Acts 20:17-38
English Standard Version
Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders
17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called (A)the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them:
(B)“You yourselves know (C)how I lived among you the whole time (D)from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 (E)serving the Lord (F)with all humility and with (G)tears and with trials that happened to me through (H)the plots of the Jews; 20 how I (I)did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and (J)teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 (K)testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of (L)repentance toward God and of (M)faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.[a] 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained (N)by[b] the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that (O)the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that (P)imprisonment and (Q)afflictions await me. 24 But (R)I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only (S)I may finish my course and (T)the ministry (U)that I received from the Lord Jesus, (V)to testify to (W)the gospel of (X)the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, (Y)I know that none of you among whom I have gone about (Z)proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore (AA)I testify to you this day that (AB)I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for (AC)I did not shrink from declaring to you (AD)the whole counsel of God. 28 (AE)Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all (AF)the flock, in which (AG)the Holy Spirit has made you (AH)overseers, (AI)to care for (AJ)the church of God,[c] which he (AK)obtained (AL)with his own blood.[d] 29 I (AM)know that after my departure (AN)fierce wolves will come in among you, (AO)not sparing the flock; 30 and (AP)from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore (AQ)be alert, remembering that (AR)for three years I did not cease night or day (AS)to admonish every one (AT)with tears. 32 And now (AU)I commend you to God and to (AV)the word of his grace, which is able to (AW)build you up and to give you (AX)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 (AY)I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34 (AZ)You yourselves know that (BA)these hands ministered to my necessities and (BB)to those who were with me. 35 In all things (BC)I have shown you that (BD)by working hard in this way we must (BE)help the weak and (BF)remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed (BG)to give than to receive.’”
36 And when he had said these things, (BH)he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And (BI)there was much weeping on the part of all; (BJ)they embraced Paul and (BK)kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of (BL)the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And (BM)they accompanied him to the ship.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 20:21 Some manuscripts omit Christ
- Acts 20:22 Or bound in
- Acts 20:28 Some manuscripts of the Lord
- Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his Own
Acts 20:17-38
Christian Standard Bible
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,(A) 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.(B) 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(C) and faith in our Lord Jesus.(D)
22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit,[a] not knowing what I will encounter there,(E) 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.(F) 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course[b] and the ministry(G) I received from the Lord Jesus,(H) 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[c] of the blood of all of you,(I) 27 because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God.(J) 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock(K) of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers,(L) to shepherd the church of God,[d] which he purchased with his own blood.(M) 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.(N) 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.(O)
32 “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,(P) which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance(Q) among all who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(R) 34 You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.(S) 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.(T) 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.(U)
Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.