Acts 20:17

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15 We sailed from there, and the next day came opposite Chios. The following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus.

16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for ^ahe was hurrying ^bto be at Jerusalem, if possible, on ^cthe Day of Pentecost.

The Ephesian Elders Exhorted

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, ^afrom the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you,

19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me ^aby the plotting of the Jews;

20 how ^aI kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,

21 ^atestifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, ^brepentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And see, now ^aI go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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Acts 20:17

He sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church - These are called , bishops, Acts 20:28. By the , presbyters or elders, here, we are to understand all that were in authority in the Church, whether they were , bishops or overseers, or seniors in years, knowledge, and experience. The , or elders, were probably the first order in the Church; an order which was not so properly constituted, but which rose out of the state of things. From these presbuteroi the episcopoi , overseers or superintendents, were selected. Those who were eldest in years, Christian knowledge, and experience, would naturally be preferred to all others, as overseers of the Church of Christ. From the Greek word , comes the Latin presbyterus , the English presbyter , the French prestre , and our own term priest; and all, when traced up to their original, signify merely an elderly or aged person; though it soon became the name of an office, rather than of a state of years. Now, as these elders are called , bishops, in Acts 20:28, we may take it for granted that they were the same order; or, rather, that these superintendents of the Church were indifferently called either presbyters or bishops.

As he had not time to call at Ephesus, he thought it best to have a general convocation of the heads of that Church, to meet him at Miletus, that he might give them the instructions mentioned in the succeeding parts of this chapter.

Other Adam Clarke entries containing Acts 20:17:

Acts 20:28
1 Timothy 5:17

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Acts 20:18 >>

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The Ephesian Elders Exhorted

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