Acts 18:21

21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Images for Acts 18:21

Acts 18:21 in Other Translations

KJV

21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

ESV

21 But on taking leave of them he said, "I will return to you if God wills," and he set sail from Ephesus.

NLT

21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

MSG

21 But after saying good-bye, he promised, "I'll be back, God willing."

CSB

21 but said good-bye and stated, "I'll come back to you again, if God wills." Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Acts 18:21 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:21

But bade them farewell, saying
As follows:

I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem;
which perhaps was the passover, since that often went by the name of the feast: the why he must by all means keep it, was not because it was obligatory upon him; nor did he always observe it, as appears from his long stay at Corinth, and other places; and besides, as a Christian, he had nothing to do with it; but either because of his vow, ( Acts 18:18 ) or because he knew he should have an opportunity of preaching the Gospel to great numbers; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions omit this clause:

but I will return again unto you, if God will;
he promises to return to them, but not peremptorily as knowing that he was altogether subject to the will of God, who disposes and orders all things according to his sovereign pleasure; see ( James 4:15 ) and he sailed from Ephesus; which was near the Aegean sea: such was the situation of Ephesus, according to Apollonius ^F6; who says, that it stood out to the sea, which encompassed the land on which it was built; so Pausanias ^F7 relates, that Lysimachus passing into Asia by shipping, took the kingdom of Antigonus from him, and built the city the Ephesians now inhabit near the sea; so Josephus ^F8 reports of Herod and Agrippa, that travelling by land to Phrygia Major, they came to Ephesus, and again, (diepleusin) , "they sailed from Ephesus" to Samos.

FOOTNOTES:

F6 Philostrat. Vita Apollonii, l. 8. c. 3.
F7 Attica sive, l. 1. p. 16.
F8 Antiqu. l. 16. c. 2. sect. 2.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Acts 18:21 In-Context

19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.

21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.