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Acts 20:17-38
New International Version
Acts 20:17-38
New International Version
17 From Miletus,(A) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders(B) of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,(C) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.(D) 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears(E) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.(F) 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything(G) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews(H) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance(I) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.(J)
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,(K) not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me(L) that prison and hardships are facing me.(M) 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;(N) my only aim is to finish the race(O) and complete the task(P) the Lord Jesus has given me(Q)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.(R)
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom(S) will ever see me again.(T) 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.(U) 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.(V) 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(W) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(X) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](Y) which he bought(Z) with his own blood.[b](AA) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(AB) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(AC) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(AD) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(AE) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(AF)
32 “Now I commit you to God(AG) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(AH) among all those who are sanctified.(AI) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(AJ) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(AK) 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.(AL) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(AM) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(AN) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(AO)
Footnotes
- Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
- Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son
Acts 20:17-38
New Living Translation
Acts 20:17-38
New Living Translation
17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit[a] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,[b] 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[c]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.[d] 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
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New Living Translation (NLT)
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