BE SHEPHERDS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD

Passage: Acts 20:25-38

Key verse: 28

NIV

25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom(A) will ever see me again.(B) 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.(C) 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.(D) 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(E) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(F) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](G) which he bought(H) with his own blood.[b](I) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(J) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(K) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(L) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(M) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(N)

32 “Now I commit you to God(O) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(P) among all those who are sanctified.(Q) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(R) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(S) 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.(T) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(U) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(V) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(W)

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
  2. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

25 And now, behold, (A)I know that none of you among whom I have gone about (B)proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore (C)I testify to you this day that (D)I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for (E)I did not shrink from declaring to you (F)the whole counsel of God. 28 (G)Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all (H)the flock, in which (I)the Holy Spirit has made you (J)overseers, (K)to care for (L)the church of God,[a] which he (M)obtained (N)with his own blood.[b] 29 I (O)know that after my departure (P)fierce wolves will come in among you, (Q)not sparing the flock; 30 and (R)from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore (S)be alert, remembering that (T)for three years I did not cease night or day (U)to admonish every one (V)with tears. 32 And now (W)I commend you to God and to (X)the word of his grace, which is able to (Y)build you up and to give you (Z)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 (AA)I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34 (AB)You yourselves know that (AC)these hands ministered to my necessities and (AD)to those who were with me. 35 In all things (AE)I have shown you that (AF)by working hard in this way we must (AG)help the weak and (AH)remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed (AI)to give than to receive.’”

36 And when he had said these things, (AJ)he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And (AK)there was much weeping on the part of all; (AL)they embraced Paul and (AM)kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of (AN)the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And (AO)they accompanied him to the ship.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Acts 20:28 Some manuscripts of the Lord
  2. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his Own
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

At the time, Paul didn’t know how much time he had left on earth as he did later when he was awaiting his martyrdom in a Roman dungeon (2 Tim 4:6). However, he sensed that this would be the last time for him to meet with the elders of the Ephesian church (25). In that context, his farewell message to them was “Be shepherds of the church of God.” But how?

First, Paul reminded them of his own example. He preached the gospel with a sense of urgency that without repentance and faith his sheep would be subject to damnation (26). He proclaimed the whole will (or “counsel;” NKJV) of God instead of picking and choosing the parts of Scriptures that his Bible students’ itching ears would love to hear (27). Paul set an example of hard work, supplying his own needs and those of his sheep as well (34,35).

Second, Paul admonished them not to be complacent spiritually because “savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock…So be on your guard!” (29). They had to be spiritually alert. But also, their protection would be in God and the word of his grace, to which Paul committed them (32).

Prayer: Father, please make me a shepherd of God’s flock as you want me to be.

One Word: To give is more blessed than to receive