83 Bible Verses about Gospel, Responses To

For Moses writes about the righteousness [that is] from the law: "The person who does [this] will live by it." But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down), or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).read more.
But what does it say? "The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), that if you confess with your mouth "Jesus [is] Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. For the scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For [there] is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same [Lord] [is] Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. For "everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."

"Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses, by this one everyone who believes is justified!

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!"read more.
And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house.

But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets-- that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For [there] is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,read more.
being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God made publicly available as the mercy seat through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the [person] by faith in Jesus.

Now the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven," and they were saying, "Is this one not Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble {among yourselves}!read more.
No one is able to come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who hears from the Father and learns comes to me. (Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God--this one has seen the Father.) Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that someone may eat from it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread, he will live {forever}. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." So the Jews began to quarrel {among themselves}, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves {the father} also loves the [child] fathered by him.

Come to me, all [of you] who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Therefore [although] God has overlooked the times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and consuming [insect] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor consuming [insect] destroy and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.read more.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is sincere, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore if the light in you is darkness, how great [is] the darkness! "No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.

Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is sincere, your whole body is full of light also. But when it is evil, your body [is] dark also. Therefore pay careful attention [that] the light in you is not darkness! If therefore your whole body [is] full of light, not having any part dark, it will be completely full of light, as when the lamp with [its] light gives light to you."

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is [there] among you, [if] his son will ask him [for] bread, will give him a stone?read more.
Or also [if] he will ask for a fish, will give him a snake? Therefore if you, [although you] are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Therefore [in] all [things], whatever you want that people should do to you, thus also you do to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. But what father from among you, [if his] son will ask for a fish, instead of a fish will give him a snake?read more.
Or also, [if] he will ask for an egg, will give him a scorpion? Therefore if you, [although you] are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.read more.
And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great."

"Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and does them--I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And [when] a flood came, the river burst against that house and was not able to shake it, because it had been built well. But the one who hears [my words] and does not do [them] is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, which the river burst against, and immediately it collapsed--and the collapse of that house was great!"

Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks of this water which I will give to him will never be thirsty for eternity, but the water which I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty again. But I said to you that you have seen me and do not believe. Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never throw out,read more.
because I have come down from heaven not that I should do my will, but the will of the one who sent me. Now this is the will of the one who sent me: that everyone whom he has given me, I would not lose [any] of them, but raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in him would have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and will go out and will find pasture. The thief {comes only} so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have [it] abundantly.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die {forever}. Do you believe this?"

But Jesus cried out and said, "The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. I have come [as] a light into the world, in order that everyone who believes in me will not remain in the darkness.

And [as he] was passing by along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting [a net] into the sea (for they were fishermen). And Jesus said to them, "{Follow} me and I will make you become fishers of people." And immediately they left their nets [and] followed him.

Now [as he] was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew, throwing a casting net into the sea (for they were fishermen). And he said to them, "{Follow me} and I will make you fishers of people." And immediately they left their nets [and] followed him.read more.
And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. And immediately they left the boat and their father [and] followed him.

And going on a little [farther], he saw James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, and they [were] in the boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men [and] went away after him.

And [as] Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, "Follow me!" And he stood up [and] followed him.

And [as he] was passing by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me!" And he stood up [and] followed him.

And after these [things], he went out and saw a tax collector {named} Levi sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me!" And leaving everything behind, he got up [and] began to follow him.

So those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, proclaiming the message to no one except Jews alone. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, [when they] came to Antioch, began to speak to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

Both Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly [and] said, "It was necessary [that] the word of God be spoken first to you, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life! Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles! For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have appointed you {to be} a light for the Gentiles, {that you would bring} salvation to the end of the earth.' And [when] the Gentiles heard [this], they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed.

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.

But as many signs [as] he had performed before them, they did not believe in him, in order that the word of the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said, "Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" For this [reason] they were not able to believe, because again Isaiah said,read more.
"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with [their] eyes and understand with [their] hearts and turn, and I heal them." Isaiah said these [things] because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him.

For this [reason] I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand, and with reference to them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, "{You will listen carefully} and will never understand, and {you will look closely} and will never perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."

And when he was alone, those around him together with the twelve began asking him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been granted the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything is in parables, so that '{they may look closely} and not perceive, and {they may listen carefully} and not understand, lest they turn and it be forgiven them.'"

And his disciples asked him what this parable meant. And he said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest [they are] in parables, so that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

And he said, "Go and say to this people, 'Keep on listening and do not comprehend! And keep on looking and do not understand!'

just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, until this very day."

This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, [that] you no longer walk as the Gentiles walk: in the futility of their mind, being darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance [that] is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, who, becoming callous, gave themselves over to licentiousness, for the pursuit of all uncleanness in greediness.

And what was sown into the thorn plants--this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word and it becomes unproductive.

And others are the ones sown among the thorn plants--these are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other [things] come in [and] choke the word and it becomes unproductive.

And the [seed] that fell into the thorn plants--these are the ones who hear and [as they] go along are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear fruit to maturity.

"No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.

No domestic slave is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money."

For Demas deserted me, [because he] loved the present age, and went to Thessalonica. Crescens [went] to Galatia; Titus [went] to Dalmatia.

Adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes [himself] an enemy of God.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,

The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.

The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.

For the mindset of the flesh [is] death, but the mindset of the Spirit [is] life and peace, because the mindset of the flesh [is] enmity toward God, for [it is] not subjected to the law of God, for [it is] not able [to do so], and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.

However, no one was speaking openly about him for fear of the Jews. {Now when the feast was already half over}, Jesus went to the temple [courts] and began to teach. Then the Jews were astonished, saying, "How does this man {possess knowledge}, [because he] has not been taught?"read more.
So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not mine, but [is] from the one who sent me. If anyone wants to do his will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or I am speaking from myself. The one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory. But the one who seeks the glory of the one who sent him--this one is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Has not Moses given you the law, and none of you carries out the law? Why do you seek to kill me?" The crowd replied, "You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?"

So the Jews surrounded him and began to say to him, "{How long will you keep us in suspense}? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!" Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe! The deeds that I do in the name of my Father, these testify about me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep!read more.
My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish {forever}, and no one will seize them out of my hand. My Father, who has given [them] to me, is greater than all, and no one can seize [them] from the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." Then the Jews picked up stones again so that they could stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not going to stone you concerning a good deed, but concerning blasphemy, and because you, [although you] are a man, make yourself [to be] God!"

But [after they] had ordered them to go outside the Sanhedrin, they began to confer with one another, saying, "What should we do with these men? For that a remarkable sign has taken place through them [is] evident to all those who live [in] Jerusalem, and we are not able to deny [it]! But in order that it may not spread much [further] among the people, let us warn them to speak no more in this name {to anyone at all}."read more.
And they called them [back] [and] commanded [them] not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Now the high priest rose up and all those [who were] with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), [and] they were filled with jealousy. And they laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them [out] [and] said,read more.
"Go and stand in the temple [courts] [and] proclaim to the people all the words of this life." And [when they] heard [this], they entered at daybreak into the temple [courts] and began teaching. Now [when] the high priest and those with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin--even the whole council of elders of the sons of Israel--and sent to the prison to have them brought. But the officers who came did not find them in the prison, and they returned [and] reported, saying, "We found the prison locked with all security and the guards standing at the doors, but [when we] opened [them], we found no one inside!" Now when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed concerning them, [as to] what this might be. But someone came [and] reported to them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple [courts] and teaching the people!" Then the captain went with the officers [and] brought them, not with force (for they were afraid of the people, lest they be stoned [by them]). And [when they] had brought them, they made [them] stand in the Sanhedrin, and the high priest put a question to them, saying, "{We strictly commanded} you not to teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching! And you are intending to bring upon us the blood of this man!"

"[You] stiff-necked [people] and uncircumcised in hearts and in [your] ears! You constantly resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers [did], [so] also [do] you! Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand about the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, [you] who received the law by directions of angels and have not observed [it]!"

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.

But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia who had seen him in the temple [courts] stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, shouting, "Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.)read more.
And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul [and] dragged him outside of the temple [courts], and immediately the doors were shut. And [as they] were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. {He} immediately took along soldiers and centurions [and] ran down to them. And [when] they saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God [which] are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same [things] at the hands of your own people, just as [they] themselves [did] also at the hands of the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and [who are] not pleasing to God and [are] opposed to all people, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that [they] always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.

Because of this, [it is] all the more necessary [that] we pay attention to the [things] we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels was binding and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape [if we] neglect so great a salvation which had [its] beginning [when it] was spoken through the Lord [and] was confirmed to us by those who heard,read more.
[while] God was testifying at the same time by signs and wonders and various miracles and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to his will.

For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a person give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

But I will show you whom you should fear: fear the one who has authority, after the killing, to throw [you] into hell! Yes, I tell you, fear this one!

And he was going throughout towns and villages, teaching and making [his] journey toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, "Lord, {are there only} a few who are saved?" And he said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to,read more.
when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock [on] the door, saying, 'Lord, open [the door] for us!' And he will answer [and] say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets!' And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all [you] {evildoers}!' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside! And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, [some] are last who will be first, and [some] are first who will be last."

And if anyone hears my words and does not observe [them], I will not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not accept my words has one who judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken from myself, but the Father himself who sent me {has commanded me} what I should say and what I should speak.read more.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So [the things] that I say, just as the Father said to me, thus I say."

For [it is] impossible [concerning] those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become sharers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, and having fallen away, to renew [them] again to repentance, [because they] have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt.

How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said, "Vengeance [is] mine, I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." [It is] a terrifying [thing] to fall into the hands of the living God.

Watch out that you do not refuse the one who is speaking! For if those did not escape [when they] refused the one who warned [them] on earth, much less [will] we [escape], [if we] reject the [one who warns] from heaven,

These [people] are waterless springs and mists driven by a hurricane, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved. {For by speaking high-sounding but empty words}, they entice with desires of the flesh [and] with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error, promising them freedom [although they] themselves are slaves of depravity. For to whatever someone succumbs, by this he is also enslaved.read more.
For if, [after they] have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these [things] [and] succumb to [them], the last [state] has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known [it], to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. The [statement] of the true proverb has happened to them, "A dog returns to its own vomit," and "A sow, [after] washing herself, [returns] to wallowing in the mud."

And behold, someone came up to him [and] said, "Teacher, what good [thing] must I do so that I will have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why are you asking me about [what is] good? There is one [who is] good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments!" He said to him, "Which [ones]?" And Jesus said, "Do not commit murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,read more.
honor your father and your mother, and love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me." But [when] the young man heard the statement, he went away sorrowful, because he was one who had many possessions.

And [as] he was setting out on [his] way, one [individual] ran up and knelt down before him [and] asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do so that I will inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one [is] good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"read more.
And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one [thing]: Go, sell all that you have, and give [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me." But he looked gloomy at the statement [and] went away sorrowful, {because he had} many possessions.

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, [by] doing what will I inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one [is] good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"read more.
And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And [when he] heard [this], Jesus said to him, "{You still lack one thing}: Sell all that you have, and distribute [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me." But [when he] heard these [things] he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.

But Peter and the apostles answered [and] said, "It is necessary to obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed [by] hanging [him] on a tree. This one God has exalted to his right hand [as] Leader and Savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.read more.
And we are witnesses of these things, and [so is] the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." Now [when] they heard [this], they were infuriated, and were wanting to execute them.

"[You] stiff-necked [people] and uncircumcised in hearts and in [your] ears! You constantly resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers [did], [so] also [do] you! Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand about the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, [you] who received the law by directions of angels and have not observed [it]!"read more.
Now [when they] heard these [things], they were infuriated in their hearts and gnashed [their] teeth at him. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven [and] saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But crying out with a loud voice, they stopped their ears and rushed at him with one purpose. And [after they] had driven [him] out of the city, they began to stone [him], and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Now [when they] heard about the resurrection of the dead, [some] scoffed, but [others] said, "We will hear you about this again also."

And on the coming Sabbath, nearly the whole city came together to hear the word of the Lord. But [when] the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and began contradicting what was being said by Paul [by] reviling [him]. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly [and] said, "It was necessary [that] the word of God be spoken first to you, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life! Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles!read more.
For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have appointed you {to be} a light for the Gentiles, {that you would bring} salvation to the end of the earth.'

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},read more.
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 after some days, [when] Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning faith in Christ Jesus. And [while] he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid [and] replied, "Go away for the present, and [when I] have an opportunity, I will summon you."

And [as] he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "You are out of your mind, Paul! [Your] great learning {is driving} you {insane}!" But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking words of truth and rationality. For the king knows about these [things], to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced [that] these [things] in any way have escaped his notice, because this {was} not {done} in a corner.read more.
Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe." But Agrippa [said] to Paul, "In a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?"

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world.

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.

But Elymas the magician (for his name is translated in this way) opposed them, attempting to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

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!"read more.
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.

And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering {house after house}, he dragged off both men and women [and] delivered [them] to prison.

because of this, brothers, we have been comforted because of you in all our distress and affliction through your faith,

So the word of the Lord was carried through the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high social standing and the most prominent men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their district.

so that we ourselves boast in you in the churches of God about your patient endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring,