Historical
Paul and Silas in Thessalonica
17 Paul and Silas[a] traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As usual, Paul entered there and on three Sabbaths discussed the Scriptures with them. 3 He explained and showed them that the Messiah[b] had to suffer and rise from the dead: “This very Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah.”[c]
4 Some of them were persuaded and began to be associated with Paul and Silas, especially a large crowd of devout Greeks and the wives of many prominent men. 5 But the Jewish leaders[d] became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square,[e] formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason’s home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people. 6 When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials and shouted, “These fellows who have turned the world upside down have come here, too, 7 and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor’s decrees by saying that there is another king—Jesus!”
8 The crowd and the city officials were upset when they heard this, 9 but after they had gotten a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go.
Paul and Silas in Berea
10 That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so. 12 Many of them believed, including a large number of prominent Greek women and men.
13 But when the Jewish leaders[f] in Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they went there to upset and incite the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed there.
Paul in Athens
15 The men who escorted Paul took him all the way to Athens and, after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left. 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply disturbed to see the city full of idols. 17 So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and other worshipers, as well as every day in the public square[g] with anyone who happened to be there. 18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some asked, “What is this blabbermouth trying to say?” while others said, “He seems to be preaching about foreign gods.” This was because Paul[h] was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Then they took him, brought him before the Areopagus,[i] and asked, “May we know what this new teaching of yours is? 20 It sounds rather strange to our ears, and we would like to know what it means.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their time doing nothing else other than listening to the latest ideas or repeating them.
22 So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus[j] and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way. 23 For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: ‘To an unknown god.’ So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in shrines made by human hands, 25 and he isn’t served by people[k] as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else. 26 From one man[l] he made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within which they live, 27 so that they might look for God,[m] somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us. 28 For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: ‘…Since we are his children, too.’[n] 29 So if we are God’s children, we shouldn’t think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill. 30 Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, 31 because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice[o] through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began joking about it, while others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 And so Paul left the meeting.[p] 34 Some men joined him and became believers. With them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus,[q] a woman named Damaris, and some others along with them.
Paul in Corinth
18 After this, Paul[r] left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul[s] went to visit them, 3 and because they had the same trade he stayed with them. They worked together because they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every Sabbath, he would speak in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. 5 But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to the word[t] as he emphatically assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.[u] 6 But when they began to oppose him and insult him, he shook out his clothes in protest and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.”
7 Then he left that place and went to the home of a man named Titius[v] Justus, who worshipped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Now Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole family. Many Corinthians who heard Paul also believed and were baptized.
9 One night, the Lord told Paul in a vision, “Stop being afraid to speak out! Don’t remain silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you or harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul[w] lived there for a year and a half and continued to teach the word of God among the people there.[x]
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jewish leaders[y] gathered together, attacked Paul, and brought him before the judge’s seat. 13 They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the Law.”
14 Paul was about to speak when Gallio admonished the Jewish leaders,[z] “If there were some misdemeanor or crime involved, it would be reasonable to put up with you Jews. 15 But since it is a question about words, names, and your own Law, you will have to take care of that yourselves. I refuse to be a judge in these matters.” 16 So he drove them away from the judge’s seat. 17 Then all of them[aa] took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judge’s seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Paul’s Return Trip to Antioch
18 After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, since he was under a vow. 19 When they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila[ab] there. Then he went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he refused. 21 As he told them goodbye, he said, “I will come back[ac] to you again if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he arrived in Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem,[ad] greeted the church there, and then returned to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Apollos Preaches in Ephesus
24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Lord’s way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God’s way to him more accurately. 27 When Apollos[ae] wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, urging them to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through God’s[af] grace, had believed. 28 He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.[ag]
Paul in Ephesus
19 It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 He then asked, “Then into what were you baptized?”
They answered, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, “John baptized when they repented, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages[ah] and to prophesy. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
8 He went into the synagogue and spoke there boldly for three months, holding discussions and persuading those who heard him[ai] about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some people became stubborn, refused to believe, and slandered the Way in front of the people, Paul[aj] left them, taking his disciples away with him, and held daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.[ak] 10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. 11 God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul.[al] 12 When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them.
13 Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
15 But the evil spirit told them, “Jesus I know, and I am getting acquainted with Paul, but who are you?”
16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised. 17 When this became known to everyone living in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike, they all became terrified, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor. 18 Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing. 19 Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins.[am] 20 In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing.
21 After these things had happened, Paul decided[an] to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. “After I have gone there,” he told them, “I must also see Rome.” 22 Then he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed in Asia a while longer.
A Riot in Ephesus
23 Now about that time a great commotion broke out concerning the Way. 24 By making silver shrines of Artemis, a silversmith named Demetrius provided a large income for skilled workers. 25 He called a meeting of these men and others who were engaged in similar trades and said, “Men, you well know that we get a good income from this business. 26 You also see and hear that, not only in Ephesus, but almost all over Asia, this man Paul has won over and taken away a large crowd by telling them that gods made by human[ao] hands are not gods at all. 27 There is a danger not only that our business will lose its reputation but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be brought into disrepute and that she will be robbed of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.”
28 When they heard this, they became furious and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The city was filled with confusion, and the people[ap] rushed into the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s fellow travelers from Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but the disciples wouldn’t let him. 31 Even some officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message urging him not to risk his life in the theater.
32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, since the crowd was confused, and most of them didn’t know why they were meeting. 33 Some of the crowd concluded it was because of Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, they all started to shout in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who in the world[aq] doesn’t know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven?[ar] 36 Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless. 37 For you have brought these men here, although they neither rob temples nor blaspheme our[as] goddess. 38 So if Demetrius and his workers have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They should accuse one another there. 39 But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly, 40 because we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, and there is no good reason we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.
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