Acts 20:30 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

Acts 20:30 kjv

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Acts 20:30 nkjv

Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

Acts 20:30 niv

Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

Acts 20:30 esv

and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Acts 20:30 nlt

Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

Acts 20 30 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Deut 13:1-5	If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you... you shall not listen to the words of that prophet...	Warns against false prophets leading people astray.
Jer 14:14	The prophets are prophesying lies in my name...	God condemns false prophets who speak deceit.
Jer 23:16-17	They speak visions of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the LORD...	Describes prophets speaking lies from their own hearts, not God's word.
Matt 7:15-20	Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.	Jesus warns against internal threats disguised as genuine.
Matt 24:11, 24	Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray...	Jesus predicts widespread deception by false prophets in the last days.
Jn 10:12-13	He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd... abandons the sheep and flees.	Contrast between a true shepherd's care and a self-serving mercenary.
Rom 16:17-18	Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine... serve their own appetites.	Calls for discernment against those disrupting unity for selfish ends.
2 Cor 11:3-4	For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus... you patiently put up with it.	Paul expresses fear of false teachers introducing a corrupted gospel.
2 Cor 11:13-15	For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.	Exposes false teachers as agents of Satan, disguised as ministers of righteousness.
Gal 1:6-9	I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ for a different gospel.	Paul warns forcefully against perverting the gospel message.
Col 2:8	See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition.	Warns against deceptive human traditions that obscure Christ.
1 Tim 4:1-3	Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.	Foretells future apostasy influenced by demonic doctrines.
2 Tim 3:1-5	People will be lovers of self, lovers of money... having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.	Describes characteristics of false teachers in the last days.
2 Tim 4:3-4	For the time is coming when people will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.	People seeking teachers who align with their desires, not truth.
Tit 1:10-11	For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. Their mouths must be stopped.	Addresses unruly false teachers who exploit others for gain.
Heb 13:9	Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings.	Encourages steadfastness in core doctrine, not strange teachings.
2 Pet 2:1-3	But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies.	Foretells false teachers secretly introducing destructive heresies within the church.
1 Jn 2:18-19	Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. They went out from us...	Describes those who deny Christ's nature, originating from within the community.
1 Jn 4:1	Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.	Exhortation to discern and test all spiritual teachings.
Jude 1:3-4	I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed...	Calls for earnest defense of the faith against hidden infiltrators.
Jude 1:16	These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires... uttering loud boasts... flattering people to gain advantage.	Further describes the corrupt motives and actions of false teachers.
Rev 2:6	Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.	Christ commends churches for rejecting harmful doctrines, like the Nicolaitans.
Rev 2:14-15	But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam... So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.	Warnings against false teachings leading to immorality and idolatry in the early church.

Acts 20 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Acts 20 30 Meaning

Acts 20:30 delivers a prophetic warning from the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian elders, highlighting that insidious threats to the church's doctrinal purity and unity would not only come from outside but specifically from within their own ranks. These internal adversaries, holding positions of influence, would deliberately twist core Christian truths to serve their own agenda, thereby drawing believers away from Christ and towards themselves, fragmenting the Body.

Acts 20 30 Context

Acts chapter 20 records Paul's farewell address to the elders of the church at Ephesus, delivered in Miletus as he was making his final journey to Jerusalem. This poignant speech encapsulates his pastoral heart and profound concern for the purity of the Gospel and the welfare of the church. He recounts his faithful, selfless ministry among them (Acts 20:18-21), expresses his willingness to suffer for the Lord (Acts 20:22-24), and declares his clear conscience in having proclaimed "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:26-27). This particular verse, Acts 20:30, follows immediately after Paul's warning in verse 29 about "savage wolves" entering from outside to devastate the flock. Paul transitions from external threats to a more insidious and perhaps more damaging internal threat—that from the leadership or community itself, emphasizing the ongoing vigilance required of the elders in protecting the church. The historical/cultural context involves a growing early Christian community susceptible to various pagan influences and emerging internal doctrinal deviations, particularly as the apostles' direct influence waned.

Acts 20 30 Word analysis

"Also" (kai): Connects this warning directly to the previous one (v.29 about "savage wolves"), indicating another source of danger. It signifies that the threat is not limited to external forces but extends to internal ones, amplifying the gravity of the overall warning.
"from among yourselves" (ek hymōn autōn): hymōn autōn explicitly emphasizes "from your very own selves" or "your own number."
- Significance: This specifies the origin of the danger. It's not just outsiders, but individuals who are already part of the community, possibly even leaders (elders being addressed). This makes detection harder and the betrayal more profound.
- Polemics: This directly opposes any notion that the early Christian community would be inherently immune to internal corruption, especially among its leadership.
"men will arise" (anastēsontai andres): Anastēsontai (from anistēmi) means "to stand up," "to arise," "to come forward."
- Significance: These individuals will actively assert themselves, assuming roles of influence or leadership, often appearing authoritative or knowledgeable, enabling their deceptive work.
"speaking twisted things" (lalountes diestrammena): Lalountes means "speaking, saying." Diestrammena (from diastrephō) literally means "distorted," "perverted," "twisted," "warped."
- Significance: Their teaching is not outright falsehood from the start, which would be easy to identify, but a subtle distortion or misinterpretation of truth. They take established doctrine and twist its meaning, creating a subtle shift away from pure gospel. This makes their doctrine appealing to those who desire "novelty" or "deeper knowledge."
- Polemics: This can be seen as a warning against Gnosticism's allegorical interpretations and philosophical syncretism which would later plague the church, where truths were twisted to fit new frameworks.
"to draw away" (tou apospan): Apospaō means "to tear away," "to pull away forcibly," "to drag away."
- Significance: This verb suggests a forceful, decisive action, highlighting the intent and impact of their deceptive teachings. It implies a severance of true discipleship. Their goal is not to bring people closer to Christ, but to dislodge them.
"the disciples" (tous mathētas): Refers to the followers of Christ, genuine believers within the Ephesian church.
- Significance: The target of these false teachers are sincere believers, whose faith can be undermined by cleverly disguised error.
"after them" (opisō autōn): Meaning "following them," or "after their leadership."
- Significance: This reveals the ultimate selfish motive of these teachers. Their desire is not for Christ's glory or the church's growth in true faith, but to build their own following, gaining personal power, prestige, or profit. This stands in stark contrast to true biblical leadership which points people to Christ, not oneself.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

"Also from among yourselves men will arise": This phrase pinpoints the origin of a grave danger. The threat isn't just external infiltration, but an organic internal corruption, implying a betrayal of trust and leadership. It highlights that the potential for spiritual deception often exists even within the most established Christian communities or leadership.
"speaking twisted things": This describes the method of deception. It's not usually outright denial of faith but subtle perversion of established doctrines. Truth is taken, but its context or meaning is manipulated, often appealing to intellect, emotion, or perceived "new revelation." This subtlety makes detection difficult for the untrained ear.
"to draw away the disciples after them": This articulates the corrupt motive. The goal isn't discipleship to Christ, but rather cultivating a personal cult of personality, diverting followers from Christ-centered allegiance to a human-centered one. It implies an ambition for power, influence, and personal gain rather than edification of the body of Christ.

Acts 20 30 Bonus section

Paul's warning about "men arising from among yourselves" provides a foundational text for understanding spiritual discernment and leadership accountability within the Christian church. The term "arise" (anistēmi) implies a spontaneous, often self-initiated emergence into a position of teaching or influence, sometimes without proper divine appointment or oversight. This prophetic word is remarkable for its accuracy throughout church history, confirming that many schisms and heresies indeed originated not from pagan philosophers, but from figures within the church's ranks—theological dissidents, ambitious individuals, or those led astray by deceptive spirits who then led others. This passage emphasizes that a crucial aspect of pastoral care is protective vigilance. Leaders are not just to feed the flock, but to guard it fiercely. It is also an implicit call for healthy theological training and discipleship among leaders, to prevent them from unknowingly, or knowingly, succumbing to such distortions themselves. This also foreshadows the early Christian debates and heresies addressed by John in his epistles, warning against those who "went out from us, but they were not of us" (1 Jn 2:19), highlighting a pervasive pattern of internal departure from apostolic teaching.

Acts 20 30 Commentary

Paul's stark prophecy in Acts 20:30 is a critical warning to all church leaders across time, underlining the profound and perennial danger of internal spiritual corruption. He cautions the Ephesian elders that the greatest threats to the flock might not solely be overt persecutors or external pagan influences, but rather arise from within their own number – those who once shared the faith, possibly even held positions of responsibility. These individuals would be distinguished not by outright rejection of Christianity, but by subtly "speaking twisted things," taking biblical truth and skillfully reinterpreting or distorting it to fit their own agendas. Their primary objective, "to draw away the disciples after them," exposes a self-serving, rather than Christ-serving, motive. They seek personal following and devotion, thereby fracturing the body of Christ and leading genuine believers astray from true biblical doctrine. This warning necessitates vigilant discernment and bold adherence to the "whole counsel of God" by those entrusted with leadership, demanding a readiness to defend foundational truths and expose error, regardless of its source. It reinforces that biblical faithfulness extends beyond fighting external opposition to actively preserving the purity of the faith from within.

Example for practical usage: A modern-day pastor begins to teach that strict adherence to specific human-made rules (e.g., certain dress codes, social isolation) is necessary for salvation, rather than salvation being by grace through faith in Christ alone, implicitly requiring adherence to his interpretations and leading followers to trust his rules over direct biblical teaching. This "twisting" can subtly draw disciples to follow him, rather than Christ.