Acts 20:19
New International Version
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.

New Living Translation
I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.

English Standard Version
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

Berean Standard Bible
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.

Berean Literal Bible
serving the Lord with all humility and tears, and trials having befallen me in the plots of the Jews;

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews;

New American Standard Bible
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

NASB 1995
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

NASB 1977
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

Legacy Standard Bible
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

Amplified Bible
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and trials which came on me because of the plots of the Jews [against me];

Christian Standard Bible
serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews—

American Standard Version
serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews;

Contemporary English Version
Some of the Jews plotted against me and caused me a lot of sorrow and trouble. But I served the Lord and was humble.

English Revised Version
serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me.

Good News Translation
With all humility and many tears I did my work as the Lord's servant during the hard times that came to me because of the plots of some Jews.

International Standard Version
I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.

Majority Standard Bible
I served the Lord with great humility and with many tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.

NET Bible
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots of the Jews.

New Heart English Bible
serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

Weymouth New Testament
serving the Lord in all humility, and with tears, and amid trials which came upon me through the plotting of the Jews--

World English Bible
serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
serving the LORD with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against [me];

Berean Literal Bible
serving the Lord with all humility and tears, and trials having befallen me in the plots of the Jews;

Young's Literal Translation
serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against me;

Smith's Literal Translation
Serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, having happened to me by the insidious plots of the Jews:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Serving the Lord with all humility, and with tears, and temptations which befell me by the conspiracies of the Jews;

Catholic Public Domain Version
serving the Lord, with all humility and despite the tears and trials which befell me from the treacheries of the Jews,

New American Bible
I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews,

New Revised Standard Version
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Serving God with great humility and with tears and amid the trials which were brought upon me by conspiracies of the Jews.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“As I served God in much humility and in tears, and in those trials that have come upon me by the treachery of the Jews.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials, which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

Godbey New Testament
serving the Lord with all humility, and tears, and temptations, which came upon me through the plots of the Jews:

Haweis New Testament
serving the Lord with all humility, and with many tears and trials, which have befallen me through the lying in wait of the Jews:

Mace New Testament
how I have serv'd the Lord with all resignation, with tears, and trials occasion'd by the insidious practices of the Jews:

Weymouth New Testament
serving the Lord in all humility, and with tears, and amid trials which came upon me through the plotting of the Jews--

Worrell New Testament
serving the Lord with all humility, and with tears, and with trials which befell me in the plottings of the Jews;

Worsley New Testament
Serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and trials which befel me by the ambushes of the Jews.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Farewell to the Ephesians
18When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews. 20I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,…

Cross References
Philippians 2:7-8
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. / And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28
Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death. / Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. / Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. ...

2 Corinthians 4:5
For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

1 Corinthians 15:9
For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Peter 5:5-6
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” / Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Matthew 20:26-28
It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, / and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave— / just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

2 Timothy 2:24
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.

Romans 12:11
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 2:6-7
Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it. / On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.

Ephesians 6:6-7
And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. / Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men,

Luke 22:27
For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

John 13:14-15
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. / I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.

2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.

Isaiah 53:3-5
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. / Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. / But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. / He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.


Treasury of Scripture

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:

Serving.

Acts 27:23
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

John 12:26
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Romans 1:1,9
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, …

with all.

1 Corinthians 15:9,10
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God…

2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

2 Corinthians 7:5
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

many.

Acts 20:31
Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Psalm 119:136
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

Jeremiah 9:1
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

temptations.

1 Corinthians 4:9-13
For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men…

2 Corinthians 4:7-11
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us…

2 Corinthians 11:23-30
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft…

by the.

Acts 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.

Acts 9:23-25
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: …

Acts 13:50,51
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts…

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Although Amid Befell Counsels Designs Evil Great Humility Jews Lying Mind Plots Plotting Pride Served Serving Severely Sorrow Tears Temptations Trials Troubles Wait Work
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Acts 20
1. Paul goes to Macedonia, and thence to Troas.
7. He celebrates the Lord's supper, and preaches.
9. Eutychus having fallen down dead is raised to life.
13. Paul continues his travels;
17. and at Miletum he calls the elders together, tells them what shall befall to himself,
28. commits God's flock to them,
29. warns them of false teachers,
32. commends them to God,
36. prays with them, and departs.














I served the Lord
The phrase "I served the Lord" reflects the Apostle Paul's deep commitment and dedication to his mission. The Greek word for "served" is "δουλεύω" (douleuō), which implies a bondservant's devotion. In the historical context of the Roman Empire, a servant or slave was expected to be wholly devoted to their master. Paul uses this term to express his total submission and allegiance to God, emphasizing that his service is not out of obligation but out of love and reverence for the Lord. This sets a powerful example for believers, encouraging them to serve God with a similar heart of devotion.

with great humility
The term "humility" comes from the Greek word "ταπεινοφροσύνη" (tapeinophrosynē), which denotes a lowliness of mind. In the Greco-Roman world, humility was often seen as a weakness, yet Paul elevates it as a virtue. His "great humility" is a testament to his understanding of his own limitations and his reliance on God's strength. This humility is not self-deprecation but a recognition of God's greatness and a willingness to submit to His will. For the Christian, this humility is essential in serving God and others, as it reflects the character of Christ Himself.

and with tears
The mention of "tears" highlights the emotional and compassionate nature of Paul's ministry. The Greek word "δάκρυα" (dakrya) indicates genuine sorrow and empathy. Paul's tears are a sign of his deep love and concern for the people he ministered to, as well as the challenges and opposition he faced. This emotional aspect of his service underscores the reality that ministry is not just a duty but a heartfelt calling that involves personal sacrifice and emotional investment. It serves as a reminder that true ministry often involves sharing in the joys and sorrows of others.

and in the trials
The word "trials" is translated from the Greek "πειρασμοί" (peirasmoí), which can refer to tests, temptations, or hardships. Paul's ministry was marked by numerous challenges, both physical and spiritual. These trials were not merely obstacles but opportunities for growth and reliance on God's power. Historically, the early church faced significant persecution, and Paul's experiences reflect the broader context of Christian suffering. For believers, trials are a part of the Christian journey, refining faith and character, and drawing them closer to God.

that came upon me
This phrase indicates the inevitability and external nature of the challenges Paul faced. The Greek "συμβαίνω" (symbainō) suggests events that occur or happen. Paul acknowledges that these trials were not self-inflicted but were circumstances allowed by God for a purpose. This perspective encourages Christians to view their own difficulties as part of God's sovereign plan, trusting that He works all things for good.

through the plots of the Jews
The "plots of the Jews" refers to the specific opposition Paul faced from some Jewish leaders who saw his message as a threat to their religious traditions. The Greek word "ἐπιβουλή" (epiboulē) means a scheme or conspiracy. Historically, Paul encountered resistance from Jewish authorities who were concerned about the spread of Christianity. This opposition is a reminder of the spiritual warfare that accompanies the proclamation of the Gospel. For believers, it underscores the reality that following Christ may lead to persecution, but it also affirms the importance of standing firm in faith despite opposition.

(19) Serving the Lord with all humility of mind . . .--The participle exactly answers to the epithet of the "servant" or "slave" of Christ which St. Paul so often uses of himself (Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1). The "tears," too, are characteristic of the Apostle, whose intense sensitiveness and sympathy had not been hardened into a Stoic apathy, and therefore found vent in a form which the Stoic would have scorned as unmanly. (Comp. Acts 20:31; 2Corinthians 2:4.) Epictetus (Enchirid. c. 2) barely allowed a follower of wisdom to mourn outwardly with those who mourned, and added the warning: "Take heed that thou mourn not inwardly." . . . Verse 19. - Lowliness for humility, A.V.; tears for many tears, A.V. and T.R.; with trials for temptations, A.V.; plots for lying in wait, A.V. Plots (ἐπιβουλαῖς); comp. ver. 3, and note. There is no special account of Jewish plots in St. Luke's narrative of St. Paul's sojourn at Ephesus. But from Acts 19:9, 13, and probably 33, we may gather how hostile the unbelieving Jews were to him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
I served
δουλεύων (douleuōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1398: To be a slave, be subject to, obey, be devoted. From doulos; to be a slave to.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Lord
Κυρίῳ (Kyriō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

with
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

great
πάσης (pasēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

humility
ταπεινοφροσύνης (tapeinophrosynēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 5012: Humility, lowliness of mind, modesty. From a compound of tapeinos and the base of phren; humiliation of mind, i.e. Modesty.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[with] tears,
δακρύων (dakryōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 1144: A tear. Or dakruon dak'-roo-on; of uncertain affinity; a tear.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

in the trials
πειρασμῶν (peirasmōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3986: From peirazo; a putting to proof (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity.

I faced
συμβάντων (symbantōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4819: To happen, occur, meet. From sun and the base of basis; to walk together, i.e. Concur.

through
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
ταῖς (tais)
Article - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

plots
ἐπιβουλαῖς (epiboulais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1917: A plot, design against. From a presumed compound of epi and boulomai; a plan against someone, i.e. A plot.

of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews.
Ἰουδαίων (Ioudaiōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.


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NT Apostles: Acts 20:19 Serving the Lord with all humility (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
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