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¹ When the dust had settled, Paul said his goodbyes and struck a long trot for Macedonia. ² He stopped at ranches along the way and spread the word to anyone who would listen. He finally made his way all the way down to Greece. ³ He stayed there about three months doing what God had called him to do for so long. He was about to board a ship for Syria when he heard of a plot by some Jews. So, Paul doubled back and gave them the slip as we went back the way he'd come through Macedonia. ⁴ Seven cowboys rode with him: Pyrrhus's boy Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and finally Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. ⁵ These cowboys scouted ahead and waited for us in Troas. ⁶ We stuck around for the Passover week at Philippi and then took a boat five days later to Troas. There we camped out for seven days.

A Young Cowpuncher Is Raised from the Dead

⁷ We all met together on Sunday morning for a time of worship and the Lord's Supper. Paul planned on heading out the next day, so he taught all day long and well into the night. ⁸ There were a lot of oil lamps in the upstairs room where Paul was teaching. ⁹ Sitting on the sill of an open window, a young cowpuncher named Eutychus began to nod off. He grew so tired that he fell asleep and then fell out of the third story window. He was dead when he hit the ground. ¹⁰ Paul raced down the stairs and upon reaching the young cowpuncher, he threw himself on top of Eutychus and hugged him. Paul shouted, "Everything's going to be fine! He will live." ¹¹ Then they all went back upstairs and had the Lord's Supper. Paul continued to teach about Jesus until the sun came up and then he rode off. ¹² The folks who were there took the young cowpuncher home and he was fit as a fiddle; as were everyone else who had been there.

¹³ The rest of us got on a boat and sailed to Assos to wait for Paul. He wanted to go by land by himself. ¹⁴ When he finally arrived, we all got back on a boat and sailed to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The next day we set sail again and arrived at Chios. We continued sailing to Samos and then on to Miletus. ¹⁶ Paul wanted to bypass Ephesus this time because he wanted to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost.

Paul's Adios

¹⁷ But while at Miletus, Paul sent a letter to the church leaders at Ephesus asking them to come talk to him. ¹⁸ When they rode up, he said, "Y'all saw everything I did while I was with you. You know what I did from the first time my boot hit the ground in the province of Asia. ¹⁹ I rode for the Lord in humility, and sometimes with tears, while my Jewish brothers tried to stab me in the back. ²⁰ I held nothing back in teaching y'all how to ride for the Lord. I went from house to house telling folks the good news. ²¹ I left no one out. I spoke the truth to both Jews and Greeks. I told them how they were to turn to God and quit their sorry ways and have faith in Jesus.

²² "Now, I'm headed for Jerusalem. I'm not sure what's going to happen there, ²³ but God has told me it ain't gonna be skittles and rainbows. It's going to be rough and rank from here on out. ²⁴ But none of that worries me. My only thoughts are to finish the job. Jesus told me to tell everyone about the grace of God through his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the good news that I've told everyone I could.

²⁵ "So, this is where I tell y'all, 'Adios.' We won't ever see each other again in this life. I have told y'all everything I could about God's outfit. ²⁶ I've done my part and what you do with it will be on your heads. ²⁷ Not once did I hold anything back from you about what God wants. ²⁸ Take care of yourselves and watch over the herd God put you in charge of. Be good cowboys who watch over God's herd day and night. Take your jobs seriously because he bought that herd with his own blood. ²⁹ When I leave, wolves are coming, and they will go after the herd. ³⁰ Some of these wolves will be cowboys you thought you could trust, but they will twist the truth in an attempt to lure the weak ones away. ³¹ Keep your eyes open! Don't forget I warned you about this for three years straight. Don't let your guard down.

³² "And now I'm turning y'all loose on your own to follow God. He will take great care of you and make you into the cowboys you could never become on your own. He's going to make y'all strong, and to the strong, he will give an inheritance that cannot be measured. This is the reward to all those who faithfully served him. ³³ I've not lusted after anyone's vest, vittles, or dinero. ³⁴ Y'all know this because I've provided for myself and my cowboys with my own two hands. ³⁵ I made no bones about the value of hard work. I showed you myself that we are to help those less fortunate. We remember the words of the Lord when he said, 'You'll get more by giving than getting.'"

³⁶ Then Paul motioned for them to get out the saddle and they all took a knee in prayer. ³⁷ Tears were shed, and when they were done praying, they all shook hands with Paul. But no one had the right words. ³⁸ Paul's words echoed in their ears that they would never see him again. The range bosses from Ephesus escorted him to the boat, tipped their hats, and went out to do the job God had given them.