17. In Miletus Paul sent a message back to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church in Ephesus to come to him.
18. When they came, Paul said to them, “You know about my life from the first day I came to Asia. You know the way I lived all the time I was with you.
19. The Jews planned things against me, and this gave me much trouble. But you know that I always served the Lord, sometimes with tears. I never thought about myself first.
20. I always did what was best for you. I told you the Good News about Jesus in public before the people and also taught in your homes.
21. I told everyone—Jewish and non-Jewish people—to change and turn to God. I told them all to believe in our Lord Jesus.
22. “But now I must obey the Spirit and go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there.
23. I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me that troubles and even jail wait for me.
24. I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I finish my work. I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.
25. “And now listen to me. I know that none of you will ever see me again. All the time I was with you, I told you the Good News about God’s kingdom.