The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

And his bishopric. The Hebrew word could not be translated more fitly. For Pecudah doeth signify a jurisdiction or government, so called of the overseeing, & beholding of things. For as for those which interpret it Wife, the text refuteth them. For it followeth in the next verse, of his wife, That she may be made a widow. Therefore after that he hath wished that the wicked may be deprived of his life, he addeth moreover, that he may be spoiled of his honour: neither doth he stay here, but also he desireth that an other may succeed him, whereby as I have said before, his punishment is doubled. In the mean while he noteth by the way that this false treacher & wicked person whereof he speaketh, should not be some one of the common sort, but such an one as should be endued with honour and dignity: from which nevertheless he shall fall. And out of this place must we learn, that the wicked shall not escape scot free, which have persecuted the church of God. For this miserable and wretched end is prepared for them all.

And his bishopricke. The Hebrewe worde coulde not bee translated more fitly. For Pecudah doeth signifie a iurisdiction or gouernment, so called of the ouerseeing, & beholding of things. For as for those which interprete it Wife, the text refuteth them. For it followeth in the next verse, of his wife, That she may be made a widow. Therefore after that he hath wished that the wicked may bee depriued of his life, hee addeth moreouer, that he may be spoyled of his honour: neither doth hee stay here, but also he desireth that an other may succeede him, whereby as I haue said before, his punishment is doubled. In the meane while he noteth by the way that this false treacher & wicked person wherof he speaketh, should not bee some one of the common sort, but such an one as should be indued with honour and dignitie: from which neuerthelesse he shall fall. And out of this place must wee learne, that the wicked shall not escape scot free, which haue persecuted the church of God. For this miserable and wretched end is prepared for them all.

21 We must therefore. This which he bringeth in, might seem at the first sight to be far fet. For if so be it David did speak of transposing Judas his Bishopric, it did not thereupon straightway follow that, the disciples should choose another to be his successor: yet because they knew that they had this charge given them to order the church, so soon as Peter had told them, that it did please the Lord that it should be so, he gathereth thereupon, that they ought to do it. For whensoever God will use us as means to maintain the government of his church, so soon as we know what his will is, we must not linger, but stoutly perform whatsoever is required in our ministry & function. That was without all controversy, what was the duty of the Church. Like