But when the Jews from Thessalonica ¹  heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God ²  in Berea, ³  they came there too, inciting ⁴  and disturbing ⁵  the crowds.

Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, ¹  and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. ² 

When Apollos ¹  wanted to cross over to Achaia, ²  the brothers encouraged ³  him ⁴  and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he ⁵  assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,

And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded ¹  and turned away ²  a large crowd, ³  not only in Ephesus ⁴  but in practically all of the province of Asia, ⁵  by saying ⁶  that gods made by hands are not gods at all. ⁷ 

When they heard this, they praised ¹  God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews ²  there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers ³  of the law. ⁴ 

When the seven days were almost over, ¹  the Jews from the province of Asia ²  who had seen him in the temple area ³  stirred up the whole crowd ⁴  and seized ⁵  him,

Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ¹  from him, and the commanding officer ²  was frightened when he realized that Paul ³  was ⁴  a Roman citizen ⁵  and that he had had him tied up. ⁶ 

He replied, ¹  “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council ²  tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him.

I have experienced ¹  help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except ²  what the prophets and Moses said ³  was going to happen:

Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided ¹  to put out to sea ²  from there. They hoped that ³  somehow they could reach ⁴  Phoenix, ⁵  a harbor of Crete facing ⁶  southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

The local inhabitants ¹  showed us extraordinary ²  kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain ³  and was cold.

When the local people ¹  saw the creature hanging from Paul’s ²  hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself ³  has not allowed him to live!” ⁴ 

But they were expecting that he was going to swell up ¹  or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited ²  a long time and had seen ³  nothing unusual happen ⁴  to him, they changed their minds ⁵  and said he was a god. ⁶ 

The brothers from there, ¹  when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius ²  and Three Taverns ³  to meet us. When he saw them, ⁴  Paul thanked God and took courage.

They replied, ¹  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ²  and reported or said anything bad about you.

Although they fully know ¹  God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, ²  they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. ³ 

For if, by the transgression of the one man, ¹  death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!

For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation,

Greet Andronicus and Junia, ¹  my compatriots ²  and my fellow prisoners. They are well known ³  to the apostles, ⁴  and they were in Christ before me.