17   But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.

18   When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now

19   I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 

20   I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 

21   I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

22   “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 

23   except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 

24   But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

25   “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 

26   I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 

27   for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

28   “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 

29   I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 

30   Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 

31   Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

32   “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.

33   “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 

34   You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 

35   And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36   When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 

37   They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 

38   They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.

1   Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!

2   Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.

3   Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his.

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4   Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

5   For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

24   Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. 25   Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, 

26   and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 

27   Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

28   She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”

29   “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” 

30   And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

1   I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. 

2   So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” 

3   After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

4   I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. 

5   I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. 

6   I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. 

7   I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. 

8   I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

9   So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. 

10  Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. 

11  But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

1   The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 

2   He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

3   “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 

4   Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 

5   And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

6   So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 

7   Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 

8   When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

9   “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

10  Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 

11  Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 

12  So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”

13  Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 

14  Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

15  Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”

22  In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.

23  But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. 

24  I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.

25  But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. 26  For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 

27  They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. 

28  As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. 

29  And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.

30  Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. 

31  Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem. 

32  Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

33  And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.

1   Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.

2   How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.

3   Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails.

4   He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!

5   He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.

6   He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.

7   All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.

8   They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.

9   He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

10  Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.  All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!

31   Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. 

32   A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.

33   Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. 

34   Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” 35Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

36   Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. 

37   They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”