Acts 20:19

Acts 20:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
• English Standard Version (ESV)serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;
• New King James Version (NKJV)serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews;
• New Living Translation (NLT)I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.

Context of Acts 20:19

17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Acts 20:19 word by word

δουλεύων τῷ κυρίῳ μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ δακρύων καὶ πειρασμῶν τῶν συμβάντων μοι ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβουλαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Servingδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• humility of mindταπεινοφροσύνηtapeinophrosunē · humilityG5012
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• with manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• tearsδάκρυ, δάκρυονdakru dakruon · teardropG1144
• temptationsπειρασμόςpeirasmos · temptation/testing: testingG3986
• which befellσυμβαίνωsumbainō · to happenG4819
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the lying in waitἐπιβουλήepiboulē · plotG1917
• of the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453

Cross-references for Acts 20:19

• Acts 27:23Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
• John 12:26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
• Romans 1:1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
• Romans 12:11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
• Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
• Ephesians 6:7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,
• Colossians 3:24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
• 2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
• Revelation 7:15Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
• 2 Corinthians 7:5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
• Galatians 4:13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,
• Acts 20:31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Commentaries on Acts 20:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Serving the Lord with all humility, etc. - This relates not only to his zealous and faithful performance of his apostolic functions, but also to his private walk as a Christian; and shows with what carefulness this apostle himself was obliged to walk, in order to have his calling and election, as a Christian, ratified and made firm.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Serving the Lord - In the discharge of the appropriate duties of his apostolic office, and in private life. To discharge aright our duties in any vocation is serving the Lord. Religion is often represented in the Bible as a service rendered to the Lord. With all humility - Without arrogance, pride, or a spirit of dictation; without a desire to “lord it over God‘s heritage”; without being elated with the authority of the apostolic office, the variety of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-27Verses 17-27 The elders knew that Paul was no designing, self-seeking man. Those who would in any office serve the Lord acceptably, and profitably to others, must do it with humility. He was a plain preacher, one that spoke his message so as to be understood. He was a powerful preacher; he preached the gospel as a testimony to them if they received it; but as a testimony against them if they rejected it. He was a profitable preacher; one that aimed to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-38Paul’s message to the elders (leaders) of the church in Ephesus describes his life and work among them. He also calls these leaders to show the same kind of commitment as they continue the ministry. In this message, Paul points to his own life as an example. He shows his honesty and care for people (20:18–21, 26, 31). He also speaks about what will happen in the future (20:22–23, 25, 29–30). He warns them about false teachers (people who teach wrong ideas…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Serving the Lord--Jesus. with all humility ... and many tears and temptations--Self-exaltation was unknown to him, and ease of mind: He "sowed in tears," from anxieties both on account of the converts from whom he "travailed in birth," and of the Jews, whose bitter hostility was perpetually plotting against him, interrupting his work and endangering his life.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 20:19

• Ephesus
• Miletus
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Weeping
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Bind
• Bishop
• Counsel
• Count
• Course
• Determine
• Draw
• Elder
• Embrace

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