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The Message Bible MSG
1 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out 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 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in 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 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back 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 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
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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 men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.
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They went on ahead and waited for us in Troas.
6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed 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 we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking 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 upstairs room where we were meeting.
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We were meeting in a well-lighted upper room.
9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked 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 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”
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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 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.
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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 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
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the congregation another, leading the boy off alive, and full of life themselves.
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.
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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 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on 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 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.
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The next day we put in opposite Chios, Samos a day later, and then Miletus.
16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by 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 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
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From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the leaders of the congregation.
18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of 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 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.
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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 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly 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 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
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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, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, 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 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing 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 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
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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 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me 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 declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.
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I've done my best for you, given you my all,
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
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held back nothing of God's will for you.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought 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 I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare 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 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away 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 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day 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 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an 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 have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
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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 of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
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With these bare hands I took care of my own basic needs and those who worked with me.
35 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.’ ”
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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 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
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Then Paul went down on his knees, all of them kneeling with him, and prayed.
37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.
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And then a river of tears. Much clinging to Paul, not wanting to let him go.
38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then 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.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.