Acts 19:7

And all the men were about twelve.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) And all the men were about twelve.—Better, The men were in all about twelve. The whole narrative seems to imply that they were not individual cases, occurring here and there from time to time, but were living together as a kind of ascetic community, attending the meetings of the Church, yet not sharing the fulness of its life.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:1-7 Paul, at Ephesus, found some religious persons, who looked to Jesus as the Messiah. They had not been led to expect the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost, nor were they informed that the gospel was especially the ministration of the Spirit. But they spake as ready to welcome the notice of it. Paul shows them that John never design that those he baptized should rest there, but told them that they should believe on Him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. They thankfully accepted the discovery, and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Ghost came upon them in a surprising, overpowering manner; they spake with tongues, and prophesied, as the apostles and the first Gentile coverts did. Though we do not now expect miraculous powers, yet all who profess to be disciples of Christ, should be called on to examine whether they have received the seal of the Holy Ghost, in his sanctifying influences, to the sincerity of their faith. Many seem not to have heard that there is a Holy Ghost, and many deem all that is spoken concerning his graces and comforts, to be delusion. Of such it may properly be inquired, Unto what, then, were ye baptized? for they evidently know not the meaning of that outward sign on which they place great dependence.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And all the men - The whole number.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them … they spake with tongues, &c.—See on [2054]Ac 10:44,45.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Or exactly twelve; answering to the apostles, and that blessed number so often mentioned in Scripture.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And all the men were about twelve. The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, have not the word "about"; but affirm, that the men were twelve; and indeed the number being so small, the historian might be at a certainty about it: these seem to be the first materials of a Gospel church at Ephesus, which afterwards was very large and flourishing, and very likely were some of the elders of it.

Geneva Study Bible

And all the men were about twelve.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 19:7. ὡσεὶ, as Weiss admits, excludes any special significance attaching to the number twelve on account of which the narrative would be constructed. See also Knabenbauer, in loco. We know so little about these men that it seems hazardous to attempt to define them more clearly (see Plumptre, in loco).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. And all the men were about twelve] The Revised Version “And they were in all about twelve men,” is a more strict rendering of the Greek, but it does not give a different sense, and “men” in that position receives an undue accent.

The verse has been the cause of much remark. Why the inspired historian should speak with an “about,” has been asked by some. With that we are not concerned, only to observe that the Spirit has not prompted him to speak otherwise. Some have seen in the number and the circumstances a resemblance to the Apostles and their supernatural endowment; others have looked back as far as the Patriarchs and have made of these men the beginning of another Israel. May it not be that the “about” was written to admonish us of the unprofitableness of such speculations? Cp. Joshua 7:5.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 19:7. Ὡσεὶ, about) There was no need that the precise number should be indicated. Comp. 1 Corinthians 1:16, “I baptized also the household of Stephanas; besides I know not whether I baptized any other.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - They were in all about twelve men for all the men were about twelve, A.V. Acts 19:7