20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn(A) or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman(B) spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders(C) brought onyx stones and other gems(D) to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.(E) 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing(F) brought to the Lord freewill offerings(G) for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

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Then Moses summoned Bezalel(A) and Oholiab(B) and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing(C) to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings(D) the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough(E) for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more(F) than enough to do all the work.

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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)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
  2. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son

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