Acts 20:22-38

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:29

For I know this ,.... By divine revelation: that after my departing ; either out of this world, or after his leaving them now, and proceeding on, his journey: shall grievous wolves enter in among you ; false teachers, comparable to wolves, for their craft and cunning, and for their greedy, covetous, and voracious dispositions; and who would be very grievous, troublesome, and even intolerable to them; these, he knew, would enter privily, at an unawares, into their churches, and set up... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:30

Also of your own selves shall men arise ,.... Not only false teachers from abroad should come and enter among them, but some would spring up out of their own communities, such as had been admitted members of them, and of whom they had hoped well; such were Hymenseus, Philetus, Alexander, Hertoogenes, and Phygellus; speaking perverse things ; concerning God, and Christ, and the Gospel; distorted things, wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction, and that of others; things that are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:31

Therefore watch ,.... Meaning both over themselves, and the flock; to prevent, if possible, false teachers entering in, and to nip the buds of heresy and schism, as soon as they appear, and to preserve themselves, and the church, from being carried away with the error of the wicked. And remember that by the space of three years ; reckoning from his first coming to Ephesus, unto this time, that he now called at Miletus; see Acts 18:19 and I ceased not to warn everyone night and day... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:32

And now brethren ,.... So the apostle calls the elders of the church at Ephesus; though they had not the same gifts, and were not in the same high office as he was, yet he puts himself upon a level with them, as if he and they were fellow elders, as Peter calls himself, 1 Peter 5:1 which is an instance of the apostle's humility and affection: I commend you to God ; to God the Father; to his grace, to supply all their need; to his wisdom, to direct them in all their affairs; and to his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:33

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. This the apostle says, not merely in vindication of himself, and his character, from all charge or suspicion of avarice; but chiefly for the instruction of these elders, and all others of the same office, not to indulge the sin of covetousness, which is very disagreeable, and ought not to be in a minister of the word; and it may be observed, that many things which the apostle says before of himself to those elders, is said not to commend... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:34

Yea, you yourselves know ,.... So far was the apostle from desiring to have other men's money, or to wear their apparel, or to eat their bread, that he could appeal to these elders for the truth of it, they having been eyewitnesses of it: that these hands have ministered unto my necessities ; meaning, that he had wrought with his hands, which he then held up, or stretched out, at tent making, along with Aquila and Priscilla, at Ephesus, as he had done before at Corinth, Acts 18:2 and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:35

I have showed you all things ,.... Both as to doctrine and practice, and had set them an example how to behave in every point, and particularly in this: how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak ; the sense of which is, that they should labour with their hands as he did, and so support the weak; either such who were weak in body, and unable to work and help themselves, and therefore should be helped, assisted, relieved, and supported by the labours of others, that were able; or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:36

And when he had thus spoken ,.... And finished his speech to the elders: he kneeled down: upon the floor, which was a prayer gesture, used by Christ, and others; for, it seems, the disuse of kneeling in prayer, between the passover and pentecost, which Tertullian F11 De Corona Militis, c. 3. , and other writers, speak of, had not yet obtained, which was in memory of Christ's resurrection from the dead, for this was now the time: see Acts 20:6 and prayed with them all : and no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:37

And they all wept sore ,.... At the thoughts of parting with such a faithful and affectionate friend and servant of Christ; and no doubt but their affections were greatly moved by his prayers for them, as well as by his discourse to them. Christians are not Stoics, religion does not take away and destroy the natural affections, but regulates and governs them, and directs to a right use of them: and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him ; as Esau fell on Jacob's neck and kissed him, Genesis... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 20:38

Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake ,.... In Acts 20:25 it filled them with sorrow to part with him; but this was increased, and made almost intolerable by what he said, that they should see his face no more : could they have hoped to have seen him again, it would have made their parting with him more easy; but to be told they should never see him more in this world, it cut them to the heart; which shows what a share the apostle had in their hearts and affections, and... read more

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