Acts 20:37
New International Version
They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.

New Living Translation
They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye.

English Standard Version
And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,

Berean Standard Bible
They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.

Berean Literal Bible
Then there was much weeping among all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,

King James Bible
And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

New King James Version
Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,

New American Standard Bible
And they all began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him,

NASB 1995
And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him,

NASB 1977
And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him,

Legacy Standard Bible
And they began to weep aloud and falling on Paul’s neck, they were kissing him,

Amplified Bible
And they began to weep openly and threw their arms around Paul’s neck, and repeatedly kissed him,

Christian Standard Bible
There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
There was a great deal of weeping by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him,

American Standard Version
And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,

Contemporary English Version
Everyone cried and hugged and kissed him.

English Revised Version
And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him.

Good News Translation
They were all crying as they hugged him and kissed him good-bye.

International Standard Version
All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately.

Majority Standard Bible
They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.

NET Bible
They all began to weep loudly, and hugged Paul and kissed him,

New Heart English Bible
They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,

Webster's Bible Translation
And they all wept bitterly, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

Weymouth New Testament
and with loud lamentation they all threw their arms round his neck, and kissed him lovingly,

World English Bible
They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and there came a great weeping to all, and having fallen on the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,

Berean Literal Bible
Then there was much weeping among all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,

Young's Literal Translation
and there came a great weeping to all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And much weeping was from all; and having fallen upon Paul's neck, they kissed him,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there was much weeping among them all; and falling on the neck of Paul, they kissed him,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then a great weeping occurred among them all. And, falling upon the neck of Paul, they kissed him,

New American Bible
They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him,

New Revised Standard Version
There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they all wept bitterly, and they embraced him and kissed him;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And there was great weeping among all of them, and they were embracing him and kissing him.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they all wept much, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

Godbey New Testament
And the weeping of all was great, and falling on the neck of Paul, they continued to kiss him copiously,

Haweis New Testament
And all of them shed floods of tears, and fell upon Paul?s neck, and kissed him again and again,

Mace New Testament
then melted into tears, they fell upon his neck and kissed him,

Weymouth New Testament
and with loud lamentation they all threw their arms round his neck, and kissed him lovingly,

Worrell New Testament
And great weeping arose from all; and, falling upon Paul's neck, they kept kissing him;

Worsley New Testament
And they were all much grieved, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him: sorrowing most of all at the word which he spake,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Farewell to the Ephesians
36When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him. 38They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 20:41
When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.

Genesis 45:14-15
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. / Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.

2 Kings 4:27
When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

John 11:33-35
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. / “Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered. / Jesus wept.

2 Corinthians 2:4
For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.

Philippians 1:8
God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 2:17
Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.

2 Timothy 1:4
Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

Genesis 33:4
Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

Ruth 1:9
May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud

1 Samuel 1:10
In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

1 Samuel 24:16
When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud

2 Samuel 1:11-12
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. / They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

2 Samuel 3:32
When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.


Treasury of Scripture

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

wept.

1 Samuel 20:41
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

2 Samuel 15:30
And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

2 Kings 20:3
I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

fell.

Genesis 45:14
And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

Genesis 46:29
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

kissed.

Romans 16:16
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

1 Corinthians 16:20
All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

2 Corinthians 13:12
Greet one another with an holy kiss.

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Aloud Ardently Arms Bitterly Embraced Fallen Falling Fell Great Kissed Kissing Lot Lovingly Neck Paul Paul's Repeatedly Round Sore Threw Weep Weeping Wept
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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.














They all wept openly
The phrase "they all wept openly" captures a moment of deep emotional expression among the believers. The Greek word for "wept" is "klaio," which means to mourn or lament. This public display of emotion signifies the profound bond and affection the Ephesian elders had for Paul. In the historical context of the early church, such expressions of emotion were not uncommon, especially in the face of impending separation. The open weeping reflects the genuine love and respect they had for Paul, who had been their teacher, mentor, and spiritual father. This moment underscores the deep personal connections that were formed in the early Christian communities, which were often marked by shared struggles and triumphs in the faith.

as they embraced Paul
The act of embracing, or "epipipto" in Greek, literally means to fall upon or to hug tightly. This physical gesture of affection and farewell is significant in the cultural context of the time, where physical touch was a common way to express deep emotional bonds. Embracing Paul was not just a customary farewell; it was a heartfelt demonstration of the unity and love that characterized the early church. The embrace signifies a mutual respect and a shared commitment to the mission of spreading the Gospel, even as they faced the reality of Paul's departure. This moment of embrace is a powerful reminder of the importance of community and fellowship in the Christian life.

and kissed him
The act of kissing, "kataphileo" in Greek, was a customary sign of respect, affection, and farewell in the ancient Near Eastern culture. This was not merely a social custom but a profound expression of love and gratitude. In the scriptural context, kissing is often associated with reconciliation, blessing, and the transmission of peace. The Ephesian elders' kiss was a testament to the deep spiritual bond they shared with Paul, acknowledging his role as a shepherd and leader who had guided them in their faith journey. This act of kissing also reflects the vulnerability and openness that characterized the early Christian communities, where believers were encouraged to love one another deeply and sincerely.

(37) Fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him.--We note, as before in Acts 20:19, the absence of any suppression of emotion. As David and Jonathan parted of old (1Samuel 20:41), so did St. Paul and his fellow-workers part now. In 2Timothy 1:4 we have a passing reference to another parting scene of perhaps even tenderer emotion. To think that they should see his face no more, that this was their last farewell, made the elders of Ephesus and the other disciples eager, up to the very hour of embarkation, for the last embrace.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
They all
πάντων (pantōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

wept
κλαυθμὸς (klauthmos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2805: Weeping, lamentation, crying. From klaio; lamentation.

openly
ἱκανὸς (hikanos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2425: From hiko; competent, i.e. Ample or fit.

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

they embraced
ἐπιπεσόντες (epipesontes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1968: To fall upon, press upon, light upon, come over. From epi and pipto; to embrace or seize.

Paul
Παύλου (Paulou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3972: Paul, Paulus. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle.

[and] kissed
κατεφίλουν (katephiloun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2705: To kiss affectionately. From kata and phileo; to kiss earnestly.

him.
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 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.


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NT Apostles: Acts 20:37 They all wept a lot and fell (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 20:36
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