Bible Strands
Acts 20:17
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul initiates the meeting from Miletus by sending a message to the Ephesian church elders. This occurs during his final journey to Jerusalem, deliberately bypassing the province of Asia to arrive in time for Pentecost.
The words — The Greek verb μετεκαλέσατο (metekalesato) denotes a deliberate summoning or calling together. Paired with πεμψας (pempsas), meaning having sent, it describes Paul's active arrangement to gather the church leaders.
The thread — This gathering echoes earlier administrative patterns where church leadership is coordinated across regions, as seen in Acts 11:30, 1 Timothy 5:17, and Titus 1:5.
Why it lands — The text states that Paul summoned specific leaders for a direct address before his departure. It requires a reader to recognize that church oversight involves intentional accountability and structured communication rather than casual association.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Cross-references
- Acts 11:30 This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.
- 1 Timothy 5:17 Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
- Titus 1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
- Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
- Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
- James 5:14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
- Acts 15:4 On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
- Acts 15:6 So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
- Acts 15:23 and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
- Acts 16:4 As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.