Acts 20 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 57-58
Location
Macedonia, Greece, Troas, and Miletus (western Asia Minor) - various stops on Paul's third missionary journey
Audience
Luke wrote Acts for Theophilus and early Christians; this chapter features Paul addressing the Ephesian elders
Situation
Paul is completing his third missionary journey, traveling from Greece back toward Jerusalem with a collection for the church there. He knows danger awaits him in Jerusalem but is determined to arrive by Pentecost.
Key Background
Paul had spent approximately three years ministering in Ephesus (AD 54-57), establishing a strong church there. He was traveling with representatives from various churches, carrying financial gifts from Gentile congregations to demonstrate unity with the Jerusalem church. Jewish opposition to Paul had intensified, including plots against his life, forcing him to alter his travel plans and remain vigilant throughout his journey.
After the uproar died down, Paul called the together, encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia.
He traveled through that region, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and then came to
He stayed there three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, some Jewish opponents against him, so he decided to go back through Macedonia instead.
He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the of
These men went on ahead and waited for us in
After the of we sailed from Philippi and joined them in Troas five days later, where we stayed for seven days.
On the of the when we gathered to a Paul spoke to the people. Since he planned to leave the next he kept talking until midnight.
There were plenty of lamps in the where we had gathered.
A young man named was sitting in the window and sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up
Paul went down, on the young man and wrapped his arms around him. "Don't panic," he said.
Then Paul went back upstairs, the and ate. He talked with them for a long time after that, right up until dawn, and then left.
The people took the young man home alive and were
We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for where we planned to pick up Paul. He had arranged it this way because he wanted to go there on foot.
When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to
Sailing from there, we arrived off Chios the next day. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day we reached
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia. He was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem by the day of the if at all possible.
From Miletus, Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the of the to come meet him.
When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived among you the entire time I was here, from the very first day I set foot in the province of Asia.
I the Lord with complete with tears, and through the trials that came from the plots of Jewish opponents.
You know I never held back from telling you anything that would help you. I taught you publicly and from house to house.
I consistently urged both Jewish and non-Jewish people to toward God and put their in our Lord Jesus.
"And now, compelled by the I'm heading to Jerusalem not knowing what will happen to me there.
I only know that in every city, the of warns me that prison and suffering are waiting for me.
But none of that matters to me. I don't consider my own life worth anything to me — my only goal is to the and complete the mission the Lord Jesus gave me: telling people about God's
"Now I know that none of you among whom I've gone around announcing the will ever see my face again.
So I want to make clear to you today: I am not for
Because I never held back from telling you
"Watch out for yourselves and for the whole that the Breath of God has placed in your care. Be of God's — the one he with the of his own Son.
I know that after I leave, will come in among you and won't spare the flock.
Even from among your own number, people will rise up and the to drag the followers away after them.
So Remember that for I never stopped warning each of you, night and day, with tears.
"And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his — a message that has the power to build you up and give you an among all those he has
I never wanted anyone's silver, gold, or clothing.
You yourselves know that these of for my own needs and for the needs of my companions.
In everything I did, I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the Remember the words of the Lord Jesus himself: more of the in than in
When he had finished speaking, Paul down with all of them and prayed.
They all cried intensely, threw their arms around Paul, and and
What them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they to the