Beginning
18 After these things, Paul left Athens and came to Corinth,
2 and found a certain Jew named Aquila (born in Pontus and of late from Italy), and his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all Jews to leave Rome). And he came to them.
3 And because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked (for their trade was to make tents).
4 And he disputed in the synagogue every Sabbath and exhorted the Jews and the Greeks.
5 Now when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul, being pressed by the Spirit, testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6 And when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook his clothes, and said to them, “Your blood is upon your own head! I am clean. From now on will I go to the Gentiles.”
7 So he left there and entered into the house of a man named Justus (a worshipper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue).
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing it, believed and were baptized.
9 Then the Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not fear, but speak. And do not be silent.
10 “For I am with you, and no one shall attack you, to hurt you. For I have many people in this city.”
11 So he continued there a year and six months and taught the Word of God among them.
12 Now when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one mind against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 saying, “This fellow persuades man to worship God differently than the Law appoints.”
14 And as Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong, or an evil deed, O Jews, I would, according to reason, tolerate you.
15 “But if it is a question of words and names, and of your Law, resolve it yourselves. For I will be no judge of those things.”
16 And he drove them from the judgment seat.
17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio cared nothing about those things.
18 And after Paul had remained there a good while longer (and shaved his head in Cenchrea - for he had made a vow) he left the brothers and sailed into Syria with Priscilla and Aquila.
19 Then he came to Ephesus and left them there. And he entered into the synagogue and disputed with the Jews,
20 who asked him to stay a longer time with them. But he would not consent,
21 and bid them farewell, saying, “I must keep this feast that comes, in Jerusalem. But I will return to you again, God willing.” So, he sailed from Ephesus.
22 And when he came down to Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem. And after he had greeted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 And after he had remained there a while, he left, and went through the countries of Galatia and Phrygia successively, strengthening all the disciples.
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, came to Ephesus (an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures).
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord. And, being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord but knew only of the baptism of John.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him aside, and explained the way of God more perfectly to him.
27 And when he intended to go into Achaia, the brothers (exhorting him) wrote to the disciples to receive him. And after he had come there, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace.
28 For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, with great vehemence, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
19 And it so happened (while Apollos was at Corinth) that Paul, when he passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found some disciples,
2 and said to them, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?” And they said to him, “We have not even heard whether there is a Holy Ghost.”
3 And he said to them, “Into what were you baptized then?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, “Truly, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in Him Who should come after him; that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5 And when they heard it, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
6 So Paul laid his hands upon them, and the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spoke the tongues, and prophesied.
7 And there were, in all, about twelve men.
8 Moreover, he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, disputing and persuading in things concerning the Kingdom of God.
9 But when some were hardened and disobeyed, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he left them; and separated the disciples, and disputed daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this was done for two years. So that all those who dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God wrought no small miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 So that kerchiefs (or handkerchiefs) were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them. And the evil spirits went out of them.
13 Then exorcists took in hand some of the vagabond Jews to name the Name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We command you by Jesus, Whom Paul preaches!”
14 And there were about seven sons of Sceva (a Jewish chief priest) who did this.
15 And the evil spirit answered, and said, “Jesus I acknowledge! And Paul I know! But who are you?”
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was, ran at them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house, naked and wounded.
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks who dwelt at Ephesus. And fear came upon them all. And the Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18 And many who believed came and confessed and declared their works.
19 Also, many of those who used curious arts brought their books and burned them before all. And they priced them at fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the Word of God grew mightily, and prevailed.
21 Now when these things were completed, Paul purposed by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, and to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22 So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia. But he remained in Asia for a while.
23 And about that time there arose no small trouble about the Way.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius (a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana) brought great gains to the craftsmen.
25 He called them together, along with workmen of similar things, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this trade we have wealth.
26 “Moreover, you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that things which are made with hands are not Gods.
27 “So that not only is our trade in danger of disrepute, but also the shrine of the great goddess Diana may be despised, causing her magnificence (which all Asia and the world worships) to be destroyed!”
28 Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
29 And the whole city was full of confusion. And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus (men of Macedonia, and Paul’s companions on his journey), they rushed into the theatre with one mind.
30 And when Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples did not allow him.
31 Then, some of the rulers of Asia who were his friends sent word to him, begging him not to show himself in the theatre.
32 Therefore some cried one thing, and some another. For the assembly was out of order, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 And they brought Alexander out, the Jews thrusting him forward. Alexander then beckoned with his hand, wanting to make a defense to the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, they all began chanting for almost two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
35 Then the town clerk, after he had silenced the people, said, “Men of Ephesus, what man does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which came down from heaven?
36 “Seeing, then, that these things are indisputable, you should calm down, and do nothing rashly.
37 “For you have brought these men here who have committed neither sacrilege nor blasphemy of your goddess.
38 “Therefore, if indeed Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the law is open. And there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
39 “But, if you inquire about other matters, that shall be settled in a lawful assembly.
40 “For we are also in danger of being accused of sedition today, because there is no reason we may give for this riotous multitude.”
41 And after he had said this, he let the assembly depart.
20 Now after the disturbance abated, Paul called the disciples to him, and embraced them, and left for Macedonia.
2 And when he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece.
3 And after staying there for three months, he was about to sail for Syria. But he decided to return through Macedonia because the Jews had set a trap for him.
4 And Sopater of Berea accompanied him into Asia, as well as Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
5 These went ahead and awaited us at Troas.
6 And after the days of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi. And five days later we joined them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
7 And the first day of the week (the disciples having come together to break bread), Paul, ready to leave the next day, preached to them, and continued preaching until midnight.
8 And there were many lights in the upper room where they were gathered together.
9 And a certain young man named Eutychus had fallen into a dead sleep while sitting in a window. And as Paul preached at length, he was overcome with sleep and fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.
10 But Paul went down, and laid himself on him, and embraced him, saying, “Do not trouble yourselves. For his life is in him.”
11 Then, after having come up again and broken bread and eaten, he talked a long while (till daybreak) and left.
12 And they brought the boy (alive). And they were not a little comforted.
13 But we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, so that we might receive Paul there. For so had he arranged and would himself go on foot.
14 Now when he had met us in Assos, and we had received him, we went to Mitylene.
15 And we sailed from there the next day and came opposite Chios. And the next day we arrived at Samos and stayed in Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus.
16 For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, because he did not want to spend time in Asia. For he hurried to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
17 Therefore he sent word to Ephesus from Miletus and called the elders of the church.
18 When they had come, he said to them, “You know how I have lived with you at all times, from the first day that I came into Asia;
19 “serving the Lord with all modesty, and with many tears and temptations (which came to me by the plotting of the Jews).
20 “And how I kept back nothing that was profitable, but have showed you, and taught you openly, and throughout every house;
21 “witnessing the repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ to both the Jews and the Greeks.
22 “And now behold I go, bound in the Spirit, to Jerusalem. And I do not know what things shall come to me there,
23 “except that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.
24 “But these things do not move me. Nor is my life dear to me. So that I may fulfill my course, and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus (to testify the Gospel of the grace of God) with joy.
25 “And now behold, I know that hereafter all of you among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God shall no longer see my face.
26 “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all.
27 “For I have kept nothing back but have declared to you the whole counsel of God.
28 “Therefore, attend to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood.
29 “For I know this: that after my departing, grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 “Moreover, men shall arise from your own selves, speaking perverse things to draw disciples away with them.
31 “Therefore watch. And remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone, both night and day, with tears.
32 “And now brothers, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build further, and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.
34 “Yes, you know that these hands have ministered to my needs, and to those who were with me.
35 “I have shown you all things; how that in so doing you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 And when he had spoken this, he kneeled down and prayed with them all.
37 Then they all wept abundantly, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
38 being most tormented by the words he spoke of seeing his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.