Reference: Paul The Apostle
Hastings
PAUL THE APOSTLE
i. The Authorities.
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But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes.
dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.
dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.
And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.
Now Saul, whose every breath was a threat of destruction for the disciples of the Lord,
But on the journey, as he was getting near Damascus, suddenly there flashed round him a light from Heaven;
Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing dumb with amazement, hearing a sound, but seeing no one.
"Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus, for he is actually praying.
"Go," replied the Lord; "he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name to the Gentiles and to kings and to the descendants of Israel.
Barnabas, however, came to his assistance. He brought Saul to the Apostles, and related to them how, on his journey, he had seen the Lord, and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had fearlessly taught in the name of Jesus.
But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him by sea to Tarsus.
Those, however, who had been driven in various directions by the persecution which broke out on account of Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message to none but Jews.
He succeeded, and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole year they attended the meetings of the Church, and taught a large number of people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of 'Christians.'
This they did, forwarding their contributions to the Elders by Barnabas and Saul.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having discharged their mission, and they brought with them John, surnamed Mark.
Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there--as Prophets and teachers--barnabas, Symeon surnamed 'the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother)
Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there--as Prophets and teachers--barnabas, Symeon surnamed 'the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother)
They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,
So Paul rose, and motioning with his hand for silence, said, "Israelites, and you others who fear God, pay attention to me.
We also are but men, with natures kindred to your own; and we bring you the Good News that you are to turn from these unreal things, to worship the ever-living God, the Creator of earth and sky and sea and of everything that is in them.
Thence they sailed to Antioch, where they had previously been commended to the grace of God in connexion with the work which they had now completed.
But certain persons who had come down from Judaea tried to convince the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved." Between these new comers and Paul and Barnabas there was no little disagreement and controversy, until at last it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some other brethren should go up to consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem on this matter. read more. So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance by some other members of the Church; and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren with great joy. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were cordially received by the Church, the Apostles, and the Elders; and they reported in detail all that God, working with them, had done. But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees but were now believers, stood up in the assembly, and said, "Yes, Gentile believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered to keep the Law of Moses." Then the Apostles and Elders met to consider the matter; and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe.
and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe. And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us; read more. and He made no difference between us and them, in that He cleansed their hearts by their faith. Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we, as well as they, shall be saved." Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles through their instrumentality. When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren, listen to me. Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the Gentiles to take from among them a People to be called by His name. And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says: "'"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it up again; In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the nations which are called by My name," Says the Lord, who has been making these things known from ages long past.' "My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpected annoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God. Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain from things polluted by connexion with idolatry, from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from blood. For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers in every town, being read, as he is, Sabbath after Sabbath, in the various synagogues." Thereupon it was decided by the Apostles and Elders, with the approval of the whole Church, to choose suitable persons from among themselves and send them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas. Judas, called Bar-sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, were selected, and they took with them the following letter: "The Apostles and the elder brethren send greeting to the Gentile brethren throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. As we have been informed that certain persons who have gone out from among us have disturbed you by their teaching and have unsettled your minds, without having received any such instructions from us; we have unanimously decided to select certain men and send them to you in company with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, who have endangered their very lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are themselves bringing you the same message by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no burden heavier than these necessary requirements-- You must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear of these things, and it will be well with you. Farewell."
After a while Paul said to Barnabas, "Suppose we now revisit the brethren in the various towns in which we have made known the Lord's Message--to see whether they are prospering!"
Here, one night, Paul saw a vision. There was a Macedonian who was standing, entreating him and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us."
and thence to Philippi, which is a city in Macedonia, the first in its district, a Roman colony. And there we stayed some little time.
They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as Romans, are not permitted to adopt or practise."
But Paul said to them, "After cruelly beating us in public, without trial, Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us into prison, and are they now going to send us away privately? No, indeed! Let them come in person and fetch us out."
Paul--following his usual custom--betook himself to it, and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus, spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are in every respect remarkably religious.
So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus, spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are in every respect remarkably religious.
and because he was of the same trade--that of tent-maker--he lodged with them and worked with them.
Landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and inquired after the welfare of the Church, and then went down to Antioch.
"And now, I know that none of you among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom will any longer see my face.
No one's silver or gold or clothing have I coveted.
"I am a Jew," replied Paul, "belonging to Tarsus in Cilicia, and am a citizen of no unimportant city. Give me leave, I pray you, to speak to the people." So with his permission Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people to be quiet; and when there was perfect silence he addressed them in Hebrew.
And on hearing him address them in Hebrew, they kept all the more quiet; and he said, "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers, and, like all of you to-day, was zealous for God.
as the High Priest also and all the Elders can bear me witness. It was, too, from them that I received letters to the brethren in Damascus, and I was already on my way to Damascus, intending to bring those also who had fled there, in chains to Jerusalem, to be punished.
"'Who art thou, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus, the Nazarene,' He replied, 'whom you are persecuting.' "Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
"After my return to Jerusalem, and while praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.
"'Go,' He replied; 'I will send you as an Apostle to nations far away.'"
But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog a Roman citizen--and one too who is uncondemned?"
"I paid a large sum for my citizenship," said the Tribune. "But I was born free," said Paul.
Then Paul, fixing a steady gaze on the Sanhedrin, said, "Brethren, it is with a perfectly clear conscience that I have discharged my duties before God up to this day."
Noticing, however, that the Sanhedrin consisted partly of Sadducees and partly of Pharisees, he called out loudly among them, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. It is because of my hope of a resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial."
Noticing, however, that the Sanhedrin consisted partly of Sadducees and partly of Pharisees, he called out loudly among them, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. It is because of my hope of a resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial."
But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;
"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards, as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews.
"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards, as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews. For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact--how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion, my life was that of a Pharisee.
And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them.
"While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,
I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes,
After this Paul lived for fully two years in a hired house of his own, receiving all who came to see him.
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, set apart to proclaim God's Good News,
through whom we have received grace and Apostleship in His service in order to win men to obedience to the faith, among all Gentile peoples,
First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for what He has done for all of you; for the report of your faith is spreading through the whole world.
For I could pray to be accursed from Christ on behalf of my brethren, my human kinsfolk--for such the Israelites are.
Brethren, the longing of my heart, and my prayer to God, on behalf of my countrymen is for their salvation.
I ask then, Has God cast off His People? No, indeed. Why, I myself am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin.
I ask then, Has God cast off His People? No, indeed. Why, I myself am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin.
But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,
And again the Psalmist says, "Be glad, ye Gentiles, in company with His People."
that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles, doing priestly duties in connexion with God's Good News so that the sacrifice--namely the Gentiles--may be acceptable to Him, being (as it is)
I hope, as soon as ever I extend my travels into Spain, to see you on my way and be helped forward by you on my journey, when I have first enjoyed being with you for a time.
So after discharging this duty, and making sure that these kind gifts reach those for whom they are intended, I shall start for Spain, passing through Rome on my way there;
I wrote to you in that letter that you were not to associate with fornicators;
Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Can it be denied that I have seen Jesus, our Lord? Are not you yourselves my work in the Lord?
Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Can it be denied that I have seen Jesus, our Lord? Are not you yourselves my work in the Lord?
Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Can it be denied that I have seen Jesus, our Lord? Are not you yourselves my work in the Lord?
But I, for my part, have not used, and do not use, my full rights in any of these things. Nor do I now write with that object so far as I myself am concerned, for I would rather die than have anybody make this boast of mine an empty one.
And last of all, as to one of untimely birth, He appeared to me also.
And last of all, as to one of untimely birth, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not fit to be called an Apostle--because I persecuted the Church of God.
But we desire to let you know, brethren, of the grace of God which has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia;
And when I was with you and my resources failed, there was no one to whom I became a burden--for the brethren when they came from Macedonia fully supplied my wants--and I kept myself from being in the least a burden to you, and will do so still.
From the Jews I five times have received forty lashes all but one.
In Damascus the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the gates of the city in order to apprehend me,
And judging by the stupendous grandeur of the revelations--therefore lest I should be over-elated there has been sent to me, like the agony of impalement, Satan's angel dealing blow after blow, lest I should be over-elated.
Paul, an Apostle sent not from men nor by any man, but by Jesus Christ and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from among the dead--
For, in fact, it was not from man that I received or learnt it, but by a revelation from Jesus Christ.
and how in devotion to Judaism I outstripped many men of my own age among my people, being far more zealous than they on behalf of the traditions of my forefathers.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were my seniors in the Apostleship, but I went away into Arabia, and afterwards came back to Damascus.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were my seniors in the Apostleship, but I went away into Arabia, and afterwards came back to Damascus.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were my seniors in the Apostleship, but I went away into Arabia, and afterwards came back to Damascus. Then, three years later, I went up to Jerusalem to inquire for Peter, and I spent a fortnight with him.
Later still, after an interval of fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem in company with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.
Indeed, when they saw that I was entrusted with the preaching of the Good News to the Gentiles as Peter had been with that to the Jews--
Now when Peter visited Antioch, I remonstrated with him to his face, because he had incurred just censure.
And you know that in those early days it was on account of bodily infirmity that I proclaimed the Good News to you,
You are therefore no longer mere foreigners or persons excluded from civil rights. On the contrary you share citizenship with God's people and are members of His family.
To me who am less than the least of all God's people has this work been graciously entrusted--to proclaim to the Gentiles the Good News of the exhaustless wealth of Christ,
I am in a dilemma, my earnest desire being to depart and be with Christ, for that is far, far better.
Only let the lives you live be worthy of the Good News of the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or, being absent, only hear of you, I may know that you are standing fast in one spirit and with one mind, fighting shoulder to shoulder for the faith of the Good News.
Let the same disposition be in you which was in Christ Jesus.
but trusting, as I do, in the Lord, I believe that I shall myself also come to you before long.
circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung from Hebrews; as to the Law a Pharisee;
circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung from Hebrews; as to the Law a Pharisee;
circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung from Hebrews; as to the Law a Pharisee;
circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung from Hebrews; as to the Law a Pharisee;
And you men and women of Philippi also know that at the first preaching of the Good News, when I had left Macedonia, no other Church except yourselves held communication with me about giving and receiving;
In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are stored up, hidden from view.
Masters, deal justly and equitably with your slaves, knowing that you too have a Master in Heaven.
For it was not only from you that the Master's Message sounded forth throughout Macedonia and Greece; but everywhere your faith in God has become known, so that it is unnecessary for us to say anything about it. For when others speak of us they report the reception we had from you, and how you turned from your idols to God, to be bondservants of the true and ever-living God,
For you yourselves, brethren, know that our visit to you did not fail of its purpose.
For you remember, brethren, our labour and toil: how, working night and day so as not to become a burden to any one of you, we came and proclaimed among you God's Good News.
For you, brethren, followed the example of the Churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judaea; seeing that you endured the same ill-treatment at the hands of your countrymen, as they did at the hands of the Jews.
On this account we wanted to come to you--at least I Paul wanted again and again to do so--but Satan hindered us.
So when we could endure it no longer, we decided to remain behind in Athens alone;
Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, we also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who shall have passed away. read more. For this we declare to you on the Lord's own authority--that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, shall certainly not forestall those who shall have previously passed away. For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a loud word of command, and with an archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Afterwards we who are alive and are still on earth will be caught up in their company amid clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.
nor did we eat any one's bread without paying for it, but we laboured and toiled, working hard night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you.
I Paul add the greeting with my own hand, which is the credential in every letter of mine.
forbidding people to marry, and insisting on abstinence from foods which God has created to be partaken of, with thankfulness, by those who believe and have a clear knowledge of the truth.
I would therefore have the younger women marry, bear children, rule in domestic matters, and furnish the Adversary with no excuse for slander.
(No longer be a water-drinker; but take a little wine for the sake of your digestion and your frequent ailments.)
O Timothy, guard the truths entrusted to you, shunning irreligious and frivolous talk, and controversy with what is falsely called 'knowledge';
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience--as my forefathers did--that night and day I unceasingly remember you in my prayers,
For I recall the sincere faith which is in your heart--a faith which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and then in your mother Eunice, and, I am fully convinced, now dwells in you also.
Do not be ashamed then to bear witness for our Lord and for me His prisoner; but rather share suffering with me in the service of the Good News, strengthened by the power of God.
Of this you are aware, that all the Christians in Roman Asia have deserted me: and among them Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for many a time he cheered me and he was not ashamed of my chain. read more. Nay, when he was here in Rome, he took great pains to inquire where I was living, and at last he found me. And you yourself well know all the services which he rendered me in Ephesus.
and the persecutions and sufferings which I have endured; the things which happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know the persecutions I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all.
and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Make an effort to come to me speedily. For Demas has deserted me--loving, as he does, the present age--and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. read more. Luke is the only friend I now have with me. Call for Mark on your way and bring him with you, for he is a great help to me in my ministry. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring with you the cloak which I left behind at Troas at the house of Carpus, and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the metal-worker showed bitter hostility towards me: the Lord will requite him according to his doings. You also should beware of him; for he has violently opposed our preaching. At my first defence I had no one at my side, but all deserted me. May it not be laid to their charge.
At my first defence I had no one at my side, but all deserted me. May it not be laid to their charge. The Lord, however, stood by me and filled me with inward strength, that through me the Message might be fully proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and I was rescued from the lion's jaws. read more. The Lord will deliver me from every cruel attack and will keep me safe in preparation for His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be the glory until the Ages of the Ages! Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth; Trophimus I left behind me at Miletus, ill. Make an effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
You must stop the mouths of such men, for they overthrow the faith of whole families, teaching what they ought not, just for the sake of making money.
and not give attention to Jewish legends and the maxims of men who turn their backs on the truth.
and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone,
And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you.