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20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and warned and consoled and urged and encouraged them; then he embraced them and told them farewell and set forth on his journey to Macedonia.

Then after he had gone through those districts and had warned and consoled and urged and encouraged the brethren with much discourse, he came to Greece.

Having spent three months there, when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he resolved to go back through Macedonia.

He was accompanied by Sopater the son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, and by the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, and the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus.

These went on ahead and were waiting for us [including Luke] at Troas,

But we [ourselves] sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week], and in five days we joined them at Troas, where we remained for seven days.

And on the first day of the week, when we were assembled together to break bread [[a]the Lord’s Supper], Paul discoursed with them, intending to leave the next morning; and he kept on with his message until midnight.

Now there were numerous lights in the upper room where we were assembled,

And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window. He was borne down with deep sleep as Paul kept on talking still longer, and [finally] completely overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

10 But Paul went down and bent over him and embraced him, saying, Make no ado; his life is within him.

11 When Paul had gone back upstairs and had broken bread and eaten [with them], and after he had talked confidentially and communed with them for a considerable time—until daybreak [in fact]—he departed.

12 They took the youth home alive, and were not a little comforted and cheered and refreshed and encouraged.

13 But going on ahead to the ship, the rest of us set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for that was what he had directed, intending himself to go by land [on foot].

14 So when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and sailed on to Mitylene.

15 And sailing from there, we arrived the day after at a point opposite Chios; the following day we struck across to Samos, and the next day we arrived at Miletus.

16 For Paul had determined to sail on past Ephesus, lest he might have to spend time [unnecessarily] in [the province of] Asia; for he was hastening on so that he might reach Jerusalem, if at all possible, by the day of Pentecost.

17 However, from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church [to come to him there].

18 And when they arrived he said to them: You yourselves are well acquainted with my manner of living among you from the first day that I set foot in [the province of] Asia, and how I continued afterward,

19 Serving the Lord with all humility in tears and in the midst of adversity (affliction and trials) which befell me, due to the plots of the Jews [against me];

20 How I did not shrink from telling you anything that was for your benefit and teaching you in public meetings and from house to house,

21 But constantly and earnestly I bore testimony both to Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance [[b]that is due] to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [[c]that is due Him].

22 And now, you see, I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the [Holy] Spirit and obligated and compelled by the [convictions of my own] spirit, not knowing what will befall me there—

23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.

24 But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God’s grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy).

25 And now, observe, I perceive that all of you, among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more.

26 Therefore I testify and protest to you on this [our parting] day that I am clean and innocent and not responsible for the blood of any of you.

27 For I never shrank or kept back or fell short from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan and counsel of God.

28 Take care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of the Lord or [d]of God which He obtained for Himself [buying it and saving it for Himself] with His own blood.

29 I know that after I am gone, ferocious wolves will get in among you, not sparing the flock;

30 Even from among your own selves men will come to the front who, by saying perverse (distorted and corrupt) things, will endeavor to draw away the disciples after them [to their own party].

31 Therefore be always alert and on your guard, being mindful that for three years I never stopped night or day seriously to admonish and advise and exhort you one by one with tears.

32 And now [brethren], I commit you to God [I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care]. And I commend you to the Word of His grace [to the commands and counsels and promises of His unmerited favor]. It is able to build you up and to give you [your rightful] inheritance among all God’s set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified, and transformed of soul).

33 I coveted no man’s silver or gold or [costly] garments.

34 You yourselves know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs and those [of the persons] who were with me.

35 In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more [e]to be envied) to give than to receive.

36 Having spoken thus, he knelt down with them all and prayed.

37 And they all wept freely and threw their arms around Paul’s neck and kissed him fervently and repeatedly,

38 Being especially distressed and sorrowful because he had stated that they were about to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:7 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  2. Acts 20:21 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  3. Acts 20:21 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  4. Acts 20:28 Many ancient manuscripts read “of God.”
  5. Acts 20:35 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.

Through Macedonia and Greece

20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.(B) He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him(C) just as he was about to sail for Syria,(D) he decided to go back through Macedonia.(E) He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus(F) and Secundus from Thessalonica,(G) Gaius(H) from Derbe, Timothy(I) also, and Tychicus(J) and Trophimus(K) from the province of Asia.(L) These men went on ahead and waited for us(M) at Troas.(N) But we sailed from Philippi(O) after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,(P) where we stayed seven days.

Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas

On the first day of the week(Q) we came together to break bread.(R) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room(S) where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man(T) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”(U) 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread(V) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.(W) 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus(X) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,(Y) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,(Z) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.(AA)

17 From Miletus,(AB) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders(AC) of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,(AD) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.(AE) 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears(AF) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.(AG) 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything(AH) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews(AI) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance(AJ) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.(AK)

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,(AL) not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me(AM) that prison and hardships are facing me.(AN) 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;(AO) my only aim is to finish the race(AP) and complete the task(AQ) the Lord Jesus has given me(AR)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.(AS)

25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom(AT) will ever see me again.(AU) 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.(AV) 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.(AW) 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(AX) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(AY) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](AZ) which he bought(BA) with his own blood.[b](BB) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(BC) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(BD) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(BE) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(BF) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(BG)

32 “Now I commit you to God(BH) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(BI) among all those who are sanctified.(BJ) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(BK) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(BL) 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.(BM) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(BN) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(BO) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(BP)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
  2. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son