16
For Paul had decided to sailpast1Ephesusso that he would not have to spendtime in 2Asia; for he was hurrying3to be in Jerusalem, ifpossible, 4on the day of Pentecost.
Farewell to Ephesus
17 From Miletus he sent to 5Ephesus and called to him 6the elders of the church.
18
And when they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselvesknow, 7 from the firstday that I setfoot in Asia, how I was with you the wholetime,
19
serving the Lord with allhumility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through8the plots of the Jews;
20
how I 9did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house,
21
solemnly10testifying to bothJews and Greeks of 11repentancetowardGod and 12faith in our LordJesusChrist.
22
"And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, 13I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there*,
23
except that 14the HolySpiritsolemnly15testifies to me in everycity, saying that 16bonds and afflictionsawait me.
24
"But 17I do not consider my life of anyaccount as dear to myself, so that I may 18finish my course and 19the ministrywhich I received from the LordJesus, to 20testifysolemnly of the gospel of 21the grace of God.
25
"And now, behold, I know that all of you, amongwhom I wentabout22preaching the kingdom, will nolongersee my face.
26
"Therefore, I testify to you thisday that 23I aminnocent of the blood of allmen.