Acts Part 40 | Finish Your Course | Acts 20:17-38 cover art

Acts Part 40 | Finish Your Course | Acts 20:17-38

Acts Part 40 | Finish Your Course | Acts 20:17-38

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

Message Us!

Paul summons the elders from Ephesus to Miletus and delivers a final farewell address, reflecting on his ministry among them and preparing them for his departure. He reminds them that he served with humility, endurance through suffering, and faithful teaching, declaring repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. Though warned by the Holy Spirit that imprisonment and hardship await him in Jerusalem, Paul declares that his life is of no value to himself compared to finishing the course and ministry he received from the Lord Jesus—to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

Paul then charges the elders to watch over themselves and the church, which God purchased with Christ’s own blood. He warns them that false teachers will arise from both outside and within the church, and he urges vigilant, sacrificial shepherding grounded in the Word. Commending them to God and to the word of His grace, Paul affirms his integrity and selflessness. The passage ends with an emotional scene of prayer, tears, and affection, as the elders grieve knowing they will not see Paul again, highlighting the deep bonds of Christian love and shared mission.

Support the show

No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.