Well, I am off and running in the course I am teaching here, The Missionary Vision of Paul. It is an examination of Acts 13-28 [+/-]Acts 13:1-27:9
[13:1]Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets
and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius
of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. [2]While they were worshiping the Lord
and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called
them." [3]Then after fasting and praying they laid their
hands on them and sent them off.
[4]So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down
to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. [5]When
they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in
the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist
them. [6]When they had gone through the whole island as far
as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish
false prophet named Bar-Jesus. [7]He was with the
proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who
summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of
God. [8]But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of
his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away
from the faith. [9]But Saul, who was also called Paul,
filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him [10]and
said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all
righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you
not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
[11]And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and
you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time."
Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went
about seeking people to lead him by the hand. [12]Then the
proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he
was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
[13]Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and
came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned
to Jerusalem, [14]but they went on from Perga and came to
Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into
the synagogue and sat down. [15]After the reading from the
Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a
message to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of
encouragement for the people, say it." [16]So Paul stood
up, and motioning with his hand said:
"Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. [17]The God
of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people
great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with
uplifted arm he led them out of it. [18]And for about forty
years he put up with them in the wilderness. [19]And after
destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave
them their land as an inheritance. [20]All this took about
450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel
the prophet. [21]Then they asked for a king, and God gave
them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin,
for forty years. [22]And when he had removed him, he raised
up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said,
'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my
heart, who will do all my will.' [23]Of this man's
offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he
promised. [24]Before his coming, John had proclaimed a
baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. [25]And
as John was finishing his course, he said, 'What do you
suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me
one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to
untie.'
[26]"Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those
among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of
this salvation. [27]For those who live in Jerusalem and
their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor
understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read
every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. [28]And
though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they
asked Pilate to have him executed. [29]And when they had
carried out all that was written of him, they took him down
from the tree and laid him in a tomb. [30]But God raised
him from the dead, [31]and for many days he appeared to
those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,
who are now his witnesses to the people. [32]And we bring
you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,
[33]this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising
Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,
"'You are my Son,
today I have begotten you.'
[34]And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead,
no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,
"'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'
[35]Therefore he says also in another psalm,
"'You will not let your Holy One see corruption.'
[36]For David, after he had served the purpose of God in
his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his
fathers and saw corruption, [37]but he whom God raised up
did not see corruption. [38]Let it be known to you
therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of
sins is proclaimed to you, [39]and by him everyone who
believes is freed from everything from which you could not
be freed by the law of Moses. [40]Beware, therefore, lest
what is said in the Prophets should come about:
[41]"'Look, you scoffers,
be astounded and perish;
for I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it
to you.'"
[42]As they went out, the people begged that these
things might be told them the next Sabbath. [43]And after
the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout
converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as
they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace
of God.
[44]The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to
hear the word of the Lord. [45]But when the Jews saw the
crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to
contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. [46]And
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was
necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you.
Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of
eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
[47]For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
"'I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"
[48]And when the Gentiles heard this, they began
rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many
as were appointed to eternal life believed. [49]And the
word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.
[50]But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing
and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their
district. [51]But they shook off the dust from their feet
against them and went to Iconium. [52]And the disciples
were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
[14:1]Now at Iconium they entered together into the
Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great
number of both Jews and Greeks believed. [2]But the
unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their
minds against the brothers. [3]So they remained for a long
time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the
word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by
their hands. [4]But the people of the city were divided;
some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.
[5]When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with
their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, [6]they
learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of
Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, [7]and there they
continued to preach the gospel.
[8]Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not
use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never
walked. [9]He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking
intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made
well, [10]said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your
feet." And he sprang up and began walking. [11]And when the
crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices,
saying in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in the
likeness of men!" [12]Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul,
Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. [13]And the
priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the
city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to
offer sacrifice with the crowds. [14]But when the apostles
Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and
rushed out into the crowd, crying out, [15]"Men, why are
you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature
with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn
from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven
and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. [16]In
past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in
their own ways. [17]Yet he did not leave himself without
witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven
and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and
gladness." [18]Even with these words they scarcely
restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
[19]But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having
persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out
of the city, supposing that he was dead. [20]But when the
disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the
city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to
Derbe. [21]When they had preached the gospel to that city
and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to
Iconium and to Antioch, [22]strengthening the souls of the
disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and
saying that through many tribulations we must enter the
kingdom of God. [23]And when they had appointed elders for
them in every church, with prayer and fasting they
committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
[24]Then they passed through Pisidia and came to
Pamphylia. [25]And when they had spoken the word in Perga,
they went down to Attalia, [26]and from there they sailed
to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of
God for the work that they had fulfilled. [27]And when they
arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all
that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door
of faith to the Gentiles. [28]And they remained no little
time with the disciples.
[15:1]But some men came down from Judea and were
teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised
according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
[2]And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others
were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and
the elders about this question. [3]So, being sent on their
way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and
Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the
Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.
[4]When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the
church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared
all that God had done with them. [5]But some believers who
belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said,
"It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to
keep the law of Moses."
[6]The apostles and the elders were gathered together to
consider this matter. [7]And after there had been much
debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you
know that in the early days God made a choice among you,
that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the
gospel and believe. [8]And God, who knows the heart, bore
witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he
did to us, [9]and he made no distinction between us and
them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. [10]Now,
therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a
yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers
nor we have been able to bear? [11]But we believe that we
will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as
they will."
[12]And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened
to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders
God had done through them among the Gentiles. [13]After
they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to
me. [14]Simeon has related how God first visited the
Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. [15]And
with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is
written,
[16]"'After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
[17]that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things [18]known from
of old.'
[19]Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble
those of the Gentiles who turn to God, [20]but should write
to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and
from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled,
and from blood. [21]For from ancient generations Moses has
had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read
every Sabbath in the synagogues."
[22]Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders,
with the whole church, to choose men from among them and
send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent
Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the
brothers, [23]with the following letter: "The brothers,
both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are
of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia,
greetings. [24]Since we have heard that some persons have
gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling
your minds, although we gave them no instructions, [25]it
has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose
men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and
Paul, [26]men who have risked their lives for the sake of
our Lord Jesus Christ. [27]We have therefore sent Judas and
Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word
of mouth. [28]For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and
to us to lay on you no greater burden than these
requirements: [29]that you abstain from what has been
sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been
strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep
yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."
[30]So when they were sent off, they went down to
Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together,
they delivered the letter. [31]And when they had read it,
they rejoiced because of its encouragement. [32]And Judas
and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and
strengthened the brothers with many words. [33]And after
they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by
the brothers to those who had sent them. [35]But Paul and
Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the
word of the Lord, with many others also.
[36]And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us
return and visit the brothers in every city where we
proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are."
[37]Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
[38]But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had
withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them
to the work. [39]And there arose a sharp disagreement, so
that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark
with him and sailed away to Cyprus, [40]but Paul chose
Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers
to the grace of the Lord. [41]And he went through Syria and
Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
[16:1]Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple
was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was
a believer, but his father was a Greek. [2]He was well
spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. [3]Paul
wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and
circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those
places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
[4]As they went on their way through the cities, they
delivered to them for observance the decisions that had
been reached by the apostles and elders who were in
Jerusalem. [5]So the churches were strengthened in the
faith, and they increased in numbers daily.
[6]And they went through the region of Phrygia and
Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak
the word in Asia. [7]And when they had come up to Mysia,
they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus
did not allow them. [8]So, passing by Mysia, they went down
to Troas. [9]And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a
man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us." [10]And when Paul had
seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into
Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the
gospel to them.
[11]So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage
to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, [12]and
from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the
district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in
this city some days. [13]And on the Sabbath day we went
outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there
was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the
women who had come together. [14]One who heard us was a
woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of
purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened
her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
[15]And after she was baptized, and her household as well,
she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed
upon us.
[16]As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met
by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought
her owners much gain by fortune-telling. [17]She followed
Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the
Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."
[18]And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having
become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I
command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of
her." And it came out that very hour.
[19]But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was
gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the
marketplace before the rulers. [20]And when they had
brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men are
Jews, and they are disturbing our city. [21]They advocate
customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or
practice." [22]The crowd joined in attacking them, and the
magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to
beat them with rods. [23]And when they had inflicted many
blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the
jailer to keep them safely. [24]Having received this order,
he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet
in the stocks.
[25]About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and
singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to
them, [26]and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And
immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds
were unfastened. [27]When the jailer woke and saw that the
prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to
kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
[28]But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm
yourself, for we are all here." [29]And the jailer called
for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell
down before Paul and Silas. [30]Then he brought them out
and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31]And they
said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,
you and your household." [32]And they spoke the word of the
Lord to him and to all who were in his house. [33]And he
took them the same hour of the night and washed their
wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
[34]Then he brought them up into his house and set food
before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire
household that he had believed in God.
[35]But when it was day, the magistrates sent the
police, saying, "Let those men go." [36]And the jailer
reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have
sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in
peace." [37]But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us
publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have
thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out
secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out."
[38]The police reported these words to the magistrates, and
they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman
citizens. [39]So they came and apologized to them. And they
took them out and asked them to leave the city. [40]So they
went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had
seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
[17:1]Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and
Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a
synagogue of the Jews. [2]And Paul went in, as was his
custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them
from the Scriptures, [3]explaining and proving that it was
necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the
dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is
the Christ." [4]And some of them were persuaded and joined
Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks
and not a few of the leading women. [5]But the Jews were
jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they
formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the
house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.
[6]And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason
and some of the brothers before the city authorities,
shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down
have come here also, [7]and Jason has received them, and
they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying
that there is another king, Jesus." [8]And the people and
the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these
things. [9]And when they had taken money as security from
Jason and the rest, they let them go.
[10]The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by
night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the
Jewish synagogue. [11]Now these Jews were more noble than
those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all
eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these
things were so. [12]Many of them therefore believed, with
not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
[13]But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the
word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came
there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. [14]Then
the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the
sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. [15]Those who
conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after
receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as
soon as possible, they departed.
[16]Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his
spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was
full of idols. [17]So he reasoned in the synagogue with the
Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every
day with those who happened to be there. [18]Some of the
Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him.
And some said, "What does this babbler wish to say?" Others
said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities"--
because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
[19]And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus,
saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are
presenting? [20]For you bring some strange things to our
ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean."
[21]Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived
there would spend their time in nothing except telling or
hearing something new.
[22]So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus,
said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are
very religious. [23]For as I passed along and observed the
objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this
inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you
worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. [24]The God who
made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven
and earth, does not live in temples made by man, [25]nor is
he served by human hands, as though he needed anything,
since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and
everything. [26]And he made from one man every nation of
mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having
determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their
dwelling place, [27]that they should seek God, in the hope
that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet
he is actually not far from each one of us, [28]for
"'In him we live and move and have our being';
as even some of your own poets have said,
"'For we are indeed his offspring.'
[29]Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that
the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image
formed by the art and imagination of man. [30]The times of
ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people
everywhere to repent, [31]because he has fixed a day on
which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man
whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance
to all by raising him from the dead."
[32]Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead,
some mocked. But others said, "We will hear you again about
this." [33]So Paul went out from their midst. [34]But some
men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius
the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with
them.
[18:1]After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
[2]And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus,
recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because
Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he
went to see them, [3]and because he was of the same trade
he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by
trade. [4]And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath,
and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
[5]When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul
was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the
Christ was Jesus. [6]And when they opposed and reviled him,
he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be
on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to
the Gentiles." [7]And he left there and went to the house
of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house
was next door to the synagogue. [8]Crispus, the ruler of
the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his
entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul
believed and were baptized. [9]And the Lord said to Paul
one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on
speaking and do not be silent, [10]for I am with you, and
no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this
city who are my people." [11]And he stayed a year and six
months, teaching the word of God among them.
[12]But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews
made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the
tribunal, [13]saying, "This man is persuading people to
worship God contrary to the law." [14]But when Paul was
about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it
were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I
would have reason to accept your complaint. [15]But since
it is a matter of questions about words and names and your
own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of
these things." [16]And he drove them from the tribunal.
[17]And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the
synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But
Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
[18]After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then
took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with
him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair,
for he was under a vow. [19]And they came to Ephesus, and
he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue
and reasoned with the Jews. [20]When they asked him to stay
for a longer period, he declined. [21]But on taking leave
of them he said, "I will return to you if God wills," and
he set sail from Ephesus.
[22]When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and
greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch.
[23]After spending some time there, he departed and went
from one place to the next through the region of Galatia
and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
[24]Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,
came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the
Scriptures. [25]He had been instructed in the way of the
Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught
accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only
the baptism of John. [26]He began to speak boldly in the
synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they
took him and explained to him the way of God more
accurately. [27]And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the
brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to
welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who
through grace had believed, [28]for he powerfully refuted
the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the
Christ was Jesus.
[19:1]And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth,
Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus.
There he found some disciples. [2]And he said to them, "Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they
said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy
Spirit." [3]And he said, "Into what then were you
baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." [4]And Paul
said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come
after him, that is, Jesus." [5]On hearing this, they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6]And when Paul
had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them,
and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
[7]There were about twelve men in all.
[8]And he entered the synagogue and for three months
spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the
kingdom of God. [9]But when some became stubborn and
continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the
congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples
with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. [10]This
continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia
heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
[11]And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the
hands of Paul, [12]so that even handkerchiefs or aprons
that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick,
and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out
of them. [13]Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists
undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those
who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus
whom Paul proclaims." [14]Seven sons of a Jewish high
priest named Sceva were doing this. [15]But the evil spirit
answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who
are you?" [16]And the man in whom was the evil spirit
leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them,
so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
[17]And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus,
both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the
name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. [18]Also many of those
who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their
practices. [19]And a number of those who had practiced
magic arts brought their books together and burned them in
the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and
found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20]So
the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail
mightily.
[21]Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit
to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem,
saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
[22]And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers,
Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
[23]About that time there arose no little disturbance
concerning the Way. [24]For a man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no
little business to the craftsmen. [25]These he gathered
together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said,
"Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
[26]And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in
almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away
a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are
not gods. [27]And there is danger not only that this trade
of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of
the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and
that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she
whom all Asia and the world worship."
[28]When they heard this they were enraged and were
crying out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" [29]So the
city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed
together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and
Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in
travel. [30]But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd,
the disciples would not let him. [31]And even some of the
Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were
urging him not to venture into the theater. [32]Now some
cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in
confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come
together. [33]Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom
the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his
hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. [34]But when
they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they
all cried out with one voice, "Great is Artemis of the
Ephesians!"
[35]And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he
said, "Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that
the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great
Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
[36]Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you
ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. [37]For you have
brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor
blasphemers of our goddess. [38]If therefore Demetrius and
the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the
courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring
charges against one another. [39]But if you seek anything
further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
[40]For we really are in danger of being charged with
rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to
justify this commotion." [41]And when he had said these
things, he dismissed the assembly.
[20:1]After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the
disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and
departed for Macedonia. [2]When he had gone through those
regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to
Greece. [3]There he spent three months, and when a plot was
made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail
for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
[4]Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and
of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius
of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and
Trophimus. [5]These went on ahead and were waiting for us
at Troas, [6]but we sailed away from Philippi after the
days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them
at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
[7]On the first day of the week, when we were gathered
together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending
to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech
until midnight. [8]There were many lamps in the upper room
where we were gathered. [9]And a young man named Eutychus,
sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul
talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell
down from the third story and was taken up dead. [10]But
Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his
arms, said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him."
[11]And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and
eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak,
and so departed. [12]And they took the youth away alive,
and were not a little comforted.
[13]But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos,
intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had
arranged, intending himself to go by land. [14]And when he
met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.
[15]And sailing from there we came the following day
opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the
day after that we went to Miletus. [16]For Paul had decided
to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend
time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if
possible, on the day of Pentecost.
[17]Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the
elders of the church to come to him. [18]And when they came
to him, he said to them:
"You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole
time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
[19]serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and
with trials that happened to me through the plots of the
Jews; [20]how I did not shrink from declaring to you
anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public
and from house to house, [21]testifying both to Jews and to
Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ. [22]And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem,
constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to
me there, [23]except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me
in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
[24]But I do not account my life of any value nor as
precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the
ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to
the gospel of the grace of God. [25]And now, behold, I know
that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming
the kingdom will see my face again. [26]Therefore I testify
to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of
you, [27]for I did not shrink from declaring to you the
whole counsel of God. [28]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. [29]I know that after
my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not
sparing the flock; [30]and from among your own selves will
arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the
disciples after them. [31]Therefore be alert, remembering
that for three years I did not cease night or day to
admonish everyone with tears. [32]And now I commend you to
God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who
are sanctified. [33]I coveted no one's silver or gold or
apparel. [34]You yourselves know that these hands
ministered to my necessities and to those