Acts 18:20
in Acts 18When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not;
KJV
When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
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This verse in Acts 18
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWhen they desired him to tarry longer time with them,.... Either Aquila and Priscilla, whom he left here, for here they were, as is certain from Ac 18:24,26 or rather the Jews with whom he reasoned, who might be desirous of further conference with him, upon the subject they had disputed about; either in order to gain more knowledge, or in hopes of baffling and confounding him: he consented not; for a reason afterwards given.
This site's exposition
When they reached Ephesus
on Acts 18:19-21
At Ephesus Paul reasoned in the synagogue, a first short visit before the long ministry of chapter 19. Asked to stay longer, he declined but promised to come back if God is willing, and chapter 19 opens with his return.
This site's exposition
asked him to stay for a while longer
The Jews at Ephesus asked Paul to stay longer. At Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth the synagogue had driven him out. When he came back, he spoke in this synagogue for three months, as 19:8 records.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus, he said, [and did this with good reason], as if they were teaching there. For since they had been associated with him for so long, they had learned very many things; yet he had not been able to …
"When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; but bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem." Therefore it was that he was hindered from coming into Asia, being impelled to what was of pressing moment. Thus observe him here, entreated (by them) to stay, but because he could not comply, being in haste to depart, "he bade them farewell." However, he did not leave them without more ado, but with promise (to return): "But I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus."
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is good to have opportunities in reserve, when one good work is over to have another to apply ourselves to: I will return again to you, but he inserts that necessary proviso, if God will. Our times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; and therefore we must make all our promises with submission to the will of God.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when they desired him to tarry--The Jews seldom rose against the Gospel till the successful preaching of it stirred them up, and there was no time for that here.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐρωτώντων | erotonton | When are asking | G2065 → | 62 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | they | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | for [him] | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πλείονα | pleiona | a longer | G4119 → | 45 times |
| χρόνον | chronon | time | G5550 → | 53 times |
| μεῖναι | meinai | to remain | G3306 → | 118 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐπένευσεν· | epeneusen | he did consent; | G1962 → |
ἐρωτώντωνWhen are asking
erotontonG2065 →62 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτῶνthey
autonG846 →5565 times
ἐπὶfor [him]
epiG1909 →883 times
πλείοναa longer
pleionaG4119 →45 times
χρόνονtime
chrononG5550 →53 times
μεῖναιto remain
meinaiG3306 →118 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐπένευσεν·he did consent;
epeneusenG1962 →
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
Acts 20:16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 16:8
But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,
- Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
- Acts 19:21
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as…
- Acts 20:6
And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and five days later we rejoined them in Troas, where we stayed seven days.
- Exodus 34:22
And you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
- 1 Corinthians 16:8
Through
1 Corinthians 16:12Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:12
What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:5
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
- Acts 18:24
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures.
- 1 Corinthians 1:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Acts
This page draws on J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 40; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.