Chapter 20

Acts 20:1–6. After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, and having embraced them, departed to go into Macedonia. And when he had passed through those regions and had exhorted them with much discourse, he came into Greece, where he stayed three months. And when a plot was laid against him by the Jews, as he was about to set sail for Syria, he resolved to return through Macedonia. There accompanied him as far as Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These, going on ahead, waited for us at Troas. And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and in five days came to them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. “And having exhorted them with much discourse.” For much exhortation was needed after the disturbance.

Acts 20:7–8. And on the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the next day; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. And there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. “And on the first day of the week.” It was then Pentecost and the Lord’s Day. “Until midnight.” Nor was he silent through the night; rather he discoursed all the more then, since it was a time of quiet. Observe also how he discoursed at length even at the very time of supper.

Acts 20:9. And a certain young man named Eutychus, sitting in the window, sank into a deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed at length, being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead. The devil disturbed the feast by overcoming the listener with sleep. He sat at the window in the dead of night—so great was his desire to hear; and the marvelous thing is that, being young, he was not slothful. Even as he was being overcome by sleep he did not leave, nor did he fear the danger of falling. For he did not nod off from laziness, but from the necessity of nature.

Acts 20:10–13. And Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, Do not be troubled, for his life is in him. And when he had gone up again, and had broken bread and eaten, and had talked a long while, even until daybreak, so he departed. And they brought the boy in alive, and were comforted not a little. But we went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending there to take Paul aboard. “For his life is in him.” He did not say, “He will rise; I will raise him up.” Observe his freedom from pride and his comforting manner.

Acts 20:14–15. For so he had arranged it, intending himself to go on foot. And when he met with us at Assos, we took him aboard and came to Mitylene. Sailing from there, the next day we arrived opposite Chios; on the day after we touched at Samos, and having stayed at Trogyllium, the following day we came to Miletus. “Intending himself to go on foot.” Assigning to them the easier course, while choosing for himself the more toilsome one, he went on foot; at the same time managing many things, and training them to be parted from him.

Acts 20:16. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. You see that, even though he desired and hastened, he often did not attain his aim—so that we might not suppose that he was above human nature. For those holy and great men shared the same nature with us, but not the same purpose of will; and for this reason they had great grace.

Acts 20:17–21. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: You know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, in what manner I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with many tears, and amid the trials which befell me through the plots of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was profitable, but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. “With all humility.” Not simply “humility,” but “with all humility”; for there are many kinds of humility: in word, in deed, toward rulers, toward subjects. “He called for the elders of the church.” Since the usage escapes many—especially that of the New Testament, which calls bishops “elders” (presbyters) and elders “bishops”—this too is to be noted, both from here and from the Epistle to Titus, and further from the Epistle to the Philippians; and we might also learn the same, if by inference, from the First Epistle to Timothy. From the Acts, then, one may be convinced of this. For it is written thus: “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church”; and he did not say “the bishops.” Then he adds: “in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to shepherd the Church of the Lord and God.” And from the Epistle to Titus: “And you shall appoint elders in each city,” he says, “as I directed you.” And from the Epistle to the Philippians: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” “That I kept back nothing that was profitable, so as not to declare it to you.” For there was indeed something that it was not necessary to learn. For just as to hide certain things is a mark of envy, so to tell them everything is a mark of folly. For this reason he added, “that was profitable.”

Acts 20:22–24. And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I take account of none of these things, nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. “I, bound in the Spirit.” At “bound” a comma must be placed, so that the sense may be this: I go to Jerusalem, being a prisoner, having foreknown through the Spirit the things that are to be. Then, lest anyone should suppose a bond or a compulsion, and in order to show that he goes willingly, he says that in every city bonds and afflictions await him. And it is to be noted that the prophets do not know all things, but only as much as the Holy Spirit suggests to them. For Paul, having foretold as a prophet all the things that were to befall him, and concerning the false-believers and heretics that would arise among them, said that he was ignorant of one thing—namely, what the end of all this would be. For the Lord, having revealed everything to him, hid that one thing alone from him: what would become of him after the bonds and afflictions; so that he might not be lifted up—knowing that he would certainly meet with this—and fall through pride. Rather, the Spirit left it uncertain, so that, fearing the weakness of the flesh, he might pray to God to be delivered from trials. And as to “that bonds and afflictions await me”: “That there will be trials, I know; but of what kind, I do not know”—which was the harder thing. “Why then do you go, if bonds and afflictions await you?” “For this reason: that I may be bound for Christ’s sake, that I may die for Him.”

Acts 20:25–27. And now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all; for I did not shrink from declaring to you all the counsel of God. “I am clean from the blood of all.” “I am clean,” he says, “from the blood of all,” even if you, having nodded off, should die by the slayer of souls; for I have fulfilled the part of a teacher. “For I did not shrink from declaring to you.” So then, he who does not speak is guilty of the blood—that is, of the slaughter. And while he seems to be defending himself, he is in fact putting them in fear.

Acts 20:28. Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of the Lord and God, which He purchased with His own blood. “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all.” For neither does setting others aright alone bring gain (“For I fear,” he says, “lest, having preached to others, I myself should become disqualified”), nor does caring for oneself alone; for such a man is self-loving, and seeks his own, and is equal to the one who buried his talent. Not that our own salvation is more honorable than that of the flock, but because when we take heed to ourselves, then the flock also profits. “In which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” “You have your ordination from the Spirit,” he says. And it is to be noted that those whom he earlier called elders, here he calls overseers (bishops): either because the elders too have the obligation to oversee the rational flocks of the Church—lest anyone be weak in faith, lest anyone hunger or thirst, or need reproof and correction, according to the saying, “Reprove, rebuke, exhort”—or else here he is calling the bishops “bishops.” “Which He purchased with His own blood.” “The danger,” he says, “is not over small matters, seeing that He did not spare even His own blood.” For in order to reconcile enemies He poured out even His blood; and can you not hold fast those who have already become friends?

Acts 20:29–31. For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men shall arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to admonish each one of you with tears. The evil is twofold: both that he himself will not be present, and that others will attack—and, what is harder, “from among your own selves.” Grievous it is when the war is one of kinsmen. “To draw away the disciples after them.” For the aim of heretics is eager not to win a people for the Lord, but for themselves, that they may boast in themselves, the name of the heretics being attached to those they have drawn away, so that these may be named from them—as the Manichaeans from Manes, the Arians from Arius, and the other kinds of heresies. This is what it means to “draw away the disciples after them.” For this reason, restraining their zeal beforehand, Paul rebukes and silences those who said, “I am of Paul,” “I of Apollos.”

Acts 20:32–34. And now I commend you, brothers, to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine ministered to my needs and to those who were with me. He ends his exhortation with prayer. For since he had greatly frightened them, lest he should overwhelm them, observe the consolation. “And now,” he says, “I commend you to God and to the word of His grace”—that is, to His grace itself. “Of silver… gold.” He did not say, “I did not take,” but, “I did not even covet.” And greater still is what follows: “You yourselves know that these hands of mine ministered to my needs and to those who were with me.” For the true almsgiving is to give to the needy out of one’s own labors. And observe how this man labored with diligence, discoursing night and day.

Acts 20:35. In all things I have shown you that, by thus laboring, we ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” You cannot take refuge in ignorance. I have shown you by my deeds that one must labor thus, and remember this word of the Lord Jesus. But where did He say it? Perhaps the apostles handed it down unwritten, or it is clear by inference. One degree is to cast away one’s own goods; a second, to provide for oneself; a third, to provide for others also; a fourth, to refuse to take even when one preaches and has the right to take. Yet he did not say that to take is an evil, but that it is better not to take.

Acts 20:36–38. And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping among them all; and falling on Paul’s neck, they kissed him, sorrowing most of all over the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. It is to be noted that one who takes his leave ought to make prayer and to kneel down with all who are present, and only then depart. Their disposition is shown by the saying, “falling on his neck”: embracing him as in a last embrace, and having drawn from his discourse a great love and affection for him.