VERSE STUDY • KJV

Acts 20:17-28

¹⁷ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. ¹⁸ 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, ¹⁹ 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: ²⁰ [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, ²¹ Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³ Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. ²⁴ 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. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. ²⁶ Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men]. ²⁷ For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. ²⁸ 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.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹⁷ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. ¹⁸ 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, ¹⁹ 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: ²⁰ [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, ²¹ Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³ Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. ²⁴ 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. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. ²⁶ Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men]. ²⁷ For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. ²⁸ 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 Berean Standard Bible

¹⁷ From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews. ²⁰ I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house, ²¹ testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me. ²⁴ 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 God’s grace. ²⁵ Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God. ²⁸ 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.

WEB World English Bible

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly. ¹⁸ When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. ²² Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. ²⁴ But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God. ²⁵ “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching the Kingdom of God, will see my face no more. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men, ²⁷ for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

ASV American Standard Version

¹⁷ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they were come to him, he said unto them,Ye yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³ save that the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. ²⁴ But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. ²⁶ Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹⁷ And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly, ¹⁸ and when they were come unto him, he said to them, ‘Ye—ye know from the first day in which I came to Asia, how, with you at all times I was; ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against me; ²⁰ how nothing I did keep back of what things are profitable, not to declare to you, and to teach you publicly, and in every house, ²¹ testifying fully both to Jews and Greeks, toward God reformation, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² ‘And now, lo, I—bound in the Spirit—go on to Jerusalem, the things that shall befall me in it not knowing, ²³ save that the Holy Spirit in every city doth testify fully, saying, that for me bonds and tribulations remain; ²⁴ but I make account of none of these, neither do I count my life precious to myself, so that I finish my course with joy, and the ministration that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify fully the good news of the grace of God. ²⁵ ‘And now, lo, I have known that no more shall ye see my face,—ye all among whom I did go preaching the reign of God; ²⁶ wherefore I take you to witness this day, that I am clear from the blood of all, ²⁷ for I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God. ²⁸ ‘Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood,

Surrounding context — Acts 20

14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

15 And we sailed thence, and came the next [day] over against Chios; and the next [day] we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next [day] we came to Miletus.

16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

18 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,

19 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:

20 [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,

21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

24 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.

25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men].

27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

28 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.

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Read the whole chapter → · About Acts →

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

Compare classic commentaries on Acts 20:17-28

Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.

Compare commentaries →