One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 287
Acts 17
17Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.G1161G1353G295G2532G624G2064G1519G2332G3699G2258G4864G2453 2As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.G1161G3972G2596G1486G1525G4314G846G2532G1909G5140G4521G1256G846G575G1124 3He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah."G1272G2532G3908G3754G5547G1163G3958G2532G450G1537G3498G2532G3754G3778G2424G3739G1473G2605G5213G2076G5547 4Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.G2532G5100G1537G846G3982G2532G4345G3972G2532G4609G5037G4576G1672G4183G4128G5037G4413G1135G3756G3641 5But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.G1161G2453G544G2206G2532G4355G5100G4190G435G60G2532G3792G2350G4172G2350G5037G2186G3614G2394G2212G71G846G1519G1218 6Not 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.G1161G2147G846G3361G4951G2394G2532G5100G80G1909G4173G994G3754G3778G387G3625G387G3918G1759G2532 7And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus."G3739G2394G5264G2532G3778G3956G4238G561G1378G2541G3004G1511G2087G935G2424 8The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports.G1161G5015G3793G2532G4173G191G5023 9So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.G2532G2983G2425G3844G2394G2532G3062G630G846G630 10That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.G1161G80G2112G1599G5037G3972G2532G4609G1223G3571G1519G960G3748G3854G549G1519G4864G2453 11And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.G1161G3778G2258G2104G1722G2332G3748G1209G3056G3326G3956G4288G350G1124G2250G2596G1487G5023G2192G3779 12As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.G3767G3303G4183G1537G846G4100G2532G2158G1135G3588G1674G2532G435G3756G3641 13But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble.G1161G5613G2453G575G2332G1097G3754G2532G3056G2316G2605G5259G3972G1722G960G2064G2546G4531G3793 14The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.G1161G5119G2112G80G1821G3972G4198G5613G1909G2281G1161G5037G4609G2532G5095G5278G1563G5278 15Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.G1161G2525G3972G71G846G2193G116G2532G2983G1785G4314G4609G2532G5095G2443G2064G4314G846G5613G5033G1826 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.G1161G3972G1551G846G1722G116G846G4151G3947G1722G846G2334G4172G5607G2712 17He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.G3767G3303G1256G1722G4864G2453G2532G4576G2532G1722G58G2596G3956G2250G4314G3909 18He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, "What's this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he's picked up?" Others said, "He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods."G1161G5100G5386G1946G2532G4770G4820G846G2532G5100G3004G5101G302G2309G3778G4691G3004G1161G1380G1511G2604G3581G1140G3754G2097G846G2424G2532G386 19Then they took him to the high council of the city. "Come and tell us about this new teaching," they said.G5037G1949G846G71G1909G697G3004G1410G1097G5101G3778G2537G1322G5259G4675G2980 20"You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it's all about."G1063G1533G5100G3579G1519G2257G189G1014G1097G3767G5101G5023G302G2309G1511 21(It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)G1161G3956G117G2532G3581G3588G1927G2119G1519G3762G2087G2228G3004G2532G191G5100G2537 22So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way,G1161G3972G2476G1722G3319G697G5346G435G117G2334G5613G2596G3956G5209G1174 23for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: 'To an Unknown God.' This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I'm telling you about.G1063G1330G2532G333G5216G4574G2532G2147G1041G1722G3739G1924G57G2316G3739G3767G50G2151G5126G2605G1473G5213 24"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples,G2316G4160G2889G2532G3956G1722G846G3778G5225G2962G3772G2532G1093G2730G3756G1722G3485G5499 25and human hands can't serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.G3761G2323G5259G444G5495G4326G5100G846G1325G3956G2222G2532G4157G2596G3956 26From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.G5037G4160G1537G1520G129G3956G1484G444G2730G1909G3956G4383G1093G3724G2540G4384G2532G3734G846G2733 27"His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.G2212G2962G1487G686G5584G846G2532G2147G2544G5225G3756G3112G575G1538G1520G2257 28For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'G1063G1722G846G2198G2532G2795G2532G2070G5613G5100G2532G5209G2596G4163G2046G1063G2070G2532G5120G1085 29And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.G3767G5225G1085G2316G3784G3756G3543G2304G1511G3664G5557G2228G696G2228G3037G5480G5078G2532G444G1761 30"God overlooked people's ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.G3303G3767G5550G52G2316G5237G3569G3853G3956G444G3837G3340 31For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead."G1360G2476G2250G1722G3739G3195G2919G3625G1722G1343G1722G435G3739G3724G3930G4102G3956G450G846G1537G3498 32When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, "We want to hear more about this later."G1161G191G386G3498G3303G5512G1161G2036G191G4675G3825G4012G5127 33That ended Paul's discussion with them,G2532G3779G3972G1831G1537G3319G846 34but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.G1161G5100G435G2853G846G4100G1722G3739G2532G1354G698G2532G1135G3686G1152G2532G2087G4862G846
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
Psalms 127
127[A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon.] Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.H7892H4609H8010H3068H1129H1004H5998H7723H1129H3068H8104H5892H8104H8245H7723 2It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.H7723H6965H7925H3427H309H398H3899H6089H5414H3039H8142 3Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.H1121H5159H3068H6529H990H7939 4Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.H2671H3027H1368H1121H5271 5How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.H835H1397H827H4390H954H1696H341H8179
Dublin, OH
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