Acts 20:32 Meaning: Entrusted to God and the Word of His Grace
Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
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.
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 them that are sanctified.
and now, I commend you, brethren, to God, and to the word of His grace, that is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those sanctified.
And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [you] up and give [to you] an inheritance among all the sanctified.
Meaning in one sentence
In his farewell to the Ephesian elders, Paul entrusts them to God and the word of His grace, which builds up and gives the inheritance.
Context
Paul is saying goodbye to the elders from Ephesus, gathered at Miletus. He knows he will not see them again. Wolves are coming, he warns, men from within the church who will twist the truth and draw people away. After three years of patient teaching, Paul does not leave them with a plan or a strategy. He leaves them with God and the gospel. His last act is to pray, and to place them in hands stronger than his own.
Key Words
The Greek verb Paul uses for “commend” or “entrust” is paratithemai, the same word you would use for placing a precious object on a table, or for depositing something with a trusted friend. Paul is saying, “I place you in the care of God.” There is no safer spot.
The word that builds you up is oikodomeō, the ordinary word for constructing a house. The gospel does not leave you as you are. It adds, repairs, strengthens, room by room. And the inheritance, klēronomia, recalls the land of promise divided among Israel’s tribes. Your share in God’s kingdom is just as real. It is a gift, not a wage.
Those who are “sanctified,” hēgiasmenois, are people set apart and made holy by God’s own work. The verb is in the perfect tense, something already finished. You inherit alongside a company of people God has already claimed.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse in slightly different ways. Some, following Calvin and the Cambridge Bible, take the phrase “who is able to build you up” as describing God himself, the one who keeps his people by his power. Others, like Wesley and Barnes, see the “word of his grace” as the subject: the gospel itself carries power to build up and grant the inheritance. Both views agree on what matters: God is the source of every good gift, and his word is the means by which he works. The point is not grammar; it is confidence. Whether you rest on God directly or on the promises he speaks, you rest on something unshakable.
A common misunderstanding
Some read “the word of his grace” and think Paul means the Bible in general, any scripture you happen to open. But in this passage, Paul has a specific message in mind: the gospel of God’s unearned favor, the same gospel he preached for three years. It is the good news about Jesus that builds you up and secures your inheritance. You can trust any part of Scripture, but here Paul is pointing to that central announcement of grace.
Living This Out
You may be leaving a church, a job, or a season of life where you have poured out your heart. You cannot control what comes next. Paul’s example: entrust the people you love to God and to his word. You do not need to have all the answers. Your job is to point them to the one who does. This week, when worry creeps in about someone you care for, say to yourself, “I entrust them to God and to the word of his grace.” Then let it go. The gospel can build them up far better than your anxious thoughts can.
Main takeaway: God and his gracious word are enough to build you up and give you a lasting inheritance among those he has already set apart.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When Paul had to say goodbye to his friends, he told them to trust God and remember God’s promises. God’s word helps you grow strong inside, like building a house. And God has a special inheritance waiting for you, a place in his family forever.
For ages 9, 12
Paul couldn’t stay with the Ephesian elders, so he left them with something better: God and the message of his grace. That message, the gospel, has power to build up your faith. It’s not just information; it’s like spiritual construction. And it guarantees you an inheritance among God’s people. When you’re unsure about the future, you can trust the same thing Paul trusted: God and his word.
Questions People Ask
Does 'which is able' refer to God or to 'the word of his grace'?
Commentators differ. Some, like Calvin, see the phrase describing God himself, the one who builds up and gives the inheritance. Others, like Wesley, see the word of God’s grace as the subject. Both views agree that God is the ultimate source, and the gospel is his instrument. The key point is that your confidence rests in what God has promised.
What does 'the word of his grace' mean?
It means the gospel message, the good news that God saves sinners by grace through Jesus Christ. Paul used the same phrase earlier in Acts 20:24 when he spoke of 'the gospel of the grace of God.' It is not just any scripture, but the specific announcement of God’s unearned favor in Christ.
What inheritance is Paul talking about?
The inheritance is the eternal life and kingdom that God promises to his people. The word 'inheritance' echoes the land God gave to Israel in the Old Testament. Here, it refers to the heavenly reward that believers receive because they are God’s children. It is a gift, not something earned.
What does it mean to be 'sanctified'?
To be sanctified means to be set apart for God and made holy. The Greek word is a perfect passive participle, indicating a completed action: 'those who have been sanctified.' It is God’s work in believers, not their own achievement. The inheritance belongs to all whom God has sanctified through faith in Christ.
How does the word 'build us up'?
The word 'build up' comes from a Greek term for constructing a house. The gospel does not leave you as you are; it strengthens your faith, deepens your love, and shapes your character. It adds to you what is good and repairs what is broken. By reading, hearing, and trusting the word, you grow into the person God designed you to be.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study