Acts 20:1–38

Journeys in Greece

20After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and ^adeparted to go to Macedonia. ²Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to ^bGreece ³and stayed three months. And ^cwhen the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. ⁴And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also ^dAristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and ^eGaius of Derbe, and ^fTimothy, and ^gTychicus and ^hTrophimus of Asia. ⁵These men, going ahead, waited for us at ⁱTroas. ⁶But we sailed away from Philippi after ^jthe Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them ^kat Troas, where we stayed seven days.

Ministering at Troas

⁷Now on ^lthe first day of the week, when the disciples came together ^mto break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. ⁸There were many lamps ⁿin the upper room where ¹they were gathered together. ⁹And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. ¹⁰But Paul went down, ^ofell on him, and embracing him said, ^p“Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” ¹¹Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. ¹²And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.

From Troas to Miletus

¹³Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had ²given orders, intending himself to go on foot. ¹⁴And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. ¹⁵We sailed from there, and the next day came opposite Chios. The following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus. ¹⁶For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for ^qhe was hurrying ^rto be at Jerusalem, if possible, on ^sthe Day of Pentecost.

The Ephesian Elders Exhorted

¹⁷From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. ¹⁸And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, ^tfrom the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, ¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me ^uby the plotting of the Jews; ²⁰how ^vI kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, ^21wtestifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, ^xrepentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²²And see, now ^yI go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, ²³except that ^zthe Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. ²⁴³But ^anone of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, ^bso that I may finish my ⁴race with joy, ^cand the ministry ^dwhich I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

²⁵“And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. ²⁶Therefore I testify to you this day that I am ^einnocent ⁵of the blood of all men. ²⁷For I have not ⁶shunned to declare to you ^fthe whole counsel of God. ^28gTherefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit ^hhas made you overseers, to shepherd the church ⁷of God ⁱwhich He purchased ^jwith His own blood. ²⁹For I know this, that after my departure ^ksavage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰Also ^lfrom among yourselves men will rise up, speaking ⁸perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. ³¹Therefore watch, and remember that ^mfor three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

³²“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and ⁿto the word of His grace, which is able ^oto build you up and give you ^pan inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. ³⁴⁹Yes, you yourselves know ^qthat these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. ³⁵I have shown you in every way, ^rby laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷Then they all ^swept ¹freely, and ^tfell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, ³⁸sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.