Acts of the Apostles 20
20
Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece
1When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers#20:1 Greek disciples. and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. 2While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, 3where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
4Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6After the Passover#20:6 Greek the days of unleavened bread. ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.
Paul’s Final Visit to Troas
7On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper.#20:7 Greek to break bread. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper,#20:11 Greek broke the bread. and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. 12Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Paul Meets the Ephesian Elders
13Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship. 14He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene. 15The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and#20:15 Some manuscripts read and having stayed at Trogyllium. a day later we arrived at Miletus.
16Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
18When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
22“And now I am bound by the Spirit#20:22 Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit. to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
25“And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,#20:26 Greek I am innocent of the blood of all. 27for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
28“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood#20:28a Or with the blood of his own [Son].—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.#20:28b Or overseers, or bishops. 29I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
32“And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
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Acts of the Apostles 20: NLT
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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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