Then also, some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, “What is this pseudo-intellectual trying to say?”

Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities”—because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the Resurrection.

For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed:

TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

And finding there a certain Jew, named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who was lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, (because Claudius Cesar had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome,) he went to them;

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

and he was reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, persuading both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with preaching the message and solemnly testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.

So he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

And he was there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack against Paul and brought him to the judge’s bench.

As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of a crime or of moral evil, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.

If indeed this was now a matter of injustice, or wicked knavery, with reason I should hear you patiently; but if it be merely a controversy about the word, and names, and a law peculiar to yourselves, settle it yourselves: for I will be no judge of these matters.

and all the Greeks having taken Sosthenes, the chief man of the synagogue, were beating him before the tribunal, and not even for these things was Gallio caring.

And Paul having remained yet a good many days, having taken leave of the brethren, was sailing to Syria -- and with him are Priscilla and Aquilas -- having shorn his head in Cenchera, for he had a vow;

But he took leave of them, saying, I must at any rate do the coming festival in Jerusalem: and I will again return to you, God willing. And he was conveyed from Ephesus.

A Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was powerful in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus.

This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

And he was preaching in the Synagogue without fear. But Priscilla and Aquila, hearing his words, took him in, and gave him fuller teaching about the way of God.

And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples

and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they'said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given .

"What then was your baptism?" Paul asked.

upon which Paul said, John indeed administer'd the baptism of repentance, but with this admonition, that they should believe in him, who was to come after, that is, in Jesus the Messias.

(Now the total [number] [of] men was about twelve.)

And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign of God,

But some became stubborn and refused to obey [the message], saying false things about "the Way" [Note: This was a term used to designate the early church] in front of the large crowds. So, Paul left [the synagogue] and took the disciples and began holding discussions every day at Tyrannus' school [house].

And this was done for the space of two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands,

An attempt was made by some itinerant Jews, who were exorcists, to use the Name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits in them. "I adjure you," they would say, "by the Jesus, whom Paul preaches."

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. Then fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

and many of those who practiced magic brought together [their] books [and] burned [them] up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found [it was] {fifty thousand silver coins}.

so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.

And when these things were accomplished, Paul was disposed by the Spirit, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there I must see Rome.

During that time there was a major disturbance about the Way.

for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the artificers gain not a little,

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

upon this Paul was bent upon going. to the populace,

but was prevented by his disciples, and by the primates of Asia, who were his friends, and sent to desire he would not venture to the theatre:

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

at last Alexander was disengag'd from the croud, and accus'd by the Jews. then he waved his hand, desiring to make his defence before them all.

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And when the chief secretary had got the people quiet, he said, Men of Ephesus, is any man without knowledge that the town of Ephesus is the keeper of the holy place of the great Diana, who was sent down from Jupiter?

And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

and, spending three months, when a plot was laid against him by the Jews, as he was about to sail to Syria, he determined to turn back through Macedonia.

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

And we [ourselves] sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread [Note: This was the Jewish feast commemorating deliverance from Egyptian bondage], and five days later [we] joined them at Troas [i.e., the seven men mentioned in verses

And on the first of the week, the disciples having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was discoursing to them, about to depart on the morrow, he was also continuing the discourse till midnight,

And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead.

When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

but the young man was brought in alive and well, to the joy of the whole assembly. As for us, we embark'd, and sail'd to Assos,

Then we went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. For these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land.

When he was come to us unto Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so he would not have to spend time in Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.

and when they were come unto him, he said to them, 'Ye -- ye know from the first day in which I came to Asia, how, with you at all times I was;

in what manner I in nowise shrank from announcing unto you anything that was profitable and teaching you publicly and in your homes;

But I put no value on my life, if only at the end of it I may see the work complete which was given to me by the Lord Jesus, to be a witness of the good news of the grace of God.

So keep watch, having in mind that for three years without resting I was teaching every one of you, day and night, with weeping.

you yourselves can witness, that what was necessary for myself and those who were with me, these very hands have supply'd.

In all things I was an example to you of how, in your lives, you are to give help to the feeble, and keep in memory the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, There is a greater blessing in giving than in getting.

There was a great deal of weeping by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him,

What saddened them most of all was when Paul said that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to his ship.

And it happened when it was time to sail, we having been torn away from them, running direct we came to Cos; and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

And finding a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard [and] put out to sea.

And, sighting Cyprus, and leaving it behind to the left, we held on our voyage to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for, there, the ship was to discharge her cargo.

But when our time was up, we left there and went on, and all of them with their wives and children accompanied us out of town. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed;

As for us, our voyage was over when having sailed from Tyre we reached Ptolemais. here we inquired after the welfare of the brethren, and remained a day with them.

and, on the morrow departing, we came to Caesarea, and, entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was of the seven, we abode with him.

he was one of the seven deacons, and had four daughters all virgins, prophetesses.

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

It was then that Paul made the reply: "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart like this? For my part, I am ready not only to be bound, but even to suffer death at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus."

And, as he was not to be persuaded, we ceased, saying - 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.

and on the morrow Paul was going in with us unto James, all the elders also came,

and having saluted them, he was declaring, one by one, each of the things God did among the nations through his ministration,

Then Paul, having taken the men, on the following day, with them having purified himself, was entering into the temple, announcing the fulfilment of the days of the purification, till the offering was offered for each one of them.

And the whole city was set in motion, and there took place a running together of the people, and, laying hold of Paul, they proceeded to drag him outside the temple, and, straightway, the doors were made fast.

When, also, they were seeking to slay him, there was carried up information, unto the captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion: -

Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

Some in the mob were shouting one thing and some another. Since he was not able to get reliable information because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks.

And, when he came unto the stairs, so it was that he was borne along by the soldiers, because of the force of the multitude;

for the throng of the people was following, crying out - Away with him!

But, when he was on the point of being taken into the castle, Paul saith unto the captain - Is it allowed me, to say somewhat unto thee? And he said - With Greek, art thou acquainted?

And, when he had given leave, Paul, standing upon the stairs, waved with his hand unto the people; and, when great silence was secured, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying -

When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter.

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership, - from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-day - suddenly - out of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me;

Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with me

“Since I couldn’t see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

"[Then] Ananias, a man who was devoted to [observing] the law of Moses and who had a good reputation among all the Jews who lived there,

Came to my side and said, Brother Saul, let your eyes be open. And in that very hour I was able to see him.

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

And it came to pass, when had returned unto Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance,

I was in a trance, And saw him saying to me, Make haste and depart quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

And, I, said - Lord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.

And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.

And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live.

the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way.