And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
This verse belongs to Paul's farewell address to the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20:17-35, spoken as he journeyed toward Jerusalem. To go bound in the spirit is to go under the Holy Spirit's strong inward direction and compulsion toward Jerusalem. Being bound in spirit is also to have no liberty and not be free, to be held back without being able to tell the reason for the restraint. He went without knowing what would happen to him there, not knowing all the things that would befall him. In city after city the Holy Spirit had warned him that afflictions, bonds, imprisonment and suffering awaited him, yet the Spirit still urged him forward and he went willingly, accepting the danger without turning from his course or ministry.
The journey led to his being bound and suffering for Christ's name, and his bonds became a means of spreading knowledge of Christ and glorifying God as he testified before rulers and others. The wider passage presents Paul as the pattern of a faithful, all-round minister and Christian gentleman of the highest type, teaching the gospel publicly and from house to house, supporting himself and his companions by his own work, and serving others with self-sacrifice.
As a tentmaker he worked day and night with toilworn hands so as not to be chargeable to anyone for his support, at times suffering hunger himself to relieve the necessities of others, sharing his earnings with Luke and helping Timothy obtain equipment for his journey. This shows that honorable manual labor has true dignity, is not degrading or inconsistent with greatness and elevation of human and Christian character, lessens no influence, and should not make a man coarse, rough and uncourteous nor detract from the force of sensible, intelligent, eloquent appeals. Ministers are not obligated to do in all respects as he did, but his example remains the standard of faithful duty joined to honorable toil.
This verse belongs to Paul's farewell address to the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20:17-35, spoken as he journeyed toward Jerusalem. To go bound in the spirit is to go under the Holy Spirit's strong inward direction and compulsion toward Jerusalem. Being bound in spirit is also to have no liberty and not be free, to be held back without being able to tell the reason for the restraint. He went without knowing what would happen to him there, not knowing all the things that would befall him. In city after city the Holy Spirit had warned him that afflictions, bonds, imprisonment and suffering awaited him, yet the Spirit still urged him forward and he went willingly, accepting the danger without turning from his course or ministry.
The journey led to his being bound and suffering for Christ's name, and his bonds became a means of spreading knowledge of Christ and glorifying God as he testified before rulers and others. The wider passage presents Paul as the pattern of a faithful, all-round minister and Christian gentleman of the highest type, teaching the gospel publicly and from house to house, supporting himself and his companions by his own work, and serving others with self-sacrifice.
As a tentmaker he worked day and night with toilworn hands so as not to be chargeable to anyone for his support, at times suffering hunger himself to relieve the necessities of others, sharing his earnings with Luke and helping Timothy obtain equipment for his journey. This shows that honorable manual labor has true dignity, is not degrading or inconsistent with greatness and elevation of human and Christian character, lessens no influence, and should not make a man coarse, rough and uncourteous nor detract from the force of sensible, intelligent, eloquent appeals. Ministers are not obligated to do in all respects as he did, but his example remains the standard of faithful duty joined to honorable toil.