Acts 20:37

37 magnus autem fletus factus est omnium et procumbentes super collum Pauli osculabantur eum

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.

Acts 20:37 In-Context

35 omnia ostendi vobis quoniam sic laborantes oportet suscipere infirmos ac meminisse verbi Domini Iesu quoniam ipse dixit beatius est magis dare quam accipere
36 et cum haec dixisset positis genibus suis cum omnibus illis oravit
37 magnus autem fletus factus est omnium et procumbentes super collum Pauli osculabantur eum
38 dolentes maxime in verbo quo dixerat quoniam amplius faciem eius non essent visuri et deducebant eum ad navem
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.