What Does Acts 20:32 Mean?
And now, brothers, I set you alongside God and the word of his favor, which is able to build you as a house, and to give you a portion among all who have been set apart.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
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.THE KEY
The word of favor builds you into a people who share an inheritance.
THE MEANING
You are entrusted to God and to the word of his favor. That word is able to build you up and give you a share in the inheritance among all who are set apart. Your growth takes place within a people who receive together.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that you must build your own standing before you can receive: here, the word of favor does the building and gives the inheritance.
THE ROOT
οἰκοδομῆσαι
oikodomēsai
GROWS FROM
οἰκοδομέω
oikodomeō
To build a house or structure.
“build you as a house” in this verse is oikodomēsai. This is house-building language: the word is able to form you into a stable structure. The verse joins that building to receiving a share among the set-apart community.
ALSO GROWS
oikos: House or household.
οἶκος
The verb’s house imagery makes “build you up” a picture of being formed into a place of belonging.
oikodomē: Building or structure; also edification.
οἰκοδομή
This related word carries the same movement from construction to being built up.
χάριτος
charitos
GROWS FROM
χάρις
charis
Favor, goodwill, or a freely bestowed benefit.
Here the word is favor: the message carries the character of what is freely bestowed. That favor is active in the verse, building you up and giving an inheritance.
ALSO GROWS
charizomai: To grant freely or bestow; in some contexts, to forgive.
χαρίζομαι
This branch shows favor taking the form of a free grant, matching the inheritance given in the verse.
charitoō: To bestow favor or show favor.
χαριτόω
The branch makes explicit the movement from favor to someone who receives it.
κληρονομίαν
klēronomian
GROWS FROM
κληρονομία
klēronomia
An allotted share received as an inheritance.
“portion” in this verse is klēronomian. The inheritance is a share within a people, not a possession described in isolation. The verse places it among all who are set apart, linking belonging with what is given.
ALSO GROWS
klēros: A lot, portion, or allotted share.
κλῆρος
This related word reveals the share contained within the idea of inheritance.
klēronomos: An heir; one who receives an inheritance.
κληρονόμος
The heir belongs to the same word family as the inheritance received in the verse.
klēronomeō: To inherit or receive an inheritance.
κληρονομέω
This verb shows the inheritance as something received, corresponding to the verse’s “give you an inheritance.”
THE PATTERN
The word of God’s favor builds a people who receive inheritance together.
For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the measuring cord of his inheritance.Having been built upon the foundation of the sent ones and the prophets, the Anointed One, Jesus, himself being the head of the corner.To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of the Adversary to God, that they may receive release from their shortcomings, and an inheritance among those who are set apart through leaning their full weight upon me.THE THREAD
Therefore they lingered a long time, speaking openly in the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his favor and gave signs and wonders to come about through their hands.This verse repeats the phrase “the word of his grace,” joining the same word and favor. It lets you hear the building and inheritance in Acts 20:32 as the work of that favor-bearing word.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us