Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Paul's Farewell To The Ephesian Elders

Hello! and happy good Tuesday to all of us, GUYS.  For our "daily bread" today:

THE GOOD NEWS (10 May 2016)
"From Miletus Paul sent word to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Church.  When they came to him, he addressed them, 'You know how I lived among you from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, how I served the LORD in humility through the sorrows and trials that the Jews caused me.  You know that I never held back from doing anything that could be useful for you; I spoke publicly and in your homes and I urged Jews and non-Jews alike to turn to GOD and believe in our LORD JESUS.
But now I am going to Jerusalem, chained by the Spirit, without knowing what will happen to me there.  Yet in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that imprisonment and troubles await me.  Indeed I put no value on my life, if only I can finish my race and complete the service to which I have been assigned by the LORD JESUS, to announce the good news of GOD's grace.
I now feel sure that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom of GOD will ever see me again.  Therefore I declare to you this day that my conscience is clear with regard to all of you.  For I have spared no effort in fully declaring to you GOD's will." - Acts 20:17-27
Paul And The Elders Of Ephesus

(Paul returns to Palestine.  He had a presentiment or he knew by a revelation of the Holy Spirit that another phase of his life was about to begin: the years of prison and trials.  So he wished to say goodbye to all the leaders of the Church in the Roman province of Asia.  He did not know all of them well, since the evangelization of this province had been the work of his team of assistants.  These leaders are called elders and inspectors [or "episcopes," from which we have bishops].) 

Paul, The Apostle

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