Paul in Macedonia

20 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia.(A) And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia.(B) He was accompanied[a] by Sopater son of Pyrrhus[b] from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy,(C) and Tychicus(D) and Trophimus(E) from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas,(F) but we sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread.(G) In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days.

Eutychus Revived at Troas

On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread.(H) Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were assembled, and a young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill and sank into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. When he was overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down, bent over him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, because he’s alive.”(I) 11 After going upstairs, breaking the bread, and eating, Paul talked a long time until dawn. Then he left. 12 They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.

From Troas to Miletus

13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul on board, because these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, the next day we arrived off Chios. The following day we crossed over to Samos, and[c] the day after, we came to Miletus.(J) 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.(K)

Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders

17 Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. 18 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,(L) 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.(M) 20 You know that I did not hesitate to proclaim anything to you that was profitable and to teach you publicly and from house to house. 21 I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God(N) and faith in our Lord Jesus.(O)

22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit,[d] not knowing what I will encounter there,(P) 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.(Q) 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course[e] and the ministry(R) I received from the Lord Jesus,(S) to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent[f] of the blood of all of you,(T) 27 because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God.(U) 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock(V) of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers,(W) to shepherd the church of God,[g] which he purchased with his own blood.(X) 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.(Y) 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.(Z)

32 “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,(AA) which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance(AB) among all who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(AC) 34 You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.(AD) 35 In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

36 After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.(AE) 37 There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. 20:4 Other mss add to Asia
  2. 20:4 Other mss omit son of Pyrrhus
  3. 20:15 Other mss add after staying at Trogyllium
  4. 20:22 Or in my spirit
  5. 20:24 Other mss add with joy
  6. 20:26 Lit clean
  7. 20:28 Some mss read church of the Lord; other mss read church of the Lord and God

After The Uproar, Paul Departs For Jerusalem Through Macedonia And Greece

20 And after the uproar ceased, Paul— having sent for the disciples and having encouraged them, having said-farewell— went forth to proceed[a] to Macedonia. And having gone[b] through those regions, and having encouraged them with much speaking, he came to Greece[c]. And having done three[d] months there, a plot having been made against him by the Jews while he was about to put-to-sea for Syria— he became of a mind that he should be returning through Macedonia[e]. And Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, a Berean, was accompanying him; and Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; and Gaius, a Derbean; and Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus, Asians. But these[f], having gone ahead, were awaiting us[g] in Troas. And we sailed-off from Philippi after the days of the Feast of Unleavened-Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days, where we spent seven days.

While Paul Is Speaking In Troas, Eutychus Falls To His Death, And Is Raised

And on the first day of the week, we having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was speaking to them, being about to go away on the next day. And he was extending the message until midnight. And there were many lamps in the upper-room where we had been gathered-together. And a certain young-man, Eutychus by name, sitting on the window [sill], was being carried-away by a deep sleep while Paul was speaking further. Having been carried-away by the sleep, he fell down from the third floor, and was picked-up dead. 10 But having gone down, Paul fell upon him, and having embraced him, said, “Do not be thrown-into-a-commotion, for his life is in him!” 11 And Paul [h] having gone up, and having broken the bread and eaten and having conversed for a considerable time, until daybreak— in this manner he departed. 12 And they brought the boy [along][i] alive. And they were not moderately comforted.

In His Hurry To Reach Jerusalem By Pentecost, Paul Sails By Ephesus To Miletus

13 And we, having gone ahead to the ship, put-to-sea for Assos, intending from there to pick-up Paul. For thus having arranged it, he was intending to go-on-foot[j]. 14 And as he was meeting us in Assos, having picked him up, we came to Mitylene. 15 And having sailed-away from there on the following day, we arrived opposite Chios. And on another day we crossed-over to Samos. And on the next day, we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had determined to sail-by Ephesus so that it might not happen to him that he lose-time in Asia. For he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem— if it might be possible for him— the day of Pentecost.

Paul Exhorts Elders From Ephesus: You Know How I Served The Lord Among You

17 But having sent from Miletus[k] to Ephesus, he summoned the elders of the church. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day from which I set-foot in Asia, how I was[l] with you the whole time— 19 serving the Lord with all humblemindedness and tears and trials (the ones having happened to me by the plots of the Jews); 20 how[m] I in no way drew-back from the things being profitable[n] so as not to declare them to you and teach you in public and from house-to-house, 21 while solemnly-testifying both to Jews and to Greeks as to the repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, behold— having been bound in my spirit[o], I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will meet[p] me in it, 23 except that the Holy Spirit is solemnly-warning me in each city, saying that imprisonment and afflictions are awaiting me. 24 But I am making my life of no account[q] as to value to myself so-as to finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus— to solemnly-testify to the good-news about the grace of God.

Take Heed To Yourselves And To Shepherd The Flock. For Wolves Are Coming

25 “And now, behold— I know that you all, among whom I went-about proclaiming the kingdom, will no longer see[r] my face. 26 Therefore, I am bearing-witness to you on this very day that I am clean of the blood of everyone. 27 For I did not draw back so as not to declare the whole purpose[s] of God to you. 28 Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit placed[t] you as overseers— to shepherd the church of God which He obtained with His own[u] blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 And men will rise-up from you yourselves, speaking things having been perverted, that they might be drawing-away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore keep-watching, remembering that night and day for three years I did not cease admonishing each one of you with tears. 32 And as to the things now, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace being able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all the ones having been sanctified.

I Did Not Serve You For Money

33 “I coveted the silver or gold or clothing of no one. 34 You know that these hands served my own needs, and the people being with me. 35 In all respects, I showed you that laboring in this manner, it-is-necessary[v] to help the ones being weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus— that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to be giving than to be receiving’”.

Paul Departs Amid Prayer And Weeping

36 And having said these things, having put-down his knees with them all, he prayed. 37 And there was much weeping from everyone. And having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him, 38 suffering-pain especially over the statement which he had spoken— that they were no longer going see his face. And they were accompanying him to the ship.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:1 That is, according to his plan in 19:21.
  2. Acts 20:2 On this trip, Paul met Titus (2 Cor 7:5-7) and wrote 2 Corinthians.
  3. Acts 20:2 Specifically, the city of Corinth.
  4. Acts 20:3 During this period in Corinth Paul wrote Romans to prepare his way there according to his plan in 19:21. He may also have written Galatians (see 14:28).
  5. Acts 20:3 That is, by land, up to Philippi.
  6. Acts 20:5 The men mentioned in v 4 are the delegates carrying the offering from the churches of Macedonia, Galatia, and Asia to the poor believers in Jerusalem, mentioned in 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8-9; Rom 15:26.
  7. Acts 20:5 Luke reappears. See 16:17.
  8. Acts 20:11 The following verbs are singular, referring to Paul.
  9. Acts 20:12 That is, to the ship. Or, [home], after the meeting.
  10. Acts 20:13 Or, go-by-land. Assos was about 20 miles or 32 kilometers south of Troas.
  11. Acts 20:17 This was about 30 miles or 48 kilometers south of Ephesus.
  12. Acts 20:18 Or, became, proved-to-be. That is, how I conducted myself.
  13. Acts 20:20 Or, that.
  14. Acts 20:20 Or, beneficial, helpful.
  15. Acts 20:22 Or, by the Spirit. Note that because of Paul’s determination to proceed with the plan of 19:21, we have Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Luke, and Acts.
  16. Acts 20:22 Or, befall, happen to.
  17. Acts 20:24 Continuing to live on this earth is not even a factor Paul considers as he focuses on finishing his course for Jesus.
  18. Acts 20:25 This is because Paul plans to go from Jerusalem to Rome (19:21) and beyond (Rom 15:28).
  19. Acts 20:27 Or, plan, counsel.
  20. Acts 20:28 Or, set, appointed.
  21. Acts 20:28 Or, the blood of His own Son.
  22. Acts 20:35 Or, you must help.