Acts 18

²To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

²⁰Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.

¹While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

³²When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”

³³At that, Paul left the Areopagus.

²³I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.

¹⁹The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

³Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

⁴who have risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

²⁸One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)

²⁶And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

⁹Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

⁹Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

¹²We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

⁹And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.

⁸nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

⁹Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

⁷Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

¹³In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹¹Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

²³So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

¹⁷So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

⁸Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.

¹⁴And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.

¹When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

²As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

¹⁴For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

²⁸For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

²¹testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

²²But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

³explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.

¹⁴So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord upon me.

⁴Then if anyone hears the sound of the horn but fails to heed the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.

¹⁶For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

⁸If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood.

⁹But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

¹³He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

¹³I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

⁵¹So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

¹⁴Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

¹¹Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

²²“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.”

⁴Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

⁴²As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath.

²He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.

¹³Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

¹⁴I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

¹⁴How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?

¹⁵And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

¹⁵And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

¹⁴He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

²²A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet

¹¹The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”

¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,

²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

⁶But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns surround you, and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their presence, though they are a rebellious house.

⁷But speak My words to them, whether they listen or refuse to listen, for they are rebellious.

²³For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me

²⁴and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’

⁸As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the Lord, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

¹⁷Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them.

⁹But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

¹²Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”

²⁰and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

¹⁰Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

³¹What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

¹⁰This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.

³So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

³¹Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

⁵⁰The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

⁷an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

²⁷When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.

¹⁵You know that Stephanas and his household were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Now I urge you, brothers,

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

²⁶For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

⁵We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

⁶and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

⁸Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

¹³where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.

²⁸crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

⁴Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.

¹⁵But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”

¹⁴But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

¹⁵But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,

³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

¹⁸He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness.

¹⁸But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

¹⁹They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

¹⁹“O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”

²He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is subject to weakness.

²⁹I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.

¹⁹They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

⁴he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,

¹¹If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

⁴or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.

³especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

¹⁶But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

¹⁰Even the wrath of man shall praise You; with the survivors of wrath You will clothe Yourself.

³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

⁴For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

¹Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

⁶You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

³²When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”

²⁴Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but that you also live in obedience to the law.

¹⁸Then at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering.

²There 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 went to visit them,

¹I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.

⁵For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the Lord is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.

⁶Throughout the days of his separation to the Lord, he must not go near a dead body.

²⁰To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.

¹⁸May the Lord grant Onesiphorus His mercy on that day. You know very well how much he ministered to me in Ephesus.

³As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

¹⁶Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

¹While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples

⁴Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.

¹⁶Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

¹²Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

³⁷and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”

³⁸But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”

¹³Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

¹⁴When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

¹⁵Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

³²so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

³And this we will do, if God permits.

¹⁶Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

¹⁰in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.

⁴⁰But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

¹Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

¹⁹Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.

²⁰But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

⁴On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.

¹At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.

³⁵But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.

²²strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

⁶After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.

⁴¹And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

³²Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

¹⁴And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

¹Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:

⁶Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.

¹³Do your best to equip Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, so that they will have everything they need.

⁵What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.

⁶I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

¹²What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”

¹²Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

¹¹Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

³“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.

⁹Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.

²and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

²³About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.

¹⁴“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,

²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”

³So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

²⁵He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

¹Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.

¹³But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.

¹⁴To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,

⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

¹⁸Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.

¹⁰My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him.

²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

⁵And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

²²But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

²²But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

²³that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

⁴⁴Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”

³explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.