God’s Word Translation
Acts 20:28
28Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood.
Acts 20:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
- New International Version (NIV)Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Context of Acts 20:28
26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the ⌞spiritual⌟ death of any of you. 27I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. 29I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock. 30Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them.
Read all of Acts 20Acts 20:28 word by word
προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ, ἐν ᾧ ὑμᾶς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔθετο ἐπισκόπους, ποιμαίνειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἣν περιεποιήσατο διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἰδίου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Take heedπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- unto yourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- to allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the flockποίμνιονpoimnion · flockG4168
- overἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- hath madeτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
- youσύsu · youG4771
- overseersἐπίσκοποςepiskopos · overseerG1985
- to feedποιμαίνωpoimainō · to shepherdG4165
- the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- he hath purchasedπεριποιέωperipoieomai · to gainG4046
- withδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
Cross-references for Acts 20:28
- 2 Chronicles 19:6He told the judges, “Pay attention to what you’re doing. When you judge, you aren’t doing it for a human but for the Lord. He will be with you when you hear a case.
- Mark 13:9“Be on your guard! People will hand you over to the Jewish courts and whip you in their synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings to testify to them because of me.
- Luke 21:34“Make sure that you don’t become drunk, hung over, and worried about life. Then that day could suddenly catch you by surprise
- 1 Corinthians 9:26So I run—but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box—but not as if I were just shadow boxing.
- Colossians 4:17Tell Archippus to complete all the work that he started as the Lord’s servant.
- 1 Timothy 4:16Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I’ve told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.
- Hebrews 12:15Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn’t take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you.
- Acts 20:29I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock.
- Isaiah 40:11Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms. He carries them in his arms. He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.
- Isaiah 63:11Then his people remembered Moses and the distant past. Where is the one who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit in them?
- Jeremiah 13:17If you won’t listen, I will cry secretly over your arrogance. I will cry bitterly, and my eyes will flow with tears because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.
- Jeremiah 31:10“You nations, listen to the Lord’s word. Tell it to the distant islands. Say, ‘The one who scattered the people of Israel will gather them and watch over them as a shepherd watches over his flock.’
- Ezekiel 34:31You, my sheep, are the sheep in my pasture. You are mortal, and I am your God, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”
- Micah 7:14With your shepherd’s staff, take care of your people, the sheep that belong to you. They live alone in the woods, in fertile pastures. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead like before.
- Luke 12:32Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
- 1 Peter 5:2Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don’t do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.
Commentaries on Acts 20:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28Made you overseers - , Appointed you bishops; for so we translate the original word in most places where it occurs: but overseers, or inspectors, is much more proper, from , over, and , I look. The persons who examine into the spiritual state of the flock of God, and take care to lead them in and out, and to find them pasture, are termed episcopoi, or superintendents. The office of a bishop is from God; a true pastor only can fulfill this office: it is an…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28Take heed, therefore - Attend to; be on your guard against the dangers which beset you, and seek to discharge your duty with fidelity. Unto yourselves - To your own piety, opinions, and mode of life. This is the first duty of a minister; for without this all his preaching will be vain. Compare Colossians 4:17; 1 Timothy 4:14. Ministers are beset with unique dangers and temptations, and against them they should be on their guard. In addition to the…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. 28Paul describes the church as God’s people and God’s flock (a group cared for by a shepherd; compare 1 Peter 2:25; 5:2, 4). In other places, the church is described as: "the body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12; Colossians 1:24); the "bride" of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7; see Ephesians 5:25–32; "God's temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16). "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. Take heed ... unto yourselves--Compare 1Ti 3:2-7; 4:16; 6:11. and to all the flock--Compare He 13:17. Observe here how the personal is put before the pastoral care. over ... which the Holy Ghost hath made you--Compare Joh 20:22, 23; Ep 4:8, 11, 12; Re 3:1. (Ac 14:23 shows that the apostle did not mean to exclude human ordination). overseers--or, as the same word is everywhere else rendered in our version, "bishops." The English Version has hardly…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 20:28
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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