2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the

and thy house. And they spake to him the word of God, and to all that were in his house. 12 And he took them the same scriptures, opening and alleging, that hour of the night, and washed their it behooved the Messiah to suffer, stripes; and was baptized, he and and to rise from the dead; and this all his, straightway. And when he Jesus, whom I preach to you, said had brought them into his house he he, is Messiah. set meat before them, and rejoiced, 3 And some of them believed, believing in God with all his house. and consorted with Paul and Silas; 13 And when it was day the and of the devout Greeks a great magistrates sent the serjeants, say-many, and of the chief women not a ing, Release those men. And the few. keeper of the prison told this to Paul, The magistrates have sent to release you: now therefore depart, and and go in peace.

14 But Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? No, indeed; let them come themselves and bring us out.

4 But the Jews who believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people and when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also: whom Jason hath received: and these all

15 And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates; and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. And they came and do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, besought them, and brought them saying that there is another king, one out, and desired them to depart out Jesus. of the city. 5 And it troubled the people and 16 And they went out of the the rulers of the city, when they prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

SELECTION XII.

heard these things: but when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

6 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea: who coming thither went Driven from place to place Paul and into the synagogue of the Jews. Silas at length come to Athens, where These were more noble than those Paul makes his famous discourse. in Thessalonica, in that they reNow OW when they had passed ceived the word with all readiness of through Amphipolis and Apol- mind, and searched the scriptures lonia, they came to Thessalonica, daily to find out if these things were where was a synagogue of the Jews. so. Therefore many of them be

who were Greeks, and of men not a few.

lieved; also of honorable women Athens, I perceive that ye are somewhat superstitious: for as I passed by, and observed your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN

GOD.

7 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Whom therefore ye worship without Berea, they came thither also, and knowing him, this one declare I to stirred up the people. And then you :immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 8 And they that conducted Paul brought him to Athens: and receiving a commission for Silas and Timotheus to come to him with all speed, they departed.

9 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was aroused in him, when he saw the city given over to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with other devout persons; also in the places of public assembly, every day, with them that met him.

10 Then certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers encountered him, and some of them said, What will this babbler say? and others said, He seems to be a setter forth of new gods (because he preached to them about Jesus and the Resurrection).

13 The God that made the world. and all things therein, even he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands; neither is he worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing it is he that giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

14 And he hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the seasons appointed to each of them, and the bounds of their habitation.

15 Therefore they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from each one of us; for in him we live, and move, and exist; as certain of your own poets have well said, We are his offspring.

16 If then we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divinity is like gold, or silver, or II And they brought him to the stone, graven by art and man's deAreopagus, and said, May we know vice. The times of ignorance God what this new teaching, whereof overlooked; but now he commands thou speakest, is? Thou bringest all men everywhere to repent. certain new things to our ears: we would know therefore what they mean. (For all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear something new.)

12 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Men of

17 He hath appointed a day also, in which he will administer judgment in accordance with righteousness to the inhabited earth, through the influence of this man whom he hath anointed; and to all hath he given testimony concerning him, by raising him up from among the dead.

18 And when they heard of the lay hands on thee to hurt thee: for resurrection of the dead, some I have much people in this city. mocked, and others said, We will And he continued there a year and hear thee again of this matter. six months, teaching the word of God among them.

19 So Paul departed from among them; but certain clave to him, and believed: among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others.

SELECTION XIII.

Paul is persecuted in Corinth, and going on to Ephesus, arouses great enthusiasm among a few disciples of John the Baptist whom he happens to find there.

5 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

6 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong

AFTER these things Paul depart- or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, rea

you: but if it be a question of mere words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drove them from the judgment seat.

ed from Athens, and came to son would that I should bear with Corinth 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 he came to them; 7 Then all the Greeks took Sosand because he was of the same thenes, the chief ruler of the synatrade, he abode with them, and gogue, and beat him before the worked for by their occupation they judgment seat. And Gallio cared were tentmakers. for none of those things.

2 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

8 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: and he said to them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they replied, Nay, we did not so much as

3 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Messiah. And when they opposed themselves, and reviled, he shook his raiment, hear whether there was a Holy and said to them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.

Spirit. And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they answered, Into John's baptism.

9 And Paul said, John baptized 4 Then spake the Lord to Paul in with the baptism of repentance, saythe night by a vision, Be not afraid, ing to the people, that they should but speak on, and be not silent: for believe on him who should come I am with thee, and no man shall after him, that is, on Jesus.

men.

Io When they heard this, they occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know were baptized in the name of the that by this craft we have our wealth. Master, Jesus: and when Paul had Moreover ye see and hear, that not laid his hands upon them, the Holy alone at Ephesus, but almost Spirit came on them; and they throughout all Asia, this Paul hath spake with tongues, and prophesied. persuaded and turned away much And they were in all about twelve people, saying that they are no gods, which are made with hands. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also there is danger that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.

II And Paul entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.

12 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Master, both Jews and Greeks.

SELECTION XIV.

The riot in Ephesus stirred up against Paul by the workmen who made shrines for Diana.

3 And when they heard this, they were full of wrath, and cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

4 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. And when Paul would have entered in to the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain

of the chief of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him, desiring him

AFTER these things were ended, that he would not adventure himself

Paul purposed, when he had into the theatre. Some therefore passed through Macedonia and cried one thing, and some another: Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, for the assembly was confused; and After I have been there, I must also the greater part knew not wherefore see Rome. So he sent into Mace- they were come together. donia two of them that ministered to him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

2 And the same time there arose no small stir about that Way; for a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen, whom he called together with the workmen of like

5 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 to the people. 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.

6 And when the townclerk had

2 And when they were come to him, he said to them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord

appeased the people, he said, Men of Ephesus, who is there among men that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? with humility of mind, and with Seeing then that these things cannot many tears and trials, which befell be denied, ye ought to be quiet, me by the plots of the Jews: and and to do nothing rashly. For ye how I kept back nothing that was have brought hither these men, who profitable, but have instructed you, are neither robbers of temples nor and have taught you both publicly, yet blasphemers of your goddess. and from house to house, preaching Wherefore if Demetrius, and the both to the Jews, and also to the craftsmen who are with him, have Greeks, repentance toward God, and a complaint against any man, the faith toward Jesus Christ, our Master. court is open, and there are deputies: 3 And now, behold, I go bound let them implead one another. But in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowif ye enquire any thing concerning ing the things that shall befall me other matters, it shall be determined there: save that the Holy Spirit in a lawful assembly. For we are in witnesseth in every city, saying that danger to be called in question for bonds and afflictions abide me. But this day's uproar, there being no none of these things move me, cause whereby we may give an ac- neither count I my life dear to mycount of this concourse. And when self, so that I may finish my course he had thus spoken, he dismissed the with joy, and the ministry, which I assembly. have received of Jesus, the Master, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

7 And after the uproar had ceased, Paul called to him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, and there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he resolved to return. through Macedonia.

SELECTION XV.

An exhibition of Paul's love for those who followed his ministry, and of his heroic consecration to his work.

4. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God.

5 Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of the Master, which he purchased with his own blood.

6 For I know this, that after my

AND from Miletus Paul sent to departing shall grievous wolves en

Ephesus, and called the elders ter in among you, not sparing the flock also of your own number shall

of the church.