Acts 20:17 KJV

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 20:17

He sent to Ephesus - Perhaps a distance of twenty or thirty miles.The elders of the church - Who had been appointed while he was there to take charge of the church. See the notes on Acts 15:2. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Acts 20:17

Acts 20:17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus Though Paul’s concern to be at Jerusalem by the feast of pentecost, prevented his going in person to visit the Christians at Ephesus, yet, as he was now only about ten miles distant from that city, and was desirous to know the state of the church there, and to contribute all in his power to its prosperity, he called the elders of it to come to him, that he might receive from them such information as he wished to obtain, and might give them... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Acts 20:13-38

To Jerusalem with the offering (20:13-21:16)From Troas Paul went by land to Assos, where he rejoined the rest of the party and sailed to Miletus (13-16). Since Miletus was only about fifty kilometres from Ephesus, Paul took the opportunity to call the elders of the Ephesian church to come and meet him. He wanted to give them some final encouragement and pass on helpful warnings (17).Paul’s opponents in Asia had probably been trying to turn the Christians against him. Therefore, he reminded the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 20:17

Miletus . A city of great importance, as its remains show. sent = having sent. Greek. pempo. App-174 . Ephesus . The time taken in summoning the elders was much less than he would have had to spend there, besides which there was the danger of a renewal of the rioting. called . Greek. metakaleo. See note on Acts 7:14 . elders . Greek. presbuteros. See App-189 . church . See App-186 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Acts 20:17

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.Elders of the church ... These are the same men addressed as "bishops" in Acts 20:28. See discussion of this office under Acts 14:23. There was a plurality of elders in every church. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Acts 20:17

17. from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church—As he was now some forty miles south of Ephesus, we might think that more time would be lost by sending thus far for the elders to come to him, than by going at once to Ephesus itself, when so near it. But if unfavorable winds and stormy weather had overtaken them, his object could not have been attained, and perhaps he was unwilling to run the risk of detention at Ephesus by the state of the church and other causes. Those... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 20:17

Evidently Paul’s ship had a several-day layover in Miletus, or he may have changed ships after spending a few days there (cf. Acts 21:3-4; Acts 21:8). It would have taken at least one day for Paul’s message to reach the Ephesian elders and at least one more day for them to make their way to Miletus to join him. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 20:17-35

Paul’s address to the Ephesian elders 20:17-35"Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders is the nearest approximation to the Pauline letters in Acts. Its general content recalls how in his letters Paul encouraged, warned, and exhorted his converts. Moreover, its theological themes and vocabulary are distinctively Pauline. In his three missionary sermons (Acts 13:16-41; Acts 14:15-17; Acts 17:22-31) and five defenses (chs. 22-26), Paul addressed non-Christian audiences. But he was speaking... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 20:1-38

Third Missionary Journey (continued)1-6. Paul in Macedonia and Greece. St. Paul waited at Ephesus until the return of Timothy and Erastus, and left Ephesus shortly after Pentecost, 55 a.d. (1 Corinthians 16:8-12). We learn from Romans 15:19 that he spent some time in Macedonia, and extended his missionary labours (which were marked by signal miracles) as far as Illyricum. From Macedonia he wrote the second Corinthian Epistle, and (according to a widely held opinion) the Epistle to the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Acts 20:17

(17) And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.—We find, from Acts 20:28, that they were known also as episcopi (“bishops,” or “overseers”), the two names being interchangeable at this period, and the Apostle standing in relation to those who bore them as the later Bishop did to the elders under him. (See Notes on Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5-6; 1 Peter 5:1-2.) The many presbyters represented probably, each of them, a distinct church or congregation. Most, if not... read more