non potent; nemo mortalium uni tam dulcis est, quam hic omnibus: cum interim tanta naturalis boni vis est, uti artem simulationemque non redoleat:" vide Senec. Praefat. ad Natural. Quaest. 4. He was of the sweetest disposition, affable to all, and beloved by every man. Statius, Sylvar. lib. ii. 7. ver. 30, Ode on the Birthday of Lucan, says not a little in his favor, in a very few words: - Lucanum potes imputare terris; Hoc plus quam Senecam dedisse mundo, Aut dulcem generasse Gallionem. You may consider nature as having made greater efforts in producing Lucan, than it has done in producing Seneca, or even the amiable Gallio. And brought him to the judgment seat - They had no power to punish any person in the Roman provinces, and therefore were obliged to bring their complaint before the Roman governor. The powers that be are ordained of God. Had the Jews possessed the power here, Paul had been put to death!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 18:12-17
Paul was about to show that he did not teach men to worship God contrary to law; but the judge would not allow the Jews to complain to him of what was not within his office. It was right in Gallio that he left the Jews to themselves in matters relating to their religion, but yet would not let them, under pretence of that, persecute another. But it was wrong to speak slightly of a law and religion which he might have known to be of God, and which he ought to have acquainted himself with. In what way God is to be worshipped, whether Jesus be the Messiah, and whether the gospel be a Divine revelation, are not questions of words and names, they are questions of vast importance. Gallio spoke as if he boasted of his ignorance of the Scriptures, as if the law of God was beneath his notice. Gallio cared for none of these things. If he cared not for the affronts of bad men, it was commendable; but if he concerned not himself for the abuses done to good men, his indifference was carried too far. And those who see and hear of the sufferings of God's people, and have no feeling with them, or care for them, who do not pity and pray for them, are of the same spirit as Gallio, who cared for none of these things.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 18:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΓαλλίωνοςGalliōnosWhen GallioG1058
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἀνθυπάτουanthupatouproconsulG446
ὄντοςontosbeingG1510
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
ἈχαΐαςAchaiasof AchaiaG882
κατεπέστησανkatepestēsanrose upG2721
ὁμοθυμαδὸνhomothumadonwith one accordG3661
οἱhoitheG3588
ἸουδαῖοιIoudaioiJewsG2453
τῷtō<the>G3588
ΠαύλῳPaulōagainst PaulG3972
καὶkaiandG2532
ἤγαγονēgagonledG71
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
ἐπὶepitoG1909
τὸtotheG3588
βῆμα,bēmajudgment seat,G968

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 18:12

  • Acts 13:50

    But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

  • Acts 13:7

    Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

  • Acts 18:27

    And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

  • 1 Corinthians 16:15

    I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

  • 2 Corinthians 1:1

    Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

  • Romans 15:26

    For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

  • Acts 17:13

    But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

  • 2 Corinthians 9:2

    For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:10

    As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

  • Acts 18:16-17

    And he drave them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

  • Matthew 27:19

    When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

  • Acts 14:2

    But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Cir. A.M. 4059. A.D. 55. the deputy.
13:7,12
Achaia.
27; Ro 15:26; 16:5; 1Co 16:15; 2Co 1:1; 9:2; 11:10; 1Th 1:7,8
the Jews.
13:50; 14:2,19; 17:5,13; 21:27-36
the judgment.
16,17; 25:10; Mt 27:19; Joh 19:13; Jas 2:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 18:11

    And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

  • Acts 18:12

    And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

  • Acts 18:13

    Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

Read all of Acts 18

Acts 18:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y siendo Galión procónsul de Acaya, los Judíos se levantaron de común acuerdo contra Pablo, y le llevaron al tribunal,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais pendant que Gallion était proconsul d’Achaïe, les Juifs, d’un commun accord, s’élevèrent contre Paul et l’amenèrent devant le tribunal,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als aber Gallion Prokonsul von Achaja war, traten die Juden einmütig gegen Paulus auf und führten ihn vor den Richterstuhl
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Gallione autem proconsule Achaiæ, insurrexerunt uno animo Judæi in Paulum, et adduxerunt eum ad tribunal,