Acts 20:37

Authorized King James Version

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
ἱκανὸς
sore
competent (as if coming in season), i.e., ample (in amount) or fit (in character)
#2
δὲ
And
but, and, etc
#3
ἐγένετο
to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e., (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)
#4
κλαυθμὸς
wept
lamentation
#5
πάντων
they all
all, any, every, the whole
#6
καὶ
and
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
#7
ἐπιπεσόντες
fell
to embrace (with affection) or seize (with more or less violence; literally or figuratively)
#8
ἐπὶ
on
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
#9
τὸν
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
#10
τράχηλον
neck
the throat (neck), i.e., (figuratively) life
#11
τοῦ
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
#12
Παύλου
Paul's
(little; but remotely from a derivative of g3973, meaning the same); paulus, the name of a roman and of an apostle
#13
κατεφίλουν
and kissed
to kiss earnestly
#14
αὐτόν
him
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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