ACT 20:17-38

Paulʼs Farewell to the Ephesians

17From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the assembly. [20:18] When they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I was with you the whole time from the first day I set foot in Asia — [20:19] serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews — [20:20] how I did not hold back any of the things that were profitable, from declaring them to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, [20:21] testifying solemnly to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. [20:22] And now, look, I am bound in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, [20:23] except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me city by city that chains and afflictions await me. [20:24] But I consider my life worth nothing to myself, as long as I finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus — to testify solemnly to the good news of the grace of God. [20:25] And now I know that all of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face no more. [20:26] Therefore I testify to you this very day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you. [20:27] For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. [20:28] Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which He purchased with His own blood. [20:29] I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. [20:30] And from among you yourselves men will arise speaking distorted things to draw away the disciples after them. [20:31] Therefore keep watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. [20:32] And now I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. [20:33] I coveted no one's silver or gold or clothing. [20:34] You yourselves know that these hands served my own needs and those of the men with me. [20:35] In every way I showed you that, working hard like this, 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.' " [20:36] And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. [20:37] There was considerable weeping among them all, and they embraced Paul and kissed him, [20:38] grieving most of all over the word he had spoken — that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

In the world it was spoken into

In this farewell address, Paul speaks to the (elders) of the Ephesian (assembly), a group of respected leaders within the community. In the Greco-Roman world, such elders were often patrons or heads of households, responsible for maintaining order and providing guidance. Paul’s emphasis on his (humility) and service would have stood in contrast to the honor-seeking behavior typical of leaders in Roman society, where status and public recognition were highly valued. His mention of teaching publicly and from house to house reflects the dual nature of early Christian gatherings—both in public spaces and private homes, which were central to community life. The reference to (overseers) underscores their role as guardians of the community’s spiritual and moral well-being, a concept familiar in both Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts. Paul’s warning about future challenges aligns with the precarious position of early Christian groups, who often faced external hostility and internal divisions.

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How other translations render this

ACT 20:17

KJV: And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
BSB: From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Koinōnos: From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the assembly.

ACT 20:18

KJV: And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
BSB: When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
Koinōnos: When they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I was with you the whole time from the first day I set foot in Asia —

ACT 20:19

KJV: Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
BSB: I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
Koinōnos: serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews —

ACT 20:20

KJV: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
BSB: I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
Koinōnos: how I did not hold back any of the things that were profitable, from declaring them to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house,

ACT 20:21

KJV: Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
BSB: testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Koinōnos: testifying solemnly to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

ACT 20:22

KJV: And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
BSB: And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
Koinōnos: And now, look, I am bound in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,

ACT 20:23

KJV: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
BSB: I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.
Koinōnos: except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me city by city that chains and afflictions await me.

ACT 20:24

KJV: But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
BSB: But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of Godʼs grace.
Koinōnos: But I consider my life worth nothing to myself, as long as I finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus — to testify solemnly to the good news of the grace of God.

ACT 20:25

KJV: And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
BSB: Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.
Koinōnos: And now I know that all of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face no more.

ACT 20:26

KJV: Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
BSB: Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
Koinōnos: Therefore I testify to you this very day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you.

ACT 20:27

KJV: For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
BSB: For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.
Koinōnos: For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

ACT 20:28

KJV: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
BSB: Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
Koinōnos: Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

ACT 20:29

KJV: For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
BSB: I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
Koinōnos: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

ACT 20:30

KJV: Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
BSB: Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
Koinōnos: And from among you yourselves men will arise speaking distorted things to draw away the disciples after them.

ACT 20:31

KJV: Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
BSB: Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Koinōnos: Therefore keep watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

ACT 20:32

KJV: And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
BSB: And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.
Koinōnos: And now I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.

ACT 20:33

KJV: I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
BSB: I have not coveted anyoneʼs silver or gold or clothing.
Koinōnos: I coveted no one's silver or gold or clothing.

ACT 20:34

KJV: Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
BSB: You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.
Koinōnos: You yourselves know that these hands served my own needs and those of the men with me.

ACT 20:35

KJV: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
BSB: In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Koinōnos: In every way I showed you that, working hard like this, 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.'

ACT 20:36

KJV: And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
BSB: When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
Koinōnos: And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.

ACT 20:37

KJV: And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
BSB: They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.
Koinōnos: There was considerable weeping among them all, and they embraced Paul and kissed him,

ACT 20:38

KJV: Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
BSB: They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Koinōnos: grieving most of all over the word he had spoken — that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

ACT 20:17

elders:The word translated 'elders' refers to mature, respected leaders within the community, often those with wisdom gained through age and experience, who held positions of authority and guidance.
church.:The term translated 'church' originally referred to a summoned assembly or gathering of citizens, not necessarily a religious body or a building, emphasizing the idea of people called together for a specific purpose.

ACT 20:19

humility:The word translated 'humility' carried the sense of a lowliness of mind or spirit, a recognition of one's own insignificance, which could sometimes be viewed negatively as mean-spiritedness in the broader culture.

ACT 20:28

has set:The word translated 'overseers' (implied by 'has set') describes someone who watches over, guards, or supervises, much like a guardian or superintendent, highlighting their protective and guiding role.