Paul in Macedonia
1 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia. p 2 And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece 3 and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia. q 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, r and Tychicus s and Trophimus t from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas, u 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread. v In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days.
Eutychus Revived at Troas
7 On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. w Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were assembled, 9 and a young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill and sank into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. When he was overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down, bent over him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, because he’s alive.” x 11 After going upstairs, breaking the bread, and eating, Paul talked a long time until dawn. Then he left. 12 They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.
From Troas to Miletus
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul on board, because these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, the next day we arrived off Chios. The following day we crossed over to Samos, and the day after, we came to Miletus. y 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost. z
Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders
17 Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. 18 When they came to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, a 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. b 20 You know that I did not avoid proclaiming to you anything that was profitable or from teaching you publicly and from house to house. 21 I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God c and faith in our Lord Jesus. d
22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, e 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. f 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry g I received from the Lord Jesus, h to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.
25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, i 27 because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God. j 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock k of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, l to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. m 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them. n 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears. o
32 “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, p which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance q among all who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. r 34 You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me. s 35 In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. t 37 There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. u
20:1–4. After the unrest in Ephesus, Paul travels through Macedonia and Greece and decides to travel back through Macedonia because of a plot against him (20:1–3). In this brief account, a considerable amount of space is spent on introducing those who accompany Paul on his journey back. These include Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus (Ac 19:29; 27:2; cf. Col 4:10; Phm 24) and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy from Lystra (Ac 16:1–3), Tychicus (cf. Eph 6:21; Col 4:7; 2 Tm 4:12; Ti 3:12) and Trophimus (Ac 21:29; cf. 2 Tm 4:20) from Asia (20:4). This list points not only to the success of Paul’s missions but also to Paul’s strategy as he trains up leaders from various locales. Moreover, the delegation from churches in different regions may represent the widespread concern of the Gentile churches for the saints in Jerusalem, underscored by the fact that this is a journey to bring back the collection from the Gentiles to the Jerusalem church (cf. Rm 15:25–33).
20:5–12. The incident in Troas provides a glimpse of a local worshiping community. Paul speaks to and breaks bread with a group that meets in a room “on the first day of the week” (20:7; cf. 1 Co 16:2). In its context, then, this account may serve as an introduction to Paul’s farewell address that follows, as well as his journey back to Jerusalem. This function is made clear by a number of parallels with the account of Jesus with his disciples right before his arrest (Lk 22:7–46). Paul starts his journey back to Jerusalem after the Festival of Unleavened Bread (20:6), and the account of the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples is situated during the Day of Unleavened Bread (Lk 22:7). Eutychus sinks “into a deep sleep” (20:9), and the disciples also fail to stay awake during a critical moment (Lk 22:45). Jesus travels to Jerusalem to suffer, and Paul also travels to Jerusalem with the full realization of his impending suffering (cf. Ac 21:4, 10–11). Jesus delivers his farewell address after breaking bread with his disciples (Lk 22:14–28), and Paul will also deliver his farewell address (Ac 20:22–35) after the act of breaking bread (20:11). Paul’s raising Eutychus from the dead “on the first day of the week” may also remind the audience of Jesus’s own resurrection (cf. Lk 24:1). What is striking is that while Jesus—who has the power of resurrection—is willing to go to the cross, Paul—who is able to deliver Eutychus from the dead (20:10)—is also willing to suffer at the hands of those who oppose the gospel of the risen Lord.
20:13–17. When Paul travels from Troas to Miletus (20:13–16), Luke again highlights the goal of the journey by noting that Paul decides to pass by Ephesus because “he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem” (20:16).
20:18–24. In his review of his labors in the province of Asia (20:18–21), Paul points to his status as a slave, serving the Lord with “all humility” and “tears” (20:19). This “humility,” not simply an attitude, is the actual experience of being humiliated for the sake of the gospel. The connection between the preaching of the gospel and the suffering he endures not only evokes the call on his journey to Damascus (9:15–16) but also serves as an example to those who follow him.
20:25–31. Shifting his focus to the community of believers, Paul warns them of the challenges they will face. He first urges them to be shepherds of their flock (20:28), a set of metaphors often used in depicting the relationship between God and his people (cf. Pss 80:1; 95:7; Is 40:11; Jr 23:2–3; Ezk 34:8, 12; Zch 10:3). In this context, Paul is urging the elders to carry on the work that God has already accomplished through the death of his Son on the cross. Paul then warns them of the wolves that are to come (20:29). These wolves are the enemies of God (cf. Ezk 22:27; Hab 1:8; Zph 3:3); but what is striking is that some of these wolves are from among them. This prophetic note is again fulfilled, as Paul’s own epistles testify. [Pastor]
20:32–38. Finally, Paul commends these elders to the power of God (20:32–35). Paul fully realizes that the power to protect one’s flock does not reside in the inherent virtue and power of the elders. Paul points rather to God and to the word of his grace that can build up the church (20:32). In depicting God and his word in parallel terms, Paul is affirming that the powerful word that has conquered the world (cf. 19:20) will sustain th community that it creates. Moreover, “the word of his grace” points to the word of his power because “grace” can point to the power of God (cf. Lk 4:22; Ac 6:8). As the mighty God in the past was able to lead his people into the promised land, the “inheritance” that had been promised to them (20:32; cf. Gn 15:7; Ex 6:8; 15:17; Dt 1:8; Jos 11:23), God and his powerful word will also be able to give them the “inheritance” that his prophets have prophesied (Is 49:8).