Paul in Macedonia and Greece

Acts 20

After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them, then said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those parts and spoken many words of encouragement, he came to Greece, where he stayed three months.

Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. But they had gone ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. We sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Five days later, we joined the others in Troas where we stayed seven days.

Eutychus Falls and Rises Again

On the first day of the week we gathered together to break bread. Paul began speaking to them, and because he was about to depart on the next day, he continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered together, but a young man named Eutychus who was sitting in the window, began sinking into a deep sleep. As Paul continued to speak, he was so weighed down by sleep that he fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. Paul went downstairs, fell upon him and embraced him, saying, “Don’t worry, y’all! His life is still in him.”

Then he went back upstairs and broke bread and ate. Paul talked a long while until dawn, and then departed. They brought the boy in alive and were greatly comforted.

Troas to Miletus with Luke

We went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, where we intended to pick up Paul, because he had arranged it, intending himself to go there by land. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The following day, we sailed from there and arrived at Chios. The next day we crossed over to Samos, and the day after we arrived in Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Farewell to Ephesus

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. When they had come to him, he said to them, “Y’all know how I lived with y’all the whole time I was there, from the first day I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials which happened to me through the plots of the Jews. Y’all know that I didn’t hold back from preaching anything that was profitable to y’all, but have taught y’all publicly and from house to house, testifying to both Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

And now, bound by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions wait for me in every city. But I don’t consider my life worth even a single mention. Instead I aim to finish my race and the deacon-work which I received from the Lord Jesus—to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

“Now, I know that none of y’all, among whom I went about preaching the Empire of God, will ever see my face again. Therefore, I declare to y’all on this day that I am innocent of the blood of all y’all, because I never held back from declaring the whole counsel of God to y’all. Y’all are to keep watch over yourselves and all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made y’all overseers, to shepherd the church of God which ʜᴇ purchased with the blood of ʜɪꜱ own. For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will come in among y’all, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up from among y’all’s own and teach distorted things to lure the disciples into following them. So y’all must be on guard! Remember that for a period of three years I never stopped warning each of y’all night and day with tears.

Now I am entrusting y’all to God and to the word of ʜɪꜱ grace, which is able to build y’all up and to give y’all an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I haven’t coveted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing. Y’all know that these hands served my needs and the needs of those who were with me. In everything I’ve shown y’all that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this, and to remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

After he said these things, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all shed many tears, embracing Paul around the neck and kissing him. What grieved them most was his words about never seeing his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.