SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:8
¶ Y un hombre de Listra, impotente de los pies, estaba sentado, cojo desde el vientre de su madre, y jams había andado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 14:8
Verse 8. Impotent in his feet] adunatov toiv posin, He had no muscular power, and probably his ancle bones were dislocated; or he had what is commonly termed club feet; this is the more likely, as he is said to have been lame from his mother's womb, and to have never walked.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. And there sat a certain man at Lystra , etc.] Where the apostle was preaching; and perhaps he sat there to beg, where there was a great concourse of people, and which might be in the open street: this man was impotent in his feet ; so weak, as not to be able to walk, and even to stand on them, and therefore is said to sit: being a cripple from his mothers womb ; he was born lame, as was the man cured by Peter, ( Acts 3:2) who never had walked ; these circumstances are mentioned, to show that his case was incurable by any human art, and to illustrate the following miracle.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-18 - All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, tha most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinfu habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and wal cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God appeared in the likeness of men, and did many miracles, men were so fa from doing sacrifice to him, that they made him a sacrifice to their pride and malice; but Paul and Barnabas, upon their working on miracle, were treated as gods. The same power of the god of this world which closes the carnal mind against truth, makes errors and mistake find easy admission. We do not learn that they rent their clothes when the people spake of stoning them; but when they spake of worshippin them; they could not bear it, being more concerned for God's honou than their own. God's truth needs not the services of man's falsehood The servants of God might easily obtain undue honours if they woul wink at men's errors and vices; but they must dread and detest suc respect more than any reproach. When the apostles preached to the Jews who hated idolatry, they had only to preach the grace of God in Christ but when they had to do with the Gentiles, they must set right their mistakes in natural religion. Compare their conduct and declaratio with the false opinions of those who think the worship of a God, unde any name, or in any manner, is equally acceptable to the Lord Almighty The most powerful arguments, the most earnest and affectionat addresses, even with miracles, are scarcely enough to keep men from absurdities and abominations; much less can they, without specia grace, turn the hearts of sinners to God and to holiness.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ τις 5100 X-NSM ανηρ 435 N-NSM εν 1722 PREP λυστροις 3082 N-DPN αδυνατος 102 A-NSM τοις 3588 T-DPM ποσιν 4228 N-DPM εκαθητο 2521 5711 V-INI-3S χωλος 5560 A-NSM εκ 1537 PREP κοιλιας 2836 N-GSF μητρος 3384 N-GSF αυτου 846 P-GSM υπαρχων 5225 5723 V-PAP-NSM ος 3739 R-NSM ουδεποτε 3763 ADV {VAR1: περιπεπατηκει 4043 5715 V-LAI-3S } {VAR2: περιεπεπατηκει 4043 5715 V-LAI-3S }
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Impotent (adunatov). The almost universal meaning of the word in the New Testament is impossible (see Matt. xix. 26; Heb. vi. 4, etc.). The sense of weak or impotent occurs only here and Rom. xv. 1.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
14:8 {At Lystra} (en lustrois). Neuter plural as in #16:2; 2Ti 3:11 while feminine singular in #14:6,21; 16:1. There was apparently no synagogue in Lystra and so not many Jews. Paul and Barnabas had to do open-air preaching and probably had difficulty in being understood by the natives though both Greek and Latin inscriptions were discovered here by Professor Sterrett in 1885. The incident narrated here (verses #8-18) shows how they got a real hearing among these rude heathen. {There sat} (ekaqeto). Imperfect middle of kaqemai. Was sitting. this case is very much like that in #3:1-11, healed by Peter. Possibly outside the gate (verse #13) or some public place. {Impotent in his feet} (adunatos tois posin). Old verbal, but only here in the N.T. in this sense except figuratively in #Ro 15:1. Elsewhere it means "impossible" (#Mt 19:26). Locative case. Common in medical writers in the sense of "impotent." So Tobit 2:10; 5:9. {Had walked} (periepatesen). So best MSS., first aorist active indicative "walked," not periepepatekei, "had walked" (past perfect active).
