Acts 20:12
in Acts 20And the people were greatly relieved to take the boy home alive.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted.
KJV
And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
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This verse in Acts 20
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd they brought the young man alive,.... Up into the upper room, and presented him alive to the disciples: and were not a little comforted; that is, the disciples, at the sight of the young man, who was taken up dead, not only for his sake, but chiefly because by this miracle the Gospel, which the apostle preached, and who was about to depart from them, was greatly confirmed to them.
This site's exposition
Do not be alarmed!
on Acts 20:10-12
Paul threw himself on the young man and embraced him, as Elijah and Elisha had done over the children they raised. In verse 12 the people take the boy home alive, greatly relieved. Paul then broke bread and spoke until daybreak.
This site's exposition
to take the boy home alive
Luke calls Eutychus a young man in verse 9 and a boy here, a word used of a lad still in his father's house. His name means fortunate. The people who took him home had seen him picked up dead.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted," both because they received him back alive, and because a miracle had been wrought. The narrative requires the interpretation that this was a case of restoration to life, not merely of revival from suspended animation. This is established by the fact that Eutychus is said to have been taken up dead. Moreover "he was taken up dead" is opposed to "they brought him alive." He was dead; they brought him alive.
But we, in what do we differ from dogs? Do you mark what a difference between us and those men? "And they brought the young man alive, and," it says, "were not a little comforted," both because they received him back alive, and because a miracle had been wrought.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It was matter of great rejoicing among them, not only to the relations of the young man, but to the whole society, as it not only prevented the reproach that would otherwise have been cast upon them, but contributed very much to the credit of the gospel.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Not a little comforted - By the fact that he was alive; perhaps also strengthened by the evidence that a miracle had been performed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἤγαγον | egagon | They brought | G71 → | 68 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παῖδα | paida | boy | G3816 → | 24 times |
| ζῶντα | zonta | alive | G2198 → | 139 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παρεκλήθησαν | pareklethesan | were comforted | G3870 → | 108 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| μετρίως.¶ | metrios | a little. | G3357 → |
ἤγαγονThey brought
egagonG71 →68 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
παῖδαboy
paidaG3816 →24 times
ζῶνταalive
zontaG2198 →139 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παρεκλήθησανwere comforted
pareklethesanG3870 →108 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
μετρίως.¶a little.
metriosG3357 →
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
1 Thessalonians 5:11Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- Romans 15:2
Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
- Hebrews 10:25
Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
- Hebrews 3:13
But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
- Ephesians 4:29
Through
2 Corinthians 1:4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- Isaiah 51:12
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 43; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.