Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible




and I remembered the saying of the Lord, 'John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.'

I am baptizing you in water to picture your repentance. But He that is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not fit to carry His shoes. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire; His winnowing-fork is in His hand, and He will clean out His threshing-floor and store His wheat in His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with fire that never can be put out." Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. read more.
But John tried to prevent Him, by saying, "I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me!"

He kept preaching the following message, "After me there is coming One who is stronger than I am, whose shoes I am not fit to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you in water, but He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit." Now in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Now while the people were on tiptoe in their expectations, and they were all arguing in their hearts about John whether he was himself the Christ, John expressly answered them all, "I am baptizing you in water only, but there is coming the One who is stronger than I am, whose shoestrings I am not fit to untie. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire; His winnowing-fork is in His hand, and He will clean out His threshing-floor, and store His wheat in His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with fire inextinguishable." read more.
So with many and varied exhortations John continued to proclaim the good news to the people. But Herod the governor, because he was repeatedly reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the wicked deeds that Herod had done, added this on top of it all, that he put John in prison. Now when all the people had been baptized, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, heaven opened

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, "Look! He is the Lamb of God who is to take away the world's sin. This is the One about whom I said, 'After me there is coming a man who has already been put before me, because He existed before me.' I did not know Him myself, but I came baptizing in water, that He might be made known to Israel." read more.
Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. I did not know Him myself, but the very One who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'The One on whom you see the Spirit coming down and remaining, is the One who is to baptize in the Holy Spirit.' I did see it; and my testimony is that He is the Son of God."

Then Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him; that is, in Jesus." On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.



and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "So far from that, we never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He then asked, "With what sort of baptism then were you baptized?" They answered, "With John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him; that is, in Jesus." read more.
On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.








After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on before Him, two by two, to every town or place which He was going to visit.

And the following signs will attend those who believe: By using my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign languages; they will take snakes in their hands; even if they drink anything poisonous, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."

While Peter was still speaking these truths, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. Then the Jewish believers who had gone along with Peter were astounded because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked,

and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.


Then Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him; that is, in Jesus." On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

For just as we have many parts united in our physical bodies, and the parts do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are united in one body through union with Christ, and we are individually parts of one another. As we have gifts that differ in accordance with the favor God has shown us, if it is that of preaching, let it be done in proportion to our faith; read more.
or of practical service, in the field of service; or of a teacher, in the field of teaching; or of one who encourages others, in the field of encouragement; or one who gives his money, with liberality; or one who leads others, with earnestness; or one who does deeds of charity, with cheerfulness.

About spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be without information. You know that when you were heathen you were in the habit of going off, wherever you might be led, after idols that could not speak. So I want to inform you that no one speaking under the power of the Spirit of God can say, "Jesus is accursed!" and no one except one under the power of the Holy Spirit can really say, "Jesus is Lord!" read more.
There are varieties of gifts, but the Spirit is the same in all; there are varieties of service, but the Lord to be served is the same; there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who does all things by putting energy in us all. To each of us is given a special spiritual illumination for the common good. To one, wise speech is given by the Spirit; to another, by the same Spirit, intelligent speech is given; to another, through union with the same Spirit, faith; to another, by one and the same Spirit, power to cure the sick; to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them. But the one and same Spirit accomplishes all these achievements, and apportions power to each of us as He chooses.


and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and almost dumb, and they begged Him to lay His hand upon him.

they will take snakes in their hands; even if they drink anything poisonous, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."

He could not do any mighty deeds there, except that He put His hands on a few ailing people and cured them.

As the sun was setting, all who had friends sick with various diseases brought them to Him. Then He continued to lay His hands upon them one by one and cured them.

God also continued to do such wonder-works through Paul


and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit.



and I remembered the saying of the Lord, 'John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.'

I am baptizing you in water to picture your repentance. But He that is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not fit to carry His shoes. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire; His winnowing-fork is in His hand, and He will clean out His threshing-floor and store His wheat in His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with fire that never can be put out." Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. read more.
But John tried to prevent Him, by saying, "I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me!"

He kept preaching the following message, "After me there is coming One who is stronger than I am, whose shoes I am not fit to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you in water, but He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit." Now in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Now while the people were on tiptoe in their expectations, and they were all arguing in their hearts about John whether he was himself the Christ, John expressly answered them all, "I am baptizing you in water only, but there is coming the One who is stronger than I am, whose shoestrings I am not fit to untie. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire; His winnowing-fork is in His hand, and He will clean out His threshing-floor, and store His wheat in His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with fire inextinguishable." read more.
So with many and varied exhortations John continued to proclaim the good news to the people. But Herod the governor, because he was repeatedly reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the wicked deeds that Herod had done, added this on top of it all, that he put John in prison. Now when all the people had been baptized, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, heaven opened

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, "Look! He is the Lamb of God who is to take away the world's sin. This is the One about whom I said, 'After me there is coming a man who has already been put before me, because He existed before me.' I did not know Him myself, but I came baptizing in water, that He might be made known to Israel." read more.
Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. I did not know Him myself, but the very One who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'The One on whom you see the Spirit coming down and remaining, is the One who is to baptize in the Holy Spirit.' I did see it; and my testimony is that He is the Son of God."

Then Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him; that is, in Jesus." On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.




and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy. In all there were about twelve men.




and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy. In all there were about twelve men.



and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them.

They were perfectly astounded, and in bewilderment they continued to say, "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? So how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native tongue?

for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked,


and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit.


and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit. So when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,


and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit.


After spending some time there, he started out again, and by a definite schedule traveled all over Galatia and Phrygia, imparting new strength to all the disciples. Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, a learned man, and skillful in the use of the Scriptures. He had been instructed about the way of the Lord, and with spiritual fervor he was speaking and was accurately teaching some details about Jesus, although he knew of no baptism but John's. read more.
He started speaking courageously in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home with them and more accurately explained the way of God to him. Because he wished to cross to Greece, the brothers wrote and urged the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival he rendered great service to those who through God's favor had believed, for he successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, by passing through the inland districts, came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "So far from that, we never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He then asked, "With what sort of baptism then were you baptized?" They answered, "With John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him; that is, in Jesus." On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy. In all there were about twelve men. He went to the synagogue there and for three months courageously spoke, keeping up his discussions and continuing to persuade them about the kingdom of God. But as some of them grew harder and harder and refused to believe, actually criticizing The Way before the people, he left them, withdrew his disciples, and continued his discussions in the lecture-hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that everybody living in the province of Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message. God also continued to do such wonder-works through Paul as an instrument that the people carried off to the sick, towels or aprons used by him, and at their touch they were cured of their diseases, and the evil spirits went out of them. But some wandering Jews who claimed to be driving out the evil spirits tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits in them, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!" Sceva, a Jewish high priest, had seven sons who were doing this. But on one occasion the evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know and Paul I know about, but who are you?" So the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped upon them and so violently overpowered two of them that they ran out of the house stripped of their clothes and wounded. This at once became known to everybody living in Ephesus, Greeks as well as Jews, and awe fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor. And many who became believers kept coming and confessing and uncovering their former practices. Many people who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them up before the public gaze. They estimated the price of them and found it to be ten thousand dollars. In a way of just such power as this the Lord's message kept on spreading and prevailing. After these events had been brought to a close, Paul under the guidance of the Spirit decided to pass through Macedonia and Greece on his way to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have gone there I must see Rome too." So he sent off to Macedonia two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, while he stayed on for a while in Asia. Now just about that time a great commotion arose about The Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, by manufacturing silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing in great profits to his workmen. He called together his workmen, and others engaged in similar trades, and said to them: "Men, you well know that our prosperity depends on this business of ours, and you see and hear that, not only in Ephesus but all over the province of Asia, this man Paul has led away a vast number of people by persuading them, telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all. Now the danger facing us is, not only that our business will lose its reputation but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be brought into contempt and that she whom all Asia and all the world now worship will soon be dethroned from her majestic glory!" When they heard this, they became furious and kept on shouting, "Great Artemis of Ephesus!" So the whole city was thrown into confusion and with one impulse the people rushed into the theatre and dragged with them two Macedonians, Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions. Paul wanted to go into the assembly and address the people, but the disciples would not let him. Some of the public officials in Asia, who were friendly to him, also sent word to him, begging him not to risk himself in the theatre. So they kept on shouting, some one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority of them did not know why they had met. Some of the crowd concluded that it was Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front, and since Alexander had made a gesture of the hand as though he would make a defense before the people. But as soon as they saw that he was a Jew, a shout went up from them all as the shout of one man, lasting for two hours: "Great Artemis of Ephesus!" At last the city recorder quieted the mob and said: "Men of Ephesus, who in the world does not know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image that fell down from heaven? So, as this cannot be denied, you must be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here, although they are not guilty of sacrilege or of abusive speech against our goddess. So then, if Demetrius and his fellow-workmen have a charge against anybody, there are the courts and the judges; let them go to law. But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting for today's assembly, as there is not a single reason we can give for it." With these words he dismissed the assembly. When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them. Then he bade them goodbye and started off for Macedonia. He passed through those districts and by continuing to talk to them encouraged the people. He then went on to Greece where he stayed three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, he changed his mind and returned by way of Macedonia, because a plot against him had been laid by the Jews. He had as companions Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. They went on to Troas and waited there for us, while we, after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, sailed from Philippi, and five days after joined them at Troas, where we spent a week. On the first day of the week when we had met to break bread, Paul addressed them, since he was leaving the next day, and prolonged his speech till midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we met, and a young man named Eutychus, who was sitting by the window, was gradually overcome by heavy drowsiness, as Paul kept speaking longer and longer, and at last he went fast asleep and fell from the third story to the ground and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell on him and embraced him, and said, "Stop being alarmed, his life is still in him." So he went back upstairs, and broke the bread and ate with them, and after talking with them extendedly, even till daylight, he left them. Then they took the boy home alive, and were greatly comforted. We had already gone on board the ship and set sail for Assos, where we were to take Paul on board; for it had been so arranged by him, as he intended to travel there on foot. So when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and sailed on to Mitylene. On the next day we sailed from there and arrived off Chios. On the next day we crossed to Samos, and the next we reached Miletus. For Paul's plan was to sail past Ephesus, so as not to lose any time in the province of Asia; for he was eager, if possible, to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived among you all the time from the day I first set foot in the province of Asia, and how I continued to serve the Lord with all humility and in tears, through the trials that befell me because of the plots of the Jews. I never shrank from telling you anything that was for your good, nor from teaching you in public and in private, but constantly and earnestly I urged Greeks as well as Jews to turn with repentance to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus. And I am here now on my way to Jerusalem, because I am impelled by the Spirit to do so, though I am not aware what will befall me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit emphatically assures me that imprisonment and sufferings are awaiting me. But now I count as nothing the sacrifice of my life, if only I can finish my race and render the service entrusted to me by the Lord Jesus, of faithfully telling the good news of God's favor. And now I know that none of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore protest to you today that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I never shrank from telling you God's whole plan. Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. Because I know that after I have gone violent wolves will break in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will appear who will try, by speaking perversions of truth, to draw away the disciples after them. So ever be on your guard and always remember that for three years, night and day, I never ceased warning you one by one, and that with tears. And now I commit you to the Lord, and to the message of His favor, which is able to build you up and to give you your proper possession among all God's consecrated people. I have never coveted any man's silver or gold or clothes. You know yourselves that these hands of mine provided for my own needs and for my companions. In everything I showed you that by working hard like this we must help those who are weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It makes one happier to give than to get.'" After he had finished this speech, he fell on his knees with them all and prayed. There was loud weeping by them all, as they threw their arms around Paul's neck and kept on kissing him with affection, (44:37) because they were especially pained at his saying that they would never see his face again. Then they went down to the ship with him. When we had torn ourselves away from them, we struck a bee line for Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. There we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, and so we went aboard and sailed away. After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on our left, we sailed on for Syria, and put in at Tyre, for the ship was to unload her cargo there. So we looked up the disciples there and stayed a week with them. Because of impressions made by the Spirit they kept on warning Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem. 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; there we bade one another goodbye, and we went aboard the ship, while they went back. On finishing the sail from Tyre we landed at Ptolemais. Here we greeted the brothers and spent a day with them. The next day we left there and went on to Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses. While we were spending some days here, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to see us and took Paul's belt and with it bound his own hands and feet, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'The Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt like this, and then will turn him over to the heathen.'" When we heard this, we and all the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? Why, I am ready not only to be bound at Jerusalem but to die there for the sake of the Lord Jesus." So, since he would not yield to our appeal, we stopped begging him, and said, "The Lord's will be done!" After this we got ready and started up to Jerusalem.


After spending some time there, he started out again, and by a definite schedule traveled all over Galatia and Phrygia, imparting new strength to all the disciples. Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, a learned man, and skillful in the use of the Scriptures. He had been instructed about the way of the Lord, and with spiritual fervor he was speaking and was accurately teaching some details about Jesus, although he knew of no baptism but John's. read more.
He started speaking courageously in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home with them and more accurately explained the way of God to him. Because he wished to cross to Greece, the brothers wrote and urged the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival he rendered great service to those who through God's favor had believed, for he successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, by passing through the inland districts, came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "So far from that, we never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He then asked, "With what sort of baptism then were you baptized?" They answered, "With John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him; that is, in Jesus." On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy. In all there were about twelve men. He went to the synagogue there and for three months courageously spoke, keeping up his discussions and continuing to persuade them about the kingdom of God. But as some of them grew harder and harder and refused to believe, actually criticizing The Way before the people, he left them, withdrew his disciples, and continued his discussions in the lecture-hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that everybody living in the province of Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message. God also continued to do such wonder-works through Paul as an instrument that the people carried off to the sick, towels or aprons used by him, and at their touch they were cured of their diseases, and the evil spirits went out of them. But some wandering Jews who claimed to be driving out the evil spirits tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits in them, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!" Sceva, a Jewish high priest, had seven sons who were doing this. But on one occasion the evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know and Paul I know about, but who are you?" So the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped upon them and so violently overpowered two of them that they ran out of the house stripped of their clothes and wounded. This at once became known to everybody living in Ephesus, Greeks as well as Jews, and awe fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor. And many who became believers kept coming and confessing and uncovering their former practices. Many people who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them up before the public gaze. They estimated the price of them and found it to be ten thousand dollars. In a way of just such power as this the Lord's message kept on spreading and prevailing. After these events had been brought to a close, Paul under the guidance of the Spirit decided to pass through Macedonia and Greece on his way to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have gone there I must see Rome too." So he sent off to Macedonia two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, while he stayed on for a while in Asia. Now just about that time a great commotion arose about The Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, by manufacturing silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing in great profits to his workmen. He called together his workmen, and others engaged in similar trades, and said to them: "Men, you well know that our prosperity depends on this business of ours, and you see and hear that, not only in Ephesus but all over the province of Asia, this man Paul has led away a vast number of people by persuading them, telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all. Now the danger facing us is, not only that our business will lose its reputation but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be brought into contempt and that she whom all Asia and all the world now worship will soon be dethroned from her majestic glory!" When they heard this, they became furious and kept on shouting, "Great Artemis of Ephesus!" So the whole city was thrown into confusion and with one impulse the people rushed into the theatre and dragged with them two Macedonians, Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions. Paul wanted to go into the assembly and address the people, but the disciples would not let him. Some of the public officials in Asia, who were friendly to him, also sent word to him, begging him not to risk himself in the theatre. So they kept on shouting, some one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority of them did not know why they had met. Some of the crowd concluded that it was Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front, and since Alexander had made a gesture of the hand as though he would make a defense before the people. But as soon as they saw that he was a Jew, a shout went up from them all as the shout of one man, lasting for two hours: "Great Artemis of Ephesus!" At last the city recorder quieted the mob and said: "Men of Ephesus, who in the world does not know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image that fell down from heaven? So, as this cannot be denied, you must be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here, although they are not guilty of sacrilege or of abusive speech against our goddess. So then, if Demetrius and his fellow-workmen have a charge against anybody, there are the courts and the judges; let them go to law. But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting for today's assembly, as there is not a single reason we can give for it." With these words he dismissed the assembly. When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them. Then he bade them goodbye and started off for Macedonia. He passed through those districts and by continuing to talk to them encouraged the people. He then went on to Greece where he stayed three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, he changed his mind and returned by way of Macedonia, because a plot against him had been laid by the Jews. He had as companions Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. They went on to Troas and waited there for us, while we, after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, sailed from Philippi, and five days after joined them at Troas, where we spent a week. On the first day of the week when we had met to break bread, Paul addressed them, since he was leaving the next day, and prolonged his speech till midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we met, and a young man named Eutychus, who was sitting by the window, was gradually overcome by heavy drowsiness, as Paul kept speaking longer and longer, and at last he went fast asleep and fell from the third story to the ground and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell on him and embraced him, and said, "Stop being alarmed, his life is still in him." So he went back upstairs, and broke the bread and ate with them, and after talking with them extendedly, even till daylight, he left them. Then they took the boy home alive, and were greatly comforted. We had already gone on board the ship and set sail for Assos, where we were to take Paul on board; for it had been so arranged by him, as he intended to travel there on foot. So when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and sailed on to Mitylene. On the next day we sailed from there and arrived off Chios. On the next day we crossed to Samos, and the next we reached Miletus. For Paul's plan was to sail past Ephesus, so as not to lose any time in the province of Asia; for he was eager, if possible, to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived among you all the time from the day I first set foot in the province of Asia, and how I continued to serve the Lord with all humility and in tears, through the trials that befell me because of the plots of the Jews. I never shrank from telling you anything that was for your good, nor from teaching you in public and in private, but constantly and earnestly I urged Greeks as well as Jews to turn with repentance to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus. And I am here now on my way to Jerusalem, because I am impelled by the Spirit to do so, though I am not aware what will befall me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit emphatically assures me that imprisonment and sufferings are awaiting me. But now I count as nothing the sacrifice of my life, if only I can finish my race and render the service entrusted to me by the Lord Jesus, of faithfully telling the good news of God's favor. And now I know that none of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore protest to you today that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I never shrank from telling you God's whole plan. Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. Because I know that after I have gone violent wolves will break in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will appear who will try, by speaking perversions of truth, to draw away the disciples after them. So ever be on your guard and always remember that for three years, night and day, I never ceased warning you one by one, and that with tears. And now I commit you to the Lord, and to the message of His favor, which is able to build you up and to give you your proper possession among all God's consecrated people. I have never coveted any man's silver or gold or clothes. You know yourselves that these hands of mine provided for my own needs and for my companions. In everything I showed you that by working hard like this we must help those who are weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It makes one happier to give than to get.'" After he had finished this speech, he fell on his knees with them all and prayed. There was loud weeping by them all, as they threw their arms around Paul's neck and kept on kissing him with affection, (44:37) because they were especially pained at his saying that they would never see his face again. Then they went down to the ship with him. When we had torn ourselves away from them, we struck a bee line for Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. There we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, and so we went aboard and sailed away. After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on our left, we sailed on for Syria, and put in at Tyre, for the ship was to unload her cargo there. So we looked up the disciples there and stayed a week with them. Because of impressions made by the Spirit they kept on warning Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem. 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; there we bade one another goodbye, and we went aboard the ship, while they went back. On finishing the sail from Tyre we landed at Ptolemais. Here we greeted the brothers and spent a day with them. The next day we left there and went on to Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses. While we were spending some days here, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to see us and took Paul's belt and with it bound his own hands and feet, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'The Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt like this, and then will turn him over to the heathen.'" When we heard this, we and all the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? Why, I am ready not only to be bound at Jerusalem but to die there for the sake of the Lord Jesus." So, since he would not yield to our appeal, we stopped begging him, and said, "The Lord's will be done!" After this we got ready and started up to Jerusalem.




and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy. In all there were about twelve men.




and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy. In all there were about twelve men.




and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them.

Not all are people with power to cure the sick, are they? Not all are ecstatic speakers, are they? Not all can explain ecstatic speaking, can they?

for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked,

When the day of Pentecost had now come, they were all meeting in one mind, when suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a terrific blast of wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting, And they saw tongues like flames of fire separating and resting on their heads, one to each of them, read more.
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit granted them to utter divine things. Now there were devout Jews from every part of the world living in Jerusalem. And when this sound was heard, the crowd rushed together in great excitement, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were perfectly astounded, and in bewilderment they continued to say, "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? So how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native tongue? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, of Judea and Cappadocia, of Pontus and Asia, of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, transient dwellers from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them all alike telling in our own tongues the great wonders of God." And thus they all continued to be astounded and bewildered, and continued to say to each other, "What can this mean?" But others in derision were saying, "They are running over with new wine." Then Peter stood with the Eleven around him, and raising his voice he addressed them, "Men of Judea and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you, and give close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'It will occur in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will have visions. Your old men will have dreams. Even on my slaves, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will become prophets.




and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them.

I would like for all of you to speak in ecstasy, but I would rather that you prophesy. The man who speaks with real prophetic insight renders greater service than the man who speaks in ecstasy, unless the latter explains it, so the congregation may receive an uplift.

for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked,