Acts20
New International Version
1When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.
2He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,
3where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
4He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
5These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.
6But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.
8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.
9Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.
10Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”
11Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.
12The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
13We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.
14When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.
16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
18When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia.
19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.
20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.
21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.
27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.
38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Acts 20.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Paul's journeys. (1–6). Eutychus restored to life. (7–12). Paul travels towards Jerusalem. (13–16). Paul's discourse to the elders of Ephesus. (17–27). Their farewell. (28–38).
vv1-6
Tumults or opposition may constrain a Christian to remove from his station or alter his purpose, but his work and his pleasure will be the same, wherever he goes. Paul thought it worth while to bestow five days in going to Troas, though it was but for seven days' stay there; but he knew, and so should we, how to redeem even journeying time, and to make it turn to some good account.
vv7-12
Though the disciples read, and meditated, and prayed, and sung apart, and thereby kept up communion with God, yet they came together to worship God, and so kept up their communion with one another. They came together on the first day of the week, the Lord's day. It is to be religiously observed by all disciples of Christ. In the breaking of the bread, not only the breaking of Christ's body for us, to be a sacrifice for our sins, is remembered, but the breaking of Christ's body to us, to be food and a feast for our souls, is signified. In the early times it was the custom to receive the Lord's supper every Lord's day, thus celebrating the memorial of Christ's death. In this assembly Paul preached. The preaching of the gospel ought to go with the sacraments. They were willing to hear, he saw they were so, and continued his speech till midnight. Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. We must do what we can to prevent being sleepy; not put ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear, so as to drive sleep far away. Infirmity requires tenderness; but contempt requires severity. It interrupted the apostle's preaching; but was made to confirm his preaching. Eutychus was brought to life again. And as they knew not when they should have Paul's company again, they made the best use of it they could, and reckoned a night's sleep well lost for that purpose. How seldom are hours of repose broken for the purposes of devotion! but how often for mere amusement or sinful revelry! So hard is it for spiritual life to thrive in the heart of man! so naturally do carnal practices flourish there!
vv13-16
Paul hastened to Jerusalem, but tried to do good by the way, when going from place to place, as every good man should do. In doing God's work, our own wills and those of our friends must often be crossed; we must not spend time with them when duty calls us another way.
Key Words
θόρυβος (thórybos): a disturbance
παύω (paúō): to stop (transitively or intransitively), i.e. restrain, quit, desist, come to an end
Παῦλος (Paûlos): (little; but remotely from a derivative of G3973 (παύω), meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle
προσκαλέομαι (proskaléomai): to call toward oneself, i.e. summon, invite
μαθητής (mathētḗs): a learner, i.e. pupil
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
παρακαλέω (parakaléō): to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation)
ἀσπάζομαι (aspázomai): to enfold in the arms, i.e. (by implication) to salute, (figuratively) to welcome
ἐξέρχομαι (exérchomai): to issue (literally or figuratively)
Μακεδονία (Makedonía): Macedonia, a region of Greece
Cross References
Acts 20Establishes first-day-of-the-week gathering for Christian worship and collection of alms.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Directly links 'the first day of the week' with the apostolic term 'the Lord's Day'.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel account of the Holy Spirit's warnings in every city regarding Paul's coming bonds in Jerusalem.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Identifies the manual labor of Paul's hands in tentmaking to support himself and companions.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Expands on Paul's ministry in 'those parts,' noting he preached as far as Illyricum.
Supported by JFB
Identifies 'Sopater of Berea' as Sosipater, Paul's kinsman who joined in sending greetings.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Aristarchus and Gaius as Paul's travel companions previously caught in the Ephesian riot.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Elijah stretching himself over the dead child matches Paul's physical action of falling upon Eutychus.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Elisha laying upon the dead child parallels Paul's bodily embrace to restore life.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Records Paul's prior, settled plan to travel through Macedonia/Achaia and then on to Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
Parallels Christ's purchasing of the church with redemption through His own blood.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Christ's command to Peter to 'feed my sheep' parallels Paul's charge to the elders.
Supported by JFB
Christ's foundational warning concerning false prophets who are inwardly 'ravening wolves.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Samuel's final public protestation of financial integrity closely mirrors Paul's farewell appeal.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Underpins the cultural custom of physical kissing and embracing as a sign of Christian fellowship.
Supported by Matthew Poole