Acts 20:15-21:16

American Standard Version

¹⁵ And sailing from thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we touched at Samos; and ^[a]the day after we came to Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

¹⁷ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the ^[b]elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they were come to him, he said unto them,

Ye yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus ^[c]Christ. ²² And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³ save that the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. ²⁴ But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, ^[d]so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the ^[e]gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. ²⁶ Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you ^[f]bishops, to feed the church of ^[g]the Lord which he ^[h]purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. ³² And now I commend you to ^[i]God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. ³³ I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. ³⁴ Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. ³⁵ In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

³⁶ And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, ³⁸ sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.

21 And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: ² and having found a ship crossing over unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. ³ And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden. ⁴ And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. ⁵ And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were out of the city: and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, and bade each other farewell; ⁶ and we went on board the ship, but they returned home again.

⁷ And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. ⁸ And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Caesarea: and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. ⁹ Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied. ¹⁰ And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. ¹¹ And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. ¹² And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁴ And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

¹⁵ And after these days we ^[j]took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ And there went with us also certain of the disciples from Caesarea, ^[k]bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.