Acts 18
18Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.G1161G3326G5023G3972G5563G1537G116G2064G1519G28822There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome.G2532G2147G5100G2453G3686G207G1085G4193G4373G2064G575G2482G2532G846G1135G4252G1223G2804G1299G3956G2453G5563G1537G4516G4334G8463Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.G2532G1223G1511G3673G3306G3844G846G2532G2038G1063G5078G2258G46354Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike.G1161G1256G1722G4864G2596G3956G4521G5037G3982G2453G2532G16725And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.G1161G5613G5037G4609G2532G5095G2718G575G3109G3972G4912G4151G1263G2453G2424G55476But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, "Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles."G1161G498G846G2532G987G1621G2440G2036G4314G846G5216G129G1909G5216G2776G1473G2513G575G3568G4198G1519G14847Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue.G2532G3327G1564G2064G1519G5100G3614G3686G2459G4576G2316G3739G3614G4927G2258G48648Crispus, 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.G1161G2921G752G4100G2962G4862G3650G846G3624G2532G4183G2881G191G4100G2532G9079One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, "Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent!G1161G2036G2962G3972G1223G3571G1722G3705G5399G3361G5399G235G2980G2532G4623G3361G462310For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me."G1360G1473G1510G3326G4675G2532G3762G2007G4671G2559G4571G1360G3427G2076G4183G2992G1722G5026G417211So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.G5037G2523G1763G2532G1803G3376G1321G3056G2316G1722G84612But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment.G1161G1058G445G882G2453G2721G3661G3972G2532G71G846G1909G96813They accused Paul of "persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law."G3004G3754G3778G374G444G4576G2316G3844G355114But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul's accusers and said, "Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case.G1161G3972G3195G455G4750G1058G2036G4314G2453G1487G3303G3767G2258G5100G92G2228G4190G4467G5599G2453G2596G3056G302G430G521615But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters."G1161G1487G2076G2213G4012G3056G2532G3686G2532G2596G5209G3551G3700G846G1063G1473G1014G1511G3756G2923G513016And he threw them out of the courtroom.G2532G556G846G575G96817The crowd then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.G1161G3956G1672G1949G4988G752G5180G1715G968G2532G1058G3199G3762G513018Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.G1161G3972G4357G2089G2425G2250G657G80G1602G1519G4947G2532G4862G846G4252G2532G207G2751G2776G1722G2747G1063G2192G217119They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews.G1161G2658G1519G2181G2548G2641G847G1161G846G1525G1519G4864G1256G245320They asked him to stay longer, but he declined.G1161G846G2065G3306G1909G4119G5550G3844G846G1962G375621As he left, however, he said, "I will come back later, God willing." Then he set sail from Ephesus.G235G657G846G657G2036G3165G1163G3843G4160G1859G2064G1519G2414G1161G344G3825G4314G5209G2316G2309G2532G321G575G218122The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem and then went back to Antioch.G2532G2718G1519G2542G305G2532G782G1577G2597G1519G49023After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.G2532G4160G5100G5550G1831G1330G5561G1054G2532G5435G2517G1991G3956G310124Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt.G1161G5100G2453G3686G625G1085G221G3052G435G5607G1415G1722G1124G2658G1519G218125He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John's baptism.G3778G2258G2727G3598G2962G2532G2204G4151G2980G2532G1321G199G4012G2962G1987G3440G908G249126When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.G5037G3778G756G3955G1722G4864G846G1161G207G2532G4252G191G4355G846G2532G1620G846G3598G2316G19727Apollos 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.G1161G846G1014G1330G1519G882G80G1125G4389G3101G588G846G3739G3854G4820G4183G4100G1223G548528He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.G1063G2159G1246G2453G1219G1925G1223G1124G2424G1511G5547
Acts 19
19While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.G1161G1096G625G1511G1722G1722G2882G3972G1330G510G3313G2064G1519G2181G2532G2147G5100G31012"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."G2036G4314G846G1487G2983G40G4151G4100G1161G2036G4314G846G235G191G3761G191G1487G2076G40G41513"Then what baptism did you experience?" he asked. And they replied, "The baptism of John."G5037G2036G4314G846G1519G5101G3767G907G1161G2036G1519G2491G9084Paul 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."G1161G2036G3972G2491G3303G907G908G3341G3004G2992G2443G4100G1519G2064G3326G846G5123G1519G5547G24245As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.G1161G191G907G1519G3686G2962G24246Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.G2532G3972G2007G5495G2007G846G40G4151G2064G1909G846G5037G2980G1100G2532G43957There were about twelve men in all.G1161G3956G435G2258G5616G11778Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.G1161G1525G1519G4864G3955G1909G5140G3376G1256G2532G3982G4012G932G23169But 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.G1161G5613G5100G4645G2532G544G2551G3598G1799G4128G868G575G846G873G3101G1256G2596G2250G1722G4981G5100G518110This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.G1161G5124G1096G1909G1417G2094G5620G3956G2730G773G191G3056G2962G2424G5037G2453G2532G167211God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles.G5037G2316G4160G3756G5177G1411G1223G5495G397212When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.G2532G5620G575G846G5559G2018G1909G770G4676G2228G4612G2532G3554G525G575G846G5037G4190G4151G1831G575G84613A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!"G1161G5100G575G4022G2453G1845G2021G3687G1909G2192G4190G4151G3686G2962G2424G3004G3726G5209G2424G3739G3972G278414Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.G1161G2258G2033G5207G4630G5100G2453G749G4160G512415But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?"G1161G4190G4151G611G2036G2424G1097G2532G3972G1987G1161G5101G2075G521016Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.G2532G444G1722G3739G4190G4151G2258G2177G1909G846G2532G2634G846G2480G2596G846G5620G1628G1537G1565G3624G1131G2532G513517The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.G1161G5124G1096G1110G3956G2453G5037G1672G2532G2730G2181G2532G5401G1968G1909G846G3956G2532G3686G2962G2424G317018Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.G5037G4183G4100G2064G1843G2532G312G846G423419A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.G2425G1161G4238G4021G4851G976G4851G2618G1799G3956G2532G4860G5092G846G2532G2147G4002G3461G69420So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.G3779G2596G2904G837G3056G2962G2532G248021Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. "And after that," he said, "I must go on to Rome!"G1161G5613G5023G4137G3972G5087G1722G4151G1330G3109G2532G882G4198G1519G2419G2036G3754G3326G3165G1096G1563G3165G1163G2532G1492G451622He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.G1161G649G1519G3109G1417G1247G846G5095G2532G2037G846G1907G1519G773G555023About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way.G1161G2596G1565G2540G1096G3756G3641G5017G4012G359824It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy.G1063G5100G3686G1216G695G4160G693G3485G735G3930G3756G3641G2039G507925He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows: "Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business.G3739G4867G2040G4012G5108G2532G2036G435G1987G3754G1537G5026G2039G2076G2257G214226But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren't really gods at all. And he's done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!G2532G2334G2532G191G3754G3756G3440G2181G235G4975G3956G773G3778G3972G3982G3179G2425G3793G3004G3754G1526G3756G2316G3588G1096G1223G549527Of course, I'm not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I'm also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!"G1161G3756G3440G5124G2254G3313G2793G2064G1519G557G235G2532G2411G3173G2299G735G1519G3762G3049G1161G2532G846G3168G3195G2507G3739G3650G773G2532G3625G457628At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"G1161G191G1096G4134G2372G2532G2896G3004G3173G735G218029Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia.G2532G3650G4172G4130G4799G5037G4884G1050G2532G708G3110G3972G4898G3729G3661G1519G230230Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn't let him.G1161G1014G3972G1014G1525G1519G1218G3101G1439G846G375631Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.G1161G2532G5100G775G5607G846G5384G3992G4314G846G3870G1325G3361G1325G1438G1519G230232Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn't even know why they were there.G243G3767G3303G2896G5100G243G1063G1577G2258G4797G2532G4119G1492G3756G5101G1752G490533The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak.G1161G4264G223G1537G3793G2453G4261G846G4261G4261G1161G223G2678G5495G2309G626G121834But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"G1161G1921G3754G2076G2453G3956G1096G1537G3391G5456G5613G1909G1417G5610G2896G3173G735G218035At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. "Citizens of Ephesus," he said. "Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven.G1161G1122G2687G3793G5346G435G2180G5101G1063G444G2076G3739G1097G3756G4172G2180G5607G3511G3173G2299G735G2532G135636Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash.G5607G3767G5130G368G5209G1163G2076G5225G2687G2532G4238G3367G431237You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.G1063G71G5128G435G3777G2417G3777G987G5216G229938"If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges.G3303G3767G1487G1216G2532G5079G4862G846G2192G3056G4314G5100G60G71G2532G1526G446G1458G24039And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly.G1161G1487G1934G5100G4012G2087G1956G1722G1772G157740I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won't know what to say."G1063G2532G2793G1458G4012G4594G4714G5225G3367G158G4012G3739G1410G591G3056G5026G496341Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.G2532G2036G5023G2036G630G1577
Dublin, OH
.G1161
