¹⁹ They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews.

¹⁸ May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ’s return. And you know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus.

Warnings against False Teachings

³ When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth.

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.

I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus,^[a] who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

⁸ In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost.

³² And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus^[a]—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”^[b]

¹⁶ Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.^[a]

Apollos Instructed at Ephesus

²⁴ Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt.

⁴ Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike.