Acts 20:17

“¶ And from Miletus hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.”

1611 King James Version (KJV)




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Other Translations for Acts 20:17

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
- King James Version

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.
- American Standard Version (1901)

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the rulers of the church.
- Basic English Bible

But from Miletus having sent to Ephesus, he called over [to him] the elders of the assembly.
- Darby Bible

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
- Webster's Bible

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church to come to him.
- Weymouth Bible

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly.
- World English Bible

Fro Mylete he sente to Effesi, and clepide the grettest men of birthe of the chirche.
- Wycliffe Bible

And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly,
- Youngs Literal Bible

Commentary for Acts 20:17

Wesley's Notes for Acts 20:17

20:17 Sending to Ephesus, he called the elders of the Church - These are called bishops in the 28th verse, #Acts 20:28 |(rendered overseers in our translation.) Perhaps elders and bishops were then the same; or no otherwise different than are the rector of a parish and his curates.


People's Bible Notes for Acts 20:17


Ac 20:17 Called the elders of the church. No mention has been made before of their appointment, but it was Paul's custom to "ordain elders in every church" (Ac 14:23). These elders were also called "bishops" (Revised Version) in Ac 20:28. In apostolic days there was a plurality of elders in every church; these elders were "bishops", or "overseers". There was no distinct episcopal order. This is admitted even by the advocates of an episcopate. Dean Howson, of the Church of England, declares ("Acts", p. 475) that no special order of bishops was created in the lifetime of Paul, or the apostles, but he dates their origin about the close of the first or beginning of the second century. Prof. Rothe, of Heidelberg (quoted by Lightfoot on Philippians), supposes that after the martyrdom of Paul, Peter and James the necessity was felt for a general supervision, and that this gave rise to the appointment of diocesan bishops. By the admission of all scholars, the episcopal order is "post"-apostolic.

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