¹⁶ Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus so that he would not end up spending time [unnecessarily] in [the province of] Asia (modern Turkey); for he was in a hurry to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of ^[a]Pentecost.

Farewell to Ephesus

¹⁷ However, from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church [to meet him there]. ¹⁸ And when they arrived he said to them:

“You know well how I [lived when I] was with you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia [until now], ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and trials which came on me because of the plots of the Jews [against me]; ²⁰ [you know] how I did not shrink back in fear from telling you anything that was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public meetings, and from house to house, ²¹ solemnly [and wholeheartedly] testifying to both Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance to God and [to have] faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [for salvation]. ²² And now, compelled by the Spirit and obligated by my convictions, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit solemnly [and emphatically] affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me. ²⁴ But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].