And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And when there had been much disputing - the apostles, meanwhile, sitting silent,
Peter rose up - the paramount position which he had all along occupied at Jerusalem, and the part assigned him in receiving Cornelius and his Gentile party into the Church, giving him a special claim to be heard on this question.
And said unto them. It has been remarked that this is the last mention of Peter in the Acts of the Apostles; and in this view it is delightful to find him here pronouncing in favour of those enlarged views of the Gospel, to the establishment of which the life-labours of Paul were devoted.
Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago - many years before this; as if to intimate that long before this they ought to have held the question to be settled by the facts which he was about to mention.
God made choice among us - or 'among you,' according to the preferable reading.
That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe - (Acts 10:1-48.)