the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Acts 20:17
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.
And from Miletus hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.
From Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the church.
Now from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
However, from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church [to meet him there].
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
From Miletus, Paul sent a message for the church leaders at Ephesus to come and meet with him.
But he did send from Miletus to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Messianic community.
But from Miletus having sent to Ephesus, he called over [to him] the elders of the assembly.
In Miletus Paul sent a message back to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church in Ephesus to come to him.
Wherefore from Miletum, hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.
And from Mi-le''tus he sent and called the elders of the church of Eph''e-sus.
From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
And from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.
And sending to Ephesus from Miletus, he called for the elders of the assembly.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the rulers of the church.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the Zakenim of the assembly.
From Miletus he sent messengersmessengers">[fn] to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him.
AND from Militos he sent to bring the presbyters of the church of Ephesos;
And from Miletum, he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly.
And sending to Ephesus from Miletus, he called thither the elders of the church.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church to come to him.
Fro Mylete he sente to Effesi, and clepide the grettest men of birthe of the chirche.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
From Miletus he sent word to Ephesus. He asked the leaders of the church to come to him.
From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
But, from Miletus, he sent unto Ephesus, and called for the elders of the assembly.
And sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called the ancients of the church.
And from Mile'tus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
Wherfore from Myleton he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the cogregacion.
And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly,
But from Mileton he sent vnto Ephesus, and called for the Elders of the congregacion.
At Miletus he sent a message to the pastors of the church at Ephesus, to come to him:
But while at Miletus, Paul sent a letter to the church leaders at Ephesus asking them to come talk to him.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the elders: Acts 20:28, Acts 11:30, Acts 14:23, Acts 15:4, Acts 15:6, Acts 15:23, Acts 16:4, 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:5, James 5:14, 1 Peter 5:1, 2 John 1:1, 3 John 1:1
Reciprocal: Exodus 3:16 - elders Joshua 23:2 - all Israel Acts 20:15 - Miletus Acts 21:18 - all 2 Timothy 4:12 - to 2 Timothy 4:20 - Miletum Revelation 1:11 - Ephesus
Cross-References
Abimelech went on to Abraham, "Whatever were you thinking of when you did this thing?"
Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife. Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'"
When God realized that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and had a son. She named him Reuben (Look-It's-a-Boy!). "This is a sign," she said, "that God has seen my misery; and a sign that now my husband will love me."
God can't stand pious poses, but he delights in genuine prayers.
God keeps his distance from the wicked; he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.
Thus God , The Holy of Israel, Israel's Maker, says: "Do you question who or what I'm making? Are you telling me what I can or cannot do? I made earth, and I created man and woman to live on it. I handcrafted the skies and direct all the constellations in their turnings. And now I've got Cyrus on the move. I've rolled out the red carpet before him. He will build my city. He will bring home my exiles. I didn't hire him to do this. I told him. I, God -of-the-Angel-Armies."
"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
"All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God's covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.' But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways."
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Friends, keep up your prayers for us. Greet all the followers of Jesus there with a holy embrace. And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don't leave anyone out.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus,.... Which is said, by some, to be about four hundred furlongs from Miletus, and, by others, ten German miles.
And called the elders of the church; that is, at Ephesus; not the ancient members of the church, but the officers of it; the pastors, bishops, and overseers, as they are called, Acts 20:28 and are so styled from their office, and not their age. The twelve disciples the apostle found in this place, and the numerous converts made by him here, first composed this church, which doubtless was formed into Gospel order by himself; to which he afterwards wrote an epistle, when at a distance from them, called the Epistle to the Ephesians; and in the latter end of the first century, another epistle was sent from Jesus Christ himself, by the Apostle John, to this church, Revelation 2:1 and which had an angel, pastor, or bishop over it; but who he was, is not certain; Caius, who is reckoned among the seventy disciples, is said to be bishop of it; Revelation 2:1- :. Some say Timothy was the first bishop of this church, and after him Onesimus; but these accounts are uncertain, and not to be depended on: but certain it is, that the Apostle John dwelt here, and in the parts adjacent, unto his death, and was a superintendent and overseer in common of this church, and others near it; concerning whom Irenaeus g, a very ancient writer near his time, says, the church at Ephesus was founded by Paul; but John remained with them to the times of Trajan. In the "second" century Ignatius h wrote an epistle to this church, in which he speaks highly of it, saying, there was no heresy in it; and makes mention of Onesimus as bishop of it: in the "third" century there was a church in this place, and a very memorable affair happened here in the times of Decius; he having obliged all to sacrifice to the idols in the temple, seven persons, by name Maximianus, Malchus, Martinianus, Dionysius, Johannes, Serapion, and Constantine, were accused of Christianity, which they owned; but being soldiers, they had space given them to repent until the return of the emperor, who was going elsewhere: whilst he was gone they fled and hid themselves in the caves of Mount Caelius; upon the emperor's return they were inquired after, and found to be there; who, being provoked, ordered the mouth of the caverns to be shut up with stones, that they might be famished; and it is said, that what through fear and grief they fell asleep, and slept to a great age; some pretend to say to the times of Theodosius, and then awaked; and these are they that are called the seven sleepers: in the beginning of the "fourth" century there was a bishop of this church at the council of Nice: in the "fifth" century Ephesus was famous for a general synod, convened in it against Nestorius; and in this age we read of several bishops of this place: at the time of that synod, Memnon was bishop of it, and before him Antonius and Heraclides, and after him Basil, Bassianus, Stephen, and Paul: in the "sixth" century there was a bishop of this church present at the synod of Rome and Constantinople; and in the same age Ruffinus was bishop at Ephesus, who flourished under Mauritius the emperor: in the "seventh" century a bishop of this place assisted at the sixth council at Constantinople; in this century it was a metropolitan church, and Theodorus was archbishop of it: in the "eighth" century, one Theodosius presided over the church here; to which church the emperor Constantine gave a hundred pounds of gold i: so far down Christianity is to be traced in this place.
g Adv. Haeres. l. 3. c. 3. h Epist. p. 16, 17. i Magdeburg. Hist. Eccles. cent. 3. c. 2. p. 2. c. 12. p. 212. cent. 4. c. 2. p. 3. cent. 5. c. 2. p. 3. c. 10. p. 590. &c. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 4. c. 10. p. 342. cent. 7. c. 2. p. 3. c. 7. p. 111, 115. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 4.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
He sent to Ephesus - Perhaps a distance of twenty or thirty miles.
The elders of the church - Who had been appointed while he was there to take charge of the church. See the notes on Acts 15:2.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 20:17. He sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church. — These are called επισκοποι, bishops, Acts 20:28. By the πρεσβυτεροι, presbyters or elders, here, we are to understand all that were in authority in the Church, whether they were επισκοποι, bishops or overseers, or seniors in years, knowledge, and experience. The πρεσβυτεροι, 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 πρεσβυτερος, 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 επισκοποι, 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.
