19 While 1 Apollos was in Corinth, 2 Paul went through the inland 3 regions 4 and came to Ephesus. 5 He 6 found some disciples there 7 2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” 8 They replied, 9 “No, we have not even 10 heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul 11 said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. 12 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, 13 that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, 6 and when Paul placed 14 his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came 15 upon them, and they began to speak 16 in tongues and to prophesy. 17 7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.) 18
8 So Paul 19 entered 20 the synagogue 21 and spoke out fearlessly 22 for three months, addressing 23 and convincing 24 them about the kingdom of God. 25 9 But when 26 some were stubborn 27 and refused to believe, reviling 28 the Way 29 before the congregation, he left 30 them and took the disciples with him, 31 addressing 32 them every day 33 in the lecture hall 34 of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, 35 both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. 36
11 God was performing extraordinary 37 miracles by Paul’s hands, 12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body 38 were brought 39 to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 40 13 But some itinerant 41 Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name 42 of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by 43 evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn 44 you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 (Now seven sons of a man named 45 Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) 46 15 But the evil spirit replied to them, 47 “I know about Jesus 48 and I am acquainted with 49 Paul, but who are you?” 50 16 Then the man who was possessed by 51 the evil spirit jumped on 52 them and beat them all into submission. 53 He prevailed 54 against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, 55 both Jews and Greeks; fear came over 56 them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 57 18 Many of those who had believed came forward, 58 confessing and making their deeds known. 59 19 Large numbers 60 of those who had practiced magic 61 collected their books 62 and burned them up in the presence of everyone. 63 When 64 the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. 65 20 In this way the word of the Lord 66 continued to grow in power 67 and to prevail. 68
21 Now after all these things had taken place, 69 Paul resolved 70 to go to Jerusalem, 71 passing through Macedonia 72 and Achaia. 73 He said, 74 “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 75 22 So after sending 76 two of his assistants, 77 Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, 78 he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. 79
23 At 80 that time 81 a great disturbance 82 took place concerning the Way. 83 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines 84 of Artemis, 85 brought a great deal 86 of business 87 to the craftsmen. 25 He gathered 88 these 89 together, along with the workmen in similar trades, 90 and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity 91 comes from this business. 26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded 92 and turned away 93 a large crowd, 94 not only in Ephesus 95 but in practically all of the province of Asia, 96 by saying 97 that gods made by hands are not gods at all. 98 27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, 99 but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis 100 will be regarded as nothing, 101 and she whom all the province of Asia 102 and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” 103
28 When 104 they heard 105 this they became enraged 106 and began to shout, 107 “Great is Artemis 108 of the Ephesians!” 29 The 109 city was filled with the uproar, 110 and the crowd 111 rushed to the theater 112 together, 113 dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, 114 the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the provincial authorities 115 who were his friends sent 116 a message 117 to him, urging him not to venture 118 into the theater. 32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. 119 33 Some of the crowd concluded 120 it was about 121 Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. 122 Alexander, gesturing 123 with his hand, was wanting to make a defense 124 before the public assembly. 125 34 But when they recognized 126 that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, 127 “Great is Artemis 128 of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. 129 35 After the city secretary 130 quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person 131 is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper 132 of the temple of the great Artemis 133 and of her image that fell from heaven? 134 36 So because these facts 135 are indisputable, 136 you must keep quiet 137 and not do anything reckless. 138 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers 139 nor blasphemers of our goddess. 140 38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint 141 against someone, the courts are open 142 and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. 143 39 But if you want anything in addition, 144 it will have to be settled 145 in a legal assembly. 146 40 For 147 we are in danger of being charged with rioting 148 today, since there is no cause we can give to explain 149 this disorderly gathering.” 150 41 After 151 he had said 152 this, 153 he dismissed the assembly. 154
20 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging 1 them and saying farewell, 2 he left to go to Macedonia. 3 2 After he had gone through those regions 4 and spoken many words of encouragement 5 to the believers there, 6 he came to Greece, 7 3 where he stayed 8 for three months. Because the Jews had made 9 a plot 10 against him as he was intending 11 to sail 12 for Syria, he decided 13 to return through Macedonia. 14 4 Paul 15 was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, 16 Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, 17 Gaius 18 from Derbe, 19 and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 20 5 These had gone on ahead 21 and were waiting for us in Troas. 22 6 We 23 sailed away from Philippi 24 after the days of Unleavened Bread, 25 and within five days 26 we came to the others 27 in Troas, 28 where we stayed for seven days. 7 On the first day 29 of the week, when we met 30 to break bread, Paul began to speak 31 to the people, and because he intended 32 to leave the next day, he extended 33 his message until midnight. 8 (Now there were many lamps 34 in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) 35 9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, 36 was sinking 37 into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak 38 for a long time. Fast asleep, 39 he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down, 40 threw himself 41 on the young man, 42 put his arms around him, 43 and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” 44 11 Then Paul 45 went back upstairs, 46 and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them 47 a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly 48 comforted.
13 We went on ahead 49 to the ship and put out to sea 50 for Assos, 51 intending 52 to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. 53 He 54 himself was intending 55 to go there by land. 56 14 When he met us in Assos, 57 we took him aboard 58 and went to Mitylene. 59 15 We set sail 60 from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. 61 The next day we approached 62 Samos, 63 and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. 64 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus 65 so as not to spend time 66 in the province of Asia, 67 for he was hurrying 68 to arrive in Jerusalem, 69 if possible, 70 by the day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus 71 he sent a message 72 to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. 73
18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived 74 the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot 75 in the province of Asia, 76 19 serving the Lord with all humility 77 and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots 78 of the Jews. 20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming 79 to you anything that would be helpful, 80 and from teaching you publicly 81 and from house to house, 21 testifying 82 to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. 83 22 And now, 84 compelled 85 by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem 86 without knowing what will happen to me there, 87 23 except 88 that the Holy Spirit warns 89 me in town after town 90 that 91 imprisonment 92 and persecutions 93 are waiting for me. 24 But I do not consider my life 94 worth anything 95 to myself, so that 96 I may finish my task 97 and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news 98 of God’s grace.
25 “And now 99 I know that none 100 of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom 101 will see me 102 again. 26 Therefore I declare 103 to you today that I am innocent 104 of the blood of you all. 105 27 For I did not hold back from 106 announcing 107 to you the whole purpose 108 of God. 28 Watch out for 109 yourselves and for all the flock of which 110 the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, 111 to shepherd the church of God 112 that he obtained 113 with the blood of his own Son. 114 29 I know that after I am gone 115 fierce wolves 116 will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Even from among your own group 117 men 118 will arise, teaching perversions of the truth 119 to draw the disciples away after them. 31 Therefore be alert, 120 remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning 121 each one of you with tears. 32 And now I entrust 122 you to God and to the message 123 of his grace. This message 124 is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have desired 125 no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine 126 provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 35 By all these things, 127 I have shown you that by working in this way we must help 128 the weak, 129 and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 130
36 When 131 he had said these things, he knelt down 132 with them all and prayed. 37 They all began to weep loudly, 133 and hugged 134 Paul and kissed him, 135 38 especially saddened 136 by what 137 he had said, that they were not going to see him 138 again. Then they accompanied 139 him to the ship.
21 After 1 we 2 tore ourselves away 3 from them, we put out to sea, 4 and sailing a straight course, 5 we came to Cos, 6 on the next day to Rhodes, 7 and from there to Patara. 8 2 We found 9 a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, 10 went aboard, 11 and put out to sea. 12 3 After we sighted Cyprus 13 and left it behind on our port side, 14 we sailed on to Syria and put in 15 at Tyre, 16 because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 4 After we located 17 the disciples, we stayed there 18 seven days. They repeatedly told 19 Paul through the Spirit 20 not to set foot 21 in Jerusalem. 22 5 When 23 our time was over, 24 we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied 25 us outside of the city. After 26 kneeling down on the beach and praying, 27 6 we said farewell 28 to one another. 29 Then 30 we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. 31 7 We continued the voyage from Tyre 32 and arrived at Ptolemais, 33 and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we left 34 and came to Caesarea, 35 and entered 36 the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, 37 and stayed with him. 9 (He had four unmarried 38 daughters who prophesied.) 39
10 While we remained there for a number of days, 40 a prophet named Agabus 41 came down from Judea. 11 He came 42 to us, took 43 Paul’s belt, 44 tied 45 his own hands and feet with it, 46 and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over 47 to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, both we and the local people 48 begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking 49 my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, 50 but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Because he could not be persuaded, 51 we said no more except, 52 “The Lord’s will be done.” 53
15 After these days we got ready 54 and started up 55 to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea 56 came along with us too, and brought us to the house 57 of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, 58 with whom we were to stay. 17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 59 18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. 60 19 When Paul 61 had greeted them, he began to explain 62 in detail 63 what God 64 had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they praised 65 God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews 66 there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers 67 of the law. 68 21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living 69 among the Gentiles to abandon 70 Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children 71 or live 72 according to our customs. 22 What then should we do? They will no doubt 73 hear that you have come. 23 So do what 74 we tell you: We have four men 75 who have taken 76 a vow; 77 24 take them and purify 78 yourself along with them and pay their expenses, 79 so that they may have their heads shaved. 80 Then 81 everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told 82 about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with 83 the law. 84 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided 85 that they should avoid 86 meat that has been sacrificed to idols 87 and blood and what has been strangled 88 and sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men the next day, 89 and after he had purified himself 90 along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice 91 of the completion of the days of purification, 92 when 93 the sacrifice would be offered for each 94 of them. 27 When the seven days were almost over, 95 the Jews from the province of Asia 96 who had seen him in the temple area 97 stirred up the whole crowd 98 and seized 99 him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, 100 help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, 101 and this sanctuary! 102 Furthermore 103 he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple 104 and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 105 29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and 106 they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) 107 30 The whole city was stirred up, 108 and the people rushed together. 109 They seized 110 Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, 111 and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were trying 112 to kill him, a report 113 was sent up 114 to the commanding officer 115 of the cohort 116 that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 117 32 He 118 immediately took 119 soldiers and centurions 120 and ran down to the crowd. 121 When they saw 122 the commanding officer 123 and the soldiers, they stopped beating 124 Paul. 33 Then the commanding officer 125 came up and arrested 126 him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; 127 he 128 then asked who he was and what 129 he had done. 34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, 130 and when the commanding officer 131 was unable 132 to find out the truth 133 because of the disturbance, 134 he ordered Paul 135 to be brought into the barracks. 136 35 When he came to the steps, Paul 137 had to be carried 138 by the soldiers because of the violence 139 of the mob, 36 for a crowd of people 140 followed them, 141 screaming, “Away with him!” 37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 142 he said 143 to the commanding officer, 144 “May I say 145 something to you?” The officer 146 replied, 147 “Do you know Greek? 148 38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion 149 and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ 150 into the wilderness 151 some time ago?” 152 39 Paul answered, 153 “I am a Jew 154 from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. 155 Please 156 allow me to speak to the people.” 40 When the commanding officer 157 had given him permission, 158 Paul stood 159 on the steps and gestured 160 to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, 161 he addressed 162 them in Aramaic, 163
