1WHEN THE DISTURBANCE had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-bye and set out on his journey to Macedonia. 2He travelled through those parts of the country, often speaking words of encouragement to the Christians there, and so came into Greece. 3When he had spent three months there and was on the point of embarking for Syria, a plot was laid against him by the Jews, so he decided to return by way of Macedonia. 4He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus, from Beroea, the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, Gaius the Doberian and Timothy, and the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus. 5These went ahead and waited for us at Troas; 6we ourselves set sail from Philippi after the Passover season, and in five days reached them at Troas, where we spent a week.
7On the Saturday night, in our assembly for the breaking of bread, Paul, who was to leave next day, addressed them, and went on speaking until midnight. 8Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were assembled; 9and a youth named Eutychus, who was sitting on the window-ledge, grew more and more sleepy as Paul went on talking. At last he was completely overcome by sleep, fell from the third storey to the ground, and was picked up for dead. 10Paul went down, threw himself upon him, seizing him in his arms, and said to them, 'Stop this commotion: there is still life in him.' 11He then went upstairs, broke bread and ate, and after much conversation, which lasted until dawn, he departed. 12And they took the boy away alive and were immensely comforted.
13We went ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement, as he was going to travel by road. 14When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15Next day we sailed from there and arrived opposite Chios, and on the second day we made Samos. On the following day we reached Miletus. 16For Paul had decided to pass by Ephesus and so avoid having to spend time in the province of Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if he possibly could, on the day of Pentecost.
17He did, however, send from Miletus to Ephesus and summon the elders of the congregation; 18and when they joined him, he spoke as follows:
'You know how, from the day that I first set foot in the province of Asia, for the whole time that I was with you, 19I served the Lord in all humility amid the sorrows and trials that came upon me through the machinations of the Jews. 20You know that I kept back nothing that was for your good: I delivered the message to you; I taught you, in public and in your homes; 21with Jews and Gentiles alike I insisted on repentance before God and trust in our Lord Jesus. 22And now, as you see, I am on my way to Jerusalem, under the constraint of the Spirit. Of what will befall me there I know nothing, 23except that in city after city the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and hardships await me. 24For myself, I set no store by life; I only want to finish the race, and complete the task which the Lord Jesus assigned to me, of bearing my testimony to the gospel of God's grace.
25'One word more: I have gone about among you proclaiming the Kingdom, but now I know that none of you will see my face again. 26That being so, I here and now declare that no man's fate can be laid at my door; for I have kept back nothing; 27I have disclosed to you the whole purpose of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has given you charge, as shepherds of the church of the Lord, which he won for himself by his own blood. 29I know that when I am gone, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own body there will be men coming forward who will distort the truth to induce the disciples to break away and follow them. 31So be on the alert; remember how for three years, night and day, I never ceased to counsel each of you, and how I wept over you.
32'And now I commend you to God and to his gracious word, which has power to build you up and give you your heritage among all who are dedicated to him. 33I have not wanted anyone's money or clothes for myself; 34you all know that these hands of mine earned enough for the needs of me and my companions. 35I showed you that it is our duty to help the weak in this way, by hard work, and that we should keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, "Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving."'
36As he finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. 37Then there were loud cries of sorrow from them all, as they folded Paul in their arms and kissed him. 38What distressed them most was his saying that they would never see his face again. So they escorted him to his ship.
| << | Acts:20 | >> |
|---|