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:
• New International Version (NIV)I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.
• 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 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 he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 27:23For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,
• John 12:26If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
• Romans 1:1Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
• Romans 12:11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
• Galatians 1:10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
• Ephesians 6:7with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
• Colossians 3:24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:9For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
• 2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
• 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 dwell among them.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
• 2 Corinthians 7:5For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
• Galatians 4:13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.
• Acts 20:31Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone 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