And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth; for it is not fit , [katheeken ( G2520), in the imperfect-`was not fit,' has decisive authority; katheeken has hardly any: it is a mixture of the direct and indirect way of reporting a speech: but it is needless to follow this in the translation]
That he should live. Their national prejudices lashed into fury at the mention of a mission to the Gentiles, they would speedily have done to him as they did to Stephen, but for the presence and protection of the Roman officer. The profanation of the temple by the presence of Gentiles seemed nothing to Gentiles being deliberately placed on a level in religious privileges with the covenant-people.