Acts 18:20

Acts 18:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
• New International Version (NIV)When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent,

Context of Acts 18:20

18Paul remained in Corinth with the believers for many days. Then he left them. Priscilla and Aquila also went with him. They went to the port called Cenchrea. They got on a ship there to sail to Syria. Before they left, someone cut off all the hair on Paul's head. This showed that he had made a promise to God. 19They all arrived in the city of Ephesus. Paul left Priscilla and Aquila, and he went into the Jewish meeting room. There he talked about God's message with the Jews. Some of them asked Paul to remain in Ephesus with them for a longer time. But he did not agree to stay. 21Before he left, he said to them, ‘If God wants me to come back, I will return to you.’ Then Paul got in a ship and he sailed from Ephesus to Caesarea. 22After Paul arrived in Caesarea, he went to Jerusalem. He said, ‘hello’ to the group of believers there. Then he travelled to Antioch in Syria.

Acts 18:20 word by word

ἐρωτώντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον μεῖναι οὐκ ἐπένευσεν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whenδέde · thenG1161
• theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• desiredἐρωτάωerōtaō · to askG2065
• toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• tarryμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• longerπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
• timeχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
• withπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• he consentedἐπινεύωepineuō · to acceptG1962
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Acts 18:20

• Acts 20:16Paul had decided to leave quickly from there. He did not want to visit Ephesus, because he did not want to remain in Asia for a long time. Instead, he wanted to travel to Jerusalem quickly. He wanted to arrive there before the day of the Pentecost festival.
• Acts 21:13But Paul answered, ‘Stop crying like this! You are making me very sad! I am ready for men in Jerusalem to take hold of me. They may tie me up, and I may even die there. I am ready for all this because I believe in the Lord Jesus.’
• Mark 1:37When they found him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’
• 1 Corinthians 16:12As for our Christian friend Apollos, I wanted him to visit you. I have often told him to come to you together with the other believers. But he does not think that this is the right time. He will come to you when he has the chance.

Commentaries on Acts 18:20

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 While Paul found he laboured not in vain, he continued labouring. Our times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we must make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only if providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions. A very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhile the society of his brethren. Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-23Paul made a quick stop at Ephesus, the most important city in the Roman province of Asia. There he left the others behind, including Priscilla and Aquila (see 18:26). He sailed to Judea, landing at Caesarea, the headquarters of the Roman forces of occupation. After a visit to the church at Jerusalem, Paul returned to Antioch, the church that had originally commissioned him. This marked the end of his second missionary journey. In Antioch, he spent…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. 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.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 18:20

• Ephesus
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Baptism
• Bear
• Blood
• Clean
• Convince
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Feel
• James
• Mightily
• Paul

Commentaries on Acts 18

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings