Acts 20

1 After the people at Ephesus had stopped rioting, Paul summoned the believers. He encouraged them [to continue to trust in the Lord Jesus. Soon] after that, he told them goodbye and left to go to Macedonia [province].

And after the uproar ceased, Paul having sent for the disciples and exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.

2 [After he arrived] there, he visited [each town where there were believers], and encouraged them. Then he arrived in Greece [province], [which is also called Achaia].

And when he had gone through those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece.

3 He stayed there for three months. Then he planned to return to Syria by ship, but [he heard that] some of the Jews [SYN] [in that area] were planning to kill him [as he traveled. So] he decided instead to go [by land, and he traveled] again through Macedonia.

And when he had spent three months [there], and a plot was laid against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

4 The men who were going to travel with him [to Jerusalem were] Sopater, [who was] a son of Pyrrhus, who grew up in Berea [town]; Aristarchus and Secundus, who were from Thessalonica [city; ] Gaius, [who was] from Derbe [town; ] Timothy, [who was from Galatia province; ] and Tychicus and Trophimus who were from Asia [province].

And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Beroea, [the son] of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

5 Those [seven] men went ahead of [Paul and me, Luke, by ship from Macedonia, so] they got to Troas [before we did and] waited for [the two of] us there.

But these had gone before, and were waiting for us at Troas.

6 [But we two(exc) traveled by land as far as] Philippi [city]. After the Jewish festival [when they eat] unleavened bread, we got on a ship [that was going from] the port near [Philippi to Troas city]. After five days we [(exc)] arrived at Troas and we met the other men who had traveled there [ahead of us]. Then we [all] stayed in Troas for seven days.

And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we tarried seven days.

7 (On Sunday evening/On the evening of the first day of the week), we [(exc) and the other believers there] gathered together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper [and to eat other food] [SYN]. Paul spoke to the believers. He continued teaching them until midnight, because he was planning to leave [Troas] the next day.

And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight.

8 Many [oil] lamps were burning in the upstairs room in which we [(exc)] had gathered, [so the fumes caused some people to become sleepy].

And there were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together.

9 A young man whose name was Eutychus was there. He was seated on [the sill of] an [open] window [on the third story of the house]. As Paul continued talking for a long time, Eutychus became sleepier and sleepier. Finally, he was sound/really asleep. He fell [out of the window] from the third story down [to the ground. Some of the believers went down] immediately and picked him up. [But he was] dead.

And there sat in the window a certain young man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed yet longer, being borne down by his sleep he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.

10 Paul [also] went down. He lay down and stretched out on top of the young man and put his arms around him. Then he said [to the people who were standing around], “Do not worry, he is alive [again now]!”

And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Make ye no ado; for his life is in him.

11 Then Paul, [along with the others], went upstairs again and they ate the Lord’s Supper and other food [SYN]. Afterwards, Paul conversed with the believers until dawn. Then he left.

And when he was gone up, and had broken the bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

12 The [other] people took the young man [home], and were greatly encouraged because he was alive [again].

And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted.

13 We then went to the ship. Paul did not get on the ship [with us in Troas], because he preferred to go [more quickly] overland to Assos [town]. The rest of us got on the ship and sailed for Assos.

But we, going before to the ship, set sail for Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, intending himself to go by land.

14 We [(exc)] met Paul in Assos. He got on [the ship] with us, and we sailed to Mitylene [town].

And when he met us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

15 The day after [we reached Mitylene], we [sailed from there and] arrived [at a place] near Kios [Island]. The day after that, we sailed to Samos [Island]. The next day we [left Samos and] sailed to Miletus [town].

And sailing from thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus.

16 [Miletus was just south of Ephesus city]. Paul had [earlier] decided that he would not get on a ship that would stop at Ephesus, because he did not want to spend [several] days in Asia [province]. If possible, he wanted to arrive in Jerusalem by the [time of the] Pentecost festival, [and the time of that festival was near].

For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

17 [When the ship arrived at] Miletus, Paul sent [a messenger] to Ephesus to ask the elders of the congregation to come to talk with him.

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.

18 When the elders arrived, Paul said to them, “You personally know how I [conducted myself among you the entire time] that I was with you, from the first day when I arrived [here] in Asia [province until the day I left].

And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time,

19 [You know how] I was serving the Lord [Jesus] very humbly and how I sometimes wept [about people. You also know how] I suffered because the Jews [SYN] [who were not believers often] tried [to harm me].

serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews;

20 You also know that, as I preached [God’s message] to you, I never left out anything that would help you. You know that I taught you [God’s message] when many people were present, and I [also went to your] homes and taught it there.

how I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house,

21 I preached both to Jews and to non-Jews, telling them [all] that they must turn away from their sinful behavior. [I also told them they should] believe in our Lord Jesus.”

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 “And now note this: I am going to Jerusalem, because [God’s] Spirit has clearly shown me that I must go there. I do not know what will happen to me [while I am there].

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23 But I do know that in each city [where I have stopped], the Holy Spirit has (told me/[caused the believers to] tell me) that [in Jerusalem] people will put me in prison [PRS] and will cause me to suffer [PRS].

save that the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

24 But I do not care even if people kill me, if first I am able to finish the work [MET] that the Lord Jesus has told me [to do. He appointed me] to tell people the good message that God [saves us] by doing for us what we do not deserve.

But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

25 I have preached to you the message about how God desires to rule [people’s lives]. But now I know that today is the last time that you fellow believers will see me [SYN].

And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more.

26 So I want you all to understand that if anyone [who has heard me preach] dies [without trusting in Jesus], it is not my fault [MTY],

Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

27 because I told you [LIT] everything [HYP] that God has planned for us [(inc)].

For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.

28 [You leaders] must continue to believe and obey [God’s message. You must also help] all the other believers [MET] for whom the Holy Spirit has caused you to be responsible [MTY]. Watch over [MET] yourselves and the other believers [as] a shepherd [watches over his sheep]. God bought them with the blood [that flowed from] his [Son’s body on the cross].

Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.

29 I know [very well] that after I leave, [people who teach] [MET] [false doctrines] will come among you and will do great harm to the believers. [They will be like] fierce wolves [that kill sheep].

I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock;

30 Even in your own group of believers there will be some who will deceive [other] believers by teaching them messages that are false. They will teach those messages so that some people [will believe them and] will become their followers.

and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

31 So watch out [that none of you stops believing the true message about our Lord Jesus]. Remember that day and night for [about] three years I repeatedly taught you that message, and warned you with tears [in my eyes not to believe any other message].”

Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.

32 “[Now as I leave you], I ask God to protect you and to keep you believing the message [that he saves us(inc)] by doing for us what we do not deserve. [If you continue believing] the message [that I told you], you will become [spiritually mature], and God will give you the blessings that he has promised to give to all of those who belong to him.

And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [you] up, and to give [you] the inheritance among all them that are sanctified.

33 [As for myself], I have not desired anyone’s money [MTY] or [fine] clothing.

I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.

34 You yourselves know that I have worked [with my hands] [MTY] to earn the money that my companions and I needed.

Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

35 In everything that I did, I showed you that we [(inc)] should work hard in order [to have enough money] to give some to those who are needy. We [(inc)] should remember that our Lord Jesus himself said, ‘You are happy when people give you what you need, but God will be happy with you when you give other people what they need.’”

In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of the elders and prayed.

And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all.

37 They all cried a lot, and they hugged Paul and kissed him.

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,

38 They were especially sad because he had said that they would never see him [SYN] again. Then they [all] went with him to the ship.

sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.