1 A fter the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and warned and consoled and urged and encouraged them; then he embraced them and told them farewell and set forth on his journey to Macedonia.

When the noise had come to an end, Paul called the followers to him. He spoke words of comfort and then said good-bye. He left to go to the country of Macedonia.

2 T hen after he had gone through those districts and had warned and consoled and urged and encouraged the brethren with much discourse, he came to Greece.

As he went through those parts of the country, he spoke words of comfort and help to the Christians. Then he went on to the country of Greece.

3 H aving spent three months there, when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he resolved to go back through Macedonia.

He stayed there three months. As he was about to get on a ship for the country of Syria, he learned that the Jews had made a plan to take him. He changed his plans and went back through Macedonia.

4 H e was accompanied by Sopater the son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, and by the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, and the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus.

Some men were going along with him. They were Sopater of the city of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the city of Thessalonica, Gaius of the city of Derbe, and Timothy and Tychicus and Trophimus of the countries of Asia.

5 T hese went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,

They went on to the city of Troas and waited there for us.

6 B ut we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we joined them at Troas, where we remained for seven days.

After the supper of bread without yeast we got on a ship in the city of Philippi. We met these men at Troas. It took five days to get there and we stayed one week. Eutychus Falls from a Building While Paul Preaches

7 A nd on the first day of the week, when we were assembled together to break bread '> the Lord’s Supper], Paul discoursed with them, intending to leave the next morning; and he kept on with his message until midnight.

On the first day of the week we met together to eat the Lord’s supper. Paul talked to them. He thought he would leave the next day, so he kept on talking until twelve o’clock at night.

8 N ow there were numerous lights in the upper room where we were assembled,

There were many lights in the room on the third floor where we had our meeting.

9 A nd there was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window. He was borne down with deep sleep as Paul kept on talking still longer, and completely overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

A young man named Eutychus sat in the window. As Paul kept on preaching, this man started to go to sleep. At last he went to sleep. He fell from the third floor to the ground and was picked up dead.

10 B ut Paul went down and bent over him and embraced him, saying, Make no ado; his life is within him.

Paul went down and stood over him. Then he took him in his arms and said, “Do not be worried. He is alive!”

11 W hen Paul had gone back upstairs and had broken bread and eaten, and after he had talked confidentially and communed with them for a considerable time—until daybreak —he departed.

Paul went up again to the meeting and ate with them. He talked with them until the sun came up. Then he left.

12 T hey took the youth home alive, and were not a little comforted and cheered and refreshed and encouraged.

They were happy they could take the young man home alive.

13 B ut going on ahead to the ship, the rest of us set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for that was what he had directed, intending himself to go by land.

We went on ahead by ship to the city of Assos. There we were to pick up Paul. He had planned it that way. He wanted to walk by land that far.

14 S o when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and sailed on to Mitylene.

We got to Assos and met him there. We picked him up and went on to the city of Mitylene.

15 A nd sailing from there, we arrived the day after at a point opposite Chios; the following day we struck across to Samos, and the next day we arrived at Miletus.

The next day we went by ship to a place beside the island of Chios. The next day we crossed over to the island of Samos. Then the next day we came to the city of Miletus.

16 F or Paul had determined to sail on past Ephesus, lest he might have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening on so that he might reach Jerusalem, if at all possible, by the day of Pentecost.

Paul planned to pass by the city of Ephesus so he would not lose more time in Asia. He wanted to be in Jerusalem if he could be on the day to remember how the Holy Spirit came on the church. Paul Meets with the Leaders of the Church of Ephesus

17 H owever, from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.

From Miletus he sent word to Ephesus. He asked the leaders of the church to come to him.

18 A nd when they arrived he said to them: You yourselves are well acquainted with my manner of living among you from the first day that I set foot in Asia, and how I continued afterward,

When they got there, he said to them, “From the first day that I came to Asia you have seen what my life has been like.

19 S erving the Lord with all humility in tears and in the midst of adversity (affliction and trials) which befell me, due to the plots of the Jews;

I worked for the Lord without pride. Because of the trouble the Jews gave me, I have had many tears.

20 H ow I did not shrink from telling you anything that was for your benefit and teaching you in public meetings and from house to house,

I always told you everything that would be a help to you. I taught you in open meetings and from house to house.

21 B ut constantly and earnestly I bore testimony both to Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance '> that is due] to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ '> that is due Him].

I preached to the Jews and to the Greeks. I told them to turn from their sin to God and to put their trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 A nd now, you see, I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the Spirit and obligated and compelled by the spirit, not knowing what will befall me there—

“As you see, I am on my way to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit makes me go. I do not know what will happen to me there.

23 E xcept that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.

But in every city I have been, the Holy Spirit tells me that trouble and chains will be waiting for me there.

24 B ut none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God’s grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy).

But I am not worried about this. I do not think of my life as worth much, but I do want to finish the work the Lord Jesus gave me to do. My work is to preach the Good News of God’s loving-favor.

25 A nd now, observe, I perceive that all of you, among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more.

“All of you have heard me preach the Good News. I am sure that none of you will ever see my face again.

26 T herefore I testify and protest to you on this day that I am clean and innocent and not responsible for the blood of any of you.

I tell you this day that I am clean and free from the blood of all men.

27 F or I never shrank or kept back or fell short from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan and counsel of God.

I told you all the truth about God.

28 T ake care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of the Lord or of God which He obtained for Himself with His own blood.

Keep a careful watch over yourselves and over the church. The Holy Spirit has made you its leaders. Feed and care for the church of God. He bought it with His own blood.

29 I know that after I am gone, ferocious wolves will get in among you, not sparing the flock;

“Yes, I know that when I am gone, hungry wolves will come in among you. They will try to destroy the church.

30 E ven from among your own selves men will come to the front who, by saying perverse (distorted and corrupt) things, will endeavor to draw away the disciples after them.

Also men from your own group will begin to teach things that are not true. They will get men to follow them.

31 T herefore be always alert and on your guard, being mindful that for three years I never stopped night or day seriously to admonish and advise and exhort you one by one with tears.

I say again, keep watching! Remember that for three years I taught everyone of you night and day, even with tears.

32 A nd now, I commit you to God. And I commend you to the Word of His grace. It is able to build you up and to give you inheritance among all God’s set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified, and transformed of soul).

“And now, my brothers, I give you over to God and to the word of His love. It is able to make you strong and to give you what you are to have, along with all those who are set apart for God.

33 I coveted no man’s silver or gold or garments.

I have not tried to get anyone’s money or clothes.

34 Y ou yourselves know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs and those who were with me.

You all know that these hands worked for what I needed and for what those with me needed.

35 I n everything I have pointed out to you that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive.

In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we can help those who are weak. We must remember what the Lord Jesus said, ‘We are more happy when we give than when we receive.’ ”

36 H aving spoken thus, he knelt down with them all and prayed.

As he finished talking, he got down on his knees and prayed with them all.

37 A nd they all wept freely and threw their arms around Paul’s neck and kissed him fervently and repeatedly,

They cried and put their arms around Paul and kissed him.

38 B eing especially distressed and sorrowful because he had stated that they were about to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

What made them sad most of all was he said that they would never see his face again. Then they went with him to the ship.