Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

Acts 16:1-40

Paul reached Derbe, and then Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy. He was the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.

The brothers and sisters in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

Paul wanted to take Timothy with him, so he circumcised him. This was because of the Jews who lived in those areas, for they all knew Timothy’s father was Greek.

As Paul and his companions traveled through the cities, they instructed Gentile believers to keep the regulations put in place by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and every day their numbers grew.

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the regions of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia.

When they approached the province of Mysia, they tried to enter the province of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus didn't allow them.

Passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas instead.

A vision of a man from Macedonia came to Paul during the night. He stood urging Paul, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

Immediately after Paul saw the vision, we prepared to leave for the province of Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good message to them.

We sailed from Troas straight for Samothrace and came to Neapolis the next day.

From there we went to Philippi, a city of Macedonia’s first district and a Roman colony. We stayed in that city several days.

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the riverbank, where we thought there might be a place for prayer. We sat down and began to talk with the women assembled.

One of those women was Lydia, a Gentile God-worshipper from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth. As she listened, the Lord enabled her to accept Paul’s message.

Once she and her household were baptized, she urged, “Now that you have decided that I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded us.

One day, when we were on the way to the place for prayer, we met a slave woman. She had a spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She made a lot of money for her owners through fortune-telling.

She began following Paul and us, shouting, “These people are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming a way of salvation to you!”

She did this for many days.

This annoyed Paul so much that he finally turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to depart from her!” immediately it left.


Her owners realized that their hope for making money was gone. They grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the officials in the city center.

When her owners approached the legal authorities, they said, “These people are causing an uproar in our city. They are Jews

who promote customs that we Romans can’t accept or practice.”

The crowd joined in the attacks against Paul and Silas, so the authorities ordered that they be stripped of their clothes and beaten with a rod.

When Paul and Silas were severely beaten, the authorities tossed them into prison and ordered the jailer to secure them with great care.

When he received these instructions, he threw them into the innermost cell and secured their feet in stocks.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

All at once there was such a violent earthquake that it shook the prison’s very foundations. The doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

When the jailer awoke and saw the open doors of the prison, he thought the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword and was about to commit suicide.

But Paul shouted loudly, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”

The jailer called for some lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

He led them outside and asked, “Honorable masters, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your entire household.”

They spoke the Lord’s word to him and everyone else in his house.

Right then, in the middle of the night, the jailer welcomed them and bathed their wounds. He and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.

He brought them into his home and gave them a meal. He was overjoyed because he and everyone in his household had come to accept God.

The next morning the legal authorities sent the police to the jailer with the order “Release those people.”

So the jailer reported this to Paul, informing him, “The authorities sent word that you both are to be released. You can leave now. Go in peace.”

Paul told the police, “Even though we are Roman citizens, they beat us publicly without first finding us guilty of a crime, and they threw us into prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? No way! They themselves will have to come and escort us out.”

The police reported this to the authorities, who were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

They came and cajoled Paul and Silas, and escorted them out of prison and begged them to leave the city.

Paul and Silas left the prison and made their way to Lydia’s house where they encouraged the brothers and sisters. Then they left Philippi.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And he came to Derbe and Lystra, and lo, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus son of a certain woman, a believing Jewess, but of a father, a Greek,

2 who was well testified to by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium;

3 this one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken [him], he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father -- that he was a Greek.

4 And as they were going on through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that have been judged by the apostles and the elders who [are] in Jerusalem,

5 then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;

6 and having gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

7 having gone toward Mysia, they were trying to go on toward Bithynia, and the Spirit did not suffer them,

8 and having passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

9 And a vision through the night appeared to Paul -- a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling upon him, and saying, `Having passed through to Macedonia, help us;' --

10 and when he saw the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go forth to Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord hath called us to preach good news to them,

11 having set sail, therefore, from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, on the morrow also to Neapolis,

12 thence also to Philippi, which is a principal city of the part of Macedonia -- a colony. And we were in this city abiding certain days,

13 on the sabbath-day also we went forth outside of the city, by a river, where there used to be prayer, and having sat down, we were speaking to the women who came together,

14 and a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, worshipping God, was hearing, whose heart the Lord did open to attend to the things spoken by Paul;

15 and when she was baptized, and her household, she did call upon us, saying, `If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, remain;' and she constrained us.

16 And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, did meet us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying,

17 she having followed Paul and us, was crying, saying, `These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us a way of salvation;'

18 and this she was doing for many days, but Paul having been grieved, and having turned, said to the spirit, `I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come forth from her;' and it came forth the same hour.

19 And her masters having seen that the hope of their employment was gone, having caught Paul and Silas, drew [them] to the market-place, unto the rulers,

20 and having brought them to the magistrates, they said, `These men do exceedingly trouble our city, being Jews;

21 and they proclaim customs that are not lawful for us to receive nor to do, being Romans.'

22 And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates having torn their garments from them, were commanding to beat [them] with rods,

23 many blows also having laid upon them, they cast them to prison, having given charge to the jailor to keep them safely,

24 who such a charge having received, did put them to the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were hearing them,

26 and suddenly a great earthquake came, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, opened also presently were all the doors, and of all -- the bands were loosed;

27 and the jailor having come out of sleep, and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn a sword, was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to be fled,

28 and Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, `Thou mayest not do thyself any harm, for we are all here.'

29 And, having asked for a light, he sprang in, and trembling he fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 and having brought them forth, said, `Sirs, what must I do -- that I may be saved?'

31 and they said, `Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved -- thou and thy house;'

32 and they spake to him the word of the Lord, and to all those in his household;

33 and having taken them, in that hour of the night, he did bathe [them] from the blows, and was baptized, himself and all his presently,

34 having brought them also into his house, he set food before [them], and was glad with all the household, he having believed in God.

35 And day having come, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, `Let those men go;'

36 and the jailor told these words unto Paul -- `The magistrates have sent, that ye may be let go; now, therefore, having gone forth go on in peace;'

37 and Paul said to them, `Having beaten us publicly uncondemned -- men, Romans being -- they did cast [us] to prison, and now privately do they cast us forth! why no! but having come themselves, let them bring us forth.'

38 And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

39 and having come, they besought them, and having brought [them] forth, they were asking [them] to go forth from the city;

40 and they, having gone forth out of the prison, entered into [the house of] Lydia, and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and went forth.

[_LittleNipper]

Acts 17:1-34

Now after [Paul and Silas] had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

And Paul entered, as he usually did, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned and debated them with the Scriptures,

Explaining and setting forth and scripturally proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, Whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah."

And some of them were induced to believe and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, as did a great number of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

But the unbelieving Jews were aroused to jealousy, and, getting hold of some ruffians and loungers in the marketplace, they gathered a mob, set the town in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring [Paul and Silas] out to the people.

But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, "These men who have turned the world on end have come here also,

And Jason has received them to his house and privately protected them! And they are all ignoring and acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, asserting that there is another king --- Jesus!"

And both the crowd and the city authorities, on hearing this, were upset.

And when they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they released them.

Now the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea; and when they arrived, they entered the synagogue of the Jews.

Now these Jews were better off and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Many of them therefore became believers, together with not a few prominent Greeks, women as well as men.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the Word of God concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God was also preached by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, disturbing and inciting the masses.

At once the brethren sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed behind.

Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible --- left.

Now while Paul was awaiting them at Athens, his spirit was grieved and angered as he saw that the city was full of idols.

So Paul reasoned and debated in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped there, and in the marketplace daily with any who happened along.

And some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered Paul and began to engage in debate. And some said, "What is this babbler with his garbage education trying to say?" Others said, "He seems to proclaiming foreign deities!" (because he preached Jesus and the resurrection).

And they grabbed him and brought him to the Areopagus (Mars Hill), saying, May we know what this unprecedented teaching is which you are openly declaring?

For you revealed some startling things, foreign and strange to our ears; we wish to know just what these things mean—

For the Athenians, all of them, and the foreign residents and visitors alike spent all their leisure time in nothing except spreading or hearing the latest thing.

So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus (Mars Hill), said, "Men of Athens, I perceive everywhere that you are most humanly religious.

For as I strolled along and carefully observed your objects of worship, I came also upon an altar with this inscription, To the unknown god. Now what you are already worshiping as unknown, this I reveal to you.

The God who created and formed the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in man made shrines.

He is not served by human hands, as though He lacked anything, for it is He Himself who gives life and breath to every living thing.

And He derived from one common origin, one source, one blood all nations of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined allotted lengths of time and fixed boundaries for their habitation,

so that they should seek God, in the hope that they may reach after Him and discover Him, although He is not far from each one of us.

For through Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your [own] poets have said, For we are also His offspring.

Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to suppose that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, [of the nature of] a representation by human art and imagination, or anything constructed or invented.

Such previous times of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins,

since He has set a date when He will judge the world righteously by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead.

Now when they had heard about a resurrection from the dead, some scoffed; but others said, "We will hear you again regarding this."

So Paul left.

But some men stuck by him joining him and became Christians; among them were Dionysius, a judge of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, plus some others.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And having passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews,

2 and according to the custom of Paul, he went in unto them, and for three sabbaths he was reasoning with them from the Writings,

3 opening and alleging, `That the Christ it behoved to suffer, and to rise again out of the dead, and that this is the Christ -- Jesus whom I proclaim to you.'

4 And certain of them did believe, and attached themselves to Paul and to Silas, also of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude, of the principal women also not a few.

5 And the unbelieving Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken to them of the loungers certain evil men, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having assailed also the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring [them] to the populace,

6 and not having found them, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the city rulers, calling aloud -- `These, having put the world in commotion, are also here present,

7 whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying another to be king -- Jesus.'

8 And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things,

9 and having taking security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

10 And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews;

11 and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so;

12 many, indeed, therefore, of them did believe, and of the honourable Greek women and men not a few.

13 And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came thither also, agitating the multitudes;

14 and then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul, to go on as it were to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy were remaining there.

15 And those conducting Paul, brought him unto Athens, and having received a command unto Silas and Timotheus that with all speed they may come unto him, they departed;

16 and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry,

17 therefore, indeed, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the worshipping persons, and in the market-place every day with those who met with him.

18 And certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers, were meeting together to see him, and some were saying, `What would this seed picker wish to say?' and others, `Of strange demons he doth seem to be an announcer;' because Jesus and the rising again he did proclaim to them as good news,

19 having also taken him, unto the Areopagus they brought [him], saying, `Are we able to know what [is] this new teaching that is spoken by thee,

20 for certain strange things thou dost bring to our ears? we wish, then, to know what these things would wish to be;'

21 and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.

22 And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, said, `Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you as over-religious;

23 for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God -- unknown; whom, therefore -- not knowing -- ye do worship, this One I announce to you.

24 `God, who did make the world, and all things in it, this One, of heaven and of earth being Lord, in temples made with hands doth not dwell,

25 neither by the hands of men is He served -- needing anything, He giving to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 He made also of one blood every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth -- having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings --

27 to seek the Lord, if perhaps they did feel after Him and find, -- though, indeed, He is not far from each one of us,

28 for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also certain of your poets have said: For of Him also we are offspring.

29 `Being, therefore, offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead to be like to gold, or silver, or stone, graving of art and device of man;

30 the times, indeed, therefore, of the ignorance God having overlooked, doth now command all men everywhere to reform,

31 because He did set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He did ordain, having given assurance to all, having raised him out of the dead.'

32 And having heard of a rising again of the dead, some, indeed, were mocking, but others said, `We will hear thee again concerning this;'

33 and so Paul went forth from the midst of them,

34 and certain men having cleaved to him, did believe, among whom [is] also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman, by name Damaris, and others with them.

[_LittleNipper]

Acts 18:1-28

Following, Paul left Athens and entered Corinth.

There he met Aquila a Jew, originally from Pontus but having recently arrived with his wife Priscilla from Italy, because Claudius had issued a decree expelling all the Jews from Rome. Paul went to visit them.

And because Paul practiced the same trade as them (tent making) he remained with them; and they worked together.

Paul also began carrying on discussions every Sabbath in the synagogue, where he tried to debate both Jews and Greeks.

But after Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul felt pressed by the urgency of the message and testified in depth to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.

However when they set themselves against him and began hurling insults, he shook out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! For my part, I am clean; from now on, I will visit the Gentiles!”

So he departed and went into the home of a “God-fearer” named Titius Justus, whose house was right next door to the synagogue.

Crispus, the president of the synagogue, came to trust in the Lord, along with his entire household; also many of the Corinthians who heard trusted and were immersed.

One night, in a vision, the Lord said to Paul, “Do not fear, but speak up, and don’t quit,

because I Am with you. No one will succeed in harming you, for I possess many people in this city.”

So Paul stayed there for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

However, when Gallio became the Roman governor of Achaia, the unbelieving Jews made a joint effort against Paul and took him to court,

saying, “This man is trying to persuade people to worship God in ways that violate the Law.”

Paul was just about to speak, when Gallio said to the Jews, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of inflicted injury or a serious crime, I could reasonably be expected to hear your complaint.

But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I refuse to officiate in such matters.”

And he had them ejected from the court.

They all grabbed Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and beat him in full view of the bench; but Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Paul remained for some time, then said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off to Syria, after having his hair cut short in Cenchrea, because he had taken a vow; with him were Priscilla and Aquila.

They came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself went into the synagogue and talked with the Jews.

When they asked him to stay with them longer, he declined;

however, in his farewell he said, “God willing, I will return to you.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

After landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the Messianic community. Then he came down to Antioch,

spent some time there, and afterwards set out and passed systematically through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, uplifting all the disciples.

Meanwhile, a Jewish man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker with a thorough knowledge of the Hebrew texts.

This man had been informed about the Way of the Lord, and with great spiritual fervor he spoke and taught accurately the facts regarding Jesus, but he knew only the immersion of John.

He began to speak out boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God in finer detail.

When he made plans to cross over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote the disciples there to welcome him. On arrival, he greatly assisted those who through grace had come to believe;

for he powerfully and conclusively refuted the unbelieving Jews in public, demonstrating by the Law that Jesus is the Messiah.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And after these things, Paul having departed out of Athens, came to Corinth,

2 and having found a certain Jew, by name Aquilas, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife -- because of Claudius having directed all the Jews to depart out of Rome -- he came to them,

3 and because of being of the same craft, he did remain with them, and was working, for they were tent-makers as to craft;

4 and he was reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, persuading both Jews and Greeks.

5 And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, testifying fully to the Jews Jesus the Christ;

6 and on their resisting and speaking evil, having shaken [his] garments, he said unto them, `Your blood [is] upon your head -- I am clean; henceforth to the nations I will go on.'

7 And having departed thence, he went to the house of a certain one, by name Justus, a worshipper of God, whose house was adjoining the synagogue,

8 and Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue did believe in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing were believing, and they were being baptized.

9 And the Lord said through a vision in the night to Paul, `Be not afraid, but be speaking and thou mayest be not silent;

10 because I am with thee, and no one shall set on thee to do thee evil; because I have much people in this city;'

11 and he continued a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.

12 And Gallio being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a rush with one accord upon Paul, and brought him unto the tribunal,

13 saying -- `Against the law this one doth persuade men to worship God;'

14 and Paul being about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, `If, indeed, then, it was anything unrighteous, or an act of wicked profligacy, O Jews, according to reason I had borne with you,

15 but if it is a question concerning words and names, and of your law, look ye yourselves [to it], for a judge of these things I do not wish to be,'

16 and he drave them from the tribunal;

17 and all the Greeks having taken Sosthenes, the chief man of the synagogue, were beating [him] before the tribunal, and not even for these things was Gallio caring.

18 And Paul having remained yet a good many days, having taken leave of the brethren, was sailing to Syria -- and with him [are] Priscilla and Aquilas -- having shorn [his] head in Cenchera, for he had a vow;

19 and he came down to Ephesus, and did leave them there, and he himself having entered into the synagogue did reason with the Jews:

20 and they having requested [him] to remain a longer time with them, he did not consent,

21 but took leave of them, saying, `It behoveth me by all means the coming feast to keep at Jerusalem, and again I will return unto you -- God willing.' And he sailed from Ephesus,

22 and having come down to Cesarea, having gone up, and having saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch.

23 And having made some stay he went forth, going through in order the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24 And a certain Jew, Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by birth, a man of eloquence, being mighty in the Writings, came to Ephesus,

25 this one was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the Spirit, was speaking and teaching exactly the things about the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John;

26 this one also began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Aquilas and Priscilla having heard of him, took him to [them], and did more exactly expound to him the way of God,

27 and he being minded to go through into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples, having exhorted them to receive him, who having come, did help them much who have believed through the grace,

28 for powerfully the Jews he was refuting publicly, shewing through the Writings Jesus to be the Christ.

[_LittleNipper]

Acts 19:1-41

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul finished his travels through the inland country and arrived at Ephesus, where he found some disciples.

He questioned them, “Did you receive the Koly Spirit when you came to trust?” “No,” they said to him, “we have never realized that there existed such a thing as the Holy Spirit.”

“In that case,” he asked, “into what were you immersed?” “The immersion of John,” they replied.

Paull said, “John practiced an immersion in connection with turning from sin to God; but he told the people to put their trust in the one who would follow him, that is, in Jesus.”

Upon hearing this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus;

and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them; so that they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

In all, there were about 12 of these men.

Paul went into the synagogue; and for 3 months he spoke out boldly, engaging in dialogue and trying to persuade people about God's Kingdom.

But some began hardening themselves refusing to listen; and when these started bring dishonor to the Way before the entire synagogue, Paul withdrew, took the disciples with him, and commenced holding daily dialogues in Tyrannus’ school.

This continued for 2 years; so that everyone, both Jews and Greeks, living in the province of Asia heard the message concerning the Lord.

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.

For instance, handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul were brought to sick people; they would recover from their ailments; and the evil spirits would depart.

Then some of the Jewish exorcists who traveled from place to place tried to apply the name of the Lord Jesus in connection with people who had evil spirits. They would say, “I exorcise you by the Jesus proclaimed by Paul!”

One time, 7 sons of a Jewish priest named Skeva/Sceva doing this;

and the evil spirit answered them. It said, “Jesus I know. And Paul I recognize. But you? Who are you?”

Then the man with the evil spirit fought them, overpowered them and gave them such a beating that they ran from the house, naked and bleeding.

When all this became known to the residents of Ephesus, fear fell on all of them, Jews and Greeks alike; and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in high regard.

Many of those who had early on made professions of faith now came and admitted publicly their evil deeds;

and a large number of those who had engaged in witchcraft threw their scrolls in a pile and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, it came to 50,000 drachmas.

So the message about the Lord continued powerfully way to grow in influence.

Some time later, Paul decided by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and then go to Jerusalem. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome.”

So he sent 2 of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia; but Paul remained in the province of Asia for a while.

It was at this time that a major furor arose regarding the Way.

There was a silversmith named Demetrius who manufactured, objects connected with the worship of the goddess Artemis; and he provided a large amount of work for the craftsmen.

He called a meeting of them and of those engaged in similar trades, and said, “Men, you understand that this line of business is our livelihood.

And you can witness for yourselves that not only here in Ephesus, but in practically the whole province of Asia, this Paul has convinced and turned away a considerable crowd by saying that man-made gods aren’t gods at all.

Now the danger is not only that the reputation of our trade will suffer, but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to be discredited. It could end up with the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and indeed throughout the whole world, being ignominiously stripped from her divine majesty!”

Hearing this, they were filled with rage and began hollering, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

Soon the whole city was in an uproar. As one man, the mob rushed into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s Macedonian traveling companions.

Paul himself wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples wouldn’t let him.

Even some of the officials of the province, friends of his, sent a message begging him not to risk entering the theater.

Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and others something else, because the assembly was in complete confusion, and the great majority were clueless.

Some of the crowd explained the situation to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence, hoping to make a defense speech to the people.

But as soon as they recognized that he was Jewish, they began bellowing in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” and they kept it up for approximately 2 hours.

At last, the city clerk was able to quiet the crowd. “Men of Ephesus!” he said, “Is there anyone who doesn’t know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone which fell from the sky?

Since this is beyond dispute, you had better calm down and not do anything rash.

For you have brought these men here who have neither robbed the temple nor insulted your goddess.

So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and the judges are there — let them bring charges and counter-charges.

But if there is something more you want, it will have to be settled in court.

For we are in danger of being accused of rioting on account of what has happened presently. There is no justification for it; and if we are asked, we will be unable to give any reasonable explanation for this disorderly gathering.”

Upon these words, he dismissed the assembly.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And it came to pass, in Apollos' being in Corinth, Paul having gone through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples,

2 he said unto them, `The Holy Spirit did ye receive -- having believed?' and they said unto him, `But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit;'

3 and he said unto them, `To what, then, were ye baptized?' and they said, `To John's baptism.'

4 And Paul said, `John, indeed, did baptize with a baptism of reformation, saying to the people that in him who is coming after him they should believe -- that is, in the Christ -- Jesus;'

5 and they, having heard, were baptized -- to the name of the Lord Jesus,

6 and Paul having laid on them [his] hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,

7 and all the men were, as it were, twelve.

8 And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign of God,

9 and when certain were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, having departed from them, he did separate the disciples, every day reasoning in the school of a certain Tyrannus.

10 And this happened for two years so that all those dwelling in Asia did hear the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks,

11 mighty works also -- not common -- was God working through the hands of Paul,

12 so that even unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.

13 And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;'

14 and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing;

15 and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye -- who are ye?'

16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

17 and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

18 many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

19 and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] five myriads of silverlings;

20 so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.

21 And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the Spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on to Jerusalem, saying -- `After my being there, it behoveth me also to see Rome;'

22 and having sent to Macedonia two of those ministering to him -- Timotheus and Erastus -- he himself stayed a time in Asia.

23 And there came, at that time, not a little stir about the way,

24 for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the artificers gain not a little,

25 whom, having brought in a crowd together, and those who did work about such things, he said, `Men, ye know that by this work we have our wealth;

26 and ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, did turn away a great multitude, saying, that they are not gods who are made by hands;

27 and not only is this department in danger for us of coming into disregard, but also, that of the great goddess Artemis the temple is to be reckoned for nothing, and also her greatness is about to be brought down, whom all Asia and the world doth worship.'

28 And they having heard, and having become full of wrath, were crying out, saying, `Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

29 and the whole city was filled with confusion, they rushed also with one accord into the theatre, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's fellow-travellers.

30 And on Paul's purposing to enter in unto the populace, the disciples were not suffering him,

31 and certain also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, having sent unto him, were entreating him not to venture himself into the theatre.

32 Some indeed, therefore, were calling out one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were come together;

33 and out of the multitude they put forward Alexander -- the Jews thrusting him forward -- and Alexander having beckoned with the hand, wished to make defence to the populace,

34 and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, `Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

35 And the public clerk having quieted the multitude, saith, `Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is a devotee of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?

36 these things, then, not being to be gainsaid, it is necessary for you to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

37 `For ye brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor speaking evil of your goddess;

38 if indeed, therefore, Demetrius and the artificers with him with any one have a matter, court [days] are held, and there are proconsuls; let them accuse one another.

39 `And if ye seek after anything concerning other matters, in the legal assembly it shall be determined;

40 for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we shall be able to give an account of this concourse;'

41 and these things having said, he dismissed the assembly.

[_Maksutov]

"handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul were brought to sick people; they would recover from their ailments; and the evil spirits would depart."

So is that where the sleazy televangelists like Tilton and Popoff and Copeland got the idea?



http://dustoffthebible.com/Blog-archive ... -all-time/

[_Choyo Chagas]

that apostatized cloth...

see http://www.ldsliving.com/What-Is-the-Ho ... It/s/81534 for the only true usage of any cloth (no, nothing about garments)

“Now, my brothers and sisters, in a moment I shall offer the dedicatory prayer, in which all of you are invited to join. Immediately at the close of the dedicatory prayer, we invite each one of you who may wish to participate to stand and join with us in the Hosanna Shout. This sacred salute to the Father and the Son is given at the dedication of each of the temples. It has also been given on a few occasions of historic importance, such as the laying of the capstone on the Salt Lake Temple and the celebration of the centennial of the Church in the 1930 general conference.

“We feel it is appropriate to give the shout here, as we dedicate this great building, the likes of which we may never undertake again. Any mention of this by the media should recognize that for us this is a very sacred and personal thing. We request that it be treated with deference and respect.

“I will now demonstrate the shout. Each one takes a clean white handkerchief, holding it by one corner, and waves it while saying in unison, “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb,” repeated three times, followed by “Amen, Amen, and Amen.”

got it?
1. white, not green
2. holding it by one corner, not plied sevenfold


by the way from the same page:

The word hosanna comes from two Hebrew words which, roughly translated, mean “please save us.” And though the phrase was at first used as a prayer or plea, it eventually came to be associated with praise and joy and is used that way today.

roughly translated? what?
did the battery of the seer stone go flat?

[_Maksutov]

[_spotlight]

Are there any bed sheets available? If not where do I place the prayer cloth at night to be most effective? Under or over my pillow? Thanks for marketing such a fantastic product. I hope to grow my testimony by means of this purchase.

Also, do you have any leads on talking snakes for my son? My daughter would like a talking puppy if one's available. She reasons that it should exist since talking donkeys exist.

My wife wants to know if its a good idea to eat grapefruit since they aren't mentioned in the Bible she has some concerns. Again thanks so much for your wonderful ministry and god-bless.

[_Choyo Chagas]

.

... Again thanks so much for your wonderful ministry and god-bless.

after same thanks, i had some special question to maksutov
1. do i sin if i write a letter to one of my family member to australia?
2. how is that aussieguy55 (memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=111) - apparently from the same place - wrote 1176 posts?

St. Augustine - De Civitate Dei, xvi, 9 - wrote:
"As to the fable that there are Antipodes, that is to say, men on the opposite side of the earth, where the sun rises when it sets on us, men who walk with their feet opposite ours, there is no reason for believing it. Those who affirm it do not claim to possess any actual information; they merely conjecture that, since the earth is suspended within the concavity of the heavens, and there is as much room on the one side of it as on the other, therefore the part which is beneath cannot be void of human inhabitants. They fail to notice that, even should it be believed or demonstrated that the world is round or spherical in form, it does not follow that the part of the earth opposite to us is not completely covered with water, or that any conjectured dry land there should be inhabited by men. For Scripture ***, which confirms the truth of its historical statements by the accomplishment of its prophecies, teaches not falsehood; and it is too absurd to say that some men might have set sail from this side and, traversing the immense expanse of ocean, have propagated there a race of human beings descended from that one first man."


***
as the "doctor of the church" refers to scripture, maybe littlenipper or mittens - our scripture experts - can answer

disclaimer: "limited understanding" doesn't prevail.

it is copyrighted by boyd k packer ( Doctrine and Covenants and Church History: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Lesson 5: “This Is the Spirit of Revelation”, see https://www.LDS.org/manual/doctrine-and ... n?lang=eng )

maybe bruce r mcconkie...
a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, spoke to seminary and institute personnel in a gathering analogous to this one. He emphasized how the revelation had changed our understanding of the issue. He said:
“‘Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham Young or President George Q. Cannon or whomsoever has said in days past that is contrary to the present revelation. We spoke with a limited understanding and without the light and knowledge that now has come into the world.
( https://www.LDS.org/manual/doctrine-and ... 2?lang=eng )

packer or mcconkie? prophets...

[_LittleNipper]

Jesus never spoke with limited understanded. He revealed what He knew and told us what He didn't know. I accept what Christ says first and foremost. Christ never promised us wealth or riches in this life. In fact Christ promised that Christians would face trials as He did. And what Jesus didn't know was the day or time of His return. He did know that He was going to prepare a place for His chosen.