⁴ As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe.^{(A) 5} So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(B)

A Short Ministry in Thessalonica

17 After they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As usual, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^{(B) 3} explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.”^(C)

The Bereans Search the Scriptures

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.^(A) Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined^[a] the Scriptures^(B) daily to see if these things were so.

⁹ The Lord said to Paul in a night vision, “Don’t be afraid, but keep on speaking and don’t be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”^{(A) 11} He stayed there a year and a half, teaching the word of God among them.

The Eloquent Apollos

²⁴ Now a Jew named Apollos,^(A) a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit,^[a] he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism.^{(B) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside^[b] and explained the way of God to him more accurately.^{(C) 27} When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.^{(D) 28} For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.^(E)

In the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.^{(A) 9} But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples, and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.^{(B) 10} This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks,^(C) heard the word of the Lord.^(D)

²⁶ Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent^[a] of the blood of all of you,^{(A) 27} because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God.^(B)

¹¹ The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”^(A)