Reference: Paul The Apostle
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PAUL THE APOSTLE
i. The Authorities.
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But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while.
Then they cast him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Then they cast him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Saul was consenting to his death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,
But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
And immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they met with the church and taught great numbers of people; and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
And this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.
Now in the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Now in the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus,
Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:
"Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. read more. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up, and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the Law of Moses." The apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us; read more. and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you test God by putting upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are." All the assembly kept silent; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for his name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,' says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago. Therefore it is my judgment that we should not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, and they sent the following letter with them: "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons from us have disturbed you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves free from these, you will do well. Farewell."
After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are."
A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and begging him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We stayed in this city some days;
They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without trial, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now cast us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out."
And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he reasoned with them from the scriptures,
So Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.
So Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.
and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and they worked, for by trade they were tentmakers.
When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch.
And now, behold, I know that all of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more.
I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes.
Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; I beg you, let me speak to the people." When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they became more quiet. And he said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.
And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' And those who were with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
"When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
And he said to me, 'Go; for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?"
The commander answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."
And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day."
But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial."
But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial."
But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem.
So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem. They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.
And that is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
And he stayed there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him,
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God
Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
and again it says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people!"
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through, and to be helped by you on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
When therefore I have completed this, and have delivered to them this fruit, I shall go on by way of you to Spain.
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.
And last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also.
And last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Now, brethren, we want you to know about the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me,
And to keep me from being too elated because of the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.
Paul, an apostlesent not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead
For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
but on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
you know it was because of an illness in the flesh that I preached the gospel to you at first;
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are members of God's household,
To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better;
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
You yourselves also know, Philippians, that in the first preaching of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you only;
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
For you remember our labor and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God.
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea, for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
For we wanted to come to you, I, Paul, again and againbut Satan hindered us.
Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,
But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. read more. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write.
who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their homes, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach.
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.
For I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure is in you as well.
So do not be ashamed to testify of our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; read more. but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Dayand you know very well all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, yet the Lord rescued me from them all.
and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Do your best to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. read more. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in my ministry. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him for his deeds. Be on guard against him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.
At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth. read more. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
They must be silenced, because they are upsetting whole families by teaching things they ought not to teach for the sake of sordid gain.
and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who reject the truth.
Show yourself in all respects an example of good deeds, and in your teaching show integrity, seriousness,
At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope through your prayers to be granted to you.