Acts Chapter Twenty

 Act 20:1  And after the ceasing of the tumult, having called the disciples, and having greeted them, Paul went away to go into Macedonia. 

Act 20:2  And passing through those parts, and exhorting them with much speech, he came into Greece. 

Act 20:3  And spending three months there, a plot by the Jews having occurred against him, being about to sail into Syria, he was of a mind to return through Macedonia. 

Act 20:4  And Sopater, a Berean; and Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia accompanied him as far as Asia. 

Act 20:5  Going forward, these awaited us in Troas. 

Act 20:6  But we sailed along after the days of Unleavened Bread from Philippi, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days. 

Act 20:7  And on the first of the sabbaths, the disciples having been assembled to break bread, being about to depart on the morrow, Paul reasoned to them. And he continued his speech until midnight. 

Act 20:8  And many lamps were in the upper room where they were gathered. 

Act 20:9  And a certain young man named Eutychus was sitting on the window sill, being overborne by deep sleep, Paul reasoning for a longer time, having been overborne by the sleep, he fell down from the third floor and was taken up dead. 

Act 20:10  But going down Paul fell on him, and embracing him, he said, Do not be terrified, for his soul is in him. 

Act 20:11  And going up, and breaking bread, and tasting, and conversing over a long time, until daybreak, he went out thus. 

Act 20:12  And they brought the boy alive and were comforted not a little. 

Act 20:13  But going before onto the ship, we set sail for Assos, being about to take Paul in there; for so it had been arranged, he being about to go on foot. 

Act 20:14  And when he met us in Assos, taking him up we came to Mitylene. 

Act 20:15  And sailing away from there, on the next day we arrived off Chios, and on the next we crossed to Samos. And remaining at Trogyllium, the next day we came to Miletus. 

Act 20:16  For Paul had decided to sail by Ephesus, so as it might not happen to him to spend time in Asia; for he hastened if it were possible for him to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. 

Act 20:17  And sending to Ephesus from Miletus, he called for the elders of the assembly. 

Act 20:18  And when they came to him, he said to them: You understand, from the first day on which I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 

Act 20:19  serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears and trials happening to me by the plots of the Jews; 

Act 20:20  as I kept nothing back of what is profitable, so as not to tell you, and to teach you publicly, and from house to house, 

Act 20:21  earnestly testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Act 20:22  And now, behold, being bound by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing the things going to meet me in it, 

Act 20:23  but that the Holy Spirit testifies city by city saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 

Act 20:24  But I make account of nothing, nor do I hold my life precious to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, fully to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 

Act 20:25  And now, behold, I know that you all will see my face no more, among whom I went about proclaiming the kingdom of God. 

Act 20:26  Because of this I testify to you on this day that I am pure from the blood of all. 

Act 20:27  For I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God. 

Act 20:28  Then take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit placed you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God which He purchased through His own blood. 

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 

Act 20:30  and out of you yourselves will rise up men speaking perverted things, in order to draw away the disciples after themselves. 

Act 20:31  Because of this watch, remembering that I did not cease admonishing each one with tears night and day for three years. 

Act 20:32  And now, brothers, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build up and to give you inheritance among all those being sanctified. 

Act 20:33  I have desired the silver, or gold, or clothing of no one. 

Act 20:34  But you yourselves know that these hands ministered to my needs, and to those who were with me. 

Act 20:35  I showed you all things, that working in this way we ought to help those being weak, and to remember the Words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

Act 20:36  And saying these things, placing his knees, he prayed with them all. 

Act 20:37  And there was much weeping of all, and falling on the neck of Paul, they ardently kissed him, 

Act 20:38  most of all grieving for the word which he said, that they were going to see his face no more. And they went with him to the ship. 

ACTS CHAPTER TWENTY

EUTYCHUS, EPHESIAN ELDERS

Verses 1-6: Paul and his helpers travel in the region.

1. How do we know Luke joins Paul again in these verses? We se in verse five that Luke is with Paul. 

Verses 7-12: Paul preaches and speaks the gospel for a very long time into the night and into the morning. During that time, a young man falls out of third floor loft. Paul runs downstairs, hold the man and he is restored.

2. How long does Paul’s message last? All night.

   a. What should this teach us about “worship” time? Speaking the word among ourselves is a part of our worship. In this context, it was still fairly new. The power of God's word, when it is shared surpasses time itself. 

   b. What sort of things does you suppose they talked about? Paul was good at citing old testament scripture to teach this new way. Jesus had to be at the center of the discussion, with God as the main focus. Paul's main themes always included the power of faith, grace and living a transformed life. He wanted his disciples to focus on spiritual living and the rejection of sin.

3. Was Eutychus raised from the dead?

Additional: KJV: Do a word study on “young man” in verse twelve. What more do we learn about Eutychus?

Verses 13-16: Paul and the brothers travel and end up in Miletus. 

4. These men group and regroup many times, why? To cover more ground. These churches were "new" and so it was helpful to reach as many as possible in as short amount of time as possible. 

Verses 17-27: Paul addresses the elders. He tells them that he has taught them of repentance, faith, God's grace.....the gospel. He tells them they will not see him again. Essentially, he has done his best for them.

5. Why does Paul recount his time with these men? It is evident that Paul holds this group of men close to his heart. This is a "farewell" message to them. He knows there will be trouble for him and  he will not see them again.

Verses 28-32: Paul warns the elders to stay vigilant after he is gone. He says some of their own number will commit heresy.

6. What is the purpose of an elder? "the Holy Spirit placed you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God "

7. How will the “wolves” pervert the word? "in order to draw away the disciples after themselves. "

8. Compare verse 31 with 32. 31) Paul was their teacher for three years warning them what to look for. 31) Now they are to use that teaching to guide the church and repel false teaching. 
They're all grown up.

Verses 33-38: They all pray together. They weep and kiss Paul, troubled, knowing they would not see him again. 

9. Describe Paul’s relationship with these men. There is a bond only found in the gospel. Love is its foundation. A love for God and His people. Christians love all of God's creation, but those who study and grow together just have something that everyone else does not. We share each other's success and failures with God as our focus and standard. 

Additional: Be ready to discuss how sharing our spiritual journey through life binds us much in the same way as these men. Christianity does not promise prosperity of material wealth. It does not promise fame or being liked. If anything, it seeks to manifest the love of God in us. It forces us to be honest with each other and ourselves. For the world, that makes us targets of ridicule. When we suffer together, we are strengthened. When we are ridiculed, we become more resolved. When we fall, we pick each other up.