Acts 20:19-38

19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me 1through 2the plots of the Jews; 20how I 3did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and 4from house to house, 21solemnly 5testifying to both Jews and Greeks of 6repentance toward God and 7faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, bound by the 8Spirit, 9I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that 10the Holy Spirit solemnly 11testifies to me in every city, saying that 12bonds and afflictions await me. 24But 13I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may 14finish my course and 15the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to 16testify solemnly of the gospel of 17the grace of God.

25“And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about 18preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. 26Therefore, I 19testify to you this day that 20I am 21innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I 22did not shrink from declaring to you the whole 23purpose of God. 28Be on guard for yourselves and for all 24the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you 25overseers, to shepherd 26the church of God which 27He 28purchased 29with His own blood. 29I know that after my departure 30savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing 31the flock; 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away 32the disciples after them. 31Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of 33three years I did not cease to admonish each one 34with tears. 32And now I 35commend you to God and to 36the word of His grace, which is able to 37build you up and to give you 38the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 3339I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34You yourselves know that 40these hands ministered to my own needs and to the 41men who were with me. 35In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36When he had said these things, he 42knelt down and prayed with them all. 37And 43they began to weep aloud and 4445embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, 3846grieving especially over 47the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were 48accompanying him to the ship.