Acts 18:21

Acts 18:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
• New International Version (NIV)But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But on taking leave of them he said, "I will return to you if God wills," and he set sail from Ephesus.
• New King James Version (NKJV)but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

Context of Acts 18:21

19They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews. 20They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem and then went back to Antioch. 23After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.

Acts 18:21 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἀποταξάμενος καὶ εἰπών πάλιν ἀνακάμψω πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοῦ θεοῦ θέλοντος, ἀνήχθη ἀπὸ τῆς Ἐφέσου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• badeἀποτάσσωapotassomai · to leaveG657
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• by all meansπάντωςpantōs · surelyG3843
• keepποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• this feastἑορτήheortē · festivalG1859
• that comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
• butδέde · thenG1161
• I will returnἀνακάμπτωanakamptō · to returnG344
• againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• youσύsu · youG4771
• ifθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• he sailedἀνάγωanagō · to leadG321
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• EphesusἜφεσοςEphesos · EphesusG2181

Cross-references for Acts 18:21

• Acts 15:29You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”
• Luke 9:61Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:11Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
• Acts 20:16Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost.
• Deuteronomy 16:1“In honor of the Lord your God, celebrate the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib, for that was the month in which the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
• Acts 19:21Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!”
• Acts 21:14When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
• Matthew 26:39He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
• Romans 1:10One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.
• Romans 15:32Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
• 1 Corinthians 4:19But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power.
• Philippians 2:19If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.
• Hebrews 6:3And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.
• James 4:15What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

Commentaries on Acts 18:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I must - keep this feast - Most likely the passover, at which he wished to attend for the purpose of seeing many of his friends, and having the most favorable opportunity to preach the Gospel to thousands who would attend at Jerusalem on that occasion. The whole of this clause, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem, is wanting in ABE, six others; with the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, and Vulgate. Griesbach leaves it in the text, with…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Keep this feast - Probably the Passover is here referred to. Why he was so anxious to celebrate that feast at Jerusalem, the historian has not informed us. It is probable, however, that he wished to meet as many of his countrymen as possible, and to remove, if practicable, the prejudices which had everywhere been raised against him, Acts 21:20-21. Perhaps, also, he supposed that there would be many Christian converts present, whom he might meet also. But…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 While Paul found he laboured not in vain, he continued labouring. Our times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we must make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only if providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions. A very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhile the society of his brethren. Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21“I will come back to you”: Paul spent a lot of time in Ephesus during his third mission journey (19:1–20:1; see 19:8, 10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. I must ... keep this feast--probably Pentecost, presenting a noble opportunity of preaching the Gospel. but I will return--the fulfilment of which promise is recorded in Ac 19:1.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 18:21

• Ephesus
• Feasts
• Jerusalem
• Paul
• Will

In the dictionaries

• Ephesus
• God
• Jerusalem
• Ephesus, Ephesian
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Baptism
• Bear
• Blood
• Clean
• Convince

Commentaries on Acts 18

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings