Acts 20:3

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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 had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. 2Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece 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. 4And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas.

Acts 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, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews;
• Acts 9:23Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.
• Acts 23:12And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
• Acts 25:3asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.
• Ezra 8:31Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.
• Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
• Jeremiah 5:26‘For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.
• 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 11:26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
• Acts 18:18So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
• Acts 21:3When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.
• Galatians 1:21Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
• Acts 19:21When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:15And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit—

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

• Macedonia
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Philippi
• Timothy

In the dictionaries

• Macedonia
• Syria
• Appoint
• Bind
• Bishop
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Counsel
• Count
• Course
• Determine

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