Study Desk

¹Now in the church at Antioch^(a) there were prophets^(b) and teachers:^(c) Barnabas,^(d) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(e) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(f) the tetrarch) and Saul.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(g) "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(h) to which I have called them."⁽ⁱ⁾

So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(j) and sent them off.^(k)

On Cyprus

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(l) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^(m)

When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God⁽ⁿ⁾ in the Jewish synagogues.^(o) John^(p) was with them as their helper.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(q) and false prophet^(r) named Bar-Jesus,

who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(s) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the sorcerer^(t) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(u) from the faith.^(v)

Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(w) looked straight at Elymas and said,

"You are a child of the devil^(x) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^(y)

Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(z) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun."^(aa) Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

When the proconsul^(ab) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

From Paphos,^(ac) Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia,^(ad) where John^(ae) left them to return to Jerusalem.

From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.^(af) On the Sabbath^(ag) they entered the synagogue^(ah) and sat down.

After the reading from the Law^(ai) and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak."

Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand^(aj) and said: "Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!

The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;^(ak)

for about forty years he endured their conduct^[a](al) in the wilderness;^(am)

and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,^(an) giving their land to his people^(ao) as their inheritance.^(ap)

All this took about 450 years. "After this, God gave them judges^(aq) until the time of Samuel the prophet.^(ar)

Then the people asked for a king,^(as) and he gave them Saul^(at) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,^(au) who ruled forty years.

After removing Saul,^(av) he made David their king.^(aw) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;^(ax) he will do everything I want him to do.'^(ay)

"From this man's descendants^(az) God has brought to Israel the Savior^(ba) Jesus,^(bb) as he promised.^(bc)

Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.^(bd)

As John was completing his work,^(be) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.^(bf) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.'^(bg)

"Fellow children of Abraham^(bh) and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation^(bi) has been sent.

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,^(bj) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets^(bk) that are read every Sabbath.

Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.^(bl)

When they had carried out all that was written about him,^(bm) they took him down from the cross^(bn) and laid him in a tomb.^(bo)

But God raised him from the dead,^(bp)

and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.^(bq) They are now his witnesses^(br) to our people.

"We tell you the good news:^(bs) What God promised our ancestors^(bt)

he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.^(bu) As it is written in the second Psalm: "‘You are my son; today I have become your father.'^[b](bv)

God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, "‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.'^[c](bw)

So it is also stated elsewhere: "‘You will not let your holy one see decay.'^[d](bx)

"Now when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;^(by) he was buried with his ancestors^(bz) and his body decayed.

But the one whom God raised from the dead^(ca) did not see decay.

"Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.^(cb)

Through him everyone who believes^(cc) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.^(cd)

Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

"‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'^[e]"^(ce)

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue,^(cf) the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.

When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.^(cg)

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying^(ch) and heaped abuse^(ci) on him.

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first.^(cj) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.^(ck)

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "‘I have made you^[f] a light for the Gentiles,^(cl) that you^[g] may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'^[h]"^(cm)

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;^(cn) and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

The word of the Lord^(co) spread through the whole region.

But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.^(cp)

So they shook the dust off their feet^(cq) as a warning to them and went to Iconium.^(cr)

And the disciples^(cs) were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.^(ct)

In Iconium

At Iconium^(a) Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue.^(b) There they spoke so effectively that a great number^(c) of Jews and Greeks believed.

But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.^(d)

So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly^(e) for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.^(f)

The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.^(g)

There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews,^(h) together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.⁽ⁱ⁾

But they found out about it and fled^(j) to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country,

where they continued to preach^(k) the gospel.^(l)

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth^(m) and had never walked.

He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed⁽ⁿ⁾

and called out, "Stand up on your feet!"^(o) At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.^(p)

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"^(q)

Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.^(r)

The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes^(s) and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:

"Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,^(t) like you. We are bringing you good news,^(u) telling you to turn from these worthless things^(v) to the living God,^(w) who made the heavens and the earth^(x) and the sea and everything in them.^(y)

In the past, he let^(z) all nations go their own way.^(aa)

Yet he has not left himself without testimony:^(ab) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;^(ac) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."^(ad)

Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

Then some Jews^(ae) came from Antioch and Iconium^(af) and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul^(ag) and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.

But after the disciples^(ah) had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

They preached the gospel^(ai) in that city and won a large number^(aj) of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium^(ak) and Antioch,

strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.^(al) "We must go through many hardships^(am) to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders^[a](an) for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,^(ao) committed them to the Lord,^(ap) in whom they had put their trust.

After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,^(aq)

and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch,^(ar) where they had been committed to the grace of God^(as) for the work they had now completed.^(at)

On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them^(au) and how he had opened a door^(av) of faith to the Gentiles.

And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.^(aw)

The Council at Jerusalem

Certain people^(a) came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers:^(b) "Unless you are circumcised,^(c) according to the custom taught by Moses,^(d) you cannot be saved."

This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem^(e) to see the apostles and elders^(f) about this question.

The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia^(g) and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted.^(h) This news made all the believers very glad.

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.⁽ⁱ⁾

Then some of the believers who belonged to the party^(j) of the Pharisees^(k) stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses."^(l)

The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.^(m)

God, who knows the heart,⁽ⁿ⁾ showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,^(o) just as he did to us.

He did not discriminate between us and them,^(p) for he purified their hearts by faith.^(q)

Now then, why do you try to test God^(r) by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke^(s) that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

No! We believe it is through the grace^(t) of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders^(u) God had done among the Gentiles through them.^(v)

When they finished, James^(w) spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me.

Simon^[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.^(x)

The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

"‘After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,

that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things'^[b](y)—

things known from long ago.^[c](z)

"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,^(aa) from sexual immorality,^(ab) from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.^(ac)

For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."^(ad)

Then the apostles and elders,^(ae) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch^(af) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,^(ag) men who were leaders among the believers.

With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch,^(ah) Syria^(ai) and Cilicia:^(aj) Greetings.^(ak)

We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.^(al)

So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—

men who have risked their lives^(am) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas^(an) to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit^(ao) and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.^(ap) You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.

The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

Judas and Silas,^(aq) who themselves were prophets,^(ar) said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.

After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace^(as) to return to those who had sent them.

^[34][d]

But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached^(at) the word of the Lord.^(au)

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(av) where we preached the word of the Lord^(aw) and see how they are doing."

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(ax) with them,

but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(ay) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,

but Paul chose Silas^(az) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^(ba)

He went through Syria^(bb) and Cilicia,^(bc) strengthening the churches.^(bd)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,^(a) where a disciple named Timothy^(b) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer^(c) but whose father was a Greek.

The believers^(d) at Lystra and Iconium^(e) spoke well of him.

Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^(f)

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders^(g) in Jerusalem^(h) for the people to obey.⁽ⁱ⁾

So the churches were strengthened^(j) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(k)

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia^(l) and Galatia,^(m) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.⁽ⁿ⁾

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(o) would not allow them to.

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.^(p)

During the night Paul had a vision^(q) of a man of Macedonia^(r) standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

After Paul had seen the vision, we^(s) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel^(t) to them.

From Troas^(u) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis.

From there we traveled to Philippi,^(v) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(w) And we stayed there several days.

On the Sabbath^(x) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(y) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(z) to respond to Paul's message.

When she and the members of her household^(aa) were baptized,^(ab) she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.

Once when we were going to the place of prayer,^(ac) we were met by a female slave who had a spirit^(ad) by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God,^(ae) who are telling you the way to be saved."

She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.^(af)

When her owners realized that their hope of making money^(ag) was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(ah) and dragged^(ai) them into the marketplace to face the authorities.

They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar^(aj)

by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans^(ak) to accept or practice."^(al)

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.^(am)

After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer^(an) was commanded to guard them carefully.

When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(ao)

About midnight^(ap) Paul and Silas^(aq) were praying and singing hymns^(ar) to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.^(as) At once all the prison doors flew open,^(at) and everyone's chains came loose.^(au)

The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.^(av)

But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.^(aw)

He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"^(ax)

They replied, "Believe^(ay) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved^(az)—you and your household."^(ba)

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

At that hour of the night^(bb) the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.^(bc)

The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he^(bd) was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men."

The jailer^(be) told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."^(bf)

But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens,^(bg) and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out."

The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.^(bh)

They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.^(bi)

After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house,^(bj) where they met with the brothers and sisters^(bk) and encouraged them. Then they left.

In Thessalonica

When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(a) where there was a Jewish synagogue.

As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(b) and on three Sabbath^(c) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^(d)

explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(e) and rise from the dead.^(f) "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,"^(g) he said.

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,^(h) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.⁽ⁱ⁾ They rushed to Jason's^(j) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^[a]

But when they did not find them, they dragged^(k) Jason and some other believers^(l) before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world^(m) have now come here,⁽ⁿ⁾

and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus."^(o)

When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.

Then they made Jason^(p) and the others post bond and let them go.

As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas^(q) away to Berea.^(r) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.^(s)

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,^(t) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures^(u) every day to see if what Paul said was true.^(v)

As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.^(w)

But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,^(x) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.

The believers^(y) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas^(z) and Timothy^(aa) stayed at Berea.

Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens^(ab) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.^(ac)

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.

So he reasoned in the synagogue^(ad) with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news^(ae) about Jesus and the resurrection.^(af)

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,^(ag) where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching^(ah) is that you are presenting?

You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean."

(All the Athenians^(ai) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus^(aj) and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.^(ak)

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god . So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship^(al)—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

"The God who made the world and everything in it^(am) is the Lord of heaven and earth^(an) and does not live in temples built by human hands.^(ao)

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.^(ap)

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.^(aq)

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.^(ar)

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.'^[b](as) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.'^[c]

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.^(at)

In the past God overlooked^(au) such ignorance,^(av) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.^(aw)

For he has set a day when he will judge^(ax) the world with justice^(ay) by the man he has appointed.^(az) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."^(ba)

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,^(bb) some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."

At that, Paul left the Council.

Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,^(bc) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

In Corinth

After this, Paul left Athens^(a) and went to Corinth.^(b)

There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,^(c) because Claudius^(d) had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.^(e)

Every Sabbath^(f) he reasoned in the synagogue,^(g) trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas^(h) and Timothy⁽ⁱ⁾ came from Macedonia,^(j) Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.^(k)

But when they opposed Paul and became abusive,^(l) he shook out his clothes in protest^(m) and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads!⁽ⁿ⁾ I am innocent of it.^(o) From now on I will go to the Gentiles."^(p)

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.^(q)

Crispus,^(r) the synagogue leader,^(s) and his entire household^(t) believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:^(u) "Do not be afraid;^(v) keep on speaking, do not be silent.

For I am with you,^(w) and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."

So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.^(x)

While Gallio was proconsul^(y) of Achaia,^(z) the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment.

"This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law."

Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.

But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law^(aa)—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things."

So he drove them off.

Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes^(ab) the synagogue leader^(ac) and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters^(ad) and sailed for Syria,^(ae) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.^(af) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae^(ag) because of a vow he had taken.^(ah)

They arrived at Ephesus,^(ai) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.

But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will."^(aj) Then he set sail from Ephesus.

When he landed at Caesarea,^(ak) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.^(al)

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia^(am) and Phrygia,^(an) strengthening all the disciples.^(ao)

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,^(ap) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.^(aq) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[a](ar) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.^(as)

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila^(at) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,^(au) the brothers and sisters^(av) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.

For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures^(aw) that Jesus was the Messiah.^(ax)

Paul in Ephesus

While Apollos^(a) was at Corinth,^(b) Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.^(c) There he found some disciples

and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit^(d) when^[a] you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "John's baptism^(e) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus."^(f)

On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^(g)

When Paul placed his hands on them,^(h) the Holy Spirit came on them,⁽ⁱ⁾ and they spoke in tongues^[b](j) and prophesied.

There were about twelve men in all.

Paul entered the synagogue^(k) and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.^(l)

But some of them^(m) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.⁽ⁿ⁾ So Paul left them. He took the disciples^(o) with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

This went on for two years,^(p) so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia^(q) heard the word of the Lord.^(r)

God did extraordinary miracles^(s) through Paul,

so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured^(t) and the evil spirits left them.

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits^(u) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus^(v) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."

Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?"

Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus,^(w) they were all seized with fear,^(x) and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.

A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^[c]

In this way the word of the Lord^(y) spread widely and grew in power.^(z)

After all this had happened, Paul decided^[d] to go to Jerusalem,^(aa) passing through Macedonia^(ab) and Achaia.^(ac) "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also."^(ad)

He sent two of his helpers,^(ae) Timothy^(af) and Erastus,^(ag) to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia^(ah) a little longer.

About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.^(ai)

A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there.

He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: "You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.^(aj)

And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus^(ak) and in practically the whole province of Asia.^(al) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.^(am)

There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."