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.
But the Jews stirred up the devout [and] honourable women. The bracketed word and is an addition to the genuine text. The class meant is one-the female proselytes of distinction, unhappily jaundiced against the new preachers by those Jewish ecclesiastics to whom they had learned to look up as the interpreters of the lively oracles in which they had found the only true repose. The potent influence of the female character, both for against the truth, may be seen in the Church history of every age.
And the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts - an easier thing than to refute them.