Acts 20:13–38 Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
Quick Summary
Acts 20:13–38 records Paul's emotional farewell to the Ephesian elders at Miletus. Paul recounts his ministry among them, warns of future threats to the church, and charges the elders to shepherd God's flock carefully. He reminds them that he worked to support himself and taught them to help the weak. After declaring he is innocent of their blood and commending them to God, Paul kneels and prays with them. They weep, embrace him, and grieve that they will never see him again. The passage is Paul's pastoral testament, revealing his heart for the church and his understanding of faithful leadership.
Introduction
Paul is traveling toward Jerusalem, knowing danger awaits. Rather than stop in Ephesus and risk delay, he summons the elders to meet him at Miletus, a port city about thirty miles south of Ephesus.
What follows is the only speech in Acts addressed to Christian leaders. Paul has spoken to synagogues, crowds, philosophers, and officials. Now he speaks to pastors.
This is Paul's farewell. He does not expect to see them again. The speech is both personal testimony and pastoral charge. He reviews his ministry, warns of future dangers, and instructs them on faithful leadership.
Luke records this speech at length because it offers a template for church leadership. Paul models transparency, humility, and fierce devotion to the gospel. He shows what it means to shepherd God's people.
The passage is moving. Paul's love for the Ephesian church is evident. His tears, their tears, and the final embrace reveal the depth of relationship forged through years of shared labor and suffering.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of Acts 20:13–38 and Commentary
Acts 20:13–16
"We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for he had made this arrangement, intending to go by land himself. When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. We sailed from there, and on the following day we arrived opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos, and the day after that we came to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost."
Luke provides travel details. Paul walks to Assos while his companions sail. This twenty-mile journey on foot suggests Paul wanted time alone—perhaps for prayer, reflection, or simply rest from the intensity of constant travel with a group.
They sail to Miletus, deliberately bypassing Ephesus. Paul is in a hurry. He wants to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost, one of the major Jewish festivals. This would be about two months away, and the journey is long.
But Paul does not want to leave without addressing the Ephesian church. So he sends for the elders, asking them to meet him at Miletus.
Acts 20:17–18a
"From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. When they came to him, he said to them:"
The elders respond. They travel the thirty miles to Miletus, leaving their responsibilities to hear Paul's final words.
These are the leaders Paul appointed during his time in Ephesus. They have been shepherding the church in his absence. Now they will hear his charge.
Acts 20:18b–21
"'You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.'"
Paul begins by appealing to what they know. "You yourselves know how I lived among you." His life was an open book. There were no secrets, no hidden scandals.
He describes his ministry in personal terms. He served "with all humility and with tears." This was not triumphant success. It was costly, marked by suffering and sorrow.
Paul endured trials and plots. Opposition was constant. Yet he did not shrink back. He proclaimed the message fully, holding nothing back.
His teaching was comprehensive. He taught publicly—in synagogues and the lecture hall—and from house to house, in small gatherings where deeper formation happened.
The content was consistent: repentance toward God and faith in Jesus. This is the gospel in summary. Turn from sin. Trust in Christ. Paul never deviated from this message.
Acts 20:22–24
"'And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace.'"
Paul is compelled by the Spirit. The language suggests he has no choice. God is directing him toward Jerusalem, even though danger awaits.
The Spirit has warned him repeatedly—"in every city"—that imprisonment and persecution are coming. Paul knows what lies ahead. This is not ignorance or recklessness. It is obedience.
Then comes the defining statement: "I do not count my life of any value to myself." Paul's life is not his own. He exists to complete the mission God gave him: testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
This is not nihilism. It is freedom. When life is held loosely, fear loses its power. Paul can face danger because his identity and purpose are secure in Christ.
Acts 20:25
"'And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again.'"
Paul declares what he suspects: they will not see him again. This is not divine revelation but realistic assessment. He is heading into danger. Even if he survives, his work is moving elsewhere.
He has proclaimed the kingdom among them—the reign of God breaking into the world through Jesus. This has been his message from the beginning.
Acts 20:26–27
"'Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.'"
Paul declares his innocence. He has fulfilled his responsibility. If anyone rejects the gospel, their blood is on their own hands, not his.
This echoes Ezekiel's watchman imagery. A watchman who fails to warn the city is guilty of the deaths that follow (Ezekiel 33:1-9). But if the watchman warns and the people ignore him, he is innocent.
Paul warned. He taught. He proclaimed "the whole purpose of God"—nothing held back, no compromise for the sake of popularity. His conscience is clear.
Acts 20:28
"'Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.'"
Now Paul shifts to their responsibility. "Keep watch over yourselves." Leaders must guard their own souls first. If they fall, the flock suffers.
Then, watch over the flock. The Holy Spirit appointed them as overseers. This is not self-appointment or human ambition. God placed them in this role.
Their task is to shepherd. The metaphor is pastoral—caring, protecting, guiding. The church is not a corporation to manage but a flock to tend.
The church belongs to God. It was purchased "with the blood of his own Son." This phrase is stunning. The price of the church is the life of Christ. Leaders are stewards of something infinitely precious.
Acts 20:29–30
"'I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them.'"
Paul warns of two threats. First, external: savage wolves—false teachers who will infiltrate the church, seeking to destroy it.
Second, internal: some from among the elders themselves will distort the truth. This is the greater danger. Betrayal from within is more damaging than attack from without.
These false teachers will not deny the gospel outright. They will distort it, twisting it to entice disciples to follow them. This is subtle corruption, more dangerous because it appears Christian.
Paul's warning echoes Jesus' words about false prophets in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). The church must be vigilant.
Acts 20:31
"'Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears.'"
Paul urges constant vigilance. "Be alert." Do not be naive or passive.
He reminds them of his example. For three years—Luke's rounding of the two years plus months mentioned earlier—Paul warned them day and night, with tears.
This is pastoral intensity. Paul did not simply deliver sermons. He pleaded, warned, and wept over the danger facing the church. Leaders today need similar passion.
Acts 20:32
"'And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.'"
Paul entrusts them to God and to "the word of his grace"—the gospel message. This is their foundation and their resource.
The word builds up and grants inheritance. It is not merely information. It is life-giving power that forms believers and secures their place in God's people.
Paul cannot stay. But God remains. The word remains. That is enough.
Acts 20:33–35
"'I coveted no one's silver or gold or clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."'"
Paul defends his financial integrity. He did not covet or exploit. He worked with his own hands, likely as a tentmaker, to support himself and his team.
This was intentional. Paul wanted to model self-sacrifice and to avoid any accusation of greed. Leaders should not burden the church financially.
Paul's work also enabled generosity. He supported the weak—those unable to support themselves. Ministry is not about receiving but giving.
He quotes Jesus: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This saying is not recorded in the Gospels but was apparently part of oral tradition. It captures the ethic Paul lived by.
Acts 20:36–38
"When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship."
Paul kneels and prays with them. This posture is significant—humility, dependence, and reverence before God.
The elders weep. Paul weeps. They embrace and kiss—expressions of deep affection and sorrow. This is not professional distance. It is family.
Their grief centers on one reality: they will not see Paul again. The relationship forged over years is ending. The pain is real.
They accompany him to the ship. This final act of service, walking with him to his departure, is a gesture of love and honor.
Acts 20:13–38 Meaning for Today
Acts 20:13–38 offers profound lessons for church leadership.
First, leaders must live with integrity. Paul's appeal—"you know how I lived among you"—assumes transparency. Leaders should have nothing to hide.
Second, suffering is normal in ministry. Paul served with tears and endured trials. The church should not expect leadership to be easy or glamorous.
Third, the whole counsel of God must be taught. Paul declared the full purpose of God. Leaders should not avoid difficult or unpopular teachings.
Fourth, shepherding is the heart of leadership. The church is not a business to manage but a flock to care for. Leaders must love the people they serve.
Fifth, vigilance against false teaching is essential. Savage wolves will come. Some will arise from within. The church must be alert and discerning.
Sixth, financial integrity matters. Paul worked to support himself. Leaders should be above reproach in financial matters and generous toward the weak.
Finally, relationships matter. Paul's farewell was not procedural. It was deeply personal. Leaders and churches should invest in relationships that last.
Acts 20:13–38 is a pastoral testament, showing what faithful leadership looks like: humble, sacrificial, vigilant, and deeply relational.
Works Consulted
Bruce, F. F. The Book of the Acts. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans.
Dunn, James D. G. The Acts of the Apostles. Epworth Commentaries.
Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Acts of the Apostles. Sacra Pagina. Liturgical Press.
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, Vol. 3. Baker Academic.
New Revised Standard Version Bible.
See Also
Acts 20:1-12 Journey Through Macedonia and Greece
