ACTS XX. 415.

the Lord, shall make known to you | long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

A. D. 60.

VER. 16.

ACTS XX. 16-19.

"Exgive yàp i Пaõλoç waganλeõσal Tv Ἔφεσον, ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτρι βῆσαι ἐν τῇ ̓Ασίᾳ· ἔσπευδε γὰρ, εἰ δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτῷ, τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς γενέσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα.

For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

a And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem,

Acts xxi. 12.

b See on chap. ii. ver. 1. clause 1.

VER. 17.

̓Απὸ δὲ τῆς Μιλήτου πέμψας εἰς Εφεσον, μετεκαλέσατο τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς ἐκκλησίας.

And from Melitus he sent to Ephesus, and called a the elders of the Church. a See on chap. xi. ver. 30.

VER. 18.

̔Ως δὲ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε, ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡμέρας ἀφ ̓ ἧς ἐπέβην εἰς τὴν ̓Ασίαν, πῶς μεθ ̓ ὑμῶν τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἐγενόμην·

And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all

seasons,

VER. 19.

Δουλεύων τῷ Κυρίῳ μετὰ πάσης τα πεινοφροσύνης, καὶ πολλῶν δακρύων καὶ πειρασμῶν, τῶν συμβάντων μοι ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβουλαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων

Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, band with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

a For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward, 2 Cor. i. 12. Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, vi. 3, 4. But thou hast fully

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• A. D. 60. known my doctrine, männer of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, 2 Tim. ii. 10.

b For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death : for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in angels, and to men. Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace: And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the earth, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day, 1 Cor. iv. 9—13. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are per plexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh, 2 Cor. iv. 7-11. In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By_the by the armour of righteousness on the word of truth, by the power of God, right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things, vi. 4-10. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the

ACTS XX. 19-24.

Jews five times received I forty stripes Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, xi. 23-27.

no more.

A. D. 60.

a See on Matt. iii. ver. 2. clause 2.

VER. 26.

Διὸ μαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡμέρᾳ, ὅτι καθαρὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος πάντων.

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that a I am pure from the blood of

all men.

purpose, faith, long-suffering, cha- a the kingdom of God, shall see my face rity, patience. Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me, iii. 10, 11. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds, Heb. xii. 3. b Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway, 1 Cor. xi. 24-27.

Not as

though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. iii. 12-14. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing, 2 Tim. iv. 6-8.

:

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, Acts ix. 15.

d See on Matt. iv. ver. 23. clause 3.

VER. 25.

Καὶ νῦν ἰδοῦ, ἐγὼ οἶδα ὅτι οὐκ ἔτι ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ὑμεῖς πάντες, ἐν οἷς διῆλθον κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. And now, behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching

a Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity: but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned: also thou hast delivered thy soul, Ezek. iii. 17-21. Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If, when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet and taketh not warning: if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning, his blood shall be upon him: but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take