Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 13:43

"Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God." — Acts 13:43 (ASV)

And when the Jews, etc. There is a great variety in the manuscripts on this verse, and in the ancient versions. Griesbach and Knapp read it, "And when they were gone out, they besought them that these words might be spoken," etc. The Syriac reads it, "When they departed from them, they sought from them that these words might be spoken to them on another Sabbath." The Arabic reads, "Some of the synagogue of the Jews asked of them that they would exhort the Gentiles with them," etc.

If these readings are correct, then the meaning is, that some of the Jews exhorted the apostles to proclaim these truths at some other time, particularly to the Gentiles. The manuscripts greatly vary regarding the passage, and it is perhaps impossible to determine the true reading. If the present reading in the English translation is to be regarded as genuine—of which, however, there is very little evidence—the meaning is, that a part of the Jews, perhaps a majority of them, rejected the message and went out, though many of them followed Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:43).

The Gentiles besought. This expression is missing in the Vulgate, Coptic, Arabic, and Syriac versions, and in a great many manuscripts—Mill. It is omitted by Griesbach, Knapp, etc., and is probably spurious. Among other reasons which may be suggested why it is not genuine, this is one, that it is not evident or probable that the Gentiles were in the habit of attending the synagogue. Those who attended there were called proselytes. The expression, if genuine, might mean, either that the Gentiles besought or that they besought the Gentiles. The latter would be the more probable meaning.

The next sabbath. The margin has probably the correct rendering of the passage. The meaning of the verse is, that a wish was expressed that these doctrines might be repeated to them in the intermediate time before the next Sabbath.