Stephen Colbert stopped by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for its final episode, delivering an incredibly heartfelt off-the-cuff speech that may leave you in tears.

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The final episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart aired Thursday night with special guests, hilarious tributes and touching sendoffs. But nothing was more genuinely emotional than old friend Colbert giving host Jon Stewart a moving tribute.

Colbert's speech started off scripted with hilarious banter between the two late night hosts about Colbert being the Sam to Stewart's Frodo. But when Colbert then veered off script, he overwhelmed Stewart with sincere emotion and gratitude over all he's done over the past 16 years.

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"We owe you because we learn from you," Colbert told Stewart. "We learned from you by example how to do a show with intention, how to work with clarity, how to treat people with respect - you are infuriatingly good at your job!"

Stewart alternated between laughing and being choked up before his friend concluded his heartfelt speech:

"I know you are not asking for this but on behalf of so many people whose lives you've changed over the past 16 years, thank you."

No Daily Show correspondent's life has been changed more by Stewart than Colbert, whose popular spinoff The Colbert Report made him a household name and beloved by millions. And Colbert is now taking over for David Letterman this fall when he launches The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

As for Stewart, he emphasized in his final speech that this is not goodbye for him and that the conversation will continue, no matter what form it takes.

Watch the entirety of Colbert's speech to Stewart below:

Tags: the Daily Show jon stewart Stephen Colbert