Acts 20 · Verse 7

Acts 20:7

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Acts 20:7, King James Version

Acts 20:7 in other translations

BSB	On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.
WEB	On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight.
ASV	And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight.
YLT	And on the first of the week, the disciples having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was discoursing to them, about to depart on the morrow, he was also continuing the discourse till midnight,
DARBY	And the first day of the week, we being assembled to break bread, Paul discoursed to them, about to depart on the morrow. And he prolonged the discourse till midnight.
BBE	And on the first day of the week, when we had come together for the holy meal, Paul gave them a talk, for it was his purpose to go away on the day after; and he went on talking till after the middle of the night.
Webster	And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them (ready to depart on the morrow) and continued his speech until midnight.

What does Acts 20:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together--This, compared with 1Co 16:2, and other similar allusions, plainly indicates that the Christian observance of the day afterwards distinctly called "the Lord's Day," was already a fixed practice of the churches. Paul preached--discoursed. The tense implies continued action--"kept discoursing."

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. And upon the first day of the week. Showing thus that this day was then observed buy Christians as holy time. Comp. 1Cor 16:2; Rev 1:10.

To break bread. Evidently to celebrate the Lord's Supper. Comp. Acts 2:46. So the Syriac understands it, by translating it, "to break the Eucharist," i.e. the eucharistic bread. It is probable that the apostles and early Christians celebrated the Lord's Supper on every Lord's-day.

And continued his speech until midnight. The discourse of Paul continued until the breaking of day, Acts 20:11. But it was interrupted about midnight by the accident that occurred to Eutychus. The fact that Paul was about to leave them on the next day, probably to see them no more, was the principal reason why his discourse was so long continued. We are not to suppose, however, that it was one continued or set discourse. No small part of the time might have been passed in hearing and answering questions, though Paul was the chief speaker. The case proves that such seasons of extraordinary devotion may, in peculiar circumstances, be proper. Occasions may arise where it will be proper for Christians to spend a much longer time than usual in public worship. It is evident, however, that such seasons do not often occur.

(l) "first day" 1Cor 16:2, Rev 1:10 (m) "break bread" Acts 2:42,46, 1Cor 10:16, 11:20-34 (++) "speech" "discourse"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 Upon the first day of the week - What was called κυριακη, the Lord's day, the Christian Sabbath, in which they commemorated the resurrection of our Lord; and which, among all Christians, afterwards took the place of the Jewish Sabbath. To break bread - To break eucaristia, the eucharist, as the Syriac has it; intimating, by this, that they were accustomed to receive the holy sacrament on each Lord's day. It is likely that, besides this, they received a common meal together. Some think the αγαπη, or love feast, is intended. Continued his speech until midnight - At what time he began to preach we cannot tell, but we hear when he concluded. He preached during the whole night, for he did not leave off till the break of the next day, Act 20:11, though about midnight his discourse was interrupted by the fall of Eutychus. As this was about the time of pentecost, and we may suppose about the beginning of May, as Troas was in about 40 degrees of north latitude, the sun set there at seven p.m. and rose at five a.m., so that the night was about eight hours long; and taking all the interruptions together, and they could not have amounted to more than two hours, and taking no account of the preceding day's work, Paul must have preached a sermon not less than six hours long. But it is likely that a good part of this time was employed in hearing and answering questions; for διελεγετο, and διαλεγομενου, may be thus understood.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 20:7-12

Though the disciples read, and meditated, and prayed, and sung apart, and thereby kept up communion with God, yet they came together to worship God, and so kept up their communion with one another. They came together on the first day of the week, the Lord's day. It is to be religiously observed by all disciples of Christ. In the breaking of the bread, not only the breaking of Christ's body for us, to be a sacrifice for our sins, is remembered, but the breaking of Christ's body to us, to be food and a feast for our souls, is signified. In the early times it was the custom to receive the Lord's supper every Lord's day, thus celebrating the memorial of Christ's death. In this assembly Paul preached. The preaching of the gospel ought to go with the sacraments. They were willing to hear, he saw they were so, and continued his speech till midnight. Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. We must do what we can to prevent being sleepy; not put ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear, so as to drive sleep far away. Infirmity requires tenderness; but contempt requires severity. It interrupted the apostle's preaching; but was made to confirm his preaching. Eutychus was brought to life again. And as they knew not when they should have Paul's company again, they made the best use of it they could, and reckoned a night's sleep well lost for that purpose. How seldom are hours of repose broken for the purposes of devotion! but how often for mere amusement or sinful revelry! So hard is it for spiritual life to thrive in the heart of man! so naturally do carnal practices flourish there!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 20:7 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.

ἘνEnInG1722

δὲdethenG1161

τῇtēatheG3588

μιᾷmiafirst [day]G1520

τῶνtōnof theG3588

σαββάτωνsabbatōnweekG4521

συνηγμένωνsunēgmenōncome togetherG4863

ἡμῶνhēmōnweG3165

μαθητῶνmathētōndisciplesG3101

τοῦtoufor theG3588

κλάσαιklasaibreakingG2806

ἄρτονartonof breadG740

ὁho<the>G3588

ΠαῦλοςPaulosPaulG3972

διελέγετοdielegetowas talkingG1256

αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846

μέλλωνmellōnaboutG3195

ἐξιέναιexienaito departG1826

τῇtēaon theG3588

ἐπαύριονepaurionnext dayG1887

παρέτεινένpareteinenhe was continuingG3905

τεtethenG5037

τὸνtontheG3588

λόγονlogontalkG3056

μέχριmechriuntilG3360

μεσονυκτίου·mesonuktioumidnight;G3317

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

Cross references for Acts 20:7

1 Corinthians 16:2
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Acts 2:42
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
John 20:19
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
John 20:1
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Revelation 1:10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Acts 20:11
When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Acts 28:23
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
Acts 20:9
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
John 20:26
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Luke 24:35
And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the first.
Joh 20:1,19,26; 1Co 16:2; Re 1:10
the disciples.
1Co 11:17-21,33,34
to break.
11; 2:42,46; Lu 22:19; 24:35; 1Co 10:16; 11:20-34
and continued.
9,11,31; 28:23; Ne 8:3; 9:3; 1Co 15:10; 2Ti 4:2

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

Context

Acts 20:6
And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
Acts 20:7
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Acts 20:8
And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Read all of Acts 20

Acts 20:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y el día primero de la semana, juntos los discípulos á partir el pan, Pablo les enseñaba, habiendo de partir al día siguiente: y alargó el discurso hasta la media noche.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et le premier jour de la semaine, lorsque nous étions assemblés pour rompre le pain, Paul qui devait partir le lendemain, leur fit un discours, et il prolongea le discours jusqu’à minuit.
German Elberfelder 1871	Am ersten Tage der Woche aber, als wir versammelt waren, um Brot zu brechen, unterredete sich Paulus mit ihnen, indem er am folgenden Tage abreisen wollte; und er verzog das Wort bis Mitternacht.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Una autem sabbati cum convenissemus ad frangendum panem, Paulus disputabat cum eis profecturus in crastinum, protraxitque sermonem usque in mediam noctem.