Acts 21:6 kjv
And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.
Acts 21:6 nkjv
When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.
Acts 21:6 niv
After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
Acts 21:6 esv
and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
Acts 21:6 nlt
and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
Acts 21 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 20:36-38 | When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed… wept profusely… sorrowing most of all because of the word that he had spoken, that they would not see his face again… | Emotional farewell, strong bonds |
| Acts 18:18 | After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and sailed for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila… | Paul's routine departures after ministry |
| Acts 28:10 | They honored us with many honors, and when we were about to set sail, they put on board us the provisions we needed. | Send-off provisions and honor |
| Rom 15:24 | I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while. | Hope for a 'send-off' in missionary travel |
| 1 Cor 16:6 | And perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my way wherever I go. | Mutual assistance in Christian travel |
| 2 Cor 13:11 | Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. | Christian love and unity in partings |
| 1 Thess 5:26 | Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. | Affectionate farewells among believers |
| Phil 4:6-7 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Trust in God amidst travel uncertainties |
| Col 3:12-14 | Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other… | Unity and love in the body of Christ |
| Heb 13:1 | Let brotherly love continue. | Enduring love among believers, even in absence |
| 1 Pet 4:8-9 | Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. | Importance of hospitality and love |
| Acts 21:4 | And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. | Initial bond and concern from Tyrian disciples |
| Acts 21:5 | When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our way, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. | The communal, emotional nature of the farewell |
| Acts 27:1-2 | And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius… | Paul's later ship travel under different circumstances |
| Luke 8:22 | One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." | Disciples traveling by boat with a leader |
| Jn 21:3 | Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. | Returning to 'own' activities post-discipleship |
| Mk 6:45 | Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. | Disciples sent off in a boat |
| Matt 10:13 | And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. | 'Returning' as a concept |
| Ps 121:8 | The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. | Divine protection in departure and return |
| Deut 6:7 | You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. | The 'home' as a place of spiritual formation |
| Luke 24:33 | And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. | Returning home or to a specific place |
Acts 21 verses
Acts 21 6 Meaning
Acts 21:6 describes the physical act of separation after an emotional farewell between Paul and his companions and the Tyrian disciples. Paul and his team boarded their ship to continue their journey toward Jerusalem, while the local believers returned to their homes, having sent off their brethren. It marks a transition point in Paul's determined mission, highlighting both the necessary partings in missionary life and the strong communal bonds within the early church.
Acts 21 6 Context
Acts chapter 21 recounts a crucial segment of Paul's journey toward Jerusalem, which he undertook despite repeated divine warnings of suffering. This particular verse, Acts 21:6, occurs immediately after an emotionally charged send-off from the Tyrian disciples. For seven days prior, Paul and his company had stayed with these believers in Tyre, who, through the Spirit, urged Paul not to proceed to Jerusalem. Despite these earnest warnings and the profound fellowship they shared (which included an extraordinary moment of communal prayer on the beach, with wives and children present, Acts 21:5), Paul remained resolved in his mission. This verse marks the physical conclusion of that tearful parting as Paul's group boarded their ship and the local believers dispersed, signifying the continuous nature of missionary travel and the poignant reality of Christian farewells. Historically, Tyre was a significant port city, and sea travel was common for evangelistic journeys during this era.
Acts 21 6 Word analysis
- ἀποταξάμενοι (apotaxamenoi): This Greek word is a participle, derived from apotassō, meaning "to arrange separately," "to bid farewell," or "to take leave of." It's more formal and intentional than a simple "goodbye." In this context, it implies a solemn and decisive act of separation, emphasizing the significance and finality (for now) of this parting between Paul and the Tyrian believers. This term can also carry a sense of "renouncing" or "discharging" oneself, hinting at the difficult yet resolute nature of missionary farewells.
- ἀλλήλοις (allēlois): Meaning "to one another" or "each other." This dative plural pronoun highlights the mutual nature of the farewell. It wasn't a one-sided departure, but a reciprocal exchange of goodbyes, underlining the depth of the fellowship and the mutual respect and affection shared between the departing missionaries and the host church members.
- ἡμεῖς (hēmeis): "We." This is the first-person plural pronoun, characteristic of the "we-sections" in Acts, where Luke, the author, explicitly includes himself as a traveling companion of Paul. It confirms Luke's eyewitness account and presence during this specific event.
- ἀνέβημεν (anebēmen): "Went aboard" or "went up." This aorist verb (anabainō) describes the action of ascending or embarking. It's a straightforward description of boarding the ship, a common occurrence for Paul and his companions on their extensive missionary travels.
- εἰς τὸ πλοῖον (eis to ploion): "Into the ship." Ploion refers to a general term for a vessel or boat. This phrase clearly states their immediate destination and means of continuing their journey.
- ἐκεῖνοι (ekeinoi): "They." This demonstrative pronoun distinguishes the Tyrian believers from Paul's company, referring to "those people" who had accompanied them to the shore.
- ὑπέστρεφον (hypestrephon): "Were returning" or "returned." This imperfect verb (hypostrephō) signifies an action that began in the past and continued. It might suggest the beginning of their journey back or highlight the ongoing state of their return home. Unlike Paul's definitive forward journey, their action is one of reverting to their familiar surroundings.
- εἰς τὰ ἴδια (eis ta idia): "To their own" or "to their own homes." The phrase ta idia (lit. "the things pertaining to them," often pluralized for 'home') is a common expression for one's dwelling or personal domain. It contrasts with the outward bound journey of Paul, indicating the Tyrian disciples' return to their domestic and congregational routines after the send-off.
Words-group analysis:
- ἀποταξάμενοι ἀλλήλοις (apotaxamenoi allēlois): "After saying goodbye to each other." This phrase underscores the emotional depth and mutual nature of the parting. It highlights the Christian love and unity that bound these believers, making their separation a poignant moment despite the necessity of mission travel. This mutual act signifies recognition and respect within the community.
- ἡμεῖς ἀνέβημεν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον (hēmeis anebēmen eis to ploion): "We went aboard the ship." This succinctly conveys the practical continuation of the journey. The inclusion of "we" implies shared purpose and experience, embodying the apostolic team's determination to follow God's call despite the difficulties of travel and emotional partings.
- ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ὑπέστρεφον εἰς τὰ ἴδια (ekeinoi de hypestrephon eis ta idia): "And they returned home." This emphasizes the contrasting actions following the farewell. While Paul's group pressed onward in mission, the Tyrian believers returned to their everyday lives and responsibilities, entrusted with the task of upholding their faith and continuing their witness in their own city. This separation highlights the distinct roles within the wider body of Christ – some called to travel, others to maintain local presence.
Acts 21 6 Bonus section
The Tyrian disciples' active participation in the farewell, extending to the beach and including their wives and children, indicates a vibrant, holistic Christian community where faith permeated family life. This strong familial bond in Christ (Gal 6:10) made such partings especially difficult yet served to reinforce the unity of the body across geographical distances. Paul's repeated experiences of such farewells (Acts 20:36-38 at Miletus being another prime example) highlight the itinerant nature of apostolic ministry, which constantly required the balance of deep relational investment with the necessity of moving on. The very act of boarding the ship symbolized moving into the unknown for Paul, foreshadowing the impending trials in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-14).
Acts 21 6 Commentary
Acts 21:6 marks the moment of physical separation after a deeply spiritual and emotional farewell in Tyre. It is a simple, factual account by Luke, yet it encapsulates several profound themes within the context of early Christian mission. The mutual bidding of farewell, "after saying goodbye to each other," emphasizes the authentic fellowship and profound bonds that united believers across different regions. This was not a perfunctory parting but a tender separation, as demonstrated by the prayer on the beach described in the preceding verse. Paul's resolve to continue his journey, despite warnings and emotional attachments, underscores his single-minded dedication to God's will and the furtherance of the Gospel to Jerusalem. Concurrently, the return of the Tyrian disciples "home" illustrates the stable, local commitment required for the enduring health of the church in its respective communities. This verse is a microcosm of missionary life: intense fellowship, heartfelt goodbyes, constant travel, and steadfast local witness, all driven by obedience to Christ.