Acts 20:29-31

20:29 I know that after I am gone ¹  fierce wolves ²  will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group ³  men ⁴  will arise, teaching perversions of the truth ⁵  to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert, ⁶  remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning ⁷  each one of you with tears.

[20:29]  ¹ tn Grk “after my departure.”

[20:29]  ² tn That is, people like fierce wolves. See BDAG 167-68 s.v. βαρύς 4 on the term translated “fierce.” The battle that will follow would be a savage one.

[20:30]  ³ tn Grk “from among yourselves.”

[20:30]  ⁴ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only rarely is used in a generic sense to refer to both males and females. Since Paul is speaking to the Ephesian elders at this point and there is nothing in the context to suggest women were included in that group (“from among your own group”), it is most likely Paul was not predicting that these false teachers would include women.

[20:30]  ⁵ tn Grk “speaking crooked things”; BDAG 237 s.v. διαστρέφω 2 has “λαλεῖν διεστραμμένα teach perversions (of the truth) Ac 20:30.”

[20:31]  ⁶ tn Or “be watchful.”

[20:31]  ⁷ tn Or “admonishing.”