The Meaning of Acts 18:19 Explained

Acts 18:19

KJV: And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

YLT: and he came down to Ephesus, and did leave them there, and he himself having entered into the synagogue did reason with the Jews:

Darby: and he arrived at Ephesus, and left them there. But entering himself into the synagogue he reasoned with the Jews.

ASV: And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he came  to  Ephesus,  and  left  them there:  but  he himself  entered  into  the synagogue,  and reasoned with  the Jews. 

What does Acts 18:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 18:18-28 - New Helpers In The Gospel
In unimportant matters Paul was still amenable to Hebrew customs and rites, Acts 18:18. Probably he desired to conciliate his Judaizing opponents so far as he could without surrendering vital principles. He took his new-found friends with him to Ephesus. Though none of them realized it, there was important work awaiting them in that mighty city. The plans of Apostles, and of ordinary travelers as well, must be subordinated to the divine will. See 1 Corinthians 4:19; James 4:15.
Apollos combined the eloquence of the Greek with the religious instinct of the Jew. A student from the great university at Alexandria, a convert to the gospel, deeply conversant with the Old Testament, gifted with marvelous eloquence, he was a strong ally of the Christian forces of his age. But he needed to know of the death, resurrection, and ascended power of Christ, and to experience the Pentecostal gift. Into all these he was led by Aquila and Priscilla. How wonderful is that holy wisdom which the Spirit of God gives to simple and humble believers, so that they can become teachers of men who are intellectually their superiors! [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 18

1  Paul labors with his hands, and preaches at Corinth to the Gentiles
9  The Lord encourages him in a vision
12  He is accused before Gallio the deputy, but is dismissed
18  Afterwards passing from city to city, he strengthens the disciples
24  Apollos, being instructed by Aquila and Priscilla, preaches Christ boldly

Greek Commentary for Acts 18:19

Came [κατηντησαν]
Came down, as usual in speaking of coming to land (Acts 16:1). [source]
To Ephesus [εις Επεσον]
This great city on the Cayster, the capital of the Province of Asia, the home of the worship of Diana (Artemis) with a wonderful temple, Paul at last had reached, though forbidden to come on the way out on this tour (Acts 16:6). Here Paul will spend three years after his return from Jerusalem. He left them there (κακεινους κατελιπεν αυτου — kakeinous katelipen autou). That is, Priscilla and Aquila he left (second aorist active indicative) here (αυτου — autou). But Luke mentions the departure by way of anticipation before he actually went away (Acts 18:21). But he himself Paul again the leading person in the narrative. On this occasion he may have gone alone into the synagogue. He reasoned (διελεχατο — dielexato). Luke‘s favourite word for Paul‘s synagogue discourses (Acts 17:2, Acts 17:17; Acts 18:4 which see) as also Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9. [source]
He left them there [κακεινους κατελιπεν αυτου]
That is, Priscilla and Aquila he left (second aorist active indicative) here But Luke mentions the departure by way of anticipation before he actually went away (Acts 18:21). [source]
But he himself [αυτος δε]
Paul again the leading person in the narrative. On this occasion he may have gone alone into the synagogue. He reasoned (διελεχατο — dielexato). Luke‘s favourite word for Paul‘s synagogue discourses (Acts 17:2, Acts 17:17; Acts 18:4 which see) as also Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9. [source]
He reasoned [διελεχατο]
Luke‘s favourite word for Paul‘s synagogue discourses (Acts 17:2, Acts 17:17; Acts 18:4 which see) as also Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 18:19

Acts 26:7 Come [καταντῆσαι]
Lit., to arrive at, as if at a goal. Compare Acts 16:1; Acts 18:19; Acts 25:13, etc. Rev. attain. [source]
Acts 13:5 Proclaimed [κατηγγελλον]
Imperfect active of καταγγελλω — kataggellō inchoative, began to proclaim. This was Paul‘s rule of procedure, “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16; Acts 13:46; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:4, Acts 18:19; Acts 19:8). [source]
Acts 20:15 We came over against Chios [κατηντησαμεν αντικρυς Χιου]
Luke uses this Koiné{[28928]}š verb several times (Acts 16:1; Acts 18:19), meaning to come right down in front of and the notion of αντα — anta is made plainer by αντικρυς — antikrus face to face with, common “improper” preposition only here in the N.T. They probably lay off the coast (anchoring) during the night instead of putting into the harbour. The Island of Chios is about eight miles from the mainland. [source]
1 Corinthians 16:19 With the church that is in their house [συν τηι κατ οικον αυτων εκκλησιαι]
Paul had long ago left the synagogue for the school house of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9). But Aquila and Prisca opened their house here for the services. The churches had to meet where they could. Paul had laboured and lived with this family in Corinth (Acts 18:2) and now again in Ephesus (Acts 18:19; Acts 20:34). It was their habit wherever they lived (Romans 16:5). [source]
Ephesians 4:13 Come [καταντήσωμεν]
Arrive at, as a goal. See Acts 16:1; Acts 18:19; Acts 25:13. Rev., attain. [source]
Hebrews 12:5 Speaketh unto you [ὑμῖν διαλέγεται]
The verb always in the sense of mutual converse or discussion. See Mark 9:34; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:19. Rend. “reasoneth with you.” [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 18:19 mean?

They came now to Ephesus and them left there He himself then having entered into the synagogue he reasoned with the Jews
Κατήντησαν δὲ εἰς Ἔφεσον κἀκείνους κατέλιπεν αὐτοῦ αὐτὸς δὲ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν διελέξατο τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις

Κατήντησαν  They  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: καταντάω  
Sense: to come to, arrive.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
Ἔφεσον  Ephesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἔφεσος  
Sense: a maritime city of Asia Minor, capital of Ionia and under the Romans, of proconsular Asia, situated on the Icarian Sea between Smyrna and Miletus.
κἀκείνους  and  them 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: κἀκεῖνος  
Sense: and he, he also.
κατέλιπεν  left 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: καταλείπω  
Sense: to leave behind.
αὐτὸς  He  himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἰσελθὼν  having  entered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
συναγωγὴν  synagogue 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: συναγωγή  
Sense: a bringing together, gathering (as of fruits), a contracting.
διελέξατο  he  reasoned 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διαλέγομαι  
Sense: to think different things with one’s self, mingle thought with thought.
τοῖς  with  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίοις  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.