I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul’s warning about "fierce wolves" isn’t just about external enemies; it’s a subtle alert that some danger will actually come from within the community itself. He uses "enter in among you" to highlight that these destructive forces won't just be outside looking in, but will infiltrate the flock.
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is concluding his farewell address to the elders of Ephesus, a tender moment where he recounts his ministry and warns them of future dangers. He tells them he's leaving, and though he's been faithful, he knows that after he's gone, destructive individuals will infiltrate the community, not to nurture the flock but to exploit and tear it apart. This dire prediction sets the stage for his subsequent warning in verse 30 about leaders arising from within the church itself to mislead people.
Paul uses a vivid metaphor to describe threats to the church. Who are these 'wolves,' and what makes them so dangerous?
Paul calls these intruders 'grievous wolves.' This imagery isn't just about false teachers with bad ideas; it speaks to their nature. Think of a wolf: it's predatory, cunning, and driven by a need to devour. These 'wolves' are those who would violently tear apart the flock of believers.
Beyond Simple Error
While the scholars suggest these wolves represent false teachers, particularly Judaizers (those insisting on Jewish law for Christians) or even early Gnostic influences, the term 'grievous' (or 'heavy' and 'violent' in the original language) implies more than just doctrinal error. It points to a destructive intent, a disregard for the well-being of the people, and a rapacious hunger to exploit or consume.
They aren't just misguided individuals; they are spiritual predators whose aim is to scatter, divide, and destroy the church from within, prioritizing their own gain over the safety and spiritual health of God's people.
Paul knows something specific will happen 'after my departure.' What does this phrase really mean, and why is his absence so critical?
The phrase 'after my departure' is key here. While some might think of Paul's impending death, the context leans more towards his physical absence from Ephesus and the region. Paul was leaving them, likely with the foreboding that he wouldn't see them again in the same way.
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The Vulnerability of Absence
Paul's presence had been a stabilizing force. His ministry, teachings, and the authority he carried acted as a deterrent to destructive influences. When he leaves, the church becomes more vulnerable. It's like a shepherd leaving the pasture – the flock, once protected, is now exposed.
This isn't to say the believers couldn't stand on their own; rather, it highlights how crucial apostolic leadership and guidance were in establishing and protecting the early church. The 'wolves' wouldn't have found such fertile ground if Paul's protective covering remained.
Paul's warning isn't just a prediction; it's a passionate plea. What is the ultimate goal of these 'wolves,' and what does it reveal about the value of the 'flock'?
The core tragedy in Paul's warning is that the wolves are 'not sparing the flock.' This means they have no mercy, no concern for the well-being of the sheep. Their intent is to consume, scatter, and destroy.
The Preciousness of the Flock
This fierce imagery underscores how valuable the church, the 'flock,' is to God and to Paul. It's not a disposable commodity but a precious community for whom Christ died and for whom shepherds are meant to lay down their lives.
The wolves, conversely, act out of selfish motives, seeking to draw disciples away after themselves (as verse 30 clarifies). They want followers for their own purposes, not for the glory of God or the building up of the community. Paul's deep love and sense of responsibility compel him to issue this stark warning, urging the elders to vigilance.
Understand the original words
lykos · Greek Noun
A metaphorical term for destructive, predatory, and false teachers who infiltrate the church to exploit or scatter the believers for their own gain.
diestrammenos · Greek Adjective/Participle
Referring to doctrines or teachings that have been perverted, distorted, or turned away from the established truth of the Gospel.
mathētēs · Greek Noun
Students or followers of Christ; those who learn from Him and adhere to His teachings and way of life.
Paul's warning wasn't a vague prediction but a sober assessment based on his deep understanding of the spiritual landscape and the known tendencies towards error within and outside the early church.
c. AD 50-52
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
Paul spent a significant amount of time in Ephesus, establishing a strong Christian community and contending with various challenges, including pagan influences and nascent forms of false teaching.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes 1 Corinthians
Even during his ministry, Paul was already aware of divisions and false teachings causing problems within churches in the region, as evidenced by his letter to the Corinthians.
c. AD 62
Paul Writes Ephesians
While writing to the church in Ephesus, Paul likely had concerns about future threats, even if the immediate danger wasn't fully realized yet.
c. AD 62— this verse
Paul's Final Visit to Miletus
During his farewell to the Ephesian elders in Miletus, Paul delivered this prophetic warning, sensing the spiritual dangers that would arise after his departure.
c. AD 60s-70s
Rise of Judaizers and Gnosticism
In the decades following Paul's ministry, various groups, including Judaizers (insisting on Mosaic Law for believers) and early Gnostic thinkers, began to infiltrate and challenge the purity of Christian doctrine.
c. AD 90s
John Writes Revelation
The messages to the seven churches in Revelation, particularly to Ephesus and nearby churches like Pergamum, show the clear emergence of the 'grievous wolves' and their harmful teachings that Paul foretold.
This passage directly contrasts the good shepherd with a hired hand who abandons the sheep when danger arises, paralleling Paul's warning about 'fierce wolves' who do not spare the flock.
Matthew 7:15Jesus warns against false prophets who come 'in sheep's clothing' but are 'ravenous wolves inside,' a concept that directly aligns with Paul's metaphorical description of dangerous infiltrators.
2 Timothy 3:5Paul describes people who have 'the outward form of godliness' but deny its power, illustrating the deceptive nature of the 'fierce wolves' who would subtly harm the church from within.
1 Peter 5:8Peter urges believers to 'be sober-minded; be watchful' because their 'adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour,' reinforcing the serious spiritual danger Paul foresaw.
Jeremiah 23:1God pronounces judgment on shepherds who destroy and scatter his flock, a powerful Old Testament parallel to Paul's stark warning about the spiritual devastation wolves would inflict.
ellicottActs 20:29: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
(29) After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you. —The figurative language followed naturally on the idea of the flock and of the shepherds who keep watch over it. It lies in the nature of the case that the wolf stands primarily for the open enemies of the flock, the persecutors of all ages. (Comp. John 10:12 .) The wolves, however, might come in sheep’s clothi…
clarkeActs 20:29: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
After my departing - Referring, most likely, to his death; for few of these evils took place during his life. Grievous wolves - Persons professing to be teachers; Judaizing Christians, who, instead of feeding the flock, would feed themselves, even to the oppression and ruin of the Church.
Paul’s warning about "fierce wolves" isn’t just about external enemies; it’s a subtle alert that some danger will actually come from within the community itself. He uses "enter in among you" to highlight that these destructive forces won't just be outside looking in, but will infiltrate the flock.
Paul is concluding his farewell address to the elders of Ephesus, a tender moment where he recounts his ministry and warns them of future dangers. He tells them he's leaving, and though he's been faithful, he knows that after he's gone, destructive individuals will infiltrate the community, not to nurture the flock but to exploit and tear it apart. This dire prediction sets the stage for his subsequent warning in verse 30 about leaders arising from within the church itself to mislead people.
Paul is concluding his farewell address to the elders of Ephesus, a tender moment where he recounts his ministry and warns them of future dangers. He tells them he's leaving, and though he's been faithful, he knows that after he's gone, destructive individuals will infiltrate the community, not to nurture the flock but to exploit and tear it apart. This dire prediction sets the stage for his subsequent warning in verse 30 about leaders arising from within the church itself to mislead people.
"I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them." — Paul’s warning about "fierce wolves" isn’t just about external enemies; it’s a subtle alert that some danger will actually come from within the community itself. He uses "enter in among you" to hig…
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Last reviewed October 2026