Acts 20:23 Meaning and Explanation
“Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →One thing Paul does know: in city after city the Holy Spirit testifies that imprisonment and afflictions await him.
What Does Acts 20:23 Mean?
His ignorance of the future (v. 22) has a single exception. Through believers speaking by the Spirit in congregation after congregation — as Agabus soon will at Caesarea (21:11) — the same solemn word keeps meeting him: bonds and afflictions are ahead.
Notice what the Spirit's warning is for: not to turn Paul back, but to make him ready. God does not always spare his servants hardship; often he tells them the truth about it and strengthens them to meet it, as Jesus told his own: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer" (John 16:33). To be forewarned by God is not to be abandoned — it is to be loved.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 20:23
What does Acts 20:23 mean?
One thing Paul does know: in city after city the Holy Spirit testifies that imprisonment and afflictions await him.