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20. ὡς οὐδὲν ὑπεστειλάμην τῶν συμφερότων τοῦ μἠ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν, how that I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable. For the form of the sentence, cf. Act 20:27 below. ὑποστέλλω is applied to the wrapping up of anything to keep it out of sight or to stow it away. For example, it is applied to the ‘furling’ of sails. Hence it has the metaphorical sense of ‘cloaking’ what ought to be spoken out. St Paul had never from any cause done this. What he means by τὰ συμφέροντα we may gather from his own words, 1Co 10:33, τὸ [συμφέρον] τῶν πολλῶν ἵνα σωθῶσι. The message, which pointed men to the way of salvation would at times be couched in terms of rebuke and reproval, and would not always be pleasant to deliver, however necessary. From none of this had the Apostle shrunk.
καὶ διδάξαι ὑμᾶς δημοσίᾳ καὶ κατ' οἴκους, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house. Here we are afforded another glimpse into the zealous character of St Paul’s work. It was not only in the school of Tyrannus that he waited for and taught those who came to hear, but he also went about among the people, seeking to impress any who would listen.