Acts 20:18–35

¹⁸And when they came to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time ^f— ¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews ^g— ²⁰and that I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you anything that was profitable or from teaching it to you in public and from house to house. ²¹I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God ^hand faith in our Lord Jesus. ⁱ

²²“And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, bound in my spirit, ^jnot knowing what I will encounter there, ^k23except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. ^l24But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course ^mand the ministry ⁿI received from the Lord Jesus, ^oto testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

²⁵“And now I know that none of you will ever see my face again—everyone I went about preaching the kingdom to. ²⁶Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent ^pof everyone’s blood, ^q27for I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole plan of God. ^r28Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock ^sthat the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, ^tto shepherd the church of God, ^uwhich He purchased with His own blood. ^v29I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰And men will rise up from your own number with deviant doctrines to lure the disciples into following them. ^w31Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. ^x

³²“And now ^yI commit you to God and to the message of His grace, ^zwhich is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance ^aamong all who are sanctified. ³³I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. ^b34You yourselves know that these hands have provided for my needs and for those who were with me. ^c35In every way I’ve shown you that by laboring like this, it is necessary to help the weak and to keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, for He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”