of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the
ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
44:015:017 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the
Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who
doeth all these things.
44:015:018 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the
world.
44:015:019 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from
among the Gentiles are turned to God:
44:015:020 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions
of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and
from blood.
44:015:021 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him,
being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
44:015:022 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; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief
men among the brethren:
44:015:023 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles
and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which
are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
44:015:024 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from
us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls,
saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we
gave no such commandment:
44:015:025 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to
send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
44:015:026 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
44:015:027 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell
you the same things by mouth.
44:015:028 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon
you no greater burden than these necessary things;
44:015:029 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood,
and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if
ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
44:015:030 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when
they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the
epistle:
44:015:031 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
44:015:032 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted
the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
44:015:033 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in
peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
44:015:034 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
44:015:035 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and
preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
44:015:036 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.
44:015:037 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname
was Mark.
44:015:038 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed
from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
44:015:039 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they
departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took
Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
44:015:040 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the
brethren unto the grace of God.
44:015:041 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the
churches.
44:016:001 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain
disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain
woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a
Greek:
44:016:002 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra
and Iconium.
44:016:003 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and
circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those
quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
44:016:004 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.
44:016:005 And so were the churches established in the faith, and
increased in number daily.
44:016:006 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of
Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the
word in Asia,
44:016:007 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into
Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
44:016:008 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
44:016:009 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man
of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into
Macedonia, and help us.
44:016:010 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured
to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had
called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
44:016:011 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course
to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
44:016:012 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that
part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city
abiding certain days.
44:016:013 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side,
where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake
unto the women which resorted thither.
44:016:014 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.
44:016:015 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us,
saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come
into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
44:016:016 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel
possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought
her masters much gain by soothsaying:
44:016:017 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men
are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the
way of salvation.
44:016:018 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned
and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
44:016:019 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was
gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the
marketplace unto the rulers,
44:016:020 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being
Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
44:016:021 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive,
neither to observe, being Romans.
44:016:022 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the
magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat
them.
44:016:023 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them
into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
44:016:024 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner
prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
44:016:025 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto
God: and the prisoners heard them.
44:016:026 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the
doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
44:016:027 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.
44:016:028 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm:
for we are all here.
44:016:029 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling,
and fell down before Paul and Silas,
44:016:030 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?
44:016:031 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved, and thy house.
44:016:032 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that
were in his house.
44:016:033 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
44:016:034 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat
before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his
house.
44:016:035 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants,
saying, Let those men go.
44:016:036 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The
magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and
go in peace.
44:016:037 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly
uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and
now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them
come themselves and fetch us out.
44:016:038 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and
they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
44:016:039 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and
desired them to depart out of the city.
44:016:040 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of
Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted
them, and departed.
44:017:001 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia,
they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
44:017:002 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three
sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
44:017:003 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered,
and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I
preach unto you, is Christ.
44:017:004 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas;
and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief
women not a few.
44:017:005 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto
them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a
company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the
house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
44:017:006 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain
brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have
turned the world upside down are come hither also;
44:017:007 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the
decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one
Jesus.
44:017:008 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when
they heard these things.
44:017:009 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other,
they let them go.
44:017:010 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the
Jews.
44:017:011 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.
44:017:012 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women
which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
44:017:013 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word
of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also,
and stirred up the people.
44:017:014 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it
were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
44:017:015 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and
receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come
to him with all speed, they departed.
44:017:016 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was
stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
44:017:017 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.
44:017:018 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the
Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this
babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of
strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the
resurrection.
44:017:019 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May
we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
44:017:020 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would
know therefore what these things mean.
44:017:021 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent
their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear
some new thing.)
44:017:022 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men
of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too
superstitious.
44:017:023 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an
altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom
therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
44:017:024 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he
is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with
hands;
44:017:025 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed
any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all
things;
44:017:026 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on
all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times
before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
44:017:027 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
44:017:028 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.
44:017:029 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,
graven by art and man's device.
44:017:030 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to repent:
44:017:031 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge
the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath
raised him from the dead.
44:017:032 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this
matter.
44:017:033 So Paul departed from among them.
44:017:034 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris,
and others with them.
44:018:001 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to
Corinth;
44:018:002 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately
come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that
Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came
unto them.
44:018:003 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and
wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
44:018:004 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded
the Jews and the Greeks.
44:018:005 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul
was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that
Jesus was Christ.
44:018:006 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his
raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own
heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the
Gentiles.
44:018:007 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's
house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house
joined hard to the synagogue.
44:018:008 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the
Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing
believed, and were baptized.
44:018:009 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not
afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
44:018:010 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee:
for I have much people in this city.
44:018:011 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the
word of God among them.
44:018:012 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made
insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to
the judgment seat,
44:018:013 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to
the law.
44:018:014 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said
unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked
lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
44:018:015 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law,
look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
44:018:016 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
44:018:017 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio
cared for none of those things.
44:018:018 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then
took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria,
and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in
Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
44:018:019 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself
entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
44:018:020 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he
consented not;
44:018:021 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this
feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto
you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
44:018:022 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted
the church, he went down to Antioch.
44:018:023 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went
over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order,
strengthening all the disciples.
44:018:024 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an
eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
44:018:025 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being
fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the
things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
44:018:026 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when
Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and
expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
44:018:027 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren
wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he
was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
44:018:028 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly,
shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
44:019:001 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul
having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and
finding certain disciples,
44:019:002 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye
believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard
whether there be any Holy Ghost.
44:019:003 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And
they said, Unto John's baptism.
44:019:004 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe
on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
44:019:005 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus.
44:019:006 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost
came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
44:019:007 And all the men were about twelve.
44:019:008 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space
of three months, disputing and persuading the things
concerning the kingdom of God.
44:019:009 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake
evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them,
and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of
one Tyrannus.
44:019:010 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they
which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both
Jews and Greeks.
44:019:011 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
44:019:012 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs
or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil
spirits went out of them.
44:019:013 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them
to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD
Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
44:019:014 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of
the priests, which did so.
44:019:015 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul
I know; but who are ye?
44:019:016 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and
overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled
out of that house naked and wounded.
44:019:017 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at
Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord
Jesus was magnified.
44:019:018 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their
deeds.
44:019:019 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books
together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the
price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
44:019:020 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
44:019:021 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit,
when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to
Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see
Rome.
44:019:022 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto
him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for
a season.
44:019:023 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
44:019:024 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made
silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the
craftsmen;
44:019:025 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation,
and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
44:019:026 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but
almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and
turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which
are made with hands:
44:019:027 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at
nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana
should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed,
whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
44:019:028 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath,
and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
44:019:029 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having
caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's
companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the
theatre.
44:019:030 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the
disciples suffered him not.
44:019:031 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent
unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself
into the theatre.
44:019:032 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the
assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore
they were come together.
44:019:033 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting
him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would
have made his defence unto the people.
44:019:034 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about
the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the
Ephesians.
44:019:035 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye
men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that
the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess
Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
44:019:036 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye
ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
44:019:037 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither
robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
44:019:038 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him,
have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are
deputies: let them implead one another.
44:019:039 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall
be determined in a lawful assembly.
44:019:040 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's
uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of
this concourse.
44:019:041 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
44:020:001 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the
disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into
Macedonia.
44:020:002 And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much
exhortation, he came into Greece,
44:020:003 And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for
him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return
through Macedonia.
44:020:004 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of
the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of
Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.