Acts 20

1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.

Once the uproar had died down, Paul called the believers together and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye, and left for Macedonia.

2 When he had gone through those parts and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece.

He passed through the area, sharing many words of encouragement with the believers there, and then traveled on to Greece.

3 When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

After he had spent three months there and just as he was about to sail to Syria, it was discovered that the Jews were plotting against him. So he decided to return through Macedonia.

4 These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

These were the people who traveled with him: Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

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

They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.

6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.

After the Feast of Unleavened Bread we sailed from Philippi, and met them five days later in Troas, where we spent a week.

7 On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight.

Paul was speaking on the first day of the week as we gathered together to break bread. He was planning to leave in the morning, and went on speaking until midnight.

8 There were many lights in the upper room where we were gathered together.

(The upstairs room where we were meeting was lit by many lamps.)

9 A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third floor and was taken up dead.

A young man called Eutychus was sitting in the window, and he began feeling very sleepy. As Paul went on speaking he fell sound asleep and tumbled down from the third story. When they picked him up they found he was dead.

10 Paul went down and fell upon him, and embracing him said, “Don’t be troubled, for his life is in him.”

Paul went down, stretched himself out upon him, and hugged him. “Don't worry, he's alive,” he said.

11 When he had gone up, had broken bread and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed.

Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate together with them. He went on talking with them until dawn came, and then he left.

12 They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.

They took the young man home alive and well, and were very thankful for this.

13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land.

We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos. There we were due to pick up Paul, since that was what he had planned as he decided to travel on foot.

14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and came to Mitylene.

He did indeed meet us at Assos. We picked him up, and went on to Mitylene.

15 Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus.

Sailing on from there we arrived off Kios, and the next day we stopped briefly at Samos, and the following day we arrived at Miletus.

16 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 in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

Paul had planned to sail on past Ephesus so he wouldn't have to spend time in the province of Asia. He was keen to get to Jerusalem in time for the Day of Pentecost.

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the assembly.

From Miletus Paul sent a message to the elders of the church in Ephesus.

18 When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time,

When they arrived, he told them, “You know how I always behaved while I was with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.

19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

I served the Lord in humility and in tears. I put up with the troubles and stress caused by the plots of the Jews.

20 how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

However, I never held back from sharing with you anything that would be to your benefit, and I taught you in public, going from house to house.

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

I witnessed both to Jews and Greeks that it was essential to repent and turn to God, and to trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;

Now the Spirit is insisting that I go to Jerusalem, and I have no idea what will happen to me there.

23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.

All I know is that in every city I visit the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and suffering are waiting for me.

24 But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

But I don't consider my life as worth anything to me. I only want to finish my mission and the ministry that the Lord Jesus gave to me, to witness to the good news of the grace of God.

25 “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more.

Now I am certain that you will not see my face again, you among whom I shared the news of the kingdom.

26 Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men,

So I declare to you today that I am not responsible if anyone is lost.

27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

I didn't hesitate to tell you everything God wants you to know.

28 Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

Take care of yourselves and of all the flock, which the Holy Spirit has given to you to supervise. Feed the Lord's church which he bought with his own blood.

29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

I know that after I leave vicious wolves will come among you, and won't spare the flock.

30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

From among your own group men will rise up perverting what is right and good so they can lead believers to follow them.

31 Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

So watch out! Don't forget that for three years I went on instructing all of you night and day, often crying over you.

32 Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Now I commit you in God's care and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and provide you with the inheritance that belongs to all who are kept right with him.

33 I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.

I never had any desire for anyone's silver or gold or clothing.

34 You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.

You know that I worked with my own hands to provide for my own needs, as well as for those who were with me.

35 In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you 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.’”

I have given you an example in everything: work to help those who are weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

When he finished speaking, he kneeled down and prayed with all of them.

37 They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,

They all wept as they hugged and kissed him.

38 sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

What upset them the most was what he said about never seeing him again... Then they walked down to the ship with him.