Study Desk

From Miletus,^(ab) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders^(ac) of the church.

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)

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)

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.

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)

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,^(al) not knowing what will happen to me there.

I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me^(am) that prison and hardships are facing me.^(an)

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)

"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom^(at) will ever see me again.^(au)

Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^(av)

For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^(aw)

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)

I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(bc) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^(bd)

Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(be) after them.

So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(bf) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(bg)

"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)

I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.^(bk)

You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.^(bl)

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.' "

When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.^(bm)

They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.^(bn)

What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.^(bo) Then they accompanied him to the ship.^(bp)