Thematic Bible: Paul's


Thematic Bible



For you know yourselves how you ought to follow us, for we walked not disorderly among you,





For I wish that all men were even as I am; but each one has his gift from God, and one is of one kind and another of another.





If therefore I wrote to you, it was not on account of him that did the wrong, nor on account of him that suffered wrong, but that our diligence in your behalf might be manifest before God.


For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found such as you wish not; lest there shall be strife, envy, anger, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, pride, dissensions;




and because he was of the same trade continued and labored with them; for they were tent makers.


you yourselves know that these hands have served my necessities and those with me.

neither did we eat bread of any one for nought, but worked with labor and fatigue, night and day, not to be burdensome to any of you;

But Paul continued two entire years in his hired house, and received all who came to him,

But I have used none of these things, and I have not written these things that it should be so done to me; for I prefer to die, rather than that any one should make my boasting vain.



but you knew I preached the gospel to you on my former [visit] in weakness of the flesh,


and having spent some time there he went away, passing in order through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, confirming all the disciples. AND a certain Jew by the name of Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, being powerful in the Scriptures. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit spoke and taught correctly the doctrines concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John; read more.
and this man began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Priscilla and Aquila hearing him took him and taught him more accurately the way. And he wishing to go into Achaia, the brothers sent him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. And when he came he helped those much who had believed through the grace; for he argued powerfully against the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. And when Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, passing through the higher portions of the country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples; and he said to them, Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? And they said to him, We have not heard that there is a Holy Spirit. And he said to them, With what then were you baptized? And they said, With John's baptism. Paul said, John indeed baptized [administered] the baptism of a change of mind, telling the people to believe on him that was to come after him, that is, on Jesus. And hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus: and Paul putting his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And going into the synagogue he spoke boldly, for three months, reasoning and persuading in favor of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and believed not, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples from them, and reasoned day by day in the school of one Tyrannus. And this was done for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. And God performed unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that napkins and aprons were brought from him to the sick, and their diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them. And some of the travelling Jewish exorcists undertook to call over those that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were some seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this. But the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped upon them, and overcome them, and prevailed against them, so that they escaped from his house, naked and wounded. And this was known both to all the Jews and Greeks who lived at Ephesus, and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified; and many of those who believed came and confessed, and showed their practices. And many of those who practised secret arts brought their books, and burnt them before all; and they computed the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand [didrachmas] of silver [$8,333]. So the word of the Lord increased powerfully and prevailed. And when these things were accomplished, Paul was disposed by the Spirit, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there I must see Rome. And sending two that served him into Macedonia, Timothy and Erastus, he continued a time in Asia. And there was at that time no small tumult about the way [of the Lord]. For a certain Demetrius by name, a silversmith, who made silver temples of Diana, and afforded his artisans no small gain, assembling them together and laborers of like employments, said, Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this employment, and you see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but in almost all Asia, this Paul has led away a great multitude by persuasion, saying that things which are made by hands are not gods. And not only this work of ours is in danger of coming into contempt, but even the temple of the great goddess Diana of being set at nought, and her majesty also which all Asia and the world worships, of being destroyed. And hearing this they were full of wrath, and cried, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians! And the whole city was full of confusion; and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, taking Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow travellers of Paul. And Paul wishing to go in to the people, the disciples did not permit him; and some of the rulers of Asia also, who were friendly to him, sending to him, besought him not to expose himself in the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part knew not for what reason they had come together. And they advanced Alexander from the multitude, the Jews putting him forward; and Alexander motioning with his hand, wished to defend himself before the people. But knowing that he was a Jew, there was one voice from all, for about two hours, crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the clerk having stilled the multitude, said, Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Diana, and of the Jove descended [image]? These things therefore being indisputable, it is best to be quiet, and do nothing rashly. For you have brought these men here, who are neither temple-robbers nor blasphemers of your goddess. If, therefore, Demetrius and the artisans with him have a charge against any, court days are held, and there are pro-consuls; let them accuse one another. And if you desire any thing of other matters, let it be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being called to account for the tumult of to-day, there being no cause by which we can excuse this concourse. And having said these words he dismissed the assembly. AFTER the tumult was allayed, Paul calling the disciples and embracing them departed to go into Macedonia. And going through those parts, and exhorting them with many words, he went into Greece; and when he had staid there three months, and a conspiracy was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to sail to Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. And there followed him to Asia, Sopater the son of Pyrrhus of Berea, and of those of Thessalonica, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and those of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus; these going before waited for us at Troas. And we sailed from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came to those at Troas in five days, where we staid seven days. And on the first day of the week, we being assembled to break bread, Paul preached to them, being about to depart on the next day, and continued his discourse till midnight; and there were many lamps in the upper room where we were assembled. And a young man by the name of Eutychus sitting in a window, falling into a deep sleep while Paul preached long, and being overcome by sleep, fell from the third story down, and was taken up dead. But Paul going down fell on him, and embracing him, said, Be not troubled, for his life is in him. And going up and breaking bread, and tasting it, and conversing a long time till the break of day, he departed. And they brought away the child alive, and were not a little comforted. And we going before by ship sailed to Assos, being about to take in Paul at that place; for so had he appointed, being about to go on foot himself. And when he met us at Assos, we took him in and came to Mitylene, and sailing thence, on the next day we came opposite to Chios, and in another day we touched at Samos, and stopping at Trogylium, on the day following we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, that it might not be necessary for him to spend a long time in Asia; for he hastened, if it was possible for him, to be at Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost. And from Miletus sending to Ephesus he called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, You know from the first day that I came into Asia, how I was with you at all times, serving the Lord with all humility, and tears and trials that befell me by the conspiracies of the Jews, how I kept not back from declaring to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house any thing that was profitable, testifying both to Jews and Greeks the change of mind to God, and the faith in our Lord Jesus. And behold now, I go constrained by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things which shall befall me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying, That bonds and afflictions await me. But life precious to myself, I make of no account that I may finish my course and the service which I received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that you all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom shall see my face no more. Wherefore I call you to witness this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men; for I have not kept back from declaring to you all the counsel of God. Take heed to yourselves, therefore, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he has purchased with his blood. For I know that after my departure grievous wolves will come among you, not sparing the flock, and of yourselves men will arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not to admonish every one of you with tears. And now I commend you to God, and the word of his grace, who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance with all the sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver or gold or clothing; you yourselves know that these hands have served my necessities and those with me. I have showed you all things, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And having said these words he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept much, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, grieving most of all for the word which he said, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. AND when we had torn ourselves from them we set sail, and going in a straight course came to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and thence to Patara. And finding a ship crossing to Phenicia, going on board we set sail. And observing Cyprus, and leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to discharge her cargo. And finding the disciples we continued there seven days; and they told Paul, by the Spirit, not to go on to Jerusalem. And when we had completed the days we went out and proceeded on our journey, they all attending us with their wives and children till without the city, and kneeling down on the shore we prayed, and having saluted each other we went to the ship, and they returned to their homes. Having completed our voyage from Tyre we went to Ptolemais, and having saluted the brothers continued with them one day. And departing on the next day we came to Caesarea, and going to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we staid with him. This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. And having continued there many days, there came down a certain prophet from Judea by the name of Agabus, and coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, and binding his hands and feet, he said, These things, says the Holy Spirit; Thus will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the gentiles. And when we heard these things, we and the people of the place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. But Paul answered, What do you do, to weep and break my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. And he not being persuaded, we were silent, saying, The will of the Lord be done. And after these days, having made preparation, we went up to Jerusalem;


AND after some days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we preached the word of the Lord, [and see] how they do. And Barnabas wished to take with them John called Mark; but Paul thought not best to take with them one who deserted them at Pamphylia and did not go with them to the work. read more.
And there was a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other; and Barnabas taking Mark sailed to Cyprus. But Paul choosing Silas went out, commended to the favor of the Lord by the brothers. And he passed through Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches. And he went to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there by the name of Timothy, a son of a Jewish woman, a believer, but of a Greek father, who was commended by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. Him Paul wished to have go with him; and he took and circumcised him on account of the Jews who were in those places; for all knew that his father was a Greek. And when he went through the cities he gave them the ordinances to observe which had been determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Then the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. And passing through Phrygia and the country of Galatia, being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, coming by Mysia they endeavored to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared by night to Paul; a certain man of Macedonia standing, asking him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And when he saw the vision we immediately sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the good news to them. AND sailing from Troas we came in a direct course to Samothracia, and on the next day to Neapolis, and thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, [and] a colony. And we spent some days in that city. And on the sabbath we went out of the gate, by the river, where the proseuche [place of prayer] usually was, and sitting down we spoke to the women who came together. And a certain woman by the name of Lydia, a dealer in purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard, whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the [words] spoken by Paul. And when she was baptized, and her house, she requested saying, If you have judged me faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay; and she constrained us. And when we went to the proseuche, a certain female servant having a spirit, a diviner, met us, who brought her masters much gain by divining. She following Paul and us, cried, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us the way of salvation; and this she did for many days. And Paul being grieved turned around and said to the spirit, I command you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out of her in that hour. And her masters seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, seizing Paul and Silas dragged them to the market, to the rulers, and bringing them before the prefects said, These men, being Jews, greatly trouble the city, and preach customs which it is not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe. And the multitude came together against them, and the prefects tearing off their clothes gave orders to beat them with rods, and having inflicted many blows on them cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely; who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sung praises to God, and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and all the doors were immediately opened, and the bands of all were removed. And the jailer awaking from sleep and seeing the doors of the prison opened, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. And asking for a light he sprang in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, and bringing them out said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, and your house. And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and all those in his house. And taking them that hour of the night, he washed them from their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, immediately, and conducting them up into his house he set a table, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God. And when it was day the prefects sent the lictors, saying, Let those men go. And the jailer told these words to Paul; The prefects have sent to let you go; now, therefore, go, and depart in peace. But Paul said to him, They have beaten us publicly uncondemned, being Romans, and cast us into prison; and now do they privately cast us out? No, indeed: but let them come themselves and conduct us out. And the lictors told these words to the prefects, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans; and they came and besought them, and conducting them out desired them to leave the city. And going out of the prison they entered into the house of Lydia, and having seen the brothers they exhorted them, and departed. AND travelling through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to his custom Paul went in to them, and reasoned with them three sabbaths from the Scriptures, explaining and asserting that the Christ ought to suffer and to rise from the dead; and that this Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. And some of them believed and adhered to Paul and Silas; of the pious Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the unbelieving Jews taking certain base men of those about the markets, and exciting a mob, disturbed the city; and coming to the house of Jason sought to bring them out to the people; but not finding them, they dragged Jason and some brothers to the rulers of the city, crying, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them; and they all do things contrary to the ordinances of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. And they excited the multitude and the rulers of the city hearing these things, and taking security of Jason and the rest they let them go. And the brothers immediately, by night, sent away Paul and Silas to Berea; and when they came they went into the synagogue of the Jews; but these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all readiness, examining the Scriptures daily [to see] if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, both of honorable Grecian women, and of men not a few. And when the Jews in Thessalonica knew that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there exciting the multitudes. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away, as if to go by sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there. And those conducting Paul brought him to Athens, and receiving a charge to Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. And while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was moved within him as he saw the city wholly devoted to idolatry. Then he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and those that were pious, and in the market every day with those he met. And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers disputed with him, and some said, What does this trifler mean to say? And others, He seems to be a preacher of strange demons; because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. And laying hold of him they brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is which is taught by you? for you bring certain strange things to our ears; we wish therefore to know what these things mean. And all the Athenians and the strangers living there spend their leisure in nothing else but telling or hearing something new. And Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are extremely devoted to the worship of demons. For as I passed through, and observed your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which was inscribed, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore you worship as unknown, this I declare to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, this [God] being Lord of heaven and earth dwells not in temples made with hands, neither is he served by the hands of men as needing any thing, since he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; and he made of one blood every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, determining their appointed times and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might feel after and find him, and indeed he is not far from every one of us. For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets have said, For we are his offspring. Being therefore an offspring of God, we ought not to think the Deity to be like gold or silver or stone, a work of art and human device. Overlooking therefore the times of ignorance, God now commands all men everywhere to change their minds, because he has appointed a day in which he is about to judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he has appointed, giving assurance to all by raising him from the dead. But when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear you again of this. So Paul went out from the midst of them; but certain men adhering to him believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. AND after this Paul left Athens and came to Corinth. And finding a certain Jew by the name of Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy, and his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome, he went to them, and because he was of the same trade continued and labored with them; for they were tent makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. And when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul gave himself wholly to preaching the word, testifying to the Jews Christ Jesus. But when they disputed and blasphemed, shaking his garments he said to them, Your blood be upon your heads; I, pure, from this time will go to the gentiles. And departing thence he came into the house of a man called Justus, who worshipped God, and whose house adjoined the synagogue. And Crispus the synagogue ruler believed in the Lord, with all his house; and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul, in a vision by night, Fear not, but speak and be not silent, for I am with you; and no one shall attack you to hurt you, for I have many people in this city. And he remained there a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God. And when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose with one consent against Paul and brought him to the tribunal, saying, This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was about to open his mouth Gallio said to the Jews, If there was any injustice or evil imposition, O Jews, I would bear with you in a reasonable manner; but if it is a question of doctrine, and of names, and of your law, look to it yourselves; for I will not be a judge of these things. And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all took Sosthenes the synagogue-ruler and beat him before the tribunal; and Gallio cared for none of these things. And Paul having remained yet many days took leave of the brothers, and sailed to Syria; and Priscilla was with him, and Aquila, having shaved his head at Cenchrea; for he had a vow. And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, and entering himself into the synagogue reasoned with the Jews. And they asking him to stay a longer time with them he did not consent, but taking leave of them and saying, I will return to you again, if God will, he sailed from, Ephesus, and coming down to Caesarea, and going up and saluting the church, he went down to Antioch;