What was the content of Paul's farewell address to the elders of the church at Ephesus?

• A. A short, practical sermon.
• B. A prophetic warning about future persecutions.
• C. A brief financial report.
• D. An instructive and emotional address, prayed with them, and bade them farewell.

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is recognizing the nature of Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders as both doctrinal leadership and a personal, emotional parting expressed in prayer. In Acts 20, Paul gathers the elders, reviews his two years of ministry among them, and lays out how he preached publicly and from house to house, declaring the whole will of God and exhorting them to guard the church. He speaks bluntly about dangers from false teachers, urges them to keep watch over themselves and the flock, and emphasizes his integrity and faithful shepherding. Then, as the moment of departure approaches, the scene shifts to a heartfelt farewell: he prays with them, and they weep, embrace, and bid him farewell.

That combination—clear instruction about ministry and guarding the flock, plus an intimate, emotional farewell with prayer—best fits the description of an instructive and emotional address prayed with them and closed with farewell. The other options don’t capture that blend: it isn’t just a short practical sermon, nor a mere financial report, nor solely a prophetic warning about persecutions; the passage centers on a comprehensive exhortation intertwined with a personal, communal prayerful send-off.