Acts 18:20

20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not,

Acts 18:20 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:20

When they desired him to tarry longer time with them
Either Aquila and Priscilla, whom he left here, for here they were, as is certain from Ac 18:24,26
or rather the Jews with whom he reasoned, who might be desirous of further conference with him, upon the subject they had disputed about; either in order to gain more knowledge, or in hopes of baffling and confounding him:

he consented not;
for a reason afterwards given.

Acts 18:20 In-Context

18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while and then took his leave of the brethren and sailed from there into Syria and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow.

19 And he came to Ephesus and left them there, but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not,

21 but bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem, but I will return again unto you, if God wills. And he sailed from Ephesus.

22 And when he had landed at Caesarea and gone up to Jerusalem and after greeting the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}, he went down to Antioch.