Hechos 20

1 Pablo viaja a Macedonia y a Grecia
Cuando se acabó el alboroto, Pablo mandó llamar a los creyentes
y los alentó. Después se despidió y viajó a Macedonia.

2 Mientras estuvo allí, animó a los creyentes en cada pueblo que atravesó. Luego descendió a Grecia,

3 donde se quedó tres meses. Se preparaba para regresar en barco a Siria cuando descubrió que unos judíos tramaban una conspiración contra su vida; entonces decidió regresar por Macedonia.

4 Varios hombres viajaban con él. Sus nombres eran Sópater, hijo de Pirro, de Berea; Aristarco y Segundo, de Tesalónica; Gayo, de Derbe; Timoteo; también Tíquico y Trófimo, de la provincia de Asia.

5 Ellos se adelantaron y nos esperaron en Troas.

6 Finalizada la Pascua,
subimos a un barco en Filipos de Macedonia y, cinco días después, nos reencontramos con ellos en Troas, donde nos quedamos una semana.

7 Última visita de Pablo a Troas
El primer día de la semana, nos reunimos con los creyentes locales para participar de la Cena del Señor.
Pablo les estaba predicando y, como iba a viajar el día siguiente, siguió hablando hasta la medianoche.

8 El cuarto de la planta alta, donde nos reuníamos, estaba iluminado con muchas lámparas que titilaban.

9 Como Pablo hablaba y hablaba, a un joven llamado Eutico, que estaba sentado en el borde de la ventana, le dio mucho sueño. Finalmente se quedó profundamente dormido y se cayó desde el tercer piso y murió.

10 Pablo bajó, se inclinó sobre él y lo tomó en sus brazos. «No se preocupen —les dijo—, ¡está vivo!».

11 Entonces todos regresaron al cuarto de arriba, participaron de la Cena del Señor
y comieron juntos. Pablo siguió hablándoles hasta el amanecer y luego se fue.

12 Mientras tanto, llevaron al joven a su casa ileso y todos sintieron un gran alivio.

13 Pablo se reúne con los ancianos de Éfeso
Pablo viajó por tierra hasta Asón, donde había arreglado que nos encontráramos con él, y nosotros viajamos por barco.

14 Allí él se unió a nosotros, y juntos navegamos a Mitilene.

15 Al otro día, navegamos frente a la isla de Quío. Al día siguiente, cruzamos hasta la isla de Samos y,
un día después, llegamos a Mileto.

16 Pablo había decidido navegar sin detenerse en Éfeso porque no quería pasar más tiempo en la provincia de Asia. Se apresuraba a llegar a Jerusalén, de ser posible, para el Festival de Pentecostés.

17 Cuando llegamos a Mileto, Pablo envió un mensaje a los ancianos de la iglesia de Éfeso para pedirles que vinieran a su encuentro.

18 Cuando llegaron, Pablo declaró: «Ustedes saben que desde el día que pisé la provincia de Asia hasta ahora,

19 he hecho el trabajo del Señor con humildad y con muchas lágrimas. He soportado las pruebas que me vinieron como consecuencia de las conspiraciones de los judíos.

20 Nunca me eché para atrás a la hora de decirles lo que necesitaban oír, ya fuera en público o en sus casas.

21 He tenido un solo mensaje para los judíos y los griegos por igual: la necesidad de arrepentirse del pecado, de volver a Dios y de tener fe en nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

22 »Ahora estoy obligado por el Espíritu
a ir a Jerusalén. No sé lo que me espera allí,

23 solo que el Espíritu Santo me dice que en ciudad tras ciudad, me esperan cárcel y sufrimiento;

24 pero mi vida no vale nada para mí a menos que la use para terminar la tarea que me asignó el Señor Jesús, la tarea de contarles a otros la Buena Noticia acerca de la maravillosa gracia de Dios.

25 »Y ahora sé que ninguno de ustedes, a quienes les he predicado del reino, volverá a verme.

26 Declaro hoy que he sido fiel. Si alguien sufre la muerte eterna, no será mi culpa,

27 porque no me eché para atrás a la hora de declarar todo lo que Dios quiere que ustedes sepan.

28 »Entonces cuídense a sí mismos y cuiden al pueblo de Dios. Alimenten y pastoreen al rebaño de Dios —su iglesia, comprada con su propia sangre
— sobre quien el Espíritu Santo los ha designado ancianos.

29 Sé que, después de mi salida, vendrán en medio de ustedes falsos maestros como lobos rapaces y no perdonarán al rebaño.

30 Incluso algunos hombres de su propio grupo se levantarán y distorsionarán la verdad para poder juntar seguidores.

31 ¡Cuidado! Recuerden los tres años que pasé con ustedes —de día y de noche mi constante atención y cuidado— así como mis muchas lágrimas por cada uno de ustedes.

32 »Y ahora los encomiendo a Dios y al mensaje de su gracia, que tiene poder para edificarlos y darles una herencia junto con todos los que él ha consagrado para sí mismo.

33 »Yo nunca he codiciado la plata ni el oro ni la ropa de nadie.

34 Ustedes saben que mis dos manos han trabajado para satisfacer mis propias necesidades e incluso las necesidades de los que estuvieron conmigo.

35 Y he sido un ejemplo constante de cómo pueden ayudar con trabajo y esfuerzo a los que están en necesidad. Deben recordar las palabras del Señor Jesús:
».

36 Cuando Pablo terminó de hablar, se arrodilló y oró con ellos.

37 Todos lloraban mientras lo abrazaban y le daban besos de despedida.

38 Estaban tristes principalmente porque les había dicho que nunca más volverían a verlo. Luego lo acompañaron hasta el barco.

Hechos 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

Paul's journeys. (1-6) Eutychus restored to life. (7-12) Paul travels towards Jerusalem. (13-16) Paul's discourse to the elders of Ephesus. (17-27) Their farewell. (28-38)

Verses 1-6 Tumults or opposition may constrain a Christian to remove from his station or alter his purpose, but his work and his pleasure will be the same, wherever he goes. Paul thought it worth while to bestow five days in going to Troas, though it was but for seven days' stay there; but he knew, and so should we, how to redeem even journeying time, and to make it turn to some good account.

Verses 7-12 Though the disciples read, and meditated, and prayed, and sung apart, and thereby kept up communion with God, yet they came together to worship God, and so kept up their communion with one another. They came together on the first day of the week, the Lord's day. It is to be religiously observed by all disciples of Christ. In the breaking of the bread, not only the breaking of Christ's body for us, to be a sacrifice for our sins, is remembered, but the breaking of Christ's body to us, to be food and a feast for our souls, is signified. In the early times it was the custom to receive the Lord's supper every Lord's day, thus celebrating the memorial of Christ's death. In this assembly Paul preached. The preaching of the gospel ought to go with the sacraments. They were willing to hear, he saw they were so, and continued his speech till midnight. Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. We must do what we can to prevent being sleepy; not put ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear, so as to drive sleep far away. Infirmity requires tenderness; but contempt requires severity. It interrupted the apostle's preaching; but was made to confirm his preaching. Eutychus was brought to life again. And as they knew not when they should have Paul's company again, they made the best use of it they could, and reckoned a night's sleep well lost for that purpose. How seldom are hours of repose broken for the purposes of devotion! but how often for mere amusement or sinful revelry! So hard is it for spiritual life to thrive in the heart of man! so naturally do carnal practices flourish there!

Verses 13-16 Paul hastened to Jerusalem, but tried to do good by the way, when going from place to place, as every good man should do. In doing God's work, our own wills and those of our friends must often be crossed; we must not spend time with them when duty calls us another way.

Verses 17-27 The elders knew that Paul was no designing, self-seeking man. Those who would in any office serve the Lord acceptably, and profitably to others, must do it with humility. He was a plain preacher, one that spoke his message so as to be understood. He was a powerful preacher; he preached the gospel as a testimony to them if they received it; but as a testimony against them if they rejected it. He was a profitable preacher; one that aimed to inform their judgments, and reform their hearts and lives. He was a painful preacher, very industrious in his work. He was a faithful preacher; he did not keep back reproofs when necessary, nor keep back the preaching of the cross. He was a truly Christian, evangelical preacher; he did not preach notions or doubtful matters; nor affairs of state or the civil government; but he preached faith and repentance. A better summary of these things, without which there is no salvation, cannot be given: even repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, with their fruits and effects. Without these no sinner can escape, and with these none will come short of eternal life. Let them not think that Paul left Asia for fear of persecution; he was in full expectation of trouble, yet resolved to go on, well assured that it was by Divine direction. Thanks be to God that we know not the things which shall befall us during the year, the week, the day which has begun. It is enough for the child of God to know that his strength shall be equal to his day. He knows not, he would not know, what the day before him shall bring forth. The powerful influences of the Holy Spirit bind the true Christian to his duty. Even when he expects persecution and affliction, the love of Christ constrains him to proceed. None of these things moved Paul from his work; they did not deprive him of his comfort. It is the business of our life to provide for a joyful death. Believing that this was the last time they should see him, he appeals concerning his integrity. He had preached to them the whole counsel of God. As he had preached to them the gospel purely, so he had preached it to them entire; he faithfully did his work, whether men would bear or forbear.

Verses 28-38 If the Holy Ghost has made ministers overseers of the flock, that is, shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to their charge. It is the church He has purchased with his own blood. The blood was his as Man; yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put such dignity and worth into it, as to ransom believers from all evil, and purchase all good. Paul spake about their souls with affection and concern. They were full of care what would become of them. Paul directs them to look up to God with faith, and commends them to the word of God's grace, not only as the foundation of their hope and the fountain of their joy, but as the rule of their walking. The most advanced Christians are capable of growing, and will find the word of grace help their growth. As those cannot be welcome guests to the holy God who are unsanctified; so heaven would be no heaven to them; but to all who are born again, and on whom the image of God is renewed, it is sure, as almighty power and eternal truth make it so. He recommends himself to them as an example of not caring as to things of the present world; this they would find help forward their comfortable passage through it. It might seem a hard saying, therefore Paul adds to it a saying of their Master's, which he would have them always remember; "It is more blessed to give than to receive:" it seems they were words often used to his disciples. The opinion of the children of this world, is contrary to this; they are afraid of giving, unless in hope of getting. Clear gain, is with them the most blessed thing that can be; but Christ tell us what is more blessed, more excellent. It makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and receives from none; and to the Lord Jesus, who went about doing good. This mind was in Christ Jesus, may it be in us also. It is good for friends, when they part, to part with prayer. Those who exhort and pray for one another, may have many weeping seasons and painful separations, but they will meet before the throne of God, to part no more. It was a comfort to all, that the presence of Christ both went with him and stayed with them.