Acts 20

Paul leaves Ephesus, revisits the churches of Macedonia and Greece, and travels toward Jerusalem. At Troas a young man is raised from death during a long night of teaching. At Miletus Paul gives his only recorded farewell to church leaders. He reminds them of his own example, warns them of coming dangers, and charges them to shepherd God’s flock.

Acts 20:1-2

After the riot in Ephesus, Paul gathers the believers, strengthens them, and sets out for Macedonia. He does not rush through. He moves from place to place with many words of encouragement, and the churches he planted are fed again before he goes on to Greece.

BSA: encouraging (“exhorting, comforting”): Paul’s encouragement both urged the believers on and comforted them after the trouble in Ephesus.

Acts 20:3

Paul spends three months in Greece, probably at Corinth. As he is about to sail for Syria, a Jewish plot against him is discovered. He changes his plans and goes back by land through Macedonia. Wise caution is not cowardice, and God guides through changed plans.

BSA: plot (“secret plan, conspiracy”): The danger was hidden and deliberate, which is why Paul avoided the ship.

Acts 20:4-5

Seven men travel with Paul, from Macedonia, Galatia and Asia. They are likely carrying the collection from the Gentile churches for the poor in Jerusalem. Their presence shows the church spreading across regions and sharing in one mission. Luke now says “us”, which shows he has rejoined the group.

See also: Romans 15:25-26.

Acts 20:6

Paul and Luke keep the Passover season at Philippi, then sail to Troas. The crossing takes five days, and they stay a week. The small detail about the Feast of Unleavened Bread shows how naturally Paul still moved within the rhythm of his Jewish heritage.

Acts 20:7

The believers gather on the first day of the week to break bread. This is the Lord’s Supper along with their shared meal. They gather around Jesus’ resurrection day. Because Paul is leaving in the morning, he keeps teaching until midnight.

BSA: first day (“Sunday”): The believers already met on the day of Jesus’ resurrection.

Greek: κλάσαι (klasai, G2806) — “to break.” Breaking the loaf was the way a meal began. For the early church it also recalled Jesus’ body given for them.

See also: Acts 2:42.

Acts 20:8

Luke notes the many lamps in the upstairs room. The crowded room, the flames and the late hour help explain the heat and drowsiness. He also writes as an eyewitness, because he was in that room. The detail makes the story feel real and close at hand.

Acts 20:9

A young man sits in a window opening and sinks into deep sleep as Paul goes on and on. He falls three stories and is picked up dead. Luke reports it plainly as death. Even in the best gatherings, human weakness and sudden tragedy can break in.

Greek: Εὔτυχος (Eutychos, G2161) — “fortunate, lucky.” The name means “fortunate”, and the story shows how fortunate he was. God’s mercy overturned what looked like the end.

Acts 20:10

Paul goes down, lies over the young man and wraps his arms around him. Elijah and Elisha did something similar when they raised a child. Paul tells the frightened crowd not to be alarmed, because life is in him. Christians read this as God restoring life through his servant.

BSA: alive (“his life is in him, his soul is present”): Paul says the young man’s life has returned, not merely that he was stunned.

Greek: συμπεριλαβών (symperilabōn, G4843) — “throwing his arms completely around.” The word pictures a close, full embrace. Paul’s care for the boy was tender as well as miraculous.

See also: 1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 4:34.

Acts 20:11-12

Paul goes back upstairs, breaks bread, eats, and talks with them until dawn. The believers take the boy home alive. They are comforted far beyond the ordinary. A night that nearly ended in grief became a quiet sign of resurrection power.

BSA: relieved (“comforted in no ordinary measure”): Their comfort was deep and lasting, not a passing sigh of relief.

Acts 20:13-14

Paul chooses to walk the road to Assos while the others go by ship. Luke does not say why. He may have wanted time alone to pray and think before Jerusalem. They pick him up at Assos and sail on to Mitylene.

Acts 20:15-16

The ship hops down the coast of Asia and arrives at Miletus. Paul bypasses Ephesus so he will not be held up by the many people who would want him to stay. He is hurrying toward Jerusalem for Pentecost. He is a man with a mission and a limited time.

BSA: in a hurry (“hastening, eager”): Paul’s haste was eager purpose, not mere restlessness.

Acts 20:17

Paul sends a messenger to Ephesus, about thirty miles away, to call the church’s elders to Miletus. Since he could not visit the church, he brings its leaders to him. In this chapter the same men are also called overseers and told to shepherd, so these are three words for one office.

See also: Titus 1:5-7.

Acts 20:18-19

Paul begins by pointing to his life among them. They watched how he lived from the first day. He served the Lord as a slave, humbly and with tears, even when Jewish opponents plotted against him. His message was backed by his conduct.

BSA: served (“as a slave, in bondage to”): Paul saw himself as the Lord’s bondservant, with no ambition of his own.

Greek: δουλεύων (douleuōn, G1398) — “serving as a slave.” Paul does not claim a grand title. He uses the word for a household slave who belongs entirely to his master.

Acts 20:20-21

Paul held back nothing useful. He taught in public meetings and in homes, and his message was the same for Jews and Greeks: turn to God and trust the Lord Jesus. Repentance and faith are two sides of coming to God.

BSA: repentance (“a turning away from sin, a change of heart”): Repentance is a real change of direction, not only regret. testifying (“bearing witness, solemnly declaring”): Paul spoke as a witness in court, giving serious first-hand testimony.

See also: Mark 1:15.

Acts 20:22-23

Paul is going to Jerusalem, held fast by the Spirit’s leading, though he does not know what will happen there. The Spirit has been warning him in city after city that chains and troubles wait. He walks on with open eyes, trusting the God who leads.

BSA: compelled (“bound, driven”): Paul feels tied to the Spirit’s direction, as if under a gentle but firm obligation.

Greek: δεδεμένος (dedemenos, G1210) — “having been bound.” Paul says he is already “bound” by the Spirit. He is bound by obedience before he is bound by chains.

Acts 20:24

Paul does not value his own life above the task Jesus gave him. His aim is to finish the race and complete the work of telling the good news of God’s grace. Everything else is secondary. A life that is given to Christ is not wasted.

BSA: course (“complete my mission, fulfill my ministry”): The picture is of a assigned track, and Paul’s goal is to complete it faithfully.

Greek: δρόμον (dromon, G1408) — “a running track, a race.” Paul sees his life as a race with a set route. His aim is to finish it, not to be comfortable on the way.

See also: 2 Timothy 4:7.

Acts 20:25-26

Paul expects not to see them again. He therefore declares that he is clear of any blame for their loss, since he has told them the whole message. This echoes the watchman’s duty in the Old Testament: faithfully warn, and then the responsibility lies with the hearer.

See also: Ezekiel 33:8-9.

Acts 20:27

Paul has not picked only the pleasant parts of God’s plan. He has taught the whole purpose of God, including the hard and costly parts. A healthy church needs the whole counsel of Scripture, not favorite themes.

BSA: will (“plan, counsel”): It is God’s whole purpose and plan, not a few chosen topics.

Acts 20:28

Paul charges the elders to guard themselves first, and then the flock. The Holy Spirit appointed them as overseers, so the flock is not theirs. It belongs to God, who bought it at the price of the blood of Christ. Shepherding means feeding, guiding and protecting.

BSA: overseers (“bishops, leaders”): The term means those who watch over the flock’s welfare. purchased (“gained, redeemed”): God paid a price to make the church His own, which shows how much each member is worth.

Greek: ποιμαίνειν (poimainein, G4165) — “to shepherd.” The word covers every part of a shepherd’s work: feeding, leading, protecting and caring for the sick.

See also: 1 Peter 5:2-3.

Acts 20:29-30

Paul foresees two dangers: outside wolves who come in to tear the flock, and men from the elders’ own number who twist the truth to gather a following. Danger comes from both outside and inside, which is why constant watchfulness is needed.

BSA: savage (“grievous, vicious”): These wolves are destructive and fierce, not merely mistaken. distort (“pervert, twist”): The teaching sounds close to the truth but has been bent out of shape.

Greek: διεστραμμένα (diestrammena, G1294) — “twisted things.” It describes something warped out of its right shape. False teaching often looks like truth that has been bent.

See also: Matthew 7:15.

Acts 20:31

Because of these dangers, Paul calls them to stay awake. They can remember how, for about three years, he warned each person individually, day and night, even with tears. His warnings came from love, not irritation.

BSA: warning (“admonishing, gently cautioning”): His correction was patient and caring, aimed at each person’s good.

Acts 20:32

Paul now hands them over to God and to the message of His grace. That message is able to build them up and to secure their share with all God’s holy people. They will not have Paul, but they will have God and His word.

BSA: build you up (“establish, edify”): God’s word strengthens believers like a builder putting up a lasting structure.

Greek: παρατίθεμαι (paratithemai, G3908) — “I entrust, I place in safekeeping.” This is the language of leaving something valuable with a trusted keeper. Paul leaves the Ephesians in God’s care.

Acts 20:33-34

Paul reminds them that he never wanted their money or goods. He worked with his own hands, as a tentmaker, to meet his own needs and his companions’ needs. His motives were open to inspection, and his life gave no excuse for suspecting greed.

See also: 1 Thessalonians 2:9.

Acts 20:35

Paul’s hard work was meant as an example: strong believers should labor so that they can help the weak. He closes with a saying of Jesus not found in the four Gospels: it is more blessed to give than to receive. Real happiness comes through giving.

BSA: blessed (“happy, fortunate”): The giver has a deep, lasting joy that the receiver does not.

Greek: μακάριον (makarion, G3107) — “blessed, happy.” This is the same word used in the Beatitudes. It speaks of a joy that comes from God’s favor, not just good feelings.

See also: Matthew 5:3-12.

Acts 20:36-38

Paul ends by kneeling and praying with them all. They weep, embrace him and kiss him again and again, grieved most of all that they will not see him again. They walk with him to the ship. Their tears show how real and deep their love was.

BSA: wept openly (“with great weeping, abundantly”): Their grief was loud and unrestrained, not polite. knelt down (“bowed his knees, went down on his knees in prayer”): Paul parts from them in humble prayer, not in a speech.

Greek: κατεφίλουν (katephiloun, G2705) — “kept kissing.” The tense suggests they kissed him again and again. It was a warm, repeated farewell.