Acts 20:7-9

20:7 On the first day ¹  of the week, when we met ²  to break bread, Paul began to speak ³  to the people, and because he intended ⁴  to leave the next day, he extended ⁵  his message until midnight. 20:8 (Now there were many lamps ⁶  in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) ⁷  20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, ⁸  was sinking ⁹  into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak ¹⁰  for a long time. Fast asleep, ¹¹  he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

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¹ sn On the first day. This is the first mention of a Sunday gathering (1 Cor 16:2).

² tn Or “assembled.”

³ tn The verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is frequently used of Paul addressing Jews in the synagogue. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21. In the context of a Christian gathering, it is preferable to translate διελέγετο (dielegeto) simply as “speak” here. The imperfect verb διελέγετο has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

⁴ tn BDAG 628 s.v. μέλλω 1.c.γ has “denoting an intended action: intend, propose, have in mind…Ac 17:31; 20:3, 7, 13ab; 23:15; 26:2; 27:30.”

⁵ tn Or “prolonged.”

⁶ tn More commonly λαμπάς (lampa") means “torch,” but here according to BDAG 585 s.v. λαμπάς 2, “lamp…w. a wick and space for oil.”

⁷ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author.

⁸ tn This window was probably a simple opening in the wall (see also BDAG 462 s.v. θυρίς).

⁹ tn Grk “sinking into a deep sleep.” BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ sink into a deep sleep…Ac 20:9a.” The participle καταφερόμενος (kataferomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹⁰ tn The participle διαλεγομένου (dialegomenou) has been taken temporally.

¹¹ tn BDAG 529 s.v. καταφέρω 3 has “κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὔπνου overwhelmed by sleep vs. 9b,” but this expression is less common in contemporary English than phrases like “fast asleep” or “sound asleep.”