Acts 20

1 When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and, with encouraging words, bade them goodbye, and started on his journey to Macedonia.

When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples. And after encouraging them, he said goodbye to them and left for Macedonia.

2 After going through those districts and speaking many encouraging words to the disciples, he went into Greece, where he stayed three months.

After traveling through that area and speaking many words of encouragement, he arrived in Greece,

3 He was about to sail to Syria, when he learned that a plot had been laid against him by several of the Jewish leaders; so he decided to return by way of Macedonia.

where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

4 He was accompanied by Sopater the son of Pyrrhus, of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus of Roman Asia.

Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

5 These people went to Troas and waited for us there;

These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas.

6 while we ourselves sailed from Philippi after the Passover, and joined them five days later at Troas, where we stayed for a week.

And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and five days later we rejoined them in Troas, where we stayed seven days.

7 On the first day of the week, when we had met for the breaking of bread, Paul, who was intending to leave the next day, began to address those who were present, and prolonged his address until midnight.

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.

8 There were a good many lamps in the upstairs room, where we had met;

Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.

9 and a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, was gradually overcome with great drowsiness, as Paul continued his address. At last, quite overpowered by his drowsiness, he fell from the third story to the ground, and was picked up for dead.

And a certain young man named Eutychus, seated in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up dead.

10 But Paul went down, threw himself on him, and put his arms around him. “Do not be alarmed,” he said, “he is still alive.”

But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”

11 Then he went upstairs; and, after breaking and partaking of the bread, he talked with them at great length until daybreak, and then left.

Then Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. And after speaking until daybreak, he departed.

12 Meanwhile they had taken the lad away alive, and were greatly comforted.

And the people were greatly relieved to take the boy home alive.

13 We started first, went on board ship, and sailed for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. This was by his own arrangement, as he intended to go by land himself.

We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard. He had arranged this because he was going there on foot.

14 So, when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene.

And when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.

15 The day after we had sailed from there, we arrived off Chios, touched at Samos the following day, and the next day reached Miletus;

Sailing on from there, we arrived the next day opposite Chios. The day after that we arrived at Samos, and on the following day we came to Miletus.

16 for Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so as to avoid spending much time in Roman Asia. He was making haste to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the Festival at the close of the Harvest.

Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

17 From Miletus, however, he sent to Ephesus and invited the church elders to meet him;

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

18 and, when they came, he said to them, “You know well the life that I always led among you from the very first day that I set foot in Roman Asia,

When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.

19 serving the Lord, as I did, in all humility, amid the tears and trials which fell to my lot through the plots of some of the Jewish leaders.

I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.

20 I never shrank from telling you anything that could be helpful to you, or from teaching you both in public and in private.

I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,

21 I earnestly pointed both Jews and Greeks to the repentance that leads to God, and to faith in Jesus, our Lord.

testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, under spiritual constraint, I am here on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.

23 except that in town after town the Holy Spirit plainly declares to me that imprisonment and troubles await me.

I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.

24 But I count my life of no value to myself, if only I may complete the course marked out for me, and the task that was allotted me by the Lord Jesus – which was to declare the good news of the love of God.

But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

25 And now, I tell you, I know that none of you will ever see my face again – you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom.

Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.

26 Therefore I declare to you this day, that my conscience is clear in regard to the fate of any of you,

Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

27 for I have not shrunk from announcing the whole purpose of God regarding you.

For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.

28 Be watchful over yourselves, and over the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has placed you in charge, to shepherd the church of God, which he won for himself at the cost of his life.

Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

29 I know that, after my departure, merciless wolves will get in among you, who will not spare the flock;

I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

30 and from among yourselves, too, people will arise, who will teach perversions of truth, so as to draw away the disciples after them.

Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

31 Therefore, be on your guard, remembering how for three years, night and day, I never ceased, even with tears, to warn each one of you.

Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

32 And now I commend you to the Lord and to the message of his love – a message which has the power to build up your characters, and to give you your place among all those who have become Christ’s people.

And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

33 I have never coveted anyone’s gold or silver or clothing.

I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

34 You, yourselves, know that these hands of mine provided not only for my own wants, but for my companions also.

You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.

35 I left nothing undone to show you that, laboring as I labored, you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said himself – ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

37 All were in tears; and throwing their arms around Paul’s neck, they kissed him again and again,

They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.

38 grieving most of all over what he had said – that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.