¹⁷ From Miletus,^(A) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders^(B) 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 tears^(E) 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 anything^(G) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews^(H) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance^(I) 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 me^(L) 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 race^(O) and complete the task^(P) the Lord Jesus has given me^(Q)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.^(R)

³² “Now I commit you to God^(A) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance^(B) among all those who are sanctified.^(C)

³⁷ They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.^{(A) 38} What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.^(B) Then they accompanied him to the ship.^(C)