Acts 20:24-21:13

English Standard Version

²⁴ But ^(A)I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only ^(B)I may finish my course and ^(C)the ministry ^(D)that I received from the Lord Jesus, ^(E)to testify to ^(F)the gospel of ^(G)the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, ^(H)I know that none of you among whom I have gone about ^(I)proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore ^(J)I testify to you this day that ^(K)I am innocent of the blood of all, ²⁷ for ^(L)I did not shrink from declaring to you ^(M)the whole counsel of God. ^28 (N)Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all ^(O)the flock, in which ^(P)the Holy Spirit has made you ^(Q)overseers, ^(R)to care for ^(S)the church of God,^[a] which he ^(T)obtained ^(U)with his own blood.^{[b] 29} I ^(V)know that after my departure ^(W)fierce wolves will come in among you, ^(X)not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and ^(Y)from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore ^(Z)be alert, remembering that ^(AA)for three years I did not cease night or day ^(AB)to admonish every one ^(AC)with tears. ³² And now ^(AD)I commend you to God and to ^(AE)the word of his grace, which is able to ^(AF)build you up and to give you ^(AG)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ^33 (AH)I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. ^34 (AI)You yourselves know that ^(AJ)these hands ministered to my necessities and ^(AK)to those who were with me. ³⁵ In all things ^(AL)I have shown you that ^(AM)by working hard in this way we must ^(AN)help the weak and ^(AO)remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed ^(AP)to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ And when he had said these things, ^(AQ)he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And ^(AR)there was much weeping on the part of all; ^(AS)they embraced Paul and ^(AT)kissed him, ³⁸ being sorrowful most of all because of ^(AU)the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And ^(AV)they accompanied him to the ship.

Paul Goes to Jerusalem

21 And when ^(AW)we had parted from them and set sail, we ^(AX)came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.^{[c] 2} And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. ³ When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴ And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And ^(AY)through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. ⁵ When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, ^(AZ)accompanied us until we were outside the city. And ^(BA)kneeling down on the beach, we prayed ⁶ and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

⁷ When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted ^(BB)the brothers^[d] and stayed with them for one day. ⁸ On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of ^(BC)Philip ^(BD)the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. ⁹ He had four unmarried daughters, ^(BE)who prophesied. ¹⁰ While we were staying for many days, a prophet named ^(BF)Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he ^(BG)took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, ^(BH)“Thus says the Holy Spirit, ^(BI)‘This is how the Jews^[e] at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and ^(BJ)deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” ¹² When we heard this, we and the people there ^(BK)urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, ^(BL)“What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For ^(BM)I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem ^(BN)for the name of the Lord Jesus.”