ISV - Acts - 20

20:1  Paul's Trip to Macedonia and GreeceWhen the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye to them and left to go to Macedonia.

20:2  He went through those regions and encouraged the peopleLit. them with many words. Then he went to Greece

20:3  and stayed there for three months. When he was about to sail for Syria, a plot was made against him by the Jews, so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

20:4  He was accompanied by Sopater (the son of Pyrrhus) from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.

20:5  These men went on ahead and were waiting for us in Troas.

20:6  After the days of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days.

20:7  Paul's Farewell Visit to TroasOn the first day of the week, when we had met to break bread, Paul began to address the people.Lit. them Since he intended to leave the next day, he went on speaking until midnight.

20:8  Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.

20:9  A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in a window, began to sink off into a deep sleep as Paul kept speaking longer and longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.

20:10  But Paul went down, bent overLit. fell on him, took him into his arms, and said, “Stop being alarmed, for his life is in him.”

20:11  Then he went back upstairs, broke the bread, and ate. He talked with them for a long time, until dawn, and then left.

20:12  Then they took the boy away alive and were greatly relieved.

20:13  Paul's Trip to MiletusWe went ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were intending to pick up Paul. He had arranged it this way, since he had planned to travel there on foot.

20:14  When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.

20:15  We sailed from there and on the following day arrived off Chios. The next day we crossed over to Samos and stayed at Trogyllium.Other mss. lack and stayed at Trogyllium The day after that we came to Miletus.

20:16  Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in Asia, as he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible.

20:17  Paul Meets with the Ephesian EldersFrom Miletus he sent messengersThe Gk. lacks messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him.

20:18  When they came to him, he said to them, “You know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day I set foot in Asia.

20:19  I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.

20:20  I never shrank from telling you anything that would help you nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house.

20:21  I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.Other mss. read Lord Jesus Christ

20:22  “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,

20:23  except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me.

20:24  But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

20:25  “Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching the kingdom will ever see my face again.

20:26  I therefore declare to you today that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you,

20:27  for I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God.

20:28  Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to be shepherds of God'sOther mss. read the Lord's church, which he acquired with his own blood.

20:29  I know that when I'm gone savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock.

20:30  Indeed, some of your own men will come forward and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them.

20:31  So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped warning each of you with tears.

20:32  “I am now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

20:33  I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes.

20:34  You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me.

20:35  In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”This saying is not recorded in the Gospels.

20:36  When he had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.

20:37  All of them cried and criedLit. Great crying came to all as they put their arms around Paul and kissedPeople customarily greeted their friends with a kiss. him with affection.

20:38  They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said—that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship.