The Meaning of Acts 18:20 Explained

Acts 18:20

KJV: When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

YLT: and they having requested him to remain a longer time with them, he did not consent,

Darby: And when they asked him that he would remain for a longer time with them he did not accede,

ASV: And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When  they  desired  [him] to tarry  longer  time  with  them,  he consented  not; 

What does Acts 18:20 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 18:20

When they asked him [ερωτωντων αυτων]
Genitive absolute of present participle of ερωταω — erōtaō old verb to ask a question, common in Koiné{[28928]}š to make a request as here. [source]
He consented not [ουκ επενευσεν]
First aorist active indicative of επινευω — epineuō old verb to express approval by a nod, only here in the N.T. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 18:20

Acts 19:8 Persuading [πειτων]
Present active conative participle of πειτω — peithō trying to persuade (Acts 28:23). Paul‘s idea of the Kingdom of God was the church of God which he (Jesus, God‘s Son) had purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28, calling Christ God). Nowhere else had Paul apparently been able to speak so long in the synagogue without interruption unless it was so at Corinth. These Jews were already interested Acts 18:20). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 18:20 mean?

Asking [him] now of them for a longer time to remain not he did consent
ἐρωτώντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον μεῖναι οὐκ ἐπένευσεν

ἐρωτώντων  Asking  [him] 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἐρωτάω  
Sense: to question.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
πλείονα  a  longer 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular, Comparative
Root: πολύς  
Sense: greater in quantity.
χρόνον  time 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: χρόνος  
Sense: time either long or short.
μεῖναι  to  remain 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: μένω  
Sense: to remain, abide.
ἐπένευσεν  he  did  consent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπινεύω  
Sense: to nod to.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 18:20?

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