One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 288
Acts 19
19While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.G1161G1096G625G1511G1722G1722G2882G3972G1330G510G3313G2064G1519G2181G2532G2147G5100G31012"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."G2036G4314G846G1487G2983G40G4151G4100G1161G2036G4314G846G235G191G3761G191G1487G2076G40G41513"Then what baptism did you experience?" he asked. And they replied, "The baptism of John."G5037G2036G4314G846G1519G5101G3767G907G1161G2036G1519G2491G9084Paul said, "John's baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus."G1161G2036G3972G2491G3303G907G908G3341G3004G2992G2443G4100G1519G2064G3326G846G5123G1519G5547G24245As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.G1161G191G907G1519G3686G2962G24246Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.G2532G3972G2007G5495G2007G846G40G4151G2064G1909G846G5037G2980G1100G2532G43957There were about twelve men in all.G1161G3956G435G2258G5616G11778Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.G1161G1525G1519G4864G3955G1909G5140G3376G1256G2532G3982G4012G932G23169But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.G1161G5613G5100G4645G2532G544G2551G3598G1799G4128G868G575G846G873G3101G1256G2596G2250G1722G4981G5100G518110This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.G1161G5124G1096G1909G1417G2094G5620G3956G2730G773G191G3056G2962G2424G5037G2453G2532G167211God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles.G5037G2316G4160G3756G5177G1411G1223G5495G397212When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.G2532G5620G575G846G5559G2018G1909G770G4676G2228G4612G2532G3554G525G575G846G5037G4190G4151G1831G575G84613A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!"G1161G5100G575G4022G2453G1845G2021G3687G1909G2192G4190G4151G3686G2962G2424G3004G3726G5209G2424G3739G3972G278414Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.G1161G2258G2033G5207G4630G5100G2453G749G4160G512415But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?"G1161G4190G4151G611G2036G2424G1097G2532G3972G1987G1161G5101G2075G521016Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.G2532G444G1722G3739G4190G4151G2258G2177G1909G846G2532G2634G846G2480G2596G846G5620G1628G1537G1565G3624G1131G2532G513517The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.G1161G5124G1096G1110G3956G2453G5037G1672G2532G2730G2181G2532G5401G1968G1909G846G3956G2532G3686G2962G2424G317018Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.G5037G4183G4100G2064G1843G2532G312G846G423419A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.G2425G1161G4238G4021G4851G976G4851G2618G1799G3956G2532G4860G5092G846G2532G2147G4002G3461G69420So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.G3779G2596G2904G837G3056G2962G2532G248021Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. "And after that," he said, "I must go on to Rome!"G1161G5613G5023G4137G3972G5087G1722G4151G1330G3109G2532G882G4198G1519G2419G2036G3754G3326G3165G1096G1563G3165G1163G2532G1492G451622He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.G1161G649G1519G3109G1417G1247G846G5095G2532G2037G846G1907G1519G773G555023About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way.G1161G2596G1565G2540G1096G3756G3641G5017G4012G359824It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy.G1063G5100G3686G1216G695G4160G693G3485G735G3930G3756G3641G2039G507925He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows: "Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business.G3739G4867G2040G4012G5108G2532G2036G435G1987G3754G1537G5026G2039G2076G2257G214226But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren't really gods at all. And he's done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!G2532G2334G2532G191G3754G3756G3440G2181G235G4975G3956G773G3778G3972G3982G3179G2425G3793G3004G3754G1526G3756G2316G3588G1096G1223G549527Of course, I'm not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I'm also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!"G1161G3756G3440G5124G2254G3313G2793G2064G1519G557G235G2532G2411G3173G2299G735G1519G3762G3049G1161G2532G846G3168G3195G2507G3739G3650G773G2532G3625G457628At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"G1161G191G1096G4134G2372G2532G2896G3004G3173G735G218029Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia.G2532G3650G4172G4130G4799G5037G4884G1050G2532G708G3110G3972G4898G3729G3661G1519G230230Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn't let him.G1161G1014G3972G1014G1525G1519G1218G3101G1439G846G375631Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.G1161G2532G5100G775G5607G846G5384G3992G4314G846G3870G1325G3361G1325G1438G1519G230232Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn't even know why they were there.G243G3767G3303G2896G5100G243G1063G1577G2258G4797G2532G4119G1492G3756G5101G1752G490533The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak.G1161G4264G223G1537G3793G2453G4261G846G4261G4261G1161G223G2678G5495G2309G626G121834But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"G1161G1921G3754G2076G2453G3956G1096G1537G3391G5456G5613G1909G1417G5610G2896G3173G735G218035At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. "Citizens of Ephesus," he said. "Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven.G1161G1122G2687G3793G5346G435G2180G5101G1063G444G2076G3739G1097G3756G4172G2180G5607G3511G3173G2299G735G2532G135636Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash.G5607G3767G5130G368G5209G1163G2076G5225G2687G2532G4238G3367G431237You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.G1063G71G5128G435G3777G2417G3777G987G5216G229938"If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges.G3303G3767G1487G1216G2532G5079G4862G846G2192G3056G4314G5100G60G71G2532G1526G446G1458G24039And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly.G1161G1487G1934G5100G4012G2087G1956G1722G1772G157740I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won't know what to say."G1063G2532G2793G1458G4012G4594G4714G5225G3367G158G4012G3739G1410G591G3056G5026G496341Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.G2532G2036G5023G2036G630G1577
Acts 20
20When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia.G1161G3326G2351G3973G3972G4341G3101G2532G782G1831G4198G1519G31092While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece,G1161G1330G1565G3313G2532G4183G846G4183G3870G3056G2064G1519G16713where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.G5037G4160G5140G3376G5259G2453G1096G1917G846G3195G321G1519G4947G1096G1106G5290G1223G31094Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.G1161G4902G846G891G773G4986G961G1161G2331G708G2532G4580G2532G1050G1190G2532G5095G1161G774G5190G2532G51615They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.G3778G4281G3306G2248G1722G51746After the Passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.G1161G2249G1602G575G5375G3326G2250G106G2532G2064G4314G846G1519G5174G891G4002G2250G3757G1304G2033G22507On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord's Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight.G1161G1722G3391G4521G3101G4863G2806G740G3972G1256G846G3195G1826G1887G5037G3905G3056G3360G33178The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps.G1161G2258G2425G2985G1722G5253G3757G2258G48639As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below.G1161G2521G1909G2376G5100G3494G3686G2161G2702G901G5258G3972G1909G4119G1256G2702G575G5258G2736G4098G575G5152G2532G142G349810Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. "Don't worry," he said, "he's alive!"G1161G3972G2597G1968G846G2532G4843G2036G2350G3361G2350G1063G846G5590G2076G1722G84611Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord's Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left.G1161G305G305G2532G2806G740G2532G1089G5037G3656G1909G2425G891G827G3779G183112Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved.G1161G71G3816G2198G2532G3870G3756G3357G387013Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship.G1161G2249G4281G1909G4143G321G1519G789G1564G3195G353G3972G1063G3779G2258G1299G3195G846G397814He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene.G1161G5613G4820G2254G1519G789G353G846G353G2064G1519G341215The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and a day later we arrived at Miletus.G2547G636G2547G2658G1966G481G5508G1161G2087G3846G1519G4544G2532G3306G1722G5175G2192G2064G1519G339916Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn't want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost.G1063G3972G2919G3896G2181G3704G846G1096G3361G5551G1722G773G1063G4692G1487G2258G1415G846G1096G1519G2414G2250G400517But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.G1161G575G3399G3992G1519G2181G3333G4245G157718When they arrived he declared, "You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until nowG1161G5613G3854G4314G846G2036G846G5210G1987G575G4413G2250G575G3739G1910G1519G773G4459G1096G3326G5216G3956G555019I have done the Lord's work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.G1398G2962G3326G3956G5012G2532G4183G1144G2532G3986G3588G4819G3427G1722G1917G245320I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.G5613G5288G3762G4851G3361G312G5213G2532G1321G5209G1219G2532G2596G362421I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.G1263G5037G2453G2532G1672G3341G1519G2316G2532G4102G1519G2257G2962G2424G554722"And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me,G2532G3568G2400G1473G4198G1210G4151G1519G2419G3361G1492G4876G3427G1722G84623except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.G4133G3754G40G4151G1263G2596G4172G3004G3754G1199G2532G2347G3306G316524But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.G235G3762G3056G4160G3761G2192G3450G5590G5093G1683G5613G5048G3450G1408G3326G5479G2532G1248G3739G2983G3844G2962G2424G1263G2098G5485G231625"And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.G2532G3568G2400G1473G1492G3754G5210G3956G1722G3739G1330G2784G932G2316G3700G3450G4383G376526I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it's not my fault,G1352G3143G5213G3143G1722G4594G2250G3754G1473G2513G575G129G395627for I didn't shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.G1063G5288G3756G3361G5288G312G5213G3956G1012G231628"So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.G4337G3767G1438G2532G3956G4168G1722G3739G40G4151G5087G5209G1985G4165G1577G2316G3739G4046G1223G2398G12929I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.G1063G1473G1492G5124G3754G3326G3450G867G926G3074G1525G1519G5209G3361G5339G416830Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.G2532G1537G5216G846G450G435G450G2980G1294G645G3101G3694G84631Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.G1352G1127G3421G3754G5148G3973G3756G3560G1538G1520G3571G2532G2250G3326G114432"And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.G2532G3569G80G3908G5209G2316G2532G3056G846G5485G3588G1410G2026G2532G1325G5213G2817G1722G3956G3733"I have never coveted anyone's silver or gold or fine clothes.G1937G3762G694G2228G5553G2228G244134You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me.G1161G846G1097G3754G3778G5495G5256G3450G5532G2532G5607G3326G170035And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"G5263G5213G3956G3754G3779G2872G1163G482G770G5037G3421G3056G2962G2424G3754G846G2036G2076G3123G3107G1325G2228G298336When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them.G2532G5023G2036G846G1119G5087G4336G4862G846G395637They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye.G1161G3956G2805G1096G2425G2532G1968G1909G3972G5137G2705G84638They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.G3600G3122G1909G3056G3739G2046G3754G3195G2334G846G4383G3765G1161G4311G846G1519G4143
Psalm 128
128[A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.] How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways!H7892H4609H835H3373H3068H1980H18702You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!H398H3018H3709H835H28963Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.H802H6509H1612H3411H1004H1121H2132H8363H5439H79794That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.H1397H1288H3373H30685May the Lord continually bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.H3068H1288H6726H7200H2898H3389H3117H24166May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!H7200H1121H1121H7965H3478
Unknown
.G1161
