“But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
In plain words: Paul says that nothing matters more to him than finishing the work Jesus gave him: telling people the good news that God offers them undeserved kindness.
What Acts 20:24 means.
Paul said he didn’t count his life as precious compared to finishing the race and the work Jesus gave him.
Common questions about Acts 20:24
Is Paul saying his life doesn't matter?
No. Paul was not saying life is cheap, and he did not want to die. The Bible says every person is made in God's image, so every life matters [[Genesis 1:27]]. Paul meant something else. He was heading toward trouble and he knew it. Still, he said the most important thing was to finish the work Jesus gave him. He was not throwing his life away. He was spending it on something bigger than himself. Jesus said He came so people could have life to the full [[John 10:10]].
Apply it today: Thank God today for one good thing in your life, big or small.
What is the good news of God's grace?
Grace means kindness you could never earn. The good news is that God loves people who have done wrong. Jesus died for our sins, and He rose from the dead. Anyone who trusts Him is forgiven and welcomed by God. You do not pay it back by being good enough. Paul told this message everywhere he went, even when it cost him. It is called good news because it changes everything: forgiveness is offered to you through Jesus. [[Ephesians 2:8-9]]
Apply it today: Read Ephesians 2:8-9 slowly and think about what it means to receive a gift you did not earn.
Does this mean I have to quit my job and become a minister?
No. Paul had a special job as a traveling teacher, and not everyone has that one. But every follower of Jesus is asked to love God and love their neighbor [[Matthew 22:37-39]]. You can do that as a nurse, a parent, a student, or a driver. If you are not sure what your next step is, the Bible says to ask God for wisdom [[James 1:5]]. Start where you are, with the people near you. Finishing well is not about a perfect record. It is about staying faithful one day at a time.
Apply it today: Do one kind thing today for a person near you, and pray for them while you do it.
Ask anything about it.
Every question gets a clear answer in seconds, and a way to live it today.
Live it today.
Name the race God gave you, and run one stretch of it today.
Pray it back.
Jesus, I want to finish the race and the work You gave me.
Carry it all day.
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