Acts 20:15-38

¹⁵Sailing 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.

¹⁶For 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 Shavu`ot.

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

¹⁸When 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,

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

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

²¹testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Yeshua.

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

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

²⁴But 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 Yeshua, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

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

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

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

²⁸Take 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.

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

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

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

³²Now, 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 amongst all those who are sanctified.

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

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

³⁵In all things I gave you an example, that so labouring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Yeshua, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

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

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

³⁸sorrowing 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.