The Voyage to Miletus

20:13 We went on ahead49 to the ship and put out to sea50 for Assos,51 intending52 to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way.53 He54 himself was intending55 to go there by land.56 20:14 When he met us in Assos,57 we took him aboard58 and went to Mitylene.59 20:15 We set sail60 from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios.61 The next day we approached62 Samos,63 and the day after that we arrived at Miletus.64 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus65 so as not to spend time66 in the province of Asia,67 for he was hurrying68 to arrive in Jerusalem,69 if possible,70 by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus71 he sent a message72 to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him.73

20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived74 the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot75 in the province of Asia,76 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility77 and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots78 of the Jews. 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming79 to you anything that would be helpful,80 and from teaching you publicly81 and from house to house, 20:21 testifying82 to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.83 20:22 And now,84 compelled85 by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem86 without knowing what will happen to me there,87 20:23 except88 that the Holy Spirit warns89 me in town after town90 that91 imprisonment92 and persecutions93 are waiting for me. 20:24 But I do not consider my life94 worth anything95 to myself, so that96 I may finish my task97 and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news98 of God’s grace.

20:25 “And now99 I know that none100 of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom101 will see me102 again. 20:26 Therefore I declare103 to you today that I am innocent104 of the blood of you all.105 20:27 For I did not hold back from106 announcing107 to you the whole purpose108 of God. 20:28 Watch out for109 yourselves and for all the flock of which110 the Holy Spirit has made you overseers,111 to shepherd the church of God112 that he obtained113 with the blood of his own Son.114 20:29 I know that after I am gone115 fierce wolves116 will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group117 men118 will arise, teaching perversions of the truth119 to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert,120 remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning121 each one of you with tears. 20:32 And now I entrust122 you to God and to the message123 of his grace. This message124 is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 20:33 I have desired125 no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine126 provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 20:35 By all these things,127 I have shown you that by working in this way we must help128 the weak,129 and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”130

20:36 When131 he had said these things, he knelt down132 with them all and prayed. 20:37 They all began to weep loudly,133 and hugged134 Paul and kissed him,135 20:38 especially saddened136 by what137 he had said, that they were not going to see him138 again. Then they accompanied139 him to the ship.