Acts 20.1-38 tells us about Paul’s return to Macedonia; back to Troas and Asia Minor; the raising of Eutychus from the dead; Paul in Miletus and calling the elders (zekanim) of Ephesus to meet him there; recounting his work among the Ephesians and his admonitions to them; his plan to return to Jerusalem, not knowing what his future holds; and his tearful goodbye.
v 1…And after the uproar had ceased (in Ephesus), Paul sent for the talmidim and when he had exhorted them (motivated them) and taken his leave of them, he departed to go to Macedonia.
v 2…And when he had gone through those districts (where he worked in Macedonia, like Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea), he came to Greece (south of Macedonia).
v 3…And there he spent three months, and when a plot was found against him by the Jews, he was about to sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia (retrace his recent trip).
v 4…And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea (possibly a kinsman of Paul-Rom 16.21), and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia (all seven were travel companions and helped Paul).
v 5…But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us (Paul and Luke) at Troas.
v 6…And we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread (Hag Ha Motza-mentioned to give us the time of year; Nisan 15-22-Lev 23.6), and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days (before he sailed for Assos-v 13).
v 7…And on one of the Sabbaths (Greek) when we were gathered together to break bread (a sabbath meal), Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight (of the first day of the week).
v 8…And there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together (this was possibly a Havdalah service at the end of the Sabbath; Havdalah means “separation” and this service was done to separate the “light of the Sabbath” which has a kedusha, from common days of the week; it involves candles/lamps, wine and spices).
v 9…And there was a certain young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead.
v 10…And Paul went down (from the third-floor upper room) and fell upon him and after embracing him (like Elijah and Elisha did-1 Kings 17.21 and 2 Kings 4.34), he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him (being returned to him after Paul’s prayer.”
v 11…And when he had gone back up, and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.
v 12…And they took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.
v 13…But we (Paul and Luke), going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos (24 miles south of Troas in Asia), intending from there to take Paul on board (who had stayed behind to spend a little more time in Troas); for thus we arranged it, intending himself to go by foot (to Assos).
v 14…And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Myletene (30 miles south of Assos, an island).
v 15…And sailing from there (Mitylene), we arrived the following day opposite Chios (an island); and the next day we crossed over to Samos (another island); and the day following we came to Miletus (28 miles south of Ephesus).
v 16…For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus in order that he might not have to spend much time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem if possible on the day of Pentecost (to keep the festival of Shavuot as commanded in the Torah-Exo 23.14-17; Acts 18.21, 24.17).
v 17…And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders (zekanim) of the kahal (assembly to give a final address to them).
v 18…And 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 the whole time,
v 19…serving the Lord with all humility and with tears (at the unbelief and hardheadedness of some, and the affliction and distress of others) and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;
v 20…how I did not shrink (hold back) from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly (in the synagogues) and from house to house (1 Cor 16.19 for example),
v 21…solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks (God-fearers) of repentance toward God and faith (confidence in action) in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
v 22..And now, behold (see), bound in spirit (of his own volition, led by the purposes of the Ruach), I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there (in respect to his life; many of the Jews who plotted against him will be there to keep the festival, too),
v 23…except that the Ruach Ha Kodesh solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me (so he was not surprised at all the trouble that will happen later; his afflictions “seasoned” him).
v 24…But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself (of any great value to him), in order that I may finish my course (the race of life), and the ministry which I received from the Lord Yeshua, to testify solemnly of the basar (good news) of the grace of God (like Yeshua, he “set his face” towards Jerusalem-Luke 9.51).
v 25…And now, behold (see, take note for yourself), I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom (God’s movement and rule in action; it was being offered), will see my face no more (his presence).
v 26…Therefore, I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men (based on Ezek 33.1-6; as the watchman he warned everyone).
v 27…For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God (and that is why you would be immersed in the name of Yeshua; it is the door, a change in status into the benefits and purposes of God-Luke 7.30).
v 28…Be on guard for yourselves (be cautious in your choices and actions) and for all the flock, among which the Ruach Ha Kodesh has made you overseers (zekanim/elders in responsibility), to shepherd the kahal of God (assembly, congregation-keep in mind he is not talking about a Christian “church” here because they did not exist), which he (Yeshua is God) purchased (to gain for himself) with his blood (the blood of God, the meaning of “Adam”).
v 29…I know that after my departure savage wolves (carnivorous from the outside) will come in among you, not sparing the flock (to satisfy their “wolf” greed);
v 30…and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things (not in accordance with the Torah) to draw away the talmidim after them (as it was in Paul’s day, so it is today).
v 31…Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears (warning them about false teachers and doctrines).
v 32…And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace (a phrase for Torah) which is able to build up and to give you the inheritance among those who are sanctified (set apart by-election for an inheritance by God’s purpose and decree before the world was-Eph 1.4; John 1.13, 6.44;2 Tim 1.9).
v 33…I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes (he did not demand their financial support; he had his eye on better things-Phil 3.1-8).
v 34…You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me (he not only supplied his own needs, but the needs of those with him).
v 35…In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Yeshua, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive (this was y oral transmission because this is not recorded anywhere in the Brit Chadasha-John 21.25)’ “
v 36…And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
v 37…And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him (they knew they would never see him again in this life, but they would in heaven, but that didn’t diminish their sorrow-1 Thes 4.13),
v 38…grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they were accompanying him to the ship (which was at Miletus waiting for him).
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