The Council in Jerusalem

15 ^(A)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching ^(B)the brothers, “Unless you are ^(C)circumcised according to ^(D)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had ^[a]a heated argument and ^(E)debate with them, ^(F)the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(G)apostles and elders concerning this issue. ³ Therefore, after being ^(H)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both ^(I)Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(J)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all ^(K)the brothers and sisters. ⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, ^(L)the apostles, and the elders, and they ^(M)reported all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some of ^(N)the sect of the ^(O)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to ^(P)circumcise ^[b]them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.”

^6 (Q)The apostles and the elders came together to ^[c]look into this ^[d]matter. ⁷ After there had been much ^(R)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “^[e]Brothers, you know that ^[f]in the early days ^(S)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(T)the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, ^(U)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(V)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; ⁹ and ^(W)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(X)cleansing their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Since this is the case, why are you ^(Y)putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(Z)neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we are saved through ^(AA)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

¹² All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(AB)relating all the ^(AC)signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James’ Judgment

¹³ After they stopped speaking, ^[g](AD)James responded, saying, “^[h]Brothers, listen to me. ^14 (AE)Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles. ¹⁵ The words of ^(AF)the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:

¹⁹ Therefore, it is ^(AM)my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God, ²⁰ but that we write to them that they abstain from ^[l](AN)things contaminated by idols, from ^(AO)acts of sexual immorality, from ^(AP)what has been ^[m]strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For ^(AQ)from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since ^[n]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

²² Then it seemed good to ^(AR)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(AS)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and ^(AT)Silas, leading men among ^(AU)the brothers, ²³ and they ^[o]sent this letter with them:

³⁰ So when they were sent away, ^(BO)they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the ^[u]congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^[v]encouragement. ^32 (BP)Judas and ^(BQ)Silas, also being ^(BR)prophets themselves, ^[w]encouraged and strengthened ^(BS)the brothers and sisters with a lengthy message. ³³ After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers and sisters ^(BT)in peace to those who had ^(BU)sent them out.^{[x] 35} But ^(BV)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and ^(BW)preaching ^(BX)the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Second Missionary Journey

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in ^(BY)every city in which we proclaimed ^(BZ)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take ^(CA)John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸ But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had ^(CB)deserted them ^[y]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(CC)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(CD)Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul chose ^(CE)Silas, and left after being ^(CF)entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he was traveling through ^(CG)Syria and ^(CH)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

The Macedonian Vision

16 Now Paul also came to ^(CI)Derbe and to ^(CJ)Lystra. And a disciple was there, named ^(CK)Timothy, the son of a ^(CL)Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, ² and he was well spoken of by ^(CM)the brothers and sisters who were in ^(CN)Lystra and ^(CO)Iconium. ³ Paul wanted this man to leave with him; and he ^(CP)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering ^(CQ)the ordinances for them to follow which had been determined by ^(CR)the apostles and ^(CS)elders in Jerusalem. ⁵ So ^(CT)the churches were being strengthened ^[z]in the faith, and were ^(CU)increasing in number daily.

⁶ They passed through the ^[aa](CV)Phrygian and ^(CW)Galatian region, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in ^[ab](CX)Asia; ⁷ and after they came to ^(CY)Mysia, they were trying to go into ^(CZ)Bithynia, and the ^(DA)Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; ⁸ and passing by ^(DB)Mysia, they went down to ^(DC)Troas. ^9 (DD)And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of ^(DE)Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ When he had seen ^(DF)the vision, ^(DG)we immediately sought to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to ^(DH)preach the gospel to them.

¹¹ So after setting sail from ^(DI)Troas, we ran ^(DJ)a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis; ¹² and from there to ^(DK)Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of ^(DL)Macedonia, ^(DM)a Roman colony; and we were spending some days in this city. ¹³ And on ^(DN)the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were thinking that there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

First Convert in Europe

¹⁴ A woman named Lydia was listening; she was a seller of purple fabrics from the city of ^(DO)Thyatira, and ^(DP)a worshiper of God. ^[ac]The Lord ^(DQ)opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ Now when she and ^(DR)her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

¹⁶ It happened that as we were going to ^(DS)the place of prayer, a slave woman who had ^(DT)a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing great profit to her masters by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, “These men are bond-servants of ^(DU)the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation.” ¹⁸ Now she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and he turned and said to the spirit, “I command you ^(DV)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very ^[ad]moment.

¹⁹ But when her masters saw that their hope of ^(DW)profit was suddenly gone, they seized ^(DX)Paul and Silas and ^(DY)dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, ²⁰ and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, Jews as they are, are causing our city trouble, ²¹ and they ^(DZ)are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us to accept or to practice, since we are ^(EA)Romans.”

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

²² The crowd joined in an attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their ^[ae]robes off them and proceeded to order ^[af]them to be ^(EB)beaten with rods. ²³ When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding ^(EC)the jailer to guard them securely; ^24 [ag]and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in ^(ED)the ^[ah]stocks.

²⁵ Now about midnight ^(EE)Paul and Silas were praying and ^(EF)singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; ²⁶ and suddenly ^(EG)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately ^(EH)all the doors were opened, and everyone’s ^(EI)chains were unfastened. ²⁷ When ^(EJ)the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about ^(EK)to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” ²⁹ And the jailer asked for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before ^(EL)Paul and Silas; ³⁰ and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, ^(EM)what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

³¹ They said, “^(EN)Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and ^(EO)your household.” ³² And they spoke the word of God to him together with all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them ^(EP)that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. ³⁴ And he brought them into his house and set ^[ai]food before them, and was ^[aj]overjoyed, since he had become a believer in God together with ^(EQ)his whole household.

³⁵ Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their officers, saying, “Release those men.” ³⁶ And ^(ER)the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent word that you be released. So come out now and go ^(ES)in peace.” ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “After beating us in public without due process—^(ET)men who are Romans—they threw us into prison; and now they are releasing us secretly? No indeed! On the contrary, let them come ^[ak]in person and lead us out.” ³⁸ The officers reported these words to the chief magistrates. ^(EU)And they became fearful when they heard that they were Romans, ³⁹ and they came and pleaded with them, and when they had led them out, they repeatedly asked them ^(EV)to leave the city. ⁴⁰ They left the prison and entered the house of ^(EW)Lydia, and when they saw ^(EX)the brothers and sisters, they ^[al]encouraged them and departed.

Paul in Thessalonica

17 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to ^(EY)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² And ^(EZ)according to Paul’s custom, he ^[am]visited them, and for three ^(FA)Sabbaths reasoned with them from ^(FB)the Scriptures, ^3 [an]explaining and ^[ao]giving evidence that the ^[ap]Christ ^(FC)had to suffer and ^(FD)rise from the dead, and saying, “^(FE)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the ^[aq]Christ.” ^4 (FF)And some of them were persuaded and joined ^(FG)Paul and Silas, ^[ar]along with a large number of the ^(FH)God-fearing ^(FI)Greeks and ^[as]a significant number of the ^(FJ)leading women. ⁵ But ^(FK)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and they attacked the house of ^(FL)Jason and were seeking to bring them out to the people. ⁶ When they did not find them, they began ^(FM)dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset ^[at](FN)the world have come here also; ^7 [au]and Jason ^(FO)has welcomed them, and they all act ^(FP)contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” ⁸ They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. ⁹ And when they had received a ^[av]pledge from ^(FQ)Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul in Berea

^10 (FR)The brothers immediately sent ^(FS)Paul and Silas away by night to ^(FT)Berea, ^[aw]and when they arrived, they went into ^(FU)the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these people were more noble-minded than those in ^(FV)Thessalonica, ^[ax]for they received the word with ^[ay]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore, ^(FW)many of them believed, ^[az]along with a significant number of ^(FX)prominent Greek ^(FY)women and men. ¹³ But when the Jews of ^(FZ)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in ^(GA)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. ¹⁴ Then immediately ^(GB)the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and ^(GC)Silas and ^(GD)Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Now ^(GE)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as ^(GF)Athens; and receiving a command for ^(GG)Silas and Timothy to ^(GH)come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them in ^(GI)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he was reasoning ^(GJ)in the synagogue with the Jews and ^(GK)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present. ¹⁸ And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were ^[ba]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What could ^(GL)this ^[bb]scavenger of tidbits want to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching ^(GM)Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they ^(GN)took him and brought him ^[bc]to the ^[bd](GO)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what ^(GP)this new teaching is ^[be]which you are proclaiming? ²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ (Now all the Athenians and the strangers ^(GQ)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

²² So Paul stood in the midst of the ^[bf]Areopagus and said, “Men of ^(GR)Athens, I see that you are very ^(GS)religious in all respects. ²³ For while I was passing through and examining the ^(GT)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what ^(GU)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ^24 (GV)The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is ^(GW)Lord of heaven and earth, does not ^(GX)dwell in temples made by hands; ²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, ^(GY)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; ²⁶ and ^(GZ)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having ^(HA)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, ^(HB)though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for ^(HC)in Him we live and move and ^[bg]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ ²⁹ Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ^(HD)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. ³⁰ So having ^(HE)overlooked ^(HF)the times of ignorance, God is ^(HG)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, ³¹ because He has set ^(HH)a day on which ^(HI)He will judge ^[bh](HJ)the world in righteousness ^[bi]through a Man whom He has ^(HK)appointed, having furnished proof to all people ^[bj]by ^(HL)raising Him from the dead.”

³² Now when they heard of ^(HM)the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you ^[bk]again concerning this.” ³³ So Paul went out from among them. ³⁴ But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the ^(HN)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul in Corinth

18 After these events Paul left ^(HO)Athens and went to ^(HP)Corinth. ² And he found a Jew named ^(HQ)Aquila, a native of ^(HR)Pontus having recently come from ^(HS)Italy with his wife ^(HT)Priscilla, because ^(HU)Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, ³ and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and ^(HV)they worked together, for they were tent-makers by trade. ⁴ And Paul was reasoning ^(HW)in the synagogue every ^(HX)Sabbath and trying to persuade ^(HY)Jews and Greeks.

⁵ But when ^(HZ)Silas and Timothy ^(IA)came down from ^(IB)Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, ^(IC)testifying to the Jews that ^(ID)Jesus was the ^[bl]Christ. ⁶ But when they resisted and blasphemed, he ^(IE)shook out his garments and said to them, “Your ^(IF)blood is ^[bm]on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go ^(IG)to the Gentiles.” ⁷ Then he left ^[bn]the synagogue and went to the house of a man named ^[bo]Titius Justus, ^(IH)a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. ^8 (II)Crispus, ^(IJ)the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord ^(IK)together with his entire household; and many of the ^(IL)Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, were believing and being baptized. ⁹ And the Lord said to Paul by ^(IM)a vision at night, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ And he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But while Gallio was ^(IN)proconsul of ^(IO)Achaia, ^(IP)the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before ^(IQ)the ^[bp]judgment seat, ¹³ saying, “This man is inciting the people to worship God contrary to ^(IR)the ^[bq]law.” ¹⁴ But when Paul was about to ^(IS)open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or vicious, unscrupulous act, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; ¹⁵ but if there are ^[br](IT)questions about ^[bs]teaching and ^[bt]persons and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶ And he drove them away from ^(IU)the ^[bu]judgment seat. ¹⁷ But they all took hold of ^(IV)Sosthenes, ^(IW)the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of ^(IX)the judgment seat. And yet Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

¹⁸ Now Paul, when he had remained many days longer, ^(IY)took leave of ^(IZ)the brothers and sisters and sailed away to ^(JA)Syria, and ^(JB)Priscilla and ^(JC)Aquila were with him. ^[bv]Paul first ^(JD)had his hair cut at ^(JE)Cenchrea, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹ They came to ^(JF)Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered ^(JG)the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹ but ^(JH)took leave of them and said, “I will return to you again ^(JI)if God wills,” and he set sail from ^(JJ)Ephesus.

²² When he had landed in ^(JK)Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and went down to ^(JL)Antioch.

Third Missionary Journey

²³ And after spending some time there, he left and passed successively through the ^(JM)Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ Now a Jew named ^(JN)Apollos, an ^(JO)Alexandrian by birth, ^[bw]an eloquent man, came to ^(JP)Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. ²⁵ This man had been instructed in ^(JQ)the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with ^(JR)the baptism of John; ²⁶ and ^[bx]he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when ^(JS)Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained ^(JT)the way of God more accurately to him. ²⁷ And when he wanted to go across to ^(JU)Achaia, ^(JV)the brothers encouraged him and wrote to ^(JW)the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly ^[by]helped those who had believed through grace, ²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating ^(JX)by the Scriptures that ^(JY)Jesus was the ^[bz]Christ.