the words: "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, so that
from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the
diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." (Acts
19:11, 12.)

To conclude, Paul is not going to be inferior to the rest of the apostles.
Some secular writers put Paul's boasting down as carnal pride. But Paul had
no personal interest in his boasting. It was with him a matter of faith and
doctrine. The controversy was not about the glory of Paul, but the glory of
God, the Word of God, the true worship of God, true religion, and the
righteousness of faith.


VERSE 9. And when James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and
Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the
heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

"The fact is, when the apostles heard that I had received the charge to
preach the Gospel to the Gentiles from Christ; when they heard that God had
wrought many miracles through me; that great numbers of the Gentiles had come
to the knowledge of Christ through my ministry; when they heard that the
Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost without Law and circumcision, by the
simple preaching of faith; when they heard all this they glorified God for
His grace in me." Hence, Paul was justified in concluding that the apostles
were for him, and not against him.


VERSE 9. The right hands of fellowship.