And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

“Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it.

Signs of the Lord’s Power

But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”

“Perform this sign,” the Lord told him. “Then they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you.”

The Lord said to Moses, “If they do not believe you and are not convinced by the first miraculous sign, they will be convinced by the second sign.

And if they don’t believe you or listen to you even after these two signs, then take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry ground. When you do, the water from the Nile will turn to blood on the ground.”

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?

“Didn’t I send you an urgent invitation? Why didn’t you come right away?” Balak asked Balaam. “Didn’t you believe me when I said I would reward you richly?”

Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”

But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

And Joab replied, “Believe me, I don’t want to devour or destroy your town!

I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told.

But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God.

I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.

Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”

for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them.

Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.

The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them.

I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”

I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.

Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.

They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.

Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.

Are you amazed and incredulous? Don’t you believe it? Then go ahead and be blind. You are stupid, but not from wine! You stagger, but not from liquor!

“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God— there never has been, and there never will be.

Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?

Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, but the people believe your lies.

They said to him, “Did you know that Baalis, king of Ammon, has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah refused to believe them.

Not a king in all the earth— no one in all the world— would have believed that an enemy could march through the gates of Jerusalem.

The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

The Lord’s Reply

The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.

“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses with money gained dishonestly! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.

Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”

Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.

Correcting Another Believer

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John.

But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.”

For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it.

“So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it!

“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

“He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him!

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John.

But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet.

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it.

Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet.

But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.

They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.

Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.

These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.

But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.

So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John.

He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them.

and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?” But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.

But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it.

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.

to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”

This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony.

But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!

And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

Many Samaritans Believe

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!”

long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.

Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”

Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.

No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do?

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.

For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.

But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)

We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah?

Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

“Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him?

That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.

Jesus and Abraham

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.

So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!

Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?

The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents.

Spiritual Blindness

When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.

But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.

Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work.

But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

And many who were there believed in Jesus.

And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”

Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”

You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.

If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

The Unbelief of the People

But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.

This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “Lord, who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?”

But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,

Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah.

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.

Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.

for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.

Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”

Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?

for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

(This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.)

Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—

They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them.

The Holy Spirit Comes

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.

When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The Believers Form a Community

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.

But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

The Believers Pray for Courage

As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.

When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—

The Believers Share Their Possessions

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

The Apostles Heal Many

The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.

Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.

Seven Men Chosen to Serve

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.

So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

Persecution Scatters the Believers

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

Philip Preaches in Samaria

But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.

But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized.

Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.

“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!

Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.

So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Dorcas

Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda.

There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.

But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”

He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.

The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.

He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too.

Peter Explains His Actions

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.

But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him.

And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

The Church in Antioch of Syria

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.

However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.

The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.

When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)

So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.

James Is Killed and Peter Is Imprisoned

About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.

Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.

‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.

And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.

But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed.

And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.

The Council at Jerusalem

While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.

The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.

But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”

At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.

So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

The Letter for Gentile Believers

Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.

This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!

The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter.

Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith.

They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”

Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.

Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium,

Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus

We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis.

She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too.

So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.

Paul and Silas in Berea

That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.

but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.

Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

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

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.

Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him.

Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece

When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia.

While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece,

Paul’s Final Visit to Troas

On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight.

We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.

When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.