Answer: Paul committed the elders to God and to the
Word of His grace, (verse 32).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
From The Acts of the Apostles From Jerusalem to Rome
by Wayne Jackson:
Finally, there is Paul's word of commendation.
He commends ["commit" -- NIV] the brethren to God
and to the Word of His grace. To "commend" is
literally "to place beside, to entrust." The
apostle has done what he could; he "deposits" them with
God. With the help of the Lord, and the exercise of their own
dedication, they should persevere. In order to do this, they
must access "the Word of His grace." This is the
equivalent of the Gospel, with its various instructions--both
elementary and advanced.
It is designated as "the Word of His grace" for
two possible reasons: 1) Through the Gospel message, and
submission thereto, grace is received (see Acts
20:24). 2) The Gospel record itself is a
"favor" from God to humanity. Only by the
knowledge of Heaven's plan can fallen man be
redeemed.
John 1:14: "The Word became flesh
and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory
of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and
Truth."
Acts 14:23, 26: "Paul and Barnabas
appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and
fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their
trust...From Attalia they [Paul and Barnabas] sailed back to
Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the
work they had now completed."
Acts 20:24: "However, I consider my
life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and
complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of
testifying to the Gospel of God's grace."
