Acts 20:1–38
20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciplesz and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.a 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against himb just as he was about to sail for Syria,c he decided to go back through Macedonia.d 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchuse and Secundus from Thessalonica,f Gaiusg from Derbe, Timothyh also, and Tychicusi and Trophimusj from the province of Asia.k 5 These men went on ahead and waited for usl at Troas.m 6 But we sailed from Philippin after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,o where we stayed seven days.
Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas
7 On the first day of the weekp we came together to break bread.q Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs roomr where we were meeting. 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. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young mans and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”t 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke breadu and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
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. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on 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.v 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesusw to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,x for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,y if possible, by the day of Pentecost.z
17 From Miletus,a Paul sent to Ephesus for the eldersb of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,c from the first day I came into the province of Asia.d 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tearse and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.f 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anythingg that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jewsh and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentancei and have faith in our Lord Jesus.j
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,k not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns mel that prison and hardships are facing me.m 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;n my only aim is to finish the raceo and complete the taskp the Lord Jesus has given meq—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.r
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdoms will ever see me again.t 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.u 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.v 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flockw of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.x Be shepherds of the church of God,a y which he boughtz with his own blood.b a 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolvesb will come in among you and will not spare the flock.c 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciplesd after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three yearse I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.f
32 “Now I commit you to Godg and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritanceh among all those who are sanctified.i 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.j 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.k 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.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.l 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.m 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.n Then they accompanied him to the ship.o
Acts 1:1–26
1 In my former book,a Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teachb 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven,c after giving instructionsd through the Holy Spirit to the apostlese he had chosen.f 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to themg over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.h 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but waiti for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.j 5 For John baptized witha water,k but in a few days you will be baptized withb the Holy Spirit.”l
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restorem the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.n 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;o and you will be my witnessesp in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,q and to the ends of the earth.”r
9 After he said this, he was taken ups before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in whitet stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,”u they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come backv in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalemw from the hill called the Mount of Olives,x a Sabbath day’s walkc from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the roomy where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.z 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer,a along with the womenb and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.c
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,d d the Scripture had to be fulfillede in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas,f who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our numberg and shared in our ministry.”h
18 (With the paymenti he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;j there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their languagek Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
“ ‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’e l
and,
“ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’f m
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptismn to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witnesso with us of his resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed,p “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.q Show usr which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.s