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Acts 20:1-20  I Kept Nothing back that was Profitable unto You

[Study Aired July 23, 2023]

Act 20:1  And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
Act 20:2  And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
Act 20:3  And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
Act 20:4  And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
Act 20:5  These going before tarried for us at Troas.
Act 20:6  And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
Act 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Act 20:8  And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9  And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10  And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Act 20:11  When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Act 20:12  And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
Act 20:13  And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.
Act 20:14  And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
Act 20:15  And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.
Act 20:16  For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
Act 20:17  And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Act 20:18  And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Act 20:19  Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

Paul waited for the uproar against him, caused by Demitrius the silversmith idol maker, to come to an end before he left Ephesus for Macedonia.

Act 20:1  And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

The Roman province of Macedonia is where Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea are located.

Act 20:2  And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,

It was without any doubt the same exhortation he gave in his epistles to the Philippians and the Thessalonians and all his other epistles, because he tells us in his second epistle to the Thessalonians:

2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

This exhortation shows how the many spurious books claiming legitimacy are not to be trusted. “Nor by letter as from us” reveals that Paul knew the adversary would stoop as low as was needed to deceive the Lord’s flock – even to the point of forgery:

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

This is typical of the “much exhortation” Paul was giving the churches of Macedonia and all the churches he had established. They all knew what he meant by “the temple of God” because the gospel is always the same gospel which he preached in all the churches:

2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Even Peter affirms that “all [Paul’s] epistles” were consistent in their message:

2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things [“the promise of His coming” – vs 1-13], be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

“The ignorant and unlearned… being led away with the error of the wicked” do not understand the “is, was, and will be” nature of the Words of Christ which “shall not pass away”:

Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things [God’s elect in every generation since Christ], know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation [reading these ‘is, was, and will be’ words, (Rev 1:8)] shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

“My Words” (the words of Christ) are not just the words He spoke in the gospels. ‘His words’ are the entire Bible which was all written under His inspiration, and it all has an inward (is), and outward (past and present), and a dispensational (end time, climactic) application. The kingdom of God is within us (Luk 17:20-21), the kingdom of God has been within the Lord’s elect in every generation, and the kingdom of God will be dispensationally both inward and outward, as a “thousand-year” kingdom, before the consummation of the ages (Rev 20:1-6).

Act 20:3  And there [in Greece] abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.

No one hates the Lord’s elect more than false and apostate brothers. The holy spirit protected Paul, and it protects us also. It was the holy spirit who saw to it that someone there in the church in Greece knew what the Jews were planning to do to Paul. In chapter 23 it is Paul’s own nephew who the holy spirit gave to overhear that the Jews were planning to kill Paul, and he came and told Paul:

Act 23:12  And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Act 23:13  And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
Act 23:14  And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
Act 23:15  Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
Act 23:16  And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

Act 20:4  And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
Act 20:5  These going before tarried for us at Troas.
Act 20:6  And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

We need to take note that Paul, being a Jew, during this period in the reformation of Christ kept “the days of unleavened bread” there in Philippi before “sail[ing] away from Philippi” for Troas:

By using the pronoun ‘we’, Luke informs us that he was traveling with Paul. There were eight traveling companions accompanying [Paul] into Asia including Luke. They were from the various churches which had contributed to the gift from the Gentile churches to the saints in Jerusalem. It was very effective to have these men from each of these cities to go with Paul up to Jerusalem to deliver their gifts in person to the Jewish saints who had suffered for Christ’s sake and were sharing their spiritual blessings with the Gentile churches.

Paul’s words to this effect demonstrate that the book of Romans was written during this third and final missionary journey which lasted at least four years, with a year and a half at Corinth (Act 18:11) and then two years in Ephesus (Act 19:10):

Rom 15:25  But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
Rom 15:26  For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
Rom 15:27  It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

Macedonia was where the churches of Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi were located as indicated on this map of Paul’s third journey:

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

Achaia would include the churches in Cenchrea and Corinth whom Paul instructed about this matter, again revealing that the two books of Corinthians were also written during Paul’s third missionary journey:

1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1Co 16:3  And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
1Co 16:4  And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

There was no gift for the saints at Jerusalem at the end of the second journey. It was during the second journey that Paul first established the church in Corinth after speaking to the pagan Athenians on Mars Hill:

Act 18:1  After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

At the end of that second journey, Paul simply spent a very short time in Ephesus after spending “a year and six months” in Corinth (Act 18:11). When he left Ephesus, he landed in Caesarea and “went up and saluted the brethren [in Jerusalem and] went down to [Syrian] Antioch”:

Act 18:20  When they [Aquila and Priscilla] desired him to tarry longer time with them [in Ephesus], he consented not;
Act 18:21  But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Act 18:22  And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church [at Jerusalem] , he went down to Antioch.

The book of 1 Corinthians appears to have been written from Macedonia during Paul’s third journey, about a year before writing 2 Corinthians.

2Co 2:13  I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence [from Troas] into Macedonia.

2Co 7:6  Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus [to Macedonia with good news from Corinth – vs 13];

2Co 7:13  Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all [Corinthians].

1 Corinthians 16:2 is not instructing us to prepare to make a contribution for the offering plate when it is passed around on Sunday morning. It is instructing those in Corinth to prepare their offering for the drought-stricken saints in Jerusalem in advance of Paul’s coming to them, “that there be no gatherings when I come.” Paul simply wanted such mundane things to be done in advance so he could concentrate on preaching the gospel while there with the Corinthians.

This is what Paul wanted to do when he came to Corinth. This, as we continue this study, is what Paul was called to do:

Act 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached [G1256: ‘dialegomia’, most commonly translated as ‘dispute’ or ‘reason’] unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech [G3056: ‘logos’, word, words] until midnight.
Act 20:8  And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9  And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

Here is Strong’s definition of the name, ‘Eutychus’:

G2161
Εὔτυχος
Eutuchos
yoo’-too-khos
From G2095 and a derivative of G5177; well fated, that is, fortunate; Eutychus, a young man: – Eutychus.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

Eutychus was “taken up dead”! Not ‘as dead’ but he had actually died. Indeed, he was “fortunate”:

Act 20:10  And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Act 20:11  When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked [G3656: ‘homileo’, “to converse with”] a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

Notice the definition of this Greek word ‘homileo’:

– Transliteration: Homileo
– Phonetic: hom-il-eh’-o
– Definition:
to be in companywith
toassociate with
to stay with
to converse with, talk about:with one

Anyone who thinks our speakers teach too long, or that our discussions last too long, take note.  However, we, too, could very likely talk all night about the love and provision of our Lord if one of ours was also raised up from the dead:

Act 20:12  And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
Act 20:13  And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.

The way Luke presents this story makes it appear that Paul stayed up fellowshipping all night with the brothers there in Troas, “intending to leave on the morrow”, and then walked all day the next day to Assos.

Act 20:14  And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
Act 20:15  And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.
Act 20:16  For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

Paul had spent “three years” in Ephesus and had made many friends. He obviously felt that he did not have sufficient time to spend with them all. Therefore, he sent for the elders to come to him at Miletus:

Act 20:17  And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Act 20:18  And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Act 20:19  Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

If we fail to realize that “the Jews” of Christ’s day and “the Jews” of Paul’s day signify the established Christian churches of our day, we will get nothing out of what either Paul or Christ mean when they warn us about “the Jews” in all their denominations:

Mat 23:13  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Mat 23:14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Mat 23:15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Mat 23:23  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Mat 23:25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Mat 23:29  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

Those are seven woes in the book of Matthew pronounced upon the leaders of the established church of Christ’s day, indicating the complete apostasy of that great harlot system. Those leaders took great pride in being Abraham’s children but did not do the works of Abraham:

Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

It is the leaders of the established churches of today who are doing the same thing with the words of Christ. The established church of Christ’s day signifies the established churches of our day who claim the name of Christ but do not do the things He says to do. Just as the Jews sought to kill Christ, Christian leaders of our day encourage those in their charge to get involved in the militaries and politics of our day because they “cannot hear [Christ’s] word”:

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Luke repeats these same woes three more times, signifying the process of the judgment of that great harlot system:

Luk 11:42  But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 11:43  Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luk 11:44  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

It is impossible to hear the Lord’s words when He has not given you ears to hear.

Joh 12:40  He [God] hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; ) unto this day.

Paul and all who know the voice of the True Shepherd do hear the words of our Lord, and like Paul we are to withhold nothing from those in our sphere of influence who are given eyes that see and ears that hear:

Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

“From house to house” does not mean that Paul went everywhere knocking on doors casting his pearls before swine and giving that which is holy unto the dogs:

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Christ specifically prohibited his disciples from going house to house.

Luk 10:5  And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
Luk 10:6  And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
Luk 10:7  And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

On the other hand, the early churches were established in the homes of those who offered their homes for that purpose, as Paul informs us:

1Co 16:19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Col 4:15  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Phm 1:1  Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
Phm 1:2  And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

That is the “house to house” to which Paul refers, and why he held nothing back. Though he held nothing back that should not be taken to mean that everyone to whom he ministered received his doctrines and admonitions, as we learn in his first epistle to the Corinthians:

1Co 2:1  And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1Co 2:2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Co 2:3  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect [he “held nothing back”]: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

From whom is this wisdom “hidden”? Paul again holds back nothing. Here are the first four verses of the very next chapter of 1 Corinthians:

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul [“Pauline” or “Episcopal”]; and another, I am of Apollos [Catholic, or Protestant]; are ye not carnal?

The obvious answer is, “Yes indeed, we are all at first, ‘carnal… babes in Christ’ while we are in the churches of Babylon. At that time in our walk, we certainly are ‘yet carnal, and walk as men’.”

1Co 3:5  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.