Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 19]
{Burned them in the sight of all} (\katekaion en•pion pant•n\).
Imperfect active of \katakai•\. It probably took a good while to
do it, burned them completely (up, we say; down, the Greeks say,
perfective use of \kata\). These Magical Papyri or slips of
parchment with symbols or magical sentences written on them
called \Ephesia Grammata\ (Ephesian Letters). These Ephesian
Letters were worn as amulets or charms. {They brought them
together} (\sunenegkantes\). Second aorist active participle of
\sunpher•\. What a glorious conflagration it would be if in every
city all the salacious, blasphemous, degrading books, pamphlets,
magazines, and papers could be piled together and burned. {They
counted} (\suneps•phisan\). First aorist active indicative of
\sunps•phiz•\, to reckon together. In LXX (Jer 29:49). Only
here in N.T. \Sunkataps•phiz•\ in 1:26. {Fifty thousand pieces
of silver} (\arguriou muriadas pente\). Five ten thousand
(\muriadas\) pieces of silver. Ephesus was largely Greek and
probably the silver pieces were Greek drachmae or the Latin
denarius, probably about ten thousand dollars or two thousand
English pounds.
19:20 {Mightily} (\kata kratos\). According to strength. Only
here in N.T., common military term in Thucydides. Such proof of a
change counted. {Grew and prevailed} (\•uxanen kai ischuen\).
Imperfect actives, kept growing and gaining strength. It was a
day of triumph for Christ in Ephesus, this city of vast wealth
and superstition. Ephesus for centuries will be one of the
centres of Christian power. Timothy will come here and John the
Apostle and Polycarp and Irenaeus.
19:21 {Purposed in the spirit} (\etheto en t•i pneumati\). Second
aorist middle indicative for mental action and "spirit" expressed
also. A new stage in Paul's career begins here, a new division of
the Acts. {Passed through} (\dielth•n\). Word (\dierchomai\) used
ten times in Acts (cf. 19:1) of missionary journeys (Ramsay).
{Macedonia and Achaia} (\t•n Makedonian kai Achaian\). This was
the way that he actually went, but originally he had planned to
go to Achaia (Corinth) and then to Macedonia, as he says in 2Co
1:15f., but he had now changed that purpose, perhaps because of
the bad news from Corinth. Already when he wrote I Corinthians he
proposed to go first to Macedonia (1Co 16:5-7). He even hoped
to spend the winter in Corinth "if the Lord permit" and to remain
in Ephesus till Pentecost, neither of which things he did. {I
must also see Rome} (\dei me kai R•m•n idein\). This section of
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