1 When the disturbance was over, Paul had the disciples summoned and, after encouraging them, he bade them farewell and set out on his journey to Macedonia.
2 As he traveled throughout those regions, he provided many words of encouragement for them. Then he arrived in Greece,
3 where he stayed for three months. But when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return by way of Macedonia.
4 Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from Beroea, accompanied him, as did Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia
5 who went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.
6 We sailed from Philippi after the feast of Unleavened Bread, and rejoined them five days later in Troas, where we spent a week.
7 On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread, Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day, and he kept on speaking until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered,
9 and a young man named Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Once overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and when he was picked up, he was dead.
10 Paul went down, threw himself upon him, and said as he embraced him, "Don't be alarmed; there is life in him."
11 Then he returned upstairs, broke the bread, and ate; after a long conversation that lasted until daybreak, he departed.
12 And they took the boy away alive and were immeasurably comforted.
13 We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos where we were to take Paul on board, as he had arranged, since he was going overland.
14 When he met us in Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15 We sailed away from there on the next day and reached a point off Chios, and a day later we reached Samos, and on the following day we arrived at Miletus.
16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus in order not to lose time in the province of Asia, for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if at all possible, for the day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus he had the presbyters of the church at Ephesus summoned.
18 When they came to him, he addressed them, "You know how I lived among you the whole time from the day I first came to the province of Asia.
19 I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews,
20 and I did not at all shrink from telling you what was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public or in your homes.
21 I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeks to repentance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know,
23 except that in one city after another the holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me.
24 Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God's grace.
25 "But now I know that none of you to whom I preached the kingdom during my travels will ever see my face again.
26 And so I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you,
27 for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood.
29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.
30 And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them.
31 So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears.
32 And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated.
33 I have never wanted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.
34 You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions.
35 In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
36 When he had finished speaking he knelt down and prayed with them all.
37 They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him,
38 for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Versículos relacionados com Acts, 20:
Chapter 20 of Acts of the Apostles narrates Paul's farewell of the elders of the Church of Ephesus, as well as his journey to Jerusalem. Paul recalls his ministry among them and warns them of the future dangers that the Church would face. The verses related to the topics addressed in Acts 20 are:
Ephesians 4:11-12: "And he himself granted one to apostles, others to prophets, others for evangelists and others to pastors and masters, with a view to improving the saints for the performance of their service, for building the body of Christ " - These verses talk about the variety of gifts God grants to church members to build the body of Christ, something Paul discusses with the elders in his farewell.
2 Timothy 4:5: "But you, be sober in everything, support the sufferings, do the work of an evangelist and fully fulfill your ministry" - this verse brings Paul's exhortation to Timothy so that he will continue to do Work of an evangelist, a call that is also relevant to the Church of Ephesus.
1 Peter 5:1-2: "To the elders, who are among you, I, also elder like them, witness to the sufferings of Christ and participant in the glory that will be revealed, I ask the following: Take care of the flock of God who is under his Responsibility. You can do so as who is accountable, not willingly, but because God wants " - this verse talks about the responsibility of the church leaders to take care of God's flock, something Paul reinforces in his farewell to the elders of Ephesus.
Acts 20:29-30: "I know that after my departure, fierce wolves will penetrate in the midst of you and will not spare the flock. And among yourself will rise men who will twist the truth in order to attract the disciples to themselves." - This verse is Paul's warning to Ephesus's elders about the future dangers that the Church would face, including the entry of false leaders and the removal of some members of the truth.
Colossians 4:17: "Say Archipus: 'See well the ministry you received from the Lord and try to fulfill him with diligence'" - This verse is a call from Paul to Archipo, mentioned in Filemom as leader of the Church of Colossos, that he may fulfill with diligence the ministry he received from the Lord. This call is relevant to the Church of Ephesus and any leader who wants to fulfill his role in the church.
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