Reference: Paul
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The distinguished "apostle of the Gentiles;" also called SAUL, a Hebrew name. He is first called Paul in Ac 13:12; and as some think, assumed this Roman name according to a common custom of Jews in foreign lands, or in honor of Sergius Paulus, Ac 13:7, his friend and an early convert. Both names however may have belonged to him in childhood. He was born at Tarsus in Cilicia, and inherited from his father the privileges of a Roman citizen. His parents belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, and brought up their son as "a Hebrew of the Hebrews," Php 3:5. Tarsus was highly distinguished for learning and culture, and the opportunities for improvement it afforded were no doubt diligently improved by Paul. At a suitable age he was sent to Jerusalem to complete his education in the school of Gamaliel, the most distinguished and right-minded of the Rabbis of that age. It does not appear that he was in Jerusalem during the ministry of Christ; and it was perhaps after his return to Tarsus that he learned the art of tent-making, in accordance with a general practice among the Jews, and their maxim, "He that does not teach his son a useful handicraft, teaches him to steal," Ac 18:3; 20:34; 2Th 3:8.
We next find him at Jerusalem, apparently about thirty years of age, high in the confidence of the leading men of the nation. He had profited by the instructions of Gamaliel, and became learned in the law; yielding himself to the strictest discipline of the sect of the Pharisees, he had become a fierce defender of Judaism and a bitter enemy of Christianity, Ac 8:3; 26:9-11. After his miraculous conversion, of which we have three accounts, Ac 9:22,26, Christ was all in all to him. It was Christ who revealed himself to his soul at Damascus, Ac 26:15; 1Co 15:8; to Christ he gave his whole heart, and soul, mind, might, and strength; and thenceforth, living or dying, he was "the servant of Jesus Christ." He devoted all the powers of his ardent and energetic mind to the defense and propagation of the gospel of Christ, more particularly among the Gentiles. His views of the pure and lofty spirit of Christianity, in its worship and in its practical influence, appear to have been peculiarly clear and strong; and the opposition which he was thus led to make to the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish worship, exposed him everywhere to the hatred and malice of his countrymen. On their accusation, he was at length put in confinement by the Roman officers and after being detained for two years or more at Caesarea, he was sent to Rome for trial, having himself appealed to the emperor. There is less certainty in respect to the accounts, which are given of Paul afterwards by the early ecclesiastical writers. Still it was a very generally received opinion in the earlier centuries, that the apostle was acquitted and discharged from his imprisonment at the end of two years; and that he afterwards returned to Rome, where he was again imprisoned and put to death by Nero.
Paul appears to have possessed all the learning which was then current among the Jews, and also to have been acquainted with Greek literature; as appears from his mastery of the Greek language, his frequent discussions with their philosophers, and his quotations from their poets-Aratus, Ac 17:28; Meander, 1Co 15:33; and Epimenides, Tit 1:12. Probably, however a learned Greek education cannot with propriety be ascribed to him. But the most striking trait in his character is his enlarged view of the universal design and the spiritual nature of the religion of Christ, and of its purifying and ennobling influence upon the heart and character of those who sincerely profess it. From the Savior himself he had caught the flame of universal love, and the idea of salvation for all mankind, Ga 1:12. Most of the other apostles and teachers appear to have clung to Judaism, to the rites, ceremonies, and dogmas of the religion in which they had been educated, and to have regarded Christianity as intended to be engrafted upon the ancient stock, which was yet to remain as the trunk to support the new branches. Paul seems to have been among the first to rise above this narrow view, and to regard Christianity in its light, as a universal religion. While others were for Judaizing all those who embraced the new religion by imposing on them the yoke of Mosaic observances, it was Paul's endeavor to break down the middle wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles, and show them that they were all "one in Christ." To this end all his labors tended; and, ardent in the pursuit of this great object, he did not hesitate to censure the time-serving Peter, and to expose his own life in resisting the prejudices of is countrymen. Indeed, his five years' imprisonment as Jerusalem, Caesarea, and Rome arose chiefly from this cause.
These various journeys of St. Paul, many of them made on foot, should be studied through on a map; in connection with the inspired narrative, in Acts, and with his own pathetic description of his labors, 2Co 11:23-29, wherein nevertheless the half is not told. When we review the many regions he traversed and evangelized, the converts he gathered, and the churches he founded, the toils, perils, and trials he endured, the miracles he wrought, and the revelations he received, the discourses, orations, and letters in which he so ably defends and unfolds Christianity, the immeasurable good which God by him accomplished, his heroic life, and his martyr death, he appears to us the most extraordinary of men.
The character of Paul is most fully portrayed in his epistles, by which, as Chrysostom says he, "still lives in the mouths of men throughout the whole world. By them, not only is own converts, but all the faithful even unto this day, yea, and all the saints who are yet to be born until Christ's coming again, both have been and shall be blessed." In them we observe the transforming and elevating power of grace in one originally turbulent and passionate-making him a model of many and Christian excellence; fearless and firm, yet considerate, courteous, and gentle; magnanimous, patriotic, and self-sacrificing; rich in all noble sentiments and affections.
EPISTLES OF PAUL. -There are fourteen epistles in the New Testament usually ascribed to Paul, beginning with that to the Romans, and ending with that to the Hebrews. Of these the first thirteen have never been contested; as to the latter, many good men have doubted whether Paul was the author, although the current of criticism is in favor of this opinion. These epistles, in which the principles of Christianity are developed for all periods, characters, and circumstances, are among the most important of the primitive documents of the Christian religion, even apart from their inspired character; and although they seem to have been written without special premeditation, and have reference mostly to transient circumstances and temporary relations, yet they everywhere bear the stamp of the great and original mind of the apostle, as purified, elevated, and sustained by the influences of the Holy Spirit.
It is worthy of mention here, that an expression of Peter respecting "our beloved brother Paul" is often a little misunderstood. The words "in which" in 2Pe 3:16, are erroneously applied to the "epistles" of Paul; and not to "these things" immediately preceding, that is, the subjects of which Peter was writing, as the Greek shows they should be. Peter finds no fault, either with Paul, or with the doctrines of revelation.
The arrangement of Hug is somewhat different; and some critics who find evidence that Paul was released from his first imprisonment and lived until the spring of A. D. 68, assign the epistles Hebrews, 1Timothy, Titus, and 2Timothy to the last year of his life. See TIMOTHY.
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But Saul was laying waste the assembly, entering house after house; and, dragging men and women, was committing them to prison.
But Saul was being more empowered, and was confounding the Jews who were dwelling in Damascus; proving that this is the Christ.
Now, having come to Jerusalem, he was trying to join himself to the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; the same having called for Barnabas and Saul, desired to hear the word of God;
Then the proconsul, seeing what had taken place, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.'
and, because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they labored; for by occupation they were tent-makers.
Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me.
I, verily, therefore, imagined to myself that it was proper that I should do many things contrary to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene; which also I did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints also did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the high priests; and, when they were being put to death, I have given a vote against them; read more. and, punishing them often throughout all the synagogues, I was compelling them to blaspheme; and, being exceedingly enraged against them, I was persecuting them even unto foreign cities.
And I said, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting.
Be not deceived; evil companionships corrupt good morals.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself) I am more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often; from the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one; read more. thrice I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have spent in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Apart from those things without, that which is a pressure upon me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?
for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through revelation of Jesus Christ.
circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always false, evil beasts, idle gluttons."
as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Easton
Saul (q.v.) was born about the same time as our Lord. His circumcision-name was Saul, and probably the name Paul was also given to him in infancy "for use in the Gentile world," as "Saul" would be his Hebrew home-name. He was a native of Tarsus, the capi
Tarsus was also the seat of a famous university, higher in reputation even than the universities of Athens and Alexandria, the only others that then existed. Here Saul was born, and here he spent his youth, doubtless enjoying the best education his native city could afford. His father was of the straitest sect of the Jews, a Pharisee, of the tribe of Benjamin, of pure and unmixed Jewish blood (Ac 23:6; Php 3:5). We learn nothing regarding his mother; but there is reason to conclude that she was a pious woman, and that, like-minded with her husband, she exercised all a mother influence in moulding the character of her son, so that he could afterwards speak of himself as being, from his youth up, "touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless" (Php 3:6).
We read of his sister and his sister's son (Ac 23:16), and of other relatives (Ro 16:7,11-12). Though a Jew, his father was a Roman citizen. How he obtained this privilege we are not informed. "It might be bought, or won by distinguished service to the state, or acquired in several other ways; at all events, his son was freeborn. It was a valuable privilege, and one that was to prove of great use to Paul, although not in the way in which his father might have been expected to desire him to make use of it." Perhaps the most natural career for the youth to follow was that of a merchant. "But it was decided that...he should go to college and become a rabbi, that is, a minister, a teacher, and a lawyer all in one."
According to Jewish custom, however, he learned a trade before entering on the more direct preparation for the sacred profession. The trade he acquired was the making of tents from goats' hair cloth, a trade which was one of the commonest in Tarsus.
His preliminary education having been completed, Saul was sent, when about thirteen years of age probably, to the great Jewish school of sacred learning at Jerusalem as a student of the law. Here he became a pupil of the celebrated rabbi Gamaliel, and here he spent many years in an elaborate study of the Scriptures and of the many questions concerning them with which the rabbis exercised themselves. During these years of diligent study he lived "in all good conscience," unstained by the vices of that great city.
After the period of his student-life expired, he probably left Jerusalem for Tarsus, where he may have been engaged in connection with some synagogue for some years. But we find him back again at Jerusalem very soon after the death of our Lord. Here he now learned the particulars regarding the crucifixion, and the rise of the new sect of the "Nazarenes."
For some two years after Pentecost, Christianity was quietly spreading its influence in Jerusalem. At length Stephen, one of the seven deacons, gave forth more public and aggressive testimony that Jesus was the Messiah, and this led to much excitement among the Jews and much disputation in their synagogues. Persecution arose against Stephen and the followers of Christ generally, in which Saul of Tarsus took a prominent part. He was at this time probably a member of the great Sanhedrin, and became the active leader in the furious persecution by which the rulers then sought to exterminate Christianity.
But the object of this persecution also failed. "They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word." The anger of the persecutor was thereby kindled into a fiercer flame. Hearing that fugitives had taken refuge in Damascus, he obtained from the chief priest letters authorizing him to proceed thither on his persecuting career. This was a long journey of about 130 miles, which would occupy perhaps six days, during which, with his few attendants, he steadily went onward, "breathing out threatenings and slaughter." But the crisis of his life was at hand. He had reached the last stage of his journey, and was within sight of Damascus. As he and his companions rode on, suddenly at mid-day a brilliant light shone round them, and Saul was laid prostrate in terror on the ground, a voice sounding in his ears, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" The risen Saviour was there, clothed in the vesture of his glorified humanity. In answer to the anxious inquiry of the stricken persecutor, "Who art thou, Lord?" he said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" (Ac 9:5; 22:8; 26:15).
This was the moment of his conversion, the most solemn in all his life. Blinded by the dazzling light (Ac 9:8), his companions led him into the city, where, absorbed in deep thought for three days, he neither ate nor drank (Ac 9:11). Ananias, a disciple living in Damascus, was informed by a vision of the change that had happened to Saul, and was sent to him to open his eyes and admit him by baptism into the Christian church (Ac 9:11-16). The whole purpose of his life was now permanently changed.
Illustration: Scene of Paul's Journeys and of the Early Churches
Immediately after his conversion he retired into the solitudes of Arabia (Ga 1:17), perhaps of "Sinai in Arabia," for the purpose, probably, of devout study and meditation on the marvellous revelation that had been made to him. "A veil of thick darkness hangs over this visit to Arabia. Of the scenes among which he moved, of the thoughts and occupations which engaged him while there, of all the circumstances of a crisis which must have shaped the whole tenor of his after-life, absolutely nothing is known. 'Immediately,' says St. Paul, 'I went away into Arabia.' The historian passes over the incident (comp. Ac 9:23; 1Ki 11:38-39). It is a mysterious pause, a moment of suspense, in the apostle's history, a breathless calm, which ushers in the tumultuous storm of his active missionary life." Coming back, after three years, to Damascus, he began to preach the gospel "boldly in the name of Jesus" (Ac 9:27), but was soon obliged to flee (Ac 9:25; 2Co 11:33) from the Jews and betake himself to Jerusalem. Here he tarried for three weeks, but was again forced to flee (Ac 9:28-29) from persecution. He now returned to his native Tarsus (Ga 1:21), where, for probably about three years, we lose sight of him. The time had not yet come for his entering on his great life-work of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.
At length the city of Antioch, the capital of Syria, became the scene of great Christian activity. There the gospel gained a firm footing, and the cause of Christ prospered. Barnabas (q.v.), who had been sent from Jerusalem to superintend the work at Antioch, found it too much for him, and remembering Saul, he set out to Tarsus to seek for him. He readily responded to the call thus addressed to him, and came down to Antioch, which for "a whole year" became the scene of his labours, which were crowned with great success. The disciples now, for the first time, were called "Christians" (Ac 11:26).
The church at Antioch now proposed to send out missionaries to the Gentiles, and Saul and Barnabas, with John Mark as their attendant, were chosen for this work. This was a great epoch in the history of the church. Now the disciples began to give effect to the Master's command: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
The three missionaries went forth on the first missionary tour. They sailed from Seleucia, the seaport of Antioch, across to Cyprus, some 80 miles to the south-west. Here at Paphos, Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, was converted, and now Saul took the lead, and was ever afterwards called Paul. The missionaries now crossed to the mainland, and then proceeded 6 or 7 miles up the river Cestrus to Perga (Ac 13:13), where John Mark deserted the work and returned to Jerusalem. The two then proceeded about 100 miles inland, passing through Pamphylia, Pisidia, and Lycaonia. The towns mentioned in this tour are the Pisidian Antioch, where Paul delivered his first address of which we have any record (Ac 13:16-51; comp. Ac 10:30-43), Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. They returned by the same r
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And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.
And Saul arose from the earth; and, his eyes being opened, he beheld nothing; but, taking him by the hand, they led him into Damascus.
And the Lord said to him, "Arise, go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul of Tarsus; for, behold, he is praying;
And the Lord said to him, "Arise, go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul of Tarsus; for, behold, he is praying; and in a vision he saw a man, Ananias by name, coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive sight." read more. And Ananias answered, "Lord, I heard from many concerning this man, how many evils he did to Thy saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the high priests to bind all those calling on Thy name." But the Lord said to him, "Go your way; because this man is to Me a chosen vessel to bear My name before nations, and kings, and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.
And, when many days were completed, the Jews took counsel together to kill him;
but the disciples, taking him by night, let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
But Barnabas, taking him, brought him to the apostles, and narrated to them how he saw the Lord in the way, and that He spake to him; and how, in Damascus, he spake boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them, going in and going out at Jerusalem, read more. preaching boldly in the name of the Lord; and he was speaking and disputing with the Helenists; but they were attempting to kill him;
And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, until this hour, I was praying during the ninth hour in my house; and, behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, and says, 'Cornelius, your prayer was heard, and your alms were remembered before God. read more. Send, therefore, to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter; the same is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' At once, therefore, I sent to you; and you did well, in coming. Now, therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things that have been commanded you by the Lord." And Peter, opening his mouth, said, "Of a truth, I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons; but, in every nation, he who fears Him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to Him. He sent the word to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the glad tidings of peace through Jesus Christ, (He is Lord of all): Ye know the word that came throughout all Judaea, after the immersion which John preached; even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power; Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the Devil; because God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; Whom they also slew, hanging Him on a tree. Him God raised on the third day, and gave Him to become manifest; not to all the people, but to witnesses before appointed by God??o us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to fully testify that it is He Who hath been ordained by God Judge of the living and dead. To Him all the prophets testify, that through His Name every one who believes on Him receives remission of sins."
and, having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that, even for a whole year, they met together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude; and that the disciples got the name "Christian" first in Antioch.
Now setting sail from Paphos, Paul's company came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, withdrawing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
And Paul, standing up, and beckoning with his hand, said, "Men of Israel, and ye who fear God, hearken! The God of this people Israel chose our fathers; and He exalted the people in their sojourn in the land of Egypt; and, with a high arm, He led them forth out of it. read more. And for about the time of forty years He bore them as a nursing father in the wilderness. And, having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed by lot their land to them for about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things He gave them judges, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul, a son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years; and, having removed him, He raised up for them David to be their king; to whom bearing testimony, He said, 'I found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.' From the seed of this one, God, according to promise, brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus; John having first preached, before His coming, the immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel. And, as John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do ye suppose me to be? I am not He. But, behold, there cometh One after me, the sandals of Whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.' Brethren, sons of Abraham's race, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation was sent forth. For those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, not knowing Him, nor the voices of the prophets which are being read every sabbath, fulfilled them, in having condemned Him; and, though finding not one cause of death, they asked of Pilate that He should be slain. And, when they fulfilled all things that were written concerning Him, having taken Him down from the tree, they laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead; Who was seen, during many days, by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem; who, indeed, are now His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you good tidings of the promise made to the fathers, that God hath fulfilled this for our children, having raised up Jesus; as it has been written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son! To-day have I begotten Thee!' And that He raised Him up from the dead no more to return to corruption, He hath thus spoken, 'I will give to you the holy and faithful promises of David.' Wherefore, in another place, He saith, 'Thou wilt not give Thy Holy One to see corruption.' For David, indeed, having served his own generation according to the will of God, fell asleep, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption; but He Whom God raised up did not see corruption. Be it known to you, brethren, that through This One is proclaimed to you forgiveness of sins; and in Him every one who believes is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken in the prophets, 'Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; because I do a work in your days?? work which ye will by no means believe, though one should fully declare it to you.' And, as they were going out, they kept beseeching him that these words might be spoken to them on the next sabbath. And, the synagogue having been dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, indeed, speaking to them, were persuading them to continue in the grace of God. And, on the next sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. But the Jews, seeing the multitudes, were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things spoken by Paul, blaspheming. Speaking boldly, both Paul and Barnabas said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Inasmuch as ye thrust it away from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the gentiles; for so hath the Lord commanded us, 'I have set Thee for a Light of the gentiles, that Thou mayest be for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth.'" And the gentiles, having heard it, were rejoicing, and glorifying the word of God; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread abroad through that whole country. But the Jews urged on the devout and reputable women, and the principal men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their borders; and they, having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium.
And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian country, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
and, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul by night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing, and beseeching him, saying, "Crossing over into Macedonia, help us!"
So, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market-place every day with those who met him. And some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were encountering him. And some said, "What would this babbler wish to say?" And others said, He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods;" because he proclaimed the good tidings of Jesus and the resurrection. read more. And, laying hold of him, they led him upon Mars Hill, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, that is being spoken by you! for you bring to our ears certain strange things; we wish, therefore, to know what these things mean." Now all Athenians and the sojourning foreigners were wont to spend their leisure in nothing else, than either to tell or to hear something new. And Paul, having taken his stand in the midst of Mars Hill, said, "Men of Athens, in all respects I observe that ye are more than usually regardful of the deities; for, passing through, and considering your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which had been inscribed, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What, therefore, in ignorance ye worship, this I declare to you. The God Who made the world and all things therein, The Same being Lord of Heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, nor is ministered to by human hands, as if needing anything; Himself giving to all life, and breath, and all things; and He made of one every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having marked out their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek God, if, perhaps, they might feel after Him, and find Him, although, in truth, He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.' "Being, therefore, God's offspring, we ought not to suppose that the God-head is like gold, or silver, or stone, graven by man's art and device! God, therefore, having overlooked the time of ignorance, now commands all men everywhere to repent; inasmuch as He appointed a day in which He intendeth to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness, by a Man Whom He appointed, having given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead."
And, though they asked him to remain a longer time with them, he consented not; but, taking leave of them, and saying, "I will return to you again, God willing," he sailed from Ephesus; read more. and, landing at Cesarea, going up and saluting the assembly, he went down to Antioch. And, having spent some time there, he departed, going through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
And, having gone through those parts and exhorted them with many words, he came into Greece;
And, having sent from Miletus to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly.
And I answered, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus, the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting.'
And Paul, perceiving that the one part was of the Sadducees, and the other of the Pharisees, was crying out in the Sanhedrin, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and resurrection from the dead, I am being judged."
And the son of Paul's sister, hearing of their lying in wait, going and entering into the castle, reported it to Paul.
"I will hear you fully," he said, "when your accusers also arrive:" giving orders, that he should be kept under guard in Herod's palace.
If, therefore, I am a wrong-doer, and have perpetrated anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but, if there is nothing in the things of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me as a favor to them. I appeal to Caesar."
And I said, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting.
And, having arranged for him a day, there came to him to his lodging a greater number, to whom he was expounding, fully testifying as to the Kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning till evening.
And he remained two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and was wont to welcome all who came to him; preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom of speech, without hindrance.
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as Illyricum, I have fully dispensed the Gospel of Christ;
Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who, indeed, are of note among the apostles, who have been in Christ longer than I.
Salute Herodion my kinsman. Salute those of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Salute Triphaena and Triphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
Now, having come to Troas for the Gospel of Christ, and a door having been opened to me in the Lord,
neither went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and again returned to Damascus.
but ye know that through weakness of the flesh I proclaimed the Gospel to you formerly;
but ye know that through weakness of the flesh I proclaimed the Gospel to you formerly; and my trial in my flesh ye despised not, nor spurned; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
that my bonds became manifest in Christ in the whole praetorium, and to all the rest;
circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the assembly: as to the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Aristarchus, my fellow-captive, salutes you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom ye received commandments (if he come to you, receive him),
Fausets
(See ACTS.) The leading facts of his life which appear in that history, subsidiary to its design of sketching the great epochs in the commencement and development of Christ's kingdom, are: his conversion (Acts 9), his labours at Antioch (Acts 11), his first missionary journey (Acts 13; 14), the visit to Jerusalem at the council on circumcision (Acts 15), introduction of the gospel to Europe at Philippi (Acts 16),: visit to Athens (Acts 17), to Corinth (Acts 18), stay at Ephesus (Acts 19), parting address to the Ephesian elders at Miletus (Acts 20), apprehension at Jerusalem, imprisonment at Casesarea, and voyage to Rome (Acts 21-27). Though of purest Hebrew blood (Php 3:5), "circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, (bearing the name of the eminent man of that tribe, king Saul), an Hebrew of the Hebrew," yet his birthplace was the Gentile Tarsus. (Ac 21:39, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city.") His father, as himself, was a Pharisee (Ac 23:6). Tarsus was celebrated as a school of Greek literature (Strabo, Geogr. 1:14).
Here he acquired that knowledge of Greek authors and philosophy which qualified him for dealing with learned Gentiles and appealing to their own writers (Ac 17:18-28. Aratus; 1Co 15:33, Menander; Tit 1:12, Epimenides). Here too he learned the Cilician trade of making tents of the goats' hair cloth called "cilicium" (Ac 18:3); not that his father was in straitened circumstances, but Jewish custom required each child, however wealthy the parents might be, to learn a trade. He possessed the Roman citizenship from birth (Ac 22:28), and hence, when he commenced ministering among Gentiles, he preferred to be known by his Roman name Paul rather than by his Hebrew name Saul. His main education (probably after passing his first 12 years at Tarsus, Ac 26:4-5, "among his own nation." Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Sinaiticus manuscripts read "and" before "at Jerusalem") was at Jerusalem "at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers" (Ac 22:3). (See GAMALIEL.)
Thus the three elements of the world's culture met in him: Roman citizenship, Grecian culture, Hebrew religion. Gamaliel had counseled toleration (Ac 5:34-39); but his teaching of strict pharisaic legalism produced in Saul's ardent spirit persecuting zeal against opponents, "concerning zeal persecuting the church" (Php 3:6). Among the synagogue disputants with Stephen were men "of Cilcia" (Ac 6:9), probably including Saul; at all events it was at his feet, while be was yet "a young man," that the witnesses, stoning the martyr, laid down their clothes (Ac 6:9; 7:58; De 17:7). "Saul was consenting unto his death" (Acts 6; 7); but we can hardly doubt that his better feelings must have had some misgiving in witnessing Stephen's countenance beaming as an angel's, and in hearing his loving prayer for his murderers. But stern bigotry stifled all such doubts by increased zeal; "he made havock of (elumaineto, 'ravaged as a wild beast') the church, entering into the houses (severally, or worship rooms), and haling men and women committed them to prison" (Ac 8:3).
But God's grace arrested Paul in his career of blind fanaticism; "I obtained mercy upon, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1Ti 1:12-16). His ignorance was culpable, for he might have known if he had sought aright; but it was less guilty than sinning against light and knowledge. There is a wide difference between mistaken zeal for the law and willful striving against God's Spirit. His ignorance gave him no claim on, but put him within the range of, God's mercy (Lu 23:34; Ac 3:17; Ro 10:2). The positive ground of mercy is solely God's compassion (Tit 3:5). We have three accounts of his conversion, one by Luke (Acts 9), the others by himself (Acts 22; 26), mutually supplementing one another. Following the adherents of "the (Christian) way ... unto strange cities," and "breathing out threatenings and slaughter," he was on his journey to Damascus with authoritative letters from the high priest empowering him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem all such, trusting doubtless that the pagan governor would not interpose in their behalf.
At midday a light shone upon him and his company, exceeding the brightness of the sun; he and all with him fell to the earth (Ac 26:14; in Ac 9:7 "stood speechless," namely, they soon rose, and when he at length rose they were standing speechless with wonder), "hearing" the sound of a "voice," but not understanding (compare 1Co 14:2 margin) the articulate speech which Paul heard (Ac 22:9, "they heard not the voice of Him that spoke") in Hebrew (Ac 26:14), "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" (in the person of My brethren, Mt 25:40). "It is hard for thee to kick against the goads" (not in Ac 9:5 the Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus manuscripts, but only in Ac 26:14), which, as in the case of oxen being driven, only makes the goad pierce the deeper (Mt 21:44; Pr 8:36). Saul trembling (as the jailer afterward before him, Ac 16:30-31) said, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" the usual question at first awakening (Lu 3:10), but here with the additional sense of unreserved surrender of himself to the Lord's guidance (Isa 6:1-8).
The Lord might act directly, but He chooses to employ ministerial instruments; such was Ananias whom He sent to Saul, after he had been three days without sight and neither eating nor drinking, in the house of Judas (probably a Christian to whose house he had himself led, rather than to his former co-religionists). Ananias, whom he would have seized for prison and death, is the instrument of giving him light and life. God had prepared Ananias for his visitor by announcing the one sure mark of his conversion, "behold he prayeth" (Ro 8:15). Ananias had heard of him as a notorious persecutor, but obeyed the Lord's direction. In Ac 26:16-18 Paul condenses in one account, and connects with Christ's first appearing, subsequent revelations of Jesus to him as to the purpose of his call;" to make thee a minister and witness of these things ... delivering thee from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee." Like Jonah, the outcast runaway, when penitent, was made the messenger of repentance to guilty Nineveh.
The time of his call was just when the gospel was being opened to the Gentiles by Peter (Acts 10). An apostle, severed from legalism, and determined unbelief by an extraordinary revulsion, was better fitted for carrying forward the work among unbelieving Gentiles, which had been begun by the apostle of the circumcision. He who was the most learned and at the same time humblest (Eph 3:8; 1Co 15:9) of the apostles was the one whose pen was most used in the New Testament Scriptures. He"saw" the Lord in actual person (Ac 9:17; 22:14; 23:11; 26:16; 1Co 15:8; 9:1), which was a necessary qualification for apostleship, so as to be witness of the resurrection. The light that flashed on his eyes was the sign of the spiritual light that broke in upon his soul; and Jesus' words to him (Ac 26:18), "to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light" (which commission was symbolized in the opening of his own eyes through Ananias, Ac 9:17-18), are by undesigned coincidence reproduced naturally in his epistles (Col 1:12-14; 2Co 4:4; Eph 1:18, contrast Eph 4:18; 6:12).
He calls himself "the one untimely born" in the family of the apostles (1Co 15:8). Such a child, though born alive, is yet not of proper size and scarcely worthy of the name of man; so Paul calls himself" least of the apostles, not meet to be called an apostle" (compare 1Pe 1:3). He says, God's "choice" (Ac 9:15; 22:14), "separating me (in contrast to his having been once a "Pharisee", from pharash, i.e. a separatist, but now 'separated' unto something infinitely higher) from my mother's womb (therefore without any merit of mine), and calling me by His grace (which carried into effect His 'good pleasure,' eudokia), revealed His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the pagan," independent of Mosaic ceremonialism (Ga 1:11-20). Ananias, being "a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews there," was the suitable instrum
See Verses Found in Dictionary
"And, if your right eye is causing you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you; for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not your whole body be cast into Hell.
But, seeing the wind, he was frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
and will deliver Him up to the gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and, on the third day, He will be raised up "
And he who falls on this stone shall be broken in pieces; but on whomsoever it falls, it will scatter him as dust."
Then he says to his servants, 'The marriage feast, indeed is ready; but those who had been invited were not worthy;
naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye looked after Me; I was in prison, and ye came to Me.'
"And, answering, the King will say to them, 'Verily I say to you, inasmuch as ye did it to one of My brethren, even the least, ye did it to Me.'
And the multitudes were asking him, saying, "What, then, shall we do?"
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" And, dividing His garments among them, they cast lots.
And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, (and we beheld His glory??lory as of the Only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
because out of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace:
Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship, because salvation is from the Jews.
If, therefore, I, 'The Lord,' and 'The Teacher,' washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet;
Pilate, therefore, entered again into the Praetorium, and called Jesus, and said to Him, "Art Thou the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of yourself, or did others tell you concerning Me?" read more. Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the high priests delivered Thee up to me: what didst Thou do?" Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from hence." Pilate, therefore, said to Him, "Art Thou, then, a King?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a King. To this end have I been born, and to this end have I come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears My voice."
In consequence of this, Pilate was seeking to release Him; but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you release this Man, you are not Caesar's friend; every one who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."
and, leaping forth, he stood, and was walking about; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
"And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers;
But an angel of the Lord, by night, opened the prison doors; and, having led them out, said,
But a certain one, having risen up in the council?? Pharisee, by name Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people??rdered to put the men without a little while. And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves with regard to these men, what ye are about to do; read more. for before these days arose Theudas, alleging that he himself was somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were disbanded, and came to nothing. After this arose Judas, the Galilean, in the days of the enrollment, and drew away people after him; he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. And now I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for, if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown; but, if it be of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest perhaps ye be found even fighting against God."
But there arose some of those who were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Freedmen, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.
But there arose some of those who were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Freedmen, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.
In which season Moses was born, and was beautiful to God; who was nourished three months in the house of his father;
And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in his words and works.
and, having thrust him forth outside of the city, they kept stoning him! And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul.
But Saul was laying waste the assembly, entering house after house; and, dragging men and women, was committing them to prison.
And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.
And the men who were journeying with him were standing speechless; hearing, indeed, the voice, but beholding no one.
But the Lord said to him, "Go your way; because this man is to Me a chosen vessel to bear My name before nations, and kings, and the sons of Israel;
And Ananias went away, and entered into the house; and, laying his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me??ven Jesus, Who appeared to you in the way in which you were coming, sent me, that you may receive sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
And Ananias went away, and entered into the house; and, laying his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me??ven Jesus, Who appeared to you in the way in which you were coming, sent me, that you may receive sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." and straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received sight; and, arising, he was immersed; and, having taken food, he was strengthened.
and straightway in the synagogues he was preaching Jesus, that He is the Son of God. And all who heard were astonished, and said, "Is not this he who destroyed, in Jerusalem, those calling upon this name, and had come here for this purpose, that he might bring them bound to the high priests?" read more. But Saul was being more empowered, and was confounding the Jews who were dwelling in Damascus; proving that this is the Christ. And, when many days were completed, the Jews took counsel together to kill him;
Now, having come to Jerusalem, he was trying to join himself to the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
Now, having come to Jerusalem, he was trying to join himself to the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas, taking him, brought him to the apostles, and narrated to them how he saw the Lord in the way, and that He spake to him; and how, in Damascus, he spake boldly in the name of Jesus. read more. And he was with them, going in and going out at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord; and he was speaking and disputing with the Helenists; but they were attempting to kill him;
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord; and he was speaking and disputing with the Helenists; but they were attempting to kill him; but the brethren, learning it, brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
And, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him, saying, that he went in to men holding uncircumcision, and ate with them! read more. But Peter, beginning at the first, was explaining it to them in order, saying, "I was in the city of Joppa, praying: and, in a trance, I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as a large sheet, let down out of the heaven by four corners; and it came close to me: into which gazing intently, I was considering, and saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and the birds of the heaven. And I heard also a voice, saying to me, 'Arising, Peter, kill and eat.' But I said, 'By no means, Lord; because a common or an unclean thing never entered into my mouth!' But a voice answered a second time out of the heaven, 'What God cleansed, make not common.' And this took place thrice: and all were drawn up again into the heaven. And, behold, immediately there stood three men at the house in which we were, having been sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. And these six brethren also went with me; and we entered into the man's house. And he told us how he saw the angel in his house, standing and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and call for Simon who is surnamed Peter, who will speak to you words, by which you shall be saved, and all your house.' And, as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as also on us at the beginning; and I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John, indeed, immersed in water, but ye shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit.' If, therefore, God gave them the like gift, as to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?"
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene; who, indeed, having come to Antioch, were speaking to the Greeks also, publishing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus.
And the report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem; and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch; who, having come, and having seen the grace of God, rejoiced, and was exhorting all that, with purpose of heart, they should cleave to the Lord; read more. because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith; and a great multitude was added to the Lord. And he departed to Tarsus to seek for Saul; and, having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that, even for a whole year, they met together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude; and that the disciples got the name "Christian" first in Antioch. And in those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch; and one of them??gabus by name??tanding up, signified through the Spirit that there was about to be a great famine over all the inhabited earth; which, indeed, happened under Claudius. And the disciples, according as any one of them was being prospered, determined, each of them, to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judaea; which also they did, sending it to the elders through the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
which also they did, sending it to the elders through the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
And, when Herod was about to bring him forth, in that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and guards before the door were keeping the prison. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell; and, smiting the side of Peter, he raised him up, saying, "Rise up quickly!" And his chains fell off from his hands. read more. And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals." And he did so. And he says to him, "Cast your garment around you, and follow me." And, going forth, he was following him; and he knew not that it was true, which was being done by the angel, but was thinking that he saw a vision. And, having passed the first and second watch; they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and, going out, they passed on through one street, and straightway the angel departed from him.
And Barnabus and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them John who was surnamed Mark.
And Barnabus and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them John who was surnamed Mark.
A long time, therefore, they tarried there, speaking boldly in the Lord, Who testified to the word of His grace, by granting signs and wonders to be done through their hands.
said with a loud voice, "Stand up on your feet, erect!" And he leaped up, and was walking about.
And they abode there not a little time with the disciples.
And, much discussion having arisen, Peter, standing up, said to them, "Brethren, ye well know that, from early days, God made choice among you, that through my mouth the gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And the heart-knowing God bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as to us: read more. and He made no distinction between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were strong enough to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as also they."
And he came down also to Derbe and to Lystra. And, behold, a certain disciple was there, Timothy by name, son of a believing Jewish woman, but of a Grecian father; who was well reported of by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium; read more. this one Paul wished to go forth with him; and, taking him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian country, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and, having come over against Mysia, they were trying to go on into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;
And, when he saw the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.
and, having brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, and your house."
But the Jews, moved with jealousy, and taking to themselves certain evil men of the rabble, and gathering a multitude, were setting the city in an uproar; and, assaulting the house of Jason, they were seeking them to lead them, forth to the populace.
And some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were encountering him. And some said, "What would this babbler wish to say?" And others said, He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods;" because he proclaimed the good tidings of Jesus and the resurrection. And, laying hold of him, they led him upon Mars Hill, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, that is being spoken by you! read more. for you bring to our ears certain strange things; we wish, therefore, to know what these things mean." Now all Athenians and the sojourning foreigners were wont to spend their leisure in nothing else, than either to tell or to hear something new. And Paul, having taken his stand in the midst of Mars Hill, said, "Men of Athens, in all respects I observe that ye are more than usually regardful of the deities; for, passing through, and considering your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which had been inscribed, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What, therefore, in ignorance ye worship, this I declare to you. The God Who made the world and all things therein, The Same being Lord of Heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands,
The God Who made the world and all things therein, The Same being Lord of Heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands,
The God Who made the world and all things therein, The Same being Lord of Heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, nor is ministered to by human hands, as if needing anything; Himself giving to all life, and breath, and all things;
nor is ministered to by human hands, as if needing anything; Himself giving to all life, and breath, and all things; and He made of one every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having marked out their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;
and He made of one every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having marked out their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek God, if, perhaps, they might feel after Him, and find Him, although, in truth, He is not far from each one of us;
that they should seek God, if, perhaps, they might feel after Him, and find Him, although, in truth, He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.'
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.' "Being, therefore, God's offspring, we ought not to suppose that the God-head is like gold, or silver, or stone, graven by man's art and device!
inasmuch as He appointed a day in which He intendeth to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness, by a Man Whom He appointed, having given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead."
and, because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they labored; for by occupation they were tent-makers.
But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people."
and he says, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been trained according to the exactness of the ancestral law, being zealous for God, even as ye all are to-day;
And those who were with me beheld, indeed, the light, but they did not understand the voice of Him Who spake to me.
And, as I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those accompanying me, I came into Damascus.
And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth;
And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth;
And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance;
And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance; and saw Him, saying to me, 'Make haste, and go forth quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.'
and saw Him, saying to me, 'Make haste, and go forth quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.'
and saw Him, saying to me, 'Make haste, and go forth quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that I was imprisoning and beating, throughout the synagogues, those believing on Thee;
And the chief captain answered, "I, for a great sum, acquired this citizenship." And Paul said, "But I have been born a citizen."
And Paul, perceiving that the one part was of the Sadducees, and the other of the Pharisees, was crying out in the Sanhedrin, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and resurrection from the dead, I am being judged."
And, on the following night, the Lord, standing by him, said, "Be of good courage; for, as you fully testified as to the things concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome also."
My manner of life, therefore, from my youth, which from the first was among my own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; having known me from the beginning, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
And, we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
And, we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
And, we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
But arise, and stand upon your feet; for I appeared to you for this end, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things in which you saw Me, and of the things in which I will appear to you;
But arise, and stand upon your feet; for I appeared to you for this end, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things in which you saw Me, and of the things in which I will appear to you; delivering you from the people and the gentiles, to whom I send you, read more. to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'
to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'
Whom God set forth as a propitiation, through faith in His blood, for the manifestation of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the formerly-committed sins in the forbearance of God:
Whom God set forth as a propitiation, through faith in His blood, for the manifestation of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the formerly-committed sins in the forbearance of God:
For ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father."
For I testify for them, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge;
But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if you shall confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;
But him that is weak in the faith receive ye, yet not for decisions of scruples. One believes that he may eat all things; but he that is weak eats herbs. read more. Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; and let not him that does not eat despise him that eats; for God received him. Who are you that judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. But he shall be made to stand; for the Lord is able to make him stand. One man, indeed, esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. He that regards the day regards it to the Lord; and he that eats eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives thanks to God. For no one of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge ye this rather, not to put a stumbling-block, or an occasion of falling, in a brother's way. I know, and have been persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: except that to him who accounts anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. read more. For, if because of your food your brother is aggrieved, you are no longer walking in accordance with love. Destroy not with your food him for whom Christ died. Let not, therefore, your good be evil spoken of; for the Kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things serves Christ, is well-pleasing to God, and approved by men. So, then, let us follow after the things productive of peace, and the things that tend to mutual edification. Do not, for the sake of food, overthrow the work of God. All things, indeed, are clean; but it is evil to him who eats with offense. It is good, neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have to yourself before God. Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he approves. And he who doubts is condemned, if he eat, because he eats not of faith; and all that is not of faith is sin.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may, by all means, save some.
Nay, but I say that the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to become partakers with the demons.
For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus, in the same night in which He was being betrayed, took bread;
For he that speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
For I delivered to you, among the first things, that which also I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
and, last of all, as to one born out of time, He appeared to me also.
Be not deceived; evil companionships corrupt good morals.
because, "His letters, indeed," says one, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself) I am more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often; from the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one; read more. thrice I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have spent in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Apart from those things without, that which is a pressure upon me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? If I must glory, I will glory in the things that pertain to my weakness. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is blessed forevermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me;
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me; and through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
It is needful for me to glory, though, indeed, not profitable; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
And, that I might not be exalted overmuch by the exceeding greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. read more. And He hath said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I powerful.
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought out among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works. For what is there in which ye were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong! read more. Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I to be loved the less? But be it so, I did not burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I gain advantage over you through any one of those whom I have sent to you? I entreated Titus, and sent with him the brother. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? did we not walk in the same steps? Think ye all this time that we are excusing ourselves to you? Before God in Christ we are speaking; and all, beloved, for your edification. For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I desire, and that I, too, should be found by you such as ye do not desire; lest, by any means, there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of those who have heretofore sinned, and repented not of the uncleanness, and fornication and lasciviousness which they practiced.
For I make known to you, brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed by me is not according to man; for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through revelation of Jesus Christ. read more. For ye heard of my conduct formerly in Judaism; that, beyond measure, I was persecuting the assembly of God, and laying it waste; and was making progress in Judaism above many companions of the same age in my own nation, being more exceedingly a zealot for my ancestral instructions.
and was making progress in Judaism above many companions of the same age in my own nation, being more exceedingly a zealot for my ancestral instructions. But, when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace,
But, when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might proclaim the good news of Him among the gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood,
to reveal His Son in me, that I might proclaim the good news of Him among the gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and again returned to Damascus.
neither went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and again returned to Damascus. Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and continued with him fifteen days.
Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and continued with him fifteen days.
Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and continued with him fifteen days.
Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and continued with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles I saw not, except James, the brother of the Lord.
But other of the apostles I saw not, except James, the brother of the Lord. Now as to the things I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying. read more. After that I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; and I was unknown by face to the assemblies of Judaea, which were in Christ;
And I went up according to revelation, and laid before them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately to those of repute, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
And I went up according to revelation, and laid before them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately to those of repute, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised;
But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised; and that was because of the false brethren secretly introduced, who, indeed, crept in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;
and that was because of the false brethren secretly introduced, who, indeed, crept in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage; to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you. read more. But from those reputed to be something (whatever they were, it matters not to me: God does not accept man's person): to me, in fact, those of repute added nothing; but, on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the Gospel of the uncircumcision, as Peter was with that of the circumcision; (for He Who wrought for Peter with regard to an apostleship of the circumcision, wrought for me also with regard to the gentiles). And, perceiving the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas right-hands of fellowship, that we should go to the gentiles, and they to the circumcision;
Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now being made perfect in the flesh?
but ye know that through weakness of the flesh I proclaimed the Gospel to you formerly;
Tell me, ye who are wishing to be under law, do ye not hear the law?
Which things are an allegory; for these women are two covenants; one, indeed, from mount Sinai, bringing forth into servitude, which is Hagar (for the word Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia), and corresponds to the present Jerusalem; for she is in bondage with her children.
(for the word Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia), and corresponds to the present Jerusalem; for she is in bondage with her children.
Ye were separated from Christ, whoever of you are being justified by law; ye fell out of grace;
But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then the stumbling-block of the cross has been done away!
See with what large letters I wrote to you with my own hand.
For neither do those themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but they wish you to be circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
To me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to proclaim, to the gentiles, the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of Christ;
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts;
giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father;
because to us the struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the assembly: as to the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye revived your thought in my behalf, for whom ye were taking thought, but ye lacked opportunity.
And know ye also, Philippians, that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I went forth from Macedonia, no assembly had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but ye only; because even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my need.
But I have all, and abound; I have been filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an odor of sweet smell, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
giving thanks to the Father, Who made us meet for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who delivered us out of the dominion of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love; read more. in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins;
that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
for they themselves report, concerning us, what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
for they themselves report, concerning us, what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, Who delivers us from the coming wrath.
and to wait for His Son from Heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, Who delivers us from the coming wrath.
but, having suffered before, and having been shamefully treated, as ye know, in Philippi, we grew bold in our God to speak to you the Gospel of God in much conflict.
but, having suffered before, and having been shamefully treated, as ye know, in Philippi, we grew bold in our God to speak to you the Gospel of God in much conflict.
For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil; working night and day, that we might not be burdensome to any of you, we preached to you the Gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and unblamably we behaved toward you who believe;
that ye should walk worthily of God, Who is calling you into His own Kingdom and glory.
For ye, brethren, became imitators of the assemblies of God, that are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; because ye suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they also did from the Jews;
and to make it your aim to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we charged you; that ye walk becomingly towards those without, and that ye may have need of nothing.
I have thanks for Him Who empowered me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He accounted me faithful, putting me into His service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I, being ignorant, did it in unbelief; read more. and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief; but for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me, as chief, Christ Jesus might show forth all His longsuffering for an example to those about to believe on Him unto eternal life.
Those who sin reprove before all, that the rest also may have fear.
I thank God, Whom I serve from my forefathers, in a pure conscience, that I have an unceasing remembrance of you in my supplications night and day;
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always false, evil beasts, idle gluttons."
not by works of righteousness which we did, but according to His mercy, He saved us through a washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit;
For ye have not come to a mount that is touched and burning with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
Blessed be the God and Father of out Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His abundant mercy, begat us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead,
And account the long-suffering of our Lord salvation; as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you;
That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we gazed upon, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life
Morish
This apostle was of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of pure descent, born at Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a fact which gave to him the privilege of Roman citizenship. He was a disciple of Gamaliel and a strict Pharisee. He is first introduced to us as a young man, by name SAUL, at whose feet the witnesses who stoned Stephen laid their clothes. He became afterwards a violent persecutor of the saints, both of men and women, acting with great zeal, thinking he was doing God's service. His conversion as the effect of the Lord appearing to him was unique, and he was so completely changed that he became at once as bold for Christ as before he had been a persecutor of Christ in the persons of His saints. He immediately preached in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. This was the distinctive point of his testimony. As the Jews sought his life at Damascus, he departed into Arabia, where doubtless he had deep exercise of heart and learnt more of the Lord.
After three years he went up to see Peter at Jerusalem, where he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Jews again seeking his life, he was conducted to Caesarea, and sent to Tarsus, his native place. From thence he was fetched by Barnabas to go to Antioch, where the gospel had been effectual, and there they both laboured. After having, in company with Barnabas, taken supplies to Jerusalem (his second visit), on occasion of a dearth, he commenced his first missionary journey to Cyprus and Asia Minor. He and Barnabas returned to Antioch, where he remained 'a long time.' On a dispute arising as to Gentile converts being circumcised, he went with Barnabas to Jerusalem concerning that question, and returned to Antioch. This city had become a sort of centre of the activity of the Spirit. Being far from Jerusalem it was less influenced by Judaising tendencies, though communion with the saints there was maintained.
Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece were the sphere of Paul's second missionary journey. Having differed from Barnabas, because the latter wished to take John with them (who had left them on the first journey), Paul selected Silas for his companion, and departed with the full fellowship of the brethren. During part of this journey Timothy was one of the company. He abode a year and a half at Corinth, where he wrote the two EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS. He now visited Jerusalem at the feast, and returned to Antioch. He took his third missionary journey through Galatia and Phrygia. When he visited Ephesus he separated the disciples from the synagogue, and they met in the school of Tyrannus. At Ephesus he wrote the FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, and probably the EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. After the tumult raised by Demetrius he went to Macedonia, and there wrote the SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. He again visited Corinth and wrote the EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
The Jews seeking his life, Paul went through Macedonia, sailed from Philippi, and preached at Troas. At Miletus he gave a solemn parting address to the elders of Ephesus, and took his leave of the disciples at Tyre, where he was cautioned not to go to Jerusalem. At Caesarea also he was warned of what awaited him at Jerusalem, but he avowed that he was ready not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Paul arrived at Jerusalem just before Pentecost. In order to prove himself a good Jew he was advised by the brethren to associate himself with four men who had a vow on them, and to be at charges with them. But while carrying this out he was seized by some Asiatic Jews, and beaten, but was rescued by Lysias, the Roman chief captain. After appearing before the council, and again being rescued by him, he was for safety sent off by night to Caesarea. There his cause was heard by Felix, who kept him prisoner, hoping to be bribed to release him. Two years later, when superseded by Festus, Felix, to please the Jews, left Paul in bonds. On appearing before Festus, to save himself from being sent to Jerusalem, there being a plot to waylay and murder him, Paul appealed to the emperor. His case having been heard by Agrippa and Festus, he was finally remitted to Rome. The ship, however, was wrecked at Malta, where they wintered, all on board having been saved.
On his arrival at Rome, Paul sent for the chief men of the Jews and preached to them: some of them believed, though the majority rejected God's grace (thus fulfilling Isa 6:9-10), which should henceforth go to the Gentiles. He, though still a prisoner, abode two years in his own hired house. There he wrote the EPISTLES TO THE COLOSSIANS, the EPHESIANS, the PHILIPPIANS, and also to PHILEMON.
The history of Paul is thus far given in the Acts of the Apostles, but there are intimations in the later epistles that after the two years at Rome he was liberated. His movements from that time are not definitely recorded; apparently he visited Ephesus and Macedonia, 1Ti 1:3; wrote the FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY; visited Crete, Tit 1:5; and Nicopolis, Tit 3:12; wrote the EPISTLE TO TITUS (the early writers say that he went to Spain, which we know he desired to do, Ro 15:24,28); visited Troas and Miletus, 2Ti 4:13,20; wrote the EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; and when a prisoner at Rome the second time, wrote the SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY, when expecting his death. Early writers say that he was beheaded with the sword, which is probable, as he was a Roman citizen.
Paul received his commission directly from Christ who appeared to him in glory, and this source of his apostleship he carefully insists on in the Epistle to the Galatians. New light as to the church in its heavenly character came out by Paul, who was God's special apostle for that purpose. To him was revealed the truth that the assembly was the body of Christ, and the doctrine of new creation in Christ Jesus, in which evidently there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. This caused great persecution from the Jews and from Judaising teachers, who could not readily give up the law, nor endure the thought of Gentiles having an equal place with themselves. This Paul insisted on: it was his mission as apostle to the Gentiles. To Paul also was committed what he calls "my gospel:" this was 'the gospel of the glory' (Christ in glory who put away the Christian's sins being presented in it as the last Adam, the Son of God). 2Co 4:4. It not only brings salvation, great as that is, but it separates the believer from earth, and conforms him to Christ as He is in glory.
Paul was an eminent and faithful servant of Christ. As such he was content to be nothing, that Christ might be glorified. To the Thessalonians he was gentle 'as a nurse cherisheth her children.' 1Th 2:7. He was severe however to the Corinthians when they were allowing sin in their midst, and to them he had to assert his apostolic authority when traducers were seeking to nullify his influence among them. To the Galatians he was still more severe: they were in danger of being shipwrecked as to faith by false Judaising teachers, who were undermining the truth of the gospel.
In the epistles we get a few glimpses of the inner life of Paul. After having been caught up into the third heavens, he prayed for the removal of the thorn in the flesh which had been given him lest he should be puffed up, and was told that Christ's grace was sufficient for him, he could say, "most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.'' 2Co 12:9-10. He also could say, "To me to live is Christ;" and "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus." Php 3:13-14. As a martyr he reached that goal. The catalogue he gives of his privations and sufferings in 2Co 11:23-28 discloses the fact that but a small part of his gigantic labours is recounted in the Acts of the Apostles.
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whensoever I go to Spain (for I am hoping, in passing through, to see you, and to be sent on my way thither by you, if first I have been satisfied, in a measure, with your company);
After having completed this, and having sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by you into Spain;
in whom the god of this world blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should not shine upon them.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself) I am more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often; from the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one; read more. thrice I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have spent in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Apart from those things without, that which is a pressure upon me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies.
And He hath said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I powerful.
Brethren, I do not account myself to have laid hold of it; but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth to the things before. I am pressing on toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
But we became gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherishes her own children:
As I exhorted you to continue in Ephesus, when I was journeying into Macedonia, that you might charge certain ones not to teach a different doctrine,
The cloak which I left in Troas with Carpus, when you come, bring, and the books, especially the parchments.
Erastus abode in Corinth; but Trophimus I left in Miletus sick.
For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;
When I shall send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, give diligence to come to me to Nicopolis; for there I have decided to winter.
Smith
(small, little). Nearly all the original materials for the life St. Paul are contained in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline epistles. Paul was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. (It is not improbable that he was born between A.D. 0 and A.D. 5.) Up to the time of his going forth as an avowed preacher of Christ to the Gentiles, the apostle was known by the name of Saul. This was the Jewish name which he received from his Jewish parents. But though a Hebrew of the Hebrews, he was born in a Gentile city. Of his parents we know nothing, except that his father was of the tribe of Benjamin,
and a Pharisee,
that Paul had acquired by some means the Roman franchise ("I was free born,")
and that he was settled in Tarsus. At Tarsus he must have learned to use the Greek language with freedom and mastery in both speaking and writing. At Tarsus also he learned that trade of "tent-maker,"
at which he afterward occasionally wrought with his own hands. There was a goat's-hair cloth called cilicium manufactured in Cilicia, and largely used for tents, Saul's trade was probably that of making tents of this hair cloth. When St. Paul makes his defence before his countrymen at Jerusalem,
... he tells them that, though born in Tarsus he had been "brought up" in Jerusalem. He must therefore, have been yet a boy when was removed, in all probability for the sake of his education, to the holy city of his fathers. He learned, he says, at the feet of Gamaliel." He who was to resist so stoutly the usurpations of the law had for his teacher one of the most eminent of all the doctors of the law. Saul was yet "a young man,"
when the Church experienced that sudden expansion which was connected with the ordaining of the seven appointed to serve tables, and with the special power and inspiration of Stephen. Among those who disputed with Stephen were some "of them of Cilicia." We naturally think of Saul as having been one of these, when we find him afterward keeping the clothes of those suborned witnesses who, according to the law,
De 17:7
were the first to cast stones at Stephen. "Saul," says the sacred writer significantly "was consenting unto his death." Saul's conversion. A.D. 37.--The persecutor was to be converted. Having undertaken to follow up the believers "unto strange cities." Saul naturally turned his thoughts to Damascus. What befell him as he journeyed thither is related in detail three times in the Acts, first by the historian in his own person, then in the two addresses made by St. Paul at Jerusalem and before Agrippa. St. Luke's statement is to be read in
where, however, the words "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks," included in the English version, ought to be omitted (as is done in the Revised Version). The sudden light from heaven; the voice of Jesus speaking with authority to his persecutor; Saul struck to the ground, blinded, overcome; the three-days suspense; the coming of Ananias as a messenger of the Lord and Saul's baptism, --these were the leading features at the great event, and in these we must look for the chief significance of the conversion. It was in Damascus that he was received into the church by Ananias, and here to the astonishment of all his hearers, he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, declaring him to be the Son of God. The narrative in the Acts tells us simply that he was occupied in this work, with increasing vigor, for "many days," up to the time when imminent danger drove him from Damascus. From the Epistle to the Galatians,
we learn that the many days were at least a good part of "three years," A.D. 37-40, and that Saul, not thinking it necessary to procure authority to teach from the apostles that were before him, went after his conversion to Arabia, and returned from thence to us. We know nothing whatever of this visit to Arabia; but upon his departure from Damascus we are again on a historical ground, and have the double evidence of St. Luke in the Acts of the apostle in his Second Epistle the Corinthians. According to the former, the Jews lay in wait for Saul, intending to kill him, and watched the gates of the city that he might not escape from them. Knowing this, the disciples took him by night and let him down in a basket from the wall. Having escaped from Damascus, Saul betook himself to Jerusalem (A.D. 40), and there "assayed to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and believed not he was a disciple." Barnabas' introduction removed the fears of the apostles, and Saul "was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem." But it is not strange that the former persecutor was soon singled out from the other believers as the object of a murderous hostility. He was,therefore, again urged to flee; and by way of Caesarea betook himself to his native city, Tarsus. Barnabas was sent on a special mission to Antioch. As the work grew under his hands, he felt the need of help, went himself to Tarsus to seek Saul, and succeeded in bringing him to Antioch. There they labored together unremittingly for a whole year." All this time Saul was subordinate to Barnabas. Antioch was in constant communication with Cilicia, with Cyprus, with all the neighboring countries. The Church was pregnant with a great movement, and time of her delivery was at hand. Something of direct expectation seems to be implied in what is said of the leaders of the Church at Antioch, that they were "ministering to the Lord and fasting," when the Holy Ghost spoke to them: "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Everything was done with orderly gravity in the sending forth of the two missionaries. Their brethren after fasting and prayer, laid their hands on them, and so they departed. The first missionary journey. A.D. 45-49. --As soon as Barnabas and Saul reached Cyprus they began to "announce the word of God," but at first they delivered their message in the synagogues of the Jews only. When they had gone through the island, from Salamis to Paphos, they were called upon to explain their doctrine to an eminent Gentile, Sergius Paulus, the proconsul, who was converted. Saul's name was now changed to Paul, and he began to take precedence of Barnabas. From Paphos "Paul and his company" set sail for the mainland, and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. Here the heart of their companion John failed him, and he returned to Jerusalem. From Perga they travelled on to a place obscure in secular history, but most memorable in the history of the Kingdom of Christ --Antioch in Pisidia. Rejected by the Jews, they became bold and outspoken, and turned from them to the Gentiles. At Antioch now, as in every city afterward, the unbelieving Jews used their influence with their own adherents among the Gentiles to persuade the authorities or the populace to persecute the apostles and to drive them from the place. Paul and Barnabas now travelled on to Iconium where the occurrences at Antioch were repeated, and from thence to the Lycaonian country which contained the cities Lystra and Derbe. Here they had to deal with uncivilized heathen. At Lystra the healing of a cripple took place. Thereupon these pagans took the apostles for gods, calling Barnabas, who was of the more imposing presence, Jupiter, and Paul, who was the chief speaker, Mercurius. Although the people of Lystra had been so ready to worship Paul and Barnabas, the repulse of their idolatrous instincts appears to have provoked them, and they allowed themselves to be persuaded into hostility be Jews who came from Antioch and Iconium, so that they attacked Paul with stones, and thought they had killed him. He recovered, however as the disciples were standing around him, and went again into the city. The next day he left it with Barnabas, and went to Derbe, and thence they returned once more to Lystra, and so to Iconium and Antioch. In order to establish the churches after their departure they solemnly appointed "elders" in every city. Then they came down to the coast, and from Attalia, they sailed; home to Antioch in Syria, where they related the successes which had been granted to them, and
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And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your accounts, and, sitting down, quickly write, Fifty.'
and, having thrust him forth outside of the city, they kept stoning him! And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul.
and one of them??gabus by name??tanding up, signified through the Spirit that there was about to be a great famine over all the inhabited earth; which, indeed, happened under Claudius.
And some, coming down from Judaea, were teaching the brethren, "Unless ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved." And, when Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and discussion with them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders, concerning this question. read more. They, therefore, having been sent forward by the assembly, went through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the gentiles; and they were causing great joy to all the brethren. And, having come to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and apostles and elders; and they rehearsed as many things as God wrought with them. But there rose up some from the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses." And the apostles and the elders were assembled together to see about this matter. And, much discussion having arisen, Peter, standing up, said to them, "Brethren, ye well know that, from early days, God made choice among you, that through my mouth the gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And the heart-knowing God bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as to us: and He made no distinction between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were strong enough to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as also they." And all the multitude kept silence: and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul, recounting what signs and wonders God wrought among the gentiles through them. And, after they were silent, James answered, saying, "Brethren, hear me. Simeon declared how God first visited the gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it has been written, 'After these things I will return; and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; and the ruins thereof will I build again; and I will set it up; that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, even all the gentiles upon whom My name has been called,' saith the Lord, Who maketh these things known from of old. Wherefore, I judge that we should not trouble those who from among the gentiles are turning to God; but that we write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from anything strangled, and from blood; for Moses, from ancient generations, has in every city those preaching him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath." Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders, with the whole assembly, to send men, chosen from themselves, to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas who is surnamed Barsabas, and Silas??eading men among the brethren; having written through their hand thus: "The apostles, and the elders, brethren, to the brethren from the gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: Forasmuch as we heard that some from among us troubled you with words, unsettling your souls??o whom we gave no directions; it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, having chosen men, to send to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have given up their souls in behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas; themselves also reporting the same things to you by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that ye abstain from idol-sacrifices, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which keeping yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well."
But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming, with many others also, the good tidings of the word of the Lord. And, after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Turning about, let us visit the brethren in every city, in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing." read more. And Barnabas was desiring to take with them John also, who was called Mark. But Paul was not thinking it proper to take him with them, who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted one from the other; and Barnabas, taking with him Mark, sailed away to Cyprus. And Paul, haring chosen Silas, went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were loosed. And the jailer, being aroused from sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drawing a sword, was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled. read more. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." And, calling for a light, he sprang in, and, being in fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas; and, having brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, and your house." And they spake to him the word of the Lord with all that were in his house. And, having taken them with him, at that hour of the night he washed their stripes; and was immersed, himself and all his, immediately; and, bringing them up into his house, he placed a table near them; and he rejoiced greatly with all his house, having believed in God.
After these things, departing from Athens, he came to Corinth.
and, because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they labored; for by occupation they were tent-makers.
saying, "This man is persuading men to worship God contrary to the law." And, when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If, indeed, it were some wrong or wicked villainy, O Jews, with reason had I borne with you;
And Paul, abiding after this yet many days with the brethren, having taken leave of them, was sailing away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shaven his head in Cenchrea; for he had a vow.
And, having spent some time there, he departed, going through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
And, having gone through those parts and exhorted them with many words, he came into Greece; and, having spent three months there, a plot being laid for him by the Jews, as he was about to sail into Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.
And, when they came to him, he said to them, "Ye yourselves know from the first day on which I came into Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time; serving the Lord with all humility, and with tears, and with trials which befell me in the plottings of the Jews; read more. how I shrank not from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and from teaching you publicly, and from house to house, fully testifying, both to Jews and Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. And, now, behold, I, bound by the Spirit, am going to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifieth to me in every city, saying that bonds and tribulations await me. But I make not my soul of any value as dear to myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify the Gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the Kingdom, will see my face no more. Wherefore, I testify to you this day, that I am clean from the blood of all men; for I shrank not from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit appointed you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which He purchased with His own blood. I know that, after my departure, grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among yourselves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Wherefore, watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not to admonish every one with tears. "And now I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all the sanctified. I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or apparel. Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I showed you that, thus laboring, ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
And, when we came to Jerusalem, the brethren gladly received us.
And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd; and, when he could not ascertain the certainty because of the tumult, he ordered that he be brought into the castle. And, when he came upon the stairway, it happened that he was borne along by the soldiers on account of the violence of the multitude; read more. for the throng of the people was following after, crying out, "Away with him!" And, when about to be led into the castle, Paul says to the chief captain, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? Are you not, then, the Egyptian who, before these days, caused a revolt, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people." And, when he gave him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and, when there was great silence, he spake to them in the Hebrew language, saying:
"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now make to you."
And, as they were crying out, and throwing off their garments, and casting dust into the air,
And Paul, perceiving that the one part was of the Sadducees, and the other of the Pharisees, was crying out in the Sanhedrin, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and resurrection from the dead, I am being judged."
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as Illyricum, I have fully dispensed the Gospel of Christ;
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.
and all the brethren with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:
neither went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and again returned to Damascus. Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and continued with him fifteen days.
but ye know that through weakness of the flesh I proclaimed the Gospel to you formerly; and my trial in my flesh ye despised not, nor spurned; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. read more. Where, then, is your benedictions for me? For I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your eyes, ye would have given them to me!
wherein I am suffering hardship, even to bonds, as a malefactor; but the Word of God has not become bound.
Watsons
PAUL was born at Tarsus, the principal city of Cilicia, and was by birth both a Jew and a citizen of Rome, Ac 21:39; 22:25. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, and of the sect of the Pharisees, Php 3:5. In his youth he appears to have been taught the art of tent making, Ac 18:3; but we must remember that among the Jews of those days a liberal education was often, accompanied by instruction in some mechanical trade. It is probable that St. Paul laid the foundation of those literary attainments, for which he was so eminent in the future part of his life, at his native city of Tarsus; and he afterward studied the law of Moses, and the traditions of the elders, at Jerusalem, under Gamaliel, a celebrated rabbi, Ac 22:4. St. Paul is not mentioned in the Gospels; nor is it known whether he ever heard our Saviour preach, or saw him perform any miracle. His name first occurs in the account given in the Acts of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, A.D. 34, to which he is said to have consented, Ac 8:1: he is upon that occasion called a young man; but we are no where informed what was then his precise age. The death of St. Stephen was followed by a severe persecution of the church at Jerusalem, and St. Paul became distinguished among its enemies by his activity and violence, Ac 8:3. Not contented with displaying his hatred to the Gospel in Judea, he obtained authority from the high priest to go to Damascus, and to bring back with him bound any Christians whom he might find in that city. As he was upon his journey thither, A.D. 35, his miraculous conversion took place, the circumstances of which are recorded in Acts ix, and are frequently alluded to in his epistles, 1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; 1Ti 1:12-13.
Soon after St. Paul was baptized at Damascus, he went into Arabia; but we are not informed how long he remained there. He returned to Damascus; and being supernaturally qualified to be a preacher of the Gospel, he immediately entered upon his ministry in that city. The boldness and success with which he enforced the truths of Christianity so irritated the unbelieving Jews, that they resolved to put him to death, Ac 9:23; but, this design being known, the disciples conveyed him privately out of Damascus, and he went to Jerusalem, A.D. 38. The Christians of Jerusalem, remembering St. Paul's former hostility to the Gospel, and having no authentic account of any change in his sentiments or conduct, at first refused to receive him; but being assured by Barnabas of St. Paul's real conversion, and of his exertions at Damascus, they acknowledged him as a disciple, Ac 9:27. He remained only fifteen days among them, Ga 1:18; and he saw none of the Apostles except St. Peter and St. James. It is probable that the other Apostles were at this time absent from Jerusalem, exercising their ministry at different places. The zeal with which St. Paul preached at Jerusalem had the same effect as at Damascus: he became so obnoxious to the Hellenistic Jews, that they began to consider how they might kill him, Ac 9:29; which when the brethren knew, they thought it right that he should leave the city. They accompanied him to Caesarea, and thence he went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, where he preached the faith which once he destroyed, Ga 1:21,23.
Hitherto the preaching of St. Paul, as well as of the other Apostles and teachers, had been confined to the Jews; but the conversion of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, A.D. 40, having convinced all the Apostles that "to the Gentiles, also, God had granted repentance unto life," St. Paul was soon after conducted by Barnabas from Tarsus, which had probably been the principal place of his residence since he left Jerusalem, and they both began to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles at Antioch, A.D. 42, Ac 11:25. Their preaching was attended with great success. The first Gentile church was now established at Antioch; and in that city, and at this time, the disciples were first called Christians, Ac 11:26. When these two Apostles had been thus employed about a year, a prophet called Agabus predicted an approaching famine, which would affect the whole land of Judea. Upon the prospect of this calamity, the Christians of Antioch made a contribution for their brethren in Judea, and sent the money to the elders at Jerusalem by St. Paul and Barnabas, A.D. 44, Ac 11:28, &c. This famine happened soon after in the fourth or fifth year of the Emperor Claudius. It is supposed that St. Paul had the vision, mentioned in Ac 22:17, while he was now at Jerusalem this second time after his conversion.
St. Paul and Barnabas, having executed their commission, returned to Antioch; and soon after their arrival in that city they were separated, by the express direction of the Holy Ghost, from the other Christian teachers and prophets, for the purpose of carrying the glad tidings of the Gospel to the Gentiles of various countries, Ac 13:1. Thus divinely appointed to this important office, they set out from Antioch, A.D. 45, and preached the Gospel successively at Salamis and Paphos, two cities of the isle of Cyprus, at Perga in Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia, and at Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, three cities of Lycaonia. They returned to Antioch in Syria, A.D. 47, nearly by the same route. This first apostolical journey of St. Paul, in which he was accompanied and assisted by Barnabas, is supposed to have occupied about two years; and in the course of it many, both Jews and Gentiles, were converted to the Gospel.
Paul and Barnabas continued at Antioch a considerable time; and while they were there, a dispute arose between them and some Jewish Christians of Judea. These men asserted, that the Gentile converts could not obtain salvation through the Gospel, unless they were circumcised; Paul and Barnabas maintained the contrary opinion, Ac 15:1-2. This dispute was carried on for some time with great earnestness; and it being a question in which not only the present but all future Gentile converts were concerned, it was thought right that St. Paul and Barnabas, with some others, should go up to Jerusalem to consult the Apostles and elders concerning it. They passed through Phenicia and Samaria, and upon their arrival at Jerusalem, A.D. 49, a council was assembled for the purpose of discussing this important point, Ga 2:1. St. Peter and St. James the less were present, and delivered their sentiments, which coincided with those of St. Paul and Barnabas; and after much deliberation it was agreed, that neither circumcision, nor conformity to any part of the ritual law of Moses, was necessary in Gentile converts; but that it should be recommended to them to abstain from certain specified things prohibited by that law, lest their indulgence in them should give offence to their brethren of the circumcision, who were still very zealous for the observance of the ceremonial part of their ancient religion. This decision, which was declared to have the sanction of the Holy Ghost, was communicated to the Gentile Christians of Syria and Cilicia, by a letter written in the name of the Apostles, elders, and whole church at Jerusalem, and conveyed by Judas and Silas, who accompanied St. Paul and Barnabas to Antioch for that purpose.
St. Paul, having preached a short time at Antioch, proposed to Barnabas that they should visit the churches which they had founded in different cities, Ac 15:36. Barnabas readily consented; but while they were preparing for the journey, there arose a disagreement between them, which ended in their separation. In consequence of this dispute with Barnabas, St. Paul chose Silas for his companion, and they set out together from Antioch, A.D. 50. They travelled through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, and then came to Derbe and Lystra, Acts 16. Thence they went through Phrygia and Galatia; and, being desirous of going into Asia Propria, or the Proconsular Asia, they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost. They therefore went into Mysia; and, not being permitted by the Holy Ghost to go into Bithynia as they had intended, they went to Troas. While St. Paul was there, a vision appeared to him in the night: "There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Ma
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And Saul was approving of his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the countries of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
But Saul was laying waste the assembly, entering house after house; and, dragging men and women, was committing them to prison.
And Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, going to the high priest,
And, when many days were completed, the Jews took counsel together to kill him;
But Barnabas, taking him, brought him to the apostles, and narrated to them how he saw the Lord in the way, and that He spake to him; and how, in Damascus, he spake boldly in the name of Jesus.
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord; and he was speaking and disputing with the Helenists; but they were attempting to kill him;
And he departed to Tarsus to seek for Saul; and, having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that, even for a whole year, they met together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude; and that the disciples got the name "Christian" first in Antioch.
and one of them??gabus by name??tanding up, signified through the Spirit that there was about to be a great famine over all the inhabited earth; which, indeed, happened under Claudius.
Now there were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas and Symeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenean, and Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
And some, coming down from Judaea, were teaching the brethren, "Unless ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved." And, when Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and discussion with them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders, concerning this question.
And, after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Turning about, let us visit the brethren in every city, in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."
and, because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they labored; for by occupation they were tent-makers.
But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people."
and I persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women;
And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance;
And, as they stretched him out for the thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and uncondemned?"
For this cause, God gave them up to vile passions; for both their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature; and, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their desires one for another; men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error, which was due. read more. And, as they did not approve the holding of God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not becoming; having become filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, back-biters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventers of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful; who, indeed, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with those who practice them.
you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that men should not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? read more. You who boast in law, do you dishonor God through your transgression of the law? For the name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles, because of you, as it has been written.
because whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren. And whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
If I speak with tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And, if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all the mysteries and all knowledge; and, if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing, read more. And, if I bestow in morsels all my goods; and, if I give my body to he burned, but have not love, I am profited nothing. Love suffers long, is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not herself, is not puffed up, behaves not unseemly, seeks not her own, is not provoked, takes no account of evil, rejoices not at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but whether there be prophecies, they will be done away; whether there be tongues, they will cease; whether there be knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but, when the complete comes, the partial will be done away.
For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.
Now, having come to Troas for the Gospel of Christ, and a door having been opened to me in the Lord, I have had no relief in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother; but, bidding them adieu, I went forth into Macedonia.
And we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God which has been bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia;
I entreated Titus, and sent with him the brother. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? did we not walk in the same steps?
For ye heard of my conduct formerly in Judaism; that, beyond measure, I was persecuting the assembly of God, and laying it waste;
Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and continued with him fifteen days.
but they were only hearing, "He who was once persecuting us now proclaims the faith which once he was destroying."
Then, fourteen years later, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking with me Titus also.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one immersion, read more. one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in all. But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becomes saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not becoming, but rather thanks-giving. read more. For this ye know, assuredly, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words; for, because of these things, comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.
circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
All the saints salute you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household.
whom I sent to you for this very purpose, that ye may know the things that concern us, and that he may comfort your hearts; together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is from among you; they will make known to you all things here. read more. Aristarchus, my fellow-captive, salutes you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom ye received commandments (if he come to you, receive him), and Jesus, who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers in the interests of the Kingdom of God, who, indeed, became a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is from among you, salutes you, a servant of Christ Jesus, always striving in your behalf in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always false, evil beasts, idle gluttons." This testimony is true. For which cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Remind them to submit to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work; to speak evil of no one, to be averse to strife, to be mild, showing all meekness to all men. read more. For we also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving manifold desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
For we also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving manifold desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But, when the kindness and the benevolence of God our Savior appeared,
But, when the kindness and the benevolence of God our Savior appeared, not by works of righteousness which we did, but according to His mercy, He saved us through a washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit;