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Acts 20
The Voice
Acts 20
The Voice
The message of Jesus not only has the power to annihilate economic supremacy, but also turns the world upside down in the process. In the kingdom of God, a worker is always paid a wage worthy of his work: anyone who works has enough to eat, and no one is left out of the profitable bounty of God. No longer do businesses profit from dishonesty, manipulation, or selfishness.
20 As soon as the uproar ended, Paul gathered the disciples together, encouraged them once more, said farewell, and left on foot. He decided to pass through Macedonia, 2 encouraging believers wherever he found them, and came to Greece. 3 He spent three months there, and then he planned to set sail once again for Syria. But he learned that a group of Jewish opponents was plotting to kill him, so he decided to travel through Macedonia.
4-5 There was a large group of us traveling with him at this time, and we decided it was best, in light of the plot, to split up and then reunite in the city of Troas. This group included Paul, a Berean named Sopater (son of Pyrrhus), two Thessalonians named Aristarchus and Secundus, a Derbean named Gaius, two Asians named Tychicus and Trophimus, and Timothy. 6 Some of us waited until the Days of Unleavened Bread were over; then we went to Philippi where we boarded a ship for Troas. The other group left immediately on foot, passing through Macedonia. When my group landed in Troas five days later, Paul’s group had already arrived. We stayed in Troas another week.
7-8 The Sunday night before our Monday departure, we gathered to celebrate the breaking of bread.
Many wondrous events happen as Paul travels, ministering among the churches. One evening a most unusual event occurs.
Imagine you are celebrating with them:
We are in an upstairs room, with the gentle light and shadows cast by several lamps. Paul is carrying on an extended dialogue with the believers, taking advantage of every moment since we plan to leave at first light. The conversation stretches on until midnight. 9 A young fellow named Eutychus, seeking some fresh air, moves to an open window. Paul keeps on talking. Eutychus perches in the open window itself. Paul keeps talking. Eutychus drifts off to sleep. Paul continues talking until Eutychus, now overcome by deep sleep, drops out of the window and falls three stories to the ground, where he is found dead. 10 Paul joins us downstairs, bends over, and takes Eutychus in his arms.
Paul: It’s OK. He’s alive again.
11 Then Paul goes back upstairs, celebrates the breaking of bread, and—just as you might guess—keeps on conversing until first light. Then he leaves. 12 (I should add that Eutychus had been taken home long before, his friends more than a little relieved that the boy was alive!)
This may be one of the strangest stories ever told. Paul was talking about faith while one young man dozed off and fell out the window. Many a pastor has secretly prayed that slumbering congregants would fall out of their chairs. It might have been funny had he not died; instead, it was a scene of great horror. That is, until God used Paul to turn horror into celebration with a death-defying miracle. But the people were so enamored with Paul’s teaching about Jesus that they returned to their conversations, which continued until sunrise.
13 Again Paul wanted us to split up. He wanted to go by land by himself while we went by ship to Assos. 14 There he came on board with us, and we sailed on to Mitylene. 15 From there we sailed near Chios, passing by it the next day, docking briefly at Samos the day after that, then arriving at Miletus the following day. 16 This route kept us safely out of Ephesus and didn’t require Paul to spend any time at all in Asia, since he wanted to arrive in Jerusalem quickly—before Pentecost, he hoped.
17 In Miletus he sent word to the church in Ephesus, asking the elders to come down to meet with him. 18 When they arrived, he talked with them.
Paul: We will have many memories of our time together in Ephesus; but of all the memories, most of all I want you to remember my way of life. From the first day I arrived in Asia, 19 I served the Lord with humility and tears, patiently enduring the many trials that came my way through the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 I did everything I could to help you; I held nothing back. I taught you publicly, and I taught you in your homes. 21 I told everyone the same message—Jews and Greeks alike—that we must turn toward God and have faith in our Lord Jesus the Anointed. 22 Now I feel that the Holy Spirit has taken me captive. I am being led to Jerusalem. My future is uncertain, 23 but I know—the Holy Spirit has told me—that everywhere I go from now on, I will find imprisonment and persecution waiting for me. 24 But that’s OK. That’s no tragedy for me because I don’t cling to my life for my own sake. The only value I place on my life is that I may finish my race, that I may fulfill the ministry that Jesus our King has given me, that I may gladly tell the good news of God’s grace. 25 I now realize that this is our last good-bye. You have been like family in all my travels to proclaim the kingdom of God, but after today none of you will see my face again. 26 So I want to make this clear: I am not responsible for your destiny from this point on 27 because I have not held back from telling you the purpose of God in all its dimensions.
28 Here are my instructions: diligently guard yourselves, and diligently guard the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has given you oversight. Shepherd the church of God, this precious church which He made His own through the blood of His own Son. 29 I know that after I’ve gone, dangerous wolves will sneak in among you, savaging the flock. 30 Some of you here today will begin twisting the truth, enticing disciples to go your way, to follow you. 31 You must be on guard, and you must remember my way of life among you. For three years, I have kept on, persistently warning everyone, day and night, with tears.
32 So now I put you in God’s hands. I entrust you to the message of God’s grace, a message that has the power to build you up and to give you rich heritage among all who are set apart for God’s holy purposes. 33 Remember my example: I never once coveted a single coin of silver or gold. I never looked twice at someone’s fine clothing. 34 No, you know this: I worked with my own two hands making tents, and I paid my own expenses and my companions’ expenses as well. 35 This is my last gift to you, this example of a way of life: a life of hard work, a life of helping the weak, a life that echoes every day those words of Jesus our King, who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
36 Once again, imagine this scene:
As Paul finishes speaking, he kneels down; and we all join him, kneeling. He prays, and we all join him, praying. 37 There’s the sound of weeping, and then more weeping, and then more still. One by one, we embrace Paul and kiss him, 38 our sadness multiplied because of his words about this being our last good-bye. We walk with him to the ship, and he sets sail.
Acts 20
New International Version
Acts 20
New International Version
Through Macedonia and Greece
20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.(B) 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him(C) just as he was about to sail for Syria,(D) he decided to go back through Macedonia.(E) 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus(F) and Secundus from Thessalonica,(G) Gaius(H) from Derbe, Timothy(I) also, and Tychicus(J) and Trophimus(K) from the province of Asia.(L) 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us(M) at Troas.(N) 6 But we sailed from Philippi(O) after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,(P) where we stayed seven days.
Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas
7 On the first day of the week(Q) we came together to break bread.(R) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room(S) where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man(T) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”(U) 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread(V) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.(W) 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus(X) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,(Y) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,(Z) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.(AA)
17 From Miletus,(AB) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders(AC) of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,(AD) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.(AE) 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears(AF) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.(AG) 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything(AH) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews(AI) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance(AJ) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.(AK)
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,(AL) not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me(AM) that prison and hardships are facing me.(AN) 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;(AO) my only aim is to finish the race(AP) and complete the task(AQ) the Lord Jesus has given me(AR)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.(AS)
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom(AT) will ever see me again.(AU) 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.(AV) 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.(AW) 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(AX) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(AY) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](AZ) which he bought(BA) with his own blood.[b](BB) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(BC) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(BD) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(BE) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(BF) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(BG)
32 “Now I commit you to God(BH) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(BI) among all those who are sanctified.(BJ) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(BK) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(BL) 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.(BM) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(BN) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(BO) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(BP)
Footnotes
- Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
- Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son
The Voice (VOICE)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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