Acts 20 - Easy To Read Version

¹ When the trouble stopped, Paul invited the followers \{of Jesus\} to come visit him. He said things to comfort them and then told them good-bye. Paul left and went to the country of Macedonia.

² He said many things to strengthen the followers \{of Jesus\} in the different places on his way through Macedonia. Then Paul went to Greece (Achaia).

³ He stayed there three months. He was ready to sail for Syria, but some Jews were planning something against him. So Paul decided to go back through Macedonia to Syria.

⁴ Some men were with him. They were: Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from the city of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus, from the city of Thessalonica, Gaius, from the city of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus, two men from Asia. {\cf2\super [395]}

⁵ These men went first, ahead of Paul. They waited for us in the city of Troas.

⁶ We sailed from the city of Philippi after the \{Jewish\} Festival of Unleavened Bread. {\cf2\super [396]} We met these men in Troas five days later. We stayed there seven days.

⁷ On Sunday, {\cf2\super [397]} we all met together to eat \{the Lord’s Supper\}. {\cf2\super [398]} Paul talked to the group. He was planning to leave the next day. Paul continued talking until midnight.

⁸ We were all together in a room upstairs, and there were many lights in the room.

⁹ There was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window. Paul continued talking, and Eutychus became very, very sleepy. Finally, Eutychus went to sleep and fell out of the window. He fell to the ground from the third floor. When the people \{went and\} lifted him up, he was dead.

¹⁰ Paul went down to Eutychus. He kneeled down and hugged Eutychus. Paul said to the other believers, “Don’t worry. He is alive now.”

¹¹ Paul went upstairs again. He divided the bread and ate. Paul spoke to them a long time. When he finished talking, it was early morning. Then Paul left.

¹² The people took the young man (Eutychus) home. He was alive, and the people were very much comforted.

¹³ We sailed for the city of Assos. We went first, ahead of Paul. He planned to meet us in Assos and join us on the ship there. Paul told us to do this because he wanted to go to Assos by land.

¹⁴ Later, we met Paul at Assos, and then he came on the ship with us. We all went to the city of Mitylene.

¹⁵ The next day, we sailed away from Mitylene. We came to a place near the island of Chios. Then the next day, we sailed to the island of Samos. A day later, we came to the city of Miletus.

¹⁶ Paul had already decided not to stop at Ephesus. He did not want to stay too long in Asia. {\cf2\super [399]} He was hurrying because he wanted to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost {\cf2\super [400]} if possible.

¹⁷ In Miletus Paul sent a message back to Ephesus. Paul invited the elders {\cf2\super [401]} (leaders) of the church in Ephesus to come to him.

¹⁸ When the elders came, Paul said to them, “You know about my life from the first day I came to Asia. {\cf2\super [402]} You know the way I lived all the time I was with you.

¹⁹ The Jews planned things against me, and this gave me much trouble. But you know that I always served the Lord, sometimes with tears. I never thought about myself first.

²⁰ I always did what was best for you. I told you the Good News {\cf2\super [403]} about Jesus in public before the people and also taught in your homes.

²¹ I told all people—Jewish people and Greek (non-Jewish) people—to change their hearts and turn to God. I told them all to believe in our Lord Jesus.

²² But now I must obey the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [404]} and go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there.

²³ I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me that troubles and even jail wait for me \{in Jerusalem\}.

²⁴ I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I finish my work. I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace (kindness).

²⁵ “And now listen to me. I know that none of you will ever see me again. All the time I was with you, I told you the Good News {\cf2\super [405]} about the kingdom of God.

²⁶ So today I can tell you one thing that I am sure of: God will not blame me if some of you are not saved!

²⁷ I can say this because I know that I told you everything that God wants you to know.

²⁸ Be careful for yourselves and for all the people that God has given you. The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [406]} gave you the work of caring for this flock. {\cf2\super [407]} You must be like shepherds to the church (people) of God. {\cf2\super [408]} This is the church that God bought with his own blood. {\cf2\super [409]}

²⁹ I know that after I leave, some men will come into your group. They will be like wild wolves. They will try to destroy the flock.

³⁰ Also, men from your own group will become bad leaders. They will begin to teach things that are wrong. They will lead some followers \{of Jesus\} away from the truth.

³¹ So be careful! Always remember this: I was with you for three years. During this time, I never stopped warning you. I taught you night and day. I often cried for you.

³² “Now I am giving you to God. I am depending on the message {\cf2\super [410]} about God’s grace (kindness) to make you strong. That message is able to give you the blessings that God gives to all his holy people. {\cf2\super [411]}

³³ When I was with you, I never wanted anyone’s money or fine clothes.

³⁴ You know that I always worked to take care of my own needs and the needs of the people that were with me.

³⁵ I always showed you that you should work like I did and help people that are weak. I taught you to remember the words of the Lord Jesus. Jesus said, ‘You will be happier when you give than when you receive.’”

³⁶ When Paul finished saying these things, he kneeled down and they all prayed together.