Warnings Against Folly

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand^(A)(B)(C)

²⁹ Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. ³⁰ Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.^{(D) 31} The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.^(E)

³² Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people;^(F) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

³³ His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

³⁴ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

³⁵ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. ³⁶ Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them^(G) and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. ³⁷ They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.^{(H) 38} The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. ³⁹ After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

¹⁸ Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters^(A) and sailed for Syria,^(B) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.^(C) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae^(D) because of a vow he had taken.^{(E) 19} They arrived at Ephesus,^(F) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. ²¹ But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”^(G) Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²² When he landed at Caesarea,^(H) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.^(I)

²³ After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia^(J) and Phrygia,^(K) strengthening all the disciples.^(L)

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,^(M) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.^(N) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[a](O) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.^{(P) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila^(Q) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,^(R) the brothers and sisters^(S) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures^(T) that Jesus was the Messiah.^(U)