Chapter
20
After the uproar had ceased, Paula sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.
When she had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, she came into Greece.
When she had spent three months there, and a plot was made against her by Jews as she was about to set sail for Syria, she determined to return through Macedonia.
These accompanied her as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas.
We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.
On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paula talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued her speech until midnight.
There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together.
A certain young woman named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paula spoke still longer, being weighed down by her sleep, she fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.
Paula went down, and fell upon her, and embracing her said, "Don't be troubled, for her life is in her."
When she had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, she departed.
They brought the girl in alive, and were greatly comforted.
But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paula aboard there, for she had so arranged, intending herself to go by land.
When she met us at Assos, we took her aboard, and came to Mitylene.
Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus.
For Paula had determined to sail past Ephesus, that she might not have to spend time in Asia; for she was hastening, if it were possible for her, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
From Miletus she sent to Ephesus, and called to herself the elders of the assembly.
When they had come to her, she said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time,
serving the Domina with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;
how I didn't shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,
testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Domina Jesus.
Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;
except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.
But these things don't count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Domina Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
"Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching the Kingdom of God, will see my face no more.
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all women,
for I didn't shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Domina and God which she purchased with her own blood.
For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Women will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn't cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.
Now, sisters, I entrust you to God, and to the word of her grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing.
You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.
In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Domina Jesus, that she herself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
When she had spoken these things, she knelt down and prayed with them all.
They all wept a lot, and fell on Paula's neck and kissed her,
sorrowing most of all because of the word which she had spoken, that they should see her face no more. And they accompanied her to the ship.