Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• List out all that you are grateful for.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

• Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
  • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
  • A Guide to Self-Reflection
  • A Chart to help articulate feelings

Commentary

Commentary for Chapters 1-20

CHAPTER 21 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 22 COMMENTARY

v.2: “Why did the Aramaic language quiet the howling mob?  Aramaic was their common language.  Hearing Paul speak it caught them by surprise.  The unruly crowd immediately identified him as one of their own.  That a Jew not from Palestine could speak Aramaic, as well as Greek, impressed them.” ^[1]

vv.1-9: “Paul began his address respectfully, calling his audience ‘brothers and fathers,’ just as Stephen had addressed a similar audience (7:2).  Paul’s first point demonstrated his excellent Jewish credentials: ‘educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the ancestral law;’ that is, he had a thorough training as a Pharisee under the most revered teacher of the era.  The description of his activity as a persecutor of Christians opened the way for him to describe his conversion.” ^[2]

“Paul’s defense to the mob who is out for his blood is not to argue but to relate a personal experience; and a personal experience is the most unanswerable argument on earth.” ^[3] 

v.10: “Verse 10 parallels 9:6 with the difference that in Paul’s account he referred to Jesus as “the Lord” when relating the command to rise and go into Damascus.  Paul made his confession known before his Jewish audience. At the outset of his vision he may not have known whom he was addressing as Lord (v. 8).  Now he knew that it was Jesus, the risen Lord.  Up to this point in his speech, Paul had identified closely with his Jewish listeners.  In every way he had shown himself to be as Jewish as they were.  Now he began to draw the line that differentiated himself from them.  On the Damascus road he had seen the risen Jesus.  Now he confessed Jesus as Lord.  He surely wished the same for them.  It was not inappropriate for a faithful Jew to confess Jesus as Lord.  He was himself a living witness to that.” ^[4]

“Paul is stressing the fact that he had not come to destroy the ancestral faith but to fulfill it.” ^[5]

vv.12-16: “Paul introduced Ananias as a pious Jew, a strict observer of the Torah, and a person held in high esteem by the Jewish community in Damascus… Ananias’ devotion to Judaism was stressed.  Paul wished to make the same point about Ananias he had been making about himself—that his Christian faith in no way detracted from his loyalty to Judaism.  This emphasis continues throughout Paul’s account of Ananias, where he is consistently portrayed as very Jewish…Ananias’ words to Paul have a strong Jewish flavor.  ‘God of our fathers’ is strong Old Testament language.  The ‘Righteous One’ is a Jewish messianic title, found earlier in the speeches of Peter and of Stephen to Jews (3:14; 7:52).” ^[6]

vv.17-21: “Another new point in this account is Paul’s description of a vision he had while praying in the temple some later time, where God told him to leave Jerusalem (22:17-21).  Paul had expressed to God his personal desire to stay in Jerusalem and witness to the Jews, considering his unique background.  There is probably a hint that the Jews listening to Paul now should have accepted the validity of his message but would not because of the stubbornness of their hearts.” ^[7]

“…Paul protested against the order to leave (v. 19-20).  Such protests are a common feature of biblical commissioning narratives…Paul’s protest was that he had a convincing testimony to bear.  All Jerusalem knew of his former reputation as a persecutor of Christians, even to the point of participation in Stephen’s martyrdom (cf. 7:58b; 8:1a).  They would know that something dramatic must have happened to reverse his direction.  Still the Lord insisted that Paul go from Jerusalem (v. 21).  He had another task for him—to witness to the Gentiles.  Paul’s Gentile mission was thus connected closely to the refusal of the Jews to accept his witness to Christ.” ^[8] 

“Aside from the theme of the mission to the Gentiles being of divine initiative, this section also suggests reflection upon the question of tradition versus traditionalism. The mob sought to kill Paul because of their zealous adherence to ‘tradition.’  But Paul’s defense was that he was the real adherent to tradition, because he attempted faithfully to be obedient to God’s leading—even when the leading led him into areas of surprising divine graciousness, such as to the Gentiles.  To be a faithful member of Israel, Paul’s speech suggests, is to be willing to be surprised, to be led into strange areas of God’s grace.  This is the tradition worth defending, worth living out in our day, as opposed to the dry and often dead traditionalism which merely appeals to blind obedience to what we have always done.” ^[9]

vv.22-23: “…the reference to the Gentiles led to an immediate fulfillment of Jesus’ warning that the people would not accept his testimony.  This was certainly true of the temple crowd listening to Paul.  With the mention of the Gentiles, the silence ceased, the mob mentality resumed, and Paul was cut off…Paul should have known better than to refer to his Gentile witness.  It was ultimately Paul’s openness to Gentiles that got him in trouble with the crowd.  (21:29).  In those days of rising Jewish nationalism, Paul’s law-free Gentile mission seemed to be disloyal to all that was Jewish (cf. 21:21).” ^[10]

“It was not that the Jews objected to the preaching to the Gentiles; what they objected to was that the Gentiles were being offered privileges before they first accepted circumcision and the Law.  If Paul had preached the yoke of Judaism to the Gentiles all would have been well; it was because he preached the grace of Christianity to them that the Jews were enraged.” ^[11]

“It was tantamount to saying that Jews and Gentiles were equal, for they both needed to come to God through Christ, and that on identical terms.” ^[12]

“By now Lysias must have been thoroughly perplexed about Paul…individual purchase of the rights of citizenship would have been looked on askance.  There is evidence, however, that under Claudius there was increasing abuse of the privilege; and purchase of citizenship became common.  That Lysias purchased his citizenship during this time is highly likely given his name, Claudius Lysias (23:26).  One generally took the name of the patron through whom citizenship was obtained.  It is possible that Lysias was being a bit sarcastic when he referred to paying a ‘big price’ for his citizenship, the implication being perhaps that ‘now it seems that just anyone can afford it.’  If that was so, Paul’s response would have been a shocker:  no, he did not pay a big price but was born into it.” ^[13]

v.30: “Paul’s appeal to his rights as a citizen should have prompted Claudius Lysias to refer his case to a higher Roman authority.  Instead, he commanded the Sanhedrin to meet and had Paul appear before the chief priests and the Sadducees and Pharisees.  Reading between the lines, we can speculate that Lysias was probably intrigued by his mysterious prisoner and wanted to know what charge the Jews had against him…What is evident is that Paul was not a helpless victim.  He had come to Jerusalem to preach Christ and he was willing to use every means to be heard.  The Lord, not a Roman commander, or even the Sanhedrin, was calling the shots… The picture we get of the Apostle through all the changing circumstances is of a man who is ready to grasp opportunities to reach the center of religious and political power with his witness to Christ.”^[14] 

Bible Text
Acts 22:1-21 (ESV)

¹ “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

² And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language,[a] they became even more quiet. And he said:

³ “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel[b] according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, ⁵ as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁶ “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand[c] the voice of the one who was speaking to me. ¹⁰ And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ ¹¹ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

¹² “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, ¹³ came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. ¹⁴ And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; ¹⁵ for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

¹⁷ “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹⁸ and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ ¹⁹ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. ²⁰ And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ ²¹ And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

Go Deeper

Acts 22:1-16

• Apostle Paul recounts his testimony before a Jewish mob. How does his testimony reflect these general features?
  • Life before Jesus
  • Meeting Jesus
  • Repentance and turnaround
  • Receiving a burden and mission
• Recount my own testimony and journey with Christ along the same general features.
• Reflect on Apostle Paul’s heart for his countrymen, from whom he just barely escaped violent death (21:30-31).  In what ways has the gospel enabled me to transcend personal grievances?

Acts 22:18-21

• Apostle Paul thought his unique story—zeal for the law, reputation as a persecutor—would suit him for ministry to his fellow Jews, but Jesus had different plans for him.  What lessons can I draw from this?

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^[1] Quest Study Bible, study notes, 1539.

^[2] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 564.

^[3] Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed., 159.

^[4] Pohill, The New American Commentary: Acts. vol.26, 460.

^[5] Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed., 161.

[6] Pohill, The New American Commentary: Acts. vol.26, 461.

[7] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 565.

[8] Pohill, The New American Commentary: Acts. vol.26, 462-463.

[9] William H. Willimon, Acts:  Interpretation (Louisville:  Westminster John Knox Press, 1988) 168-169.

[10] Pohill, The New American Commentary: Acts. vol.26, 463.

[11] Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed., 162.

[12] Stott, The Message of Acts, The Bible Speaks Today Series, 348.

[13] Pohill, The New American Commentary: Acts. vol.26, 464-465.

[14] Lloyd Ogilvie, Acts, Communicator’s Commentary Series, (Waco:  Word Books, 1983) 314.

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Prayer

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Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• List out all that you are grateful for.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

• Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
  • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
  • A Guide to Self-Reflection
  • A Chart to help articulate feelings

Commentary

Commentary for Chapters 1-20

CHAPTER 21 COMMENTARY

Acts 21:27-40 (ESV)

²⁷ When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” ²⁹ For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰ Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. ³¹ And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³² He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

³⁵ And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, ³⁶ for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”

³⁷ As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸ Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”

³⁹ Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”⁴⁰ And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:

Go Deeper

Acts 21:30-32

• Consider the cost of Apostle Paul’s obedience to God to go to Jerusalem. What are some costs that I may have to incur in order to serve God, and how am I challenged by Apostle Paul’s attitude (Acts 20:22-24)? 

Acts 21:33

• “Ordered him to be bound with two chains.” Apostle Paul mentions in several of his letters about being in chains for the sake of the gospel (Phil. 1:7, 13-14, 17; Col. 4:3,18; 2 Tim. 1:16; Phm 10,13).  How does “being in chains” serve as an apt metaphor for what is entailed in following Christ? What “chains” have I submitted to for the sake of the gospel?

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Prayer

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Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• List out all that you are grateful for.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

• Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
  • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
  • A Guide to Self-Reflection
  • A Chart to help articulate feelings

Commentary

Commentary for Chapters 1-20

CHAPTER 21 COMMENTARY

vv.3-4: “The traveling group makes contact with the church in Tyre (v.4)-a church probably founded by Christians who ‘had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen…’ Paul is not acquainted with this church, for the word translated ‘finding’ means ‘to learn the location of something by intentional searching.’”^[1]

vv.4, 11-12: “Did Paul disobey the Holy Spirit?  No. Paul was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem (20:22).  The people, out of concern for him because of what they had learned through the Spirit, urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.  The prophecy, however, did not tell Paul not to go; it was simply a warning to let him know that would happen when he did go.  All agreed on the meaning of the prophecy, but they disagreed about the correct response.” ^[2]

vv.7-9: “Much has happened since Philip founded the Samaritan church and settled in Caesarea to raise a family, including ‘four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy’. In particular, Luke’s careful titling of Philip as both ‘evangelist’ and ‘one of the seven’ and a companion of Stephen (Acts 6:3-6) recalls the chain of circumstance following Stephen’s death that led Paul to persecute Philip and commit other Hellenist believers to prison. It was Paul who ultimately drove them beyond Jerusalem and to Caesarea to plant and cultivate these very congregations he now visits. Paul’s personal reversal takes an ironic twist when he stays with Philip, shortly before making his return to Jerusalem to be persecuted and imprisoned himself as a Hellenist believer! ‘By enmeshing Paul with Philip, Luke reminds the reader that Paul and the narrative are completing a full circle. His trip to Jerusalem is not simply a trip to a geographical place but a return to a narrative ‘place’ that is, for Paul filled with memories and possibilities of conflict.’  In fact, Paul will soon face hostile Jews similar to those who brought Stephen to trial, and the accusations they will level against Paul are like those brought against Stephen.” ^[3]

vv.20-26: “When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he presented the church with a problem. The leaders accepted him and saw God’s hand in his work; but rumors had been spread that he had encouraged Jews to forsake their ancestral faith. This Paul had never done. True, he had insisted that the Jewish Law was irrelevant for the Gentile; but he had never sought to draw the Jew away from the customs of his fathers.” ^[4]

“The sensitive nature of what the believers tell Paul is evidenced by the tone in which they introduce their point (vv.20b, 22b). For the sake of the many Christians who are zealous of the Jewish law, they think it a good idea for him to dispel misrepresentations about his stand on the law by showing a willingness to submit to the law publicly. He can do this by paying for the expenses of four fellow Christians who have taken a vow.” ^[5]

vv.21, 24: “Why did the Jewish believers still follow Old Testament customs?  The Law of Moses guided Jewish Christians in their social and family lives.  They didn’t shed their cultural practices when they followed Christ.  Looking to the law, then, to order their lives would have been natural, not just to confirm its fulfillment in Christ but to structure society as well. Their Jewish customs were not quickly dismissed.” ^[6]

v.26: “Is Paul being inconsistent here? We must remember that Paul himself took a vow a few years before (18:18), so we know that he was convinced about the value of vows for Christians. But what about his opposition that works were necessary for salvation? He himself was not opposed to the law per se. We must not forget what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:20: ‘To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.’ His actions in Jerusalem are consistent with the approach expressed in this verse.” ^[7]

vv.27-29: “As Paul was coming to the end of his responsibilities regarding the vows, some Jews from Asia saw him in the temple. They had earlier seen Paul in the city with Trophimus (20:4), a Gentile companion from Asia, and they assumed that he was also in the temple. Had this been true, it would have desecrated the temple, for Gentiles could go only up to the outer court of the temple (‘Court of the Gentiles’). They incited the Jewish people to attack Paul (vv.27-29).

“Bruce explains the seriousness of their charge: ‘The Roman authorities were so conciliatory of Jewish religious scruples in this regard that they authorized the death sentence for this trespass even when the offenders were Roman citizens.’ Citing evidence from Josephus and Philo, Bruce says that notices in Latin and Greek were fixed to the barrier between the inner and outer courts, warning Gentiles that death was the penalty for going any further. ‘The whole city was aroused’ (v.30a), and the people dragged Paul out of the temple. The gates of the temple were shut (v.30b), possibly to avoid defiling the temple from the chaos.

“The rioters began beating Paul to death. The timely intervention of the Roman commander and some of his soldiers prevented this from happening (vv.31-32). The crowd kept shouting, ‘Away with him’ (v.36). Luke must surely have felt the significance of the fact that some twenty-seven years earlier, another crowd had shouted, ‘Away with this man!’ at a spot nearby (Luke 23:18).” ^[8]

vv.37-40: “Lysias’s persona stands in stark contrast to the crowd, which shouts ‘one thing, some another’ (v.34a) – an atmosphere of confusion that prevents the more rational Lysias from ‘learning the facts.’  Ironically, peace is found in the barracks of pagan soldiers rather than in a synagogue of pious Jews!” ^[9]

v.40: “How many languages did Paul speak?  At the very least, Paul knew Hebrew (his native language), Aramaic (a Hebrew dialect popular among Jerusalem Jews) and Greek (the trade language used throughout the Roman world.)” ^[10]

Bible Text

Acts 21:1-26 (ESV)

¹ And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. ² And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

³ When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴ And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

⁵ When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed ⁶ and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

⁷ When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. ⁸ On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. ⁹ He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

¹⁰ While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” ¹² When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

¹⁵ After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

¹⁷ When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. ¹⁸ On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.¹⁹ After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, ²¹ and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. ²² What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. ²³ Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;²⁴ take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. ²⁵ But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” ²⁶ Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.

Go Deeper

Acts 21:1-26

• What aspects emerge of Apostle Paul’s relationships and the relationships among the people of the early church across many cities?

• Evaluate my relationships. Do I have people who are precious to me because of Christ and our common bond as fellow kingdom workers?

Acts 21:10-13

• The Holy Spirit repeatedly warned Apostle Paul that he would encounter persecution in Jerusalem. What was Apostle Paul’s response to this warning? Are there ways in which the potential for hardship or suffering affect my obedience to God?

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^[1] David E. Garland, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996) 551.

^[2] Quest Study Bible, study, 1537.

^[3] Pheme Perkins, “Acts,” New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995) 288-289.

[4] Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed., 155.

[5] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 553.

[6] Quest Study Bible, study notes, 1538.

[7] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 553-554.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Robert W. Wall, “Acts,” New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol.X (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002) 297-298.

[10] Quest Study Bible, study notes, 1539.

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Prayer

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Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• List out all that you are grateful for.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

• Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
  • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
  • A Guide to Self-Reflection
  • A Chart to help articulate feelings

Commentary

Commentary for Chapters 1-20

Acts 20:25-38 (ESV)

²⁵ And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, ²⁷ for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. ³² And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³ I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. ³⁵ In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, ³⁸ being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Go Deeper

Acts 20:28-32

• Note Apostle Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders. What would it look like for me personally and us as a church to heed this warning today?

Acts 20:32-35

• How did Apostle Paul describe his conduct while ministering at Ephesus? How am I challenged, as I consider how others would describe my conduct, whether at work, home and at church?

Acts 20:36-38

• What can be said about Apostle Paul’s relationship with the Ephesian elders in this description of their parting, as well as in this passage overall? Who are the people in my life that I have deep affection and gratitude for because of the gospel?

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Prayer

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Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• List out all that you are grateful for.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

• Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
  • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
  • A Guide to Self-Reflection
  • A Chart to help articulate feelings

Commentary

Commentary for Chapters 1-20

Acts 20:17-24 (ESV)

¹⁷ Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. ¹⁸ And when they came to him, he said to them:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ²⁴ But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Go Deeper

Acts 20:17-24

• Write down striking aspects of Apostle Paul’s ministry as he recalls how he was while he was among them. What am I most challenged by?
• What would it have been like to be on the receiving end of Apostle Paul’s ministry in Ephesus for three years?
• Reflect on v. 24 as a sort of life mantra for Apostle Paul. What would it take to make my life mantra the same?

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Prayer

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Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• List out all that you are grateful for.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

• Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
  • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
  • A Guide to Self-Reflection
  • A Chart to help articulate feelings

Commentary

Commentary for Chapters 1-11

CHAPTER 12 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 13 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 14 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 15 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 16 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 18 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 19 COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 20 COMMENTARY

“Luke now narrates how Paul left Ephesus (20:1), having spent the best part of three years there during his third missionary expedition. And then traveled from place to place until at last he reached Jerusalem (21:17). True, Luke has let us into the secret that Paul was intending after visiting Jerusalem to make for Rome (19:21). Nevertheless, it was Jerusalem which filled his vision at this stage.

“In fact, it is hard to resist the conclusion that Luke sees a parallel between Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem […] Of course the resemblance is far from being exact, and the mission of Jesus was unique; yet the correspondence between the two journeys seems too close to be a coincidence. (i) Like Jesus Paul traveled to Jerusalem with a group of his disciples (20:4ff). (ii) Like Jesus he was opposed by hostile Jews who plotted against his life (20:3, 19). (iii) Like Jesus he made or received three successive predictions of his ‘passion’ or sufferings (20:22-23; 21;4,11) including his being handed over to the Gentiles (21;11). (iv) Like Jesus he declared his readiness to lay down his life (20:24; 21:13). (v) Like Jesus he was determined to complete his ministry and not be deflected from it (20:24; 21:13). (vi) Like Jesus he expressed his abandonment to the will of God (21:14). Even if some of these details are not to be pressed, Luke surely intends his readers to envisage Paul as following in his Master’s footsteps when he ‘steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem’.” ^[1]

“This chapter records the conclusion of Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul was heading for Jerusalem, intending to arrive before Pentecost. On the way, he took time in Troas to encourage the believers, then he had a tearful farewell with the elders of the church in Ephesus.

Paul may have wanted to go to Jerusalem in time for the Passover. He was about to sail from Corinth on a ship bound for Syria, which possibly carried Jewish pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for their feast. But he found out about a plot against him, possibly by some of the people traveling on this ship (v.3). As a result, he decided to take the long route on foot through Macedonia, traveling north instead of east. He spent Passover in Philippi (v.6), a city that had had such a small Jewish population that it did not even have a synagogue. According to his revised plan, he hoped to be in Jerusalem in time for the next feast, Pentecost (v.16)” ^[2]

v.4: “These men who were traveling with Paul represented churches that Paul had started in Asia. Each man was carrying an offering from his home church to be given to the believers in Jerusalem. By having each man deliver the gift, the gifts had a personal touch, and the unity of the believers was strengthened. This was also an effective way to teach the church about giving because the men were able to report back to their churches the way God was working through their giving. Paul discussed this gift in one of his letters to the Corinthian church.” ^[3] 

vv.18-27: “The first and most prominent theme of the speech is Paul’s example- an element typical of farewell addresses. He says he was an example in four things.

(1) He identified with the people, living among them (v.18), serving God with humility and tears (v.19), and going from house to house (v.20). This enabled him to know what they needed to hear, so that he was able to preach everything that was helpful to them […]

(2) Paul was a teacher. He taught the Ephesians everything that was helpful to them, and did so publicly and from house to house (v.20). His teaching was relevant to their needs.

(3) Paul was a witness to the gospel (v.21). Paul uses the word diamartyromai, translated ‘declared’ here. This word conveys the idea that evangelism is a serious responsibility as it calls people to repentance and faith. Later Paul says that the preaching was comprehensive in that he did not hesitate ‘to proclaim to (them) the whole will of God’ (v.27). Because of that he was able to declare that he was innocent of their blood (v.26). Verses 21, 26-27 remind us the call to be a watchman, with a responsibility to warn people adequately as described in Ezekiel 3:16-21; 33; 1-9.

(4) Paul’s commitment to evangelism is closely tied in with the fourth area where he was an example: Paul suffered because of obedience. In verses 22-23 he attributes two actions to the Holy Spirit; a compulsion that is now driving him now to Jerusalem and a regular warning (diamartyromai) that he will suffer if he goes to Jerusalem. Verse 24 explains how these two seemingly contradictory messages can be reconciled; the goal of life is not to preserve our lives but to be faithful to our calling to testify to the gospel. If such faithfulness involves suffering and imprisonment, then such experiences will be taken on willingly.” ^[4]

vv.17-38: “It is important to note that in Acts 20 Paul presents his willingness to suffer for the gospel as part of his attempt to encourage the Ephesian elders to be faithful to their task. This is a common theme with Paul. He often appeals to his own sufferings when he wants to influence his readers about something important (see 1 and 2 Corinthians, Gal. 6:17, Eph 4:1). Note also what Hebrews says: After writing how Jesus, ‘for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God,’ the author goes on: ‘Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart’: (Heb 12:2-3) leaders who suffer encourage others to take on suffering themselves.

“In summary, then, this passage teaches us three things about suffering. (1) Christians take on suffering that they can easily avoid because of their commitment to the glorious gospel of Christ, a cause that makes such suffering worthwhile. (2) People will be motivated to suffer for the gospel when they see their leaders suffer for it. (3) Leaders not only suffer for the gospel they suffer for those whom they lead.” ^[5]

vv.28-31: “The third section of Paul’s address continues with an exhortation to the Ephesian elders in light of what Paul sees will soon take place in the church. He warns regarding persecution from outside and apostasy within (cf. 1 Tim 1:19-20; 4:1-5; 2 Tim 1:15; 2:17-18; 3:1-9, which tell of a later widespread revolt against Paul’s teaching in Asia, and Rev 2:1-7, which says that the Ephesian church abandoned its first love). So he gives the elders the solemn imperative of v. 28.” ^[6]

Bible Text

Acts 20:1-16 (ESV)

¹ After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. ² When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. ³ There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. ⁴ Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. ⁵ These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, ⁶ but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

⁸ There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. ⁹ And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” ¹¹ And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. ¹² And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

¹³ But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. ¹⁴ And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. ¹⁵ And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Go Deeper

Acts 20:7-11

• Knowing he had one last night with the believers at Troas, Apostle Paul stayed up all night teaching them, even after a rather traumatic event. What does this reveal about Apostle Paul, and how does this challenge me?

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^[1] Stott, The Message of Acts, The Bible Speaks Today Series, 315.

^[2] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 529-530.

^[3] Life Application Study Bible, study notes, 2003.

^[4] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 531,532.

^[5] Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary Series, 537,538.

^[6] Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, notes for vv.28-31.

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Prayer

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