Acts 19:8
in Acts 19Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.
KJV
And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
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This verse in Acts 19
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWhat does "boldly" mean? He exposed himself to dangers or began to speak even more clearly, without obscuring his teaching. Look: everywhere Paul enters the synagogues and always comes out the same way, since everywhere he wished to take advantage of the opportunity.
This site's exposition
spoke boldly there for three months
on Acts 19:8-10
After three months in the synagogue, Paul moved his disciples to the lecture hall of Tyrannus. His two years there carried the word to the whole province of Asia, the province of the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And having entered in to the synagogue," etc. But why did he speak boldly? It means, he was ready to confront dangers, and disputed more openly, not veiling the doctrines. "But when some were hardened, and spake evil of the way, having departed from them, he separated the disciples." He put a stop, it means, to their evil-speaking: he did not wish to kindle their envy, nor to bring them into more contention. Hence let us also learn not to put ourselves in the way of evil-speaking men, but to depart from them: he did not speak evil, when himself evil spoken of. "He disputed daily," and by this gained the many, that, being evil intreated and evil spoken of, he did not utterly break away from them, and keep aloof. The evil-speakers are defeated. They calumniated the doctrine itself; therefore so as neither to rouse the disciples to wrath, nor disturb them, he withdrew, showing that everywhere alike they repel salvation from them.
See him in every place forcing his way into the synagogue, and in this manner departing thence. For in every place, he wished to have the occasion given him by them. He wished to separate the disciples thence, and to have the beginning for ceasing to assemble with them, given by the Jews themselves. He was henceforth "provoking them to jealousy." For both the Gentiles readily received him, and the Jews, upon the Gentiles receiving him, repented. This is why he continually made a stir among them, "for three months arguing and persuading concerning the kingdom of God": for you must not suppose because you hear of his "speaking boldly," that there was any harshness: it was of good things that he discoursed, of a kingdom: who would not have heard him?
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He showed them their obligations to God and interest in him, as the Creator, by which the kingdom of God was set up,--the violation of those obligations, and the forfeiture of that interest, by sin, by which the kingdom of God was pulled down,--and the renewing of those obligations and the restoration of man to that interest again, by the Redeemer, whereby the kingdom of God was again set up.
); after they were ended, he continued for some time in the country about, preaching; therefore he might justly reckon it in all three years, as he does, ch. xx. The gospel hereby spread far and near (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And he went into the synagogue,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Spake boldly - three months - We have often remarked that St. Paul, in every place, made his first offers of salvation to the Jews; and it was only when they rejected it, that he turned to the Gentiles; see Act 18:6. And the same line of conduct he pursues here: he goes to the school of Tyrannus, at least a public place, to which all might resort, when they obstinately rejected the Gospel in the synagogue.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Persuading the things - Endeavoring to persuade them of the truth of what was affirmed respecting the kingdom of God.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εἰσελθὼν | eiselthon | Having entered | G1525 → | 194 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συναγωγὴν | sunagogen | synagogue | G4864 → | 56 times |
| ἐπαρρησιάζετο | eparresiazeto | he was speaking boldly | G3955 → | 8 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | for | G1909 → | 883 times |
| μῆνας | menas | months | G3376 → | 18 times |
| τρεῖς | treis | three | G5140 → | 69 times |
| διαλεγόμενος | dialegomenos | reasoning | G1256 → | 13 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πείθων | peithon | persuading | G3982 → | 51 times |
| τὰ | ta | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλείας | basileias | kingdom | G932 → | 162 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ. | theou | of God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ΕἰσελθὼνHaving entered
eiselthonG1525 →194 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
συναγωγὴνsynagogue
sunagogenG4864 →56 times
ἐπαρρησιάζετοhe was speaking boldly
eparresiazetoG3955 →8 times
ἐπὶfor
epiG1909 →883 times
μῆναςmonths
menasG3376 →18 times
τρεῖςthree
treisG5140 →69 times
διαλεγόμενοςreasoning
dialegomenosG1256 →13 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πείθωνpersuading
peithonG3982 →51 times
τὰ<the>
taG3588 →19766 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
βασιλείαςkingdom
basileiasG932 →162 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ.of God.
theouG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jude 1:3Beloved, although I made every effort to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt it necessary to write and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all…
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- Jude 1:20
But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
- 2 Timothy 1:13
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
- Titus 1:4
To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
- 1 Timothy 6:12
Through
Acts 1:3After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 15:5–7
and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve.
- Acts 13:31
and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
- John 20:26
Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:5–7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 41; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, The Church in the Roman Empire.
