Acts 20 records the close of Paul’s third missionary journey and his deeply personal farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus. After the uproar in Ephesus he travels through Macedonia and Greece, encouraging the disciples. A plot forces him to return by land through Macedonia. At Troas, on the first day of the week, Paul speaks until midnight; Eutychus falls from the third story and is taken up dead, but Paul restores him. From Miletus Paul summons the Ephesian elders and delivers a solemn charge. He reviews his ministry among them — humility, tears, public and house-to-house teaching, testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus. He is bound by the Spirit toward Jerusalem, knowing that bonds and afflictions await him. He does not count his life dear to himself so that he may finish his course and the ministry he received from the Lord Jesus. He declares that he is clean from the blood of all, having not shrunk from declaring the whole counsel of God. He charges the elders to take heed to themselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers, to shepherd the assembly which the Lord purchased with His own blood. He warns of savage wolves and of men arising from among themselves speaking twisted things. He entrusts them to God and to the word of His grace. After prayer and tears they accompany him to the ship. The transition generation continues to hear both the cost of the mission and the responsibility of local shepherds while the Temple still stands.
1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those parts and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece. 3 When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. 4 These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.
7 On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lights in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third floor and was taken up dead. 10 Paul went down and fell upon him, and embracing him said, “Don’t be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11 When he had gone up, had broken bread and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed. 12 They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.
13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and came to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and 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 in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the assembly. 18 When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; 20 how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, 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. 22 Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. 24 But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
25 “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears. 32 Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. 35 In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you 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 When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Source: ebible.org
After the Ephesian riot Paul moves through Macedonia and Greece, strengthening the disciples with many words. A plot against him as he is about to sail for Syria forces a change of route back through Macedonia. A group of companions from various churches travels with him — a picture of the multi-ethnic, multi-city network that the gospel has already created. At Troas the “we” narrative resumes, and the company stays seven days.
On the first day of the week the disciples gather to break bread. Paul, intending to leave the next day, continues speaking until midnight. In the crowded, lamp-lit upper room a young man named Eutychus sinks into deep sleep, falls from the third story, and is taken up dead. Paul goes down, embraces him, and declares that his life is in him. After breaking bread and talking until daybreak, Paul departs. The boy is brought in alive, and the believers are greatly comforted. The power of the risen Lord continues to reverse death even in the midst of ordinary church life and long teaching sessions.
Paul deliberately sails past Ephesus in order to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost if possible. From Miletus he summons the elders of the Ephesian assembly. The address that follows is one of the most personal and weighty in Acts. He reminds them of his manner of life among them: humility, tears, trials from Jewish plots, public and house-to-house teaching, testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus. He is going to Jerusalem bound by the Spirit, knowing only that bonds and afflictions await him in every city. Yet he does not count his life of any value to himself so that he may finish his course and the ministry received from the Lord Jesus — to testify fully to the good news of the grace of God.
Paul knows he will not see them again. Therefore he testifies that he is clean from the blood of all men, because he did not shrink from declaring to them the whole counsel of God. The responsibility of the messenger is to speak the full message. Having done so, he is free of blood-guilt. The elders are now charged to take heed to themselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God which He purchased with His own blood. The flock is not theirs; it was bought at the highest price. Wolves will come from outside, and men will arise from among themselves speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples. Therefore they must watch, remembering Paul’s three years of night-and-day admonition with tears.
Paul’s final act is to entrust them to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build them up and give them the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. He has not coveted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing; his own hands have supplied his needs and the needs of his companions. He has given them an example of laboring to help the weak, and he reminds them of the Lord’s own words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” After prayer they all weep, embrace him, and grieve most of all because they will see his face no more. They accompany him to the ship.
Acts 20 shows the cost and the continuity of the New Covenant mission. The apostle is bound by the Spirit toward suffering. The local elders are charged with the care of a flock purchased by the blood of God Himself. The safeguard is not the ongoing presence of any single leader but God and the word of His grace. Wolves will come; therefore watchfulness is required. All of this is spoken while the Temple still stands and the old covenant age is still running its course. The word of grace continues to build up and to grant the inheritance to those who are sanctified.
Acts 20 presents the New Creation community under the care of local shepherds and the word of grace. The flock was purchased with the blood of the Lord Himself. The messenger’s responsibility is to declare the whole counsel of God without shrinking. The elders’ responsibility is to take heed to themselves and to the flock, knowing that wolves will come both from outside and from within. The final entrustment is to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build up and to give the inheritance among all who are sanctified. The pattern of ministry is self-giving labor for the weak, following the Lord’s own word that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Tears, prayer, and affectionate farewell mark the parting. The risen Lord’s mission continues through ordinary elders and the powerful word of grace while the old covenant structures still stand.
Paul said he was clean from the blood of all because he had not shrunk from declaring the whole counsel of God. What does this standard of faithfulness say about the responsibility of anyone who teaches or leads among God’s people? How does the charge to “take heed to yourselves and to all the flock” shape the priorities of those who are called to shepherd?