Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Acts 20:24

ἀλλ' οὐδενὸς λόγου ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν ἐμαύτῳ with אBCD. Vulg. has ‘Sed nihil horum vereor, nee facio animam meam pretiosiorem quam me.’

μετὰ χαρᾶς omitted with אABD. Not represented in Vulg.

24. ἀλλ' οὐδενὸς λόγου ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν ἐματῷ, but I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself. This is the best rendering possible of the text for which there is most support. But it is a very feeble expression, and unlike the words of St Paul. In a very clear paper on the verse Dr Field has shewn that there is probably some omission before ‘dear unto myself’ of the same character, though not exactly the same, as what is supplied in the A.V., and that the reading of א, B, and C, which the R.V. has tried to give in English, arose after the words, of which he suggests the loss, had fallen away from some very early exemplar. The literal English of Dr Field’s suggestion would be ‘Neither make I account of anything, nor think my life dear unto myself.’

ὡς τελειῶσαι, in order to complete, i.e. I leave everything else out of consideration, so as to finish my course. This is the solitary instance in N.T. of a final ὡς followed by the infinitive. Cf. 3Ma 1:2, Θεόδοτος δὲ … διεκομίσθη νύκτωρ ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ Πτολεμαίου σκηνήν, ὡς μόνος κτεῖναι αὐτόν.

τὸν δρόμον μου, my course. The figure of the Christian life as a race is common enough in St Paul’s language (cf. Acts 13:25). The Apostle signifies by his words that the race will last as long as life endures, and that he must not faint in the middle, whatever suffering may be in store.

καὶ τὴν διακονίαν ἣν ἔλαβον, and the ministry which I received. The Apostle refers to the commission which he received at his conversion. The work and the sufferings are both foretold to Ananias from the first (Acts 9:15-16), and St Paul speaks of this ministry or service by the same word as here in 1 Timothy 1:12, ‘I thank Him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that He counted me faithful, appointing me to His service’ (θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν).

διαμαρτύρασθαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆν χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. To bear witness to men of the good news that God is willing to be gracious. In the context of the passage just quoted (1 Timothy 1:14) St Paul shews how fit a person he was to bear such testimony. He had been a blasphemer, a persecutor and injurious, but had obtained mercy … and to him the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ abounded exceedingly.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Acts 20:24

Old Testament

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