Acts 20:28-38
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
28 (A)Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,[a] in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.(B) 30 And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them.(C) 31 So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears.(D) 32 And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated. 33 I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions.(E) 35 In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”(F)
36 When he had finished speaking he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him, 38 for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 20:28 Overseers: see note on Phil 1:1. The church of God: because the clause “that he acquired with his own blood” following “the church of God” suggests that “his own blood” refers to God’s blood, some early copyists changed “the church of God” to “the church of the Lord.” Some prefer the translation “acquired with the blood of his own,” i.e., Christ.
Acts 20:28-38
New International Version
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(A) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(B) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](C) which he bought(D) with his own blood.[b](E) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(F) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(G) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(H) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(I) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(J)
32 “Now I commit you to God(K) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(L) among all those who are sanctified.(M) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(N) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(O) 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.(P) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(Q) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(R) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(S)
Footnotes
- Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
- Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son
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