Acts 18:21
New International Version
But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

New Living Translation
As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

English Standard Version
But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

Berean Standard Bible
But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.

Berean Literal Bible
but having taken leave and having said, "I will return to you again, God willing," he sailed from Ephesus,

King James Bible
But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

New King James Version
but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

New American Standard Bible
but took leave of them and said, “I will return to you again if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

NASB 1995
but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus.

NASB 1977
but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus.

Legacy Standard Bible
but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus.

Amplified Bible
but after telling them goodbye and saying, “I will return again if God is willing,” he set sail from Ephesus.

Christian Standard Bible
but he said farewell and added, “I’ll come back to you again, if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but he said good-bye and stated, “I’ll come back to you again, if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

American Standard Version
but taking his leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you if God will, he set sail from Ephesus.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
As he said, “I must always observe the coming feast in Jerusalem, and if God wills, I shall return again to you.” And he left Aqilaus and Priscilla in Ephesaus.

Contemporary English Version
He told them goodbye and said, "If God lets me, I will come back."

Douay-Rheims Bible
But taking his leave, and saying: I will return to you again, God willing, he departed from Ephesus.

English Revised Version
but taking his leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you, if God will, he set sail from Ephesus.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As he left, he told them, "I'll come back to visit you if God wants me to." Paul took a boat from Ephesus

Good News Translation
Instead, he told them as he left, "If it is the will of God, I will come back to you." And so he sailed from Ephesus.

International Standard Version
As he told them goodbye, he said, "I will come back to you again if it is God's will." Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Literal Standard Version
but took leave of them, saying, “It is necessary for me by all means to keep the coming celebration at Jerusalem, and again I will return to you—God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus,

Majority Standard Bible
But as he left, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.

New American Bible
but as he said farewell he promised, “I shall come back to you again, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

NET Bible
but said farewell to them and added, "I will come back to you again if God wills." Then he set sail from Ephesus,

New Revised Standard Version
but on taking leave of them, he said, “I will return to you, if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

New Heart English Bible
but taking his leave of them, and saying, "I will return again to you if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus.

Webster's Bible Translation
But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return to you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

Weymouth New Testament
but took leave of them with the promise, "I will return to you, God willing." So he set sail from Ephesus.

World English Bible
but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Young's Literal Translation
but took leave of them, saying, 'It behoveth me by all means the coming feast to keep at Jerusalem, and again I will return unto you -- God willing.' And he sailed from Ephesus,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul Returns to Antioch
20When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined. 21But as he left, he said, I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus. 22When Paul had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem. Then he went down to Antioch.…

Cross References
Mark 6:46
After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.

Acts 18:19
When they reached Ephesus, Paul parted ways with Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.

Acts 18:20
When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.

Acts 18:24
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures.

Acts 19:1
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples

Acts 19:17
This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Acts 20:16
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.


Treasury of Scripture

But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem: but I will return again to you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

bade.

Acts 15:29
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Luke 9:61
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

I must.

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.

Deuteronomy 16:1
Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

if God.

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 21:14
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Matthew 26:39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

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Bade Ephesus Farewell Feast God's Jerusalem Leave Means Promise Promised Sail Sailed Ship Willing Wills
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Acts 18
1. Paul labors with his hands, and preaches at Corinth to the Gentiles.
9. The Lord encourages him in a vision.
12. He is accused before Gallio the deputy, but is dismissed.
18. Afterwards passing from city to city, he strengthens the disciples.
24. Apollos, being instructed by Aquila and Priscilla, preaches Christ boldly.














(21) I must by all means keep this feast that Cometh.--Literally, the coming, or, the next feast. This was, probably, as has been said, the Feast of Pentecost. (See Note on Acts 18:18.) If he missed that, there would be no other feast till that of Tabernacles; and then, in October, travelling, whether by sea or land, became dangerous and difficult. (See Note on Acts 27:9.)

If God will.--In this resting in the thought of the will of the Father as ordering all things well--even in their use of almost the same formula, to them much more than such a formula as the Deo volente has often become in the lips of Christians--we find another point of agreement between St. Paul and St. James (James 4:15).

Verse 21. - Taking his leave of them, and saying for bade them farewell, saying, A.V.; I will return for I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem; but I will return, A.V. and T.R.; he set sail for and he sailed, A.V. and T.R. Taking his leave; as in ver. 18, note. I must by all means, etc. This clause is not found in א, A, B, E, and several versions, and is omitted in the R.T. But Alford, Meyer, Wordsworth, and others consider it to be genuine. It is certainly difficult to account for such words being inserted in the text if they were not genuine; whereas it is easy to account for their omission, either by accident or from the fact that the brevity of the allusion to his visit to Jerusalem in ver. 22 might easily mislead a copyist into thinking that St. Paul did not go to Jerusalem at this time, and therefore that the words were misplaced. Observe how St. Paul's fixed purpose to reach Jerusalem as soon as possible tallies with the account of his vow. This feast (A.V.). It is not clear what feast is meant. Alford, Wordsworth, ' Speaker's Commentary,' and others, following Wieseler, think it was the Feast of Pentecost, being influenced by the consideration that sailing was dangerous and very unusual so early as before the Passover. But Meyer thinks it uncertain. But the expression, "I must by all means," would cover the risk of a voyage in the stormy season. I will return again. The fulfillment of this promise is related in Acts 19:1, etc. If God will (see James 4:13-15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

as he left,
ἀποταξάμενος (apotaxamenos)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 657: To withdraw from, take leave of, renounce, send away.

he said,
εἰπών (eipōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“I will come back
ἀνακάμψω (anakampsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 344: To bend or turn back; I return. From ana and kampto; to turn back.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

again
Πάλιν (Palin)
Adverb
Strong's 3825: Probably from the same as pale; anew, i.e. back, once more, or furthermore or on the other hand.

[if] God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

is willing.”
θέλοντος (thelontos)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

[And] he set sail
ἀνήχθη (anēchthē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 321: From ana and ago; to lead up; by extension to bring out; specially, to sail away.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Ephesus.
Ἐφέσου (Ephesou)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2181: Ephesus, a coast city, capital of the Roman province Asia. Probably of foreign origin; Ephesus, a city of Asia Minor.


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NT Apostles: Acts 18:21 But taking his leave of them (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 18:20
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