Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
“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 those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
My Understanding: As I prayerfully read through this passage of scripture this morning, I was impressed of the Holy Spirit to write a paraphrase of what Paul wrote (quoting some), only as my own personal testimony, so with that understanding, this is from me to you:
Friends and loved ones,
You are my testament as to how I have lived among you these past five and a half years that the Lord has had me writing out what he teaches me each day through my quiet times with him, and since he has had me sharing what he has taught me with you. I served the Lord and you with great humility and tears, although I was severely tested. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you, but have taught you publicly and from site to site, or email to email, etc. I have declared to everyone that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
I know that the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing us all. However, I consider my life worth nothing, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace in all its fullness.
I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for five and a half years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
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 those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing, i.e. I did not do this for money, but gave freely all that the Lord Jesus gave to me. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs, i.e. I worked for the Lord full time, and he supplied all that I and my husband needed. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Know that I love you all, and that I pray for you often. The Lord woke me with the following song. As I read through these words, which are based off of Colossians 3:1-17, I realized that this is my prayer for you all (including for myself) that we would:
Your Life / An Original Work / October 22, 2011
Based off of Colossians 3:1-17
Set your hearts and minds
On things up above
Where Christ sits with God;
Not on earthly things.
For you died and your life
Is now hidd’n with Christ.
When Christ, who is your life, is seen,
You will be with Him.
Your sins, put to death.
Don’t walk in these ways.
Don’t lie to yourselves
Or to others, too.
Since you have taken off
Your old sinful past;
Put on the new self in Jesus,
Get rid of such things.
Therefore, holy ones,
Put on gentleness;
Kindness; patience, too;
Be compassionate.
Bear with one another;
Forgive others, too.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
O’er all, put on love.
Let the peace of Christ
Rule in your hearts now.
You were called to peace.
Be ye so thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell
In you richly now
As you teach and instruct others;
Sing songs unto Christ.
Spoken: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17 NIV 1984).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3rBIcdt7uI
In Christian love and concern,
Sue Love
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