Year of the Bible
Acts of the Apostles 20
Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 20:
Chapter 20 describes Paul’s travels around the areas of modern day Greece and Turkey. We see his continuous care and interest in those who have become disciples of Jesus, as Paul takes time to continue forming them and spend time together. The Eucharist (or “breaking of the bread”) is celebrated on the first day of the week, the day of new creation (vs. 7-12). Paul is preparing to depart, as he aims to be back in Jerusalem by the pilgrimage Jewish feast of Pentecost (vs. 16). In his farewell speech to the elders [=priests] of Ephesus, Paul encourages and teaches them, drawing on the model of his own life, preparing the believers for potential struggles, and spending time in prayer (vs. 17-38).
The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 20:
Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece
1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and having exhorted them took leave of them and departed for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through these parts and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. 4 Sopater of Beroea, the son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on and were waiting for us at Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Paul Preaches and Heals Eutychus in Troas
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer; and being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and embracing him said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the lad away alive, and were not a little comforted.
13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for so he had arranged, intending him self to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
Paul Speaks to the Elders of Ephesus
17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the Church. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you all the time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which befell me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance to God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, bound in the Spirit, not knowing what shall befall me there; 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that all you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians, to feed the Church of the Lord which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And they all wept and embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him to the ship.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
St. Paul knows by the Spirit that his earthly life is drawing to a close, and yet he says his only concern is that "I may accomplish the course and ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus." Do I treasure God's will for my life above all, even my own life?
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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1 Cuando cesó el alboroto, Pablo hizo
llamar a los discípulos, los animó, se
despidió de ellos y partió camino de Macedonia.
2 Después de atravesar aquellas regiones
y exhortar a todos con frecuentes
conversaciones, llegó a Grecia. 3 Allí
se detuvo tres meses y, como los judíos
tramaron un atentado contra él cuando
se disponía a navegar hacia Siria, decidió
volver por Macedonia. 4 Le acompañaban
Sópatros, hijo de Pirro, de Berea;
Aristarco y Segundo, de Tesalónica;
Gayo, de Derbe; y Timoteo, así como
Tíquico y Trófimo, que eran de Asia.
5 Éstos se adelantaron y nos esperaron
en Tróade. 6 Nosotros iniciamos la navegación
en Filipos después de los Ácimos
y a los cinco días nos reunimos con
ellos en Tróade, donde nos detuvimos
siete días.
7 El primer día de la semana, cuando
estábamos reunidos para la fracción
del pan, Pablo, que debía partir al
día siguiente, hablaba a los discípulos,
y su discurso se prolongó hasta la medianoche.
8 Había abundantes lámparas
en la habitación superior donde nos encontrábamos.
9 Un joven que se llamaba
Eutico estaba sentado en la ventana
y se quedó profundamente dormido al
alargarse el discurso de Pablo, de modo
que vencido por el sueño se cayó desde
el tercer piso y lo levantaron ya muerto.
10 Bajó Pablo, se echó sobre él y abrazándolo
dijo:
–No os preocupéis, que su alma está
en él.
11 Subió luego, partió el pan, lo comió
y siguió hablando largo tiempo
hasta el amanecer; entonces se marchó.
12 Trajeron vivo al joven y se consolaron
muchísimo.
13 Nosotros nos adelantamos a tomar
la nave y zarpamos rumbo a Asso, donde
íbamos a recoger a Pablo, porque él
había decidido hacer el viaje por tierra
hasta allí. 14 Cuando se nos unió en Asso
lo recibimos a bordo y llegamos a Mitilene.
15 Allí nos hicimos a la mar y llegamos
al día siguiente a la altura de Quíos;
al otro día atracamos en Samos y al siguiente
arribamos a Mileto. 16 Pablo había
decidido no detenerse en Éfeso, para
no perder tiempo en Asia. Se daba prisa
porque, si era posible, deseaba estar en
Jerusalén el día de Pentecostés.
Desde Mileto envió un mensaje a
Éfeso y convocó a los presbíteros de
la iglesia. 18 Cuando llegaron les dijo:
–Vosotros sabéis cómo me he comportado
en vuestra compañía desde el
primer día que entré en Asia, 19 sirviendo
al Señor con toda humildad y lágrimas
en medio de las dificultades que
me han venido por las insidias de los
judíos; 20 cómo no dejé de hacer nada
de cuanto podía aprovecharos –al predicaros
y al enseñaros, en público y en
vuestras casas–, 21 cuando anunciaba a
judíos y griegos la conversión a Dios y
la fe en nuestro Señor Jesús. 22 Ahora,
encadenado por el Espíritu, me dirijo
a Jerusalén, sin saber qué me pasará
allí, 23 excepto que por todas las ciudades
el Espíritu Santo testimonia en
mi interior para decirme que me esperan
cadenas y tribulaciones. 24 Pero en
nada estimo mi vida, con tal de consumar
mi carrera y el ministerio que recibí
del Señor Jesús de dar testimonio
del Evangelio de la gracia de Dios. 25 Sé
ahora que ninguno de vosotros, entre
quienes pasé predicando el Reino, volverá
a ver mi rostro. 26 Por eso, en este
día doy testimonio de que estoy libre
de culpa de la sangre de todos, 27 pues
no dejé de anunciaros todos los designios
de Dios.
28 »Cuidad de vosotros y de toda la
grey, en la que el Espíritu Santo os puso
como obispos para apacentar la Iglesia
de Dios, que Él adquirió con su sangre.
29 Sé que después de mi marcha se meterán
entre vosotros lobos feroces que
no perdonarán al rebaño, 30 y que de entre
vosotros mismos surgirán hombres
que enseñarán doctrinas perversas,
con el fin de arrastrar a los discípulos
tras ellos. 31 Debéis, por lo tanto, vigilar
y recordar que durante tres años no
cesé noche y día de exhortaros con lágrimas
a cada uno de vosotros. 32 Ahora
os encomiendo a Dios y a la palabra
de su gracia, que es poderosa para edificar
y conceder la herencia a todos los
santificados. 33 No he codiciado de nadie
plata, oro o ropas. 34 Sabéis bien que
las cosas necesarias para mí y los que
están conmigo las proveyeron estas
manos. 35 Os he enseñado en todo que
trabajando así es como debemos socorrer
a los necesitados, y que hay que recordar
las palabras del Señor Jesús, que
dijo: «Mayor felicidad hay en dar que
en recibir».
36 En cuanto acabó de hablar se puso
de rodillas y oró con todos ellos. 37 Entonces
rompieron todos a llorar y abrazándose
al cuello de Pablo le besaban,
38 afligidos sobre todo por lo que había
dicho de que no volverían a ver su rostro.
Y le acompañaron hasta la nave.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
San Pablo sabe por el Espíritu que su vida terrenal está llegando a su fin, y sin embargo dice que su única preocupación es que "pueda cumplir el trayecto y el mandato que recibí del Señor Jesús." ¿Atesoro la voluntad de Dios para en mi vida por encima de todo, incluso de mi propia vida?
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).