Acts 17-20

New American Standard Bible 1995

Paul at Thessalonica

17 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to ^(A)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² And ^(B)according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three ^(C)Sabbaths reasoned with them from ^(D)the Scriptures, ^3 [a]explaining and ^[b]giving evidence that the ^[c]Christ ^(E)had to suffer and ^(F)rise again from the dead, and saying, “^(G)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the ^[d]Christ.” ^4 (H)And some of them were persuaded and joined ^(I)Paul and Silas, ^[e]along with a large number of the ^(J)God-fearing ^(K)Greeks and ^[f]a number of the ^(L)leading women. ⁵ But ^(M)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of ^(N)Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. ⁶ When they did not find them, they began ^(O)dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset ^[g](P)the world have come here also; ^7 [h]and Jason ^(Q)has welcomed them, and they all act ^(R)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 ^[i]pledge from ^(S)Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul at Berea

^10 (T)The brethren immediately sent ^(U)Paul and Silas away by night to ^(V)Berea, ^[j]and when they arrived, they went into ^(W)the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in ^(X)Thessalonica, ^[k]for they received the word with ^[l]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore ^(Y)many of them believed, ^[m]along with a number of ^(Z)prominent Greek ^(AA)women and men. ¹³ But when the Jews of ^(AB)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in ^(AC)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. ¹⁴ Then immediately ^(AD)the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and ^(AE)Silas and ^(AF)Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Now ^(AG)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as ^(AH)Athens; and receiving a command for ^(AI)Silas and Timothy to ^(AJ)come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul at Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them at ^(AK)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. ¹⁷ So he was reasoning ^(AL)in the synagogue with the Jews and ^(AM)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. ¹⁸ And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were ^[n]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would ^(AN)this ^[o]idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching ^(AO)Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they ^(AP)took him and brought him ^[p]to the ^[q](AQ)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what ^(AR)this new teaching is ^[r]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 ^(AS)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 ^[s]Areopagus and said, “Men of ^(AT)Athens, I observe that you are very ^(AU)religious in all respects. ²³ For while I was passing through and examining the ^(AV)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what ^(AW)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ^24 (AX)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is ^(AY)Lord of heaven and earth, does not ^(AZ)dwell in temples made with hands; ²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, ^(BA)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; ²⁶ and ^(BB)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having ^(BC)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, ^(BD)though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for ^(BE)in Him we live and move and ^[t]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ ²⁹ Being then the children of God, we ^(BF)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. ³⁰ Therefore having ^(BG)overlooked ^(BH)the times of ignorance, God is ^(BI)now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹ because He has fixed ^(BJ)a day in which ^(BK)He will judge ^[u](BL)the world in righteousness ^[v]through a Man whom He has ^(BM)appointed, having furnished proof to all men ^[w]by ^(BN)raising Him from the dead.”

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

Paul at Corinth

18 After these things he left ^(BQ)Athens and went to ^(BR)Corinth. ² And he found a Jew named ^(BS)Aquila, a native of ^(BT)Pontus, having recently come from ^(BU)Italy with his wife ^(BV)Priscilla, because ^(BW)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 ^(BX)they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. ⁴ And he was reasoning ^(BY)in the synagogue every ^(BZ)Sabbath and trying to persuade ^(CA)Jews and Greeks.

⁵ But when ^(CB)Silas and Timothy ^(CC)came down from ^(CD)Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly ^(CE)testifying to the Jews that ^(CF)Jesus was the ^[y]Christ. ⁶ But when they resisted and blasphemed, he ^(CG)shook out his garments and said to them, “Your ^(CH)blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go ^(CI)to the Gentiles.” ⁷ Then he left there and went to the house of a man named ^[z]Titius Justus, ^(CJ)a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. ^8 (CK)Crispus, ^(CL)the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord ^(CM)with all his household, and many of the ^(CN)Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. ⁹ And the Lord said to Paul in the night by ^(CO)a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But while Gallio was ^(CP)proconsul of ^(CQ)Achaia, ^(CR)the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before ^(CS)the judgment seat, ¹³ saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to ^(CT)the law.” ¹⁴ But when Paul was about to ^(CU)open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; ¹⁵ but if there are ^(CV)questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶ And he drove them away from ^(CW)the judgment seat. ¹⁷ And they all took hold of ^(CX)Sosthenes, ^(CY)the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of ^(CZ)the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

¹⁸ Paul, having remained many days longer, ^(DA)took leave of ^(DB)the brethren and put out to sea for ^(DC)Syria, and with him were ^(DD)Priscilla and ^(DE)Aquila. In ^(DF)Cenchrea ^[aa]he ^(DG)had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹ They came to ^(DH)Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered ^(DI)the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹ but ^(DJ)taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again ^(DK)if God wills,” he set sail from ^(DL)Ephesus.

²² When he had landed at ^(DM)Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to ^(DN)Antioch.

Third Missionary Journey

²³ And having spent some time there, he left and passed successively through the ^(DO)Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ Now a Jew named ^(DP)Apollos, an ^(DQ)Alexandrian by birth, ^[ab]an eloquent man, came to ^(DR)Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. ²⁵ This man had been instructed in ^(DS)the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with ^(DT)the baptism of John; ²⁶ and ^[ac]he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when ^(DU)Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him ^(DV)the way of God more accurately. ²⁷ And when he wanted to go across to ^(DW)Achaia, ^(DX)the brethren encouraged him and wrote to ^(DY)the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly ^[ad]helped those who had believed through grace, ²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating ^(DZ)by the Scriptures that ^(EA)Jesus was the ^[ae]Christ.

Paul at Ephesus

19 It happened that while ^(EB)Apollos was at ^(EC)Corinth, Paul passed through the ^(ED)upper country and came to ^(EE)Ephesus, and found some disciples. ² He said to them, “^(EF)Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, ^(EG)we have not even heard whether ^[af]there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “^(EH)Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Paul said, “^(EI)John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people ^(EJ)to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were ^(EK)baptized ^[ag]in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had ^(EL)laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began ^(EM)speaking with tongues and ^(EN)prophesying. ⁷ There were in all about twelve men.

⁸ And he entered ^(EO)the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them ^(EP)about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when ^(EQ)some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of ^(ER)the Way before the ^[ah]people, he withdrew from them and took away ^(ES)the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This took place for ^(ET)two years, so that all who lived in ^[ai](EU)Asia heard ^(EV)the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Miracles at Ephesus

¹¹ God was performing ^(EW)extraordinary ^[aj]miracles by the hands of Paul, ^12 (EX)so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and ^(EY)the evil spirits went out. ¹³ But also some of the Jewish ^(EZ)exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶ And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in ^(FA)Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. ¹⁸ Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. ¹⁹ And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it ^[ak]fifty thousand ^(FB)pieces of silver. ²⁰ So ^[al](FC)the word of the Lord ^(FD)was growing mightily and prevailing.

²¹ Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the ^[am]Spirit to ^(FE)go to Jerusalem ^(FF)after he had passed through ^(FG)Macedonia and ^(FH)Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, ^(FI)I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into ^(FJ)Macedonia two of ^(FK)those who ministered to him, ^(FL)Timothy and ^(FM)Erastus, he himself stayed in ^[an](FN)Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning ^(FO)the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of ^[ao]Artemis, ^(FP)was bringing no little ^[ap]business to the craftsmen; ²⁵ these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity ^[aq]depends upon this business. ²⁶ You see and hear that not only in ^(FQ)Ephesus, but in almost all of ^[ar](FR)Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that ^[as](FS)gods made with hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess ^[at]Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of ^[au](FT)Asia and ^(FU)the ^[av]world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

²⁸ When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is ^[aw]Artemis of the ^(FV)Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed ^[ax]with one accord into the theater, dragging along ^(FW)Gaius and ^(FX)Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling ^(FY)companions from ^(FZ)Macedonia. ³⁰ And when Paul wanted to go into the ^[ay]assembly, ^(GA)the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Also some of the ^[az]Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to ^[ba]venture into the theater. ^32 (GB)So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the ^[bb]assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know ^[bc]for what reason they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd ^[bd]concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having ^(GC)motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the ^[be]assembly. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is ^[bf]Artemis of the Ephesians!” ³⁵ After quieting the crowd, the town clerk *said, “Men of ^(GD)Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great ^[bg]Artemis and of the image which fell down from ^[bh]heaven? ³⁶ So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither ^(GE)robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and ^[bi](GF)proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the ^[bj]lawful ^[bk]assembly. ⁴⁰ For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” ⁴¹ After saying this he dismissed the ^[bl]assembly.

Paul in Macedonia and Greece

20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for ^(GG)the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left ^(GH)to go to ^(GI)Macedonia. ² When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. ³ And there he spent three months, and when ^(GJ)a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for ^(GK)Syria, he decided to return through ^(GL)Macedonia. ⁴ And ^[bm]he was accompanied by Sopater of ^(GM)Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by ^(GN)Aristarchus and Secundus of the ^(GO)Thessalonians, and ^(GP)Gaius of ^(GQ)Derbe, and ^(GR)Timothy, and ^(GS)Tychicus and ^(GT)Trophimus of ^[bn](GU)Asia. ⁵ But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for ^(GV)us at ^(GW)Troas. ^6 (GX)We sailed from ^(GY)Philippi after ^(GZ)the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at ^(HA)Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

⁷ On ^(HB)the first day of the week, when ^(HC)we were gathered together to ^(HD)break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his ^[bo]message until midnight. ⁸ There were many ^(HE)lamps in the ^(HF)upper room where we were gathered together. ⁹ And there was a young man named ^[bp]Eutychus sitting ^[bq]on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down and ^(HG)fell upon him, and after embracing him, he ^(HH)said, “^[br]Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” ¹¹ When he had gone back up and had ^(HI)broken the bread and ^[bs]eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. ¹² They took away the boy alive, and were ^[bt]greatly comforted.

Troas to Miletus

¹³ But ^(HJ)we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go ^[bu]by land. ¹⁴ And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. ¹⁵ Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to ^(HK)Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had decided to sail past ^(HL)Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in ^[bv](HM)Asia; for he was hurrying ^(HN)to be in Jerusalem, if possible, ^(HO)on the day of Pentecost.

Farewell to Ephesus

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to ^(HP)Ephesus and called to him ^(HQ)the elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they had come to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, ^(HR)from the first day that I set foot in ^[bw]Asia, how I was with you the whole time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me ^[bx]through ^(HS)the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I ^(HT)did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and ^[by]from house to house, ²¹ solemnly ^(HU)testifying to both Jews and Greeks of ^(HV)repentance toward God and ^(HW)faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, bound by the ^[bz]Spirit, ^(HX)I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that ^(HY)the Holy Spirit solemnly ^(HZ)testifies to me in every city, saying that ^(IA)bonds and afflictions await me. ²⁴ But ^(IB)I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may ^(IC)finish my course and ^(ID)the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to ^(IE)testify solemnly of the gospel of ^(IF)the grace of God.

²⁵ “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about ^(IG)preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. ²⁶ Therefore, I ^[ca]testify to you this day that ^(IH)I am ^[cb]innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I ^(II)did not shrink from declaring to you the whole ^(IJ)purpose of God. ²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all ^(IK)the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you ^[cc]overseers, to shepherd ^(IL)the church of God which ^(IM)He ^[cd]purchased ^[ce]with His own blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departure ^(IN)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing ^(IO)the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away ^(IP)the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of ^(IQ)three years I did not cease to admonish each one ^(IR)with tears. ³² And now I ^(IS)commend you to God and to ^(IT)the word of His grace, which is able to ^(IU)build you up and to give you ^(IV)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ^33 (IW)I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. ³⁴ You yourselves know that ^(IX)these hands ministered to my own needs and to the ^(IY)men who were with me. ³⁵ In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ When he had said these things, he ^(IZ)knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And ^[cf]they began to weep aloud and ^[cg](JA)embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, ^38 [ch]grieving especially over ^(JB)the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were ^(JC)accompanying him to the ship.