13 And G1161 we G2249 went before G4281 to G1909 ship, G4143 and sailed G321 unto G1519 Assos, G789 there G1564 intending G3195 to take in G353 Paul: G3972 for G1063 so G3779 had he G2258 appointed, G1299 minding G3195 himself G846 to go afoot. G3978
And G2532 he said G2036 unto them, G846 Come G1205 ye G5210 yourselves G846 apart G2596 G2398 into G1519 a desert G2048 place, G5117 and G2532 rest G373 a while: G3641 for G1063 there were G2258 many G4183 coming G2064 and G2532 going, G5217 and G2532 they had no G3761 leisure G2119 so much as G3761 to eat. G5315 And G2532 they departed G565 into G1519 a desert G2048 place G5117 by ship G4143 privately. G2596 G2398 And G2532 the people G3793 saw G1492 them G846 departing, G5217 and G2532 many G4183 knew G1921 him, G846 and G2532 ran G4936 afoot G3979 thither G1563 out of G575 all G3956 cities, G4172 and G2532 outwent G4281 them, G846 and G2532 came together G4905 unto G4314 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 20
Commentary on Acts 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
In this chapter we have,
And in all these we find Paul very busy to serve Christ, and to do good to the souls of men, not only in the conversion of heathen, but in the edification of Christians.
Act 20:1-6
These travels of Paul which are thus briefly related, if all in them had been recorded that was memorable and worthy to be written in letters of gold, the world would not contain the books that would have been written; and therefore we have only some general hints of occurrences, which therefore ought to be the more precious. Here is,
Act 20:7-12
We have here an account of what passed at Troas the last of the seven days that Paul staid there.
Act 20:13-16
Paul is hastening towards Jerusalem, but strives to do all the good he can by the way, oµs en parodoµ, "as it were by the by.' He had called at Troas, and done good there; and now he makes a sort of coasting voyage, the merchants would call it a trading voyage, going from place to place, and no doubt endeavouring to make every place he came to the better for him, as every good man should do.
Act 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, ch. 19:6. But, besides these, it is probable that Timothy had ordained other elders there for the service of that church, and the country about; these Paul sent for, that he might instruct and encourage them to go on in the work to which they had laid their hands. And what instructions he gave to them they would give to the people under their charge.
It is a very pathetic and practical discourse with Paul here takes leave of these elders, and has in it much of the excellent spirit of this good man.
Act 20:36-38
After the parting sermon that Paul preached to the elders of Ephesus, which was very affecting, we have here the parting prayer and tears, which were yet more affecting; we can scarcely read the account here given of them, and meditate upon them with dry eyes.