Nov 20 - Acts 18-19
Acts
1After these things, having departed from Athens, he arrived at Corinth2And upon finding a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome,) he met with them3And because he was of the same trade, he lodged with them and was working. (Now they were tentmakers by trade.4And he was arguing in the synagogue on every Sabbath, introducing the name of the Lord Jesus. And he was persuading Jews and Greeks5And when Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul stood firm in the Word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ6But since they were contradicting him and blaspheming, he shook out his garments and said to them: "Your blood is on your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.7And moving from that place, he entered into the house of a certain man, named Titus the Just, a worshiper of God, whose house was adjoined to the synagogue8Now Crispus, a leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with his entire house. And many of the Corinthians, upon hearing, believed and were baptized9Then the Lord said to Paul, through a vision in the night: "Do not be afraid. Instead, speak out and do not be silent10For I am with you. And no one will take hold of you, so as to do you harm. For many of the people in this city are with me.11Then he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them12But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one accord against Paul. And they brought him to the tribunal13saying, "He persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.14Then, when Paul was beginning to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews: "If this were some matter of injustice, or a wicked deed, O noble Jews, I would support you, as is proper15Yet if truly these are questions about a word and names and your law, you should see to it yourselves. I will not be the judge of such things.16And he ordered them from the tribunal17But they, apprehending Sosthenes, a leader of the synagogue, beat him in front of the tribunal. And Gallio showed no concern for these things18Yet truly, Paul, after he had remained for many more days, having said goodbye to the brothers, sailed into Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. Now he had shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had made a vow19And he arrived at Ephesus, and he left them behind there. Yet truly, he himself, entering into the synagogue, was disputing with the Jews20Then, although they were asking him to remain for a longer time, he would not agree21Instead, saying goodbye and telling them, "I will return to you again, God willing," he set out from Ephesus22And after going down to Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem, and he greeted the Church there, and then he descended to Antioch23And having spent some length of time there, he set out, and he walked in order through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples24Now a certain Jew named Apollo, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man who was powerful with the Scriptures, arrived at Ephesus25He was learned in the Way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching the things that are of Jesus, but knowing only the baptism of John26And so, he began to act faithfully in the synagogue. And when Priscilla and Aquila had heard him, they took him aside and expounded the Way of the Lord to him more thoroughly27Then, since he wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers wrote an exhortation to the disciples, so that they might accept him. And when he had arrived, he held many discussions with those who had believed28For he was vehemently and publicly reproving the Jews, by revealing through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ
1Now it happened that, while Apollo was at Corinth, Paul, after he had journeyed through the upper regions, arrived at Ephesus. And he met with certain disciples2And he said to them, "After believing, have you received the Holy Spirit?" But they said to him, "We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.3Yet truly, he said, "Then with what have you been baptized?" And they said, "With the baptism of John.4Then Paul said: "John baptized the people with the baptism of repentance, saying that they should believe in the One who is to come after him, that is, in Jesus.5Upon hearing these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus6And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came over them. And they were speaking in tongues and prophesying7Now the men were about twelve in all8Then, upon entering the synagogue, he was speaking faithfully for three months, disputing and persuading them about the kingdom of God9But when certain ones became hardened and would not believe, cursing the Way of the Lord in the presence of the multitude, Paul, withdrawing from them, separated the disciples, disputing daily in a certain school of Tyrannus10Now this was done throughout two years, so that all who were living in Asia listened to the Word of the Lord, both Jews and Gentiles11And God was accomplishing powerful and uncommon miracles by the hand of Paul12so much so that even when small cloths and wrappings were brought from his body to the sick, the illnesses withdrew from them and the wicked spirits departed13Then, even some of the traveling Jewish exorcists had attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I bind you by oath through Jesus, whom Paul preaches.14And there were certain Jews, the seven sons of Sceva, leaders among the priests, who were acting in this way15But a wicked spirit responded by saying to them: "Jesus I know, and Paul I know. But who are you?16And the man, in whom there was a wicked spirit, leaping at them and getting the better of them both, prevailed against them, so that they fled from that house, naked and wounded17And so, this became known to all the Jews and Gentiles who were living at Ephesus. And a fear fell over them all. And the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified18And many believers were arriving, confessing, and announcing their deeds19Then many of those who had followed odd sects brought together their books, and they burned them in the sight of all. And after determining the value of these, they found the price to be fifty thousand denarii20In this way, the Word of God was increasing strongly and was being confirmed21Then, when these things were completed, Paul decided in the Spirit, after crossing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "Then, after I have been there, it is necessary for me to see Rome also.22But sending two of those who were ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself remained for a time in Asia23Now at that time, there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way of the Lord24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith making silver shrines for Diana, was providing no small profit to craftsmen25And calling them together, with those who were employed in the same way, he said: "Men, you know that our income is from this craft26And you are seeing and hearing that this man Paul, by persuasion, has turned away a great multitude, not only from Ephesus, but from nearly all of Asia, saying, ‘These things are not gods which have been made by hands.27Thus, not only is this, our occupation, in danger of being brought into repudiation, but also the temple of the great Diana will be reputed as nothing! Then even her majesty, whom all of Asia and the world worships, will begin to be destroyed.28Upon hearing this, they were filled with anger, and they cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!29And the city was filled with confusion. And having seized Gaius and Aristarchus of Macedonia, companions of Paul, they rushed violently, with one accord, into the amphitheatre30Then, when Paul wanted to enter to the people, the disciples would not permit him31And some of the leaders from Asia, who were his friends, also sent to him, requesting that he not present himself in the amphitheatre32But others were crying out various things. For the assembly was in confusion, and most did not know the reason they had been called together33So they dragged Alexander from the crowd, while the Jews were propelling him forward. And Alexander, gesturing with his hand for silence, wanted to give the people an explanation34But as soon as they realized him to be a Jew, all with one voice, for about two hours, were crying out, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!35And when the scribe had calmed the crowds, he said: "Men of Ephesus, now what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is in the service of the great Diana and of the offspring of Jupiter36Therefore, since these things are not able to be contradicted, it is necessary for you to be calm and to do nothing rash37For you have brought forward these men, who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers against your goddess38But if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, they can convene in the courts, and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another39But if you would inquire about other things, this can be decided in a lawful assembly40For now we are in peril of being convicted of sedition over today’s events, since there is no one guilty (against whom we are able to provide evidence) in this gathering."41And when he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.