Acts 20:10

Act 20:10. Ἐπέπεσεν, lay on him) Christ did not use this gesture; but Elijah, Elisha, and Paul used it.—μὴ θορυβεῖσθε, trouble not yourselves) In the case of the greatest matters undue agitation was forbidden: Exo 14:13; 1Ki 6:7; Isa 8:6. The temple was constructed without noise. In time of war, tranquillity was required on the part of the people.—ἐν αὐτῷ ἐστιν, is in him) Paul speaks in such a way as to remove sudden terror (fright): therefore his words are not to be pressed too closely (strictly). He does not add as yet, nor again; but simply affirms that the youth is alive: just the same as if he had not even fallen. The miracle was evident. Comp. the same mode of speaking in Jesus’ raising the ruler’s daughter, “The maid is not dead, but sleepeth,” Mat 9:24.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 20:10 . καταβὰς : by the outside staircase common in Eastern houses. ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ συμ ., cf. 1Ki 17:21-22 ; 2Ki 4:34 ; there as here the purport of the act was a restoration to life. Μὴ θορ .: “make ye no ado,” R.V., cf. Mar 5:39 (Mar 9:23 ), where the word is used of the loud weeping and wailing of the mourners in the East; see above on Act 9:39 . ἡ γὰρ ψ ., see above.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Paul . . . fell on him--like Elisha (Kg2 4:34).

his life is in him--now restored; compare Mar 5:39.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. And Paul - fell on him] επεπεσεν αυτω, Stretched himself upon him, in the same manner as Elisha did on the Shunammite's son, 2Kg 4:33-35; though the action of lying on him, in order to communicate warmth to the flesh, might not have been continued so long as in the above instance; nor indeed was it necessary, as the natural warmth had not yet left the body of Eutychus; but the son of the Shunammite had been some time dead.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. He lay down upon him. We know that the apostles, in working miracles, did sometimes use certain external rites, whereby they might give the glory to God, the author. And now, whereas Paul doth stretch himself upon the young man, I think it was done to no other end, save only that he might more easily stir up himself unto prayer. It is all one as if he should mix himself with the dead man, And, peradventure, this was done for the imitation of Elisha, of whom the sacred history doth report the same thing (2 Kings 4:34). Yet the vehemency of his affection did more move him than the emulation of the prophet. For that stretching of himself upon him doth more provoke him to crave his life with all his heart at the hands of the Lord. So when he embraceth the body of the dead man, by this gesture he declared that he offered it to God to be quickened, and out of the text we may gather that he did not depart from embracing it until he knew that the life was restored again.

Be ye not troubled. We must note that Paul took great care principally for this cause, lest that sorrowful event should shake the faith of the godly, and should trouble their minds. Nevertheless, the Lord did, as it were, seal up and establish that last sermon which Paul made at Troas. When he saith that his soul is in him, he doth not deny that he was dead, because by this means he should extinguish the glory of the miracle; but the meaning of these words is, that his life was restored through the grace of God. I do not restrain that which followeth, to wit, that they were greatly comforted through the joy which they had by reason of the young man which was restored to life; but I do also comprehend the confirmation of faith, seeing God gave them such an excellent testimony of his love.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(10) Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him . . .—The act reminds us of those of Elijah (1Ki_17:21), and Elisha (2Ki_4:34). The close contact, the clasp of warm affection, gave a new intensity to the prayer of faith, and, as a current of vitality passed, as it were, from the one body to the other, enabled the Apostle to feel that the heart had not ceased to beat, and to give the calming assurance, “his life is in him.” The whole scene is painted, as before, vividly, as by an eye-witness. We have to think of the cries of alarm, the rush of men down the staircase from the third floor with lamps and torches in their hands, the wail of sorrow on finding what looked like death, the undisturbed calmness of the Apostle, sure that his prayer was answered, and returning quietly, leaving the motionless body in the cool night air, to finish the interrupted discourse.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. And Paul … fell on him] The access to Eastern houses was by a staircase on the outside, so that the way down would be at hand. The action of the Apostle recalls that of Elijah (1Ki_17:21) and of Elisha (2Ki_4:34). No doubt the Apostle, like the Old Testament prophets, accompanied his action with a cry unto the Lord.

and embracing him said] As he clasped the child in his arms, he would feel the returning motion, and know that his prayer was heard. The boy seems to have been left to the care of some members (perhaps women) of the congregation, who tended him till the service was over.

Trouble not yourselves] The Rev. Ver. gives “Make ye no ado,” evidently conforming to the rendering of this same Greek word in Mar_5:39, but while in English we find “this ado” and “much ado” and “no more ado,” the expression “no ado” seems not to occur. The two open syllables are not agreeable, and that probably caused the combination to be avoided. What the Apostle means is, “Don’t make any tumult or distress yourselves.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When he therefore was come up again,.... Into the upper room, where he was before, and where the disciples were gathered together:

and had broken bread and eaten; administered the Lord's supper, and also eat for his bodily refreshment:

and talked a long while: about the ordinance and the doctrines of the Gospel, and spiritual experience, and such like divine things:

even till break of day; not knowing when to leave off:

so he departed; without taking any rest; though before he departed, what follows was done; it was at this time he left his cloak, books, and parchments here, Ti2 4:13.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

Ver. 10. His life is in him] After that Paul prayed for him, life returned; or else because he knew it should return, he speaks of it as a done thing.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And fell on him ... - Probably stretching himself on him as Elisha did on the Shunammite’s son, 2Ki 4:33-35. It was an act of tenderness and compassion, evincing a strong desire to restore him to life.

Trouble not yourselves - They would doubtless be thrown into great consternation by such an event. Paul therefore endeavoured to compose their minds by the assurance that he would live.

For his life is in him - He is restored to life. This has all the appearance of having been a miracle. Life was restored to him as Paul spoke.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

His soul is in him. He was taken up dead. (ver. 9.) These words then of St. Paul, may either signify that now he is again alive, or will be in a very short time, as when Christ said, (Matthew ix. 24.) The girl is not dead, but asleep. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Fell on him; as Elijah on the widow of Zarephath’s dead son, 1Ki 17:21, and Elisha on the Shunammite’s son, 2Ki 4:34.

His life is in him; not but that he had been really dead, as Act 19:9, but that upon the apostle’s prayer (which is to be understood, though it is not here expressed) God had restored the young man to life; or howsoever, because St. Paul knew infallibly he should presently be restored to life, even whilst he spake.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. Fell on him—Paul is now doubtless, conscious of the same miraculous power and impulse as inspired Elijah and Elisha to embrace the dead to redeem them from death, (1Ki_17:21; 2Ki_4:34.)

His life is in him—Life or soul. It was not until after Paul’s miraculous embrace that it became true that his life was in him.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Make ye no ado for trouble not yourselves, A.V. Fell on him, and embracing him said; imitating the action of Elijah and Elisha (1Ki_17:17-21; 2Ki_4:34) Make ye no ado (mh qorubeisqe). Qorubov and qorubeisqai are words especially used of the lamentations made for the dead. Thus when Jesus came to the house of Jairus, he found the multitude outside the house, qoruboumenon, "making a tumult." This is still more clearly brought out inrubon), Mar_5:38, 39, "He beholdeth a tumult (qo) and many weeping and wailing greatly. And... he saith unto them, Why make yea tumult (qorubeisqe), and weep? The child is not dead, but sleepeth." In exactly the same way St. Paul here calms the rising sobs and wailings of the people standing round the body of Eutychus, by saying, Mh qorubeisqe," Do not wail over him as dead, for his life is in him."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Paul fell or him - It is observable, our Lord never used this gesture. But Elijah and Elisha did as well as Paul. His life is in him - He is alive again.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 8

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. καταβὰς δέ ὁ Παῦλος ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ, and Paul went down and fell on him. The access to Eastern houses was by a staircase on the outside, so that the way down would be at hand. The action of the Apostle recalls that of Elijah (1Ki 17:21) and of Elisha (2Ki 4:34). No doubt the Apostle, like the Old Testament prophets, accompanied his action with a cry unto the Lord.

καὶ συμπεριλαβών, and embracing him. The word is classical but is only found here in N.T.

As he clasped the child in his arms, Paul would feel the returning motion, and know that his prayer was heard. The boy seems to have been left to the care of some members (perhaps women) of the congregation, who tended him till the service was over.

μή θορυβεῖσθε, trouble not yourselves, i.e. don’t make any tumult or distress yourselves.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Fell on him. Compare 1Ki 17:21; 2Ki 4:34.

Trouble not yourselves [μη θορυβεισθε] . Rev., more correctly, make ye no ado. They were beginning to utter passionate outcries. See Mt 9:23; Mr 5:39.

His life is in him. In the same sense in which Christ said, "The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth" (Luk 8:52).

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.