Acts  ◦   Chapter 20

1Once the protests died down, Paul met with the interns, gave them some departing words of encouragement, and left for Macedonia.2As he journeyed through the region, he spoke uplifting words to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,3where he stayed for three months. Just as he was about to leave for Syria, he discovered that the Jews hatched a plot against him, so instead, he decided to go back through Macedonia.4He didn't go alone. Those who went with him were Sopater son of Pyrrhus of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychus and Trophimus from Asia,5but they went ahead and waited for us in Troas.6We traveled by boat, sailing from Philippi after the Passover, and five days later met up with the others in Troas, where we stayed for a week.

7On Saturday night (the beginning of the first day of the week), we met together for a meal. Paul spoke to the people who gathered, and because he wanted to leave on Sunday morning, he stayed up talking to them until midnight.8As there were many lamps in the upstairs room, the air was warm and smoky.9A young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window ledge, and because of the late hour, he became sleepy as Paul talked on and on. He fell asleep and then fell out of the third-story window, and died when he hit the ground.10Paul went down, lay on him, gave him a big hug, and said, "Don't worry. He lives!"11Then he went back upstairs and had some more food. After talking until dawn, he left.12The people took Eutychus home alive, and were themselves invigorated.

13The rest of us went on ahead and took a ship to Assos, where Paul was to join us. He had arranged for this as he planned to walk there.14He came aboard in Assos, and we sailed to Mitylene.15The next day we sailed to Chios. The day after that, we went across to Samos, and the following day to Miletus.16Paul decided to sail past Ephesus in order to avoid Asia, hoping to make it to Jerusalem by Pentecost.

17While in Miletus, Paul sent word to Ephesus for the leaders of the Lord's spiritual health-care team to come to him.18When they arrived, he said to them: "You know me, and you know how I lived the entire time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in Asia.19I promoted the Remedy of Jesus with a humble heart — and was grief stricken for those who refused it — despite being tempted otherwise by the constant plotting of the Jews.20You know very well that I have not held back any resource that would be beneficial for your healing, but have taken the Remedy door to door.21I have made it clear that whether a Jew or non-Jew, all humans must have a change of heart toward God and come to trust our Lord Jesus.

22"Now, I can't shake the deep conviction in my inmost being that I have to go to Jerusalem, but I have no idea what will happen to me there.23I do know that the Holy Spirit has warned me that I will face imprisonment, abuse and hardship in every city to which I go.24But trying to save myself is not my motive. No! What is important to me is finishing the race, and completing the mission the Lord Jesus has committed to me–the job of sharing God's gracious Remedy.

25"So, this is it! As far as I know, none of you with whom I have shared the Remedy of God's kingdom of love will ever see me again.26So let me be clear: If any of you are lost, it is not because I have failed to share God's Remedy.27I have taught you God's entire healing plan,28so keep your minds sharp and lead the flock in advancing truth, as the Holy Spirit has put you in position to do. Be faithful guides to God’s people, those restored to unity with God by the sacrifice of his Son.29I know that as soon as I am gone, savage wolves are going to attack; they will infect your minds with lies about God and cause the flock to be torn apart.30Even some of your own members will rise up and present distortions about God, splitting and dividing the flock into more and more fragmented groups.31So guard your minds! Remember your three years of training with me, the warnings I taught you day after day, and how I poured my heart out to you.

32"Now I entrust you to God, whose gracious truth is transformational and able to rebuild your character to be like Christ's, and give you the promised inheritance of eternal life, joining all those who are fully healed.33I never sought any compensation from anyone, whether money or fine clothing.34As you well know, I have worked to support myself and provide for my co-workers.35In all my actions, I demonstrated to you how to live in harmony with God's design for life–the law of love. By hard work, we support the weak, remembering the truth the Lord Jesus taught: 'It is a greater blessing to give than to receive.' "

36After saying this, they all knelt down and he spoke with God.37They wept as they hugged him goodbye,38terribly saddened by his statement that they would never see him again. Then they walked him to his ship.