Acts 20:10

10 But Paul went down [and] threw himself on him, and putting his arms around [him], said, "Do not be distressed, for his life is in him."

Acts 20:10 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 20:10

And Paul went down
From the upper room, where they were assembled, into the court, yard, or street, where he fell; or into the lower room of the house, where he was brought when taken up. The apostle might see him fall, or he might be told of it, or he might have an intimation of it from the Spirit of God, by whom he might be impressed to go down, in order to work a miracle, for the confirmation of the Gospel he was preaching:

and fell on him, and embracing him;
praying over him, as Elijah and Elisha did, ( 1 Kings 17:21 ) ( 2 Kings 4:34 ) and the like effect followed:

said, trouble not yourselves;
which speech perhaps was addressed to the friends and relations of the young man; or to the disciples present, who were concerned at this accident, both for the young man's sake, and lest it should be improved to the disadvantage of the Gospel by the enemies of it,

For his life,
or "soul"

is in him;
it being returned upon the apostle's falling on him, and praying over him; or he said this as being fully assured that it would return, in like manner as Christ said concerning Jairus's daughter, ( Luke 8:52 Luke 8:55 ) .

Acts 20:10 In-Context

8 Now there were quite a few lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered.
9 And a certain young man {named} Eutychus who was sitting in the window was sinking into a deep sleep [while] Paul was conversing at length. Being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 But Paul went down [and] threw himself on him, and putting his arms around [him], said, "Do not be distressed, for his life is in him."
11 So he went up and broke bread, and [when he] had eaten and talked for a long [time], until dawn, then he departed.
12 And they led the youth away alive, and {were greatly} comforted.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("went down") has been translated as a finite verb
  • [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
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