Acts 20:3
New International Version
where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

New Living Translation
where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.

English Standard Version
There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Berean Standard Bible
where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Berean Literal Bible
And having continued three months, a plot having been made against him by the Jews, he being about to sail into Syria, a purpose arose to return through Macedonia.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

New American Standard Bible
And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

NASB 1995
And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

NASB 1977
And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

Legacy Standard Bible
And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Amplified Bible
And he stayed three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia (northern Greece).

Christian Standard Bible
and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and stayed three months. When he was about to set sail for Syria, a plot was devised against him by the Jews, so a decision was made to go back through Macedonia.

American Standard Version
And when he had spent three months there, and a plot was laid against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he was there three months, but the Jews made a plot against him when he was going to leave for Syria and planned to return to Macedonia.

Contemporary English Version
and stayed there for three months. Paul was about to sail to Syria. But some of the Jewish leaders plotted against him, so he decided to return by way of Macedonia.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Where, when he had spent three months, the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria; so he took a resolution to return through Macedonia.

English Revised Version
And when he had spent three months there, and a plot was laid against him by the Jews, as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and stayed there for three months. When Paul was going to board a ship for Syria, he found out that the Jews were plotting to kill him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Good News Translation
where he stayed three months. He was getting ready to go to Syria when he discovered that there were Jews plotting against him; so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

International Standard Version
and stayed there for three months. When he was about to sail for Syria, a plot was initiated against him by the Jews, so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Literal Standard Version
and having continued three months—a counsel of the Jews having been against him—being about to set forth to Syria, there came [to him] a resolution of returning through Macedonia.

Majority Standard Bible
where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

New American Bible
where he stayed for three months. But when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return by way of Macedonia.

NET Bible
where he stayed for three months. Because the Jews had made a plot against him as he was intending to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

New Revised Standard Version
where he stayed for three months. He was about to set sail for Syria when a plot was made against him by the Jews, and so he decided to return through Macedonia.

New Heart English Bible
When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
The Jews having planned to waylay him whenever he might be on the point of taking ship for Syria, he decided to travel back by way of Macedonia.

World English Bible
When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

Young's Literal Translation
having made also three months' stay -- a counsel of the Jews having been against him -- being about to set forth to Syria, there came to him a resolution of returning through Macedonia.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul in Macedonia and Greece
2After traveling through that area and speaking many words of encouragement, he arrived in Greece, 3where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.…

Cross References
Matthew 4:24
News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed--and He healed them.

Acts 9:23
After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,

Acts 9:24
but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

Acts 16:9
During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

Acts 16:12
From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

Acts 20:1
When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples. And after encouraging them, he said goodbye to them and left for Macedonia.

Acts 20:2
After traveling through that area and speaking many words of encouragement, he arrived in Greece,


Treasury of Scripture

And there stayed three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.

the Jews.

Acts 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:

Acts 9:23,24
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: …

Acts 23:12-15
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…

sail.

Acts 18:18
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

Acts 21:3
Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

Galatians 1:21
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

he purposed.

Acts 19:21
After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

2 Corinthians 1:15
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;

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Abode Adopted Counsel Decided Design Determined Foot Jews Laid Macedonia Macedo'nia Months Planned Plot Point Purposed Returning Sail Secret Ship Spent Syria Three Travel Treacherous Wait Waylay Whenever
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Abode Adopted Counsel Decided Design Determined Foot Jews Laid Macedonia Macedo'nia Months Planned Plot Point Purposed Returning Sail Secret Ship Spent Syria Three Travel Treacherous Wait Waylay Whenever
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.














(3) When the Jews laid wait for him . . .--In sailing for Syria, Cenchreae would naturally be the port of embarkation, and St. Paul's presence there may reasonably be connected with the mention of Ph?be, the deaconess of that church, in Romans 16:1. His intention was, however, frustrated. The malignant Jews of Corinth watched their opportunity. At Cenchreae, amid the stir and bustle of a port, they might do what they had failed to do before. Here there was no Gallio to curb their fury, and throw the aegis of his tolerant equity over their victim. Their plans were laid, and their victim was to be seized and made away with as he was on the point of embarking. On hearing of the plot, the Apostle had to change his plans, and started with his companions for Macedonia, either travelling by land or taking a ship bound for one of its ports, instead of the one bound for Caesarea, or Tyre, or Joppa. It is clear that the latter course would have baffled his murderers quite as much as the former.

Verse 3. - When he had spent ... there for there abode, A.V.; a plot was laid against him by the Jews for when the Jews laid wait for him, A.V.; for for into, A.V.; determined for purposed, A.V. (ἐγένετο γνώμης, R.T.). When he had spent three months. For this use of ποιεῖν, see Acts 15:33; Acts 18:33. See also 2 Corinthians 11:25, where the R.V. varies the rendering, and seems to take ποιεῖν as a verb neuter, as the A.V. does here, the accusative (μῆνας τρεῖς) being taken as that of time how long. And a plot, etc. There is no "and" in the Greek. It is better to take the T.R., and to consider ποιήσας as a nominative pendens as ἐπιγνόντες is in Acts 19:34, according to the reading of Meyer, Alford, etc. A plot was laid against him by the Jews. It appears from this that Apollos had not succeeded in subduing the bigoted hatred of the Corinthian Jews. But probably the desperate measure of a plot against his life (ἐπιβουλή, as in Acts 9:23, 24; ver. 19 of this chapter, and Acts 23:30) is an indication that many of their number had joined the Church; and that the unbelieving remnant, being foiled in argument, had recourse to violence. He determined; literally, according to the R.T., he was of opinion. But the T.R. has ἐγένετο γνώμη, "his opinion was," the construction of the sentence being changed. The three months were probably chiefly spent at Corinth, according to the intention expressed in 1 Corinthians 16:6, though it would seem that he had stayed a longer time in Macedonia than he anticipated. It was during his sojourn at Corinth that the Epistle to the Romans was written.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[where]
τε (te)
Conjunction
Strong's 5037: And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.

he stayed
ποιήσας (poiēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

three
τρεῖς (treis)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5140: Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.

months.
μῆνας (mēnas)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3376: A (lunar) month. A primary word; a month.

[And when]
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

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.

formed
γενομένης (genomenēs)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

a plot
ἐπιβουλῆς (epiboulēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1917: A plot, design against. From a presumed compound of epi and boulomai; a plan against someone, i.e. A plot.

against him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

[as] he was about
μέλλοντι (mellonti)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3195: A strengthened form of melo; to intend, i.e. Be about to be, do, or suffer something.

to sail
ἀνάγεσθαι (anagesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 321: From ana and ago; to lead up; by extension to bring out; specially, to sail away.

for
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

Syria,
Συρίαν (Syrian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4947: Syria, a great Roman imperial province, united with Cilicia. Probably of Hebrew origin; Syria, a region of Asia.

he decided
γνώμης (gnōmēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1106: Opinion, counsel, judgment, intention, decree. From ginosko; cognition, i.e. opinion, or resolve.

to go back
ὑποστρέφειν (hypostrephein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 5290: To turn back, return. From hupo and strepho; to turn under, i.e. To return.

through
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

Macedonia.
Μακεδονίας (Makedonias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3109: (Hebrew), Macedonia, a Roman province north of Achaia (Greece). From Makedon; Macedonia, a region of Greece.


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