Acts 20
20
Paul Travels Through Macedonia and Greece
1All the trouble came to an end. Then Paul sent for the believers. After encouraging them, he said goodbye. He then left for Macedonia. 2He traveled through that area, speaking many words of hope to the people. Finally he arrived in Greece. 3There he stayed for three months. He was just about to sail for Syria. But some Jews were making plans against him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, from Berea went with him. Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy went too. Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia Minor also went with him. 5These men went on ahead. They waited for us at Troas. 6But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Five days later we joined the others at Troas. We stayed there for seven days.
Eutychus Is Raised From the Dead at Troas
7On the first day of the week we met to break bread and eat together. Paul spoke to the people. He kept on talking until midnight because he planned to leave the next day. 8There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. 9A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Sound asleep, Eutychus fell from the third floor. When they picked him up from the ground, he was dead. 10Paul went down and threw himself on the young man. He put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “He’s alive!” 11Then Paul went upstairs again. He broke bread and ate with them. He kept on talking until daylight. Then he left. 12The people took the young man home. They were greatly comforted because he was alive.
Paul Says Goodbye to the Ephesian Elders
13We went on ahead to the ship. We sailed for Assos. There we were going to take Paul on board. He had planned it this way because he wanted to go to Assos by land. 14So he met us there. We took him on board and went on to Mitylene. 15The next day we sailed from there. We arrived near Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos. We arrived at Miletus the next day. 16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus. He didn’t want to spend time in Asia Minor. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem. If he could, he wanted to be there by the day of Pentecost.
17From Miletus, Paul sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus. 18When they arrived, he spoke to them. “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,” he said. “From the first day I came into Asia Minor, 19I served the Lord with tears and without pride. I served him when I was greatly tested. I was tested by the evil plans of the Jews who disagreed with me. 20You know that nothing has kept me from preaching whatever would help you. I have taught you in public and from house to house. 21I have told both Jews and Greeks that they must turn away from their sins to God. They must have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22“Now I am going to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit compels me. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Spirit warns me. He tells me that I will face prison and suffering. 24But my life means nothing to me. My only goal is to finish the race. I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me. He wants me to tell others about the good news of God’s grace.
25“I have spent time with you preaching about the kingdom. I know that none of you will ever see me again. 26So I tell you today that I am not guilty if any of you don’t believe. 27I haven’t let anyone keep me from telling you everything God wants you to do. 28Keep watch over yourselves. Keep watch over all the believers. The Holy Spirit has made you leaders over them. Be shepherds of God’s church. He bought it with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, wild wolves will come in among you. They won’t spare any of the sheep. 30Even men from your own people will rise up and twist the truth. They want to get the believers to follow them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning you. Night and day I warned each of you with tears.
32“Now I trust God to take care of you. I commit you to the message about his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people. 33I haven’t longed for anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that I have used my own hands to meet my needs. I have also met the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that we must work hard and help the weak. We must remember the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36Paul finished speaking. Then he got down on his knees with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they hugged and kissed him. 38Paul had said that they would never see him again. That’s what hurt them the most. Then they went with him to the ship.
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Acts 20: NIrV
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Acts 20
20
1And after the ceasing of the tumult, Paul having called near the disciples, and having embraced [them], went forth to go on to Macedonia;
2and having gone through those parts, and having exhorted them with many words, he came to Greece;
3having made also three months' [stay] — a counsel of the Jews having been against him — being about to set forth to Syria, there came [to him] a resolution of returning through Macedonia.
4And there were accompanying him unto Asia, Sopater of Berea, and of Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus, and of Asiatics Tychicus and Trophimus;
5these, having gone before, did remain for us in Troas,
6and we sailed, after the days of the unleavened food, from Philippi, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.
7And on the first of the week, the disciples having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was discoursing to them, about to depart on the morrow, he was also continuing the discourse till midnight,
8and there were many lamps in the upper chamber where they were gathered together,
9and there was sitting a certain youth, by name Eutychus, upon the window — being borne down by a deep sleep, Paul discoursing long — he having sunk down from the sleep, fell down from the third story, and was lifted up dead.
10And Paul, having gone down, fell upon him, and having embraced [him], said, ‘Make no tumult, for his life is in him;’
11and having come up, and having broken bread, and having tasted, for a long time also having talked — till daylight, so he went forth,
12and they brought up the lad alive, and were comforted in no ordinary measure.
13And we having gone before unto the ship, did sail to Assos, thence intending to take in Paul, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go on foot;
14and when he met with us at Assos, having taken him up, we came to Mitylene,
15and thence having sailed, on the morrow we came over-against Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos, and having remained in Trogyllium, on the following day we came to Miletus,
16for Paul decided to sail past Ephesus, that there may not be to him a loss of time in Asia, for he hasted, if it were possible for him, on the day of the Pentecost to be at Jerusalem.
17And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly,
18and when they were come unto him, he said to them, ‘Ye — ye know from the first day in which I came to Asia, how, with you at all times I was;
19serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against [me];
20how nothing I did keep back of what things are profitable, not to declare to you, and to teach you publicly, and in every house,
21testifying fully both to Jews and Greeks, toward God reformation, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22‘And now, lo, I — bound in the Spirit — go on to Jerusalem, the things that shall befall me in it not knowing,
23save that the Holy Spirit in every city doth testify fully, saying, that for me bonds and tribulations remain;
24but I make account of none of these, neither do I count my life precious to myself, so that I finish my course with joy, and the ministration that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify fully the good news of the grace of God.
25‘And now, lo, I have known that no more shall ye see my face, — ye all among whom I did go preaching the reign of God;
26wherefore I take you to witness this day, that I [am] clear from the blood of all,
27for I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God.
28‘Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood,
29for I have known this, that there shall enter in, after my departing, grievous wolves unto you, not sparing the flock,
30and of your own selves there shall arise men, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
31‘Therefore, watch, remembering that three years, night and day, I did not cease with tears warning each one;
32and now, I commend you, brethren, to God, and to the word of His grace, that is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those sanctified.
33‘The silver or gold or garments of no one did I covet;
34and ye yourselves know that to my necessities, and to those who were with me, minister did these hands;
35all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth [us] to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
36And these things having said, having bowed his knees, with them all, he did pray,
37and there came a great weeping to all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,
38sorrowing most of all for the word that he had said — that they are about no more to see his face; and they were accompanying him to the ship.
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