Thematic Bible: Ac 13-14

After spending some time there he departed through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia strengthening all the disciples. A Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was an Alexandrian who had a comprehensive knowledge of the scriptures and spoke eloquently. This man had been instructed in God's way. Being fervent in spirit he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. read more.
He spoke boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him home and explained God's word more accurately. When he decided to travel to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him. They wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived he was a great help to those who by grace believed. He powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them: Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They said: We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit. Paul asked: What kind of baptism did you get? They replied: It was the baptism John taught. Paul said: John baptized with the baptism of repentance. He told the people they should believe in Jesus, the one who came after John. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul laid his hands on them and Holy Spirit came upon them. They spoke with tongues and prophesied. There were twelve men in all. He entered the synagogue and spoke boldly reasoning and persuading about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months. Some were obstinate and publicly maligned The Way before the crowds. He departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This continued for two years so that all who lived in this part of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. God did special miracles by the hands of Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his body were put on the sick and the evil spirits went away. Some Jews went around driving out evil spirits saying: In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches I command you to come out! And there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, and a chief priest, who did this. The evil spirit answered and said to them: Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you? The man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, and overpowered them. He gave them such a beating that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known to all both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. They were all afraid. The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Many of the believers confessed openly about the evil things they had done. Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they totaled the value of them it came to about fifty thousand pieces of silver. The word of God kept on growing and prevailed. After this ended Paul was directed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he passed through Macedonia and Achaia. He said: After I have been there, I must also see Rome. He sent two of his helpers Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia. He stayed in Asia for a while. A great disturbance occurred about The Way. A man named Demetrius, a silversmith made silver shrines of Diana. He brought a lot of business to the craftsmen. They gathered together along with similar related workmen, and said: Sirs, You know we receive a good income from this business. You see and hear that Paul, in Ephesus and throughout all Asia, has persuaded and turned away many people. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger that our trade will lose its good name. The temple of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) would then become useless. The goddess who is worshiped in all Asia would be robbed of her divine majesty. When they heard this they were filled with anger. They shouted: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. The city was filled with the confusion. They rushed with one accord into the theatre and seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel. Paul wanted to enter the theatre with the people but his disciples would not permit it. Some of the officials and his friends sent him a message begging him not to enter the theatre. Some cried one thing and others another for the crowd was in confusion. Most of them did not know why they assembled. The crowd of Jews thrust Alexander forward. Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make a defense to the people. They perceived that he was a Jew and all with one voice shouted for two hours: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. The city recorder quieted the crowd. He said: You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing that these things are indisputable it is fitting that you keep calm and do nothing rash. You brought these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. If Demetrius and the craftsmen that are with him have a grievance against any man, the courts are open, and there are judges. Let them accuse one another. But if you seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger to be charged with rioting (sedition) because of today's events. We would not be able to account for this ruckus for there is no reason for it. When he finished speaking he dismissed the assembly. After the uproar ceased Paul sent for the disciples. He encouraged them. Then he left for Macedonia. He went to Greece after traveling through the area giving encouragement. After three months he set sail for Syria. He decided to return through Macedonia. He left there because the Jews formed a plot against him. Those who accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. They left early and were waiting for us at Troas. We sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread. Five days later we met them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul spoke to them. Intending to depart the next morning he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lights in the upper chamber where we gathered. A young man named Eutychus sat in the window. He was very sleepy. Paul's talk was long and he fell asleep. He fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead. Paul went down and fell on him. He embraced him and said: Do not be troubled for he lives. He went up and they broke bread and ate. He talked with them a long time until morning. Then he left. The people took the young man home alive for they were greatly comforted. We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos. We intended to take Paul on board for he had arranged to go there on foot. He met us at Assos and journeyed to Mitylene. We sailed from there to Chios and then to Samos. One day later we went to Miletus. Paul decided to sail past Ephesus so he might not spend time in Asia. He was in a hurry to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. At Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the congregation to him. When they arrived he said: You know from the first day that I set foot in Asia, I was with you all the time, serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials that came on me by the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house. I witnessed to both Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. I am compelled by the spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there. Holy Spirit warns me that in every city, prison and hardships are facing me there. I do not consider my life of any account. It is not dear to me so that I may finish the race, and I may accomplish the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to preach the good news of the grace of God. I know all of you and have preached the kingdom with you. But you will not see me again. I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. I did not shrink from telling you the entire will of God. Be on guard for yourselves and the flock that the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Feed the Congregation of God that he purchased with the blood of his own [Son]. I know that after my departing grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Such men will arise from among you speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. Be on guard! Remember I did not cease for three years to admonish you day and night with tears. Now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace. This is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or clothes. You know that my own hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I gave you an example. You by laboring should help the weak. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: It is more blessed to give than to receive. When he had spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all. They all wept profusely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him. (embraced him) (hugged him) (Genesis 45:14) What grieved them most was his statement that they would not see him again. They accompanied him to the ship. After we parted from them we set sail with a straight course to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and then to Patara. We went aboard a ship sailing to Phoenicia. We passed to the south of Cyprus and sailed to Syria. We landed at Tyre where the ship unloaded it's cargo. Having found the disciples, we stayed there seven days. Guided by the Spirit the disciples urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. When the time came we left there and went on our journey. All the disciples, their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city. We knelt down on the beach and prayed, and said goodbye. We went on board the ship as they returned home. We traveled from Tyre to Ptolemais where the brothers greeted us and we stayed with them one day. The next morning we left for Caesarea where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist and one of the seven. Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied. As we stayed there several days, a prophet came from Judea, named Agabus. Coming to us he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands. He said: The Holy Spirit says, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this belt, and shall deliver him into the hands of the nations. When we heard this everyone pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Why do you weep and break my heart? Paul answered: For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. He would not be dissuaded. So we ceased, saying: The will of God be done! We packed our baggage and went to Jerusalem.

After time passed Paul said to Barnabas: Let us go again and visit our brothers in every city where we have preached the Word of God, and see how they are doing. Barnabas decided to take John, whose surname was Mark, with them. Paul did not think it a good idea to take him with them. So he left them at Pamphylia. read more.
Their disagreement was so great between them that they parted company. So Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and departed, being entrusted by the brothers to the grace of God. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations. Paul arrived at Derbe and Lystra where he saw a disciple named Timothy. He was the son of a Jewish woman, and his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to have him travel with him. So he had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in the area. For they knew that his father was a Greek. They went through the towns and delivered to the believers the rules decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. They told them to obey those rules. The congregations were made stronger in the faith and grew in numbers every day. The Holy Spirit did not let them preach the message in the province of Asia. So they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go into the province of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. They traveled through Mysia and went to Troas. Paul had a vision that night. In it he saw a Macedonian standing and pleading with him, Come over to Macedonia and help us! After Paul had this vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news to the people there. We left by ship from Troas and sailed to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. From there we went inland to Philippi, a city of the first district of Macedonia. It is also a Roman colony. We spent several days there. On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the river where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women who gathered there. A woman named Lydia who was a seller of purple came from Thyatira. She worshipped God because God opened her heart to listen to the things spoken by Paul. When she and her household were baptized she came to us saying, If you judge me to be faithful to God, come to my house, and stay there. She absolutely insisted that we come. A young woman who had a spirit of divination met us as we were going to the place of prayer. She brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and cried out: These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation. She did this for many days. This troubled Paul. So he turned and said to the spirit, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very hour. When her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. They took them to the magistrates and said: These men, being Jews, cause great trouble in our city. They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. After they were severely beaten, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safe. Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. The prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a massive earthquake. It was so great the foundations of the prison-house were shaken. All the doors were opened and everyone's bands came off. The jailor, who was roused out of sleep and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. Paul cried with a loud voice: Do not harm yourself for we are all here. The jailer called for lights. He rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He brought them out and asked: Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They said: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house. They spoke the Word of God to him and those in his house. That very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds. Then he and all his family were baptized. He took them to his house and fed them. They rejoiced along with his entire house, having believed in God. The next day the magistrates sent the officers saying: Let those men go. The jailor reported the words to Paul, saying: The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore go in peace. Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly uncondemned, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison. Do they now throw us out privately? No I say, but let them come in person to bring us out. The officers reported these words to the magistrates. They feared when they heard that they were Romans. They personally came to them and brought them out. They asked them to go away from the city. They left the prison and entered the house of Lydia. When they saw the brothers they comforted them and then left. They passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Paul went in, for it was his custom. He reasoned with them from the Scriptures for three Sabbath days. He explained and proved that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. And that Jesus is the Messiah. Some of them were convinced (believed) and joined with Paul and Silas. A large crowd of the devout Greeks and of the prominent women also joined. The Jews were moved with jealousy so they gathered bad people who organized a crowd for a riot. They assaulted the house of Jason in order to bring them out to the crowd. When they did not find them they dragged Jason and other brothers before the rulers of the city. They said: These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. Jason welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. The crowd and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. They made Jason post bond and they let them go. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived there they went to the synagogue of the Jews. The Bereans were nobler than those in Thessalonica because they received the word with all readiness of mind and examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul told them was true. Many of them believed. So did the prominent Greek women and prominent men. When the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Beroea, they went there and stirred up the crowds and caused trouble. The brothers immediately sent Paul to the sea. Silas and Timothy stayed at Beroea. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens. He sent orders to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible. Paul waited for them at Athens. His spirit was irritated within him when he saw the city full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and devout persons. He went to the marketplace every day with those who would meet with him. The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. Some said: What is this babbler saying? Others: He seems to be advocating strange gods because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus. They said, May we know what is this new teaching? You bring strange ideas to our ears. We want to know what these things mean. The Athenians and the strangers who lived there spent their time doing nothing else except talking about and listening to new ideas. Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said: Men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that you are very religious. As I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: To An Unknown God. What you worship as unknown, this I will proclaim to you. The God that made the world and all things in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in temples made with hands. Men's hands do not serve him as if he needed anything. He gives life and breath to all. From one person he made every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. He determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation. God did this so man could seek him and might find him. He is not far from each one of us. In him we live, and move, and have our existence. Your own poets have said: For we are also his offspring. Being then the offspring of God, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, or silver, or stone, a device made by man's design or skill. God overlooked the times of ignorance; but now he commands men everywhere to repent. He has established a day (time) in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man [Jesus] whom he has ordained. Of that he gives proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. (John 5:22) (Isaiah 2:4) (Acts 10:42) Some mocked when they heard about the resurrection of the dead. Yet others said: We will hear you again concerning this. Thus Paul went out from among them. Some men joined themselves to him and believed. Included among the believers were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. After this Paul left Athens to go to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus who is currently from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. So he came to them. He was of the same trade as Paul. So he stayed with them and worked at their tentmaker trade. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks. Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia. He witnessed to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. When they opposed Paul and treated him abusively he shook out his garment and said to them: Your blood is upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on I will go to the people of the nations. He left the synagogue and went next door to the house of a man named Titus Justus, one who worshiped God. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord and so did his household. Many of the Corinthians who heard and believed were baptized. The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision: Do not be afraid, but speak. Do not keep silent! I am with you and no man will harm you. I have many people in this city. He lived there a year and six months teaching the word of God to them. When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat. They said: This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. Paul was about to speak when Gallio said to the Jews: If you Jews were about to complain about some crime it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But it involves questions about words and names in your own law so look to it yourselves. I will not be judge of these matters. He drove them from the court. They all grabbed Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the court. Gallio did not care about this. Paul stayed many days. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria. Also with Paul were Priscilla and Aquila. Paul clipped this hair short in Cenchreae because of a vow. They traveled to Ephesus where he left them. Paul entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay longer he declined. I will return again to you if it is God's will, Paul said. Then he set sail from Ephesus. When he landed at Caesarea, he greeted the congregation and traveled to Antioch.