Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadLange Commentary - Acts 20:1 - 20:16
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Act_20:1-16
Act_20:2-3. And when he had gone over those parts.— Áὐôïýò refers to the Christians in Macedonia, as the words ìÝñç ἐêåῖíá and Ìáêåä . show. ἙëëÜò is not to be understood of Greece, exclusive of Achaia, and particularly of the Peloponnesus (Bengel); it here denotes the whole of Greece, to which Luke elsewhere applies the official name of Achaia, but which he now designates by the older and the popular name of Hellas. The participle ðïéÞóáò is anacoluthic [comp. ἐðéãüíôåò , note 5 appended to text of Act_19:21-41.—Tr.]; the very construction of the sentence exhibits the haste with which Luke, on this occasion, passes over the labors of the apostle in Europe. The insidious attempt of the Jews on the life of Paul was doubtless made at Corinth, from which point he had intended to proceed by water to Syria; it induced him to proceed thither by land. This route conducted him through Macedonia, but occupied so much more time than the other, that he was ultimately compelled to proceed with very great haste (Act_20:16), if he desired to reach Jerusalem at the appointed time.
Act_20:4-5. And there accompanied him.—Luke now refers to the attendants of the apostle, of whom he names not less than seven, while he himself, according to Act_20:5 ff; Acts 13 ff., also belonged to the company. Three were natives of Macedonia, the other four, of Asia Minor. Sopater of Berea, who is otherwise unknown, is first named, as the apostle on his return passed through Berea, which lay further to the south, before he reached Thessalonica, to which city the two friends belonged, who are next mentioned. Of the latter, Secundus is not introduced elsewhere, whereas Aristarchus had already been in the company of the apostle at Ephesus, (Act_19:29), at a later period attended him during his voyage to Rome (Act_27:2), and also shared his imprisonment in that city (Col_4:10; Phm_1:24). As Gaius was of Derbe, he was a different person from the Macedonian Gaius mentioned in Act_19:29. The name of Timotheus occurs without any additional remark, as previous statements (Act_16:1, etc.), had already made him sufficiently known. Tychicus was also with Paul in Rome at a later period. (Col_4:7-8; Eph_6:21), and carried letters of the apostle to congregations in Asia Minor; comp. 2Ti_4:12; Tit_3:12. Trophimus, as we are specially informed in the next chapter (Act_21:29), was an Ephesian by birth. As a Gentile-Christian, he was the innocent cause of the tumult which occurred in Jerusalem, and of the arrest of the apostle. The words ἄ÷ñé ô . Ἀó . specify Asia proconsularis as the destination of the company, without, however, denying that any of the number, e. g., Aristarchus and Timotheus [Act_21:29; Act_27:2] remained with the apostle until he reached Jerusalem. All proceeded with the latter as far as Asia, but not further. The conjecture of Baumgarten that all the men accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, in order to be there presented not only to the believers, but also to all Israel as the seven representatives of the converted Gentile world, is not satisfactorily sustained by the considerations which have been advanced in its favor.
Act_20:6. a. And we sailed away.—After the seven attendants had departed from Philippi, they were followed by Paul and Luke; for the latter again refers to himself in the word ἡìᾶò , Act_20:5. The distinction between ïὖôïé , Act_20:5, (which also includes Timotheus, Act_20:4) and ἡìåῖò , Act_20:6, forbids us to assume [with several recent German authors.—Tr.] that Timotheus was the writer of those passages in which the pronoun “we” occurs. Luke had remained at Philippi, during Paul’s second missionary journey, Act_16:14 [see Exeg. note on Act_16:35-40. b. ult.—Tr.]; he now rejoins the apostle in the same city, Act_20:6, on the return of the latter from his third missionary journey. At this point, accordingly, precise specifications of the time begin, as if a journal had been kept, in which the incidents of the journey were recorded.
b. After the days of unleavened bread, and of the Passover, Paul sailed with Luke from Philippi; the vessel did not, however, arrive at Troas, until the fifth day, whereas, according to Act_16:11-12, the voyage from Troas to Philippi, on that occasion, required scarcely three days.
Act_20:7-8. a. And upon the first day of the week.—Luke here relates, Act_20:7-12, an event which occurred in Troas—the restoration to life of a youth, whose death had been occasioned by a fall, at the time when Paul was conducting religious services on the eve of his departure, namely, upon the first day of the week. According to the Hebraistic usus loquendi, peculiar both to the Gospels and the Acts [see Winer: Gram. § 37. 1.—Tr.], and also to the epistles of Paul (1Co_16:2), ìßá is used for ðñþôç . Now, the first day of the week was our Sunday; and we here observe the first trace of the observance of Sunday, which the history of the church exhibits. It cannot be denied, it is true, that this assembly of the Christians for the purpose of breaking bread, i.e., for partaking of the bread in connection with the holy religious services—the Lord’s Supper,—and for hearing the word of God, might have accidentally occurred on the first day of the week, since Paul’s departure was to take place on the following day (Meyer). But this interpretation, at the same time, fails to explain Luke’s motive for mentioning this day in such express terms. His language plainly indicates that this day was precisely one that was kept holy and one on which assemblies for religious services were customarily held. With this view the circumstance most happily agrees, that the first mention of the observance of Sunday is made in connection with a Gentile-Christian congregation, since, according to the nature of the case, this custom was introduced at an earlier period and with more ease in Gentile-Christian, than in Judæo-Christian congregations. [See Conyb. and H., Life, etc., of St. Paul. Ch. 20. Vol. II. 212.—Tr.]
b. When they [we] were gathered together.—[For ἦìåí , Act_20:8, instead of ἦóáí , see above, note 3, appended to the text, as well as for ἡìῶí , Act_20:7, instead of ô . ìáè —Tr.]. The historian indicates by ἡìῶí , that he himself was present at this assembly; he appends, immediately afterwards, the words äéåëÝãåôï áὑôïῖò , as the discourse of the apostle was essentially a farewell sermon ( ìÝëëùí ἐîéÝíáé ), addressed to those from whom he was parting, and not to his travelling companions, among whom was the historian. This circumstance was overlooked by many persons, particularly by transcribers, who, consequently, supposed that they ought to write ôῶí ìáèçôῶí , instead of ἡìùí . The lamps were many in number, on account of the solemnity of the occasion (not torches (Luther), but hand-lamps.). [“Lights, literally, lamps, but in a wider sense than that which we attach to it, including torches, candles, lanterns, etc., and therefore, both in etymology and usage, corresponding very nearly to the word used in the English version.” (Alex.).—Tr.]
Act_20:9. There sat in a window a certain young man.—Eutychus was sitting on the window, i.e., on the ledge or bench of the opening, which, according to the ancient custom, was not furnished with glass, nor even, in this particular case, with a screen or with shutters; it was, literally, an open window. From this place, which was in the third story of the house, he fell down in his sleep. The construction with the four participles is the following: a young man sitting on the window, and falling into a deep sleep, while Paul long continued to speak, fell down, being overcome by sleep, etc. The article is prefixed when ὕðíïò occurs the second time, as the latter had already been mentioned. Ἤñèç íåêñüò simply means: he was dead when lifted up, i.e., not carried into the house, but found to be dead when the people attempted to raise him up. Neither this expression, nor the context in general, furnishes any reason for taking íåêñüò in the sense of ὡò íåêñüò (as de Wette, Olshausen and others do), as if the young man had been only apparently dead, or had fainted, etc.
Act_20:10-12. And Paul … fell on him, etc.—The procedure of the apostle, who laid himself on the dead body, resembled that of Elisha in the case of the deceased son of the Shunammite (2Ki_4:34), and that of Elijah in the case of the son of the widow of Zarephath [Sarepta, Luk_4:26] (1Ki_17:21); it was his object to reanimate the lifeless body through the medium of bodily contact and vital warmth. After this act had been performed, Paul said to those who surrounded him, that they should not be disquieted nor distressed ( èïñõâåῖóèáé , in the middle voice, consternor, not merely: to cry aloud, as Luther and de Wette interpret the word, as this sense seems less suited to the context, than the other.). [“Do not lament, which, according to the Oriental habit and the import of the word, they were doing with loud and passionate outcry; comp. Mat_9:23; Mar_5:39.” (Hackett).—Tr.]. “His soul is in him,” said Paul, not: “is again in him,” but as little: “is yet in him.” Paul could not say the latter, for the young man had been actually killed by the fall, and the former he would not say, as he did not desire to make an ostentatious display of himself and his miraculous power. Still, the whole statement is of such a nature as to show conclusively that the restoration of the deceased was effected by the miraculous operation of the apostle. Indeed, the words ἤãáãïí — æῶíôá , Act_20:12, as contradistinguished from ἤñèç íåêñüò , Act_20:9, plainly exhibit the meaning which Luke intended to convey. The statement that, after this incident, Paul broke the bread and ate (that is, performed the act which he had originally in view, according to Act_20:11 compared with Act_20:7), that he resumed his discourse, and that he continued even till break of day, implies that the design and the continuance of the meeting had not been seriously affected by an occurrence, the consequences of which might have been very painful. Êëᾷí ἄñôïí , Act_20:11, cannot be otherwise understood than as in Act_20:7, although Grotius and Kuinoel allege that the expression refers in Act_20:7 to a religious meal, but in Act_20:11 merely to an early meal, of which the traveller partook when he departed.— Ïὕôùò before ἐîῆëèåí , implies that Paul commenced his journey without having found any repose during that whole night.
Act_20:13-15. And sailed unto Assos.—Luke furnishes in these verses a detailed account of the journey from Troas to Miletus. The companions of Paul at first sailed without him, and proceeded along the coast from Troas to Assos in Mysia, opposite to the northern angle of Lesbos, while Paul went by land to the same point, the distance being nine [German] miles [twenty English miles, or, according to Sir C. Fellows, thirty miles (Conyb. and H. Vol. II. 213, 214).—Tr.]. Luke does not explain the motive of Paul for making this arrangement ( ἧí äéáôåôáãìÝíïò , middle voice), and the various conjectures of commentators are alike unsupported by known facts, e. g., a regard for his health (Calvin); caution, in view of hostile movements on the part of the Jews (Michaelis); official labors in the intermediate region (Meyer); the desire to be alone (Baumgarten; Ewald).—From Assos, where the apostle embarked, the company proceeded in a southerly direction, so near to the coast, that they sailed between the islands of Lesbos (on the east side of which Mitylene was beautifully situated), Chios, Samos, and the western coast of Asia Minor.— ÐáñáâÜëëåéí here may mean to touch at, rather than to pass over to, which the word undoubtedly also means.—They sailed, however, from Samos to the opposite coast of Ionia, and landed at the promontory and city of Trogyllium, at the foot of mount Mycale; the distance from Samos was forty stadia. They had already passed Ephesus before they touched at Samos. Luke informs us in Act_20:16, of Paul’s motive for not landing at Ephesus. He apprehended, that if he visited the city, he would be unavoidably detained there; on the other hand, the time admitted of no delay, if he wished to reach Jerusalem at or before the festival of Pentecost. Hence he did not land until he reached Miletus, which was situated about nine [German] miles to the south [about 30 miles (“fifty,” Alf.) distant from Ephesus.—Tr.]; here he arrived on Saturday. [See Conyb. and H. Life, etc., of St. Paul, II. 220.—Tr.].
2. In the procedure of the Christians at Troas, religious services are combined in an intimate and holy manner with the requisitions of Christian social life. The apostle Paul takes leave of those brethren; but his farewell discourse is, at the same time, founded on the word of God, and, conversely, his instructions concerning divine things also assume the form of an easy and social conversation ( ὁìéëåῖí , äéáëÝãåóèáé ). All had assembled for the purpose of breaking the bread; it was, on the one hand, a holy and sacramental Supper of the Lord, but also, on the other, a meal of brotherly fellowship. The Spirit, of Christ sanctifies the natural elements, and imparts to the bond which unites man to man, all its real strength, its lofty meaning, and its genuine and affectionate character. And the grace of God in Christ, the God-Man, is communicated to believers in visible signs and corporeal pledges. Thus the Human and the Divine, the Corporeal and the Spiritual, nature and grace, join hand to hand in Christianity.
3. The restoration of the young man to life was effected by means of the contact and embrace of the apostle. Paul placed his vital warmth in direct communication with the corpse which had scarcely become cold. The power to impart life to the dead, unquestionably did not depend on that personal contact; such an act can be performed solely by the almighty power of God. But when that power is exercised through the medium of a man filled with faith and the Spirit, it operates through corporeal and natural means. Such was usually the case with the miracles which Jesus wrought, or when the sick were healed by the imposition of hands, and here, too, when an individual was restored to life, whose death had been occasioned by a fall. But the unostentatious manner in which the apostle speaks of the act, is an evidence that, in a higher order of things, even the Supernatural becomes natural, and hence does not claim a striking or unusual character.
Act_20:2. And when he had gone over, etc.—As a prudent householder is not only diligent in seeking large gains, but also careful in securing them, so, too, should the pastor not only seek to gain souls for Christ, but also diligently labor to retain them in His service. (Starke).—Paul always exhibits the same characteristic features. In prisons, in tumults, among the disciples, in the world, in journeys—in short, under all circumstances, he remained a servant of God, and never forgot, even when he walked in paths that were painful, to exhort, to comfort and to strengthen believers, wherever they could be found. How his example puts all those to shame, who lay aside their ecclesiastical character with the official robe, leaving it behind them at the church door, and who are least of all disposed to consecrate their journeys to the service of Jesus! (Ap. Past.).
Act_20:3. And when the Jews laid wait for him … he purposed to return, etc.—Paul well knew that he could not much longer escape the snares of his enemies; still, he did not wish to avoid them until the hour of the Lord had come, Joh_7:30. (Williger).—He who said: “Fear not them which kill the body,” [Mat_10:28], also said: “Beware of men” [Mat_10:17]. (Rieger).
Act_20:4. And there accompanied him, etc.—From what different points of view men behold the Christian! Some of them seek after his life; others, who love him, are willing to sacrifice their lives for him. (Rieger).—Our faithful God beheld, as it seems, with special favor the fellowship of these believers with the sufferings of Paul, for He has caused the names of all those who accompanied the apostle in his exile, to be carefully recorded. He thus declares that the trial of their faith and love deserves to be perpetually remembered. (Ap. Past.).—Six or seven devout persons, who are united together, are an army which Satan dreads, especially if a Paul is their leader. O Lord! Send thou such missionaries to the heathen! (Quesnel).
Act_20:6. After the days of unleavened bread.—Paul paused in his labors during the holy Easter-week. Journeys, which admit of delay, should not be performed on festivals. (Lindheim).
Act_20:7. And upon the first day of the week … came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.—There is a happy correspondence between the bread of the divine word and the Lord’s Supper. The former is intended to prepare men for the latter—the latter creates an increased hunger for the former. (Starke).—And continued his speech until midnight.—The remark made in Act_20:2, that Paul gave “much exhortation,” and the fact that he here prolonged his discourse till midnight, beautifully illustrate the fulness of grace and the ardor of spirit which distinguished him, even at the period when the end of his life was near at hand. Still, the example of Paul affords no excuse for sermons which are of immoderate length. Not every preacher is a Paul, whose word overflows with the Spirit, and whose heart overflows with grace. Neither is every sermon a farewell sermon, as in the present case, when Paul intended to depart on the next day. (Ap. Past.).
Act_20:8. And there were many lights in the upper chamber.—The Gospel has consecrated all the hours of the day, and also those of the night, to its service. The evening hours, which devout assemblies of believers sanctify, are precisely those which exercise the greatest influence on the soul, as they so strikingly exhibit the Lord’s victory over all the powers of darkness. It is, at the same time, true, that the Adversary has already attempted, and not always without success, to introduce insidiously his own darkness into the evening assemblies of the children of light. (Williger).—The circumstance that there were many lights in the upper chamber, shows that believers were, at that time, very careful to avoid giving offence. (Rieger).
Act_20:9. And there sat in a window a certain young man.—If this sleep at midnight exposed the young man to such danger, how can those be excused who sleep during the sermon in the day-time? And if bodily sleep exposes to danger, what is the situation of him whose soul is asleep in spiritual security? (Starke).—And how can those be excused, who never sleep in church, because they never enter it, but who, yielding to the deep sleep of security, do not indeed fall down from the third loft, but fall from God and heaven, into the abyss of sin and hell, and are entirely dead? (Gossner).—An accident which occurs during the performance of a lawful and holy act, is no evidence of divine displeasure. (Starke).
Act_20:10. And Paul went down, and fell on him.—The act of extending the body over a corpse was performed, it is true, by Elijah and Elisha, but never by our blessed Saviour, and least of all by Peter, when he restored Tabitha to life [Act_9:36 ff.]. There is a certain propriety which should characterize every act (Rieger).—Trouble not yourselves.—Loud demonstrations should always be avoided, when tokens of the presence of God are observed; this principle specially applies to cases in which a death occurs. We should, at such times, direct the attention of those who are present to the invisible world and to the ministry of the angels, as far as the Scriptures enable us to form conjectures on such subjects. (Rieger).
Act_20:11. When he was … come up again, and had broken bread.—No other interruption occurred—a beautiful illustration of the calm and thoughtful spirit which pervaded the assembly. (Williger).
Act_20:12. They brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.—God can speak to us through the dead, as well as through those who live. (Starke).—The apostle restored him to the disciples alive, as a precious farewell gift. (Besser).
Act_20:13. Minding himself to go afoot.—Without doubt Paul journeyed by land, and withdrew from the society of his beloved brethren, for the purpose of seeking a close and perfect communion with God. This witness, who was rapidly approaching the scene of his sufferings, probably felt the necessity more deeply than ever, of approaching the very presence of God by prayer, and of consecrating himself as a willing sacrifice to the holy and righteous will of God. Like Jesus, who withdrew even from his chosen disciples in Gethsemane, we separate, at such times, from all our brethren, in order to be alone with God. (Ap. Past.).
Act_20:16. For he hasted, etc.—A teacher must have the same mind which was in his Lord and Master. Even as He voluntarily went forward and encountered sufferings and death, so Paul here hastens to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, although he knew that bonds and afflictions awaited him there, Act_20:23. (Starke).
ON THE WHOLE SECTION, Act_20:1-16.
Act_20:1.—The Lord bless you! We pray, I. That God may watch over your bodies and souls; II. That he may grant you grace, by the remission of sins, and adoption as his children; III. That he may give you peace—in the church and the state, in every family and every heart. (Lisco).
Act_20:1-6. When they persecute you in one city, flee ye into another [Mat_10:28]: I. Paul’s manner of following this counsel; II. The lessons which we thence learn, (id.).—Trials and persecutions, viewed as blessings to the servants of God: I. They are more perfectly fitted by these for performing their work; II. They are more closely united to one another in love. (id.).
Act_20:7-17. The communion of saints in love: I. Manifested, by the feast of love and by the word which is willingly preached, and willingly heard; II. Tried by an alarming event, which, by the help of God, terminated in holy joy; III. Abounding in fruits—in united action, and patient endurance of common sufferings. (From Lisco).—Preaching, and the Lord’s Supper (Act_20:7): I. Their nature; II. The relation in which they stand to each other; III. The blessings which they diffuse. (From Lisco).—Paul’s last missionary labors, or, “I must work while it is day, before the night cometh, wherein no man can work.” [Joh_9:4]. The evening of the apostle’s day is approaching; the end of his pilgrimage is at hand. But he unweariedly continues his labors: I. Blessing the brethren in love, Act_20:1; II. Enduring persecution in humility, Act_20:3; III. Preaching the Gospel in power, Act_20:7; IV. Working miracles in faith, Act_20:9-12; V. Pressing toward the mark [Php_3:14] in steadfast obedience.—The memorable evening service at Troas: I. An admonitory example of Christian zeal for the word of God; neither is the apostle weary of preaching, nor the congregation of listening, even until midnight, Act_20:7. II. A warning example of human weakness and sloth; the sleep and fall of Eutychus, Act_20:9. “Watch and pray, etc.” [Mat_26:41]. III. A consolatory example of divine grace and faithfulness; the restoration of the young man, and the comfort of the disciples, Act_20:10-12. “He that is our God, etc.” [Psa_68:20].—Trouble not yourselves!—an affectionate admonition, addressed to every house of mourning, (Act_20:10): I. Profane not the silent chamber of death, (a) by wild complaints against God; (b) by utter despair; (c) by an ostentatious funeral; (d) by unbrotherly contentions respecting the inheritance. II. Humbly submit to the Lord; (a) yield to his will with a patient spirit; (b) gratefully accept the consolations of his word; (c) confide with childlike faith in his gracious presence; (d) perform the offices of love with tenderness.—Paul alone, on the road to Assos, or, The value of the hours of solitude which a diligent servant of God finds; Act_20:13-14. They are devoted, I. To self-examination; II. To holy communion with the Lord;. III. To happy repose, amid the tumult of the world; IV. To careful preparation for new conflicts.—[Act_20:9; Pro_27:1. On sudden deaths: I. The causes: (a) immediate, b) remote; II. Divine purpose in permitting them: (a) partially hidden; (b) partially revealed; III. Effect which they produce: (a) often a deep and permanent impression; (b) often speedily forgotten; IV. Lessons which they teach: (a) respecting man’s true condition on earth; (b) respecting his duties to his own soul.—Tr.]
Footnotes:
Act_20:1. Lachmann inserts the words êáὶ ðáñáêáëÝóáò after ἀóðáóἀìåíïò , in accordance with some manuscripts [viz., A. B. D. E.]; this reading, [omitted in text. rec. and by G. H.], like some others which are connected with it, seems to be spurious, and is cancelled by Tischendorf. [Alford, like Lach., inserts the two words with a comma after them. They are found also in Cod. Sin. Meyer supposes that they were a marginal gloss on ἀóðáó . borrowed from Act_20:2, since no plausible reason can be assigned for the omission, if they are genuine; de Wette concurs with him.—Tr.]
Act_20:4. II ýῤῥïõ , after Óùð . is omitted in text. rec., but is sustained by four uncial manuscripts [A. B. D. E., and also by Cod. Sin.], by thirty minuscules, and by several ancient versions; it is omitted only in the two latest uncial manuscripts [G. H., also Syr. The printed text of the Vulg. omits the name, but Pyri occurs in Cod. Amiatinus; the Sixtine edition exhibited Sosipater.—Tr.]. The name was perhaps dropped on account of the similarity of sound, as it resembles B åñïéáῖïò [II õñ -, B åñ ] which immediately follows. Lach. and Tisch. [also Alf. and later editors generally] have with great propriety, inserted this name.
Act_20:7. The text. rec., which is followed by Griesbach and Scholz, exhibits ôῶí ìáèçôῶí [after óõíçãìÝíùí , instead of ἡìῶí ], in accordance with G. H.; but this reading is undoubtedly a later alteration [by copyists], in order to suit áὐôïῖò . [See below, Exeg. note on Act_20:7-8. b.—Tr.]. The manuscripts A. B. D. E. [also Cod. Sin.], twenty minuscules, and most of the versions [Vulg.], read ἡìῶí .—Further, in Act_20:8, only a few minuscules exhibit ῆ ̓ óáí [with text. rec., before ( óõíçã , instead of which all the uncial manuscripts [A. B. D. E. G. H. also Cod. Sin., many minuscules, Vulg. etc.] sustain ἦìåí [Recent editors generally, depart here from the text. rec.— ôïῦ before êëÜóé . (Act_20:7), of text. rec. from D., is omitted by recent editors in accordance with A. B. E. G. H. Cod. Sin.—Tr.]
Act_20:8. [See the foregoing note for ̓̔͂ çìåí .—Tr.]
Act_20:11. ôὸí before ἅñôïí [omitted in text. rec.], is found in A. B. C. D (original), but is omitted in D (corrected). E. G. H. It was inconsiderately dropped [by copyists] to suit ἅñôïí [without the article] in Act_20:7. [Inserted by Lach., Tisch., Born., and Alf.— ôὸí is found in Cod. Sin. (original), but Tisch. remarks concerning a later hand: “C improbavit.”—Tr.]
Act_20:15. Lachmann cancels the words êáὶ ìåßíáíôåò ἐí T ñùã . [and inserts äὲ before ἐ÷ïì ., all in accordance with A. B. C. E. and Cod. Sin., some minuscules, and Vulg.]. He then continues: ôῆ äἐ ἐ÷ . But those words are found in D. G. H., and most of the minuscules, several versions, and fathers. They were probably omitted [by copyists] only because the context was not understood, which seemed [at first sight (Alf.)] to imply that Trogyllium was in Samos, whereas it was well known that this town was situated elsewhere [namely, on the Ionian coast. Meyer regards the clause as genuine, since nothing could have suggested the insertion of it at a later period.—Tr.]
Act_20:16. The text. rec. [followed by Scholz] has ἕêñéíå ; but this reading is found only in the two latest uncial manuscripts [G. H.], and some fathers. K åêñßêåé , however, is far more strongly attested [viz., by A. B. C (orig.). D. E. Cod. Sin. Vulg.], was recommended by Griesbach, and has been adopted by Lach. and Tisch., [also by Born. and Alf. As an ecclesiastical portion or reading lesson began at Act_20:16, the pluperfect was altered into the independent historic aorist. (Meyer; de Wette; Alf.).—Tr.]