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Texts -- Acts 20:6-38 (NET)

Context
20:6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread , and within five days we came to the others in Troas , where we stayed for seven days . 20:7 On the first day of the week , when we met to break bread , Paul began to speak to the people , and because he intended to leave the next day , he extended his message until midnight . 20:8 (Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting .) 20:9 A young man named Eutychus , who was sitting in the window , was sinking into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak for a long time . Fast asleep , he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead . 20:10 But Paul went down , threw himself on the young man , put his arms around him, and said , “Do not be distressed , for he is still alive !” 20:11 Then Paul went back upstairs , and after he had broken bread and eaten , he talked with them a long time , until dawn . Then he left . 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly comforted .
The Voyage to Miletus
20:13 We went on ahead to the ship and put out to sea for Assos , intending to take Paul aboard there , for he had arranged it this way . He himself was intending to go there by land . 20:14 When he met us in Assos , we took him aboard and went to Mitylene . 20:15 We set sail from there , and on the following day we arrived off Chios . The next day we approached Samos , and the day after that we arrived at Miletus . 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so as not to spend time in the province of Asia , for he was hurrying to arrive in Jerusalem , if possible , by the day of Pentecost . 20:17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus , telling the elders of the church to come to him. 20:18 When they arrived , he said to them , “You yourselves know how I lived the whole time I was with you , from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia , 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears , and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots of the Jews . 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would be helpful , and from teaching you publicly and from house to house , 20:21 testifying to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus . 20:22 And now , compelled by the Spirit , I am going to Jerusalem without knowing what will happen to me there , 20:23 except that the Holy Spirit warns me in town after town that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me . 20:24 But I do not consider my life worth anything to myself , so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus , to testify to the good news of God’s grace . 20:25 “And now I know that none of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom will see me again. 20:26 Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all . 20:27 For I did not hold back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God . 20:28 Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers , to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. 20:29 I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you , not sparing the flock . 20:30 Even from among your own group men will arise , teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them . 20:31 Therefore be alert , remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears . 20:32 And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace . This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified . 20:33 I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing . 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me . 20:35 By all these things , I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak , and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said , ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive .’” 20:36 When he had said these things , he knelt down with them all and prayed . 20:37 They all began to weep loudly , and hugged Paul and kissed him , 20:38 especially saddened by what he had said , that they were not going to see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Miletus

    [ebd] (Miletum, 2 Tim. 4:20), a seaport town and the ancient capital of Ionia, about 36 miles south of Ephesus. On his voyage from Greece to Syria, Paul touched at this port, and delivered that noble and pathetic address to the el...
    [isbe] MILETUS - mi-le'-tus (Miletos): A famous early Ionian Greek city on the coast of Caria, near the mouth of the Meander River, which, according to Acts 20:15--21:1, and 2 Tim 4:20 (the King James Version "Miletum"), Paul twice...
    [smith] (Acts 20:15,17) less correctly called MILETUM in (2 Timothy 4:20) It lay on the coast, 36 miles to the south of Ephesus, a day?s sail from Trogyllium. (Acts 20:15) Moreover, to those who are sailing from the north it is in...
    [nave] MILETUS, called also Miletum. A seaport in Asia Minor. Paul visits, Acts 20:15; and sends to ephesus for the elders of the church, and addresses them at, Acts 20:17-38. Trophimus left sick at, 2 Tim. 4:20.

  • Paul

    [ebd] =Saul (q.v.) was born about the same time as our Lord. His circumcision-name was Saul, and probably the name Paul was also given to him in infancy "for use in the Gentile world," as "Saul" would be his Hebrew home-name. He w...
    [smith] (small, little). Nearly all the original materials for the life St. Paul are contained in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline epistles. Paul was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. (It is not improbable that he was bor...
    [nave] PAUL Called also Saul, Acts 8:1; 9:1; 13:9. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5. Personal appearance of, 2 Cor. 10:1, 10; 11:6. Born in Tarsus, Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3. Educated at Jerusalem in the school of Ga...

  • Ephesus

    [ebd] the capital of proconsular Asia, which was the western part of Asia Minor. It was colonized principally from Athens. In the time of the Romans it bore the title of "the first and greatest metropolis of Asia." It was distingu...
    [smith] (permitted), the capital of the Roman province of Asia, and an illustrious city in the district of Ionia, nearly opposite the island of Samos. Buildings. --Conspicuous at the head of the harbor of Ephesus was the great temple...
    [nave] EPHESUS Paul visits and preaches in, Acts 18:19-21; 19; 20:16-38. Apollos visits and preaches in, Acts 18:18-28. Sceva's sons attempt to expel a demon in, Acts 19:13-16. Timothy directed by Paul to remain at, 1 Tim. 1:3. ...

  • ROMANS, EPISTLE TO THE

    [ebd] This epistle was probably written at Corinth. Phoebe (Rom. 16:1) of Cenchrea conveyed it to Rome, and Gaius of Corinth entertained the apostle at the time of his writing it (16:23; 1 Cor. 1:14), and Erastus was chamberlain o...
    [isbe] ROMANS, EPISTLE TO THE - || 1. Its Genuineness 2. Its Integrity 3. The Approximate Date 4. The Place of Writing 5. The Destination 6. The Language 7. The Occasion 8. Some Characteristics 9. Main Teachings of the Epistle (1) ...

  • Luke

    [ebd] the evangelist, was a Gentile. The date and circumstances of his conversion are unknown. According to his own statement (Luke 1:2), he was not an "eye-witness and minister of the word from the beginning." It is probable that...
    [nave] LUKE A disciple. A physician, Col. 4:14. Wrote to Theophilus, Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1, 2. Accompanies Paul in his tour of Asia and Macedonia, Acts 16:10-13; 20:5, 6; to Jerusalem, Acts 21:1-18; to Rome, Acts 27; 28; 2 Tim. 4:...

  • ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 1-7

    [isbe] ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 1-7 - a-pos'-ls: I. TITLE II. TEXT III. UNITY OF THE BOOK IV. THE AUTHOR V. CANONICITY VI. DATE VII. SOURCES USED BY LUKE VIII. THE SPEECHES IN THE ACTS IX. RELATION OF ACTS TO THE EPISTLES X. CHRONOLOG...

  • ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 8-12

    [isbe] ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 8-12 - VIII. The Speeches in Acts. This matter is important enough to receive separate treatment. Are the numerous speeches reported in Acts free compositions of Luke made to order a la Thucydides? Are ...

  • ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 13-OUTLINE

    [isbe] ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 13-OUTLINE - XIII. Analysis. 1. The connection between the work of the apostles and that of Jesus (Acts 1:1-11). 2. The equipment of the early disciples for their task (Acts 1:12 through 2:47). (a) The ...

  • PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 5

    [isbe] PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 5 - V. Work. 1. Adjustment: There was evidently a tumult in Paul's soul. He had undergone a revolution, both intellectual and spiritual. Before he proceeded farther it was wise to think through the most im...

  • LUKE, THE EVANGELIST

    [isbe] LUKE, THE EVANGELIST - look, luk. 1. Name: The name Luke (Loukas) is apparently an abbreviation for Loukanos. Old Latin manuscripts frequently have the words CATA LUCANUM as the title of the Third Gospel. (But the form Louki...

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • EPHESIANS, EPISTLE TO THE

    [isbe] EPHESIANS, EPISTLE TO THE - I. AUTHENTICITY 1. External Evidence 2. Internal Evidence II. PLACE AND DATE OF WRITING III. DESTINATION 1. Title 2. The Inscription 3. The Evidence of the Letter Itself 4. Conclusion IV. RELATION...

  • THESSALONIANS, THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE

    [isbe] THESSALONIANS, THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE - thes-a-lo'-ni-anz I. IMPORTANCE OF THE EPISTLE II. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH 1. Luke's Narrative in Acts 2. Confirmation of Luke's Narrative in the Epistle ...

  • Elder

    [ebd] a name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a person clothed with authority, and entitled to respect and reverence (Gen. 50:7). It also denoted a political office (Num. 22:7). The "elders of Israel" held a rank a...
    [nave] ELDER. In the Mosaic System Equivalent to the title senator, in present use. Elders, with delegated powers, were authorized to act for their constituency, Deut. 1:13, 15. See: Government, Mosaic. In the Christian Church ...

  • Ephesians, Epistle to

    [ebd] was written by Paul at Rome about the same time as that to the Colossians, which in many points it resembles. Contents of. The Epistle to the Colossians is mainly polemical, designed to refute certain theosophic errors that ...

  • Bishop

    [ebd] an overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to order between bishops and elders or presbyters (Acts 20:17-28; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3). The term bishop is never once used ...
    [isbe] BISHOP - bish'-up: The word is evidently an abbreviation of the Greek episkopos; Latin, episcopus. GENERAL 1. Use in the Septuagint and Classic Greek: The Septuagint gives it the generic meaning of "superintendency, oversigh...
    [nave] BISHOP. Phil. 1:1 See: Minister; Overseer.Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:2-7; Tit. 1:5-11 A Title of Jesus 1 Pet. 2:25. See: Elder.

  • Eutychus

    [ebd] fortunate, (Acts 20:9-12), a young man of Troas who fell through drowsiness from the open window of the third floor of the house where Paul was preaching, and was "taken up dead." The lattice-work of the window being open to...
    [isbe] EUTYCHUS - u'-ti-kus (Eutuchos, "fortunate"): The story of Eutychus occurs in the "we" section of Acts, and is therefore related by an eyewitness of the incidents (Acts 20:7-12). On the first day of the week the Christians o...
    [smith] (fortunate), a youth at Troas, (Acts 20:9) who sitting in a window, and having fallen asleep while St. Paul was discoursing, fell from the third story, and being taken up dead, was miraculously restored to life by the apostle...
    [nave] EUTYCHUS, a young man of Troas, restored to life by Paul, Acts 20:9-11.

  • Zeal

    [nave] ZEAL, Religious Josh. 24:15, 16; 2 Sam. 24:24, 25; 1 Kin. 9:4; 1 Kin. 15:14; 1 Chr. 29:17; 2 Chr. 15:15; 2 Chr. 19:3; Ezra 7:23; Job 16:19; Psa. 42:1, 2; Psa. 60:4; Psa. 96:2, 3, 10; Psa. 119:139; Prov. 11:30; Eccl. 9:10; ...

  • CHURCH GOVERNMENT

    [isbe] CHURCH GOVERNMENT - guv'-ern-ment: I. APPROACH TO SUBJECT 1. The General Sense 2. The Local Sense II. INTERNAL ORDER 1. Subjects of Admission 2. Definite Organizations 3. Ministers (1) General (2) Local 4. Ecclesiastical Fun...

  • Troas

    [isbe] TROAS - tro'-as (Troas): The chief city in the Northwest of Asia Minor, on the coast of Mysia in the Roman province of Asia. From here, according to Acts 16:8, Paul sailed. Here, also, according to Acts 20:5-12, Paul raised ...
    [smith] the city from which St. Paul first sailed, in consequence of a divine intimation, to carry the gospel from Asia to Europe. (Acts 16:8,11) It is mentioned on other occasions. (Acts 20:5,6; 2 Corinthians 2:12,13; 2 Timoth...
    [nave] TROAS, a seaport of Mysia, in Asia Minor. Paul visits, Acts 16:8, 11; 20:5, 6; 2 Cor. 2:12; 2 Tim. 4:13.
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Evangelistic Activities in Acts; Tests for Prophecy; Tears; Accounts of People Raised from the Dead; Perfect and Progressive; The Devil’s Strategy; Redemption Defined; Revelation 12:11; Definition of a Local Church; True or False Quiz; Why Should the Congregation Follow Me?

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • "2:1-3 echoes 1:1 by introducing the same phrases but in reverse order: he created,' God,' heavens and earth' reappear as heavens and earth' (2:1) God' (2:2), created' (2:3). This chiastic pattern brings the section to a neat...
  • This is the most positively stated of the Ten Commandments. Only one other commandment appears in the affirmative, namely, the fifth. The fourth commandment is a charge to refresh oneself physically and spiritually. The Hebre...
  • The combination of David's final song (ch. 22) followed by his last testament (23:1-7) recalls the similar combination of Moses' final song and his last testament (Deut. 32 and 33). This was David's final literary legacy to I...
  • God had a very unusual ministry for Elijah to perform in which he would stand alone against hundreds of opponents (18:16-40). This section reveals how the Lord prepared him for it.The site of Zarephath was between Tyre and Si...
  • 23:1 David compared Yahweh to a shepherd as he reviewed His blessings on his life (cf. 28:9; 80:1). This was a familiar role for David who had been a shepherd of sheep as a youth and who later became a shepherd of God's peopl...
  • Jeremiah's symbolic act of wearing a yoke led to another symbolic act, the breaking of that yoke. Jeremiah's act brought a false prophet into direct confrontation with the true prophet.28:1 The following event took place in t...
  • This part of Ezekiel's message of warning to the exiles is similar to 3:16-21. Yahweh recommissioned Ezekiel to his prophetic task (cf. chs. 2-3)."Now that Ezekiel's original ministry of judgment was completed, God appointed ...
  • 6:10 The new decree did not deter Daniel from continuing to pray for the welfare of the city where God had sent them into exile and for the Jews' return from exile. That this was the subject of his praying, among other things...
  • Pilate was a cruel ruler who made little attempt to understand the Jews whom he hated.1047He had treated them unfairly and brutally on many occasions, but recently Caesar had rebuked him severely.1048This probably accounts fo...
  • Several factors indicate that the writer of this Gospel was the same person who wrote the Book of Acts. First, a man named Theophilus was the recipient of both books (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Second, Acts refers to a previous wor...
  • This is the only inspired incident that God has given us of Jesus' experiences during His boyhood. Luke stressed Jesus' wisdom and His conscious awareness that He was the Son of God so his readers would have confidence in Jes...
  • In contrast to most people, the inhabitants of Jesus' hometown did not praise Him. When Jesus began to speak of God extending salvation to the Gentiles, a particular interest of Luke's, the Jews there opposed Him violently. P...
  • 12:42 Jesus answered Peter's question with one of His own. The answer to it gave Peter the answer to his question. Obviously the faithful and sensible steward pictures a disciple. Jesus' question also taught that He would giv...
  • Another question led to this teaching. The thematic connection with Jesus' words about the small beginning of the kingdom (vv. 19, 21) should be obvious. As elsewhere, Luke recorded Jesus teaching lessons and using illustrati...
  • 15:11-12 The man in the story had two sons, a younger and an older one (v. 25). Therefore the younger son's inheritance would normally have been one-third of his father's estate since the older son would have received a doubl...
  • Jesus balanced the need for humility and service with a promise of future reward. Though the Twelve are in view the implication of reward for other faithful disciples is strong. Jesus evidently repeated this promise in differ...
  • Jesus began His farewell address (cf. Moses, Deut. 31-33; Joshua, Josh. 23-24; Paul, Acts 20) with an object lesson....
  • This pericope contains another post-resurrection appearance of Jesus that bolstered the disciples' faith. It also contains John's account of the Great Commission.20:19 John moved his readers directly from the events of Easter...
  • 20:26 John located this post-resurrection appearance eight days after Easter Sunday, namely the following Sunday. His "eight days"(Gr. hemeras okto) evidently included both Sundays. Perhaps he identified the day because, by t...
  • Jesus now proceeded to use the miracle that He had just performed as the background for important instruction. John presented Jesus doing this many times in this Gospel. The repetition of this pattern in the epilogue is an ev...
  • Two lines of argument lead to the conclusion that Luke, the friend, fellow missionary, and physician of Paul wrote this book under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. First, there is the internal evidence, the passages writte...
  • Longenecker identified five phenomena about the structure of Acts that the reader needs to recognize to appreciate what Luke sought to communicate."1. It begins, like the [Third] Gospel, with an introductory section of distin...
  • If I were to boil down to one sentence what the Book of Acts is in the Bible to teach us, I would say this.The message of Acts is that the church of Jesus Christ is God's instrument to glorify Himself in the present age. The ...
  • I. The witness in Jerusalem 1:1-6:7A. The founding of the church 1:1-2:461. The resumptive preface to the book 1:1-52. The command to witness 1:6-83. The ascension of Jesus 1:9-114. Jesus' appointment of a twelfth apostle 1:1...
  • The key to the apostles' successful fulfillment of Jesus' commission was their baptism with and consequent indwelling by the Holy Spirit. Without this divine enablement they would only have been able to follow Jesus' example,...
  • 1:15 In view of Peter's leadership gifts, so obvious in the Gospels, it is no surprise that he is the one who took the initiative on this occasion."Undoubtedly, the key disciple in Luke's writings is Peter. He was the represe...
  • 2:37 The Holy Spirit used Peter's sermon to bring conviction, as Jesus had predicted (John 16:8-11). He convicted Peter's hearers of the truth of what he said and of their guilt in rejecting Jesus. Their question arose from t...
  • Luke now moved from describing what took place on a particular day to a more general description of the life of the early Jerusalem church (cf. 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6). Interestingly he gave comparatively little attention to the in...
  • 3:17-18 If Peter's charges against his hearers were harsh (vv. 13-15), his concession that they acted out of ignorance was tender. Peter undoubtedly hoped that his gentle approach would win a reversal of his hearers' attitude...
  • Stephen's speech caused a revolution in the Jews' attitude toward the disciples of Jesus, and his martyrdom began the first persecution of the Christians.Luke recorded the Sanhedrin's response to Stephen's message to document...
  • 9:10-12 Evidently Ananias was not a refugee from Jerusalem (22:12) but a resident of Damascus. He, too, received a vision of the Lord Jesus (v. 17) to whom he submitted willingly (cf. 1 Sam. 3:4, 10). Jesus gave Ananias speci...
  • Peter's explanation was satisfactory to his critics. His Jewish brethren agreed that God was saving Gentiles simply by faith in Jesus Christ just as He was saving Jews and that they should no longer regard Gentiles as "unclea...
  • Luke recorded the events of Paul's first missionary journey to document the extension of the church into new territory and to illustrate the principles and methods by which the church grew. He also did so to show God's supern...
  • 14:1-2 Iconium was a Greek city-state in the geographic region of Phrygia.". . . while Rome chose Antioch of Pisidia and Lystra as bastions of its authority in the area, Iconium remained largely Greek in temper and somewhat r...
  • 14:21b-22 The missionaries confined their labors to the Galatian province on this trip. They did not move farther east into the kingdom of Antiochus or the province Cilicia that Paul may have evangelized previously during his...
  • Luke recorded Paul's vision of the Macedonian man to explain God's initiative in encouraging Paul and his companions to carry the gospel farther west into Europe.". . . this section [6:6-10] makes it overwhelmingly clear that...
  • 17:1 Paul, Silas, Timothy, and perhaps others left Philippi and headed southwest on the Egnatian Road. Luke evidently stayed in Philippi since he again described Paul's party as "they"instead of "we"(cf. 20:5-6). Paul and Sil...
  • Luke probably recorded Paul's address (vv. 22-31) as a sample of his preaching to intellectual pagans (cf. 13:16-41; 14:15-18; 20:18-35).712In this speech Paul began with God as Creator and brought his hearers to God as Judge...
  • Most Greeks rejected the possibility of physical resurrection.721Many of them believed that the most desirable condition lay beyond the grave where the soul would finally be free of the body (e.g., Platonists). The response o...
  • 18:1 Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia and was a Roman colony. The Romans razed Corinth in 146 B.C., but it was rebuilt a century later in 46 B.C. Its site lay about 50 miles southwest of Athens at a ver...
  • 19:8 Paul followed his standard procedure of preaching to the Jews in the synagogue at Ephesus as long as possible. Here the Jews were more tolerant than they had been in some other towns that Paul had evangelized, and he was...
  • "The panel is introduced by the programmatic statement of 19:21-22 and concludes with the summary statement of 28:31. Three features immediately strike the reader in this sixth panel: (1) the disproportionate length of the pa...
  • This pericope gives the reason for what follows in the remainder of Acts.19:21 Paul evidently sensed that having laid a firm foundation in Asia Minor and the Aegean Sea region he needed to press on to Gentile areas yet unreac...
  • "This report of Paul's return visit to Macedonia and Achaia is the briefest account of an extended ministry in all of Acts--even more so than the summary of the ministry at Ephesus (cf. 19:8-12). Nevertheless, it can be fille...
  • "From 20:5 through the end of Acts (28:31), Luke's narrative gives considerable attention to ports of call, stopovers, and time spent on Paul's travels and includes various anecdotes. It contains the kind of details found in ...
  • "In a few business-like words Luke takes his readers over some of the most storied coasts of ancient myth and history."82620:13-14 Ships had to round Cape Lectum to reach Assos (modern Bahram Koi) from Troas. This was a more ...
  • "Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders is the nearest approximation to the Pauline letters in Acts. Its general content recalls how in his letters Paul encouraged, warned, and exhorted his converts. Moreover, its the...
  • 20:36 Prayer for God's grace and protection undoubtedly bonded these men together in Christian love. The kneeling posture here, as elsewhere in Scripture, reflects an attitude of submission to the sovereign God. The normal po...
  • The third "we"section of Acts (21:1-18) is of theological importance because it focuses on Paul's recapitulation of Jesus' passion. Note the similarities between Luke's accounts of Jesus' trip to Jerusalem and Paul's. Both st...
  • 21:7 Ptolemais (Acco of the Old Testament and modern Acre located on the north side of the bay of Haifa) lay 20 miles south of Tyre. It was the southernmost Phoenician port. There Paul also met with the local Christians as st...
  • "The irregular structure of Luke's account of Paul's defense before the Sanhedrin evidently reflects the tumultuous character of the session itself. Three matters pertaining to Luke's apologetic purpose come to the fore: (1) ...
  • 23:12-15 Paul's adversaries (cf. 21:27-29) evidently agreed together not to taste food or drink again until Paul was dead. Their plan was to have the chief priests and elders of Israel ask the Roman commander to return Paul t...
  • Paul was a Roman citizen who had appealed to Caesar and had gained the respect (to say the least) of his centurion escort. Therefore he was able to reside in a private rented residence with a Roman guard (v. 30).This is the e...
  • 28:23 Luke's concern in this pericope was to emphasize what Paul preached to these men and their reaction to it. The term "kingdom of God"probably means the same thing here as it usually does in the Gospels, namely Messiah's ...
  • Sermons and Speeches in Acts984SpeakersOccasions and or HearersCitiesReferencesPeter (1)Selection of successor to JudasJerusalem1:16-22Peter (2)Signs on the day of PentecostJerusalem2:14-36Peter (3)Healing of lame man in the ...
  • Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
  • Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
  • The issue of Paul's right to their material support underlies this whole pericope."Philosophers and wandering missionaries in the Greco-Roman world were supported' by four means: fees, patronage, begging, and working. Each of...
  • This aspect of the problem involved showing disregard for the poorer members of the church.11:17 The Corinthians' behavior at the Lord's Supper was so bad that Paul could say they were worse off for observing it as they did r...
  • 16:1 It seems that the Corinthian Christians had heard about the collection (Gr. logeias, extra collection) Paul was getting together for the poor saints in Jerusalem (v. 3) and wanted to make a contribution. James, Peter, an...
  • As I have pointed out, each section in this epistle concludes with some practical admonition. These verses constitute a summary exhortation for the whole letter.16:13-14 Paul urged his somewhat unstable readers to be watchful...
  • The New Testament reveals that Paul was actively collecting money for "the poor among the saints in Jerusalem"(Rom. 15:26) for about five years (52-57 A.D.). He solicited funds from the Christians in Galatia (Acts 18:23; 1 Co...
  • Paul concluded his exhortation regarding the collection by reminding his readers of the benefits God inevitably bestows on those who give liberally. He did this so they would follow through with their purpose and believe that...
  • Paul next reminded his readers of their former way of life, the transformation that their adoption into God's family had wrought, and his concern that they were in danger of trading their future for a mess of pottage.4:8-9 Be...
  • The apostle warned his readers not to think that they could satisfy the demands of the Mosaic Law by obeying only a few of its commands. Only complete compliance satisfies its demands.5:1 Paul's readers were in danger of retu...
  • In most of his epistles Paul began by setting forth foundational truth and then concluded by applying that truth to the lives of his readers. This pattern is very obvious in Ephesians where the first three chapters deal with ...
  • Paul began this epistle by identifying himself and his companion and by wishing God's richest blessings on his readers."Almost all letters from the Greco-Roman period began with a threefold salutation: The Writer, to the Addr...
  • At this point Paul's thinking turned from what had already occurred because of his imprisonment to what he anticipated happening in the future. He referred to this so his readers would uphold him in their prayers and feel enc...
  • Timothy apparently became a Christian as a result of Paul's missionary work in Lystra (Acts 14:6-23). He joined Paul on the second missionary journey when the apostle's evangelistic team passed through that area where Timothy...
  • The Ephesian church already had elders long before Paul wrote this letter (Acts 20:17-35)."If our identification of the false teachers as elders is correct, then Paul's reason for this set of instructions is that Timothy must...
  • In this pericope Paul reminded Timothy of the apostasy that Jesus Christ had foretold to equip him to identify and to deal with it.143"The change that occurs at 4:1 following the hymn of victory, then, is not unexpected. Oppo...
  • Paul revealed that he was about to die to impress on Timothy further the importance of remaining faithful to the Lord.4:6 Paul believed that he would die very soon. He used two euphemistic expressions to describe his death. F...
  • The closing verses of Hebrews are an addendum to the body of the homily. The writer added them because he felt concern for his addressees and wanted to add a few personal remarks.13:22 The writer urged his readers again to ac...
  • 5:1 In view of the inevitability of trials and God's judgment Peter gave a special charge to the elders (overseers) of the congregations of his readers. Peter himself was an elder as well as an apostle. As an elder he spoke f...
  • 2:1 "The people"in view are God's people in Old Testament times, the times to which Peter had just been referring (1:19-22). False prophets in Old Testament times sought to lead God's people away from the revelations of the t...
  • John commended Gaius for his love of the brethren to encourage him to continue practicing this virtue.v. 5 John loved Gaius as Gaius loved the brethren to whom he had extended hospitality."The early Christian community's deep...
  • Jude explained his reason for writing this letter to introduce what follows and to impress the urgency of his subject on his readers.v. 3 Most Spirit-led preachers have felt exactly how Jude said he felt in this verse. It is ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24. But none of t...
  • So that I might finish my course …'--Acts 20:24.I have finished my course'--2 Tim. 4:7.I DO not suppose that Paul in prison, and within sight of martyrdom, remembered his words at Ephesus. But the fact that what was aspi...
  • And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace .--Acts 20:32.I MAY be pardoned if my remarks now should assume somewhat of a more personal character than is my wont. I desire to speak mainly to my own f...
  • It is more blessed to give than to receive.'--Acts 20:35.How many other things Jesus did' and said which are not written in this book'! Here is one precious unrecorded word, which was floating down to the ocean of oblivion wh...
  • Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. I thank my God upo...
  • Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.'--Col. 1:12 (R.V.)IT is interesting to notice how much the thought of inheritance seems to have been filling the Apost...
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