And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more.
- BSB Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.
- NKJV “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.
- NASB “And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face.
- NLT “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul tells the elders they will see his face no more, after his years of preaching God's Kingdom among them. He gives a solemn farewell.
Overview
Convinced he will not return, Paul makes this a final parting from the Ephesian church he loved. His preaching is summarized as proclaiming "God's Kingdom," the reign of God established through Christ. The certainty of parting heightens the weight of his charge and reminds believers that gospel relationships, though tender, are held under God's sovereign plan.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Acts 28:31Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
- Acts 20:38Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
- Matt 4:23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
- Matt 10:7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- Luke 16:16The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
- Luke 9:60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
- Matt 13:19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
- Col 2:1For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
- Matt 13:52Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
- Rom 15:23But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
- Matt 4:17From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- Gal 1:22And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
- Acts 8:12But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 20:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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