Acts 20:22-38

22And now, compelled by the Spirit and obligated by my convictions, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,

23except that the Holy Spirit solemnly [and emphatically] affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.

24But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].

25“And now, listen carefully: I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will see me again.

26For that reason I testify to you on this [our parting] day that I am innocent of the blood of all people.

27For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan of God.

28Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood.

29I know that after I am gone, [false teachers like] ferocious wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

30even from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse and distorted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves [as their followers].

31Therefore be continually alert, remembering that for three years, night or day, I did not stop admonishing and advising each one [of you] with tears.

32And now I commend you to God [placing you in His protective, loving care] and [I commend you] to the word of His grace [the counsel and promises of His unmerited favor]. His grace is able to build you up and to give you the [rightful] inheritance among all those who are sanctified [that is, among those who are set apart for God’s purpose—all believers].

33I had no desire for anyone’s silver or gold or [expensive] clothes.

34You know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs [working in manual labor] and to [those of] the people who were with me.

35In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’ ”

36When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

37And they began to weep openly and threw their arms around Paul’s neck, and repeatedly kissed him,

38grieving and distressed especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see him again. And they accompanied him to the ship.