And now, brothers, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
I commend.
Acts 14:23,26 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed…
Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
Genesis 50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
and to the.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
to build.
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
and to give.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Jeremiah 3:19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
which are.
1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Hebrews 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
and to the word of His grace
The "word of His grace" refers to the gospel message, which is central to Christian faith. This phrase highlights the transformative power of God's grace, which is not earned but given freely. The concept of grace is foundational in the New Testament, as seen in Ephesians 2:8-9, where salvation is described as a gift from God. The "word" signifies the message and teachings of Christ, which are the means by which believers grow in faith.
which can build you up
This phrase underscores the edifying nature of God's word. The idea of being "built up" is akin to spiritual growth and maturity, a recurring theme in Paul's letters (Ephesians 4:12-13). The metaphor of construction suggests a process of strengthening and establishing believers in their faith, akin to building a strong foundation (Matthew 7:24-27).
and give you an inheritance
The concept of inheritance is rich in biblical tradition, often associated with the promises made to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:7). In the New Testament, this inheritance is spiritual, referring to eternal life and the kingdom of God (1 Peter 1:4). It signifies the believer's future hope and the fulfillment of God's promises through Christ.
among all who are sanctified
Sanctification is the process of being made holy, set apart for God's purposes. This phrase indicates that the inheritance is shared among all believers who are being sanctified. It reflects the communal aspect of the Christian faith, where believers are united in their pursuit of holiness (Hebrews 10:10). The sanctified are those who have been justified by faith and are being transformed into the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).
Paul is at a decisive turning point, about to leave the Ephesian elders for the last time (Acts 20:25). “And now” signals urgency and affection—much like Joshua’s farewell in Joshua 23:14 or Paul’s own later words in 2 Timothy 4:6. He reminds them that life and ministry keep moving; God’s plans march on even when beloved leaders depart.
• Paul’s confidence rests not in human oversight but in God Himself.
• To “commit” (Acts 14:23; Psalm 37:5) is to entrust fully, believing God “is able to keep” (2 Timothy 1:12) and “to guard you from stumbling” (Jude 24).
• This entrustment echoes Jesus’ promise that no one will snatch His sheep from the Father’s hand (John 10:28-29). Dependence on God, not personalities, secures the church.
• Paul pairs God with His word because they can never be separated (John 1:1, 14).
• “The word of His grace” is the gospel, the written Scriptures, and every promise grounded in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).
• By calling Scripture “grace,” Paul underlines that every command, warning, or encouragement flows from unmerited favor. That word remains living and active today (Hebrews 4:12).
• God’s word is the divine tool for growth (1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:12-13).
• It equips, corrects, and trains “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
• Personal study, corporate teaching, and daily obedience allow the word to strengthen faith, shape character, and fortify the church (Colossians 2:6-7).
• Inheritance speaks of something guaranteed yet not fully possessed (Ephesians 1:14).
• Through Christ we become “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).
• The word clarifies what that inheritance entails—eternal life, resurrection, and the kingdom itself (1 Peter 1:3-4; Hebrews 9:15).
• Unlike earthly estates that fade, this inheritance is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.”
• Believers are already “sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2) yet are continually being made holy (Hebrews 10:14).
• Paul emphasizes community: the inheritance is shared “among all” set apart by the Spirit (Acts 26:18).
• Sanctification unites us; it is the family trait of God’s people, preparing us to enjoy our eternal portion together (Colossians 1:12).
Acts 20:32 captures Paul’s heartfelt farewell and enduring confidence: God Himself and His grace-filled word are all the church needs. The Scriptures grow us up, guarantee our eternal inheritance, and knit us into the sanctified family. Leaders may come and go, but the living God and His unfailing word remain, securing and shaping every believer until we receive our full inheritance together.
(32) And now, brethren, I commend you . . .--The Greek verb and its derivatives are characteristic of St. Paul's phraseology. Teachers are to "commit" the truth they have received to others (2Timothy 2:2), and the truth so committed is the depositum fidei which they thus hold, as it were, in trust (2Timothy 1:14).The word of his grace, which is able to build you up . . .--It can hardly be said that the "word" here is used, as it is by St. John, for the person of Christ as the Logos. (See Notes on John 1:14; John 1:16; 1John 1:1.) There is, however, a quasi-personal character ascribed to it, "able to . . . give an inheritance," which suggests the thought of something more than the written or spoken word. The true explanation is probably to be found in the thought of the "engrafted (or better, the implanted) word" of James 1:21, the "word of God, quick and powerful" of Hebrews 4:12; and in so far as this is identical with the "Light that lighteth every man" of John 1:9, we may find in these passages a preparation for the more fully developed teaching of St. John as to the Logos. We cannot pass over the word "build" without noting the recurrence of the same thought and word in Ephesians 2:20-21; Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 2:7. The figure was a natural one anywhere (comp. 1Corinthians 3:10), but it would gain additional vividness from the stately architecture of Ephesus, perhaps also from the presence of one among St. Paul's companions who may have been himself an architect. (See Note on Acts 20:4.) . . .
Verse 32. - Now for now brethren, A.V. and T.R.; the inheritance for an inheritance, A.V. and T.R.; that for which, A.V. I commend you to God (παρατίθεμαι ὑμᾶς). A most beautiful and significant phrase! The apostle is leaving for ever the flock which he had fed with such devoted care and loved with such a fervent love. He was leaving them with a strong impression of the dangers to which they would be exposed. To whom could he entrust them? to what loving hands could he consign them? He gives them to God, to take watchful custody of them. He brings them to him in the prayer of faith. He commits to him the precious deposit (παραθήκη), to be preserved safe unto the day of Christ. So the Savior of the world, when dying on the cross, said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit "(Luke 23:46), and then trustingly gave up the ghost (see too Acts 14:23). No less beautiful are the words which follow: And to the word of his grace. He was thinking of the grievous wolves, and of their pernicious doctrine; of the deceivers that should arise, and their soul-destroying heresies; and so he turns to the one source of safety "the Word of God's grace in Jesus Christ." If they are kept in that Word of truth, if they nourish their souls with that sincere milk, they will be safe. The gospel which he had preached would be their safety unto the end. It would build them up on the one Foundation which never can be moved; it would preserve them holy to take possession of the inheritance of the saints in light. The inheritance (τὴν κληρονομίαν); comp. Ephesians 1:14, 18; Ephesians 5:5; and Ephesians 1:11, ἐκληρώθημεν. In Acts 26:18 it is κλῆρον (as in Colossians 1:12), and the ἡγιασμένοι are further defined by the addition of πίστει, ῞τῇ εἰς ἐμέ, "by the faith which is in me" (for the use of ἀγιάζεσθαι, comp. Hebrews 10:10, 14; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 6:11, etc.).