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Acts 20:37

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37 And 1there was much weeping on the part of all; 2they embraced Paul and 3kissed him,
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Acts 20:37 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 20:37

And they all wept sore
At the thoughts of parting with such a faithful and affectionate friend and servant of Christ; and no doubt but their affections were greatly moved by his prayers for them, as well as by his discourse to them. Christians are not Stoics, religion does not take away and destroy the natural affections, but regulates and governs them, and directs to a right use of them:

and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him;
as Esau fell on Jacob's neck and kissed him, ( Genesis 33:4 ) and Joseph on his brother Benjamin's, and his father Jacob's, ( Genesis 45:14 ) ( 46:29 ) . And it was usual with the eastern nations, particularly the Persians F12, for friends and relations to kiss at parting, as well as at meeting; see ( Ruth 1:9 Ruth 1:14 ) .

FOOTNOTES:

F12 Xenophon. Cyclopedia, l. 1. c. 20.
Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Acts 20:37 In-Context

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,
38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Cross References 3

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.