Parallel Bible results for "acts 20"

Acts 20

The Message Bible MSG

1 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 Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope.

3 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 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 They went on ahead and waited for us in Troas.

6 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 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 We were meeting in a well-lighted upper room.

9 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 Paul went down, stretched himself on him, and hugged him hard. "No more crying," he said. "There's life in him yet."

11 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 the congregation another, leading the boy off alive, and full of life themselves.

13 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 Things went according to plan: We met him in Assos, took him on board, and sailed to Mitylene.

15 The next day we put in opposite Chios, Samos a day later, and then Miletus.

16 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 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the leaders of the congregation.

18 When they arrived, he said, "You know that from day one of my arrival in Asia I was with you totally -

19 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 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 urging Jews and Greeks alike to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in our Master Jesus.

22 "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 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 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 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 I've done my best for you, given you my all,

27 held back nothing of God's will for you.

28 "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 as soon as I'm gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men

30 from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus.

31 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 "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've never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion.

34 With these bare hands I took care of my own basic needs and those who worked with me.

35 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 Then Paul went down on his knees, all of them kneeling with him, and prayed.

37 And then a river of tears. Much clinging to Paul, not wanting to let him go.

38 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.

New Living Translation NLT

1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia.

2 While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece,

3 where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.

4 Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

5 They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.

6 After the Passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.

7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight.

8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps.

9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below.

10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!”

11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left.

12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.

13 Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship.

14 He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene.

15 The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and a day later we arrived at Miletus.

16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost.

17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.

18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now

19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.

20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.

21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me,

23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.

24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.

26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,

27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood —over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.

30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.

33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes.

34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me.

35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them.

37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye.

38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.