Acts 20:17-37

17From Miletus he sent word to 1Ephesus and called to himself 2the elders of the church. 18And when they came to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, 3from the first day that I set foot in 4Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and trials which came upon me 5through 6the plots of the Jews; 20how I 7did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was beneficial, and teaching you publicly and 8from house to house, 21solemnly 9testifying to both Jews and Greeks of 10repentance toward God and 11faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, bound by the 12Spirit, 13I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that 14the Holy Spirit solemnly 15testifies to me in every city, saying that 16chains and afflictions await me. 24But 17I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may 18finish my course and 19the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to 20testify solemnly of the gospel of 21God’s grace.

25“And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about 22preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. 26Therefore, I 23testify to you this day that 24I am 25innocent of the blood of all people. 27For I 26did not shrink from declaring to you the whole 27purpose of God. 28Be on guard for yourselves and for all 28the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you 29overseers, to shepherd 30the church of God which 31He 32purchased 33with His own blood. 29I know that after my departure 34savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing 35the flock; 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away 36the disciples after them. 31Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of 37three years I did not cease to admonish each one 38with tears. 32And now I 39entrust you to God and to 40the word of His grace, which is able to 41build you up and to give you 42the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 3343I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34You yourselves know that 44these hands served my own needs and the 45men who were with me. 35In everything I showed you 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 to give than to receive.’”

36When he had said these things, he 46knelt down and prayed with them all. 37And 47they all began to weep aloud and 4849embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him,