Part 32 (1/2)

AND pa.s.sing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews. (2)And Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, (3)opening them, and setting forth that the Christ must suffer, and rise again from the dead; and that this is the Christ, Jesus whom I preach to you. (4)And some of them believed, and joined themselves to[17:4] Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great mult.i.tude, and of the chief women not a few.

(5)But the Jews, moved with envy[17:5], having taken to them, of the idlers in the market-place, certain vicious men, and having gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar; and a.s.saulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them unto the people. (6)And not finding them, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying: These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also. (7)Whom Jason has received; and all these are acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.

(8)And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. (9)And having taken security of Jason, and of the others, they let them go.

(10)And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Beroea; who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

(11)These were more n.o.ble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so.

(12)Many of them therefore believed; and of honorable Grecian women and men, not a few. (13)But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that also at Beroea the word of G.o.d was preached by Paul, they came, stirring up the people there also. (14)And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to journey as upon the sea; but Silas and Timothy abode there still. (15)And they who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and having received a command to Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

(16)Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city full of idols. (17)Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market daily with those who met with him. (18)And certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, were disputing with him. And some said: What would this babbler say? and others: He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign G.o.ds; because he made known to them the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. (19)And taking hold of him, they brought him upon Mars' Hill, saying: May we know what this new doctrine is, of which thou speakest? (20)For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would know therefore what these things mean. (21)Now all Athenians, and the strangers residing there, spent their leisure for nothing else, but to tell or to hear something new.

(22)And Paul, standing in the midst of Mars' Hill, said: Men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very devout. (23)For as I pa.s.sed by, and observed your objects of wors.h.i.+p, I found also an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN G.o.d. Whom therefore, not knowing, ye wors.h.i.+p, him I announce to you. (24)The G.o.d who made the world and all things therein, he being Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; (25)nor is ministered to by human hands, as if needing anything more, himself giving to all life, and breath, and all things. (26)And he made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having fixed the appointed seasons and bounds of their habitation; (27)that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, although he is not far from every one of us; (28)for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as also some of your own poets have said: For his offspring also are we. (29)Being therefore G.o.d's offspring, we ought not to think that the G.o.dhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. (30)The times of ignorance therefore G.o.d overlooked; but now, commands all men everywhere to repent.

(31)Because he fixed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he appointed, having given a.s.surance to all by raising him from the dead.

(32)And when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some mocked; and others said: We will hear thee again of this matter. (33)And thus Paul departed from among them.

(34)But certain ones, joining themselves to him, believed; among whom was also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

XVIII.

AFTER these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.

(2)And finding a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, lately come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome), he came to them; (3)and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and labored; for by their occupation they were tentmakers. (4)And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

(5)And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed with the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. (6)But they opposing themselves and blaspheming, he shook out his garments and said to them: Your blood be upon your own head; I am clean; from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.

(7)And departing thence he entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one who wors.h.i.+ped G.o.d, whose house was adjoining the synagogue. (8)And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were immersed.

(9)And the Lord said to Paul, through a vision in the night: Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace; (10)for I am with thee, and no one shall a.s.sail thee to hurt thee; for I have much people in this city. (11)And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of G.o.d among them.

(12)And when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one accord against Paul, and brought him before the judgment-seat, (13)saying: This man persuades men to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d contrary to the law.

(14)And as Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews: If it were some injustice, or wicked misdeed, O Jews, with reason I would have borne with you. (15)But if it is a question about a word, and names, and your own law look to it yourselves; I will not be a judge of these things (16)And he drove them away from the judgment-seat.

(17)But having all seized upon Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, they beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.

(18)And Paul having remained yet many days, took leave of the brethren, and sailed thence to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shaven his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow. (19)And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there but entering himself into the synagogue, he reasoned with the Jews. (20)And they desiring him to remain a longer time with them, he consented not; (21)but took leave of them, saying: [18:21][I must by all means keep the coming feast at Jerusalem; but] I will return again to you, if G.o.d will. And he sailed from Ephesus. (22)And having landed at Caesarea, and gone up and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. (23)And after he had spent some time there, he departed, going through the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

(24)And a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. (25)This man was instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught correctly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the immersion of John. (26)And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to them, and expounded to him the way of G.o.d more perfectly. (27)And he wis.h.i.+ng to pa.s.s through into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; who, when he was come, contributed much to those who had believed through grace. (28)For he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

XIX.

AND it came to pa.s.s, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having pa.s.sed through the upper districts came to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples, (2)he said to them: Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said to him: Nay, we did not even hear whether there is a Holy Spirit. (3)And he said to them: Unto what then were ye immersed? And they said: Unto John's immersion. (4)Then said Paul: John indeed immersed with the immersion of repentance; saying to the people, that they should believe on him who should come after him, that is, on Jesus. (5)And when they heard this, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus. (6)And Paul having laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. (7)And all the men were about twelve.

(8)And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them of the things concerning the kingdom of G.o.d. (9)But when some were hardened, and believed not, speaking evil of the Way before the mult.i.tude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. (10)And this continued for two years; so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (11)And G.o.d wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul; (12)so that also there were carried from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs or ap.r.o.ns, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out from them.

(13)Then some of the wandering Jewish exorcists took upon them to name, over those who had the evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. (14)And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.