Acts 20:9

"And there sat in the window. certain young man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed yet longer, being borne down by his sleep he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead"In the window": Apparently he was sitting on the window ledge (NASV "on the window sill"). Their windows would have been devoid of glass and it appears that if it did have shutters, that they were open on this night. "The windows of an Eastern house are closed with lattice-work, and usually reach down to the floor, resembling. door rather than. window. They are usually kept open on account of the heat" (Vincent p. 558). "A certain young man": The expression young man was usually given to someone between the ages of 24-40. "Eutychus": This name is pronounced you tih cuss. Most commentators paint Eutychus in. positive light, that is, his sleep was not caused by boredom or laziness. Many speculate that he probably had worked hard all day, he had even sat in front of the window, which would enable him to enjoy fresh air and stay awake, but he finally could not stay awake any longer. "Borne down with deep sleep": "The verb tense indicates he was gradually becoming more and more sleepy" (Reese p. 736). "Gradually overcome with great drowsiness" (TCNT). "Sinking into. deep sleep" (NASV). "Being borne down by his sleep": "The verb tense here changes, and the two verbs taken together vividly present to us Eutychus' struggle to keep awake, and then all of. sudden (aorist tense, here) dropping off to sleep" (Reese p. 737). "Taken up dead": Which reveals that the expression in Acts 20:10 "his life is in him" does not mean. "Do not worry, it didn't kill him", but rather "He is alive again". Consider the eyewitness "detail" that has been given in these verses. The third floor,. crowded room illuminated with many lamps, and. young man by the window, gradually fading and then suddenly dropping off to. deep sleep. Since Luke was. doctor, he would know whether or not the fall had killed the young man. "One can imagine the confusion which then took over, as everybody tried to run downstairs. Paul at once suspended his sermon and himself went down" (Stott p. 320).