Acts, 20

1. When the disturbance was over, Paul sent for the disciples and, after speaking words of encouragement to them, said good -- bye and set out for Macedonia.

1. After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and having exhorted them took leave of them and departed for Macedo'nia.

2. On his way through those areas he said many words of encouragement to them and then made his way into Greece,

2. When he had gone through these parts and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.

3. where he spent three months. He was leaving by ship for Syria when a plot organised against him by the Jews made him decide to go back by way of Macedonia.

3. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedo'nia.

4. He was accompanied by Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, who came from Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus who came from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus who were from Asia.

4. Sop'ater of Beroe'a, the son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalo'nians, Aristar'chus and Secun'dus; and Ga'ius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tych'icus and Troph'imus.

5. They all went on to Troas where they waited for us.

5. These went on and were waiting for us at Tro'as,

6. We ourselves left Philippi by ship after the days of Unleavened Bread and joined them five days later at Troas, where we stayed for a week.

6. but we sailed away from Philip'pi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Tro'as, where we stayed for seven days.

7. On the first day of the week we met for the breaking of bread. Paul was due to leave the next day, and he preached a sermon that went on till the middle of the night.

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

8. A number of lamps were lit in the upstairs room where we were assembled,

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

9. and as Paul went on and on, a young man called Eutychus who was sitting on the window-sill grew drowsy and was overcome by sleep and fell to the ground three floors below. He was picked up dead.

9. And a young man named Eu'tychus was sitting in the window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer; and being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.

10. Paul went down and stooped to clasp the boy to him, saying, 'There is no need to worry, there is still life in him.'

10. But Paul went down and bent over him, and embracing him said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him."

11. Then he went back upstairs where he broke the bread and ate and carried on talking till he left at daybreak.

11. And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

12. They took the boy away alive, and were greatly encouraged.

12. And they took the lad away alive, and were not a little comforted.

13. We were now to go on ahead by sea, so we set sail for Assos, where we were to take Paul on board; this was what he had arranged, for he wanted to go overland.

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

14. When he rejoined us at Assos we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.

14. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mityle'ne.

15. The next day we sailed from there and arrived opposite Chios. The second day we touched at Samos and, after stopping at Trogyllium, made Miletus the next day.

15. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chi'os; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we came to Mile'tus.

16. Paul had decided to pass wide of Ephesus so as to avoid spending time in Asia, since he was anxious to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.

16. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

17. From Miletus he sent for the elders of the church of Ephesus.

17. And from Mile'tus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.

18. When they arrived he addressed these words to them: 'You know what my way of life has been ever since the first day I set foot among you in Asia,

18. And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you all the time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,

19. how I have served the Lord in all humility, with all the sorrows and trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.

19. serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which befell me through the plots of the Jews;

20. I have not hesitated to do anything that would be helpful to you; I have preached to you and instructed you both in public and in your homes,

20. how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,

21. urging both Jews and Greeks to turn to God and to believe in our Lord Jesus.

21. testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance to God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22. 'And now you see me on my way to Jerusalem in captivity to the Spirit; I have no idea what will happen to me there,

22. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, bound in the Spirit, not knowing what shall befall me there;

23. except that the Holy Spirit, in town after town, has made it clear to me that imprisonment and persecution await me.

23. except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

24. But I do not place any value on my own life, provided that I complete the mission the Lord Jesus gave me -- to bear witness to the good news of God's grace.

24. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

25. 'I now feel sure that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will ever see my face again.

25. And now, behold, I know that all you among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom will see my face no more.

26. And so on this very day I swear that my conscience is clear as far as all of you are concerned,

26. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you,

27. for I have without faltering put before you the whole of God's purpose.

27. for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

28. 'Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the guardians, to feed the Church of God which he bought with the blood of his own Son.

28. Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

29. 'I know quite well that when I have gone fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock.

29. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

30. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them.

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

31. So be on your guard, remembering how night and day for three years I never slackened in counselling each one of you with tears.

31. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

32. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace that has power to build you up and to give you your inheritance among all the sanctified.

32. 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 those who are sanctified.

33. 'I have never asked anyone for money or clothes;

33. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.

34. you know for yourselves that these hands of mine earned enough to meet my needs and those of my companions.

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

35. By every means I have shown you that we must exert ourselves in this way to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving." '

35. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

36. When he had finished speaking he knelt down with them all and prayed.

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

37. By now they were all in tears; they put their arms round Paul's neck and kissed him;

37. And they all wept and embraced Paul and kissed him,

38. what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

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