保罗再访马其顿和希腊

20 这场风波平息后,保罗召集众门徒勉励一番后,便辞别他们去了马其顿。 他走遍那一带,用许多劝勉的话鼓励当地的门徒。之后,他又去希腊, 在那里逗留了三个月。当保罗正要乘船去叙利亚时,听闻犹太人计划要害他,就决定经马其顿回去。 同他到亚细亚去的人有庇哩亚人毕罗斯的儿子所巴特、帖撒罗尼迦人亚里达古和西公都,还有特庇人该犹、提摩太、亚细亚人推基古和特罗非摩。 他们先到特罗亚等候我们。 除酵节过后,我们从腓立比启航,五天后在特罗亚和他们会合,大家同住了七天。

犹推古死而复活

七日的第一日[a],我们聚会掰饼,保罗因为次日要离开,就向他们讲道,直到深夜。 我们聚会的楼上整夜灯火通明。 有个名叫犹推古的青年坐在窗台上听道。保罗讲了许久,犹推古不胜困倦睡着了,竟从三楼掉了下去。别人将他抱起来时,他已经死了。 10 保罗下去伏在他身上,抱着他对众人说:“不要惊慌,他还活着!” 11 保罗说完就回到楼上,与大家一同掰饼、用餐,又谈了很久,直到天亮才离去。 12 大家非常欣慰地把活过来的犹推古送回了家。

保罗告别以弗所的众长老

13 我们照保罗的吩咐先乘船到亚朔预备在那里接他,他打算由陆路步行到那里。 14 他到了亚朔,我们接他上船,一同前往米推利尼。 15 我们从米推利尼启航,第二天到了基阿附近,第三天到达撒摩,第四天在米利都停泊。 16 保罗急于赶回耶路撒冷,希望在五旬节前赶到,所以决定不去以弗所,免得在亚细亚境内耽误太久。

17 保罗从米利都派人到以弗所请教会的长老前来与他相会。 18 他们都来了,保罗说:“各位,自从我踏进亚细亚那天起,在你们当中为人如何,你们都很清楚。 19 我含着眼泪谦卑地事奉主,又遭到犹太人的迫害,历尽艰辛。 20 你们也知道,凡是对你们有益的事,我没有避而不宣,我总是在公开场合和各人家中教导你们。 21 我劝犹太人和希腊人都要悔改,归向上帝,信靠主耶稣基督。 22 现在,我在圣灵的催促下去耶路撒冷,不知道在那里会发生什么事, 23 只知道圣灵在各城镇指示我,前面必有监禁和苦难等着我。 24 不过,只要能跑完我当跑的路程,完成主耶稣交托给我的使命——为上帝充满恩典的福音做见证,就是牺牲性命,我也在所不惜。

25 “我一向在你们中间传扬上帝的国,如今我知道,以后你们再也见不到我的面了。 26 所以今天我向你们声明,将来你们有谁灭亡,与我无关。 27 因为上帝的整个计划,我没有向你们避而不宣。 28 你们要为自己,也要为教会的群羊警醒,因为圣灵已经任命你们做群羊的监督,牧养上帝的教会。教会是主用自己的血赎回来的。 29 我知道,在我离开以后,一定会有凶恶的豺狼闯进你们中间,残害羊群。 30 就是你们中间也会有人起来歪曲真理,引诱门徒跟随他们。 31 所以你们一定要警醒,牢记这三年来我怎样昼夜不住地流着泪劝诫你们。

32 “现在,我把你们交托给上帝和祂充满恩典的道,这道能造就你们,使你们与一切圣洁的人同得产业。 33 我从未贪图别人的金银和衣服, 34 你们都知道,我亲手做工养活自己和同工。 35 我凡事以身作则,教导你们勤奋工作,帮助软弱的人,并牢记主耶稣的话,‘施比受更有福。’”

36 保罗说完这番话,就和大家一同跪下祷告。 37 众人都哭了,抱着保罗与他亲吻, 38 最使他们伤心的就是他说“你们再也见不到我的面了”。最后,众人送他上了船。

Footnotes

  1. 20:7 照犹太人的算法,太阳下山后为一日的开始,基督徒又以礼拜天为一周之始,所以七日的第一日很有可能是礼拜六晚上。

20 When everything was quiet, Paul called the disciples. He talked to them so they would not be afraid. Then he said goodbye and left. He went to Macedonia.

He went through that country and talked to the people. He helped them to believe more strongly. Then he went to Greece.

He stayed there for three months. When he was ready to go to Syria by boat, he heard that the Jewish leaders were planning to catch him. So he said, `I will go back through Macedonia.'

Some men went with him as far as Asia Minor. They were Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, and also Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia Minor.

These went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.

After the days of the Passover Feast, we left Philippi by boat. Five days later we met them in Troas. We stayed there for seven days.

7-8 n the first day of the week the disciples met together to break bread. Paul was ready to leave the next day. He talked a long time to the people at the meeting until long into the night. They were gathered in an upstairs room with many lights.

A young man named Eutychus sat in the window. He became very sleepy. When Paul kept talking so long, Eutychus was very deep in sleep and fell down from the third floor. When the people picked him up he was dead.

10 Paul went down stairs. He lay on him and put his arms around him. `Do not fear,' he said. `He is alive.'

11 Then Paul went upstairs again. He broke bread and ate some food. He talked for a long time, until daybreak. After that, he left.

12 The people took the young man. They were very glad because he was alive.

13 We went by boat to the town of Assos. We were going to meet Paul there and take him on the boat. He told us to do that because he wanted to walk.

14 We met him at Assos, took him on the boat, and went to Mitylene.

15 Then we went by boat the next day and came to Chios. The next day we passed the town of Samos. We reached Miletus on the third day.

16 Paul decided not to stop at Ephesus. He did not want to spend time in Asia Minor. He kept going as fast as he could, because he hoped to be at the feast in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

17 He sent a message from Miletus to Ephesus to call the leaders of the church to come to him.

18 When they came, he said, `You know how I have lived all the time that I have been with you. I lived that way from the first day I came into Asia.

19 You know how I have served the Lord without being proud. And I have even cried for you. I served the Lord when I had troubles and when the leaders of the Jews tried to catch me.

20 I have not feared to tell you everything that would help you. I have taught you in meetings and in your homes.

21 I have told both the Jews and the Greeks to stop doing wrong things. I have told them to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 `And now I feel in my spirit that I must go to Jerusalem. I do not know what will happen to me there.

23 But in every city the Holy Spirit tells me I will be put in prison. I will have much trouble.

24 But none of these things trouble me. I do not try to save my life. All I want is to finish what I must do with joy. The work which the Lord Jesus gave me is to tell the good news that God is kind.

25 I know that you all will never see me again. I have told you about God's kingdom.

26 So I tell you today that if any one is lost, it is not my fault.

27 I have not feared to tell you all that God wants you to know.

28 `The Holy Spirit has made you leaders over his people. Watch yourselves. Like one who takes care of his sheep, so you must take care of the church people. They are the Lord's people. He gave his blood for them.

29 I know this, that there are people as bad as wild animals. After I leave you, they will come to you. They will trouble God's people.

30 Also, some men will come from among you. They will teach things that are not true. They want people to follow them.

31 So then, watch and remember this. For three years, through the night and in the day, I told every one of you to be careful. I even cried as I told you.

32 `And now, my brothers, I give you to God. I leave with you his word which brings blessing. That word is able to make you strong. It will give you your share in the good things of God promised by him. He gives these good things to people who are pure and holy.

33 I did not want anyone to give me money or clothes.

34 You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to pay for the things that I and my friends needed.

35 I have always shown you that you must work hard, as I have. You must help those who cannot work. By so doing you are remembering the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, "It makes you more happy to give something than to get something." '

36 When Paul had said this, he kneeled down and talked to God with them all.

37 They all cried much. They put their arms around his neck and kissed him.

38 They were sad most of all because he had said they would not see him again. And they went with him to the boat.