The Meaning of Acts 19:8 Explained

Acts 19:8

KJV: And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

YLT: And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign of God,

Darby: And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

ASV: And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he went  into  the synagogue,  and spake boldly  for the space  of three  months,  disputing  and  persuading  the things concerning  the kingdom  of God. 

What does Acts 19:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul followed his standard procedure of preaching to the Jews in the synagogue at Ephesus as long as possible. Here the Jews were more tolerant than they had been in some other towns that Paul had evangelized, and he was able to continue speaking there for three months. As usual, Paul reasoned and persuaded (Gr. dialegomenos kai peithon) there, meaning he reasoned persuasively. This is probably a hendiadys, a figure of speech in which the writer expresses a single complex idea by joining two substantives with "and" rather than by using an adjective and a substantive. Paul"s general subject was "the kingdom of God" (cf. Acts 1:3; Acts 1:6; Acts 8:12; Acts 14:22; Acts 20:25; Acts 28:23; Acts 28:31). This phrase is often a shorthand expression for the whole message about Jesus Christ in Acts , namely, the gospel.
"Three months in a synagogue without a riot was something of a record for Paul. Perhaps the cosmopolitan nature of Ephesus caused the Jews there to be more tolerant." [1]

Context Summary

Acts 19:1-12 - The Holy Spirit Working In Ephesus
Paul had planted good seed at Corinth, and Apollos, in turn, had watered it, 1 Corinthians 3:6. Large numbers became his devoted followers. This, however, excited no jealousy in Paul. Apollos and he were only instruments through whom God was pleased to work.
Meanwhile Paul had a ministry to fulfill in Ephesus. The twelve men mentioned had known only so much of the truth as had been revealed to the Baptist. They had felt the need of repentance and had heard of Christ as the Lamb of God; but of His resurrection and ascension and the gift of the Holy Spirit they were ignorant. Paul at once fixed on this lack as the source of their impotence. He seemed to say, "If you men had received the baptism of the Spirit, you would move this city."
It was wise on Paul's part to remove the disciples and his work to their own premises, which soon became famous throughout the city and indeed throughout the adjacent country. People who had come in to worship at the shrine of Diana gave themselves to Christ, and the Christian faith became disseminated through the province, Ephesus itself being mightily moved. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 19

1  The Holy Spirit is given by Paul's hands
8  The Jews blaspheme his doctrine, which is confirmed by miracles
13  The Jewish exorcists,
16  are beaten by a man who had an evil spirit
19  Conjuring books are burnt
21  Demetrius, for love of gain, raises an uproar against Paul;
35  which is appeased by the town clerk

Greek Commentary for Acts 19:8

Spake boldly [επαρρησιαζετο]
Imperfect middle, kept on at it for three months. Cf. same word in Acts 18:26. [source]
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]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 19:8

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 13:43 Of the devout proselytes [των σεβομενων προσηλυτων]
Of the worshipping proselytes described in Acts 13:16, Acts 13:25 as “those who fear God” (cf. Acts 16:14) employed usually of the uncircumcised Gentiles who yet attended the synagogue worship, but the word προσηλυτοι — prosēlutoi Yet the rabbis used it also of proselytes of the gate who had not yet become circumcised, probably the idea here. In the N.T. the word occurs only in Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10; Acts 6:5; Acts 13:43. Many (both Jews and proselytes) followed Imperfect active of peithō either descriptive (were persuading) or conative (were trying to persuade). Paul had great powers of persuasion (Acts 18:4; Acts 19:8, Acts 19:26; Acts 26:28; Acts 28:23; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 1:10). These Jews “were beginning to understand for the first time the true meaning of their national history” (Furneaux), “the grace of God” to them. [source]
Acts 13:43 Urged [πειτω]
Imperfect active of peithō either descriptive (were persuading) or conative (were trying to persuade). Paul had great powers of persuasion (Acts 18:4; Acts 19:8, Acts 19:26; Acts 26:28; Acts 28:23; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 1:10). These Jews “were beginning to understand for the first time the true meaning of their national history” (Furneaux), “the grace of God” to them. [source]
Acts 18:19 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]
Acts 18:19 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]
Acts 18:19 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]
Acts 19:10 For two years [επι ετη δυο]
Note επι — epi with accusative for extent of time as in Acts 19:8, επι μηνας τρεις — epi mēnas treis and often. But in Acts 20:31 Paul said to the Ephesian elders at Miletus that he laboured with them for the space of “three years.” That may be a general expression and there was probably a longer period after the “two years” in the school of Tyrannus besides the six months in the synagogue. Paul may have preached thereafter in the house of Aquila and Priscilla for some months, the “for a while” of Acts 19:22. [source]
Acts 20:7 When we were gathered together [συνηγμενων ημων]
Genitive absolute, perfect passive participle of συναγω — sunagō to gather together, a formal meeting of the disciples. See this verb used for gatherings of disciples in Acts 4:31; Acts 11:26; Acts 14:27; Acts 15:6, Acts 15:30; Acts 19:7, Acts 19:8; 1 Corinthians 5:4. In Hebrews 10:25 the substantive επισυναγωγην — episunagōgēn is used for the regular gatherings which some were already neglecting. It is impossible for a church to flourish without regular meetings even if they have to meet in the catacombs as became necessary in Rome. In Russia today the Soviets are trying to break up conventicles of Baptists. They probably met on our Saturday evening, the beginning of the first day at sunset. So these Christians began the day (Sunday) with worship. But, since this is a Gentile community, it is quite possible that Luke means our Sunday evening as the time when this meeting occurs, and the language in John 20:19 “it being evening on that day the first day of the week” naturally means the evening following the day, not the evening preceding the day. To break bread (κλασαι αρτον — klasai arton). First aorist active infinitive of purpose of κλαω — klaō The language naturally bears the same meaning as in Acts 2:42, the Eucharist or the Lord‘s Supper which usually followed the Αγαπη — Agapē See note on 1 Corinthians 10:16. The time came, when the Αγαπη — Agapē was no longer observed, perhaps because of the abuses noted in 1 Corinthians 11:20. Rackham argues that the absence of the article with bread here and its presence (τον αρτον — ton arton) in Acts 20:11 shows that the Αγαπη — Agapē is ] referred to in Acts 20:7 and the Eucharist in Acts 20:11, but not necessarily so because τον αρτον — ton arton may merely refer to αρτον — arton in Acts 20:7. At any rate it should be noted that Paul, who conducted this service, was not a member of the church in Troas, but only a visitor. Discoursed Imperfect middle because he kept on at length. Intending (μελλω — mellō). Being about to, on the point of. On the morrow Locative case with ημεραι — hēmerāi understood after the adverb επαυριον — epaurion If Paul spoke on our Saturday evening, he made the journey on the first day of the week (our Sunday) after sunrise. If he spoke on our Sunday evening, then he left on our Monday morning. Prolonged his speech (Παρετεινεν τον λογον — Pareteinen ton logon). Imperfect active (same form as aorist) of παρατεινω — parateinō old verb to stretch beside or lengthwise, to prolong. Vivid picture of Paul‘s long sermon which went on and on till midnight (μεχρι μεσονυκτιου — mechri mesonuktiou). Paul‘s purpose to leave early next morning seemed to justify the long discourse. Preachers usually have some excuse for the long sermon which is not always clear to the exhausted audience. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 19:8 mean?

Having entered then into the synagogue he was speaking boldly for months three reasoning and persuading - concerning the kingdom - of God
Εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ἐπαρρησιάζετο ἐπὶ μῆνας τρεῖς διαλεγόμενος καὶ πείθων [τὰ] περὶ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ

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.
ἐπαρρησιάζετο  he  was  speaking  boldly 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παρρησιάζομαι  
Sense: to use freedom in speaking, be free spoken.
μῆνας  months 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: μήν2  
Sense: a month.
τρεῖς  three 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
διαλεγόμενος  reasoning 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: διαλέγομαι  
Sense: to think different things with one’s self, mingle thought with thought.
πείθων  persuading 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπισείω 
Sense: persuade.
[τὰ]  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
περὶ  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
βασιλείας  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: βασιλεία  
Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.