Acts 20
20
Paul goes through Macedonia and Greece
1When the riot was over, Paul sent for the followers and encouraged them. He then said goodbye to them and left for Macedonia. 2As he travelled from place to place, he encouraged the followers with many messages. Finally, he went to Greece#20.2 Greece: Probably Corinth. 3and stayed there for three months.
Paul was about to sail to Syria. But some of the Jewish leaders plotted against him, so he decided to return by way of Macedonia. 4With him were Sopater, son of Pyrrhus from Berea, and Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica. Gaius from Derbe was also with him, and so were Timothy and the two Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5They went on ahead to Troas and waited for us there. 6After the Festival of Thin Bread, we sailed from Philippi. Five days later we met them in Troas and stayed there for a week.
Paul's last visit to Troas
7On the first day of the week#20.7 On the first day of the week: Since the Jewish day began at sunset, the meeting would have begun in the evening. we met to break bread together.#20.7 break bread together: See the note at 2.46. Paul spoke to the people until midnight because he was leaving the next morning. 8In the upstairs room where we were meeting, there were a lot of lamps. 9A young man called Eutychus was sitting on a window sill. While Paul was speaking, the young man got very sleepy. Finally, he went to sleep and fell three floors all the way down to the ground. When they picked him up, he was dead.
10Paul went down and bent over Eutychus. He took him in his arms and said, “Don't worry! He's alive.” 11After Paul had gone back upstairs, he broke bread, and ate with us. He then spoke until dawn and left. 12Then the followers took the young man home alive and were very happy.
The voyage from Troas to Miletus
13Paul decided to travel by land to Assos. The rest of us went on ahead by ship, and we were to take him aboard there. 14When he met us in Assos, he came aboard, and we sailed on to Mitylene. 15The next day we came to a place near Chios, and the following day we reached Samos. The day after that we sailed to Miletus. 16Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, because he did not want to spend too much time in Asia. He was in a hurry and wanted to be in Jerusalem in time for Pentecost.#20.16 in time for Pentecost: The Jewish people liked to be in Jerusalem for this festival. See the note at 2.1.
Paul says goodbye to the church leaders of Ephesus
17From Miletus, Paul sent a message for the church leaders at Ephesus to come and meet with him. 18When they got there, he said:
You know everything I did during the time I was with you when I first came to Asia. 19Some of the Jews plotted against me and caused me a lot of sorrow and trouble. But I served the Lord and was humble. 20When I preached in public or taught in your homes, I didn't hold back from telling anything that would help you. 21I told Jews and Gentiles to turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22I don't know what will happen to me in Jerusalem, but I must obey God's Spirit and go there. 23In every city I visit, I am told by the Holy Spirit that I will be put in jail and will be in trouble in Jerusalem. 24But I don't care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God's great kindness.#2 Ti 4.7.
25I have gone from place to place, preaching to you about God's kingdom, but now I know that none of you will ever see me again. 26I tell you today that I am no longer responsible for any of you! 27I have told you everything God wants you to know. 28Look after yourselves and everyone the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be like shepherds to God's church. It is the flock that he bought with the blood of his own Son.#20.28 the blood of his own Son: Or “his own blood.”
29I know that after I am gone, others will come like fierce wolves to attack you. 30Some of your own people will tell lies to win over the Lord's followers. 31Be on your guard! Remember how day and night for three years I kept warning you with tears in my eyes.
32I now place you in God's care. Remember the message about his great kindness! This message can help you and give you what belongs to you as God's people. 33I have never wanted anyone's money or clothes. 34You know how I have worked with my own hands to make a living for myself and my friends. 35By everything I did, I showed how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, “More blessings come from giving than from receiving.”
36After Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37Everyone cried and hugged and kissed him. 38They were especially sad because Paul had told them, “You will never see me again.”
Then they went with him to the ship.
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Acts 20: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Acts 20
20
1When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia. 2He went through that region and spoke many words of encouragement to the people. Then he went to Greece 3and stayed there for three months.
Paul in Troas
When Paul was going to board a ship for Syria, he found out that the Jews were plotting to kill him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4Sopater (son of Pyrrhus) from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia accompanied Paul. 5All these men went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. 6After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we boarded a ship at Philippi. Five days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days.
7On Sunday we met to break bread. Paul was discussing ⌞Scripture⌟ with the people. Since he intended to leave the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8(Many lamps were lit in the upstairs room where we were meeting.)
9A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. As Paul was talking on and on, Eutychus was gradually falling asleep. Finally, overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was dead when they picked him up. 10Paul went to him, took him into his arms, and said, “Don’t worry! He’s alive!” 11Then Eutychus went upstairs again, broke the bread, and ate. Paul talked with the people for a long time, until sunrise, and then left.
12The people took the boy home. They were greatly relieved that he was alive.
Paul’s Trip to Miletus
13We went ahead to the ship and sailed for the city of Assos. At Assos, we were going to pick up Paul. He had made these arrangements, since he had planned to walk overland to Assos. 14When Paul met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to the city of Mitylene. 15We sailed from there. On the following day we approached the island of Chios. The next day we went by the island of Samos, and on the next day we arrived at the city of Miletus. 16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible.
Paul Meets with the Spiritual Leaders from Ephesus
17From Miletus Paul sent messengers to the city of Ephesus and called the spiritual leaders #20:17 Or “pastors,” or “elders.” of the church to meet with him ⌞in Miletus⌟. 18When they were with him, he said to them, “You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 19I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me. 20I didn’t avoid telling you anything that would help you, and I didn’t avoid teaching you publicly and from house to house. 21I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
22“I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. 24But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.#20:24 Or “grace.”
25“Now I know that none of you whom I told about God’s kingdom will see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the ⌞spiritual⌟ death of any of you. 27I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. 28Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. 29I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock. 30Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them. 31So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.
32“I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people.
33“I never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothes. 34You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me. 35I have given you an example that by working hard like this we should help the weak. We should remember the words that the Lord Jesus said, ‘Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them.’ ”
36When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. 37Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him. 38The thought of not seeing Paul again hurt them most of all. Then they took Paul to the ship.
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