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Paul’s Farewell Visit to Troas

On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight.(A) There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bending over him took him in his arms and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”(B) 11 Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. 12 Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted.

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On the first day[a] of the week, when we met[b] to break bread, Paul began to speak[c] to the people, and because he intended[d] to leave the next day, he extended[e] his message until midnight. (Now there were many lamps[f] in the upstairs room where we were meeting.)[g] A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window,[h] was sinking[i] into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak[j] for a long time. Fast asleep,[k] he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down,[l] threw himself[m] on the young man,[n] put his arms around him,[o] and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!”[p] 11 Then Paul[q] went back upstairs,[r] and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them[s] a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly[t] comforted.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:7 sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).
  2. Acts 20:7 tn Or “assembled.”
  3. Acts 20:7 tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
  4. Acts 20:7 tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mindAc 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”
  5. Acts 20:7 tn Or “prolonged.”
  6. Acts 20:8 tn More commonly λαμπάς (lampas) means “torch,” but here according to BDAG 585 s.v. λαμπάς 2, “lamp…w. a wick and space for oil.”
  7. Acts 20:8 sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.
  8. Acts 20:9 tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).
  9. Acts 20:9 tn Grk “sinking into a deep sleep.” BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ sink into a deep sleepAc 20:9a.” The participle καταφερόμενος (katapheromenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  10. Acts 20:9 tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.
  11. Acts 20:9 tn BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὔπνου overwhelmed by sleep vs. 9b, ” but this expression is less common in contemporary English than phrases like “fast asleep” or “sound asleep.”
  12. Acts 20:10 tn Grk “going down.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  13. Acts 20:10 tn BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 1.b has “ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ he threw himself upon him Ac 20:10.”
  14. Acts 20:10 tn Grk “on him”; the referent (the young man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  15. Acts 20:10 tn BDAG 959 s.v. συμπεριλαμβάνω has “to throw one’s arms around, embrace w. acc. to be supplied Ac 20:10.” However, “embraced the young man” might be taken (out of context) to have erotic implications, while “threw his arms around him” would be somewhat redundant since “threw” has been used in the previous phrase.
  16. Acts 20:10 tn Grk “for his life is in him” (an idiom).
  17. Acts 20:11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  18. Acts 20:11 tn Grk “going back upstairs.” The participle ἀναβάς (anabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  19. Acts 20:11 tn Grk “talking with them.” The participle ὁμιλήσας (homilēsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  20. Acts 20:12 tn Grk “were not to a moderate degree” (an idiom). L&N 78.11 states: “μετρίως: a moderate degree of some activity or state—‘moderately, to a moderate extent.’ ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα, καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίωθς ‘they took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted’ Ac 20:12. In Ac 20:12 the phrase οὐ μετρίως, literally ‘not to a moderate degree,’ is equivalent to a strong positive statement, namely, ‘greatly’ or ‘to a great extent.’”