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 20:17 | And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. | Historical narrative, context of farewell |
| Acts 20:18-21 | And when they came to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I came into Asia...servicing the Lord with all humility...knowing the facts of what was happening to me. ...how I did not shrink from declaring to you any of the things that were profitable, nor did I keep back from declaring them to you, but proclaimed it to the crowds and taught you in your homes. Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. | Paul's ministry and testimony |
| Acts 20:22-24 | And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that the scenes and troubles await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as preceding my own conclusion, if only I may finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. | Foreknowledge of suffering, mission focus |
| Romans 8:28 | We know that all things work together for good of those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. | God's sovereignty in suffering |
| 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 | For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. ... To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being free from God's law, but under Christ's law) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. | Paul's adaptive ministry, mission purpose |
| 2 Timothy 4:5-8 | As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. | Paul's faithful finish of ministry |
| Philippians 1:20 | expecting and hoping that I shall not be put to shame in any way, but that with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. | Christ honored in life and death |
| 1 Peter 4:12-13 | Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that is coming upon you to put you to the test, as though something | |
| strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice with exceeding gladness when his glory is revealed. | Suffering for Christ's sake | |
| Isaiah 49:6 | he says: "It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." | God's plan for global salvation |
| John 1:16 | For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. | Grace of God |
| John 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. | Knowing God and Christ |
| Jeremiah 31:33 | For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my God. | Internalization of God's law |
| Hebrews 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirits, of joints and of marrow, and discerning thoughts and intentions of the heart. | Power of God's Word |
| Romans 10:9 | because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. | Confession and belief for salvation |
| 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 | Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel that I preached to you, which you received, in which you also stand, by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word that I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, | Core message of the Gospel |
| Matthew 19:29 | And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. | Sacrifices for the Kingdom |
| 2 Corinthians 11:26 | by road often, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers from false brothers; | Paul's suffering and perils |
| Acts 19:21 | After these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." | Paul's onward mission and Jerusalem trip |
| Galatians 6:10 | So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. | Doing good to fellow believers |
| Ephesians 4:11-12 | And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, | Gifts for ministry and building up the church |
Acts 21 verses
Acts 21 6 Meaning
The verse describes Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus, emphasizing their spiritual connection and his foreknowledge of future suffering. It highlights his faithful service, the focus of his ministry on repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ, and the divine commission he received.
Acts 21 6 Context
This verse is part of the final discourse of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian elders, recorded in Acts chapter 20. Paul had been in Ephesus for an extended period and had established a strong ministry there. He was now on his way back to Jerusalem, knowing that suffering awaited him. This farewell is particularly poignant because Paul likely knew he would never see these elders again. The emphasis is on his unwavering commitment to his mission, his transparency with the Ephesian church, and his call for them to remain faithful to the gospel entrusted to them. The cultural context involves the communal nature of discipleship in the early church, where apostles had close relationships with local leaders.
Acts 21 6 Word Analysis
"And when we had parted from them":
- "And" (Gk: και, kai): A conjunction linking this statement to the preceding events.
- "when" (Gk: ὡς, hōs): Temporal conjunction indicating the time of the action.
- "we had parted" (Gk: ἀποτάξασθαι, apōtassessthai): A verb in the infinitive passive. It means to bid farewell, to take leave of, or to resign. It carries a sense of finality. The passive voice suggests they were in a state of being left by Paul.
- "from them" (Gk: αὐτῶν, autōn): Pronoun referring to the Ephesian elders mentioned in the previous verse.
"and put out to sea":
- "and" (Gk: τε, te): Another conjunction, often pairing with the preceding 'kai', showing a sequence of actions.
- "put out to sea" (Gk: ἀναχθέντας, anachthentas): Aorist participle passive from ἀνάγω (anagō). It means to set sail, to weigh anchor, or to put out from shore. It describes the act of departing by ship. The passive implies that the ship itself was made to set sail, likely by the crew.
"we made a straight course to Cos":
- "we made" (Gk: ἤχθημεν, echthēmen): Aorist passive indicative from ἄγω (agō), meaning to lead or to be brought. Here, in conjunction with the noun phrase describing the route, it signifies the course taken. It suggests they were guided or sailed along a particular path.
- "a straight course" (Gk: εὐθυδρομήσαντας, euthyōdromēsas): Aorist participle active from εὐθυδρέομαι (euthydromeō). It literally means "to sail straight on," "to have a fair wind," or "to make a direct voyage." It implies an unimpeded and direct journey, perhaps aided by favorable winds.
- "to Cos" (Gk: εἰς Κῶ, eis Kō): Preposition 'eis' meaning "into" or "to," indicating the destination. Cos was a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, a significant stop on maritime routes.
"and the next day to Rhodes":
- "and" (Gk: καὶ, kai): Conjunction.
- "the next day" (Gk: τῇ ἐπιούσῃ, tē epiousē): Dative feminine singular of ἐπιούσης (epiouse), which is a participle of ἐπιέρχομαι (epiecome), meaning "coming on," or "the following." Refers to the day after arriving at Cos.
- "to Rhodes" (Gk: εἰς Ῥόδον, eis Rhodon): Preposition 'eis' and the accusative noun "Rhodes," another significant island and port city in the Aegean Sea, east of Cos.
"and from there to Patara.":
- "and" (Gk: καὶ, kai): Conjunction.
- "from there" (Gk: κἀκεῖθεν, kakeithen): Contraction of καὶ ἐκεῖθεν (kai ekeithen), meaning "and from that place" (referring to Rhodes).
- "to Patara" (Gk: εἰς Πάταρα, eis Patara): Preposition 'eis' and the accusative noun "Patara," a port city in Lycia on the coast of Asia Minor.
Words Group Analysis
The passage "parted from them and put out to sea, we made a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara" uses participles (ἀποτάξασθαι, ἀναχθέντας, εὐθυδρομήσαντας) and descriptive temporal phrases (τῇ ἐπιούσῃ) to convey the actions and the progression of the journey. The repeated use of the preposition "to" (εἰς) emphasizes the sequential destinations. The term "straight course" (εὐθυδρομήσαντας) implies a successful and direct sea voyage, which was not always guaranteed due to weather conditions and maritime hazards. The selection of these specific locations—Cos, Rhodes, and Patara—highlights the normal sea routes for travel from Asia Minor towards the eastern Mediterranean.
Acts 21 6 Bonus Section
The choice of a sea route and these specific ports reflects the economic and travel realities of the Roman Empire during that period. Ships were the primary mode of long-distance travel and trade. Islands like Cos and Rhodes were important maritime hubs. Patara, in particular, was a major Roman port from which longer voyages could be undertaken. The mention of these geographical markers provides historical accuracy to Luke's account in Acts, grounding Paul's missionary journeys in the concrete geography of the ancient world. This also sets the stage for the next phase of his journey, as recorded in Acts 21:1, where they set sail from Patara.
Acts 21 6 Commentary
This verse continues the narrative of Paul's journey towards Jerusalem. The farewell to the Ephesian elders was deeply emotional and significant. His immediate departure by sea signifies his resolve to press on towards his divine calling, despite knowing the dangers ahead. The specific route mentioned (Cos, Rhodes, Patara) demonstrates the practicality and meticulous planning of Paul’s extensive missionary journeys, undertaken by sea travel common in the first century. Patara was a key port in Lycia, from which ships sailed across the Mediterranean, potentially towards Phoenicia or Egypt, continuing Paul's southward trajectory. The "straight course" could imply divine providence guiding their journey or simply favorable winds, underscoring the urgency and direction of Paul's mission to Jerusalem and beyond. The elders, left behind, are now charged with carrying on the ministry Paul established.