Acts 20:10

And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

Acts 20:10 (KJV)

Context

Believers in Troas gathered on the first day of the week to break bread, and Paul preached until midnight. A young man named Eutychus, sitting in a window, grew drowsy and fell from the third story; he was taken up dead. The meeting was thrown into distress.

Meaning

Paul went down, fell on the young man, and embraced him. His action recalls the prophets Elijah and Elisha, who stretched themselves upon dead children and saw their lives restored (1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 4:34). Paul’s words, “Trouble not yourselves,” were meant to calm the grieving believers. His declaration, “for his life is in him,” was a confident assertion that Eutychus’s life had been restored through God’s power working in the apostle.

Biblical connections

The miracle confirmed Paul’s apostolic authority and displayed the resurrection power of Christ active in the early church. The following verses show that Eutychus was indeed revived, and the believers were greatly comforted.

Application

Paul’s response reveals a shepherd’s heart: he did not merely preach doctrine but cared for the physical and spiritual well-being of the flock. In times of crisis, believers are called to respond with compassion and to trust in God’s life-giving power, which overcomes even death.

Reflection

This event reminds us that God’s power is present in the fellowship of His people. It encourages us to rely on Him in desperate moments and to comfort one another with the hope of life found in Christ.