Acts Chapter 20 in Simple English

Read Acts Chapter 20

1After the riot had stopped, Paul sent for the disciples. He embraced them and said goodbye, and then left to go to Macedonia.

2He travelled through those regions and encouraged the believers with many words. Then he came into Greece,

3and stayed there three months. He was about to sail to Syria, but the Jews made a plot against him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia.

4These men went with him into Asia: Sopater of Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, who were from Thessalonica; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus, who were from Asia.

5These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.

6We sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread. Five days later we joined them at Troas, and we stayed there seven days.

7On the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread. Paul spoke to them, since he was going to leave the next day. He kept on talking until midnight.

8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where they were gathered together.

9A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window, and he fell into a deep sleep. As Paul talked on and on, sleep overcame him. He fell down from the third floor, and they picked him up dead.

10Paul went down, threw himself on him and put his arms around him. He said, "Do not be upset, for his life is in him."

11Then Paul went up again, broke bread and ate. He talked with them a long while, until daybreak, and then he left.

12They brought the young man home alive, and they were greatly comforted.

13We went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos. We meant to take Paul on board there, because he had arranged it so; he himself wanted to go on foot.

14When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene.

15We sailed from there, and the next day we came opposite Chios. The day after that we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the next day we came to Miletus.

16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia. He was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if it was possible for him, on the day of Pentecost.

17From Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

18When they came to him, he said to them, "You know how I lived among you the whole time, from the first day that I came into Asia."

19"I served the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews."

20"I kept back nothing that was helpful to you. I showed you these things and taught you in public and from house to house."

21"I told both Jews and Greeks that they must repent and turn to God, and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."

22"And now, look, I am going to Jerusalem, bound in the spirit. I do not know what will happen to me there."

23"I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and troubles are waiting for me."

24"But none of these things move me. I do not count my life dear to myself. I only want to finish my race with joy, and to finish the work the Lord Jesus gave me, to tell others the good news of the grace of God."

25"And now, look, I know that none of you will see my face again, all of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom of God."

26"So I call you to witness this day that I am not guilty of the blood of any man."

27"For I have not held back from telling you all the counsel of God."

28"So watch over yourselves, and over all the flock. The Holy Spirit has made you overseers of it, to feed the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."

29"For I know this: after I leave, fierce wolves will come in among you, and they will not spare the flock."

30"Even from among you, men will stand up and say twisted things, to draw the disciples away after them."

31"So keep watch. Remember that for three years I never stopped warning every one of you, night and day, with tears."

32"And now, brothers and sisters, I give you into the care of God and of the word of his grace. That word is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are made holy."

33"I have not wanted any man's silver or gold or clothing."

34"Yes, you yourselves know that these hands worked to supply my own needs, and the needs of those who were with me."

35"In everything I showed you that by working like this we must help the weak. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

36When he had said this, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

37They all wept bitterly. They threw their arms around Paul's neck and kissed him.

38What grieved them most was what he had said: that they would see his face no more. Then they went with him to the ship.

Explanation

Acts 20

In short

Paul travels across Greece and Asia, speaking to churches. A young man falls asleep and dies during Paul's long sermon, but Paul brings him back to life. Paul then meets the leaders of the church at Ephesus and tells them farewell, warning them of trouble ahead and reminding them of his faithful work among them.

Context

This chapter covers Paul's movements during his third missionary journey, near the end of his travels before returning to Jerusalem. He is moving through regions he has visited before, checking on the churches he planted. At Miletus, a port city, he stops to speak with the elders from the nearby church at Ephesus. He does not go into Ephesus itself because he is in a hurry to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost. This meeting at Miletus is his farewell address to leaders he knows will not see him again.

What the text says

Verses 1-6 recount Paul leaving Corinth after a disturbance, traveling through Macedonia and Greece, then sailing back through Macedonia when he learns of a plot against him. He is accompanied by several companions and meets others at Troas after sailing from Philippi.

Verses 7-12 describe a gathering on the first day of the week where disciples break bread. Paul preaches until midnight. A young man named Eutychus sits in a window, falls asleep, and falls from the third story. He is taken up dead, but Paul goes down, embraces him, and says "his life is in him." Paul then goes back up, breaks bread, eats, talks until daybreak, and departs. The young man is brought back alive.

Verses 13-16 describe the journey by ship toward Jerusalem. Paul walks overland to Assos while the others sail. He planned to bypass Ephesus to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost if possible.

Verses 17-35 are Paul's speech to the Ephesian elders. He reminds them of his ministry among them with "all humility" and "many tears," tested by plots and temptations. He kept nothing back but taught them publicly and in homes, testifying of "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." He now goes to Jerusalem not knowing what will happen, but the Holy Ghost has warned in every city that "bonds and afflictions abide me." None of this moves him because he wants to finish his course with joy and complete his ministry. He tells them he will not see their faces again and declares himself "pure from the blood of all men" because he hid nothing of God's counsel. He charges them as overseers to "feed the church of God." He warns that grievous wolves will enter after he leaves, and false teachers will arise among them. He commends them to God and His word of grace. He never coveted anyone's possessions but worked with his own hands to support himself and others, showing by example that "so labouring ye ought to support the weak." He quotes Jesus: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Verses 36-38 describe Paul kneeling in prayer with them. All weep, embrace him, and kiss him, grieving most that they will not see him again. They walk with him to the ship.

Takeaways

Paul's character in ministry is marked by humility, tears, hard work, and bold teaching, and he expects the same from leaders after he is gone.
Warning about danger is part of faithful leadership, and believers must be alert against false teaching from within and without.
Paul faces imprisonment and possible death but counts his life less valuable than finishing the work God gave him.

Acts 20 - Simple English