Discovery BoxActs 20:7-12 
Context20:7 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. 20:10 But Paul went down, 12 threw himself 13 on the young man, 14 put his arms around him, 15 and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” 16 20:11 Then Paul 17 went back upstairs, 18 and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them 19 a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly 20 comforted.
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.”
12 tn Grk “going down.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
13 tn BDAG 377 s.v. ἐπιπίπτω 1.b has “ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ he threw himself upon him Ac 20:10.”
14 tn Grk “on him”; the referent (the young man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15 tn BDAG 959 s.v. συμπεριλαμβάνω has “to throw one’s arms around, embrace w. acc. to be supplied Ac 20:10.” However, “embraced the young man” might be taken (out of context) to have erotic implications, while “threw his arms around him” would be somewhat redundant since “threw” has been used in the previous phrase.
16 tn Grk “for his life is in him” (an idiom).
17 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 tn Grk “going back upstairs.” The participle ἀναβάς (anabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
19 tn Grk “talking with them.” The participle ὁμιλήσας (Jomilhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
20 tn Grk “were not to a moderate degree” (an idiom). L&N 78.11 states: “μετρίως: a moderate degree of some activity or state – ‘moderately, to a moderate extent.’ ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα, καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίωθς ‘they took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted’ Ac 20:12. In Ac 20:12 the phrase οὐ μετρίως, literally ‘not to a moderate degree,’ is equivalent to a strong positive statement, namely, ‘greatly’ or ‘to a great extent.’”
