The Nugget:
Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
My Comment:
I once had a high school Sunday school class. I worked very diligently to try to encourage and motivate the class members to come regularly. It was a discouraging task, because after perhaps a year I was making little headway. I thought, perhaps I should just stop keeping after them to attend and seek for some new class members to fill their place if they stop coming altogether. But as I considered this verse, Paul indicates he taught diligently for three years, and warned everyone night and day with tears. I prayed and reconsidered. None of the students ever spoke against my reminding them to come or complained in any other way. So, like the parable Jesus told where the gardener said to give the tree that was cumbering the ground “yet this year also” to be cared for, though already the tree had borne no fruit for three years. If no fruit appeared after another year, then cut the tree down. I’m glad I continued working with this select group of young people in the class. I still have contact with some of them these many years later. Some are strong in the Lord. Some I suspect have strayed in a wrong direction, yet they are still committed to the Lord. I only wish I could have taught them better. But at the time, and even yet, I am still learning myself. In the end, God must motivate others to follow Him. Like Paul, we can only “Commend them to God, and the word of his grace.” In other words, keep praying for them, and let God work in their hearts through His written Word in the Bible. We must trust God to give them an inheritance among them which are sanctified.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1258 for Acts 20:31-32.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1279 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Acts 20:31-32.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
Acts 20:31. watch. Ezr 8:29. Mt +*13:25. +24:42. 25:13. Mk 13:34-37. Lk +**21:36. 1 C 16:13. 2 C 6:5. 11:27. Col 4:2. 1 Th 5:6, 10. 2 T *4:5. He *13:17. 1 P 5:8. Re 4:8. 16:15. remember. ver. +18. 2 Th 2:5. 1 T 4:6. by the space of three years. According to Jewish reckoning, that is. It was really only about two and a quarter years (Walker). Part of a year counted as a whole year, just as with days (Jsh 5:11n. 1 S 30:12n 1 K 16:8n. Mt 12:40n). Ac 18:11. *19:8, 10. 24:17. warn. Gr. noutheteō (S#3560g). ver. 20. 2 Ch 19:10. Ps **19:11. Ezk *3:17-21. Mt 3:7. Ro 15:14g (admonish). 1 C 4:14g. 9:12. 2 C 2:4. 11:3. 12:20, 21. Ep +*4:14. Ph 3:18, 19. Col *1:28g. 3:16g. 1 Th +5:12g, *14g. 2 Th 3:15g. 1 J 2:18. every one. We note the apostle’s individual dealing. Every sheep of the flock received the attention of this faithful shepherd (Walker). Col 1:28. 1 Th 2:11. night. ver. 7, 11. Ac 26:7. Mk +4:27. 5:5. Lk 2:37. 1 Th 2:9, 10. 2 Th 3:8. 1 T 5:5. 2 T 1:3. and day. Ac 19:9. with tears. ver. +19. Ge 43:30. 2 K 8:11. Ps 119:136. +*126:6. Lk 19:41. 2 C 2:4. Ph 3:18. 2 T 1:4. He *13:17.
Acts 20:32. And now. Ac 4:29. I commend. Ac 14:23, 26. 15:40. 17:3. Ge 50:24. Je 49:11. Ep 6:23. 1 P *4:19. Ju *24, *25. to God. Ro 16:25. to the word of his grace. ver. +24. Ac 14:3. 1 T 4:13. 2 T +*3:14-17. He 13:9. to build. Mark the need and profitableness of studying God’s holy word (Walker). T#1049. Ac +9:31. Jn 15:3. 17:17. 1 C 3:9, 10. Ep *2:20-22. 4:12, 16. Col +**1:10. *+2:7. *3:16. 1 Th **2:13. 1 T +*4:16. 1 P **2:2. 2 P **3:18. Ju **20. to give you an inheritance. Ac *26:18. Dt +*33:2-4. Je 3:19. Mt +*5:5. *+25:34. Ro *+8:17. Ep *1:11, 14, 18. 5:5. Col *1:12. *3:24. He *9:15. 1 P +*1:4, 5. which are sanctified. Ac *26:18. Jn **+17:6, 17, 19. Ro 15:16. 1 C 1:2. **6:11. Ep 5:26. Col 1:12. 1 Th *4:3, 4. **5:23. 2 Th 2:13. He 2:11. 10:14. +*12:14. 1 P 1:2. Ju 1. Re *21:27.
psm 119.18 open thou mine eyes, that i may behold wondrous
things out of thy law
acts 20.31-32 therefore watch, and remember, that by the space
of 3 years i ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
vs 32 and now,brethren, i commend you to God, and to the word of
his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified.
encouraging cross refs
1. mt 13.25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed good seed in his
field.
2, lk 2.36 watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
3. 2 tim 4.5 but watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
4. 1 thess 5.14 now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort
the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
5. col 1.28 whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all
wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in christ jesus:
6. 1 th 2.9-10 for ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail; because we
would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
7 1 th 2.10 ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably
we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
8. ac 14.23 and when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed
with fasting, they commended them to the lord, on whom they believed.
9. ac 15.26 and thence sailed to antioch, from whence they had been recommended to
the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
10. ac 16.40 and paul chose silas, and departed, being recommended by the
brethren unto the grace of God.
11. jude 24 now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
12. jude 25 to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory, and majesty, dominion
and power, both now and ever. amen
13. heb 13.9 be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. for it is a good
things that the heart be seasoned with grace; now with meats, which have not profited
them that have been occupied therein.
14. ac 9.31 then had the churches rest throughout all judea and galilee and samaria
and were edified; and walking in the fear of the lord, and in the comfort of the holy
spirit, were multiplied.
15. jn 15.3 now ye are clean through the word which i have spoken unto you.
16. jn 17.17 sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
17. eph 4.12-13 for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of christ: vs 13 till we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of christ:
18. eph 4.15-16 but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even christ: vs 16 from the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working
in the measury of every part, maketh increase of the body unto edifying of itself in
love.
19. ac 26.18 to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from
the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheri
tance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
20 1 co 6.11 and such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. and by the spirit of our God.