English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.
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With things back to normal, Paul called the disciples together and encouraged them to keep up the good work in Ephesus. Then, saying his good-byes, he left for Macedonia.
2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.
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Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope.
3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
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and stayed on for three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, the Jews cooked up a plot against him. So he went the other way, by land back through Macedonia, and gave them the slip.
4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
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His companions for the journey were Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, both Thessalonians; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and the two from western Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,
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They went on ahead and waited for us in Troas.
6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
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Meanwhile, we stayed in Philippi for Passover Week, and then set sail. Within five days we were again in Troas and stayed a week.
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
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We met on Sunday to worship and celebrate the Master's Supper. Paul addressed the congregation. Our plan was to leave first thing in the morning, but Paul talked on, way past midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.
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We were meeting in a well-lighted upper room.
9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.
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A young man named Eutychus was sitting in an open window. As Paul went on and on, Eutychus fell sound asleep and toppled out the third-story window. When they picked him up, he was dead.
10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him."
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Paul went down, stretched himself on him, and hugged him hard. "No more crying," he said. "There's life in him yet."
11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.
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Then Paul got up and served the Master's Supper. And went on telling stories of the faith until dawn! On that note, they left - Paul going one way,
12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.
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the congregation another, leading the boy off alive, and full of life themselves.
13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land.
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In the meantime, the rest of us had gone on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we planned to pick up Paul. Paul wanted to walk there, and so had made these arrangements earlier.
14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.
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Things went according to plan: We met him in Assos, took him on board, and sailed to Mitylene.
15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus.
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The next day we put in opposite Chios, Samos a day later, and then Miletus.
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
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Paul had decided to bypass Ephesus so that he wouldn't be held up in Asia province. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost, if at all possible.
17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.
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From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the leaders of the congregation.
18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
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When they arrived, he said, "You know that from day one of my arrival in Asia I was with you totally -
19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;
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laying my life on the line, serving the Master no matter what, putting up with no end of scheming by Jews who wanted to do me in.
20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,
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I didn't skimp or trim in any way. Every truth and encouragement that could have made a difference to you, you got. I taught you out in public and I taught you in your homes,
21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
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urging Jews and Greeks alike to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in our Master Jesus.
22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,
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"But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I'm completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there.
23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
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I do know that it won't be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead.
24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
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But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.
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"And so this is good-bye. You're not going to see me again, nor I you, you whom I have gone among for so long proclaiming the news of God's inaugurated kingdom.
26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you,
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I've done my best for you, given you my all,
27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
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held back nothing of God's will for you.
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
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"Now it's up to you. Be on your toes - both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people - God's people they are - to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for.
29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
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"I know that as soon as I'm gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men
30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
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from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus.
31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.
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So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another.
32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
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"Now I'm turning you over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends.
33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
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"I've never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion.
34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
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With these bare hands I took care of my own basic needs and those who worked with me.
35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
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In everything I've done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You'll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, 'You're far happier giving than getting.'"
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
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Then Paul went down on his knees, all of them kneeling with him, and prayed.
37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,
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And then a river of tears. Much clinging to Paul, not wanting to let him go.
38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
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They knew they would never see him again - he had told them quite plainly. The pain cut deep. Then, bravely, they walked him down to the ship.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.