Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. New Living Translation “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. English Standard Version Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Berean Standard Bible Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. Berean Literal Bible Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has set you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with the own blood. King James Bible Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. New King James Version Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. New American Standard Bible Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. NASB 1995 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. NASB 1977 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Legacy Standard Bible Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Amplified Bible Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood. Christian Standard Bible Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. Holman Christian Standard Bible Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. American Standard Version Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. Contemporary English Version Look after yourselves and everyone the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be like shepherds to God's church. It is the flock he bought with the blood of his own Son. English Revised Version Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in the which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. GOD'S WORD® Translation Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God's church which he acquired with his own blood. Good News Translation So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son. International Standard Version Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to be shepherds of God's church, which he acquired with his own blood. Majority Standard Bible Therefore keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of the Lord and of God, which He purchased with His own blood. NET Bible Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. New Heart English Bible Watch out for yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. Webster's Bible Translation Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Weymouth New Testament "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has placed you to take the oversight for Him and act as shepherds to the Church of God, which He has bought with His own blood. World English Bible Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTake heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the Assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood, Berean Literal Bible Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has set you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with the own blood. Young's Literal Translation 'Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood, Smith's Literal Translation Attend therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit set you inspectors, to feed the church of God, which he acquired by his own blood. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleTake heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Catholic Public Domain Version Take care of yourselves and of the entire flock, over which the Holy Spirit has stationed you as Bishops to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased by his own blood. New American Bible Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood. New Revised Standard Version Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTake heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood. Aramaic Bible in Plain English “Pay attention to yourselves therefore, and to the whole flock in which The Spirit of Holiness has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God which he has purchased with his blood.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentTherefore, take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, that you be shepherds to the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood. Godbey New Testament Take heed to yourselves, and all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has placed you shepherds, to shepherdise the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. Haweis New Testament Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed as shepherds the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. Mace New Testament be therefore upon your guard to secure your selves, and the whole flock over which the holy spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood. Weymouth New Testament "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has placed you to take the oversight for Him and act as shepherds to the Church of God, which He has bought with His own blood. Worrell New Testament Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit appointed you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which He purchased with His own blood. Worsley New Testament Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the holy Spirit hath appointed you bishops, to feed the church of God, which He purchased with his own blood. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Paul's Farewell to the Ephesians…27For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. 29I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.… Cross References 1 Peter 5:2-3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; / not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task. / An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, / not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money. ... 1 Timothy 4:16 Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Titus 1:7-9 As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. / Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. / He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it. Ephesians 4:11-12 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, / to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. 1 Corinthians 12:28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues. 1 Peter 2:25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Ezekiel 34:2-10 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock? / You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock. / You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. ... Jeremiah 3:15 Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Zechariah 11:16-17 For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will neither care for the lost, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the choice sheep and tear off their hooves. / Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered and his right eye utterly blinded!” Isaiah 40:11 He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes. Psalm 23:1-4 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. / He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. / He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. ... Treasury of Scripture Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood. Take. 2 Chronicles 19:6,7 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment… Mark 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. all. Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Song of Solomon 1:7,8 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? … Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. over. Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11,28-31 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; … overseers. Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. Greek. Psalm 78:70-72 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: … Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Jump to Previous Acquired Act Assembly Attention Bishops Blood Bought Care Church Feed Flock Ghost Heed Holy Obtained Overseers Oversight Placed Purchased Shepherd Shepherds Spirit Watch Wherein YourselvesJump to Next Acquired Act Assembly Attention Bishops Blood Bought Care Church Feed Flock Ghost Heed Holy Obtained Overseers Oversight Placed Purchased Shepherd Shepherds Spirit Watch Wherein YourselvesActs 20 1. Paul goes to Macedonia, and thence to Troas.7. He celebrates the Lord's supper, and preaches. 9. Eutychus having fallen down dead is raised to life. 13. Paul continues his travels; 17. and at Miletum he calls the elders together, tells them what shall befall to himself, 28. commits God's flock to them, 29. warns them of false teachers, 32. commends them to God, 36. prays with them, and departs. Keep watch over yourselves This phrase emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and vigilance in spiritual leadership. The Greek word for "keep watch" is "prosechō," which means to pay attention or be cautious. Leaders are called to maintain their own spiritual health and integrity, recognizing that their personal walk with God directly impacts their ability to lead others. This self-examination is crucial, as it ensures that they are not leading from a place of hypocrisy or moral failure. and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers Be shepherds of the church of God which He purchased with His own blood To feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.--It is clear that the words as they stand in the text are of immense importance, as bearing their witness to the belief of the Apostolic Church at once in the absolute divinity of Christ and in the nature of His redemptive work. The MSS., however, vary in their readings. Some of the best uncials and versions give "God;" others, of almost equal authority, give "Lord;" others, again, combine the two "Lord and God." The fact that elsewhere St. Paul invariably speaks of "the Church of God" (e.g., 1Corinthians 1:2; 2Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1Thessalonians 2:14, et al.), and never "the Church of the Lord," may be allowed, from one point of view, some weight as internal evidence in favour of the Received reading; while from another it may be urged that it might have tempted a transcriber to substitute a familiar for an unfamiliar phrase. Accepting that reading, the words not only confirm the great truths of the Church's creed, but give an implicit sanction to the language of theology or devotion, when it applies to the divine nature of our Lord predicates that belong strictly to the human nature which was associated with it. So Ignatius (Romans 6) spoke of "the passion of my God," and Tertullian (Ad Uxor, ii. 3) and Clement of Alexandria (Quis dives, c. 34) use the very phrase "the blood of God" which this passage suggests, and the Eastern Church at the council of Ephesus gave to the Blessed Virgin the title of Theot?kos Deipara, the mother of the very God. So in the liturgy which bears the name of St. James the brother of the Lord, he is described as Adelphotheos, the brother of God, and that name is still current among the Greek Christians of Jerusalem. The general drift of the language of the New Testament writers was, however, in the other direction, and predicated human acts and attributes of the man Christ Jesus, Divine acts and attributes of the eternal Son; and it is obvious that this tends at once to greater accuracy of thought, and is really more reverential than the other. . . . Verse 28. - Take heed for take heed therefore, A.V. and T.R.; in for over, A.V.; bishops for overseers, A.V.; purchased for hath purchased, A.V. Take heed, etc.; προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς, peculiar to Luke (Acts 5:53; Luke 12:1; Luke 17:3; Luke 21:34). Now follows the weighty charge of this great bishop to the clergy assembled at his visitation. With the true feeling of a chief pastor, he thinks of the whole flock, but deals with them chiefly through the under-shepherds. If he can awaken in these individually a deep concern for the souls committed to their charge, he will have done the best that can be done for the fleck at large. The first step to such concern for the flock is that each be thoroughly alive to the worth and the wants of his own soul. "Take heed unto yourselves." He that is careless about his own salvation will never lie careful about the souls of others (comp. 1 Timothy 4:16). In the which the Holy Ghost, etc. Ἐν ῷ, no doubt, does not strictly contain the idea of "over which;" but the idea of authoritative oversight is contained in the word ἐπίσκοπος, and therefore the rendering of the A.V., and of Alford's A.V. revised, is substantially correct. Perhaps the exact force of the ἐν ῷ is "among which," like ἐν ἡμῖν (Acts 2:29, and elsewhere). The call and appointment to the ministry is the special function of the Holy Ghost (John 20:22, 23; Acts 12:2; Ordination Service). To feed; ποιμαίνειν, the proper word for "tending" in relation to τὸ ποίμνιον, the flock, as ποιμήν, the pastor, or shepherd, is for him who so feeds the flock of Christ (see John 10:11, 16; John 21:17; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:2, 3). St. Peter applies the titles of "Shepherd and Bishop of souls" to the Lord Jesus (1 Peter 2:25). St. Paul does not use the metaphor elsewhere, except indirectly, and in a different aspect (1 Corinthians 9:7). The Church of God; margin, Church of the Lord. There is, perhaps, no single passage in Scripture which has caused more controversy and evoked more difference of opinion than this. The T.R. has τοῦ Θεοῦ, but most uncials have τοῦ Κυρίου. Kuinoel asserts that the reading τοῦ Κυρίου rests on the authority, besides that of the oldest manuscripts, of the old versions, and of many el' the most ancient Fathers, and says that it is undoubtedly the true reading. Meyer, too, thinks that the external evidence for τοῦ Κυρίου is decisive, and that the internal evidence from the fact that ἐκκλησία τοῦ Κυρίου Occurs nowhere else in St. Paul's writings, is decisive also. But on the other hand, both the Codex Vaticanus (B) and the Codex Sinaitieus (א), the two oldest manuscripts, have Θεοῦ (Θυ). The Vulgate, too, and the Syriac have it; and such early Fathers as Ignatius (in his Epistle to the Ephesians) and Tertullian use the phrase, "the blood of God," which seems to have been derived from this passage. And Alford reasons powerfully in favor of Θεοῦ, dwelling upon the fact that the phrase ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ occurs ten times in St. Paul's writings, that of ἐκκλησία τοῦ Κυρίου not once. The chief authorities on each side of the question are:(1) in favor of τοῦ Κυρίου, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Bornemann, Lunge, Olshausen, Davidson, Meyer, Hackett, as also Grotius, Griesbaeh (doubtfully), Wetstein, Le Clerc, and others; (2) in favor of τοῦ Θεοῦ, Bengel, Mill, Whitby, Wolf, Scholz, Knapp, Alford, Wordsworth, etc., and the R.T. It should be added that the evidence for τοῦ Θεοῦ has been much strengthened by the publication by Tischendorf, in 1563, of rite Codex Sinaiticus, and in 1867 of the Codex Vaticanus, from his own collation. The result is that τοῦ Θεοῦ seems to be the true reading (see the first of the two collects for the Ember weeks in the Book of Common Prayer. With regard to the difficulty that this reading seems to imply the unscriptural phrase, "the blood of God," and to savor of the Monophysite heresy, it is obvious to reply that there is a wide difference between the phrase as it stands and such a one as the direct "blood of God," which Athanasius and others objected to. The mental insertion of "the Lord" or "Christ," as the subject of the verb "purchased," is very easy, the transition from God the Father to God incarnate being one that might be made almost imperceptibly. Others (including the R.T.) take the reading of several good manuscripts, Διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἰδίου, and understand τοῦ ἰδίου to be an ellipse for τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ, the phrase used in Romans 8:32; and so render it "which he purchased by the blood of his own Son." Οἱ ἰδίοι, his own, is used without a substantive in John 1:11. This clause is added to enhance the preciousness of the flock, and the responsibility of those who have the oversight of it. Greek Keep watch overΠροσέχετε (Prosechete) Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4337: From pros and echo; to hold the mind towards, i.e. Pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to. yourselves ἑαυτοῖς (heautois) Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. the τῷ (tō) Article - Dative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. entire παντὶ (panti) Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. flock ποιμνίῳ (poimniō) Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Strong's 4168: A little flock. Neuter of a presumed derivative of poimne; a flock, i.e. group. of ἐν (en) Preposition Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. which ᾧ (hō) Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that. the τὸ (to) Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Holy Ἅγιον (Hagion) Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred. Spirit Πνεῦμα (Pneuma) Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit. has made ἔθετο (etheto) Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 5087: To put, place, lay, set, fix, establish. A prolonged form of a primary theo to place. you ὑμᾶς (hymas) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. overseers. ἐπισκόπους (episkopous) Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural Strong's 1985: From epi and skopos; a superintendent, i.e. Christian officer in genitive case charge of a church. Be shepherds ποιμαίνειν (poimainein) Verb - Present Infinitive Active Strong's 4165: To shepherd, tend, herd; hence: I rule, govern. From poimen; to tend as a shepherd of. of the τὴν (tēn) Article - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. church ἐκκλησίαν (ekklēsian) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 1577: From a compound of ek and a derivative of kaleo; a calling out, i.e. a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation. of God, Θεοῦ (Theou) Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very. which ἣν (hēn) Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that. He purchased περιεποιήσατο (periepoiēsato) Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 4046: To acquire, earn, purchase, make my own, preserve alive. with διὰ (dia) Preposition Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through. [His] τοῦ (tou) Article - Genitive Neuter Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. own ἰδίου (idiou) Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate. blood. αἵματος (haimatos) Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular Strong's 129: Blood, literally, figuratively or specially; by implication, bloodshed, also kindred. Links Acts 20:28 NIVActs 20:28 NLT Acts 20:28 ESV Acts 20:28 NASB Acts 20:28 KJV Acts 20:28 BibleApps.com Acts 20:28 Biblia Paralela Acts 20:28 Chinese Bible Acts 20:28 French Bible Acts 20:28 Catholic Bible NT Apostles: Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore to yourselves (Acts of the Apostles Ac) |
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