On My Way to Rome

begging me not to risk entering the amphitheater.

  Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and others something else, because the assembly was in complete confusion. A great majority didn't even know why they were there. Some of the crowd explained the situation to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front to speak. So Alexander motioned with his hand for silence, hoping to make a defense speech to the people. But as soon as they recognized that he was a Jew, they began bellowing and shouting in unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" and they kept it up for about two hours. I delivered Alexander and Hymenaeus unto Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. The Lord will pay him back for his works and actions for he greatly withstood my message of the kingdom.

  At last the city clerk was able to quiet the crowd, saying, "Men of Ephesus! Is there anyone who doesn't know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone which fell from the sky? Since this is beyond dispute, you had better calm down and not do anything rash. For you have brought these men here who have neither robbed the temple nor insulted your goddess. So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and the judges are there. Let them bring charges and counter-charges. But if there is something more you want, it will have to be settled in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being accused of rioting on account of what has happened here today. There is no justification for it, and if we are asked, we will be unable to give any reasonable explanation for this disorderly gathering." With these words he dismissed the assembly.

  After the uproar and rioting had ceased, I sent for the disciples and encouraged and consoled them. Then I embraced them and told them farewell. I took leave and set out on my way to the Province of Macedonia. After I had gone through those districts and had encouraged the brothers there, I passed on to Greece, where I spent three months preaching there. As I was preparing to set sail for the Province of Syria, I discovered a plot against me by the unbelieving Jews. So I changed my mind and decided to return by way of Macedonia. I was accompanied by Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus from Berea, and by the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the Province of Asia. I loved being surrounded by young men. I was passionate about being a mentor and imparting wisdom along with spiritual gifts to them. So that they too could function in their gifting and callings that God had bestowed upon them.

  These sons went on ahead and were waiting for us, including Luke at the port in Troas, while we sailed from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, the Passover week. Five days later we met up with them in Troas, where we spent a week. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered to break bread, I addressed them. Since I was going to leave the next day, I kept talking and expounding on the Scriptures until midnight. Now there were many oil lamps burning in the upstairs room where we were meeting. There was a young fellow named Eutychus sitting on the window-sill. As my teaching went on and on without taking a break, Eutychus grew sleepier and sleepier, until he went sound asleep and fell from the third storey window to the ground below. When they picked him up he was dead.

  I went down and bent over and embraced him, I put my arms around him and said, "Don't be alarmed or upset, he's alive! His life is within him." Then I went back upstairs, broke the bread and ate after saying a blessing. As the natural body heals itself, so too must the spiritual body, the Church heal itself. Each member of the body is joined together to make a holy habitation in the Lord. The body does not consist of one limb or one organ but of many members. For the body is one yet it has many members. The eye is not to say to the hand, I have no need of you. Nor the head to say to the foot, I have no need of you. For all the different parts of the body need one another. Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bone. There should be no divisions and discord in the body, but the members should care deeply for one another.

  I continued talking with them until daybreak, proclaiming, "Awake you that are asleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine His light in your hearts. It is high time to awake out of your sleep, for our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent and almost over, the day is almost here. Let us therefore cast off and put aside the deeds of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as people of the day, not partying and getting drunk, not engaging in sexual immorality and other excesses, not quarrelling and being jealous. Instead clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and stop thinking about how to provide for the sinful desires of the old nature. You are all children of light, and children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of the darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do those who do not know Christ. But let us stay alert and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep at night, and they that be drunk are drunk in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, put on the hope of salvation. Awake righteously and sin not. You will see God face to face and be satisfied when you awake to His righteousness."

  I prayed a prayer with them and then I departed. They took the youth home alive, greatly relieved that he was no longer dead. They rejoiced with him because the boy was dead but God brought him back to life. We are to rejoice with them that rejoice and we are to weep with those who weep. My helpers went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, a city in the Province of Asia Minor. They were planning to get me on board with them, but I had arranged to travel there by land. So when I met up with them at Assos, they took me aboard the ship and we sailed to Mitylene together, a town in the Island of Lesbos. The next day, we sailed from there and arrived at a point opposite Chios, an island in the Mediterranean. The following day, we crossed over to the Samos Island in the Mediterranean Sea, where we spent the night in the town of Trogyllium. The day after that we reached Miletus, a city of Asia Minor. I had decided to sail on past Ephesus, lest I might have to spend unnecessary time in the Province of Asia. For I was hastening and determined that I might reach the Holy city, Jerusalem, if at all possible, by the day of Pentecost.

  I am Paul, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Everything is allowable and lawful for me to do, but not all things are profitable and good for me to do. Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become a slave of anything and be brought under its control or power.

  Amen - so be it.

  Saying Good-bye. #17

  I sent word to Ephesus from the city of Miletus, where I was staying with my helpers. I summoned the elders of the church in Ephesus to come and visit me there. When they arrived I said to them, "You yourselves are well acquainted with my manner of living among you, from the first day I set foot in the Province of Asia, and how I continued afterwards. Serving the Lord with all humility in tears and in the midst of adversity, trials and affliction which befell me, due to the plots of the Jews against me. I did not shrink back from telling you anything that was for your benefit. Teaching you in public meetings and from house to house. Constantly and earnestly I testified both to Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah."

  I poured my heart out before them, holding nothing back, I announced, "And now, compelled by the Holy Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. I don't know what will happen to me there, other than in every city the Holy Spirit keeps warning me that imprisonment, persecution and suffering await me. But I consider my own life of no importance to me whatsoever, neither do I esteem my life dear to myself. As long as I can finish my course ahead of me with joy and complete the task I received from the Lord Jesus. To declare in depth the Good News of the Gospel of God's grace, His love and kindness. Now listen! I know that none of you people among whom I have gone about proclaiming the Kingdom will ever see me again."

  I loved the elders from Ephesus with all my heart. They were ve
ry dear to me. I had imparted many things to them and poured my life into them. Ever since I heard about their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their love for all the saints. I did not cease or stop to give thanks for them, making mention of them in my prayers. It was hard for me to tell them that they will not see my face again.

  I was barely holding back the tears as I continued to speak to them, "I testify to you on this day that I am innocent and not responsible for any of your blood at all. For I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole plan, the purposes and counsel of God. Watch out and be on your guard for your own well being. Take care of all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you over as leaders. Therefore as guardians and shepherds, tend, feed and guide the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He obtained for Himself, buying it at the cost of His own blood. In Him we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace."

  I could feel that their hearts were