Acts 20:25-27
And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Paul doesn't just say he won't see them again; he emphasizes they won't see him. This subtle shift highlights that the separation is final from their perspective, not just his, and that the weighty message he’s about to deliver is their last opportunity. He knows the circumstances awaiting him in Jerusalem will ensure this ministry connection is permanently severed.
Paul has just gathered the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, knowing this is likely his last meeting with them. He's recounting his ministry among them, preparing them for hardship and false teachers ahead. This verse marks a pivotal moment where he directly tells them he won't see them again in this life.
Paul looks at the faces of these elders, and a profound certainty settles upon him. He knows, with a deep and certain conviction, that this is goodbye.
When Paul says, "I know that ye all... shall see my face no more," he isn't just expressing a sad feeling. The context suggests this knowledge came from the Holy Spirit, as he'd been warned of suffering and imprisonment awaiting him in Jerusalem (Acts 20:23). This isn't a vague premonition; it's a confident declaration based on divine revelation about his future path, which he believed would lead to his death.
While scholars debate if Paul literally never saw anyone from this specific group again, or if he simply didn't expect to see them in that region due to his impending fate, the core message is Paul's conviction that his ministry in Asia was concluding. He speaks with a sense of finality about his personal interactions with this community.
Before this farewell, Paul lays out his credentials not as a boast, but as a solemn charge. His focus isn't on his feelings, but on the integrity of his work.
Paul doesn't just say goodbye; he immediately pivots to his past ministry among them. He declares himself "innocent of the blood of all of you" (Acts 20:26) because he faithfully preached "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). This means he didn't hold back any essential truth, whether it was comfortable or not. His goal was their spiritual well-being, not his own popularity or safety.
This highlights a crucial aspect of leadership and discipleship: accountability. Paul held himself accountable to God and to the people he served. His departing words are a testament to a life lived with purpose, focused on delivering God's message completely.
With his own future uncertain and his time with these leaders drawing to a close, Paul's final charge is not to himself, but to a higher power.
Paul’s ultimate directive to the Ephesian elders is to "pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). He entrusts them, and the church, to the Holy Spirit's guidance and God's sovereign care.
Understand the original words
basileia · Greek Noun
The sovereign rule and reign of God, which was inaugurated through the ministry of Jesus and continues to expand through the proclamation of His message.
martyromai · Greek Verb
To bear witness, affirm, or declare solemnly, often in a legal or religious context. It involves giving evidence based on personal knowledge or experience.
katharos · Greek Adjective
Refers to moral purity or freedom from guilt and accountability for the death or destruction of another's soul. It signifies having fulfilled one's duty and responsibility before God.
hypostellomai · Greek Verb
The act of drawing back, shrinking away, or withholding due to fear or pressure. It implies a failure to speak truth boldly.
Paul's poignant declaration in Acts 20:25 was rooted in a profound understanding of his impending suffering and potential martyrdom, shaping his final pastoral words to the Ephesian elders.
c. AD 52-55
Paul's Extended Ministry in Ephesus
Paul spent roughly three years in and around Ephesus, establishing a strong church and significantly impacting the region of Asia Minor. This period laid the foundation for the audience of Acts 20.
c. AD 57— this verse
Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
During his third missionary journey, Paul stopped at Miletus, a port city near Ephesus. He summoned the Ephesian church elders to this location for a tearful, final meeting, knowing he would likely not see them again.
c. AD 58-60
Paul's Arrest and Imprisonment in Jerusalem and Caesarea
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Paul was arrested due to fabricated charges. He spent approximately two years imprisoned in Caesarea before appealing his case to Rome.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul was sent to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. While under house arrest, he continued to preach and write letters, including those to the Ephesians and Timothy.
Paul himself echoes this sentiment of impending departure and sacrifice, stating he is ready to be poured out as a drink offering, mirroring his awareness of his approaching end.
Romans 15:23-24Paul expresses a prior desire to visit Rome, but his current journey to Jerusalem seems to be the definitive end of his work in those eastern regions, reinforcing his statement in Acts.
Philippians 1:21-23Paul grapples with whether to live or die, showing a deep awareness of his mortality and a willingness to depart and be with Christ, which aligns with the finality of his words to the Ephesians.
2 Corinthians 5:1-2This passage speaks of earthly tents being dissolved and an eternal dwelling in heaven, resonating with Paul's own understanding that his earthly ministry and presence among them was drawing to a close.
ellicottActs 20:25: "And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more."
(25) I know that ye all . . . shall see my face no more. —It is clear from these words, as well as from Romans 15:23-24 , that at this time St. Paul did not contemplate any further work in the Roman province of Asia, or in Greece. It is as clear, if we accept the Pastoral Epistles as genuine, that he did revisit Asia ( 2Timothy 1:15 ), and that that visit included T…
wesleyActs 20:25: "And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more."
20:25 Ye shall see my face no more - He wisely inserts this, that what follows might make the deeper impression.
Paul doesn't just say he won't see them again; he emphasizes they won't see him. This subtle shift highlights that the separation is final from their perspective, not just his, and that the weighty message he’s about to deliver is their last opportunity. He knows the circumstances awaiting him in Jerusalem will ensure this ministry connection is permanently severed.
Paul has just gathered the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, knowing this is likely his last meeting with them. He's recounting his ministry among them, preparing them for hardship and false teachers ahead. This verse marks a pivotal moment where he directly tells them he won't see them again in this life.
Paul has just gathered the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, knowing this is likely his last meeting with them. He's recounting his ministry among them, preparing them for hardship and false teachers ahead. This verse marks a pivotal moment where he directly tells them he won't see them again in this life.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Acts 20:25-27 is available in the Sola app.
This shows a profound trust in God's plan, even in the face of Paul’s imminent departure and the spiritual dangers the church would face. He recognizes that true spiritual protection and growth come not from human leaders alone, but from the Spirit and the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
boulē · Greek Noun
The entire plan, purpose, or declared will of God for humanity, encompassing the full scope of His redemptive work and moral requirements.
c. AD 62-67
Possible Release and Later Ministry
Some scholars believe Paul was released from his Roman imprisonment and ministered in other areas, potentially revisiting Asia Minor. This is supported by the Pastoral Epistles, though debated.
c. AD 67-68
Paul's Martyrdom
Tradition holds that Paul was martyred in Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero, bringing his extensive missionary work to a definitive end.
"And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you th…" — Paul doesn't just say he won't see them again; he emphasizes they won't see him. This subtle shift highlights that the separation is final from their perspective, not just his, and that the weigh…
