Thematic Bible: Missionary journeys

And [after] spending some time [there], he departed, traveling through one [place] after another [in] the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Now a certain Jew {named} Apollos, {a native} Alexandrian, arrived in Ephesus--an eloquent man who was well-versed in the scriptures. This man had been instructed [in] the way of the Lord, and being enthusiastic in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the [things] about Jesus, [although he] knew only the baptism of John. read more.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but [when] Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. And [when] he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged [him] [and] wrote to the disciples to welcome him. [When he] arrived, {he} assisted greatly those who had believed through grace. For he was vigorously refuting the Jews in public, demonstrating through the scriptures [that] the Christ was Jesus. And it happened that [while] Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the inland regions [and] came to Ephesus and found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit [when you] believed?" And they [said] to him, "But we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit!" And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into the baptism of John." And Paul said, "John baptized [with] a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who was to come after him--that is, in Jesus." And [when they] heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And [when] Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. (Now the total [number] [of] men was about twelve.) So he entered into the synagogue [and] was speaking boldly for three months, discussing and attempting to convince [them] concerning the kingdom of God. But when some became hardened and were disobedient, reviling the Way before the congregation, he departed from them [and] took away the disciples, leading discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. And this took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. And God was performing {extraordinary} miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or work aprons {that had touched his skin} were carried away to those who were sick, and [their] diseases left them and the evil spirits came out [of them]. But some itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches!" (Now seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.) But the evil spirit answered [and] said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?" And the man {who had the evil spirit} leaped on them, subdued all of them, [and] prevailed against them, so that they ran away from that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted. And many of those who had believed came, confessing and disclosing their practices, and many of those who practiced magic brought together [their] books [and] burned [them] up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found [it was] {fifty thousand silver coins}. In this way the word of the Lord was growing in power and was prevailing. Now when these [things] were completed, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, it is necessary [for] me to see Rome also." So [after] sending two of those who were assisting him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed [some] time in Asia. Now there happened at that time no little disturbance concerning the Way. For someone {named} Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver replicas of the temple of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen. {These} he gathered together, and the workers occupied with such things, [and] said, "Men, you know that from this business {we get our prosperity}, and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this man Paul has persuaded [and] turned away a large crowd [by] saying that the [gods] made by hands are not gods. So not only is there a danger this line of business of ours [will] come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis [will] be regarded as nothing--and [she] is about to be brought down even from her grandeur, [she] whom the whole [of] Asia and the [entire] world worship!" And [when they] heard [this] and became full of rage, they began to shout, saying, "Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians!" And the city was filled with the tumult, and with one purpose they rushed into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians [who were] traveling companions of Paul. But [when] Paul wanted to enter into the popular assembly, the disciples would not let him. And even some of the Asiarchs who were his friends sent [word] to him [and] were urging [him] not to risk himself [by going] into the theater. So some were shouting [one thing] [and] some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know {why} they had assembled. And [some] of the crowd advised Alexander, [when] the Jews put him forward. But Alexander, motioning [with his] hand, was wanting to defend himself to the popular assembly. But [when they] recognized that he was a Jew, they were shouting with one voice from all [of them] for about two hours, "Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians!" And [when] the city secretary had quieted the crowd, he said, "Ephesian men, for who is there among men who does not know the Ephesian city is honorary temple keeper of the great Artemis and of [her] image fallen from heaven? Therefore [because] these [things] are undeniable, it is necessary [that] you be quiet and do nothing rash! For you have brought these men [here] [who are] neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. If then Demetrius and the craftsmen [who are] with him have a complaint against anyone, the court days are observed and there are proconsuls--let them bring charges against one another! But if you desire anything further, it will be settled in the lawful assembly. For indeed we are in danger of being accused of rioting concerning today, [since there] is no cause in relation to which we will be able to give an account concerning this disorderly gathering!" And [when he] had said these [things], he dismissed the assembly. Now after the turmoil had ceased, Paul summoned the disciples, and [after] encouraging [them], he said farewell [and] departed to travel to Macedonia. And [after he] had gone through those regions and encouraged them {at length}, he came to Greece and stayed three months. [Because] a plot was made against him by the Jews [as he] was about to set sail for Syria, he came to a decision to return through Macedonia. And Sopater [son] of Pyrrhus from Berea, and Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, and Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia, were accompanying him. And these had gone on ahead [and] were waiting for us in Troas. And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread and came to them at Troas within five days, where we stayed seven days. And on the first [day] of the week, [when] we had assembled to break bread, Paul began conversing with them, [because he] was going to leave on the next day, and he extended [his] message until midnight. Now there were quite a few lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered. And a certain young man {named} Eutychus who was sitting in the window was sinking into a deep sleep [while] Paul was conversing at length. Being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. But Paul went down [and] threw himself on him, and putting his arms around [him], said, "Do not be distressed, for his life is in him." So he went up and broke bread, and [when he] had eaten and talked for a long [time], until dawn, then he departed. And they led the youth away alive, and {were greatly} comforted. But we went on ahead to the ship [and] put out to sea for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. For having made arrangements in this way, he himself was intending to travel by land. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board [and] went to Mitylene. And we sailed from there on the next [day], [and] arrived opposite Chios. And on the next [day] we approached Samos, and on the following [day] we came to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not be [having] to spend time in Asia. For he was hurrying if it could be possible for him to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletus he sent [word] to Ephesus [and] summoned the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them, "You know from the first day on which I set foot in Asia how I was the whole time with you-- serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews-- how I did not shrink from proclaiming to you anything that would be profitable, and [from] teaching you in public and from house [to house], testifying both to Jews and to Greeks with respect to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. "And now behold, bound by the Spirit I am traveling to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me {there}, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in town [after town], saying that bonds and persecutions await me. But I consider [my] life [as] worth {nothing} to myself, in order to finish my mission and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify [to] the gospel of the grace of God. "And now behold, I know that all [of] you, among whom I went about proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you on this very day that I am guiltless of the blood of all [of you], for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole purpose of God. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you [as] overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own [Son]. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking {perversions of the truth} in order to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day [for] three years I did not stop warning each one [of you] with tears. "And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build [you] up and to give [you] the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have desired no one's silver or gold or clothing! You yourselves know that these hands served [to meet] my needs and [the needs of] those who were with me. I have shown you [with respect to] all [things] that [by] working hard in this way it is necessary to help those who are in need, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." And [when he] had said these [things], he fell to his knees [and] prayed with them all. And there was considerable weeping by all, and {hugging} Paul, they kissed him, especially distressed at the statement that he had said, that they were going to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. And it happened that after we tore ourselves away from them, we put out to sea, [and] running a straight course we came to Cos and on the next [day] to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. And finding a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard [and] put out to sea. And [after we] sighted Cyprus and left it behind {on the port side}, we sailed to Syria and arrived at Tyre, because the ship was to unload [its] cargo there. And we stayed there seven days [after we] found the disciples, who kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. And it happened that when our days were over, we departed [and] went on our way, [while] all [of them] accompanied us, together with [their] wives and children, as far as outside the city. And [after] falling to our knees on the beach [and] praying, we said farewell to one another and embarked in the ship, and they returned to their own [homes]. And [when] we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. And [after we] greeted the brothers, we stayed one day with them. And on the next day we departed [and] came to Caesarea, and entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was [one] of the seven, [and] stayed with him. ({Now this man had} four virgin daughters who prophesied.) And [while we] were staying [there] many days, a certain prophet {named} Agabus came down from Judea. And he came to us and took Paul's belt. Tying up his own feet and hands, he said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.'" And when we heard these [things], both we and the local residents urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul replied, "What are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!" And [because] he would not be persuaded, we remained silent, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." So after these days we got ready [and] went up to Jerusalem.

And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Come then,[let us] return [and] visit the brothers in every town in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [to see] how they are [doing]." Now Barnabas wanted to take John who was called Mark along also, but Paul held the opinion they should not take this one along, who departed from them in Pamphylia and did not accompany them in the work. read more.
And a sharp disagreement took place, so that they separated from one another. And Barnabas took along Mark [and] sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas [and] departed, [after] being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there {named} Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman but of a Greek father, who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this one to go with him, and he took [him] [and] circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for [they] all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the towns, they passed on to them to observe the rules that had been decided by the apostles and elders [who were] in Jerusalem. So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were growing in number every day. And they traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. And [when they] came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. So going through Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: a certain Macedonian man was standing there and imploring him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia [and] help us!" And when he had seen the vision, we wanted at once to go away to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. So putting out to sea from Troas, we sailed a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following [day] to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city [of that] district of Macedonia, a [Roman] colony. And we were staying in this city for some days. And on the day of the Sabbath, we went outside the [city] gate beside the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer, and we sat down [and] spoke to the women assembled [there]. And a certain woman {named} Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a merchant dealing in purple cloth who showed reverence for God, was listening. The Lord opened {her} heart to pay attention to what was being said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household, she urged [us], saying, "If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come to my house [and] stay." And she prevailed upon us. And it happened that [as] we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners [by] fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us [and] was crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!" And she was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed and turning around, said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out {immediately}. But [when] her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas [and] dragged [them] into the marketplace before the rulers. And [when they] had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, [because we] are Romans!" And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing [and] gave orders to beat [them] with rods. And [after they] had inflicted many blows on them, they threw [them] into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely. Having received such an order, {he} put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened. And [after] the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew [his] sword [and] was about to kill himself, [because he] thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!" And demanding lights, he rushed in and, {beginning to tremble}, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas. And he brought them outside [and] said, "Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!" And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house. And he took them at that [very] hour of the night [and] washed [their] wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his [household]. And he brought them up into [his] house [and] set a meal before [them], and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household. And [when it] was day, the chief magistrates sent the police officers, saying, "Release those men." And the jailer reported these words to Paul: "The chief magistrates have sent [an order] that you should be released. So come out now [and] go in peace!" But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public without due process--men who are Roman citizens--[and] threw [us] into prison, and now they are wanting to release us secretly? Certainly not! Rather let them come themselves [and] bring us out!" So the police officers reported these words to the chief magistrates, and they were afraid [when they] heard that they were Roman citizens. And they came [and] apologized to them, and [after they] brought [them] out they asked [them] to depart from the city. And [when they] came out of the prison, they went to Lydia and [when they] saw [them], they encouraged the brothers and departed. Now [after they] traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. {And as was his custom}, Paul went in to them and on three Sabbath [days] he discussed with them from the scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that it was necessary [for] the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying], "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, and [also] a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the prominent women. But the Jews were filled with jealousy and, taking along some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace and forming a mob, threw the city into an uproar. And attacking Jason's house, they were looking for them to bring [them] out to the popular assembly. And [when they] did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These [people] who have stirred up trouble [throughout] the world have come here also, whom Jason has entertained as guests! And these [people] [are] all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!" And they threw the crowd into confusion, and the city officials who heard these [things]. And [after] taking money as security from Jason and the rest, they released them. Now the brothers sent away both Paul and Silas at once, during the night, to Berea. {They} went into the synagogue of the Jews [when they] arrived. Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. {They} accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day [to see] if these [things] were so. Therefore many of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Greek women and men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the message of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, inciting and stirring up the crowds. So then the brothers sent Paul away at once to go to the sea, and both Silas and Timothy remained there. And those who conducted Paul brought [him] as far as Athens, and [after] receiving an order for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible, they went away. Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him [when he] observed the city was full of idols. So he was discussing in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing [Gentiles], and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. And even some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were saying, "What does this babbler want to say?" But [others said], "He appears to be a proclaimer of foreign deities," because he was proclaiming the good news [about] Jesus and the resurrection. And they took hold of him [and] brought [him] to the Areopagus, saying, "May we learn what [is] this new teaching being proclaimed by you? For you are bringing some astonishing things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what {these things mean}." (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who stayed there used to spend [their] time in nothing else than telling something or listening to something new.) So Paul stood there in the middle of the Areopagus [and] said, "Men of Athens, I see you [are] very religious {in every respect}. For [as I] was passing through and observing carefully your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, 'To an unknown God.' Therefore what you worship without knowing [it], this I proclaim to you-- the God who made the world and all the things in it. This one, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands [as if he] needed anything, [because] he himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything. And he made from one [man] every nation of humanity to live on all the face of the earth, determining [their] fixed times and the fixed boundaries of their habitation, to search for God, if perhaps indeed they might feel around for him and find [him]. And indeed he is not far away from each one of us, for in him we live and move and exist, as even some of {your own} poets have said: 'For we also are {his} offspring.' Therefore, [because we] are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. Therefore [although] God has overlooked the times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man who he has appointed, having provided proof to everyone [by] raising him from the dead." Now [when they] heard about the resurrection of the dead, [some] scoffed, but [others] said, "We will hear you about this again also." So Paul went out from the midst of them. But some people joined him [and] believed, among whom also [were] Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman {named} Damaris and others with them. After these [things] he departed from Athens [and] went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew {named} Aquila, {a native} of Pontus who had arrived recently from Italy {along with} Priscilla his wife, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome, [and] he went to them. And because [he] was practicing the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he argued in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks. Now when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to be occupied with the message, solemnly testifying to the Jews [that] the Christ was Jesus. And [when] they resisted and reviled [him], he shook out [his] clothes [and] said to them, "Your blood [be] on your [own] heads! I [am] guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!" And leaving there, he entered into the house of someone {named} Titius Justus, a worshiper of God whose house was next door to the synagogue. And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians, [when they] heard about [it], believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, "Do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent, because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because many people are mine in this city." So he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Now [when] Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one purpose against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, "This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law!" But [when] Paul was about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it was some crime or wicked villainy, O Jews, {I would have been justified in accepting} your complaint. But if it is questions concerning a word and names and {your own law}, see to [it] yourselves! I do not wish to be a judge of these [things]." And he drove them away from the judgment seat. So they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, [and] began beating [him] in front of the judgment seat. And none of these [things] was a concern to Gallio. So Paul, [after] remaining many days longer, said farewell to the brothers [and] sailed away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved [his] head at Cenchrea, because he had [taken] a vow. So they arrived at Ephesus, and those he left behind there, but he himself entered into the synagogue [and] discussed with the Jews. And [when] they asked [him] to stay for a longer time, he did not give his consent, but saying farewell and telling [them], "I will return to you again [if] God wills," he set sail from Ephesus. And [when he] arrived at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, [and] went down to Antioch.