Paul in Macedonia and Greece
1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a wplot was made against him by the Jews1 as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for xus at Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Eutychus Raised from the Dead
7 yOn the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to zbreak bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.
13 But going ahead to the ship, awe set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and2 the day after that we went to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of bPentecost.
Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders
17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them:
c“You yourselves know how I lived among you dthe whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with etears and with trials that happened to me through the fplots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 gtestifying both to hJews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.3 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by4 the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit itestifies to me in every city that imprisonment and jafflictions await me. 24 kBut I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about lproclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am minnocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 nPay careful attention to yourselves and to all the oflock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God,5 which he obtained with his own blood.6 29 I know that after my departure fierce pwolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise qmen speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 rI coveted sno one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have tshown you that by working hard in this way we must uhelp the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Help Me, O Lord My God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 Be not tsilent, O God uof my praise!
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
vbut I give myself to prayer.1
5 So they wreward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand xat his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
let his yprayer be counted as sin!
8 May his days be few;
zmay another take his office!
9 aMay his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow!
10 May his children bwander about and beg,
seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
nor any to pity his fatherless children!
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 cMay the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
and let not the sin of his mother be dblotted out!
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!
16 For he did not remember to show kindness,
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 He loved to curse; let curses come2 upon him!
He did not delight in blessing; may it be far3 from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing eas his coat;
may it soak4 into his body like water,
like oil into his bones!
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
like a belt that he puts on every day!
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life!
21 But you, O God my Lord,
deal on my behalf ffor your name’s sake;
gbecause your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 hFor I am poor and needy,
and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like a ishadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through jfasting;
my body has become kgaunt, with no fat.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they lwag their heads.
26 mHelp me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but you will bless!
They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be nclothed with dishonor;
may they be owrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!
30 With my mouth pI will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands qat the right hand of the needy one,
rto save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
