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 chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:21 Some manuscripts omit Christ
  2. Acts 20:22 Or bound in
  3. Acts 20:28 Some manuscripts of the Lord
  4. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his Own

17 From apo · de · ho Miletus Milētos he sent pempō to eis Ephesus Ephesos, asking metakaleō the ho elders presbyteros of the ho church ekklēsia to come to him. 18 And de when hōs they came paraginomai to pros him autos, he said legō to them autos: “You yourselves hymeis know epistamai how pōs I lived ginomai among meta you hymeis the ho whole pas time chronos from apo the first prōtos day hēmera on apo which hos I set epibainō foot in eis · ho Asia Asia, 19 serving douleuō the ho Lord kyrios with meta all pas humility tapeinophrosynē and kai with tears dakryon, · kai enduring the trials peirasmos that ho fell symbainō on me egō by en the ho plots epiboulē of the ho Jews Ioudaios; 20 how hōs I did not hold hypostellō back · ho from proclaiming anangellō to you hymeis anything oudeis that ho would be helpful sympherō, and kai from teaching didaskō you hymeis publicly dēmosios · kai from house to house kata, 21 testifying diamartyromai both te to Jews Ioudaios and kai to Greeks Hellēn about · ho repentance metanoia toward eis God theos and kai about faith pistis in eis · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous. 22 And kai now nyn, compelled deō by the ho Spirit pneuma, I egō am going poreuō to eis Jerusalem Ierousalēm, not knowing oida what ho will happen synantaō to me egō there en autos, 23 except plēn that hoti the ho Holy hagios Spirit pneuma · ho testifies diamartyromai to me egō, saying legō that hoti in every kata city polis imprisonment desmos and kai persecutions thlipsis are waiting for menō me egō. 24 But alla I make poieō my ho life psychē of no oudeis account logos as of any value timios to me emautou, that hōs I may finish teleioō · ho my egō task dromos and kai the ho ministry diakonia that hos I received lambanō from para the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous, to testify diamartyromai to the ho good euangelion news of the ho grace charis of ho God theos.

25  And kai now nyn I egō know oida that hoti none ouketi of you will see horaō · ho my egō face prosōpon again, you hymeis among en whom hos I went dierchomai about proclaiming kēryssō the ho kingdom basileia. 26 Therefore dioti I testify martyromai to you hymeis this en · ho day sēmeron hēmera that hoti I am eimi innocent katharos of apo the ho blood haima of you all pas, 27 for gar I did not ou shrink hypostellō from announcing anangellō to you hymeis the ho whole pas purpose boulē of ho God theos. 28 Watch prosechō out for yourselves heautou and kai for all pas the ho flock poimnion in en which hos the ho Holy hagios Spirit pneuma · ho has placed tithēmi you hymeis overseers episkopos, to shepherd poimainō the ho church ekklēsia of ho God theos, which hos he purchased peripoieō with dia the ho blood haima of ho his own idios Son. 29 I egō know oida that hoti there will come eiserchomai to eis you hymeis after meta · ho my egō departure aphixis savage barys wolves lykos, not sparing pheidomai the ho flock poimnion. 30 Even kai from ek among your hymeis own group autos will men anēr arise anistēmi, speaking laleō distortions diastrephō of the truth, to ho draw apospaō the ho disciples mathētēs away after opisō them autos. 31 Therefore dio be alert grēgoreō, remembering mnēmoneuō that hoti for three trietia years , night nyx or kai day hēmera, I did not ou cease pauō warning noutheteō each hekastos one heis of you with meta tears dakryon. 32 And kai · ho now nyn I commend paratithēmi you hymeis to ho God theos and kai to the ho word logos of ho his autos grace charis, which ho is able dynamai to build oikodomeō you up and kai to give didōmi you an ho inheritance klēronomia among en all pas those ho who are sanctified hagiazō. 33 I have epithumeō not oudeis coveted epithumeō anyone’ s oudeis silver argyrion or ē gold chrysion or ē clothing himatismos. 34 You yourselves autos know ginōskō that hoti these houtos hands cheir of mine provided for hypēreteō · ho my own egō needs chreia as kai well as the needs of those ho with meta me egō. · ho 35 In all pas this I have hypodeiknymi shown you hymeis that hoti by working kopiaō in this way houtōs you must dei help antilambanō the ho weak astheneō, remembering mnēmoneuō the ho words logos of the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous, how hoti he himself autos said legō, ‘ It is eimi more mallon blessed makarios to give didōmi than ē to receive lambanō.’”

36 And kai when he had said legō these houtos things , he knelt down tithēmi · ho with syn them autos all pas and prayed proseuchomai. 37 And de there was ginomai much hikanos weeping klauthmos on the part of all pas, and kai they fell epipiptō on epi the ho neck trachēlos of ho Paul Paulos and kissed kataphileō him autos lovingly , 38 being saddened odynaō most malista of all because epi of the ho word logos he had spoken legō, that hoti no ouketi longer were they going mellō to see theōreō · ho his autos face prosōpon. And de they escorted propempō him autos to eis the ho ship ploion.

Read full chapter