Acts 21:16 Study Bible: Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

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Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot, an early disciple.

Study Bible

Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us,

This phrase indicates the presence of a Christian community in Caesarea, a significant port city in ancient Judea. Caesarea was a hub of Roman administration and culture, which made it a strategic location for the spread of Christianity. The disciples' willingness to accompany Paul and his companions reflects the early Christian practice of hospitality and support for fellow believers, as seen in other parts of the New Testament (e.g., Acts 9:30, Acts 15:3). This also highlights the unity and fellowship among early Christians, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries.

Act 20:4 Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea,…
Act 15:3 Sent on their way by the church, they passed through…
3Jn 1:6 They have testified to the church about your love…

and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot,

Mnason is described as a Cypriot, indicating his origins from Cyprus, an island with a significant early Christian presence, partly due to the missionary work of Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:4-12). The mention of Mnason's home suggests he was a person of some means, able to offer lodging to Paul and his companions. This act of hospitality is consistent with the early church's emphasis on supporting itinerant preachers and missionaries (Romans 12:13, 3 John 1:5-8). The practice of staying in the homes of fellow believers was common, as it provided safety and fellowship in a time when Christians were often viewed with suspicion.

Act 28:7 Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius,…
Act 16:15 And she persuaded us to stay at her house.…
Act 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called…

an early disciple.

Mnason is noted as an "early disciple," implying he was among the first converts to Christianity, possibly dating back to the time of Pentecost or shortly thereafter. This designation suggests a deep-rooted faith and possibly a firsthand experience of the early church's formative events. His status as an early disciple would have lent credibility and authority within the Christian community, as those who had been with Jesus or the apostles from the beginning were often held in high regard (Acts 1:21-22). This connection to the early days of the church underscores the continuity and preservation of apostolic teaching and tradition.

Act 1:21-22 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men…
Jhn 15:27 And you also must testify, because you have been with Me…
Rom 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen…

Persons / Places / Events

1. Disciples from Caesarea
These are followers of Jesus who lived in Caesarea, a significant city in the early Christian church. They accompanied Paul and his companions on their journey to Jerusalem.

2. Paul
The apostle who was on his way to Jerusalem, despite knowing the potential dangers that awaited him there.

3. Mnason
Described as a Cypriot and an early disciple, Mnason provided hospitality to Paul and his companions. His role highlights the importance of hospitality in the early church.

4. Caesarea
A coastal city in Israel, significant in the early Christian movement. It was a hub for early Christian activity and a place where Paul spent time during his missionary journeys.

5. Cyprus
The island where Mnason was originally from. Cyprus was one of the first places to receive the gospel message during Paul's first missionary journey.

Teaching Points

The Importance of Hospitality
Hospitality is a vital practice in the Christian faith, reflecting the love and community of the early church. Mnason's willingness to host Paul and his companions demonstrates the selflessness and generosity expected of believers.

The Role of Early Disciples
Early disciples like Mnason played crucial roles in supporting the spread of the gospel. Their faithfulness and service provide a model for modern believers to support and encourage those in ministry.

Courage and Commitment
Paul's journey to Jerusalem, despite the risks, shows his commitment to God's calling. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, even when facing challenges.

Unity in Diversity
The early church was composed of individuals from various backgrounds, like Mnason from Cyprus. This diversity within unity is a strength of the Christian community, reflecting the universal nature of the gospel.

The Legacy of Faith
Mnason is described as an "early disciple," indicating his long-standing faith. Believers are reminded of the impact of a faithful life and the importance of leaving a legacy of faith for future generations.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the example of Mnason's hospitality challenge you to practice hospitality in your own life?

2. In what ways can you support those in ministry, similar to how the disciples from Caesarea supported Paul?

3. Reflect on a time when you had to show courage and commitment in your faith. How does Paul's journey to Jerusalem inspire you?

4. How can the diversity within your church community be a strength in spreading the gospel?

5. What steps can you take to ensure that you leave a legacy of faith for future generations, as Mnason did?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Acts 9:43
This verse mentions Peter staying in Joppa with Simon the tanner, showing the early church's practice of hospitality.

Romans 12:13
Paul encourages believers to practice hospitality, which is exemplified by Mnason's actions in Acts 21:16.

Hebrews 13:2
This verse reminds believers not to forget to show hospitality, as some have entertained angels without knowing it, emphasizing the spiritual significance of welcoming others.

Sermons

A Biography of Honor, Written in a Name and Title Only	P.C. Barker	Acts 21:16
A Ripe Old Age	H. W. Beecher.	Acts 21:16
Aged Christians	R. Cecil, M. A.	Acts 21:16
An Old Disciple	A. Maclaren, D. D.	Acts 21:16
An Old Disciple	H. Belfrage, D. D.	Acts 21:16
Conversion in Old Age	Dean Swift.	Acts 21:16
Faithfulness in Old Age		Acts 21:16
Happiness of Old Age	J. Pulsford, D. D.	Acts 21:16
Hopeless Old Age	J. Tholuck.	Acts 21:16
Mnason, the Aged Cypriote	F. Hastings.	Acts 21:16
Old Disciples	R. Tuck	Acts 21:16
Piety in the Aged	L. H. Reid.	Acts 21:16
Useful Old Age		Acts 21:16
Incidents by the Way	E. Johnson	Acts 21:1-16
Human Affection and Sacred Service	W. Clarkson	Acts 21:1-17
Arrival and Reception At Jerusalem	R.A. Redford	Acts 21:15-26

People

Agabus, Israelites, James, Mnason, Paul, Philip, Trophimus

Places

Asia, Caesarea, Cilicia, Cos, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Judea, Patara, Phoenicia, Ptolemais, Rhodes, Syria, Tarsus, Tyre

Topics

Accompanied, Aged, Bringing, Caesarea, Caesare'a, Cesarea, Cyprian, Cyprus, Disciple, Disciples, Early, Home, Joined, Lodge, Mnason, Party, Standing, Stay, Taking

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Acts 21:16

4248 islands
8447 hospitality, examples

Library

An Old Disciple
'... One Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.'--ACTS xxi. 16. There is something that stimulates the imagination in these mere shadows of men that we meet in the New Testament story. What a strange fate that is to be made immortal by a line in this book-- immortal and yet so unknown! We do not hear another word about this host of Paul's, but his name will be familiar to men's ears till the world's end. This figure is drawn in the slightest possible outline, with a couple …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Philip the Evangelist
'... We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.'--ACTS xxi. 8. The life of this Philip, as recorded, is a very remarkable one. It is divided into two unequal halves: one full of conspicuous service, one passed in absolute obscurity. Like the moon in its second quarter, part of the disc is shining silver and the rest is invisible. Let us put together the notices of him. He bears a name which makes it probable that he was not a Palestinian Jew, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Drawing Nearer to the Storm
'And it came to pass, that, after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: 2. And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth. 3. Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. 4. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Paul in the Temple
'And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him. 28. Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Jerusalem to Rome
Acts 21:17-28:31 THIS JOURNEY Scripture, Acts 21:17-28:31 1. The speech before the Jewish mob in the temple (Acts 22:1-29) in which Paul tells the Jews how he was changed from a persecutor to a believer in Christ. He relates also the story of his conversion. 2. The speech before the Jewish council (Acts 22:30; 23:1-10) in which he creates confusion by raising the question of the resurrection. But the provocation was great for the high-priest had commanded that Paul be smitten …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

Parting.
"What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart!"--Acts 21:13 "Was macht ihr, dass ihr weinet." [32]Spitta. transl., Sarah Findlater, 1855 What mean ye by this wailing To break my bleeding heart? As if the love that binds us Could alter or depart! Our sweet and holy union Knows neither time nor place; The love that God has planted Is lasting as His grace. Ye clasp these hands at parting, As if no hope could be; While still we stand for ever In blessed unity! Ye gaze, as on a vision Ye never could …
Jane Borthwick—Hymns from the Land of Luther

As Thou Wilt.
"The will of the Lord be done."--Acts 21:14. "Wie Gott will! also will ich sagen." [72]Neumeister. transl., Jane Borthwick, 1858 As Thou wilt, my God! I ever say; What Thou wilt is ever best for me; What have I to do with earthly care, Since to-morrow I may leave with Thee? Lord, Thou knowest, I am not my own, All my hope and help depend on Thee alone. As Thou wilt! still I can believe; Never did the word of promise fail. Faith can hold it fast, and feel it sure, Though temptations cloud and fears …
Jane Borthwick—Hymns from the Land of Luther

The Way to the Kingdom
"The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15 These words naturally lead us to consider, First, the nature of true religion, here termed by our Lord, "the kingdom of God," which, saith he, "is at hand;" and, Secondly, the way thereto, which he points out in those words, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." I. 1. We are, First, to consider the nature of true religion, here termed by our Lord, "the kingdom of God." The same expression the great Apostle uses in his Epistle …
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

India as Carey Found It
1793 Tahiti v. Bengal--Carey and Thomas appointed missionaries to Bengal--The farewell at Leicester--John Thomas, first medical missionary--Carey's letter to his father--The Company's "abominable monopoly"--The voyage--Carey's aspirations for world-wide missions--Lands at Calcutta--His description of Bengal in 1793--Contrast presented by Carey to Clive, Hastings, and Cornwallis--The spiritual founder of an Indian Empire of Christian Britain--Bengal and the famine of 1769-70--The Decennial Settlement …
George Smith—The Life of William Carey

Chel. The Court of the Women.
The Court of the Gentiles compassed the Temple and the courts on every side. The same also did Chel, or the Ante-murale. "That space was ten cubits broad, divided from the Court of the Gentiles by a fence, ten hand-breadths high; in which were thirteen breaches, which the kings of Greece had made: but the Jews had again repaired them, and had appointed thirteen adorations answering to them." Maimonides writes: "Inwards" (from the Court of the Gentiles) "was a fence, that encompassed on every side, …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Matthew.
Critical. Bernh. Weiss: Das Matthäusevangelium und seine Lucas-Parallelen erklärt. Halle, 1876. Exceedingly elaborate. Edw. Byron Nicholson: The Gospel according to the Hebrews. Its Fragments translated and annotated. Lond., 1879. Exegetical Commentaries on Matthew by Origen, Jerome, Chrysostom, Melanchthon (1523), Fritzsche, De Wette, Alford, Wordsworth, Schegg (R. Cath., 1856-58, 3 vols.), J. A. Alexander, Lange (trsl. and enlarged by Schaff, N. Y., 1864, etc.), James Morison (of Glasgow, …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Knox in Scotland: Lethington: Mary of Guise: 1555-1556
Meanwhile the Reformer returned to Geneva (April 1555), where Calvin was now supreme. From Geneva, "the den of mine own ease, the rest of quiet study," Knox was dragged, "maist contrarious to mine own judgement," by a summons from Mrs. Bowes. He did not like leaving his "den" to rejoin his betrothed; the lover was not so fervent as the evangelist was cautious. Knox had at that time probably little correspondence with Scotland. He knew that there was no refuge for him in England under Mary Tudor, …
Andrew Lang—John Knox and the Reformation

Chrysostom Evades Election to a Bishopric, and Writes his Work on the Priesthood.
About this time several bishoprics were vacant in Syria, and frequent depositions took place with the changing fortunes of orthodoxy and Arianism, and the interference of the court. The attention of the clergy and the people turned to Chrysostom and his friend Basil as suitable candidates for the episcopal office, although they had not the canonical age of thirty. Chrysostom shrunk from the responsibilities and avoided an election by a pious fraud. He apparently assented to an agreement with Basil …
St. Chrysostom—On the Priesthood

Whether Since Christ's Passion the Legal Ceremonies Can be Observed Without Committing Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that since Christ's Passion the legal ceremonies can be observed without committing mortal sin. For we must not believe that the apostles committed mortal sin after receiving the Holy Ghost: since by His fulness they were "endued with power from on high" (Lk. 24:49). But the apostles observed the legal ceremonies after the coming of the Holy Ghost: for it is stated (Acts 16:3) that Paul circumcised Timothy: and (Acts 21:26) that Paul, at the advice of James, "took the men, …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Grace of the Word of Wisdom and Knowledge is Becoming to Women?
Objection 1: It would seem that the grace of the word of wisdom and knowledge is becoming even to women. For teaching is pertinent to this grace, as stated in the foregoing Article. Now it is becoming to a woman to teach; for it is written (Prov. 4:3,4): "I was an only son in the sight of my mother, and she taught me [*Vulg.: 'I was my father's son, tender, and as an only son in the sight of my mother. And he taught me.']." Therefore this grace is becoming to women. Objection 2: Further, the grace …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.
Acts 13-28 and all the rest of the New Testament except the epistles of John and Revelation. The Changed Situation. We have now come to a turning point in the whole situation. The center of work has shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch, the capital of the Greek province of Syria, the residence of the Roman governor of the province. We change from the study of the struggles of Christianity in the Jewish world to those it made among heathen people. We no longer study many and various persons and their …
Josiah Blake Tidwell—The Bible Period by Period

The Letter of the Synod to the Emperor and Empress.
(Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. VII., col. 577.) To our most religious and most serene princes, Constantine and Irene his mother. Tarasius, the unworthy bishop of your God-protected royal city, new Rome, and all the holy Council which met at the good pleasure of God and upon the command of your Christ-loving majesty in the renowned metropolis of Nice, the second council to assemble in this city. Christ our God (who is the head of the Church) was glorified, most noble princes, when your heart, …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Sudden Conversions.
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."--1 Cor. xv. 10. We can hardly conceive that grace, such as that given to the great Apostle who speaks in the text, would have been given in vain; that is, we should not expect that it would have been given, had it been foreseen and designed by the Almighty Giver that it would have been in vain. By which I do not mean, of course, to deny that God's gifts are oftentimes abused and wasted by man, which …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Prov. 22:06 the Duties of Parents
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."--Prov. 22:6. I SUPPOSE that most professing Christians are acquainted with the text at the head of this page. The sound of it is probably familiar to your ears, like an old tune. It is likely you have heard it, or read it, talked of it, or quoted it, many a time. Is it not so? But, after all, how little is the substance of this text regarded! The doctrine it contains appears scarcely known, the duty it puts …
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times

The Epistle to the Hebrews.
I. Commentaries on Hebrews by Chrysostom (d. 407, hermeneia, in 34 Homilies publ. after his death by an Antioch. presbyter, Constantinus); Theodoret (d. 457); Oecumenius (10th cent.); Theophylact (11th cent.); Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274); Erasmus (d. 1536, Annotationes in N. T., with his Greek Test., 1516 and often, and Paraphrasis in N. T., 1522 and often); Card. Cajetanus (Epistolae Pauli, etc., 1531); Calvin (d. 1564, Com. in omnes P. Ep. atque etiam in Ep. ad Hebraeos, 1539 and often, also Halle, …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Of the Prerogatives which the Elect Shall Enjoy in Heaven.
By reason of this communion with God, the elect in heaven shall have four superexcellent prerogatives:-- 1. They shall have the kingdom of heaven for their inheritance (Matt. xxv.; 1 Pet. i. 4), and they shall be free denizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (Eph. ii. 19; Heb. xii. 22.) St. Paul, by being a free citizen of Rome (Acts xxi. 26), escaped whipping; but they who are once free citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, shall ever be freed from the whips of eternal torments. For this freedom was bought …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Positive Side
What is the relation of the Law (the Ten Commandments) to Christians? In our previous chapter we pointed out how that three radically different answers have been returned to this question. The first, that sinners become saints by obeying the Law. This is Legalism pure and simple. It is heresy of the most dangerous kind. All who really believe and act on it as the ground of their acceptance by God, will perish eternally. Second, others say that the Law is not binding on Christians because it has been …
Arthur W. Pink—The Law and the Saint

Paul's Journeys Acts 13:1-38:31
On this third journey he was already planning to go to Rome (Acts 19:21) and wrote an epistle to the Romans announcing his coming (Rom. 1:7, 15). +The Chief City+, in which Paul spent most of his time (Acts 19:1, 8, 10), between two and three years upon this journey, was Ephesus in Asia Minor. This city situated midway between the extreme points of his former missionary journeys was a place where Ephesus has been thus described: "It had been one of the early Greek colonies, later the capital …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

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