Acts 20 · Verse 22

Acts 20:22

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
Acts 20:22, King James Version

Acts 20:22 in other translations

BSBAnd now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
WEBNow, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;
ASVAnd now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
YLT‘And now, lo, I--bound in the Spirit--go on to Jerusalem, the things that shall befall me in it not knowing,
DARBYAnd now, behold, bound in my spirit I go to Jerusalem, not knowing what things shall happen to me in it;
BBEAnd now, as you see, I am going to Jerusalem, a prisoner in spirit, having no knowledge of what will come to me there:
WebsterAnd now behold, I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

What does Acts 20:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 20:22-23
22-23. And now, behold, I--"I" is emphatic here. bound in the spirit--compare Ac 19:21. This internal pressure, unattended with any knowledge of "what was to befall him there," was the result of that higher guidance which shaped all his movements.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 22. Bound in the spirit. Strongly urged or constrained by the influences of the Holy Spirit on my mind. Not by any desire to see the place where my fathers worshipped, and not urged merely by reason, but by the convictions and mighty promptings of the Holy Spirit to do my duty in this case. The expression "bound in the spirit"--δεδεμενοςτωπνευματι-- is one of great strength and emphasis. The word δεω, to bind, is usually applied to confinement by cords, fetters, or bands, Mt 13:30, 14:3, 21:2; and then denotes any strong obligation, Rom 7:2, or anything that strongly urges or impels, Mt 21:2. When we are strongly urged by the convictions of duty, by the influences of the Holy Spirit, we should not shrink from danger or from death. Duty is to be done at all hazards. It is ours to follow the directions of God; results we may safely and confidently leave with him.

Not knowing the things that shall befall me there. He knew that calamities and trials of some kind awaited him, Acts 20:23, but he did not know

(1.) of what particular kind they would be; nor

(2.) their issue, whether it should be life or death. We should commit our way unto God, not knowing what trials may be before us in life; but knowing that, if we are found faithful at the post of duty, we have nothing to fear in the issue.

(e) "go bound" Acts 19:21 (f) "knowing" Jas 4:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 I go bound in the spirit - Δεδεμενος τῳ πνευματι - Either meaning the strong influence of the Divine Spirit upon his mind, or the strong propensity in his own will, wish, and desire, to visit Jerusalem; and in this sense δεειν, to bind, is sometimes used. But it appears more consistent with the mind of the apostle, and with that influence under which we find that he constantly acted, to refer it to the influence of the Holy Ghost; ὑπο του πνευματος, being under the power of that Spirit; as if he had said: "I have now no choice - God has not left me either to the advices of friends, or to my own prudence: the Spirit of God obliges me to go to Jerusalem, and yet does not intimate to me what peculiar trials shall befall me there: I have only the general intimation that, in every city where I proclaim the Gospel, bonds and afflictions await me." This sense of the word Kypke has largely defended in his note here.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 20:17-27

The elders knew that Paul was no designing, self-seeking man. Those who would in any office serve the Lord acceptably, and profitably to others, must do it with humility. He was a plain preacher, one that spoke his message so as to be understood. He was a powerful preacher; he preached the gospel as a testimony to them if they received it; but as a testimony against them if they rejected it. He was a profitable…

Read the full comment on Acts 20:17-27 →

Acts 20:22 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
νῦνnunnowG3568
ἰδοὺidoubeholdG2400
δεδεμένοςdedemenosboundG1210
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
τῷtōin theG3588
πνεύματιpneumatiSpiritG4151
πορεύομαιporeuomaigoG4198
εἰςeistoG1519
ἸερουσαλὴμIerousalēmJerusalemG2419
τὰtawhatG3588
ἐνeninG1722
αὐτῇautēaitG846
συναντήσοντάsunantēsontawill happenG4876
μοιmoito meG3165
μὴmēnotG3361
εἰδώς,eidōsknowing,

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 20:22

  • James 4:14

    Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:14

    For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

  • Luke 18:31-33

    Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

  • 2 Peter 1:14

    Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

  • Luke 9:51

    And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

  • Acts 17:16

    Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

  • Acts 19:21

    After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

  • Acts 21:11-14

    And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

  • Luke 12:50

    But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

  • Acts 20:16

    For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

  • John 18:4

    Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

  • John 13:1

    Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I go.
19:21; 21:11-14; Lu 9:51; 12:50; 2Co 5:14
not.
Lu 18:31-33; Joh 13:1; 18:4; Jas 4:14; 2Pe 1:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 20:21

    Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Acts 20:22

    And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

  • Acts 20:23

    Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

Read all of Acts 20

Acts 20:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ahora, he aquí, ligado yo en espíritu, voy á Jerusalem, sin saber lo que allá me ha de acontecer:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et maintenant, voici, étant lié dans mon esprit, je m’en vais à Jérusalem, ignorant les choses qui doivent m’y arriver,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun siehe, gebunden in meinem Geiste gehe ich nach Jerusalem, nicht wissend, was mir daselbst begegnen wird,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nunc ecce alligatus ego spiritu, vado in Jerusalem: quæ in ea ventura sint mihi, ignorans: