English Standard Version
Acts 20:3
3There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
Acts 20:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
- New International Version (NIV)where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
- New Living Translation (NLT)where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
Context of Acts 20:3
1After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. 2When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,
Read all of Acts 20Acts 20:3 word by word
ποιήσας τε μῆνας τρεῖς, γενομένης ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων μέλλοντι ἀνάγεσθαι εἰς τὴν Συρίαν, ἐγένετο γνώμης τοῦ ὑποστρέφειν διὰ Μακεδονίας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andτεte · and/bothG5037
- abodeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: spend(TIME)G4160
- threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
- monthsμήνmēn · monthG3376
- And whenὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- the Jewsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- laid waitγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- laid waitἐπιβουλήepiboulē · plotG1917
- for himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- as he was aboutμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
- to sailἀνάγωanagō · to leadG321
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- SyriaΣυρίαSuria · SyriaG4947
- he purposedγνώμηgnōmē · resolutionG1106
- to returnὑποστρέφωhupostrephō · to returnG5290
- throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- MacedoniaΜακεδονίαMakedonia · MacedoniaG3109
Cross-references for Acts 20:3
- Acts 20:19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;
- Acts 9:23When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
- Acts 23:12When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
- Acts 25:3asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.
- Ezra 8:31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way.
- Proverbs 1:11If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;
- Jeremiah 5:26For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.
- 2 Corinthians 7:5For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within.
- 2 Corinthians 11:26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;
- Acts 18:18After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
- Acts 21:3When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.
- Galatians 1:21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
- Acts 19:21Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
- 2 Corinthians 1:15Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace.
Commentaries on Acts 20:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Abode three months - Partly, as we may suppose, at Corinth, at Athens, and in Achaia; from which place he is supposed to have sent his epistle to the Romans, because he continued longer here than at any other place, and mentions several of the Corinthians in his salutations to the believers of Rome. When the Jesus laid wait for him - Paul had determined to go by sea to Syria, and from thence to Jerusalem. This was the first object of his journey; and this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And there abode - Why he remained here is unknown. It is probable that while in Greece he wrote the Epistle to the Romans. Compare Romans 15:25-27. And when the Jews laid wait for him - There was a design formed against him by the Jews, which they sought to execute. Why they formed this purpose the historian has not informed us. As he was about to sail - It would seem from this, that the design of the Jews was to attack the ship in which he was about to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3Paul traveled from Macedonia to Greece, specifically Corinth in Achaia, where he stayed for three months (see study note on 18:1 and 2 Corinthians 13:1). During this time, Paul probably wrote his letter to the Romans (see Romans Book Introduction, “Date, Place, and Occasion of Writing”). a plot against him: See Acts 9:23–25, 28–30; 23:12–35; 25:3.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. And there abode three months--Though the province only is here mentioned, it is the city of Corinth that is meant, as the province of "Macedonia" (Ac 20:1) meant the city of Philippi. Some rough work he anticipated on his arrival at Corinth (2Co 10:1-8, 11; 13:1-10) though he had reason to expect satisfaction on the whole; and as we know there were other churches in Achaia besides that at Corinth (2Co 1:1; 11:10), he would have time enough to pay them…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 20:3
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries