Acts 20 · Verse 37

Acts 20:37

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
Acts 20:37, King James Version

Acts 20:37 in other translations

BSBThey all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.
WEBThey all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
ASVAnd they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
YLTand there came a great weeping to all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,
DARBYAnd they all wept sore; and falling upon the neck of Paul they ardently kissed him,
BBEAnd they were all weeping, falling on Paul's neck and kissing him,
WebsterAnd they all wept bitterly, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

What does Acts 20:37 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 20:36-38

36-38. he kneeled down and prayed with them all, &c.--Nothing can be more touching than these three concluding verses, leaving an indelible impression of rare ministerial fidelity and affection on the apostle's part, and of warm admiration and attachment on the part of these Ephesian presbyters. Would to God that such scenes were more frequent in the Church!

Read the full comment on Acts 20:36-38 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 37. Wept sore. Wept much. Greek, "There was a great weeping of all."

And fell on, Paul's neck. Embraced him, as a token of tender affection. The same thing Joseph did when he met his aged father Jacob, Gen 46:29.

And kissed him. This was the common token of affection. Note, Mt 26:48, Lk 15:20, Rom 16:16, 1Cor 16:20.

(b) "fell on Paul's neck" Gen 46:29.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 37 Fell on Paul's neck - Leaned their heads against his shoulders, and kissed his neck. This was not an unusual custom in the east.

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 20:37 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.

ἱκανὸςhikanosMuchG2425
δὲdethenG1161
κλαυθμὸςklauthmosweepingG2805
ἐγένετοegenetothere wasG1096
πάντων,pantōnamong all,G3956
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐπιπεσόντεςepipesonteshaving fallenG1968
ἐπὶepiuponG1909
τὸνtontheG3588
τράχηλονtrachēlonneckG5137
τοῦtou<the>G3588
ΠαύλουPaulouof PaulG3972
κατεφίλουνkatephilounthey were kissingG2705
αὐτόν,autonhim,G846

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

Cross references for Acts 20:37

  • 2 Timothy 1:4

    Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:26

    Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

  • 2 Corinthians 13:12

    Greet one another with an holy kiss.

  • Luke 15:20

    And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

  • 1 Corinthians 16:20

    All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

  • Romans 16:16

    Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

  • Revelation 21:4

    And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

  • Revelation 7:17

    For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

  • 1 Samuel 20:41

    And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

  • Genesis 46:29

    And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

  • Job 2:12

    And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

  • Ezra 10:1

    Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wept.
1Sa 20:41; 2Sa 15:30; 2Ki 20:3; Ezr 10:1; Job 2:12; Ps 126:5
2Ti 1:4; Re 7:17; 21:4
fell.
Ge 45:14; 46:29
kissed.
Ro 16:16; 1Co 16:20; 2Co 13:12; 1Th 5:26

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

Context

  • Acts 20:36

    And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

  • Acts 20:37

    And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,

  • Acts 20:38

    Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

Read all of Acts 20

Acts 20:37 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces hubo un gran lloro de todos: y echándose en el cuello de Pablo, le besaban,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils versaient tous beaucoup de larmes, et se jetant au cou de Paul, ils le couvraient de baisers,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es entstand aber viel Weinens bei allen; und sie fielen Paulus um den Hals und küßten ihn sehr,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Magnus autem fletus factus est omnium: et procumbentes super collum Pauli, osculabantur eum,