Discovery BoxActs 20:1-32
Context20:1 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging 1 them and saying farewell, 2 he left to go to Macedonia. 3 20:2 After he had gone through those regions 4 and spoken many words of encouragement 5 to the believers there, 6 he came to Greece, 7 20:3 where he stayed 8 for three months. Because the Jews had made 9 a plot 10 against him as he was intending 11 to sail 12 for Syria, he decided 13 to return through Macedonia. 14 20:4 Paul 15 was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, 16 Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, 17 Gaius 18 from Derbe, 19 and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 20 20:5 These had gone on ahead 21 and were waiting for us in Troas. 22 20:6 We 23 sailed away from Philippi 24 after the days of Unleavened Bread, 25 and within five days 26 we came to the others 27 in Troas, 28 where we stayed for seven days. 20:7 On the first day 29 of the week, when we met 30 to break bread, Paul began to speak 31 to the people, and because he intended 32 to leave the next day, he extended 33 his message until midnight. 20:8 (Now there were many lamps 34 in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) 35 20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, 36 was sinking 37 into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak 38 for a long time. Fast asleep, 39 he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 20:10 But Paul went down, 40 threw himself 41 on the young man, 42 put his arms around him, 43 and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” 44 20:11 Then Paul 45 went back upstairs, 46 and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them 47 a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly 48 comforted.
20:13 We went on ahead 49 to the ship and put out to sea 50 for Assos, 51 intending 52 to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. 53 He 54 himself was intending 55 to go there by land. 56 20:14 When he met us in Assos, 57 we took him aboard 58 and went to Mitylene. 59 20:15 We set sail 60 from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. 61 The next day we approached 62 Samos, 63 and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. 64 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus 65 so as not to spend time 66 in the province of Asia, 67 for he was hurrying 68 to arrive in Jerusalem, 69 if possible, 70 by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus 71 he sent a message 72 to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. 73
20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived 74 the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot 75 in the province of Asia, 76 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility 77 and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots 78 of the Jews. 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming 79 to you anything that would be helpful, 80 and from teaching you publicly 81 and from house to house, 20:21 testifying 82 to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. 83 20:22 And now, 84 compelled 85 by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem 86 without knowing what will happen to me there, 87 20:23 except 88 that the Holy Spirit warns 89 me in town after town 90 that 91 imprisonment 92 and persecutions 93 are waiting for me. 20:24 But I do not consider my life 94 worth anything 95 to myself, so that 96 I may finish my task 97 and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news 98 of God’s grace.
20:25 “And now 99 I know that none 100 of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom 101 will see me 102 again. 20:26 Therefore I declare 103 to you today that I am innocent 104 of the blood of you all. 105 20:27 For I did not hold back from 106 announcing 107 to you the whole purpose 108 of God. 20:28 Watch out for 109 yourselves and for all the flock of which 110 the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, 111 to shepherd the church of God 112 that he obtained 113 with the blood of his own Son. 114 20:29 I know that after I am gone 115 fierce wolves 116 will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group 117 men 118 will arise, teaching perversions of the truth 119 to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert, 120 remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning 121 each one of you with tears. 20:32 And now I entrust 122 you to God and to the message 123 of his grace. This message 124 is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
[20:1] 2 tn Or “and taking leave of them.”
[20:1] 3 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
[20:2] 4 tn BDAG 633 s.v. μέρος 1.b.γ gives the meanings “the parts (of a geographical area), region, district,” but the use of “district” in this context probably implies too much specificity.
[20:2] 5 tn Grk “and encouraging them with many words.” The participle παρακαλέσας (parakalesa", “encouraging”) has been translated by the phrase “spoken…words of encouragement” because the formal equivalent is awkward in contemporary English.
[20:2] 6 tn Grk “[to] them”; the referent (the believers there) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:2] 7 tn In popular usage the term translated “Greece” here could also refer to the Roman province officially known as Achaia (BDAG 318 s.v. ῾Ελλάς).
[20:3] 8 tn BDAG 841 s.v. ποιέω 5.c, “w. an acc. of time spend, stay.”
[20:3] 9 tn The participle βενομένης (benomenh") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 30.71 has “ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ‘because the Jews had made a plot against him’ Ac 20:3.”
[20:3] 10 sn This plot is one of several noted by Luke (Acts 9:20; 20:19; 23:30).
[20:3] 11 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
[20:3] 12 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 gives “put out to sea” here (as a nautical technical term). However, since the English expression “put out to sea” could be understood to mean Paul was already aboard the ship (which is not clear from the context), the simpler expression “sail” is used at this point in the translation.
[20:3] 13 tn BDAG 199 s.v. γίνομαι 7 has “ἐγένετο γνώμης he decided Ac 20:3.”
[20:3] 14 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
[20:4] 15 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:4] 16 sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) from Thessalonica.
[20:4] 17 tn Grk “of the Thessalonians.”
[20:4] 18 tn Grk “and Gaius,” but this καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[20:4] 19 sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 30 mi (50 km) southeast of Lystra.
[20:4] 20 tn Grk “the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus.” In the NT “Asia” always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
[20:5] 21 tn Grk “These, having gone on ahead, were waiting.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:5] 22 sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor.
[20:6] 23 sn This marks the beginning of another “we” section in Acts. These have been traditionally understood to mean that Luke was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.
[20:6] 24 map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
[20:6] 25 sn The days of Unleavened Bread refer to the week following Passover. Originally an agricultural festival commemorating the beginning of harvest, it was celebrated for seven days beginning on the fifteenth day of the month Nisan (March-April). It was later combined with Passover (Exod 12:1-20; Ezek 45:21-24; Matt 26:17; Luke 22:1).
[20:6] 26 tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.a.α has “ἄ. ἡμερῶν πέντε within five days Ac 20:6.”
[20:6] 27 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the others mentioned in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:6] 28 sn Troas was a port city (and surrounding region) on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. From Philippi to Troas was about 125 mi (200 km).
[20:7] 29 sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).
[20:7] 31 tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[20:7] 32 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
[20:8] 34 tn More commonly λαμπάς (lampa") means “torch,” but here according to BDAG 585 s.v. λαμπάς 2, “lamp…w. a wick and space for oil.”
[20:8] 35 sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.
[20:9] 36 tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).
[20:9] 37 tn Grk “sinking into a deep sleep.” BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ sink into a deep sleep…Ac 20:9a.” The participle καταφερόμενος (kataferomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:9] 38 tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.
[20:9] 39 tn BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὔπνου overwhelmed by sleep vs. 9b,” but this expression is less common in contemporary English than phrases like “fast asleep” or “sound asleep.”
[20:10] 40 tn Grk “going down.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:10] 41 tn BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 1.b has “ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ he threw himself upon him Ac 20:10.”
[20:10] 42 tn Grk “on him”; the referent (the young man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:10] 43 tn BDAG 959 s.v. συμπεριλαμβάνω has “to throw one’s arms around, embrace w. acc. to be supplied Ac 20:10.” However, “embraced the young man” might be taken (out of context) to have erotic implications, while “threw his arms around him” would be somewhat redundant since “threw” has been used in the previous phrase.
[20:10] 44 tn Grk “for his life is in him” (an idiom).
[20:11] 45 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:11] 46 tn Grk “going back upstairs.” The participle ἀναβάς (anabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:11] 47 tn Grk “talking with them.” The participle ὁμιλήσας (Jomilhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:12] 48 tn Grk “were not to a moderate degree” (an idiom). L&N 78.11 states: “μετρίως: a moderate degree of some activity or state – ‘moderately, to a moderate extent.’ ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα, καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίωθς ‘they took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted’ Ac 20:12. In Ac 20:12 the phrase οὐ μετρίως, literally ‘not to a moderate degree,’ is equivalent to a strong positive statement, namely, ‘greatly’ or ‘to a great extent.’”
[20:13] 49 tn Grk “going on ahead.” The participle προελθόντες (proelqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:13] 50 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”
[20:13] 51 sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.
[20:13] 52 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
[20:13] 53 tn Or “for he told us to do this.” Grk “for having arranged it this way, he.” The participle διατεταγμένος (diatetagmeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. BDAG 237 s.v. διατάσσω 1 has “οὕτως διατεταγμένος ἦν he had arranged it so Ac 20:13.” L&N 15.224 has “‘he told us to do this.”
[20:13] 54 tn A new sentence was begun here in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence; in Greek this is part of the preceding sentence beginning “We went on ahead.”
[20:13] 55 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
[20:13] 56 tn Or “there on foot.”
[20:14] 57 sn Assos was a city of Mysia about 24 mi (40 km) southeast of Troas.
[20:14] 58 tn Grk “taking him aboard, we.” The participle ἀναλαβόντες (analabonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:14] 59 sn Mitylene was the most important city on the island of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea. It was about 44 mi (70 km) from Assos.
[20:15] 60 tn Grk “setting sail from there.” The participle ἀποπλεύσαντες (apopleusante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[20:15] 61 tn Or “offshore from Chios.”
[20:15] 62 tn Or “crossed over to,” “arrived at.” L&N 54.12 has “παραβάλλω: (a technical, nautical term) to sail up to or near – ‘to approach, to arrive at, to sail to.’ παρεβάλομεν εἰς Σάμον ‘we approached Samos’ or ‘we arrived at Samos’ Ac 20:15.”
[20:15] 63 sn Samos is an island in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of Asia Minor.
[20:15] 64 sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 40 mi (70 km) south of Ephesus. From Mitylene to Miletus was about 125 mi (200 km).
[20:16] 65 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
[20:16] 66 tn Grk “so that he might not have to spend time.” L&N 67.79 has “ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ ᾿Ασίᾳ ‘so as not to spend any time in the province of Asia’ Ac 20:16.”
[20:16] 67 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
[20:16] 69 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[20:16] 70 tn Grk “if it could be to him” (an idiom).
[20:17] 71 sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 45 mi (72 km) south of Ephesus.
[20:17] 72 tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[20:17] 73 tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text but are implied. L&N 33.311 has for the verb μετακαλέομαι (metakaleomai) “to summon someone, with considerable insistence and authority – ‘to summon, to tell to come.’”
[20:18] 74 tn Grk “You yourselves know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time.” This could be understood to mean “how I stayed with you the whole time,” but the following verses make it clear that Paul’s lifestyle while with the Ephesians is in view here. Thus the translation “how I lived the whole time I was with you” makes this clear.
[20:18] 75 tn Or “I arrived.” BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω 2, “set foot in…εἰς τ. ᾿Ασίαν set foot in Asia Ac 20:18.” However, L&N 15.83 removes the idiom: “you know that since the first day that I came to Asia.”
[20:18] 76 tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 16.
[20:19] 77 sn On humility see 2 Cor 10:1; 11:7; 1 Thess 2:6; Col 3:12; Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3-11.
[20:19] 78 sn These plots are mentioned in Acts 9:24; 20:13.
[20:20] 80 tn Or “profitable.” BDAG 960 s.v. συμφέρω 2.b.α has “τὰ συμφέροντα what advances your best interests or what is good for you Ac 20:20,” but the broader meaning (s.v. 2, “to be advantageous, help, confer a benefit, be profitable/useful”) is equally possible in this context.
[20:21] 82 tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…of repentance to Judeans and Hellenes Ac 20:21.”
[20:21] 83 tc Several
[20:22] 84 tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.
[20:22] 86 sn This journey to Jerusalem suggests a parallel between Paul and Jesus, since the “Jerusalem journey” motif figures so prominently in Luke’s Gospel (9:51-19:44).
[20:22] 87 tn BDAG 965 s.v. συναντάω 2 has τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ συναντήσοντα ἐμοὶ μὴ εἰδώς without knowing what will happen to me there Ac 20:22.”
[20:23] 88 tn BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 1.d has “πλὴν ὅτι except that…Ac 20:23.”
[20:23] 89 tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn” (BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 2 has “solemnly urge, exhort, warn…w. dat. of pers. addressed”), and this meaning better fits the context here, although BDAG categorizes Acts 20:23 under the meaning “testify of, bear witness to” (s.v. 1).
[20:23] 90 tn The Greek text here reads κατὰ πόλιν (kata polin).
[20:23] 91 tn Grk “saying that,” but the participle λέγον (legon) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[20:23] 93 tn Or “troubles,” “suffering.” See Acts 19:21; 21:4, 11.
[20:24] 95 tn Or “I do not consider my life worth a single word.” According to BDAG 599 s.v. λόγος 1.a.α, “In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’).”
[20:24] 96 tn BDAG 1106 s.v. ὡς 9 describes this use as “a final particle, expressing intention/purpose, with a view to, in order to.”
[20:24] 97 tn Grk “course.” See L&N 42.26, “(a figurative extension of meaning of δρόμος ‘race’) a task or function involving continuity, serious, effort, and possibly obligation – ‘task, mission’…Ac 20:24.” On this Pauline theme see also Phil 1:19-26; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 4:6-7.
[20:24] 98 tn Or “to the gospel.”
[20:25] 99 tn Grk “And now, behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.
[20:25] 100 tn Grk “all of you…will not see.” Greek handles its negation somewhat differently from English, and the translation follows English grammatical conventions.
[20:25] 101 sn Note how Paul’s usage of the expression proclaiming the kingdom is associated with (and intertwined with) his testifying to the good news of God’s grace in v. 24. For Paul the two concepts were interrelated.
[20:25] 102 tn Grk “will see my face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).
[20:26] 104 tn Grk “clean, pure,” thus “guiltless” (BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a).
[20:26] 105 tn That is, “that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible” (an idiom). According to L&N 33.223, the meaning of the phrase “that I am innocent of the blood of all of you” is “that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.” However, due to the length of this phrase and its familiarity to many modern English readers, the translation was kept closer to formal equivalence in this case. The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; Paul is addressing the Ephesian congregation (in the person of its elders) in both v. 25 and 27.
[20:27] 106 tn Or “did not avoid.” BDAG 1041 s.v. ὑποστέλλω 2.b has “shrink from, avoid implying fear…οὐ γὰρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι I did not shrink from proclaiming Ac 20:27”; L&N 13.160 has “to hold oneself back from doing something, with the implication of some fearful concern – ‘to hold back from, to shrink from, to avoid’…‘for I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God’ Ac 20:27.”
[20:27] 107 tn Or “proclaiming,” “declaring.”
[20:28] 109 tn Or “Be on your guard for” (cf. v. 29). Paul completed his responsibility to the Ephesians with this warning.
[20:28] 110 tn Grk “in which.”
[20:28] 111 tn Or “guardians.” BDAG 379-80 s.v. ἐπίσκοπος 2 states, “The term was taken over in Christian communities in ref. to one who served as overseer or supervisor, with special interest in guarding the apostolic tradition…Ac 20:28.” This functional term describes the role of the elders (see v. 17). They were to guard and shepherd the congregation.
[20:28] 112 tc The reading “of God” (τοῦ θεοῦ, tou qeou) is found in א B 614 1175 1505 al vg sy; other witnesses have “of the Lord” (τοῦ κυρίου, tou kuriou) here (so Ì74 A C* D E Ψ 33 1739 al co), while the majority of the later minuscule
[20:28] 114 tn Or “with his own blood”; Grk “with the blood of his own.” The genitive construction could be taken in two ways: (1) as an attributive genitive (second attributive position) meaning “his own blood”; or (2) as a possessive genitive, “with the blood of his own.” In this case the referent is the Son, and the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. See further C. F. DeVine, “The Blood of God,” CBQ 9 (1947): 381-408.
[20:29] 115 tn Grk “after my departure.”
[20:29] 116 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] 117 tn Grk “from among yourselves.”
[20:30] 118 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] 119 tn Grk “speaking crooked things”; BDAG 237 s.v. διαστρέφω 2 has “λαλεῖν διεστραμμένα teach perversions (of the truth) Ac 20:30.”
[20:31] 120 tn Or “be watchful.”
[20:31] 121 tn Or “admonishing.”
[20:32] 122 tn Or “commend.” BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 3.b has “τινά τινι entrust someone to the care or protection of someone…Of divine protection παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ Ac 14:23; cp. 20:32.”
[20:32] 124 tn Grk “the message of his grace, which.” The phrase τῷ δυναμένῳ οἰκοδομῆσαι… (tw dunamenw oikodomhsai…) refers to τῷ λόγω (tw logw), not τῆς χάριτος (ths caritos); in English it could refer to either “the message” or “grace,” but in Greek, because of agreement in gender, the referent can only be “the message.” To make this clear, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the referent “the message” was repeated at the beginning of this new sentence.
