Acts 20:29

Acts 20:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
• New International Version (NIV)I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

Context of Acts 20:29

27for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. 28“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

Acts 20:29 word by word

Ἐγὼ οἶδα ὅτι εἰσελεύσονται μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ φειδόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• departingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• departingἄφιξιςaphixis · departureG867
• shall grievousβαρύςbarus · weightyG926
• wolvesλύκοςlukos · wolfG3074
• enterεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• in amongεἰςeis · towardG1519
• youσύsu · youG4771
• notμήmē · notG3361
• sparingφείδομαιpheidomai · to spareG5339
• the flockποίμνιονpoimnion · flockG4168

Cross-references for Acts 20:29

• Zephaniah 3:3Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.
• Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.
• Matthew 10:16“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
• Luke 10:3Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.
• John 10:12A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.
• Jeremiah 13:20Open up your eyes and see the armies marching down from the north! Where is your flock— your beautiful flock— that he gave you to care for?
• Jeremiah 23:1“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the Lord.
• Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep?
• Zechariah 11:17“What sorrow awaits this worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! The sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye. His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind.”

Commentaries on Acts 20:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29After my departing - Referring, most likely, to his death; for few of these evils took place during his life. Grievous wolves - Persons professing to be teachers; Judaizing Christians, who, instead of feeding the flock, would feed themselves, even to the oppression and ruin of the Church.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29For I know this - By what he had seen in other places; by his knowledge of human nature, and of the dangers to which they were exposed; and by the guidance of inspiration. After my departure - His presence had been the means of guarding the church, and preserving it from these dangers. Now that the founder and guide of the church was to be removed, they would be exposed to dissensions and dangers. Grievous wolves - Heavy ͂ bareisstrong, mighty, dangerous…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. 29-30savage wolves: Paul’s prophecy did in fact happen, prompting him to write to Timothy in Ephesus some five years later (see 1 Timothy 1:3–7, 19–20; 4:1–5; see also Matthew 7:15; 10:16; Mark 13:22; Luke 10:3; 2 Peter 2:1–22; 3:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3029-30. after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you--Two classes of coming enemies are here announced, the one more external to themselves, the other bred in the bosom of their own community; both were to be teachers, but the one, "grievous wolves," not sparing, that is, making a prey of the flock; the other (Ac 20:30), simply sectarian "perverters" of the truth, with the view of drawing a party after them. Perhaps the one pointed to that…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 20:29

• Elder
• Ephesus
• Miletus
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Watchfulness
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Bind
• Bishop
• Counsel
• Count
• Course
• Determine
• Draw
• Embrace
• Ephesians, Epistle to

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