And there came to Lystra certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. However, as the disciples stood round about him, Paul rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, Paul and Barnabus returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and encouraging them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

…When Paul and Barnabus had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: And from there sailed to Antioch, from where they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work, which they fulfilled. And when they were come…they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

And certain men, which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, "Except you be circumcised …you cannot be saved." When therefore…Paul and Barnabus had no small dissension…with them…they determined that Paul and Barnabus and…and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And when Paul and Barnabus and others were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas…. And they wrote letters by them after this manner; "…It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare you well."

So when they were dismissed, Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the crowd together, they delivered the letter: Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. (Around this time James wrote a letter to the Hebrew Christians outside of Jerusalem)

And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, "Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do." And Barnabas determined to take with them John Mark…. And Paul chose Silas, and departed…and…went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Then came Paul and Silas to Derbe and Lystra: and, look, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy…. Him, would Paul have to go…with him…and as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia…they… came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and appealed to him, saying, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us."

"And after Paul had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us…to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came…to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia…. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was custom to be made; and we sat down, and spoke unto the women which resorted there.

"And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay there.’ And she persuaded us.

"And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain young girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by fortune-telling: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, ‘These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.’ And this did she many days.

"But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And the spirit came out the same hour.

"And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas…and brought them to the magistrates, saying, ‘These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.’ And the crowd rose up together against Paul and Barnabus: and the magistrates tore off the apostles clothes, and commanded to beat them.

"And when they had laid many lashes upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, put them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘do yourself no harm: for we are all here.’

"Then the jailer called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

"And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.’ And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And the jailer took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately.

"And the magistrates came and implored Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison…and departed.

"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and explaining, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that ‘this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.’ And some of them believed, and joined with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great number, and of the chief women not a few.

"But the Jews, who believed not, moved with envy…set all the city in an uproar…. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: Whom coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews. (These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.) Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women who were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

"But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came there also, and stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul…but Silas and Timothy stayed there still.

"Now while Paul waited for Silas and Timothy at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. And they took Paul, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, ‘May we know what this new doctrine, of which you speak, is?’

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, ‘you men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and saw your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

" ‘God that made the world and all things in it, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, lives not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; And has made of one blood all nations of men for to live on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from everyone of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, "For we are also his offspring."

" ‘Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, carved by art and man's device and the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus whom he has ordained; by which he has given assurance unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.’

"And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, ‘We will hear you again of this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, certain men clung unto him, and believed: among…which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

REFERENCES

Acts 14:19-23, 25-27; Acts 15:1-2,4, 22a, 23a, 28-31, 36-37, 40-41; Acts 16:1a, 3a, 4-5; Acts 16: 6a, 8-11a, 12a-33, 35a, 39-40a; Acts 17:1-5, 10-14, 16-17, 19, 22-28a, 29-34.

CHAPTER 95