Acts 20:17-35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 20:17-35

It should seem the ship Paul and his companions were embarked in for Jerusalem attended him on purpose, and staid or moved as he pleased; for when he came to Miletus, he went ashore, and tarried thee so long as to send for the elders of Ephesus to come to him thither; for if he had gone up to Ephesus, he could never have got away from them. These elders, or presbyters, some think, were those twelve who received the Holy Ghost by Paul's hands, Acts 19:6. But, besides these, it is probable that... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 20:17-38

20:17-38 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. When they were with him he said to them, "You yourselves know how, from the first day I came into Asia, I spent all the time, during which I was with you, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and amidst the trials that happened to me because of the machinations of the Jews. You know how I kept back nothing that was to your profit, how I did not fail to announce my tidings to you and to teach you... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:17

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus ,.... Which is said, by some, to be about four hundred furlongs from Miletus, and, by others, ten German miles. And called the elders of the church ; that is, at Ephesus; not the ancient members of the church, but the officers of it; the pastors, bishops, and overseers, as they are called, Acts 20:28 and are so styled from their office, and not their age. The twelve disciples the apostle found in this place, and the numerous converts made by him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:18

And when they were come to him ,.... That is, when the elders or pastors of the church at Ephesus were come to the apostle at Miletus: he said unto them, ye know, from the first day I came into Asia ; to Ephesus the chief city in it: after what manner I have been with you at all seasons ; what was his conduct, conversation, and constant manner of life; which the apostle takes notice of, not to commend himself, or to obtain applause of men; but either in vindication of himself,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:19

Serving the Lord with all humility of mind ,.... Meaning, in the ministration of the Gospel, being conscious to himself of his own weakness and insufficiency in himself for such service; no ways elated with those excellent and extraordinary gifts bestowed upon him; ascribing all his success to the power, grace, and Spirit of God; treating no man with contempt and disdain; nor lording it over God's heritage, or claiming a dominion over the faith of men; nor seeking honour nor riches for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:20

And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you ,.... The Syriac version supplies, "to your souls"; to lead them into a true knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel, and to confirm them in the same, and to preserve them from errors in principle, and immoralities in practice, and to encourage the exercise of every grace, and to instruct them in every branch of duty; nothing of this kind, or which had this tendency, did the apostle dissemble, conceal, or drop, either through sloth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:21

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks ,.... To the Jews first in their synagogue, and then to both Jews and Greeks, or Gentiles, in the school of Tyrannus; opening and explaining to both the nature and use, urging and insisting upon, and proving by undeniable testimonies the necessity, of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ : the former of these is not a legal repentance, but an evangelical one; which flows from a sense of the love of God, and an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:22

And now behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem ,.... Not in his own spirit, though the Ethiopic version reads, "in my spirit"; as if he was pressed and straitened, and troubled within himself, at what afflictions and bonds he was to endure at Jerusalem; for this is not consistent with what he says in Acts 20:24 nor is the sense, that he was bound in conscience and duty to go to Jerusalem, to carry the collections of the churches made for the poor saints there, which the Gentile... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:23

Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city ,.... As he passed along, where there was a church, or any number of saints: in the churches of those times there were prophets who foretold things to come, and by these the Holy Ghost testified to the apostle, as he travelled along, and called upon the churches in every city, what would befall him when he came to Jerusalem; this sense the natural order of the words requires, unless there should be a transposition of them, thus, "save that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:24

But none of these things move me ,.... From the hope of the Gospel, nor from the ministry of the word, nor from his journey to Jerusalem; they did not shake his faith, nor inject fear into him, nor cause him to alter his purpose and design: neither count I my life dear unto myself : life is a very valuable thing, no outward or temporal enjoyment can be dearer to a man than life; all that he has he will give for his life: this therefore must not be understood in an absolute sense, as if... read more

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