Acts 20

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Paul’s Journey to Macedonia	Journeys in Greece	The Last Visit to Greece	To Macedonia and Achaia	Paul Leaves Ephesus
20:1-6	20:1-6	20:1-6	20:1-6	20:1-6
Paul’s Farewell Visit to Troas	Ministering in Troas	Paul’s Return to Palestine (20:7-21:14)	Paul’s Last Visit to Troas	Troas: Paul Raises a Dead Man to Life
20:7-12	20:7-12	20:7-12	20:7-12	20:7-12
The Voyage from Troas to Miletus	From Troas to Miletus		From Troas to Miletus	From Troas to Miletus
20:13-16	20:13-16	20:13-16	20:13-16	20:13-16
Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders	The Ephesian Elders Exhorted		Paul’s Farewell Speech to the Elders of Ephesus	Farewell to the Elders of Ephesus
20:17-24	20:17-38	20:17-18a	20:17-24	20:17-18a
		20:18b-24		20:18b-21
				20:22-24
20:25-35		20:25-35	20:25-31	20:25-27
				20:28
				20:29-32
			20:32-35
				20:33-35
20:36-38		20:36-38	20:36-38	20:36-38

READING CYCLE THREE (from “A Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects.
Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing
is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author’s intent,
which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one main
subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 1-6

A. This is a very brief and, therefore, somewhat confusing summary of Paul’s
ministry in Macedonia and Greece on his third missionary journey.

B. The best way to sort out Paul’s ministry in this area is to consult his
letters, especially I and II Corinthians.

C. Luke attempts to detail Paul’s movements by using time markers and place
names, but its brevity causes confusion.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:1-6
¹After the uproar had ceased,
Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave
of them, he left to go to Macedonia. ²When he had gone through those
districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. ³And
there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the
Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through
Macedonia. ⁴And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son
of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of
Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
⁵But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. ⁶We
sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at
Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

20:1 “After the uproar had ceased”
This phrase is ambiguous. It does not mean to imply that Paul left Ephesus
immediately because of the riot started by Demetrius. Paul did not leave because
of the riot, but because his evangelistic work was finished, as Demetrius’ own
statements made obvious (cf. 19:26).

▣ “Paul sent for the disciples and when he
had exhorted them” Paul was concerned with both evangelism and
discipleship (cf. v. 2; Matt. 28:18-20). The gospel, although received
individually, becomes a family to which service is due (cf. I Cor. 12:7). The
goal of local believers was a church!

20:2 “he had gone through those districts”
This possibly refers (1) to Illyricum (cf. Rom. 15:19) or (2) to the Macedonian
cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

▣ “he came to Greece” Greece (Hellas)
means the Roman Province of Achaia (cf. 19:21). This refers mainly to the city
of Corinth. Paul had an extended ministry in this area. During this time he
wrote Romans. He was worried about the church in Corinth, as I Cor. 16:5-9 and
II Cor. 2:12-13 clearly show.

20:3 This verse relates to Paul’s
travel plans. He often had to change them because of circumstances. In this
instance Paul thought it unwise (i.e., a plot by Jews) to board a pilgrim ship
heading toward Jerusalem, so he traveled by land.

▣ “a
plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail” He
was possibly planning to sail on a Pilgrim ship that stopped at all ports on the
way taking Jewish pilgrims to the festivals in Jerusalem.

▣ “Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius,
Timothy, Tychicus, Trophimus”
These are probably men from various churches sent to accompany Paul’s special
monetary gift to the church in Jerusalem (cf. I Cor. 16:1-3; II Cor. 8-9).

1. Sopater is possibly the Sosipater of Rom. 16:21.

2. Aristarchus is mentioned in Acts 19:29; 27:2 and Col. 4:10.

3. Tychicus is mentioned in Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-8; II Tim. 4:12 and Titus
3:12.

4. Gaius is mentioned in Acts 19:29.

5. Trophimus is mentioned in Acts 21:29 and II Tim. 4:20.

The following is taken from my commentary on I Corinthians (see www.freebiblecommentary.org ).

“the collection” Logia is a
term which has been found in the Greek papyri in Egypt as a gift of money for a
religious purpose, but not related to a regular tax (cf. Moulton, Milligan,
The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 377). It is uncertain whether
in this context it refers to a regular gift or extra gift to the church. Paul
began this concern for the poor in Judea from a conversation with James, Peter,
John, and Barnabas in Gal. 2:10; 6:10. This specific offering was begun by the
church at Antioch where Paul and Barnabas served, Acts 11:27-30. This offering
is mentioned in several NT books (cf. Rom. 15:26; II Cor. 8-9; I Cor. 16:1). It
was an attempt to seal the relationship between the Hebrew mother church and the
Gentile churches.

Paul calls this one-time contribution by several names.

1. almsgiving, Acts 24:17

2. fellowship, Rom. 15:26,27; II Cor. 8:4; 9:13

3. an indebtedness, Rom. 15:27

4. service, Rom. 15:27; II Cor. 9:12″

From II Cor. 8:6,16 it seems that Titus may have also been a church
representative. It is so strange that Luke never mentions Titus in Acts. The
theory has been that Titus was Luke’s brother and that modesty caused him to
omit his name. This may also explain the unnamed brother in II Corinthians 8:18,
who many think was Luke (Origen recorded in Eusebius’
His. Eccl. 6.25.6; A. T. Robertson’s, Word Pictures in the New
Testament, p. 245).

F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, comments on Titus
and Luke being brothers.

“One explanation of Luke’s silence about one who was such a trusted
lieutenant of Paul’s is that Titus was Luke’s brother; cf. W. M. Ramsay, St.
Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen (London, 1895), p. 390; Luke the
Physician and Other Studies (London, 1908), pp. 17 f.; A. Souter, ‘A
Suggested Relationship between Titus and Luke’, Expository Times 18
(1906-7), p. 285, and “The Relationship between Titus and Luke’, ibid.,
pp. 335 f. But if this relationship is maintained, then the possibility that
Luke is the ‘brother’ of 2 Corinthians 8:18 f. (see. p. 320) is ruled out:
Paul’s purpose in sending this ‘brother’ along with Titus was that he should be
an independent guarantor of the probity of the administration of the relief
fund, and this purpose would have been frustrated if critics had been given an
opportunity to draw attention to a blood-relationship between the two. Nothing
could have been better calculated to foster already existing suspicions” (p. 339
footnote #5).

20:5 “us” Luke begins again his
eyewitness account, which was discontinued in Philippi (cf. Acts 16). The “we”
sections are identified as 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; and 27:1-28:1b.

20:6 “the days of Unleavened Bread”
This seven-day feast in mid-April was combined with the one-day Passover feast
(cf. Exodus 13). Paul’s Jewish background influenced the way he viewed the
calendar. We know nothing of Jews or a synagogue at Philippi, so Paul did not
keep this feast for witnessing purposes (cf. I Cor. 9:19-23). Perhaps it is just
mentioned because he was planning his travel to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost
(cf. 20:16).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:7-12
⁷On the first day of the week,
when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to
them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until
midnight. ⁸There were many lamps in the upper room where we were
gathered together. ⁹And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting
on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he
was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. ¹⁰But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said,
“Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” ¹¹When he had gone
back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while
until daybreak, and then left.
¹²They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

20:7 “On the first day of the week when we
were gathered together to break bread” This shows the early Church’s
procedure of meeting on Sundays (the first workday of the week) to have a
communal fellowship meal (v. 11) and the memorial supper (“breaking bread” is a
NT idiom for the Lord’s Supper). Jesus Himself set the precedent of Sunday
worship by His three post-resurrection appearances (cf. John 20:19,26; 21:1;
Luke 24:36; I Cor. 16:2).

The Helps for Translator series (The Acts of the Apostles by
Newman and Nida, p. 384) says that Luke is referring to Jewish time and that
this would have been Saturday evening (cf. TEV), but most translations are more
literal, “the first day of the week.” This is the only use of this phrase in
Acts. Paul uses the phrase “first day of the week” only in I Cor. 16:2, where it
implies Sunday.

▣
“prolonged his message” Paul wanted to teach and encourage as much as
possible (cf. vv. 2,31).

▣ “until midnight” The Jews began the
day at twilight or evening because of Genesis 1, while the Romans began the day
at midnight.

20:8 “There were many lamps” This must
have been a hot, stuffy, even smokey, atmosphere. It almost seems Luke is trying
to explain why Eutychus fell asleep.

20:9 “a young man” The term here
denotes a man in the prime of life. A different term is used in v. 12. It
denotes a child. Eutychus was a young adult.

▣ “Eutychus. . .was sinking into a deep
sleep, and as Paul kept on talking” This
present passive participle shows the biblical evidence both for long
sermons and sleeping listeners!

▣ “was picked up dead” Apparently he
was dead! See verse 12.

20:10 “fell on him and embraced him”
Paul acted much like Elijah and Elisha in the OT, who also raised the dead in
this same manner (cf. I Kings 17:21; II Kings 4:34). He tells his audience not
to be troubled, but in point of fact, I feel sure Paul was distressed by this
event!

▣ “Do not be troubled” This is a present imperative with a
negative article which usually means to stop an act already in process.

2:12

NASB, TEV“and were greatly comforted”
NKJV, NRSV“they were not a little comforted”
NJB“and were greatly encouraged”

The NKJV and NRSV are literal and
show Luke’s propensity for negated understatements (cf. 12:18; 15:2;
19:11,23,24; 20:12; 26:19,26; 27:20; 28:2).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:13-16
¹³But we, going ahead to the
ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he
had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. ¹⁴And when he met
us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. ¹⁵Sailing
from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we
crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. ¹⁶For
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in
Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of
Pentecost.

20:13 “the ship” Paul’s travel plans
had to be changed because of a plot against his life, which had been planned to
occur at sea (cf. v. 3). Perhaps Paul wanted to know who was on this ship before
he boarded. Paul went overland from Troas to Assos, where he would be picked up
by the ship from Troas. All of the people mentioned in v. 4 were already on this
ship.

20:14 “came to Mitylene” This is the
chief city of the island of Lesbos. It is the largest island off the coast of
Asia Minor (western Turkey).

20:15-16 It is amazing how much Luke
knew about sailing. He uses many technical sailing terms in his accounts (“we”
sections) of Acts. Several of the “we” sections involve sea travel. Obviously he
was a well educated man who traveled extensively.

20:15 “Chios” This is another island
in the Aegean Sea. It is a long, narrow island very near the coast.

▣
“Samos” This is yet another island off the west coast of Asia Minor,
close to Ephesus.

▣
“Miletus” This was once a large and important maritime city on the
southern coast of Ephesus at the mouth of the Maeander River. Paul landed here
and sent for the church leaders at Ephesus. It was about a thirty-mile trip.

20:16 “Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus”
This seems to imply that Paul had some volitional control over the ship. If so,
then either (1) they had hired a ship all to themselves or (2) they picked a
ship that did not stop at Ephesus.

▣ “if” This is a
fourth class conditional (ei with
optative mood), which expresses a wish.

▣ “Pentecost” This was the Jewish
feast fifty days after Passover. Paul missed Passover Feast because of verse 3.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO ACTS 20:17-21:16

A. There is an element of self defense in this passage, as if some were
continuing to attack Paul personally (cf. v. 33).

B. This is the only example in Acts of Paul preaching to believers. In Acts
13:16ff he is addressing Jews, while in 14:15ff and 17:22ff he is addressing
pagan Greeks.

C. This message has many parallels to Paul’s letters, as one would expect.
Paul’s unique vocabulary is readily reflected in this farewell admonition. This
shows Luke’s faithfulness in recording the testimonies of others.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:17-18a
¹⁷From Miletus he sent to
Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. ¹⁸And when they
had come to him, he said to them,

20:17 “Miletus” This port was about 30
miles south of Ephesus.

▣ “elders” From this word (presbuteros)
we get “Presbyter” or “Presbyterian.” Because of Acts 20:17,28 and Titus 1:5,7
the terms “elders” (presbuteroi) and “bishops” (episcopoi) are
synonymous with the term “pastor” (poimenos, cf. Eph. 4:11). The term
“elder” had a Jewish background (Jewish tribal leaders) and “bishop” or
“overseer” had a Greek city-state political/administrative background.

There are only two groups of local church leaders mentioned in the NT—pastors
and deacons (cf. Phil. 1:1). There may be three groups listed in I Timothy 3,
which includes the widows’ role or deaconesses (cf. Rom. 16:1).

Notice that the term is plural.
This probably refers to house-church leaders (cf. 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4,6,22-23;
16:4; 21:18; I Tim. 5:17, 19; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; I Pet. 5:1).

▣ “the church” This Greek term (ekklesia)
is the word used for a town assembly (cf 19:39). However, it was used to
translate the OT phrase “the congregation (qahal) of Israel” in the
Septuagint. The early church chose it to describe the new body of believers
because it identified them with the OT people of God. The NT church saw
themselves as the true fulfillment of the OT promise because Jesus of Nazareth
was the true Messiah. See Special Topic at 5:11.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:18b-24
¹⁸“You yourselves know, from
the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, ¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which
came upon me through the plots of the Jews; ²⁰how I did not shrink
from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly
and from house to house, ²¹solemnly testifying to both Jews and
Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²²And
now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will
happen to me there, ²³except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies
to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. ²⁴But
I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish
my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify
solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

20:18 “You yourselves know. . .how I was with
you the whole time” Paul’s walk and talk confirmed his relationship with
Christ. The fact that Paul states this so strongly in vv. 18-19 shows the
presence of critics.

20:19 “serving the Lord with all humility”
This term begins a list of Christian virtues which produces unity (cf. Eph.
4:2-3). “Humility” is a uniquely Christian virtue which was not included in the
Greek moralists’ (Stoics) list of virtues. Both Moses (cf. Num. 12:3) and Jesus
(cf. Matt. 11:29) are described by this term. Paul uses it several times (cf.
Eph. 4:2; Phil. 2:3; Col. 2:18,23; 3:12).

SPECIAL TOPIC: VICES AND VIRTUES
IN THE NT

▣ “with tears and with trials” Paul
lists the physical and emotional things that he faced as the Apostle to the
Gentiles in II Cor. 4:7-12; 6:3-10; 11:24-28. Ministry costs!

▣
“through the plots of the Jews” There are several examples of these
“plots” in Acts (cf. 9:24; 13:45,50; 14:2,4,5,19; 17:5,13; 18:12; 20:3; 21:27;
23:12,27,30; 24:5-9,18-19).

20:20 “did not shrink” This is a
sailing term (cf. 20:27, an aorist middle indicative) for striking the
sails when a ship approaches the dock.

▣ “anything that was profitable” Paul
taught them everything related to the gospel: how to receive it, how to live it,
how to defend it, and how to promote it.

▣
“teaching you publicly and from house to house” This probably means that
not only did Paul teach in open public group meetings (not secret meetings), but
also within individual houses (or possibly separate house churches). The point
is they knew quite well how Paul acted among them and also what Paul said.

Paul must have been attacked by some
local group. This was his way of deflecting the criticism

20:21 “testifying to both Jews and Greeks”
There is one message for both groups. Often the presentation is varied but the
content is the same, as the sermons in Acts (kerygma, see Special Topic
at 2:14) show. Paul made it a priority to present the gospel to the Jews first
(cf. Rom. 1:16; I Cor. 1:18,24).

▣ “repentance toward God and faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ” Repentance is a change of mind (Greek word), followed
by a change of action (Hebrew word). It is one of at least two requirements for
salvation. The other is faith in our Lord Jesus (cf. Mark 1:15; Acts 3:16,19;
see Special Topic at 3:16). One is negative (turning from self and sin). One is
positive (turning to embrace Jesus and His atonement of our behalf). Both are
required. I have come to believe that there are several NT requirements:
certainly initial repentance and faith and continuing repentance and faith, but
also obedience and perseverance.

There are some variants in the
ancient Greek texts about “our Lord Jesus Christ.” The title “Christ” is omitted
in manuscript B (Vaticanus), but it is present in P⁷⁴, א, A, and C.
Like the vast majority of these variants, they do not change the sense of the
text. The UBS⁴ Greek text believes the shorter reading is “almost
certain” because there is no reason why any scribe would delete it, but there is
evidence of them expanding parallel phrasing to the expected full phrasing (see
Appendix Two: Textual Criticism).

20:22

NASB“bound in the spirit”
NKJV“bound in the spirit”
NRSV“a captive of the Spirit”
TEV“in obedience to the Holy Spirit”
NJB“in captivity to the Spirit”

This is a perfect passive participle.
It shows Paul’s sense of divine leadership (cf. 18:21; 19:21; 20:23; I Cor.
4:19; 7:40; 16:7). See SPECIAL
TOPIC: SPIRIT (PNEUMA) IN THE NEW TESTAMENT at 2:2 and the note at
19:21. The Holy Spirit is mentioned in v. 23.

20:23 “the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to
me in every city, saying the bonds and afflictions await me” This was
probably done through different prophets being used by the Holy Spirit to warn
Paul (cf. Acts 9:16; 21:4, 10-12). Often God sends and uses what seems negative,
in purposeful, positive ways (cf. Isa. 55:8-11). Paul was not detoured by
personal hardship as long as he believed it served God’s purposes.

20:24 “I do not consider my life of any
account as dear to myself” This type of thinking is the opposite of
fallen human self-centered thinking. Christians have a different world view.
They have died to self and sin and are alive to God (cf. Romans 6; II Cor.
5:14-15; Gal. 2:20; I John 3:16). Death to the tyranny of self brings the
freedom of selfless service.

▣ “finish my course” This is an
athletic term for running a race. Paul loves to use athletic metaphors. He often
speaks of his life as an athletic event (cf. I Cor. 9:24-27; Gal. 2:2; 5:7;
Phil. 2:16; 3:14; II Tim. 2:5; 4:7). Paul believed God had a specific will,
plan, purpose for his life.

▣ “the ministry which I received from the
Lord Jesus” Paul received his call on the Damascus road (cf. Acts 9). All
believers are called and gifted ministers (cf. Eph. 4:11-12). This realization,
this worldview will change the way we live (cf. II Cor. 5:18-20). We are men and
women on mission! We are saved to serve. We are all stewards of the gospel and
the gift!

▣ “the
gospel of the grace of God” Fallen mankind’s only hope is in the
unchanging, gracious mercy of God. The Triune God has provided everything we
need for abundant life. Our hope is in who He is and what He has done.

It is surprising how seldom Luke uses the
noun “gospel” (not at all in Luke and only twice in Acts, 15:7; 20:24),
but he uses the verb many, many
times in both of his books.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:25-35
²⁵“And now, behold, I know
that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer
see my face. ²⁶Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am
innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷For I did not shrink from
declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
²⁸Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He
purchased with His own blood. ²⁹I know that after my departure savage
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰and from
among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the
disciples after them. ³¹Therefore be on the alert, remembering that
night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one
with tears. ³²And now I commend you to God and to the word of His
grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the
inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³I have coveted no
one’s silver or gold or clothes.
³⁴You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own
needs and to the men who were with me.
³⁵In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you
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.'”

20:25 “I know that all of you. . .will see my
face no more” He was planning to go to Spain (cf. Rom. 15:24,28), but
this possibly contextually refers to his upcoming, predicted imprisonment and
possible death at Jerusalem. If the Pastoral Epistles describe Paul’s fourth
missionary journey then he did return to this very area again.

1. Ephesus, I Tim. 1:3; 3:14; 4:13

2. Miletus, II Tim. 4:20

3. Possibly even Troas, II Tim. 4:13.

Paul lived by faith in God’s leadership. He did not know the specific future.

▣
“preaching the kingdom” See note at 2:34.

20:26 “I am innocent of the blood of all men”
This is a Jewish idiom, like Acts 18:6, or more specifically, Ezek. 3:16ff and
33:1ff. Paul had faithfully presented the gospel (cf. II Cor. 2:17). Now those
who responded and those who rejected bear the burden of their own decision. One
to service, the other to destruction (cf. II Cor. 2:15-16).

20:27 “I did not shrink” See note at
20:20.

▣ “the whole purpose of God” We must
always proclaim God’s full message, not just our favorite part! This may be an
allusion to the Judaizers who claimed that Paul left out part of the message
(i.e., Mosaic Law-Judaism) or to the charismatics of II Corinthians 12 who
thought Paul was devoid of spiritual experiences. God’s purpose is that humans
be restored to full fellowship with Himself, which was the purpose of creation
(cf. Gen. 1:26,27; 3:8; 12:3).

20:28 “Be on guard for yourselves”
This is a present active imperative. This admonition is
also in I Cor. 16:13; Col. 4:2; I Thess. 5:6,10. The Christian life has both a
divine and a human aspect. God always takes the initiative and sets the agenda,
but believers must respond and continue to respond. In one sense we are
responsible for our spiritual lives (cf. Phil. 2:12-13). What is true of
individual believers, is true for church leaders (cf. I Corinthians 3).

▣ “and for all the flock” This is a
metaphor for the people of God (cf. Psalm 23; Luke 12:32; John 21:15-17). It is
also the origin of the term “pastor.” See note at 20:17. Church leaders are
responsible to God for themselves and their churches (cf. I Corinthians 3).

▣ “the Holy Spirit has made you” This
shows the divine call of God in choosing church leaders.

▣
“overseers” See note at 20:17.

▣ “the church of God” “God” is found
in the ancient Greek manuscripts P⁷⁴, A, C, D, and E, while “Lord” is
found in MSS א and B. Paul uses the phrase “church of God” often, but never the
phrase “church of the Lord.” The context supports “the church of the Lord”
because the next phrase, “with His own blood,” which surely refers to Christ.
However, this is just the kind of editorial scribal change that one would expect
(see Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary, pp. 480-482). Therefore the
UBS⁴ Greek text retains “God,” but gives it a “C” rating. “Lord”
would be the most unusual and difficult reading (see Appendix Two: Textual
Criticism).

This text serves as a good example of how scribes changed texts for
theological reasons. A good discussion is found in Bart D. Ehrman’s The
Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, pp. 87-89. Scribes altered texts to make
them stronger doctrinally against the Christological heresies of their day. Acts
20:28 offers a variety of changes probably related to internal
historical/theological tensions.

Before we throw up our hands in despair, we must remember that the New
Testament has a superior textual tradition, far better than any other ancient
writing. Although we cannot be absolutely sure of the exact wording of the
original autographs, we still have a trustworthy and accurate text! The original
words are in the variants. These variants do not affect any major doctrines!!
See Rethinking New Testament Textual Criticism ed. David Alan Black.

▣ “He purchased with His own blood”
This reflects the OT concept of sacrificial substitution (cf. Leviticus 1-7;
Isaiah 53). This emphasis is surprisingly not mentioned much in the
kerygma of Acts (see James D. G. Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the NT,
pp. 17-18). It is also possibly a strong reference to Jesus’ deity (i.e.,
“church of God”). Paul often uses phrases which point to this truth (cf. Rom.
9:5; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13).

It is also possible to translate this Greek phrase as “through His own,”
meaning near relative (i.e., His Son Jesus). F. F. Bruce, Commentary
on the book of the Acts, p. 416 #59, says this phrase should be translated
“by means of the blood of His own one,” which he asserts is well attested in the
Egyptian Koine papyri literature.

20:29 “savage wolves will come in among you”
This is a metaphor based on the previously used metaphors of “flock” and
“shepherd.” This accentuates the problem of the false teachers, both from
without (v. 29) and within (v. 30). They both came in sheep’s clothing (cf.
Matt. 7:15-23; Luke 10:3; John 10:12, also in interbiblical apocalyptic
literature, I Enoch 89:10-27; IV Ezra 5:18). Believers must test those who claim
to speak for God (cf. I John 4:1). Test them by their faithfulness to the
gospel, both in word and deed (cf. vv. 18-24; Matthew 7; Rom. 16:17-18).

20:30 “speaking perverse things”
“Speaking” is a present active participle, while “perverse
things” is a perfect passive participle, used as a substantive (direct
object). Its basic meaning is “to twist.” It is used to describe human
society (cf. Luke 9:41; Phil. 2:15). This activity is described (different term)
in II Pet. 3:15-16.

▣ “to draw away the disciples after them”
The theological question is, “Are those drawn away, spiritually lost or
confused?” (cf. Matt. 24:24). It is impossible to be dogmatic, but true faith
continues! (cf. I John 2:18).

SPECIAL TOPIC: APOSTASY
(APHISTĒMI)

20:31 “be on the alert” This is a present active imperative (cf. Mark 13:35),
which is parallel to v. 28, “Be on guard for yourselves” (present
active imperative). God’s leaders and God’s church must be on constant
watch for false teachers—not those who disregard our personal preferences, but
those who disregard the gospel and its lifestyle implications.

▣ “for three years” This refers to
Paul’s stay in Ephesus. This time indication includes all of Paul’s activity in
the area. He stayed longer with these believers than with any other city,
church, or area. They knew the gospel. Now they must protect it and spread it!

20:32 “commend you to God” This means
“entrust to” (cf. 14:23). We are responsible to God for the gospel we have been
entrusted with (cf. I Tim. 1:18). We are responsible to pass it on to others who
will pass it on (cf. II Tim. 2:2).

The name “God” is found in MSS P⁷⁴, א, A, C, D, and E. The term
“Lord” is found in MS B. UBS⁴ gives Theos a “B” rating (almost
certain).

▣ “and
to the word of His grace”
This is a synonymous phrase for “the gospel.” See note at v. 24.

▣ “able to build you up” Notice
that it is the person and truth of God (the gospel) that leads to maturity (cf.
9:31). Paul uses this metaphor often. This Greek word can be translated both
“build up” or “edify” (cf. I Corinthians 14). This is the goal of the gospel,
not just the maturity of the individual believer, but of the whole church.

SPECIAL TOPIC: EDIFY

▣ “and to give you the inheritance”
In the OT God was the inheritance of the Levites and Priests. In the NT God is
all believers’ inheritance because believers are God’s children through the
person and work of Christ (cf. Rom. 8:15,17; Gal. 4:1-7; Col. 1:12).

NT believers, like the OT Israelites, are priests (cf. I Pet. 2:5,9; Rev.
1:6). We are meant to minister to the lost world.

▣ “among all those who are sanctified”
This is a perfect passive participle. See SPECIAL
TOPIC: NEW TESTAMENT HOLINESS/SANCTIFICATION at 9:32.

20:33 “silver or gold or clothes”
These were items of wealth. Paul is defending his actions and motives. In the NT
greed and sexual exhortation are often hallmarks of false teachers (cf. I Cor.
3:10-17).

20:34 “ministered to my own needs”
Paul refused to take help from the churches he currently served because of the
constant accusation by the false teachers concerning his motives. Paul supported
himself (cf. I Cor. 4:12; 9:3-7; II Cor. 11:7-12; 12:13; I Thess. 2:9; II Thess.
3:6-13). Also Paul, being a trained rabbi, would have personal qualms about
accepting money for teaching. However, he asserts that ministers of the gospel
should be paid (cf. I Cor. 9:3-18; I Tim. 5:17-18).

There is an excellent brief history of the first century Mediterranean world
by James S. Jeffers, The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era. It
mentions that Paul alludes to working with his own hands to provide his physical
needs in all three missionary journeys (cf. p. 28).

1. First journey, I Cor. 4:12; 9:6; I Thess. 2:9

2. Second journey, Acts 18:3

3. Third journey, Acts 19:11-12; 20:34; II Cor. 12:14

20:35 Notice that the believers’ hard
labor is not for personal gain or luxury, but for the sake of others in need in
Christ’s name (cf. II Cor. 9:8-11). Paul’s quote from Jesus is not found in any
of the Gospels. Therefore, it must be an oral tradition.

This “weak” is not used here in the sense of over scrupulous Christians (cf.
Rom. 14:1; 15:1; I Cor. 8:9-13; 9:22), but physically needy. Paul worked to
support himself and other believers in need.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 20:36-38
³⁶When he had said these
things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷And they began
to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him,
³⁸grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they
would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.

20:36 “knelt down” This was not the
usual posture of prayer from Paul’s Jewish background. This was possibly a
special commitment ritual (cf. v. 32; 21:5).

20:37
“embraced Paul” The NKJV is more literal, “fell on Paul’s neck.” Thank
God for church leaders who come to help us!

20:38
“grieving especially over the word which he had spoken” This refers to v.
25.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you
think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why was Paul traveling with so many men from different cities in v. 4?

2. What is the theological purpose of vv. 7-10?

3. Why is v. 13 so confusing?

4. Why does Paul defend himself to the Ephesian elders?

5. Why was Paul going to Jerusalem if prophets were warning him about the
severe consequences of his visit? (Vv. 22-23)

6. Why are false prophets common in every age and place? Are they redeemed?
Are those who follow them redeemed? What is a false prophet?

7. Why should vv. 36-38 cause us to love and pray for our local leaders?

New Testament Studies

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