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Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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New Century Version

Acts 20:17

Now from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Elder;   Ephesus;   Miletus;   Minister, Christian;   Paul;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Ministers;   Religious;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Elders of Israel;   Miletus;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Acts, book of;   Church;   Elder;   Ephesus;   John, letters of;   Miletus;   Mission;   Paul;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Ministry, Minister;   Overseer;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Bishop;   Church;   Episcopacy;   Ordination;   Presbyterians;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   Elder;   Miletus;   Paul;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   Miletus;   Peter, the Epistles of;   Timothy, the Second Epistle to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Church;   Ephesus;   Miletus;   Preaching in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;   Church;   Church Government;   Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Helps;   Miletus;   Ministry;   Presbyter;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Timothy, Epistles to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ambassage;   Church Government;   Clement of Rome, Epistle of;   Congregation;   Elder (2);   Ephesus ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Ephesus ;   Miletum, Miletus ;   First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians Written;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Miletus;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;   Church;   Elder;   Ephesus;   Miletus;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Mile'tus,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Bishop;   Church;   Episcopalians;   Presbyterians;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bishop;   Caria;   Church;   Church Government;   Elder in the New Testament;   Laodiceans, Epistle to the;   Miletus;   Presbyter;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bishop;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.
King James Version (1611)
And from Miletus hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.
King James Version
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
English Standard Version
Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.
New American Standard Bible
From Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the church.
Amplified Bible
However, from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church [to meet him there].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
Berean Standard Bible
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Contemporary English Version
From Miletus, Paul sent a message for the church leaders at Ephesus to come and meet with him.
Complete Jewish Bible
But he did send from Miletus to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Messianic community.
Darby Translation
But from Miletus having sent to Ephesus, he called over [to him] the elders of the assembly.
Easy-to-Read Version
In Miletus Paul sent a message back to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church in Ephesus to come to him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore from Miletum, hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.
George Lamsa Translation
And from Mi-le''tus he sent and called the elders of the church of Eph''e-sus.
Good News Translation
From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
Lexham English Bible
And from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.
Literal Translation
And sending to Ephesus from Miletus, he called for the elders of the assembly.
American Standard Version
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
Bible in Basic English
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the rulers of the church.
Hebrew Names Version
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the Zakenim of the assembly.
International Standard Version
From Miletus he sent messengersmessengers
">[fn] to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him.
Etheridge Translation
AND from Militos he sent to bring the presbyters of the church of Ephesos;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And from Miletum, he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church.
English Revised Version
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
World English Bible
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And sending to Ephesus from Miletus, he called thither the elders of the church.
Weymouth's New Testament
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church to come to him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Fro Mylete he sente to Effesi, and clepide the grettest men of birthe of the chirche.
Update Bible Version
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
Webster's Bible Translation
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
New English Translation
From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him.
New King James Version
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
From Miletus he sent word to Ephesus. He asked the leaders of the church to come to him.
New Revised Standard
From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, from Miletus, he sent unto Ephesus, and called for the elders of the assembly.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called the ancients of the church.
Revised Standard Version
And from Mile'tus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wherfore from Myleton he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the cogregacion.
Young's Literal Translation
And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But from Mileton he sent vnto Ephesus, and called for the Elders of the congregacion.
Mace New Testament (1729)
At Miletus he sent a message to the pastors of the church at Ephesus, to come to him:
THE MESSAGE
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the leaders of the congregation. When they arrived, he said, "You know that from day one of my arrival in Asia I was with you totally—laying my life on the line, serving the Master no matter what, putting up with no end of scheming by Jews who wanted to do me in. I didn't skimp or trim in any way. Every truth and encouragement that could have made a difference to you, you got. I taught you out in public and I taught you in your homes, urging Jews and Greeks alike to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in our Master Jesus.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But while at Miletus, Paul sent a letter to the church leaders at Ephesus asking them to come talk to him.

Contextual Overview

17 Now from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 When they came to him, he said, "You know about my life from the first day I came to Asia. You know the way I lived all the time I was with you. 19 The evil people made plans against me, which troubled me very much. But you know I always served the Lord unselfishly, and I often cried. 20 You know I preached to you and did not hold back anything that would help you. You know that I taught you in public and in your homes. 21 I warned both Jews and Greeks to change their lives and turn to God and believe in our Lord Jesus. 22 But now I must obey the Holy Spirit and go to Jerusalem. I don't know what will happen to me there. 23 I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me that troubles and even jail wait for me. 24 I don't care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God's grace. 25 "And now, I know that none of you among whom I was preaching the kingdom of God will ever see me again. 26 So today I tell you that if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible,

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

Genesis 20:7
Give Abraham his wife back. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will not die. But if you do not give Sarah back, you and all your family will surely die."
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham to him and said, "What have you done to us? What wrong did I do against you? Why did you bring this trouble to my kingdom? You should not have done these things to me.
Genesis 20:10
What were you thinking that caused you to do this?"
Genesis 20:11
Then Abraham answered, "I thought no one in this place respected God and that someone would kill me to get Sarah.
Genesis 20:12
And it is true that she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but she is not the daughter of my mother.
Genesis 29:31
When the Lord saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, he made it possible for Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
Ezra 6:10
Then they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven, and they may pray for the life of the king and his sons.
Proverbs 15:8
The Lord hates the sacrifice that the wicked offer, but he likes the prayers of honest people.
Proverbs 15:29
The Lord does not listen to the wicked, but he hears the prayers of those who do right.
Isaiah 45:11
This is what the Lord , the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker, says: "You ask me about what will happen. You question me about my children. You give me orders about what I have made.

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.


 
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