Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 20]
Judaizers there.
20:3 {When he had spent three months there} (\poi•sas m•nas
treis\). Literally, "having done three months," the same idiom in
Ac 14:33; 18:23; Jas 5:13. During this period Paul may have
written Galatians as Lightfoot argued and certainly did Romans.
We do not have to say that Luke was ignorant of Paul's work
during this period, only that he did not choose to enlarge upon
it. {And a plot was laid against him by the Jews} (\genomen•s
epiboul•s aut•i hupo t•n Ioudai•n\). Genitive absolute, "a plot
by the Jews having come against him." \Epiboul•\ is an old word
for a plot against one. In the N.T. only in Acts (9:24; 20:3,19;
23:30). Please note that this plot is by the Jews, not the
Judaizers whom Paul discusses so vehemently in 2Co 10-13. They
had given Paul much anguish of heart as is shown in I Cor. and in
2Co 1-7, but that trouble seems now past. It is Paul's old
enemies in Corinth who had cherished all these years their defeat
at the hands of Gallio (Ac 18:5-17) who now took advantage of
Paul's plans for departure to compass his death if possible. {As
he was about to set sail for Syria} (\mellonti anagesthai eis t•n
Surian\). The participle \mellonti\ agrees in case (dative) with
\aut•i\. For the sense of intending see also verse 13.
\Anagesthai\ (present middle infinitive) is the common word for
putting out to sea (going up, they said, from land) as in
13:13. {He determined} (\egeneto gn•m•s\). The best MSS. here
read \gn•m•s\ (predicate ablative of source like \epiluse•s\,
2Pe 1:20, Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 514), not \gn•m•\
(nominative). "He became of opinion." The Jews had heard of
Paul's plan to sail for Syria and intended in the hurly-burly
either to kill him at the docks in Cenchreae or to push him
overboard from the crowded pilgrim ship bound for the passover.
Fortunately Paul learned of their plot and so eluded them by
going through Macedonia. The Codex Bezae adds here that "the
Spirit bade him return into Macedonia."
20:4 {Accompanied him} (\suneipeto aut•i\). Imperfect of
\sunepomai\, old and common verb, but only here in the N.T. The
singular is used agreeing with the first name mentioned
\S•patros\ and to be supplied with each of the others. Textus
Receptus adds here "into Asia" (\achri t•s Asias\, as far as
Asia), but the best documents (Aleph B Vulg. Sah Boh) do not have
it. As a matter of fact, Trophimus went as far as Jerusalem (Ac
21:29) and Aristarchus as far as Rome (27:2; Col 4:10), The
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