We have therefore sent Judas and Silas to tell you the same things by word of mouth.

Timothy was highly regarded by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for them to obey.

So the churches continued to be strengthened in the faith and to increase in numbers every day.

Because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia, Paul and Timothy went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.

A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple goods, was listening to us. She was a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to listen carefully to what was being said by Paul.

Once, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of fortune-telling and who had brought her owners a great deal of money by predicting the future.

he took them outside and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved."

Some of them were persuaded and began to be associated with Paul and Silas, especially a large crowd of devout Greeks and the wives of many prominent men.

and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor's decrees by saying that there is another king Jesus!"

But when the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they went there to upset and incite the crowds.

So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and other worshipers, as well as every day in the public square with anyone who happened to be there.

Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some asked, "What is this blabbermouth trying to say?" while others said, "He seems to be preaching about foreign gods." This was because Paul was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in shrines made by human hands,

and he isn't served by people as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else.

So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill.

because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

and because they had the same trade he stayed with them. They worked together because they were tentmakers by trade.

But when they began to oppose him and insult him, he shook out his clothes in protest and told them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles."

Paul was about to speak when Gallio admonished the Jewish leaders, "If there were some misdemeanor or crime involved, it would be reasonable to put up with you Jews.

But since it is a question about words, names, and your own Law, you will have to take care of that yourselves. I refuse to be a judge in these matters."

After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, since he was under a vow.

He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!"

When this became known to everyone living in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike, they all became terrified, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor.

By making silver shrines of Artemis, a silversmith named Demetrius provided a large income for skilled workers.

You also see and hear that, not only in Ephesus, but almost all over Asia, this man Paul has won over and taken away a large crowd by telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all.

There is a danger not only that our business will lose its reputation but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be brought into disrepute and that she will be robbed of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her."

Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless.

But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly,

and stayed there for three months. When he was about to sail for Syria, a plot was initiated against him by the Jews, so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

He was accompanied by Sopater (the son of Pyrrhus) from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.

A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in a window, began to sink off into a deep sleep as Paul kept speaking longer and longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,

Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to be shepherds of God's church, which he acquired with his own blood.

So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you.

In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

At this Paul replied, "What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? I'm ready not only to be tied up in Jerusalem but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!"

When he could not be persuaded otherwise, we remained silent except to say, "May the Lord's will be done."

Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us. They took us to the home of Mnason to be his guests. He was from Cyprus and had been an early disciple.

After greeting them, Paul related one by one the things that God had done among the gentiles through his ministry.

What is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Take these men, go through the purification ceremony with them, and pay their expenses to shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you are carefully observing and keeping the Law.

Then Paul took those men and the next day purified himself with them. Then he went into the Temple to announce the time when their days of purification would end and when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

Then the tribune came up, grabbed Paul, and ordered him to be tied up with two chains. He then asked who Paul was and what he had done.

Some of the crowd shouted this and some that. Since the tribune couldn't learn the facts due to the confusion, he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.

When Paul got to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because the mob had become so violent.

Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the tribune, "May I say something to you?"

The tribune gave him permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, motioned for the people to be silent. When everyone had quieted down, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language:

as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. I also received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, and I was going there to tie up those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.

"The Lord told me, "Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are destined to do.' Since I could not see because of the brightness of the light, the men who were with me took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.

"A certain Ananias, who was a devout man with respect to the Law and who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,

because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.

So now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.'

the tribune ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and told the soldiers to beat and question him in order to find out why the people were yelling at him like this.

The next day, since the tribune wanted to find out exactly what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the high priests and the entire Council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.

At this Paul told him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"

When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the Council, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I'm on trial concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected."

The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

Now then, you and the Council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you on the pretext that you want to look into his case more carefully, but before he arrives we'll be ready to kill him."

The tribune took him by the hand, stepped aside to be alone with him, and asked, "What have you got to tell me?"

This man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I went with the guard and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

he said, "I will hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered Paul to be kept in custody in Herod's palace.

When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus opened the prosecution by saying:

By examining him for yourself, you will be able to find out from him everything of which we accuse him."

The Jewish leaders supported his accusations by asserting that these things were true.

I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish that there is to be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked.

But some Jews from Asia were there, and they should be here before you to accuse me if they have anything against me.

After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Since Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison.

Festus replied that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would be going there soon.

Then Festus, wanting to do the Jewish leaders a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried there before me on these charges?"

But Paul said, "I am standing before the emperor's judgment seat where I ought to be tried. I haven't done anything wrong to the Jewish leaders, as you know very well.

Since they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix.

I answered them that it was not the Roman custom to sentence a man to be punished until the accused met his accusers face to face and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charge.

So they came here with me, and the next day without any delay I sat down in the judge's seat and ordered the man to be brought in.

I was puzzled how I should investigate such matters, so I asked if he would like to go to Jerusalem and be tried there for these things.

But Paul appealed his case and asked to be held in prison until the decision of his Majesty. So I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to the emperor."

"And now I stand here on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors.

Our twelve tribes, worshiping day and night with intense devotion, hope to attain it. It is because of this hope, O King, that I am accused by the Jews.

Why is it thought incredible by all of you that God should raise the dead?

"That is how I happened to be traveling to Damascus with authority based on a commission from the high priests.

"The Lord answered, "I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet, because I've appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you to be my servant and witness of what you've seen and of what I'll show you.

You will help them understand and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God, so that their sins will be forgiven and they will receive a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead and would bring light both to our people and to the gentiles."

"Men, I see that during this voyage there will be hardship and a heavy loss not only of the cargo and ship, but also of our lives."

But the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship and not by what Paul said.

The next day, because we were being tossed so violently by the storm, they began to throw the cargo overboard.

For a number of days neither the sun nor the stars were to be seen, and the storm continued to rage until at last all hope of our being saved vanished.

But now I urge you to have courage, because there will be no loss of life among you, but only loss of the ship.

For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by me

After taking soundings, they found the depth to be twenty fathoms. A little later, they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms.

Meanwhile, the sailors had begun trying to escape from the ship. They lowered the lifeboat into the sea and pretended that they were going to lay out the anchors from the bow.

Paul told the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men remain onboard, you cannot be saved."

After they had eaten all they wanted, they began to lighten the ship by dumping its cargo of wheat into the sea.

When day came, they didn't recognize the land, but they could see a bay with a beach on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if possible.

But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow stuck and couldn't be moved, while the stern was broken to pieces by the force of the waves.

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. A poisonous snake was forced out by the heat and attached itself to Paul's hand.

When the people who lived there saw the snake hanging from his hand, they told one another, "This man must be a murderer! He may have escaped from the sea, but Justice won't let him live."