Section 20:7–12
Paul resurrected Eutychus
In this section, Paul, Luke, and others were in Troas for seven days. On Sunday, the believers gathered to eat together. Paul spoke to them. He talked for a long time and a young man fell asleep. The young man fell from the place where he was sitting, which was a third story window. He fell to the ground and died. God enabled Paul to cause him to live again. The believers were greatly comforted by this.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas (New International Version)
-or-
Paul’s Last Visit to Troas (New Century Version)
Paragraph 20:7–12
20:7a
On the first day of the week: This phrase probably refers to Sunday. The Greeks considered the day to start at dawn.
In some languages a literal translation would have the wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to translate the correct meaning. For example:
On Sunday (God’s Word)
But a few scholars think this phrase refers to Saturday evening. The Jews considered the day to start at sunset. If the common language version translates this phrase as “Saturday,” you may want to follow that. For example:
On Saturday evening (Good News Translation)
we: The pronoun we refers to Paul, Luke, the seven men who preceded them to Troas, and the believers who lived in Troas.
to break bread: This phrase refers to eating a meal. The believers probably ate a meal together every week. It was probably the evening meal, since Sunday was a work day then. For example:
for the fellowship meal (Good News Translation)
This meal may have included celebrating the Lord’s Supper. You may want to explain that in a footnote. An example footnote is:
This meal probably ended with celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Jesus told his followers to eat this special meal to remember and honor him (Luke 22:14–20).
It is not clear if everyone ate at this time or after midnight after Eutychus fell and Paul healed him (20:11). The Greek can imply that eating came after gathering together and before Paul started talking (20:7c). Also, 20:11 only says that he ate. It seems a little more likely that they all ate at this time.
20:7b
he talked to them: The context implies that Paul preached to the believers in Troas about Jesus and how to live as Christians.
In some languages a literal translation would indicate the wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, you may need to include the implied information. For example:
Paul spoke to the people ⌊about God’s kingdom⌋
-or-
Paul ⌊exhorted⌋ the believers
-or-
Paul spoke to the people ⌊about Jesus⌋
20:7c–d
Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight: The word Since introduces the reason for talking until midnight. In some languages the word Since would not connect correctly where it is. If that is true in your language, indicate the connection correctly. For example:
and kept on talking until midnight, because he intended to leave the next day
-or-
He intended to leave the next day, so kept on talking until midnight.
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