Book of Common Prayer

¹² When Gallio was the ruler of the province of Achaia, the Jews got together to stop Paul. They took him to court.

¹³ They said, `This man is talking to the people. He is trying to make them worship God in a way that is against our law.'

¹⁴ Paul wanted to speak. Then Gallio said to the Jews, `You Jews, if it were a matter of wrong or of doing something very bad, I would listen to you.

¹⁵ But this is a matter about words and names and about your own law. So you must go and take care of it yourselves! I will not judge such things.'

¹⁶ And he drove them out of the court.

¹⁷ They caught a man. His name was Sosthenes. He was the head ruler of the meeting house. They beat him in front of the judge, but Gallio did nothing about it.

¹⁸ Paul stayed there for many days. Then he said goodbye to the Christian brothers and went in a boat to the country of Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. In the town of Cenchrea he cut his hair off. This was because he had made a promise to God.

¹⁹ When they reached the city of Ephesus, Paul left the others there. He himself went to the meeting place and talked with the Jews.

²⁰ The Jews begged him to stay longer but he would not stay.

²¹ `Goodbye,' he said. `I will come back to you again if it is God's will.' Then he got in a boat and left Ephesus.

²² When he reached Caesarea, he went to greet the church people. Then he went on to Antioch.

²³ He stayed there for a while. Then he left and went through all the countries of Galatia and Phrygia. He helped the disciples to believe more strongly.

²⁴ A Jew came to Ephesus. His name was Apollos. He was born in Alexandria. He spoke with power and was able to explain the holy writings well.

²⁵ This man had been taught the way of the Lord. He was strong in spirit as he talked to people. What he taught them about the Lord was true. But he knew only about the baptism of John.

²⁶ He began to speak without fear in the meeting place. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him to their house. They explained the way of God so that he knew more about it.

²⁷ Apollos decided to go into Achaia. The Christian brothers wrote to the disciples there and asked them to receive him. When he reached Achaia, he helped very much those who believed. They believed because God was kind to them.

²⁸ He talked strongly with the Jews before the people. He proved to them from the holy writings that Jesus is the Christ.

²² Then they came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged him to touch the man.

²³ Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spat on his eyes and put his hands on him. Then he asked, `Do you see anything?'

²⁴ The man looked up and said, `I see men, but they look like trees that are walking.'

²⁵ Jesus put his hands on him again. He made him look up. Then he was healed and could see everybody clearly.

²⁶ Jesus sent the man away to his home. `Do not go into the village and do not tell it to anyone,' he said.

²⁷ Jesus went with his disciples to the villages in Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, `Who do people say that I am?'

²⁸ They answered, `People say that you are John the Baptizer. Others say that you are Elijah. And others say that you are one of the prophets from long ago.'

²⁹ Then he asked them, `But who do you say I am?' Peter answered, `You are the Christ.'

³⁰ Jesus said to them, `Do not tell anyone about me.'

³¹ Then he began to teach them. He said, `The Son of Man will have much trouble. The leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes will not believe him. He will be killed. After three days he will rise.'

³² Jesus said this very plainly. Peter took him to one side and began to tell him not to say such things.

³³ Jesus turned around and saw the disciples. Then he talked to Peter. He said, `Get away from me, Satan! You are not thinking the way God thinks, but the way people think.'