Job Defends Himself

13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
(A)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
(B)But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
But you forgers of lies,
(C)You are all worthless physicians.
Oh, that you would be silent,
And (D)it would be your wisdom!
Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
(E)Will you speak [a]wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His [b]excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 “Hold[c] your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why (F)do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 (G)Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
(H)Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a (I)hypocrite could not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be (J)vindicated.
19 (K)Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.

Job’s Despondent Prayer

20 “Only(L) two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21 (M)Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will (N)answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 (O)Why do You hide Your face,
And (P)regard me as Your enemy?
25 (Q)Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26 For You write bitter things against me,
And (R)make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 (S)You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You [d]set a limit for the [e]soles of my feet.

28 Man[f] decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Job Speaks of Life’s Woes

14 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and (T)full of [g]trouble.
(U)He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
And (V)do You open Your eyes on such a one,
And (W)bring [h]me to judgment with Yourself?
Who (X)can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one!
(Y)Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
(Z)Look away from him that he may [i]rest,
Till (AA)like a hired man he finishes his day.

“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
Yet at the scent of water it will bud
And bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and [j]is laid away;
Indeed he [k]breathes his last
And where is (AB)he?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise.
(AC)Till the heavens are no more,
They will not awake
Nor be roused from their sleep.

13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service (AD)I will wait,
Till my change comes.
15 (AE)You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16 For now (AF)You number my steps,
But do not watch over my sin.
17 (AG)My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You [l]cover my iniquity.

18 “But as a mountain falls and crumbles away,
And as a rock is moved from its place;
19 As water wears away stones,
And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
So You destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and (AH)he does not know it;
They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22 But his flesh will be in pain over it,
And his soul will mourn over it.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 13:7 unrighteously
  2. Job 13:11 Lit. exaltation
  3. Job 13:13 Be silent
  4. Job 13:27 Lit. inscribe a print
  5. Job 13:27 Lit. roots
  6. Job 13:28 Lit. He
  7. Job 14:1 turmoil
  8. Job 14:3 LXX, Syr., Vg. him
  9. Job 14:6 Lit. cease
  10. Job 14:10 lies prostrate
  11. Job 14:10 expires
  12. Job 14:17 Lit. plaster over

13 “My eyes have seen all this,(A)
    my ears have heard and understood it.
What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.(B)
But I desire to speak to the Almighty(C)
    and to argue my case with God.(D)
You, however, smear me with lies;(E)
    you are worthless physicians,(F) all of you!(G)
If only you would be altogether silent!(H)
    For you, that would be wisdom.(I)
Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.(J)
Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?(K)
Will you show him partiality?(L)
    Will you argue the case for God?
Would it turn out well if he examined you?(M)
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?(N)
10 He would surely call you to account
    if you secretly showed partiality.(O)
11 Would not his splendor(P) terrify you?
    Would not the dread of him fall on you?(Q)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay.(R)

13 “Keep silent(S) and let me speak;(T)
    then let come to me what may.(U)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
    and take my life in my hands?(V)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope(W) in him;(X)
    I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.(Y)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,(Z)
    for no godless(AA) person would dare come before him!(AB)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;(AC)
    let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,(AD)
    I know I will be vindicated.(AE)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?(AF)
    If so, I will be silent(AG) and die.(AH)

20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand(AI) far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.(AJ)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(AK)
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.(AL)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(AM)
    Show me my offense and my sin.(AN)
24 Why do you hide your face(AO)
    and consider me your enemy?(AP)
25 Will you torment(AQ) a windblown leaf?(AR)
    Will you chase(AS) after dry chaff?(AT)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.(AU)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(AV)
    you keep close watch on all my paths(AW)
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

28 “So man wastes away like something rotten,
    like a garment(AX) eaten by moths.(AY)

14 “Mortals, born of woman,(AZ)
    are of few days(BA) and full of trouble.(BB)
They spring up like flowers(BC) and wither away;(BD)
    like fleeting shadows,(BE) they do not endure.(BF)
Do you fix your eye on them?(BG)
    Will you bring them[b] before you for judgment?(BH)
Who can bring what is pure(BI) from the impure?(BJ)
    No one!(BK)
A person’s days are determined;(BL)
    you have decreed the number of his months(BM)
    and have set limits he cannot exceed.(BN)
So look away from him and let him alone,(BO)
    till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.(BP)

“At least there is hope for a tree:(BQ)
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots(BR) will not fail.(BS)
Its roots may grow old in the ground
    and its stump(BT) die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water(BU) it will bud
    and put forth shoots like a plant.(BV)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;(BW)
    he breathes his last and is no more.(BX)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
    or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,(BY)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;(BZ)
    till the heavens are no more,(CA) people will not awake
    or be roused from their sleep.(CB)

13 “If only you would hide me in the grave(CC)
    and conceal me till your anger has passed!(CD)
If only you would set me a time
    and then remember(CE) me!(CF)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
    All the days of my hard service(CG)
    I will wait for my renewal[c](CH) to come.
15 You will call and I will answer you;(CI)
    you will long for the creature your hands have made.(CJ)
16 Surely then you will count my steps(CK)
    but not keep track of my sin.(CL)
17 My offenses will be sealed(CM) up in a bag;(CN)
    you will cover over my sin.(CO)

18 “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles(CP)
    and as a rock is moved from its place,(CQ)
19 as water wears away stones
    and torrents(CR) wash away the soil,(CS)
    so you destroy a person’s hope.(CT)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;(CU)
    you change their countenance and send them away.(CV)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
    if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.(CW)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies(CX)
    and mourn only for themselves.(CY)

Footnotes

  1. Job 13:15 Or He will surely slay me; I have no hope — / yet I will
  2. Job 14:3 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew me
  3. Job 14:14 Or release

Preaching Christ at Thessalonica

17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to (A)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, (B)went in to them, and for three Sabbaths (C)reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating (D)that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” (E)And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and (F)Silas.

Assault on Jason’s House

But the Jews [a]who were not persuaded, [b]becoming (G)envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of (H)Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, (I)“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has [c]harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, (J)saying there is another king—Jesus.” And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Ministering at Berea

10 Then (K)the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more [d]fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and (L)searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. 14 (M)Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and (N)receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

The Philosophers at Athens

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, (O)his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was [e]given over to idols. 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. 18 [f]Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this [g]babbler want to say?”

Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them (P)Jesus and the resurrection.

19 And they took him and brought him to the [h]Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Addressing the Areopagus

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the [i]Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 (Q)God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is (R)Lord of heaven and earth, (S)does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He (T)gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one [j]blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and (U)the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 (V)so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, (W)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (X)in Him we live and move and have our being, (Y)as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, (Z)we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, (AA)these times of ignorance God overlooked, but (AB)now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which (AC)He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by (AD)raising Him from the dead.”

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Ministering at Corinth

18 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named (AE)Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them (AF)and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. (AG)And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

(AH)When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was (AI)compelled [k]by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But (AJ)when they opposed him and blasphemed, (AK)he shook his garments and said to them, (AL)“Your blood be upon your own heads; (AM)I am clean. (AN)From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named [l]Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. (AO)Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

Now (AP)the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 (AQ)for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the [m]judgment seat, 13 saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. 15 But if it is a (AR)question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters. 16 And he drove them from the judgment seat. 17 Then [n]all the Greeks took (AS)Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.

Paul Returns to Antioch

18 So Paul still remained [o]a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. (AT)He had his hair cut off at (AU)Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, (AV)“I[p] must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, (AW)God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

22 And when he had landed at (AX)Caesarea, and [q]gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of (AY)Galatia and Phrygia [r]in order, (AZ)strengthening all the disciples.

Ministry of Apollos

24 (BA)Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being (BB)fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, (BC)though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, (BD)he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, (BE)showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:5 NU omits who were not persuaded
  2. Acts 17:5 M omits becoming envious
  3. Acts 17:7 welcomed
  4. Acts 17:11 Lit. noble
  5. Acts 17:16 full of idols
  6. Acts 17:18 NU, M add also
  7. Acts 17:18 Lit. seed picker, an idler who makes a living picking up scraps
  8. Acts 17:19 Lit. Hill of Ares, or Mars’ Hill
  9. Acts 17:22 Lit. Hill of Ares, or Mars’ Hill
  10. Acts 17:26 NU omits blood
  11. Acts 18:5 Or in his spirit or in the Spirit
  12. Acts 18:7 NU Titius Justus
  13. Acts 18:12 Gr. bema
  14. Acts 18:17 NU they all
  15. Acts 18:18 Lit. many days
  16. Acts 18:21 NU omits I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem
  17. Acts 18:22 To Jerusalem
  18. Acts 18:23 successively

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,(B) and on three Sabbath(C) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,(D) explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer(E) and rise from the dead.(F) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”(G) he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,(H) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.(I) They rushed to Jason’s(J) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] But when they did not find them, they dragged(K) Jason and some other believers(L) before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world(M) have now come here,(N) and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”(O) When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason(P) and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas(Q) away to Berea.(R) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.(S) 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,(T) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures(U) every day to see if what Paul said was true.(V) 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.(W)

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,(X) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers(Y) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas(Z) and Timothy(AA) stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens(AB) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.(AC)

In Athens

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue(AD) with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news(AE) about Jesus and the resurrection.(AF) 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,(AG) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching(AH) is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians(AI) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus(AJ) and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.(AK) 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship(AL)—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it(AM) is the Lord of heaven and earth(AN) and does not live in temples built by human hands.(AO) 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.(AP) 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.(AQ) 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.(AR) 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b](AS) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.(AT) 30 In the past God overlooked(AU) such ignorance,(AV) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.(AW) 31 For he has set a day when he will judge(AX) the world with justice(AY) by the man he has appointed.(AZ) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”(BA)

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,(BB) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,(BC) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

In Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens(BD) and went to Corinth.(BE) There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,(BF) because Claudius(BG) had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.(BH) Every Sabbath(BI) he reasoned in the synagogue,(BJ) trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas(BK) and Timothy(BL) came from Macedonia,(BM) Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.(BN) But when they opposed Paul and became abusive,(BO) he shook out his clothes in protest(BP) and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads!(BQ) I am innocent of it.(BR) From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”(BS)

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.(BT) Crispus,(BU) the synagogue leader,(BV) and his entire household(BW) believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:(BX) “Do not be afraid;(BY) keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you,(BZ) and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.(CA)

12 While Gallio was proconsul(CB) of Achaia,(CC) the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law(CD)—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes(CE) the synagogue leader(CF) and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters(CG) and sailed for Syria,(CH) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.(CI) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae(CJ) because of a vow he had taken.(CK) 19 They arrived at Ephesus,(CL) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”(CM) Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea,(CN) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.(CO)

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia(CP) and Phrygia,(CQ) strengthening all the disciples.(CR)

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,(CS) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.(CT) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[d](CU) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.(CV) 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila(CW) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,(CX) the brothers and sisters(CY) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures(CZ) that Jesus was the Messiah.(DA)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:5 Or the assembly of the people
  2. Acts 17:28 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
  3. Acts 17:28 From the Cilician Stoic philosopher Aratus
  4. Acts 18:25 Or with fervor in the Spirit