Acts 21:15-40 - Steven Thompson

Acts 21:15–40 (ESV)

Acts 21:15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Acts 21:17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
Acts 21:18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
Acts 21:19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
Acts 21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law,
Acts 21:21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.
Acts 21:22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Acts 21:23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Acts 21:24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.
Acts 21:25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
Acts 21:27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,
Acts 21:28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
Acts 21:29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
Acts 21:30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
Acts 21:31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
Acts 21:32 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
Acts 21:33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done.
Acts 21:34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
Acts 21:35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
Acts 21:36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”
Acts 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?
Acts 21:38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”
Acts 21:39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
Acts 21:40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:

Acts 19:21-41 - Jon B

Acts 19:21–41 (ESV)

Acts 19:21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
Acts 19:22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
Acts 19:23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.
Acts 19:24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.
Acts 19:25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
Acts 19:26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
Acts 19:27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
Acts 19:28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Acts 19:29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.
Acts 19:30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.
Acts 19:31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
Acts 19:32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
Acts 19:33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
Acts 19:34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Acts 19:35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
Acts 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
Acts 19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
Acts 19:38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
Acts 19:39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
Acts 19:40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”
Acts 19:41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

Acts 18:18-28 - Jon B

Acts 18:18–28 (ESV)

Acts 18:18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
Acts 18:19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
Acts 18:20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined.
Acts 18:21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
Acts 18:22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch.
Acts 18:23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Acts 18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.
Acts 18:25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Acts 18:27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,
Acts 18:28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.