Acts 20:29

Acts 20:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
• New International Version (NIV)I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

Context of Acts 20:29

27For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan of God. 28Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I am gone, [false teachers like] ferocious wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30even from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse and distorted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves [as their followers]. 31Therefore be continually alert, remembering that for three years, night or day, I did not stop admonishing and advising each one [of you] with tears.

Acts 20:29 word by word

Ἐγὼ οἶδα ὅτι εἰσελεύσονται μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ φειδόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• departingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• departingἄφιξιςaphixis · departureG867
• shall grievousβαρύςbarus · weightyG926
• wolvesλύκοςlukos · wolfG3074
• enterεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• in amongεἰςeis · towardG1519
• youσύsu · youG4771
• notμήmē · notG3361
• sparingφείδομαιpheidomai · to spareG5339
• the flockποίμνιονpoimnion · flockG4168

Cross-references for Acts 20:29

• Zephaniah 3:3Her officials within her are roaring lions; Her judges are [as hungry as] the wolves at evening, They leave nothing for the morning.
• Matthew 7:15“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
• Matthew 10:16“Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda].
• Luke 10:3Go your way; listen carefully: I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
• John 10:12But the hired man [who merely serves for wages], who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
• 2 Peter 2:1But [in those days] false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will subtly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
• Jeremiah 13:20“Lift up your eyes and see Those coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you [to shepherd], Your beautiful flock?
• Jeremiah 23:1“Woe to the shepherds (civil leaders, rulers) who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.
• Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the [spiritual] shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?
• Zechariah 11:17Woe (judgment is coming) to the worthless and foolish shepherd Who deserts the flock! The sword will strike his arm And his right eye! His arm shall be totally withered And his right eye completely blinded.”

Commentaries on Acts 20:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29After my departing - Referring, most likely, to his death; for few of these evils took place during his life. Grievous wolves - Persons professing to be teachers; Judaizing Christians, who, instead of feeding the flock, would feed themselves, even to the oppression and ruin of the Church.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29For I know this - By what he had seen in other places; by his knowledge of human nature, and of the dangers to which they were exposed; and by the guidance of inspiration. After my departure - His presence had been the means of guarding the church, and preserving it from these dangers. Now that the founder and guide of the church was to be removed, they would be exposed to dissensions and dangers. Grievous wolves - Heavy ͂ bareisstrong, mighty, dangerous…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-38Verses 28-38 If the Holy Ghost has made ministers overseers of the flock, that is, shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to their charge. It is the church He has purchased with his own blood. The blood was his as Man; yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put such dignity…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-30savage wolves: Paul’s prophecy did in fact happen, prompting him to write to Timothy in Ephesus some five years later (see 1 Timothy 1:3–7, 19–20; 4:1–5; see also Matthew 7:15; 10:16; Mark 13:22; Luke 10:3; 2 Peter 2:1–22; 3:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3029-30. after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you--Two classes of coming enemies are here announced, the one more external to themselves, the other bred in the bosom of their own community; both were to be teachers, but the one, "grievous wolves," not sparing, that is, making a prey of the flock; the other (Ac 20:30), simply sectarian "perverters" of the truth, with the view of drawing a party after them. Perhaps the one pointed to that…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 20:29

• Elder
• Ephesus
• Miletus
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Watchfulness
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Bind
• Bishop
• Counsel
• Count
• Course
• Determine
• Draw
• Embrace
• Ephesians, Epistle to

Commentaries on Acts 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings