Acts 20 · Verse 30

Acts 20:30

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Acts 20:30, King James Version

Acts 20:30 in other translations

BSBEven from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
WEBMen will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
ASVand from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
YLTand of your own selves there shall arise men, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
DARBYand from among your own selves shall rise up men speaking perverted things to draw away the disciples after them.
BBEAnd from among yourselves will come men who will give wrong teaching, turning away the disciples after them.
WebsterAlso from your own selves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

What does Acts 20:30 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 20:29-30

29-30. after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you--Two classes of coming enemies are here announced, the one more external to themselves, the other bred in the bosom of their own community; both were to be teachers, but the one, "grievous wolves," not sparing, that is, making a prey of the flock; the other (Ac 20:30), simply sectarian "perverters" of the truth, with the view of drawing a party after…

Read the full comment on Acts 20:29-30 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 30. Also of your own selves. From your own church; from those who profess to be Christians.

Speaking perverse things. Crooked, perverted, distracting doctrines, διεστραμμενα. Acts 13:10. They would proclaim doctrines tending to distract and divide the church. The most dangerous enemies which the church has had, have been nurtured in its own bosom, and have consisted of those who have perverted the true. doctrines of the gospel. Among the Ephesians, as among the Corinthians, 1Cor 1:11-13, there might be parties formed; there might be men influenced by ambition, like Diotrephes, 3Jn 1:9, or like Phygellus or Hermogenes, 2Ti 1:15, or like Hymeneus and Alexander, 1Timm 1:20. Men under the influence of ambition, or from the love of power or popularity, form parties in the church, produce divisions and distractions, and greatly retard its internal prosperity, and mar its peace. The church of Christ would have little to fear from external enemies if it nurtured no foes in its own bosom; and all the power of persecutors is not so much to be dreaded as the counsels and plans, the parties, strifes, heart-burnings, and contentions which are produced by those who have power, among the professed friends of Christ.

(d) "of you own selves" 1Jn 2:19, Jude 1:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 30 Also of your own selves, etc. - From out of your own assembly shall men arise, speaking perverse things, teaching for truth what is erroneous in itself, and perversive of the genuine doctrine of Christ crucified. To draw away disciples - To make schisms or rents in the Church, in order to get a party to themselves. See, here, the cause of divisions in the Church: 1. The superintendents lose the life of God, neglect the souls of the people, become greedy of gain, and, by secular extortions, oppress the people. 2. The members of the Church, thus neglected, oppressed, and irritated, get their minds alienated from their rapacious pastors. 3. Men of sinister views take advantage of this state of distraction, foment discord, preach up the necessity of division, and thus the people become separated from the great body, and associate with those who profess to care for their souls, and who disclaim all secular views. In this state of distraction, it is a high proof of God's love to his heritage, if one be found who, possessing the true apostolic doctrine and spirit, rises up to call men back to the primitive truth, and restore the primitive discipline. How soon the grievous wolves and perverse teachers arose in the Churches of Asia Minor, the first chapters of the Apocalypse inform us. The Nicolaitans had nearly ruined the Church of Ephesus, Rev 1:2, Rev 1:6. The same sect, with other false teachers, infested the Church of Pergamos, and preached there the doctrine of Balaam, Rev 2:14, Rev 2:15. A false prophetess seduced the Church of Thyatira, Rev 2:20. All these Churches were in Asia Minor, and probably bishops or ministers from each were present at this convocation.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 20:28-38

If the Holy Ghost has made ministers overseers of the flock, that is, shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to their charge. It is the church He has purchased with his own blood. The blood was his as Man; yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is…

Read the full comment on Acts 20:28-38 →

Acts 20:30 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
ἐξexout fromG1537
ὑμῶνhumōnyour ownG4771
αὐτῶνautōnselvesG846
ἀναστήσονταιanastēsontaiwill rise upG450
ἄνδρεςandresmenG435
λαλοῦντεςlalountesspeakingG2980
διεστραμμέναdiestrammenaperverted [things]G1294
τοῦtousuch thatG3588
ἀποσπᾶνapospanto draw awayG645
τοὺςtous<the>G3588
μαθητὰςmathētasdisciplesG3101
ὀπίσωopisōafterG3694
αὐτῶν.autōnthem.G846

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

Cross references for Acts 20:30

  • 1 Timothy 1:19-20

    Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

  • 2 Timothy 4:3-4

    For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

  • Proverbs 23:33

    Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

  • 1 John 2:19

    They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

  • Proverbs 19:1

    Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

  • Acts 11:26

    And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

  • Galatians 6:12-13

    As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

  • 2 Peter 2:18

    For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

  • 1 Timothy 5:13

    And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

  • Matthew 26:21-25

    And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. …

  • Revelation 2:6

    But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

  • 2 Timothy 2:17-18

    And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
of your.
Mt 26:21-25; 1Ti 1:19,20; 2Ti 2:17,18; 4:3,4; 2Pe 2:1-3; 1Jo 2:19
2Jo 1:7; Jude 1:4-16; Re 2:6
speaking.
Pr 19:1; 23:33; Isa 59:3; 1Ti 5:13; 6:5; 2Pe 2:18; Jude 1:15,16
to draw.
5:36,37; 21:38; Mt 23:15; 1Co 1:12-15; Ga 6:12,13

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

Context

  • Acts 20:29

    For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

  • Acts 20:30

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

  • 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.

Read all of Acts 20

Acts 20:30 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y de vosotros mismos se levantarán hombres que hablen cosas perversas, para llevar discípulos tras sí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et il se lèvera d’entre vous-mêmes des hommes qui annonceront des doctrines perverses pour attirer les disciples après eux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und aus euch selbst werden Männer aufstehen, die verkehrte Dinge reden, um die Jünger abzuziehen hinter sich her.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ex vobisipsis exsurgent viri loquentes perversa, ut abducant discipulos post se.