So Saul (who is also called Paul), filled with the holy Spirit, looked steadily at him

Setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions reached Perga in Pamphylia; John left them and went back to Jerusalem,

So Paul stood up and motioning with his hand said, "Listen, men of Israel and you who reverence God.

As Paul and Barnabas went out, the people begged to have all this repeated to them on the following sabbath.

After the synagogue broke up, a number of the Jews and the devout proselytes followed them; Paul and Barnabas talked to them and encouraged them to hold by the grace of God.

But when the Jews saw the crowds they were filled with jealousy; they began to contradict what Paul said and to abuse him.

So Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly. "The word of God," they said, "had to be spoken to you in the first instance; but as you push it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, well, here we turn to the Gentiles!

But the Jews incited the devout women of high rank and the leading men in the town, who stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their territory.

He heard Paul speaking, and Paul, gazing steadily at him and noticing that he had faith enough to make him better,

Now when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"

Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the chief spokesman.

But when the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, heard this they rent their clothes and sprang out among the crowd,

But Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived, who won over the crowds, and after pelting Paul with stones they dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead.

As a sharp dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas, along with some others of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question.

So the whole meeting was quieted and listened to Barnabas and Paul recounting the signs and wonders God had performed by them among the Gentiles.

Then the apostles and the presbyters, together with the whole church, decided to select some of their number and send them with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. The men selected were Judas (called Bar-Sabbas) and Silas, prominent members of the brotherhood.

we have decided unanimously to select some of our number and send them to you along with our beloved Paul and Barnabas

Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord along with a number of others.

Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas, "Come and let us go back to visit the brothers in every town where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they are doing."

Paul held they should not take a man with them who had deserted them in Pamphylia, instead of accompanying them on active service.

while Paul selected Silas and went off, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

so, as Paul wished him to go abroad with him, he took and circumcised him on account of the local Jews, all of whom knew his father had been a Greek.

A vision appeared to Paul by night, the vision of a Macedonian standing and appealing to him with the words, "Cross to Macedonia and help us."

Among the listeners there was a woman called Lydia, a dealer in purple who belonged to the town of Thyatira. She reverenced God, and the Lord opened her heart to attend to what Paul said.

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shrieking, "These men are servants of the Most High God, they proclaim to you the way of salvation!"

She did this for a number of days. Then Paul turned in annoyance and told the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I order you out of her!" And it left her that very moment.

But when her owners saw their chance of profit was gone, they caught hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them before the magistrates in the forum.

But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing to God, while the prisoners listened,

but Paul shouted aloud, "Do not harm yourself, we are all here!"

So calling for lights he rushed in, fell in terror before Paul and Silas,

The jailer repeated this to Paul. "The praetors," he said, "have sent to release you. So come out and go in peace?"

But Paul replied, "They flogged us in public and without a trial, flogged Roman citizens! They put us in prison, and now they are going to get rid of us secretly! No indeed! Let them come here themselves and take us out!"

and Paul as usual went in; for three sabbaths he argued with them on the scriptures,

Some were persuaded and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, including a host of devout Greeks and a large number of the leading women.

but as they failed to find Paul and Silas they haled Jason and some of the brothers before the politarchs, yelling, "These upsetters of the whole world have come here too!

Then the brothers at once sent off Paul and Silas by night to Beroea. When they arrived there, they betook themselves to the Jewish synagogue,

where the people were more amenable than at Thessalonica; they were perfectly ready to receive the Word and made a daily study of the scriptures to see if it was really as Paul said.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica heard that Paul was proclaiming the word of God at Beroea as well, they came to create a disturbance and a riot among the crowds at Beroea too.

The brothers then sent off Paul at once on his way to the sea, while Silas and Timotheus remained where they were.

Paul's escort brought him as far as Athens and left with instructions that Silas and Timotheus were to join him as soon as possible.

While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his soul was irritated at the sight of the idols that filled the city.

So Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe at every turn that you are a most religious people.

So Paul withdrew from them.

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

There he came across a Jew called Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, as Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul accosted them,

By the time Silas and Timotheus came south from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed in this preaching of the word, arguing to the Jews that the messiah was Jesus.

And the Lord said to Paul in a vision by night, "Have no fear, speak on and never stop,

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia the Jews without exception rose against Paul and brought him up before the tribunal,

Paul was just on the point of opening his lips to reply, when Gallio said to the Jews, "If it had been a misdemeanour or wicked crime, there would be some reason in me listening to you,O Jews.

After waiting on for a number of days Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. (As the latter was under a vow, he had his head shaved at Cenchreae.)

When they reached Ephesus, Paul left them there. He went to the synagogue and argued with the Jews,

It was when Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples,

"John," said Paul, "baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus."

and after Paul laid his hands on them the holy Spirit came upon them, they spoke with 'tongues' and prophesied.

Then Paul entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out fearlessly, arguing and persuading people about the Reign of God.

God also worked no ordinary miracles by means of Paul;

Some strolling Jewish exorcists also undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!"

But the evil spirit retorted, "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but you ??who are you?"

After these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. "After I get there," he said, "I must also visit Rome."

You also see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost all over Asia this fellow Paul has drawn off a considerable number of people by his persuasions. He declares that hand-made gods are not gods at all.

So the city was filled with confusion. They rushed like one man into the amphitheatre, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were travelling with Paul.

(Paul wanted to enter the popular assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.

When the tumult had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them; he then took leave of them and went his way to Macedonia.

On the first day of the week we met for the breaking of bread; Paul addressed them, as he was to leave next day, and he prolonged his address till midnight

In the window sat a young man called Eutychus, and as Paul's address went on and on, he got overcome with drowsiness, went fast asleep, and fell from the third storey. He was picked up a corpse,

but Paul went downstairs, threw himself upon him, and embraced him. "Do not lament," he said, "the life is still in him."

Now we had gone on beforehand to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. This was his own arrangement, for he intended to travel by land.

This was because Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, to avoid any loss of time in Asia; he wanted to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

They all broke into loud lamentation and falling upon the neck of Paul kissed him fondly,

We found out the local disciples and stayed there for seven days. These disciples told Paul by the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem;

He came to us, took Paul's girdle and bound his own feet and hands, saying, "Here is the word of the holy Spirit: 'So shall the Jews bind the owner of this girdle at Jerusalem and hand him over to the Gentiles'."

Now when we heard this, we and the local disciples besought Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

Then Paul replied, "What do you mean by weeping and disheartening me? I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord Jesus."

Next day we accompanied Paul to James; all the presbyters were present,

and after saluting them Paul described in detail what God had done by means of his ministry among the Gentiles.

Then Paul associated himself with the men next day; he had himself purified along with them and went into the temple to give notice of the time when the days of purification would be completed ??the time, that is to say, when the sacrifice could be offered for each one of them.

(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian along with him in the city, and they supposed Paul had taken him inside the temple.)

The whole city was thrown into turmoil. The people rushed together, seized Paul and dragged him outside the temple; whereupon the doors were immediately shut.

Taking some soldiers and officers, he at once rushed down to them, and when they saw the commander and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul.

Some of the crowd roared one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts owing to the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks.

Just as he was being taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "May I say a word to you?" "You know Greek!" said the commander.

Paul said, "I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, the citizen of a famous town. Pray let me speak to the people."

As he gave permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. A great hush came over them, and he addressed them as follows in Hebrew.

They had strapped him up, when Paul said to the officer who was standing by, "Are you allowed to scourge a Roman citizen ??and to scourge him without a trial?"

The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul.

Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

Next day, as he was anxious to find out the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to meet, and brought Paul down, placing him in front of them.

With a steady look at the Sanhedrin Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived with a perfectly good conscience before God down to the present day."

Then the high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next Paul to strike him on the mouth.

At this Paul said to him, "You whitewashed wall, God will strike you! You sit there to judge me by the Law, do you? And you break the Law by ordering me to be struck!"

"Brothers," said Paul, "I did not know he was high priest" (for it is written, You must not speak evil of any ruler of your people).

Then, finding half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisees, Paul shouted to them, "I am a Pharisee, brothers, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection from the dead that I am on trial!"

The quarrel then became so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul in pieces; he therefore ordered the troops to march down and take him from them by force, bringing him inside the barracks.

On the following night the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage! As you have testified to me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome."

When day broke, the Jews formed a conspiracy, taking a solemn oath neither to eat nor to drink till they had killed Paul.

They then went to the high priests and elders, saying, "We have taken a solemn oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul.

Now you and the Sanhedrin must inform the commander that you propose to investigate this case in detail, so that he may have Paul brought down to you. We will be all ready to kill him on the way down."

Now Paul's nephew heard about their treacherous ambush; so he got admission to the barracks and told Paul.

Paul summoned one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has some news to give him."

So the officer took him to the commander, saying, "The prisoner Paul has summoned me to ask if I would bring this young man to you, as he has something to tell you."