Acts
Chapter 19: v1, 8-10, 21-22
Acts
Chapter 20: 1-3, 17-24, 32-38
Chapter 19
v 1
Paul in Ephesus
1While
Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.
There he found some disciples
v 8-10
8
Paul entered
the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the
kingdom of God. 9But some of them became
obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He
took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for two years, so that all the Jews
and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
v 21-22
21After all
this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia.
"After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also." 22He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to
Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.
Chapter 20
v 1-3
Through Macedonia and Greece
1When the
uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by
and set out for Macedonia. 2He traveled through
that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in
Greece, 3where he stayed three months. Because
the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go
back through Macedonia.
v 17-24
17From
Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When 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. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with
tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20You 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. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they
must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22"And
now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me
there. 23I only know that in every city the
Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may
finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of
testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
v 32-38
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. 33I
have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You
yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my
companions. 35In 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.' "
36When he
had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38What grieved them most was his statement that they
would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
