Acts 20

Chapter context

What is happening in Acts 20?

Spiritmissionchurchwitness

Acts 20 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Peter and Gentile opening. Acts traces the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the Gentile world through Peter, Paul, and the Spirit-led church. Read this chapter with the wider themes of Spirit, mission, and church in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. ² And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, ³ And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. ⁴ And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. ⁵ These going before tarried for us at Troas. ⁶ And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. ⁷ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. ⁸ And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. ⁹ And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. ¹¹ When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. ¹² And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. ¹³ And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. ¹⁴ And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. ¹⁵ And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. ¹⁷ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, ¹⁹ Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: ²⁰ And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, ²¹ Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² 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 these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. ²⁶ Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. ³² And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. ³³ I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. ³⁴ Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. ³⁵ I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. ³⁶ And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, ³⁸ Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

Study helps

Glossary

Macedonia Place v. 1, 3, 6: Biblical region. Modern identification: Macedonia.
Greece Place v. 2: Biblical region. Modern identification: Athens.
Syria Place v. 3: Biblical region. Modern identification: Damascus.
Aristarchus Person v. 4: Best ruler, native of Thessalonica ( Acts 20:4 ), a companion of Paul ( Acts 19:29 ; 27:2 ). He was Paul’s “fellow-prisoner” at Rome ( Col. 4:10 ; Philemon 1:24 ).
Asia Place v. 4, 16, 18: Biblical region. Modern identification: Asia.
Berea Place v. 4: A city of Macedonia to which Paul with Silas and Timotheus went when persecuted at Thessalonica ( Acts 17:10 , 13), and from which also he was compelled to withdraw. Modern identification: Veria.
Derbe Place v. 4: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Kerti Hüyük.
Thessalonica Place v. 4: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Thessaloniki.
Troas Place v. 5-6: A city on the coast of Mysia, in the north-west of Asia Minor, named after ancient Troy, which was at some little distance from it (about 4 miles) to the north. Modern identification: Alexandria Troas.
Philippi Place v. 6: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Philippi.
Assos Place v. 13-14: A sea-port town of Proconsular Asia, in the district of Mysia, on the north shore of the Gulf of Adramyttium. Paul came hither on foot along the Roman road from Troas ( Acts 20:13 , 14), a distance of 20 miles. Modern identification: Assos.
Mitylene Place v. 14: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: ancient theater at Mitylene.
Chios Place v. 15: Mentioned in Acts 20:15 , an island in the Aegean Sea, about 5 miles distant from the mainland, having a roadstead. Modern identification: Chios.
Miletus Place v. 15, 17: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Miletus.
Samos Place v. 15: An island in the AEgean Sea, which Paul passed on his voyage from Assos to Miletus ( Acts 20:15 ), on his third missionary journey. It is about 27 miles long and 20 broad, and lies about 42 miles south-west of Smyrna. Modern identification: Samos.
Trogyllium Place v. 15: A town on the western coast of Asia Minor, where Paul “tarried” when on his way from Assos to Miletus, on his third missionary journey ( Acts 20:15 ). Modern identification: Cape Mycale.
Ephesus Place v. 16-17: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Ephesus.
Jerusalem Place v. 16, 22: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
City People v. 23: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).