83 Bible Verses about Gospel, Responses To

For Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the Law as follows: "The person who obeys these things will find life by them." But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will go up to heaven?' (that is, to bring the Messiah down), or "Who will go down into the depths?' (that is, to bring the Messiah back from the dead)."read more.
But what does it say? "The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart." This is the message about faith that we are proclaiming: If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with his heart and is justified, and declares with his mouth and is saved. The Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will never be ashamed." There is no difference between Jew and Greek, because they all have the same Lord, who gives richly to all who call on him. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

"Therefore, brothers, you must understand that through him the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and that everyone who believes in him is justified and freed from everything that kept you from being justified by the Law of Moses.

The jailer asked for torches and rushed inside. Trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas, he took them outside and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved." read more.
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and everyone in his home.

But now, apart from the Law, God's righteousness is revealed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets God's righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah for all who believe. For there is no distinction among people, since all have sinned and continue to fall short of God's glory. read more.
By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah Jesus, whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah's blood would occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. He wanted to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies anyone who has the faithfulness of Jesus.

Then the Jewish leaders began grumbling about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They kept saying, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph, isn't it, whose father and mother we know? So how can he say, "I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered them, "Stop grumbling among yourselves. read more.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him to life on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, "And all of them will be taught by God.' Everyone who has listened to the Father and has learned anything comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who comes from God. This one has seen the Father. Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, the one who believes in me has eternal life. I'm the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness and died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die. I'm the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he'll live forever. And the bread I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." Then the Jewish leaders debated angrily with each other, asking, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born from God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves the child.

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest.

Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent,

"Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."read more.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light within you has turned into darkness, how great is that darkness!" "No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!"

Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light. But when it's evil, your body is full of darkness. Therefore, be careful that the light in you isn't darkness. Now if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays."

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you. Because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened. "There isn't a person among you who would give his son a stone if he asked for bread, is there? read more.
Or if he asks for a fish, he wouldn't give him a snake, would he? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him! Therefore, whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them, because this summarizes the Law and the Prophets."

So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you, because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of the fish? read more.
Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!"

"Therefore, everyone who listens to these messages of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock. "Everyone who keeps on hearing these messages of mine and never puts them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. read more.
The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed and its collapse was total."

I will show you what everyone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. They are like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn't shake it, because it had been founded on the rock. But the person who hears what I say but doesn't act on it is like someone who built a house on the ground without any foundation. When the floodwaters pushed against it, that house quickly collapsed, and the resulting destruction of that house was extensive."

Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never become thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become a well of water for him, springing up to eternal life."

Jesus told them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty. I told you that you have seen me, yet you don't believe. Everything the Father gives me will come to me, and I'll never turn away the one who comes to me. read more.
I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything that he has given me, but should raise it to life on the last day. This is my Father's will: That everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day."

So Jesus told those Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

I'm the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He'll come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I've come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The person who believes in me, even though he dies, will live. Indeed, everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe that?"

Then Jesus said loudly, "The one who believes in me does not believe in me only, but also in the one who sent me. The one who sees me sees the one who sent me. I've come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me won't remain in the darkness.

While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. Jesus told them, "Follow me, and I'll make you fishers of people!" So immediately they left their nets and followed him.

While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers Simon (also called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, because they were fishermen. "Follow me," he told them, "and I will make you fishers of people!" So at once they left their nets and followed him. read more.
Going on from there he saw two other brothers James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee repairing their nets. When he called them, they immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.

Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat repairing their nets. He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's desk and told him, "Follow me." So he got up and followed him.

As he was walking along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector's desk. Jesus told him, "Follow me!" So Levi got up and followed him.

After that, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax collector's desk. He told him, "Follow me!" So Levi left everything behind, got up, and followed him.

So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.

Now the people who were scattered by the persecution that started because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But among them were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began proclaiming the Lord Jesus even to the Hellenistic Jews. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Then Paul and Barnabas boldly declared, "We had to speak God's word to you first, but since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are now going to turn to the gentiles. For that is what the Lord ordered us to do: "I have made you a light to the gentiles to be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.'" When the gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. Meanwhile, all who had been destined to eternal life believed,

On the Sabbath day, we went out the city gate and walked along the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and began talking to the women who had gathered there. A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple goods, was listening to us. She was a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to listen carefully to what was being said by Paul. When she and her family were baptized, she urged us, "If you are convinced that I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she continued to insist that we do so.

Although he had performed numerous signs in their presence, they did not believe in him, so that what the prophet Isaiah spoke might be fulfilled when he said: "Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the Lord's power been revealed?" This is why they could not believe: Isaiah also said,read more.
"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not perceive with their eyes, and understand with their mind and turn, and I would heal them." Isaiah said this when he saw his glory and spoke about him.

That's why I speak to them in parables, because "they look but don't see, and they listen but don't hear or understand.' "With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says: "You will listen and listen but never understand. You will look and look but never comprehend, for this people's heart has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'

When he was alone with the Twelve and those around him, they began to ask him about the parables. He told them, "The secret about the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside, everything comes in parables so that "they may see clearly but not perceive, and they may hear clearly but not understand, otherwise they might turn around and be forgiven.'"

Then his disciples began to ask him what this parable meant. So he said, "You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they are given in parables, so that "they might look but not see, and they might listen but not understand.'"

"Go!" he responded. "Tell this people: ""Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'

As it is written, "To this day God has put them into deep sleep. Their eyes do not see, and their ears do not hear."

Therefore, I tell you and insist on in the Lord not to live any longer like the gentiles live, thinking worthless thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. Since they have lost all sense of shame, they have abandoned themselves to sensuality and practice every kind of sexual perversion without restraint.

As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can't produce a crop.

Still others are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the people who hear the word, but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word so that it can't produce a crop.

The ones that fell among the thorn bushes are the people who listen, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn't mature.

"No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!"

"No servant can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth!"

because Demas, having fallen in love with this present world, has abandoned me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

You adulterers! Don't you know that friendship with the world means hostility with God? So whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father's love is not in him.

The person who isn't with me is against me, and the person who isn't gathering with me is scattering.

"The person who isn't with me is against me, and the person who doesn't gather with me scatters."

To focus our minds on the human nature leads to death, but to focus our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace. That is why the mind that focuses on human nature is hostile toward God. It refuses to submit to the authority of God's Law because it is powerless to do so. Indeed, those who are under the control of human nature cannot please God.

Nevertheless, no one would speak openly about him because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Halfway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began teaching. The Jewish leaders were astonished and remarked, "How can this man be so educated when he has never gone to school?"read more.
Jesus replied to them, "My teaching is not mine but comes from the one who sent me. If anyone wants to do his will, he'll know whether this teaching is from God or whether I'm speaking on my own. The one who speaks on his own seeks his own praise. But the one who seeks the praise of him who sent him is genuine, and there's nothing false in him. Moses gave you the Law, didn't he? Yet none of you is keeping the Law. Why are you trying to kill me?" The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?"

So the Jewish leaders surrounded him and quizzed him, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you're the Messiah, tell us so plainly." Jesus answered them, "I have told you, but you don't believe it. The actions that I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf, but you don't believe, because you don't belong to my sheep. read more.
My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, they'll never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is more important than anything, and no one can snatch it from the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to stone him to death. Jesus replied to them, "I've shown you many good actions from my Father. For which of them are you going to stone me?" The Jewish leaders answered him, "We are not going to stone you for a good action, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, are making yourself God!"

So they ordered them to leave the Council and began to discuss the matter among themselves. They said, "What should we do with these men? For it's obvious to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable sign has been done by them, and we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them never again to speak to anyone in this name."read more.
So they called Peter and John back in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Then the high priest and all those from the sect of the Sadducees who were with him were filled with jealousy. So they went out, arrested the apostles, and put them in the city jail. But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out. The angel told them, read more.
"Go, stand in the Temple, and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life they can have." After the apostles heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word to the prison to have the men brought in. When the Temple police got there, they did not find them in the prison. They came back and reported, "We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside." When the commander of the Temple guards and the high priests heard these words, they were utterly at a loss as to what could have happened to them. Then someone came and told them, "Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people!" So the commander of the Temple guards went with his men to bring them back without force, because they were afraid of being stoned to death by the people. When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Council, and the high priest began to question them. He said, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn't we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man's blood on us!"

"You stubborn people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you haven't obeyed it!"

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.

When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, seeing Paul in the Temple, stirred up a large crowd. They grabbed Paul, yelling, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere to turn against our people, the Law, and this place. More than that, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and desecrated this Holy Place." For they had earlier seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him and assumed that Paul had taken him into the Temple. read more.
The whole city was in chaos. The people rushed together, grabbed Paul, dragged him out of the Temple, and at once the doors were sealed shut. The crowd was trying to kill Paul when a report reached the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Immediately the tribune took some soldiers and officers and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in union with the Messiah Jesus. You suffered the same persecutions from the people of your own country as they did from those Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, who have persecuted us, and who please neither God nor any group of people, as they try to keep us from telling the gentiles how they can be saved. As a result, they are constantly adding to the number of sins they have committed. However, wrath has overtaken them at last!

For this reason we must pay closer attention to the things we have heard, or we may drift away, because if the message spoken by angels was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience received its just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect a salvation as great as this? It was first proclaimed by the Lord himself, and then it was confirmed to us by those who heard him, read more.
while God added his testimony through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

What profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Indeed, what can a person give in exchange for his life? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."

I'll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the authority to throw you into hell after killing you. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him!

Then Jesus taught in one town and village after another as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He told them, "Keep on struggling to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you that many people will try to enter, but won't be able to do so. read more.
After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, you can stand outside, knock on the door, and say again and again, "Lord, open the door for us!' But he will answer you, "I don't know where you come from.' Then you will say, "We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will tell you, "I don't know where you come from. Get away from me, all you who practice evil!' In that place there will be crying and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves being driven away on the outside. People will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. You see, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.

If anyone hears my words and doesn't keep them, I don't condemn him, because I didn't come to condemn the world, but to save it. The one who rejects me and doesn't receive my words has something to judge him: The word that I've spoken will judge him on the last day, because I haven't spoken on my own authority. Instead, the Father who sent me has himself commanded me what to say and how to speak. read more.
And I know that what he commands brings eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."

For it is impossible to keep on restoring to repentance time and again people who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have become partners with the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of God's word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, as long as they continue to crucify the Son of God to their own detriment by exposing him to public ridicule.

How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!

See to it that you do not ignore the one who is speaking. For if the hearers did not escape when they ignored the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who is from heaven!

These men are dried-up springs, mere clouds driven by a storm. Gloomy darkness is reserved for them. By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error. Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him.read more.
For if, after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah, they are again entangled and conquered by those corruptions, then their last condition is worse than their former one. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them. The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud."

Just then a man came up to Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what good deed should I do to have eternal life?" Jesus asked him, "Why ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want to get into that life, you must keep the commandments." The young man asked him, "Which ones?"read more.
Jesus said, ""You must not murder, you must not commit adultery, you must not steal, you must not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and, "you must love your neighbor as yourself.'" The young man told him, "I have kept all of these. What do I still lack?" Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me." But when the young man heard this statement he went away sad, because he had many possessions.

As Jesus was setting out again, a man ran up to him, knelt down in front of him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Nobody is good except for one God. You know the commandments: "Never murder.' "Never commit adultery.' "Never steal.' "Never give false testimony.' "Never cheat.' "Honor your father and mother.'"read more.
The man replied to him, "Teacher, I have obeyed all of these since I was a young man." Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then he told him, "You're missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own, give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me." Shocked at this statement, the man went away sad, because he had many possessions.

Then an official asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Nobody is good except for one God. You know the commandments: "Never commit adultery. Never murder. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.'"read more.
The official replied, "I have kept all of these since I was a young man." When Jesus heard this, he told him, "You still need to do one thing. Sell everything you have and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me." But when the official heard this he became sad, because he was very rich.

But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you killed him by hanging him on a tree. God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to extend repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. read more.
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him." When the Council heard this, they became furious and wanted to kill them.

"You stubborn people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you haven't obeyed it!"read more.
While they were listening to these things, they became more and more furious and began to grind their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they shouted out loud, stopped listening, and together they all rushed at him, ran him outside of the city, and began to stone him to death. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

When they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began joking about it, while others said, "We will hear you again about this."

The next Sabbath almost the whole town gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to object to the statements made by Paul and even to abuse him. Then Paul and Barnabas boldly declared, "We had to speak God's word to you first, but since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are now going to turn to the gentiles. read more.
For that is what the Lord ordered us to do: "I have made you a light to the gentiles to be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.'"

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. read more.
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!"

Some days later, Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about faith in Jesus the Messiah. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became afraid and said, "For the present you may go. When I get a chance, I will send for you again."

As he continued his defense, Festus shouted, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much education is driving you crazy!" But Paul said, "I'm not out of my mind, Your Excellency Festus. I'm reporting what is absolutely true. Indeed, the king knows about these things, and I can speak to him freely. For I'm certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this wasn't done in a corner. read more.
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!" Agrippa asked Paul, "Can you so quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I don't belong to the world.

But when the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they went there to upset and incite the crowds.

But Elymas the occult practitioner (that is the meaning of his name) continued to oppose them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

But the Jewish leaders became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people. When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials and shouted, "These fellows who have turned the world upside down have come here, too, and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor's decrees by saying that there is another king Jesus!"read more.
The crowd and the city officials were upset when they heard this, but after they had gotten a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go.

Now Saul heartily approved of putting Stephen to death. That day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles was scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him. But Saul kept trying to destroy the church. Going into one house after another, he began dragging off men and women and throwing them in prison.

That's why, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you by your faith.

and the word of the Lord began to spread throughout the whole region. But the Jewish leaders stirred up devout women of high social standing and the officials in the city, started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their territory.

As a result, we rejoice about you among God's churches about your endurance and faith through all the persecutions and afflictions you are experiencing.