Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible


















Therefore, an elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, stable, sensible, respectable, hospitable to strangers, and teachable. He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but instead be gentle. He must not be argumentative or love money. He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way. read more.
For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church? He must not be a recent convert, so that he won't become arrogant and fall into the Devil's condemnation. He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn't fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by the Devil.

The reason I left you in Crete was to complete what still needed to be done and to appoint elders in every city, as I myself commanded you. An elder must be blameless. He must be the husband of one wife and have children who are believers and who are not accused of having wild lifestyles or of being rebellious. Because an overseer is God's servant manager, he must be blameless. He must not be arrogant or irritable. He must not drink too much, be a violent person, or make money in shameful ways. read more.
Instead, he must be hospitable to strangers, must appreciate what is good, and be sensible, honest, moral, and self-controlled. He must be devoted to the trustworthy message that agrees with what we teach, so that he may be able to encourage others with healthy doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many people who are rebellious, especially those who are converts from Judaism. They speak utter nonsense and deceive people. They must be silenced, because they are the kind of people who ruin whole families by teaching what they should not teach in order to make money in a shameful way.






From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him. When they came to him, he told them, "You know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day I set foot in Asia. I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. read more.
I never shrank from telling you anything that would help you nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. "Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching about the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore declare to you today that I'm not responsible for the blood of any of you, because I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God. 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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me. 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.'" When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately. They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship.







The LORD their God will save them at that time as his very own flock of people, because they are his crown jewels, exalted throughout his land.

The LORD found him in a desert land, in a barren, eerie wilderness. He surrounded, cared for, and guarded him as the pupil of his eye.


For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "In pursuit of glory I was sent to the nations who plundered you, because whoever injures you injures the pupil of my eye.

"They'll be mine," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "in the day when I prepare my treasured possession. I'll spare them, just as a man spares his own son who serves him.





The LORD their God will save them at that time as his very own flock of people, because they are his crown jewels, exalted throughout his land.

The LORD found him in a desert land, in a barren, eerie wilderness. He surrounded, cared for, and guarded him as the pupil of his eye.


For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "In pursuit of glory I was sent to the nations who plundered you, because whoever injures you injures the pupil of my eye.

"They'll be mine," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "in the day when I prepare my treasured possession. I'll spare them, just as a man spares his own son who serves him.












So all of the disciples decided they would send a contribution to the brothers living in Judea, as they were able, by sending it through Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

Then some men came down from Judea and started to teach the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the Law of Moses, you can't be saved." Paul and Barnabas had quite a dispute and argument with them. So Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about this question. They were sent on their way by the church, and as they were going through Phoenicia and Samaria they told of the conversion of the gentiles and brought great joy to all the brothers. read more.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done through them. But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The gentiles must be circumcised and ordered to keep the Law of Moses." So the apostles and the elders met to look into this claim. After a lengthy debate, Peter stood up and told them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days, God chose me to be the one among you through whom the gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows everyone's heart, showed them he approved by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between them and us, because of their faith-cleansed hearts. So why do you test God by putting on the disciples' neck a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we could carry? We certainly believe that it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, that we are saved, just as they are." The whole crowd was silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul tell about all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the gentiles. After Paul and Barnabas had finished speaking, James responded, "Brothers, listen to me: Simeon has explained how God first showed his concern for the gentiles by taking from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, ""After this, I will come back and set up David's fallen tent again. I will restore its ruined places and set it up again so that the rest of the people may search for the Lord, including all the gentiles who are called by my name,' declares the Lord. "He is the one who has been doing these things that have been known from long ago.' "Therefore, I have decided that we should not trouble these gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write to them to keep away from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from anything strangled, and from blood. After all, Moses has had people to proclaim him in every city for generations, and on every Sabbath his books are read aloud in the synagogues." Then the apostles, the elders, and the whole church decided to choose some of their men to send with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leaders among the brothers. They wrote this letter for them to deliver: "From: The apostles and the elders, your brothers To: Their gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings. We have heard that some men, coming from us without instructions from us, have said things to trouble you and have unsettled you. So we have unanimously decided to choose men and send them to you with our dear Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas to tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place on you any burden but these essential requirements: to keep away from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from anything strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you avoid these things, you will do well. Goodbye." So the men were sent on their way and arrived in Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. When the people read it, they were pleased with how the letter encouraged them. Then Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said a lot to encourage and strengthen the brothers. After staying there for some time, they were sent back with a greeting from the brothers to those who had sent them. Both Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch to teach and proclaim the word of the Lord, as did many others.



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.

From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him.

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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. read more.
So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

The next day, Paul went with us to visit James, and all the elders were present.

Elders who handle their duties well should be considered worthy of double compensation, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain," and, "A worker deserves his pay." Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported "by two or three witnesses."

The reason I left you in Crete was to complete what still needed to be done and to appoint elders in every city, as I myself commanded you. An elder must be blameless. He must be the husband of one wife and have children who are believers and who are not accused of having wild lifestyles or of being rebellious. Because an overseer is God's servant manager, he must be blameless. He must not be arrogant or irritable. He must not drink too much, be a violent person, or make money in shameful ways. read more.
Instead, he must be hospitable to strangers, must appreciate what is good, and be sensible, honest, moral, and self-controlled. He must be devoted to the trustworthy message that agrees with what we teach, so that he may be able to encourage others with healthy doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

By faith our ancestors won approval.

Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

Therefore, as a fellow elder, a witness of the Messiah's sufferings, and one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you: Be shepherds of God's flock that is among you, watching over it, not because you must but because you want to, and not greedily but eagerly, as God desires. Do not lord it over the people entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. read more.
Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the victor's crown of glory that will never fade away. In a similar way, you young people must submit to the elders. All of you must clothe yourselves with humility for the sake of each other, because: "God opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble."

From:aThe Elder To: The chosen lady and her children, whom I genuinely love, and not only I but also all who know the truth,

From: The Elder To: My dear friend Gaius, whom I genuinely love.


When they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila there. Then he went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. They asked him to stay longer, but he refused. As he told them goodbye, he said, "I will come back to you again if it is God's will." Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in Asia, as he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible. From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him. When they came to him, he told them, "You know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day I set foot in Asia. read more.
I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I never shrank from telling you anything that would help you nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. "Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching about the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore declare to you today that I'm not responsible for the blood of any of you, because I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God. 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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me. 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.'" When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately. They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship.




Draw near to me, and listen to this: "From the beginning I haven't spoken in secret; at the time it happened, I was there.' And now the LORD God, and his Spirit, has sent me.



"Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the mighty one who is related to me," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "Strike the shepherd, the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the insignificant ones.



Then Jesus told them, "All of you will turn against me this very night, because it is written, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'





Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." He asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he told him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!"


""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

I'll raise up shepherds over them, and they'll shepherd them. My flock will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing," declares the LORD.





From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him. When they came to him, he told them, "You know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day I set foot in Asia. I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. read more.
I never shrank from telling you anything that would help you nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. "Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching about the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore declare to you today that I'm not responsible for the blood of any of you, because I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God. 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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me. 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.'" When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately. They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship.



Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." He asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he told him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!"


""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

I'll raise up shepherds over them, and they'll shepherd them. My flock will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing," declares the LORD.




Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." He asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he told him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!"


""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

I'll raise up shepherds over them, and they'll shepherd them. My flock will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing," declares the LORD.






When they had finished breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Peter told him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "Feed my lambs." Then he asked him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter told him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." He asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he told him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!"


After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the Lord's way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John's baptism. read more.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God's way to him more accurately. When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, urging them to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through God's grace, had believed. He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah. It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He then asked, "Then into what were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John baptized when they repented, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages and to prophesy. There were about twelve men in all. He went into the synagogue and spoke there boldly for three months, holding discussions and persuading those who heard him about the kingdom of God. But when some people became stubborn, refused to believe, and slandered the Way in front of the people, Paul left them, taking his disciples away with him, and held daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul. When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them. 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!" Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit told them, "Jesus I know, and I am getting acquainted with Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised. 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. Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing. Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins. In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing. After these things had happened, Paul decided to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. "After I have gone there," he told them, "I must also see Rome." Then he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed in Asia a while longer. Now about that time a great commotion broke out concerning the Way. By making silver shrines of Artemis, a silversmith named Demetrius provided a large income for skilled workers. He called a meeting of these men and others who were engaged in similar trades and said, "Men, you well know that we get a good income from this business. 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." When they heard this, they became furious and began to shout, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" The city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed into the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's fellow travelers from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but the disciples wouldn't let him. Even some officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message urging him not to risk his life in the theater. Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, since the crowd was confused, and most of them didn't know why they were meeting. Some of the crowd concluded it was because of Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. But when they found out that he was a Jew, they all started to shout in unison for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven? Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless. For you have brought these men here, although they neither rob temples nor blaspheme our goddess. So if Demetrius and his workers have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They should accuse one another there. But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly, because we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, and there is no good reason we can give to justify this commotion." After saying this, he dismissed the assembly. When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye to them and left to go to Macedonia. He went through those regions and encouraged the people with everything he had to say. Then he went to Greece 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. These men went on ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days. On the first day of the week, when we had met to break bread, Paul began to address the people. Since he intended to leave the next day, he went on speaking until midnight. Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 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. But Paul went down, bent over him, took him into his arms, and said, "Stop being alarmed, because he's still alive." Then he went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. He talked with them for a long time, until dawn, and then left. They took the young man away alive and were greatly relieved. We proceeded to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we intended to pick up Paul. He had arranged it this way, since he had planned to travel there on foot. When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. We sailed from there and on the following day arrived off Chios. The next day, we crossed over to Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The day after that, we came to Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in Asia, as he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible. From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him. When they came to him, he told them, "You know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day I set foot in Asia. I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I never shrank from telling you anything that would help you nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. "Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching about the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore declare to you today that I'm not responsible for the blood of any of you, because I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God. 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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me. 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.'" When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately. They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship. When we had torn ourselves away from those brothers, we sailed straight to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. There we found a ship going across to Phoenicia, so we went aboard and sailed on. We came in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on our left, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre because the ship was to unload its cargo there. So we located some disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but when our time there came to an end, we left and proceeded on our journey. All of them accompanied us with their wives and children out of the city. We knelt on the beach, prayed, and said goodbye to each other. Then we reboarded the ship, and they went back home. When we completed our voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, greeted the brothers there, and stayed with them for one day. The next day, we left and came to Caesarea. We went to the home of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who could prophesy. After we had been there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea. He came to us, took Paul's belt, and tied his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit says, "This is how the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people who lived there begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 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." When our time there ended, we got ready to go up to Jerusalem.




And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. read more.
"Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching about the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore declare to you today that I'm not responsible for the blood of any of you, because I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God. 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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me. 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.'" When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately. They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship.


After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the Lord's way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John's baptism. read more.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God's way to him more accurately. When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, urging them to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through God's grace, had believed. He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah. It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He then asked, "Then into what were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John baptized when they repented, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages and to prophesy. There were about twelve men in all. He went into the synagogue and spoke there boldly for three months, holding discussions and persuading those who heard him about the kingdom of God. But when some people became stubborn, refused to believe, and slandered the Way in front of the people, Paul left them, taking his disciples away with him, and held daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul. When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them. 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!" Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit told them, "Jesus I know, and I am getting acquainted with Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised. 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. Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing. Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins. In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing. After these things had happened, Paul decided to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. "After I have gone there," he told them, "I must also see Rome." Then he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed in Asia a while longer. Now about that time a great commotion broke out concerning the Way. By making silver shrines of Artemis, a silversmith named Demetrius provided a large income for skilled workers. He called a meeting of these men and others who were engaged in similar trades and said, "Men, you well know that we get a good income from this business. 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." When they heard this, they became furious and began to shout, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" The city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed into the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's fellow travelers from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but the disciples wouldn't let him. Even some officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message urging him not to risk his life in the theater. Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, since the crowd was confused, and most of them didn't know why they were meeting. Some of the crowd concluded it was because of Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. But when they found out that he was a Jew, they all started to shout in unison for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven? Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless. For you have brought these men here, although they neither rob temples nor blaspheme our goddess. So if Demetrius and his workers have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They should accuse one another there. But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly, because we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, and there is no good reason we can give to justify this commotion." After saying this, he dismissed the assembly. When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye to them and left to go to Macedonia. He went through those regions and encouraged the people with everything he had to say. Then he went to Greece 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. These men went on ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days. On the first day of the week, when we had met to break bread, Paul began to address the people. Since he intended to leave the next day, he went on speaking until midnight. Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 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. But Paul went down, bent over him, took him into his arms, and said, "Stop being alarmed, because he's still alive." Then he went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. He talked with them for a long time, until dawn, and then left. They took the young man away alive and were greatly relieved. We proceeded to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we intended to pick up Paul. He had arranged it this way, since he had planned to travel there on foot. When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. We sailed from there and on the following day arrived off Chios. The next day, we crossed over to Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The day after that, we came to Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in Asia, as he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible. From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him. When they came to him, he told them, "You know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day I set foot in Asia. I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I never shrank from telling you anything that would help you nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit assures me that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my life, if only I can finish my race and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. "Now I know that none of you among whom I traveled preaching about the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore declare to you today that I'm not responsible for the blood of any of you, because I never shrank from telling you the whole plan of God. 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. I know that when I'm gone, savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. Indeed, some of your own men will arise and distort the truth in order to lure the disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you. "I'm now entrusting you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and secure for you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I never desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who were with me. 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.'" When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. All of them cried and cried as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him affectionately. They were especially sorrowful because of what he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they took him to the ship. When we had torn ourselves away from those brothers, we sailed straight to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. There we found a ship going across to Phoenicia, so we went aboard and sailed on. We came in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on our left, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre because the ship was to unload its cargo there. So we located some disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but when our time there came to an end, we left and proceeded on our journey. All of them accompanied us with their wives and children out of the city. We knelt on the beach, prayed, and said goodbye to each other. Then we reboarded the ship, and they went back home. When we completed our voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, greeted the brothers there, and stayed with them for one day. The next day, we left and came to Caesarea. We went to the home of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who could prophesy. After we had been there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea. He came to us, took Paul's belt, and tied his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit says, "This is how the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people who lived there begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 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." When our time there ended, we got ready to go up to Jerusalem.








Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." He asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he told him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!"


""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

I'll raise up shepherds over them, and they'll shepherd them. My flock will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing," declares the LORD.












These were the Twelve whom Jesus sent out after he had given them these instructions: "Don't turn on to the road that leads to the unbelievers, and don't enter Samaritan towns.


and listen to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I've sent to you over and over but you wouldn't listen