Acts 20:3
in Acts 20where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he had spent three months there, and a plot was laid against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.
KJV
And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
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This verse in Acts 20
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And there abode - Why he remained here is unknown. It is probable that while in Greece he wrote the Epistle to the Romans. Compare Rom 15:25-27. And when the Jews laid wait for him - There was a design formed against him by the Jews, which they sought to execute. Why they formed this purpose the historian has not informed us. As he was about to sail - It would seem from this, that the design of the Jews was to attack the ship in which he was about to sail, or to arrest him on shipboard.
This site's exposition
When the uproar had ended
on Acts 20:1-3
After the uproar Paul left for Macedonia, and Luke’s summary covers months that Paul’s letters fill in. 2 Corinthians was very likely written from Macedonia in this stretch, and Romans from the three months in Greece.
This site's exposition
the Jews formed a plot against him
Ramsay held Paul meant to sail on a Jewish pilgrim ship to the Passover, where a murder at sea would be easy to hide. The change of route cost him the feast in Jerusalem. He spent the Feast of Unleavened Bread at Philippi, as verse 6 records.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And having exhorted" the Macedonians, "with much discourse, he came into Greece." Observe how we everywhere find him accomplishing all by means of preaching, not by miracles. "And we, sailed," etc. The writer constantly shows him to us as hasting to get to Syria; and the reason of it was the Church, and Jerusalem, but still he restrained his desire, so as to set all right in those parts also.
"When he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, and there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia." Again he is persecuted by the Jews, and goes into Macedonia.
The Reformation1 voice
It is not sufficient for him to be wearied with the labor and trouble of a long and wearisome journey, unless he be also brought in danger of his life by those which lay in wait for him. Let all the servants of Christ set this mirror before their eyes, that they may never faint through the wearisomeness of straits.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And there abode three months,....
Some think they laid wait for him, to rob him of the money that he was carrying to Jerusalem for the relief of the poor saints there; but, considering how very spiteful the Jews were against him, I suppose they thirsted for his blood more than for his money. His companions in his travels when he went into Asia; they are here named,
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
And there abode three months--Though the province only is here mentioned, it is the city of CORINTH that is meant, as the province of "Macedonia" (Ac 20:1) meant the city of Philippi.
Abode three months - Partly, as we may suppose, at Corinth, at Athens, and in Achaia; from which place he is supposed to have sent his epistle to the Romans, because he continued longer here than at any other place, and mentions several of the Corinthians in his salutations to the believers of Rome. When the Jesus laid wait for him - Paul had determined to go by sea to Syria, and from thence to Jerusalem. This was the first object of his journey; and this was the readiest road he could take; but, hearing that the Jews had laid wait for him, probably to attack his ship on the voyage, seize his person, sell him for a slave, and take the money which he was carrying to the poor saints at Jerusalem, he resolved to go as much of the journey as he conveniently could, by land. Therefore, he returned through Macedonia, and from thence to Troas, where he embarked to sail for Syria, on his way to Jerusalem. The whole of his journey is detailed in this and the following chapter. See also the map.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ποιήσας | poiesas | Having continued | G4160 → | 569 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| μῆνας | menas | months | G3376 → | 18 times |
| τρεῖς, | treis | three, | G5140 → | 69 times |
| γενομένης | genomenes | having been made | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ἐπιβουλῆς | epiboules | a plot | G1917 → | 4 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | against him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίων | ioudaion | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| μέλλοντι | mellonti | he being about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| ἀνάγεσθαι | anagesthai | to sail | G321 → | 23 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Συρίαν, | surian | Syria, | G4947 → | 8 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | arose | G1096 → | 667 times |
| γνώμης | gnomes | a purpose | G1106 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑποστρέφειν | hupostrephein | to return | G5290 → | 35 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| Μακεδονίας. | makedonias | Macedonia. | G3109 → | 22 times |
ποιήσαςHaving continued
poiesasG4160 →569 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
μῆναςmonths
menasG3376 →18 times
τρεῖς,three,
treisG5140 →69 times
γενομένηςhaving been made
genomenesG1096 →667 times
ἐπιβουλῆςa plot
epiboulesG1917 →4 times
αὐτῷagainst him
autoG846 →5565 times
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαίωνJews
ioudaionG2453 →192 times
μέλλοντιhe being about
mellontiG3195 →109 times
ἀνάγεσθαιto sail
anagesthaiG321 →23 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
Συρίαν,Syria,
surianG4947 →8 times
ἐγένετοarose
egenetoG1096 →667 times
γνώμηςa purpose
gnomesG1106 →
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
ὑποστρέφεινto return
hupostrepheinG5290 →35 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
Μακεδονίας.Macedonia.
makedoniasG3109 →22 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
2 Corinthians 7:5For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 2:13
I had no peace in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
- Deuteronomy 32:25
Outside, the sword will take their children, and inside, terror will strike the young man and the young woman, the infant and the gray-haired man.
- 2 Corinthians 2:13
Through
Acts 20:19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:24
because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- 2 Corinthians 2:4
For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
- Romans 12:11
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7–11
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
- Acts 14:19–20
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.
- Colossians 3:24
Through
2 Corinthians 11:26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger…
it leads to
- Acts 14:5
But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
- Acts 14:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 43; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles, Expositor's Greek Testament; W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.
