And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that the "word of his grace" isn't just a passive message; it's an active agent, personified as "able to build you up" and "give you an inheritance." This emphasizes that God's Word is dynamic and empowering, capable of transforming believers and securing their eternal future.
And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus, a city where he'd invested three years. Knowing he faces hardship and that dangerous false teachers will arise, he entrusts them to God and His powerful Word. This solemn parting charge emphasizes that the divine message itself is what will equip them and secure their eternal inheritance.
Paul is leaving the Ephesians, but he doesn't leave them unprotected. He entrusts them to two powerful forces. What are they, and why are they paired together?
Paul’s farewell in Acts 20 is filled with emotion and weighty truth. As he prepares to leave the church in Ephesus, he offers a powerful commendation: "And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace." This isn't just a passive blessing; it's an active entrustment.
To God: The Ultimate Protector
First, he commends them to God. This points to God's sovereign providence and His power to protect and guide them, even in Paul's absence. It's a reminder that our ultimate security isn't in any human leader, but in the Almighty.
To the Word of His Grace: The Divine Blueprint
Second, he commends them to the word of his grace. This is the gospel message, the good news of salvation through Christ. It's described as 'grace' because salvation comes freely from God's unmerited favor, not from anything we do.
This word is not just a message; it's the very means by which God works in our lives. It's the foundation for hope, the guide for conduct, and the source of spiritual growth.
The Word of God's grace does more than just save us. Paul highlights two specific, incredible results. What are they, and what do they mean for our present and future?
Paul doesn't just leave the Ephesians with a message; he reveals its profound, life-altering effects. The word of His grace is described with two powerful outcomes:
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Able to Build You Up
This phrase speaks to spiritual growth and strengthening. Just as a building is constructed brick by brick, believers are "built up" in their faith, understanding, and character through the consistent application of God's Word. It's a process of spiritual maturation, establishing believers firmly on the foundation of Christ.
To Give You the Inheritance
Beyond present growth, the Word points to a future hope: the inheritance. This refers to the eternal life and kingdom blessings promised to all believers. It's a guarantee secured by God's grace, waiting for those who are set apart, or "sanctified," for Him.
This inheritance is not just a solitary reward; it's shared "among all those who are sanctified," emphasizing the communion of saints in God's eternal kingdom.
Understand the original words
paratithēmi · Greek Verb
To entrust or commit something or someone to the care, protection, or authority of another.
charis · Greek Noun
The unmerited favor, kindness, and enabling power of God extended to humanity, primarily revealed through Jesus Christ for salvation and transformation.
klēronomia · Greek Noun
The promised blessing, status, or possession given to God's people by virtue of their relationship with Him, ultimately referring to eternal life and the Kingdom of God.
hagiazō · Greek Verb/Adjective (Participle)
Those who have been set apart for God's holy use, purified from sin, and consecrated to His service through the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
This verse is spoken by Paul as a final charge to the elders of Ephesus, whom he is leaving behind. The historical context of his lengthy ministry there, the opposition he faced, and his impending departure lend profound weight to his pastoral entrustment of the believers to God and His Word.
c. AD 52-56
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
Paul spent a significant period in Ephesus, a major city in the Roman province of Asia, where he established a strong church and faced considerable opposition.
c. AD 57
Letter to the Corinthians
During his ministry in Ephesus, Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Corinth, addressing issues of division, immorality, and theological disputes, reflecting the challenges faced by early churches.
c. AD 58
Demetrius the Silversmith's Riot
In Ephesus, a riot instigated by Demetrius, a silversmith who made idols of Artemis, threatened Paul and highlighted the cultural and religious tensions in the city.
c. AD 58— this verse
Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
As Paul prepared to leave Ephesus, he met with the elders of the church, delivering a powerful and emotional farewell speech recorded in Acts 20, urging them to remain vigilant.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul was imprisoned in Rome, where he wrote letters to churches like Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, continuing to shepherd and encourage believers from a distance.
This passage echoes the idea of an inheritance secured by God's power, highlighting that believers are kept by faith for this future glory, aligning with Paul commending the Ephesians to God's power.
Ephesians 2:19-22Paul uses the building metaphor here extensively, showing how believers are built up together into a dwelling place for God, mirroring the 'build you up' imagery in Acts 20:32.
Colossians 1:12-14This passage directly links God's power to giving believers an inheritance among the saints in light, and emphasizes deliverance into God's kingdom, similar to the promise in Acts 20:32.
Hebrews 4:12This verse describes the Word of God as 'living and active,' a powerful force that discerns hearts and thoughts, connecting to the potent 'word of his grace' Paul entrusts to the Ephesians.
John 1:16This verse speaks of believers receiving 'grace upon grace' from Christ's fullness, underscoring the abundant nature of God's grace that Paul commends through His word.
ellicottActs 20:32: "And now, brethren, 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."
(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 1:1…
bensonActs 20:32: "And now, brethren, 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."
Acts 20:32 . And now, brethren — Since the providence of God is calling me away, and appointing me other scenes of labour or suffering; I commend you to God — To his watchful providence and grace, for guidance, protection, support, preservation, and the supply of all your wants, ghostly and bodily; and to the word…
This verse highlights that the "word of his grace" isn't just a passive message; it's an active agent, personified as "able to build you up" and "give you an inheritance." This emphasizes that God's Word is dynamic and empowering, capable of transforming believers and securing their eternal future.
Paul is saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus, a city where he'd invested three years. Knowing he faces hardship and that dangerous false teachers will arise, he entrusts them to God and His powerful Word. This solemn parting charge emphasizes that the divine message itself is what will equip them and secure their eternal inheritance.
Paul is saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus, a city where he'd invested three years. Knowing he faces hardship and that dangerous false teachers will arise, he entrusts them to God and His powerful Word. This solemn parting charge emphasizes that the divine message itself is what will equip them and secure their eternal inheritance.
"And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." — This verse highlights that the "word of his grace" isn't just a passive message; it's an active agent, personified as "able to build you up" and "give you an inheritance." This emphasizes that God's…
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Last reviewed October 2026