19 serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against `me';
having made also three months' `stay' -- a counsel of the Jews having been against him -- being about to set forth to Syria, there came `to him' a resolution of returning through Macedonia.
having known that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance -- for the Lord Christ ye serve;
for out of much tribulation and pressure of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not that ye might be made sorry, but that ye might know the love that I have more abundantly toward you.
in the diligence not slothful; in the spirit fervent; the Lord serving;
ministrants of Christ are they? -- as beside myself I speak -- I more; in labours more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths many times; from Jews five times forty `stripes' save one I did receive; thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice was I shipwrecked, a night and a day in the deep I have passed; journeyings many times, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from kindred, perils from nations, perils in city, perils in wilderness, perils in sea, perils among false brethren; in laboriousness and painfulness, in watchings many times, in hunger and thirst, in fastings many times, in cold and nakedness; apart from the things without -- the crowding upon me that is daily -- the care of all the assemblies. Who is infirm, and I am not infirm? who is stumbled, and I am not fired; if to boast it behoveth `me', of the things of my infirmity I will boast;
for also we, having come to Macedonia, no relaxation hath our flesh had, but on every side we are in tribulation, without `are' fightings, within -- fears;
and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me, and He said to me, `Sufficient for thee is My grace, for My power in infirmity is perfected;' most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may rest on me: wherefore I am well pleased in infirmities, in damages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses -- for Christ; for whenever I am infirm, then I am powerful;
for now men do I persuade, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if yet men I did please -- Christ's servant I should not be.
and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first, and my trial that `is' in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me -- as Christ Jesus;
for they themselves concerning us do declare what entrance we had unto you, and how ye did turn unto God from the idols, to serve a living and true God,
desiring greatly to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that with joy I may be filled,
in which ye are glad, a little now, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials,
Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who did obtain a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:
And the unbelieving Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken to them of the loungers certain evil men, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having assailed also the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring `them' to the populace,
Who doth make my head waters, And mine eye a fountain of tears? And I weep by day and by night, For the wounded of the daughter of my people.
And when he came nigh, having seen the city, he wept over it,
if any one may minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my ministrant shall be; and if any one may minister to me -- honour him will the Father.
And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him, and their counsel against `him' was known to Saul; they were also watching the gates both day and night, that they may kill him, and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down by the wall, letting down in a basket.
And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders; and they having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium,
and when there was a purpose both of the nations and of the Jews with their rulers to use `them' despitefully, and to stone them, they having become aware, did flee to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and to the region round about,
And there came thither, from Antioch and Iconium, Jews, and they having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead; and the disciples having surrounded him, having risen he entered into the city, and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.
Rivulets of waters have come down mine eyes, Because they have not kept Thy law!
And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came thither also, agitating the multitudes;
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, having been separated to the good news of God --
for God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the good news of His Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you,
for I think that God did set forth us the apostles last -- as appointed to death, because a spectacle we became to the world, and messengers, and men; we `are' fools because of Christ, and ye wise in Christ; we `are' ailing, and ye strong; ye glorious, and we dishonoured; unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and wander about, and labour, working with `our' own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become -- of all things an offscouring -- till now.
for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I did persecute the assembly of God, and by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace that `is' towards me came not in vain, but more abundantly than they all did I labour, yet not I, but the grace of God that `is' with me;
not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency `is' of God,
And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us; on every side being in tribulation, but not straitened; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; at all times the dying of the Lord Jesus bearing about in the body, that the life also of Jesus in our body may be manifested, for always are we who are living delivered up to death because of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our dying flesh,
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.