Acts 13:2-21:16

New American Standard Bible 1995

² While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, ^(A)the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me ^(B)Barnabas and Saul for ^(C)the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then, when they had fasted and ^(D)prayed and ^(E)laid their hands on them, ^(F)they sent them away.

⁴ So, being ^(G)sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to ^(H)Cyprus. ⁵ When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in ^(I)the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had ^(J)John as their helper. ⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a ^(K)magician, a Jewish ^(L)false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was with the ^(M)proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the ^(N)magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the ^(O)proconsul away from ^(P)the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who was also known as Paul, ^[a](Q)filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, ¹⁰ and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you ^(R)son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked ^(S)the straight ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now, behold, ^(T)the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the ^(U)proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at ^(V)the teaching of the Lord.

¹³ Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from ^(W)Paphos and came to ^(X)Perga in ^(Y)Pamphylia; but ^(Z)John left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ But going on from Perga, they arrived at ^(AA)Pisidian ^(AB)Antioch, and on ^(AC)the Sabbath day they went into ^(AD)the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ After ^(AE)the reading of the Law and ^(AF)the Prophets ^(AG)the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” ¹⁶ Paul stood up, and ^(AH)motioning with his hand said,

“Men of Israel, and ^(AI)you who fear God, listen: ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel ^(AJ)chose our fathers and ^[b](AK)made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm ^(AL)He led them out from it. ¹⁸ For ^(AM)a period of about forty years ^(AN)He put up with them in the wilderness. ^19 (AO)When He had destroyed ^(AP)seven nations in the land of Canaan, He ^(AQ)distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took ^(AR)about four hundred and fifty years. ²⁰ After these things He ^(AS)gave them judges until ^(AT)Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then they ^(AU)asked for a king, and God gave them ^(AV)Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² After He had ^(AW)removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘^(AX)I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My ^[c]will.’ ^23 (AY)From the descendants of this man, ^(AZ)according to promise, God has brought to Israel ^(BA)a Savior, Jesus, ²⁴ after ^(BB)John had proclaimed before ^[d]His coming a ^(BC)baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ And while John ^(BD)was completing his course, ^(BE)he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of ^(BF)this salvation has been sent. ²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem, and their ^(BG)rulers, ^(BH)recognizing neither Him nor the ^[e]utterances of ^(BI)the prophets which are ^(BJ)read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. ²⁸ And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they ^(BK)asked Pilate that He be ^[f]executed. ²⁹ When they had ^(BL)carried out all that was written concerning Him, ^(BM)they took Him down from ^(BN)the ^[g]cross and ^(BO)laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God ^(BP)raised Him from the dead; ³¹ and for many days ^(BQ)He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now ^(BR)His witnesses to the people. ³² And we ^(BS)preach to you the good news of ^(BT)the promise made to the fathers, ³³ that God has fulfilled this promise ^[h]to our children in that He ^(BU)raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘^(BV)You are My Son; today i have begotten You.’ ³⁴ As for the fact that He ^(BW)raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘^(BX)I will give you the holy and ^[i]sure blessings of David.’ ³⁵ Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘^(BY)You will not ^[j]allow Your ^[k]Holy One to ^[l]undergo decay.’ ³⁶ For ^(BZ)David, after he had ^[m]served ^(CA)the purpose of God in his own generation, ^(CB)fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and ^[n]underwent decay; ³⁷ but He whom God ^(CC)raised did not ^[o]undergo decay. ³⁸ Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that ^(CD)through ^[p]Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹ and ^[q]through Him ^(CE)everyone who believes is ^[r]freed ^[s]from all things, from which you could not be ^[t]freed ^[u]through the Law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of ^(CF)in the Prophets may not come upon you:

⁴² As ^[w]Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these ^[x]things might be spoken to them the next ^(CH)Sabbath. ⁴³ Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the ^(CI)God-fearing ^[y](CJ)proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in ^(CK)the grace of God.

Paul Turns to the Gentiles

⁴⁴ The next ^(CL)Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of ^[z]the Lord. ⁴⁵ But when ^(CM)the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were ^[aa]blaspheming. ⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you ^(CN)first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, ^(CO)we are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us,

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying ^(CR)the word of ^[ac]the Lord; and as many as ^(CS)had been appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹ And ^(CT)the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But ^(CU)the Jews incited the ^[ad](CV)devout women ^(CW)of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their ^[ae]district. ⁵¹ But ^(CX)they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to ^(CY)Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were continually ^(CZ)filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acceptance and Opposition

14 In ^(DA)Iconium ^(DB)they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner ^(DC)that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of ^(DD)Greeks. ² But ^(DE)the Jews who ^[af](DF)disbelieved stirred up the ^[ag]minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against ^(DG)the brethren. ³ Therefore they spent a long time there ^(DH)speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that ^[ah](DI)signs and wonders be done by their hands. ^4 (DJ)But the ^[ai]people of the city were divided; and some ^[aj]sided with ^(DK)the Jews, and some with ^(DL)the apostles. ⁵ And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and ^(DM)the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to ^(DN)stone them, ⁶ they became aware of it and fled to the cities of ^(DO)Lycaonia, ^(DP)Lystra and ^(DQ)Derbe, and the surrounding region; ⁷ and there they continued to ^(DR)preach the gospel.

⁸ At ^(DS)Lystra ^(DT)a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. ⁹ This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, ^(DU)when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had ^(DV)faith to be ^[ak]made well, ¹⁰ said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” ^(DW)And he leaped up and began to walk. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the ^(DX)Lycaonian language, “^(DY)The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” ¹² And they began calling Barnabas, ^[al]Zeus, and Paul, ^[am]Hermes, because he was ^[an]the chief speaker. ¹³ The priest of Zeus, whose temple was ^[ao]just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and ^(DZ)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ¹⁴ But when ^(EA)the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they ^(EB)tore their ^[ap]robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out ¹⁵ and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also ^(EC)men of the same nature as you, and ^(ED)preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these ^[aq](EE)vain things to a ^(EF)living God, ^(EG)who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ^16 [ar]In the generations gone by He ^(EH)permitted all the ^[as]nations to ^(EI)go their own ways; ¹⁷ and yet ^(EJ)He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and ^(EK)gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, ^[at]satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸ Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But ^(EL)Jews came from ^(EM)Antioch and ^(EN)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they ^(EO)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰ But while ^(EP)the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to ^(EQ)Derbe. ²¹ After they had ^(ER)preached the gospel to that city and had ^(ES)made many disciples, they returned to ^(ET)Lystra and to ^(EU)Iconium and to ^(EV)Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of ^(EW)the disciples, encouraging them to continue in ^(EX)the faith, and saying, “^(EY)Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ When ^(EZ)they had appointed ^(FA)elders for them in every church, having ^(FB)prayed with fasting, they ^(FC)commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

²⁴ They passed through ^(FD)Pisidia and came into ^(FE)Pamphylia. ²⁵ When they had spoken the word in ^(FF)Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶ From there they sailed to ^(FG)Antioch, from ^(FH)which they had been ^(FI)commended to the grace of God for the work that they had ^[au]accomplished. ²⁷ When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to ^(FJ)report all things that God had done with them and ^[av]how He had opened a ^(FK)door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they spent ^[aw]a long time with ^(FL)the disciples.

The Council at Jerusalem

15 ^(FM)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching ^(FN)the brethren, “Unless you are ^(FO)circumcised according to ^(FP)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And when Paul and Barnabas had ^[ax]great dissension and ^(FQ)debate with them, ^(FR)the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(FS)apostles and elders concerning this issue. ³ Therefore, being ^(FT)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both ^(FU)Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(FV)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all ^(FW)the brethren. ⁴ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and ^(FX)the apostles and the elders, and they ^(FY)reported all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some of ^(FZ)the sect of the ^(GA)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to ^(GB)circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

^6 (GC)The apostles and the elders came together to ^[ay]look into this ^[az]matter. ⁷ After there had been much ^(GD)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that ^[ba]in the early days ^(GE)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(GF)the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, ^(GG)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(GH)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; ⁹ and ^(GI)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(GJ)cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore why do you ^(GK)put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(GL)neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we are saved through ^(GM)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

¹² All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(GN)relating what ^(GO)signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’s Judgment

¹³ After they had stopped speaking, ^[bb](GP)James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. ^14 (GQ)Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. ¹⁵ With this the words of ^(GR)the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

¹⁹ Therefore it is ^(GY)my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, ²⁰ but that we write to them that they abstain from ^[bg](GZ)things contaminated by idols and from ^(HA)fornication and from ^(HB)what is strangled and from blood. ²¹ For ^(HC)Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since ^[bh]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

²² Then it seemed good to ^(HD)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(HE)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and ^(HF)Silas, leading men among ^(HG)the brethren, ²³ and they ^[bi]sent this letter by them,

³⁰ So when they were sent away, ^(IA)they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the ^[bn]congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^[bo]encouragement. ^32 (IB)Judas and ^(IC)Silas, also being ^(ID)prophets themselves, ^[bp]encouraged and strengthened ^(IE)the brethren with a lengthy message. ³³ After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren ^(IF)in peace to those who had ^(IG)sent them out. ³⁴ [^[bq]But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] ³⁵ But ^(IH)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and ^(II)preaching with many others also, ^(IJ)the word of the Lord.

Second Missionary Journey

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in ^(IK)every city in which we proclaimed ^(IL)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take ^(IM)John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸ But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had ^(IN)deserted them ^[br]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(IO)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(IP)Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul chose ^(IQ)Silas and left, being ^(IR)committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he was traveling through ^(IS)Syria and ^(IT)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

The Macedonian Vision

16 Paul came also to ^(IU)Derbe and to ^(IV)Lystra. And a disciple was there, named ^(IW)Timothy, the son of a ^(IX)Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, ² and he was well spoken of by ^(IY)the brethren who were in ^(IZ)Lystra and ^(JA)Iconium. ³ Paul wanted this man to ^[bs]go with him; and he ^(JB)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering ^(JC)the decrees which had been decided upon by ^(JD)the apostles and ^(JE)elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. ⁵ So ^(JF)the churches were being strengthened ^[bt]in the faith, and were ^(JG)increasing in number daily.

⁶ They passed through the ^[bu](JH)Phrygian and ^(JI)Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in ^[bv](JJ)Asia; ⁷ and after they came to ^(JK)Mysia, they were trying to go into ^(JL)Bithynia, and the ^(JM)Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; ⁸ and passing by ^(JN)Mysia, they came down to ^(JO)Troas. ^9 (JP)A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of ^(JQ)Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ When he had seen ^(JR)the vision, immediately ^(JS)we sought to ^[bw]go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to ^(JT)preach the gospel to them.

¹¹ So putting out to sea from ^(JU)Troas, we ran ^(JV)a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; ¹² and from there to ^(JW)Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of ^(JX)Macedonia, ^(JY)a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. ¹³ And on ^(JZ)the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

First Convert in Europe

¹⁴ A woman named Lydia, from the city of ^(KA)Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, ^(KB)a worshiper of God, was listening; ^[bx]and the Lord ^(KC)opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ And when she and ^(KD)her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

¹⁶ It happened that as we were going to ^(KE)the place of prayer, a slave-girl having ^(KF)a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of ^(KG)the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you ^[by]the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you ^(KH)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very ^[bz]moment.

¹⁹ But when her masters saw that their hope of ^(KI)profit was ^[ca]gone, they seized ^(KJ)Paul and Silas and ^(KK)dragged them into the market place before the authorities, ²⁰ and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, ²¹ and ^(KL)are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being ^(KM)Romans.”

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

²² The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their ^[cb]robes off them and proceeded to order ^[cc]them to be ^(KN)beaten with rods. ²³ When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding ^(KO)the jailer to guard them securely; ^24 [cd]and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in ^(KP)the ^[ce]stocks.

²⁵ But about midnight ^(KQ)Paul and Silas were praying and ^(KR)singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; ²⁶ and suddenly ^(KS)there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately ^(KT)all the doors were opened and everyone’s ^(KU)chains were unfastened. ²⁷ When ^(KV)the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about ^(KW)to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” ²⁹ And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before ^(KX)Paul and Silas, ³⁰ and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, ^(KY)what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

³¹ They said, “^(KZ)Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and ^(LA)your household.” ³² And they spoke the word of ^[cf]the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them ^(LB)that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. ³⁴ And he brought them into his house and set ^[cg]food before them, and rejoiced ^[ch]greatly, having believed in God with ^(LC)his whole household.

³⁵ Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” ³⁶ And ^(LD)the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go ^(LE)in peace.” ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, ^(LF)men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” ³⁸ The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. ^(LG)They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, ³⁹ and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them ^(LH)to leave the city. ⁴⁰ They went out of the prison and entered the house of ^(LI)Lydia, and when they saw ^(LJ)the brethren, they ^[ci]encouraged them and departed.

Paul at Thessalonica

17 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to ^(LK)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² And ^(LL)according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three ^(LM)Sabbaths reasoned with them from ^(LN)the Scriptures, ^3 [cj]explaining and ^[ck]giving evidence that the ^[cl]Christ ^(LO)had to suffer and ^(LP)rise again from the dead, and saying, “^(LQ)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the ^[cm]Christ.” ^4 (LR)And some of them were persuaded and joined ^(LS)Paul and Silas, ^[cn]along with a large number of the ^(LT)God-fearing ^(LU)Greeks and ^[co]a number of the ^(LV)leading women. ⁵ But ^(LW)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of ^(LX)Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. ⁶ When they did not find them, they began ^(LY)dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset ^[cp](LZ)the world have come here also; ^7 [cq]and Jason ^(MA)has welcomed them, and they all act ^(MB)contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” ⁸ They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. ⁹ And when they had received a ^[cr]pledge from ^(MC)Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul at Berea

^10 (MD)The brethren immediately sent ^(ME)Paul and Silas away by night to ^(MF)Berea, ^[cs]and when they arrived, they went into ^(MG)the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in ^(MH)Thessalonica, ^[ct]for they received the word with ^[cu]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore ^(MI)many of them believed, ^[cv]along with a number of ^(MJ)prominent Greek ^(MK)women and men. ¹³ But when the Jews of ^(ML)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in ^(MM)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. ¹⁴ Then immediately ^(MN)the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and ^(MO)Silas and ^(MP)Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Now ^(MQ)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as ^(MR)Athens; and receiving a command for ^(MS)Silas and Timothy to ^(MT)come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul at Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them at ^(MU)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. ¹⁷ So he was reasoning ^(MV)in the synagogue with the Jews and ^(MW)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. ¹⁸ And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were ^[cw]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would ^(MX)this ^[cx]idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching ^(MY)Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they ^(MZ)took him and brought him ^[cy]to the ^[cz](NA)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what ^(NB)this new teaching is ^[da]which you are proclaiming? ²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ (Now all the Athenians and the strangers ^(NC)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

²² So Paul stood in the midst of the ^[db]Areopagus and said, “Men of ^(ND)Athens, I observe that you are very ^(NE)religious in all respects. ²³ For while I was passing through and examining the ^(NF)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what ^(NG)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ^24 (NH)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is ^(NI)Lord of heaven and earth, does not ^(NJ)dwell in temples made with hands; ²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, ^(NK)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; ²⁶ and ^(NL)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having ^(NM)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, ^(NN)though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for ^(NO)in Him we live and move and ^[dc]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ ²⁹ Being then the children of God, we ^(NP)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. ³⁰ Therefore having ^(NQ)overlooked ^(NR)the times of ignorance, God is ^(NS)now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹ because He has fixed ^(NT)a day in which ^(NU)He will judge ^[dd](NV)the world in righteousness ^[de]through a Man whom He has ^(NW)appointed, having furnished proof to all men ^[df]by ^(NX)raising Him from the dead.”

³² Now when they heard of ^(NY)the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you ^[dg]again concerning this.” ³³ So Paul went out of their midst. ³⁴ But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the ^(NZ)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Paul at Corinth

18 After these things he left ^(OA)Athens and went to ^(OB)Corinth. ² And he found a Jew named ^(OC)Aquila, a native of ^(OD)Pontus, having recently come from ^(OE)Italy with his wife ^(OF)Priscilla, because ^(OG)Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, ³ and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and ^(OH)they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. ⁴ And he was reasoning ^(OI)in the synagogue every ^(OJ)Sabbath and trying to persuade ^(OK)Jews and Greeks.

⁵ But when ^(OL)Silas and Timothy ^(OM)came down from ^(ON)Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly ^(OO)testifying to the Jews that ^(OP)Jesus was the ^[dh]Christ. ⁶ But when they resisted and blasphemed, he ^(OQ)shook out his garments and said to them, “Your ^(OR)blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go ^(OS)to the Gentiles.” ⁷ Then he left there and went to the house of a man named ^[di]Titius Justus, ^(OT)a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. ^8 (OU)Crispus, ^(OV)the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord ^(OW)with all his household, and many of the ^(OX)Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. ⁹ And the Lord said to Paul in the night by ^(OY)a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But while Gallio was ^(OZ)proconsul of ^(PA)Achaia, ^(PB)the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before ^(PC)the judgment seat, ¹³ saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to ^(PD)the law.” ¹⁴ But when Paul was about to ^(PE)open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; ¹⁵ but if there are ^(PF)questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶ And he drove them away from ^(PG)the judgment seat. ¹⁷ And they all took hold of ^(PH)Sosthenes, ^(PI)the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of ^(PJ)the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

¹⁸ Paul, having remained many days longer, ^(PK)took leave of ^(PL)the brethren and put out to sea for ^(PM)Syria, and with him were ^(PN)Priscilla and ^(PO)Aquila. In ^(PP)Cenchrea ^[dj]he ^(PQ)had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹ They came to ^(PR)Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered ^(PS)the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹ but ^(PT)taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again ^(PU)if God wills,” he set sail from ^(PV)Ephesus.

²² When he had landed at ^(PW)Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to ^(PX)Antioch.

Third Missionary Journey

²³ And having spent some time there, he left and passed successively through the ^(PY)Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ Now a Jew named ^(PZ)Apollos, an ^(QA)Alexandrian by birth, ^[dk]an eloquent man, came to ^(QB)Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. ²⁵ This man had been instructed in ^(QC)the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with ^(QD)the baptism of John; ²⁶ and ^[dl]he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when ^(QE)Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him ^(QF)the way of God more accurately. ²⁷ And when he wanted to go across to ^(QG)Achaia, ^(QH)the brethren encouraged him and wrote to ^(QI)the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly ^[dm]helped those who had believed through grace, ²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating ^(QJ)by the Scriptures that ^(QK)Jesus was the ^[dn]Christ.

Paul at Ephesus

19 It happened that while ^(QL)Apollos was at ^(QM)Corinth, Paul passed through the ^(QN)upper country and came to ^(QO)Ephesus, and found some disciples. ² He said to them, “^(QP)Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, ^(QQ)we have not even heard whether ^[do]there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “^(QR)Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Paul said, “^(QS)John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people ^(QT)to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were ^(QU)baptized ^[dp]in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had ^(QV)laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began ^(QW)speaking with tongues and ^(QX)prophesying. ⁷ There were in all about twelve men.

⁸ And he entered ^(QY)the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them ^(QZ)about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when ^(RA)some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of ^(RB)the Way before the ^[dq]people, he withdrew from them and took away ^(RC)the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This took place for ^(RD)two years, so that all who lived in ^[dr](RE)Asia heard ^(RF)the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Miracles at Ephesus

¹¹ God was performing ^(RG)extraordinary ^[ds]miracles by the hands of Paul, ^12 (RH)so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and ^(RI)the evil spirits went out. ¹³ But also some of the Jewish ^(RJ)exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶ And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in ^(RK)Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. ¹⁸ Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. ¹⁹ And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it ^[dt]fifty thousand ^(RL)pieces of silver. ²⁰ So ^[du](RM)the word of the Lord ^(RN)was growing mightily and prevailing.

²¹ Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the ^[dv]Spirit to ^(RO)go to Jerusalem ^(RP)after he had passed through ^(RQ)Macedonia and ^(RR)Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, ^(RS)I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into ^(RT)Macedonia two of ^(RU)those who ministered to him, ^(RV)Timothy and ^(RW)Erastus, he himself stayed in ^[dw](RX)Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning ^(RY)the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of ^[dx]Artemis, ^(RZ)was bringing no little ^[dy]business to the craftsmen; ²⁵ these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity ^[dz]depends upon this business. ²⁶ You see and hear that not only in ^(SA)Ephesus, but in almost all of ^[ea](SB)Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that ^[eb](SC)gods made with hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess ^[ec]Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of ^[ed](SD)Asia and ^(SE)the ^[ee]world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

²⁸ When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is ^[ef]Artemis of the ^(SF)Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed ^[eg]with one accord into the theater, dragging along ^(SG)Gaius and ^(SH)Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling ^(SI)companions from ^(SJ)Macedonia. ³⁰ And when Paul wanted to go into the ^[eh]assembly, ^(SK)the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Also some of the ^[ei]Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to ^[ej]venture into the theater. ^32 (SL)So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the ^[ek]assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know ^[el]for what reason they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd ^[em]concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having ^(SM)motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the ^[en]assembly. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is ^[eo]Artemis of the Ephesians!” ³⁵ After quieting the crowd, the town clerk *said, “Men of ^(SN)Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great ^[ep]Artemis and of the image which fell down from ^[eq]heaven? ³⁶ So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither ^(SO)robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and ^[er](SP)proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the ^[es]lawful ^[et]assembly. ⁴⁰ For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” ⁴¹ After saying this he dismissed the ^[eu]assembly.

Paul in Macedonia and Greece

20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for ^(SQ)the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left ^(SR)to go to ^(SS)Macedonia. ² When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. ³ And there he spent three months, and when ^(ST)a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for ^(SU)Syria, he decided to return through ^(SV)Macedonia. ⁴ And ^[ev]he was accompanied by Sopater of ^(SW)Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by ^(SX)Aristarchus and Secundus of the ^(SY)Thessalonians, and ^(SZ)Gaius of ^(TA)Derbe, and ^(TB)Timothy, and ^(TC)Tychicus and ^(TD)Trophimus of ^[ew](TE)Asia. ⁵ But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for ^(TF)us at ^(TG)Troas. ^6 (TH)We sailed from ^(TI)Philippi after ^(TJ)the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at ^(TK)Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

⁷ On ^(TL)the first day of the week, when ^(TM)we were gathered together to ^(TN)break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his ^[ex]message until midnight. ⁸ There were many ^(TO)lamps in the ^(TP)upper room where we were gathered together. ⁹ And there was a young man named ^[ey]Eutychus sitting ^[ez]on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down and ^(TQ)fell upon him, and after embracing him, he ^(TR)said, “^[fa]Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” ¹¹ When he had gone back up and had ^(TS)broken the bread and ^[fb]eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. ¹² They took away the boy alive, and were ^[fc]greatly comforted.

Troas to Miletus

¹³ But ^(TT)we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go ^[fd]by land. ¹⁴ And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. ¹⁵ Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to ^(TU)Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had decided to sail past ^(TV)Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in ^[fe](TW)Asia; for he was hurrying ^(TX)to be in Jerusalem, if possible, ^(TY)on the day of Pentecost.

Farewell to Ephesus

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to ^(TZ)Ephesus and called to him ^(UA)the elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they had come to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, ^(UB)from the first day that I set foot in ^[ff]Asia, how I was with you the whole time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me ^[fg]through ^(UC)the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I ^(UD)did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and ^[fh]from house to house, ²¹ solemnly ^(UE)testifying to both Jews and Greeks of ^(UF)repentance toward God and ^(UG)faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, bound by the ^[fi]Spirit, ^(UH)I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that ^(UI)the Holy Spirit solemnly ^(UJ)testifies to me in every city, saying that ^(UK)bonds and afflictions await me. ²⁴ But ^(UL)I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may ^(UM)finish my course and ^(UN)the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to ^(UO)testify solemnly of the gospel of ^(UP)the grace of God.

²⁵ “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about ^(UQ)preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. ²⁶ Therefore, I ^[fj]testify to you this day that ^(UR)I am ^[fk]innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I ^(US)did not shrink from declaring to you the whole ^(UT)purpose of God. ²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all ^(UU)the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you ^[fl]overseers, to shepherd ^(UV)the church of God which ^(UW)He ^[fm]purchased ^[fn]with His own blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departure ^(UX)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing ^(UY)the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away ^(UZ)the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of ^(VA)three years I did not cease to admonish each one ^(VB)with tears. ³² And now I ^(VC)commend you to God and to ^(VD)the word of His grace, which is able to ^(VE)build you up and to give you ^(VF)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ^33 (VG)I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. ³⁴ You yourselves know that ^(VH)these hands ministered to my own needs and to the ^(VI)men who were with me. ³⁵ In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ When he had said these things, he ^(VJ)knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And ^[fo]they began to weep aloud and ^[fp](VK)embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, ^38 [fq]grieving especially over ^(VL)the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were ^(VM)accompanying him to the ship.

Paul Sails from Miletus

21 When ^(VN)we had parted from them and had set sail, we ran ^(VO)a straight course to Cos and the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara; ² and having found a ship crossing over to ^(VP)Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. ³ When we came in sight of ^(VQ)Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to ^(VR)Syria and landed at ^(VS)Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴ After looking up ^(VT)the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul ^[fr](VU)through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. ⁵ When ^[fs]our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, ^(VV)escorted us until we were out of the city. After ^(VW)kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. ⁶ Then we went on board the ship, and they returned ^(VX)home again.

⁷ When we had finished the voyage from ^(VY)Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting ^(VZ)the brethren, we stayed with them for a day. ⁸ On the next day we left and came to ^(WA)Caesarea, and entering the house of ^(WB)Philip the ^(WC)evangelist, who was ^(WD)one of the seven, we stayed with him. ⁹ Now this man had four virgin daughters who were ^(WE)prophetesses. ¹⁰ As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named ^(WF)Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he ^(WG)took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This ^(WH)is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will ^(WI)bind the man who owns this belt and ^(WJ)deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” ¹² When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him ^(WK)not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For ^(WL)I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for ^(WM)the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “^(WN)The will of the Lord be done!”

Paul at Jerusalem

¹⁵ After these days we got ready and ^(WO)started on our way up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some of ^(WP)the disciples from ^(WQ)Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of ^(WR)Cyprus, a ^(WS)disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.