Study Desk

When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go there.

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

It was late at night, but the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then the jailer and all his people were baptized.

But Paul said to the soldiers, "Those officials did not prove that we did anything wrong, but they beat us in public and put us in jail. And we are Roman citizens. Now they want us to go away quietly. No, they must come here themselves and lead us out!"

But when Paul and Silas came out of the jail, they went to Lydia's house. They saw some of the believers there and encouraged them. Then they left.

But the Jews who did not believe became jealous, so they got some bad men from around the city center to make trouble. They formed a mob and caused a riot in the city. They went to Jason's house, looking for Paul and Silas. They wanted to bring them out before the people.

But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was telling people God's message in Berea, they came there too. They upset the people and made trouble.

So the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.

"God wanted people to look for him, and perhaps in searching all around for him, they would find him. But he is not far from any of us.

In the past people did not understand God, and he overlooked this. But now he is telling everyone in the world to change and turn to him.

When the people heard about Jesus being raised from death, some of them laughed. But others said, "We will hear more about this from you later."

But some of the people joined with Paul and became believers. Among these were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus council, a woman named Damaris, and some others.

There he met a Jewish man named Aquila, who was born in the country of Pontus. But he and his wife, Priscilla, had recently moved to Corinth from Italy. They left Italy because Claudius had given an order for all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit Aquila and Priscilla.

But after Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time telling God's message to the Jews, trying to convince them that Jesus is the Messiah.

But they disagreed with what Paul was teaching and started insulting him. So Paul shook the dust from his clothes. He said to them, "If you are not saved, it will be your own fault! I have done all I can do. After this I will go only to the non-Jewish people."

Paul was ready to say something, but Gallio spoke to the Jews. He said, "I would listen to you if your complaint was about a crime or other wrong.

But it is only about words and names—arguments about your own law. So you must solve this problem yourselves. I don't want to be a judge of these matters."

Then they all grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue. They beat him before the court. But this did not bother Gallio.

They asked him to stay longer, but he refused.

He had been taught about the Lord and was always excited to talk to people about Jesus. What he taught was right, but the only baptism he knew about was the baptism that John taught.