"Take heed to yourselves." Not because the salvation of oneself is preferable to the salvation of the flock, but because when we take heed to ourselves, then the flock also benefits.
"The Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church." You received, he says, ordination from the Spirit. And upon you lies the obligation to watch over the rational flocks of the Church, to watch that no one grows weak in faith, whether anyone is languishing from hunger or thirst, whether anyone is in need of some admonition or reproof, as Paul himself commands: "reprove, rebuke, exhort" (2 Tim. 4:2).
"Which He purchased with His own Blood." No small things were in danger if the Lord did not spare even His own Blood. Yes, to reconcile enemies, He shed even His own Blood; yet you can hold on to them now that they have already become friends.
Acts 20:29–31. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one of you night and day with tears.
A twofold misfortune: on the one hand, that he will not be there, and on the other, that certain people will attack, and moreover — what is especially bitter — "from among your own selves." It is grievous when civil war breaks out.
"To draw away disciples after themselves." The goal of heretics is to try to attract people not to the Lord, but to themselves, in order to flatter their own vanity, so that those attracted by them would bear the name of one heretic or another, as, for example, from Manes — the Manichaeans, from Arius — the Arians. This is what "to draw away disciples after themselves" means. Therefore, tempering their zeal even earlier, Paul both reproaches and forgives those who said: "I am of Paul"; "I am of Apollos" (1 Cor. 1:12).
Acts 20:32–34. And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up further and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my needs and to the needs of those who were with me.
The exhortation ends with a prayer. Since he had greatly frightened them, so as not to strike them down completely, here is the consolation. "And now," he says, "I commend you… to God and to the word of His grace," that is, to His very grace itself.
He did not say "I took neither silver, nor gold, nor clothing," but even "I did not desire them." And he spoke even more loftily further on: "You yourselves know that these hands of mine served my needs and the needs of those who were with me." Yes, true almsgiving consists in giving from one's own labors. But pay attention to the fact that this was a man who labored while constantly conversing: both day and night.
Acts 20:35. In all things I have shown you that, laboring thus, you ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, for He Himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
You cannot hide behind ignorance. I have shown you by my own actions that it is necessary to labor and to remember this word of the Lord Jesus. But where did the Lord say this? Perhaps the apostles transmitted this orally, or it is clear by inference. One degree is to renounce everything, another is to provide for oneself the necessities, a third is to provide not only for oneself but also for others, and a fourth is not to take even when you are preaching and have the ability to take. It is not said, however, that taking is a bad thing, but rather that it is better not to take.
Acts 20:36–38. Having said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. Then there was no small weeping among all of them, and falling on Paul's neck, they kissed him, grieving especially at the word he had spoken, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
It should be noted that the one who is departing ought to kneel and pray with all those present, and only then depart. The strength of their affection for Paul, as they embraced him for the last time and felt deep love and friendship from his final conversation, is evident in the words: "falling on Paul's neck."