Study Desk

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

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

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

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

So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

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

Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.

For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.

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

A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen.

The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people.

But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it."