WEBVTT 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:08.980 in a year. Today's reading is from the book of 00:00:08.980 --> 00:00:14.140 Acts, chapters 16 through 18. Chapter 16 Then 00:00:14.140 --> 00:00:17.079 he came to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain 00:00:17.079 --> 00:00:19.780 disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of 00:00:19.780 --> 00:00:22.379 a certain Jewish woman, who believed, but his 00:00:22.379 --> 00:00:25.260 father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:28.250 brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul 00:00:28.250 --> 00:00:31.089 wanted to have him go on with him, and he took 00:00:31.089 --> 00:00:33.429 him and circumcised him because of the Jews who 00:00:33.429 --> 00:00:36.250 were in that region, for they all knew that his 00:00:36.250 --> 00:00:38.829 father was Greek. And as they went through the 00:00:38.829 --> 00:00:41.390 cities, they delivered to them the decrees to 00:00:41.390 --> 00:00:43.770 keep, which were determined by the apostles and 00:00:43.770 --> 00:00:46.609 elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened 00:00:46.609 --> 00:00:50.210 in the faith and increased in number daily. Now 00:00:50.210 --> 00:00:52.869 when they had gone through Phrygia and the region 00:00:52.869 --> 00:00:55.630 of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit 00:00:55.630 --> 00:00:58.649 to preach the word in Asia. After they had come 00:00:58.649 --> 00:01:01.390 to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but 00:01:01.390 --> 00:01:04.090 the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by 00:01:04.090 --> 00:01:07.629 Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision 00:01:07.629 --> 00:01:10.530 appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia 00:01:10.530 --> 00:01:13.129 stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over 00:01:13.129 --> 00:01:15.890 to Macedonia and help us. Now after he had seen 00:01:15.890 --> 00:01:19.030 the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, 00:01:19.090 --> 00:01:22.090 concluding that the Lord had called us to preach 00:01:22.090 --> 00:01:25.719 the gospel to them. Therefore, sailing from Troas, 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:28.939 we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the 00:01:28.939 --> 00:01:31.760 next day came to Neapolis, and from there to 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.260 Philippi, which is the foremost city of that 00:01:34.260 --> 00:01:37.319 part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying 00:01:37.319 --> 00:01:40.239 in that city for some days. And on a Sabbath 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:42.980 day, we went out of the city to the riverside, 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:46.099 where prayer was customarily made. And we sat 00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:48.299 down and spoke to the women who met there. Now 00:01:48.299 --> 00:01:50.939 a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was 00:01:50.939 --> 00:01:53.239 a seller of purple from the city of Teatera. 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.599 who worshipped God. The Lord opened her heart 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:00.480 to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:02.939 and her household were baptized, she begged us, 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:05.200 saying, If you have judged me to be faithful 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:08.039 to the Lord, come to my house and stay. So she 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:11.120 persuaded us. Now it happened, as we went to 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:13.780 prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with 00:02:13.780 --> 00:02:16.659 a spirit of divination met us, who brought her 00:02:16.659 --> 00:02:19.569 masters much profit by fortune -telling. This 00:02:19.569 --> 00:02:21.909 girl followed Paul and us and cried out, saying, 00:02:22.530 --> 00:02:24.750 These men are the servants of the Most High God, 00:02:24.930 --> 00:02:27.610 who proclaim to us the way of salvation. And 00:02:27.610 --> 00:02:30.389 this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly 00:02:30.389 --> 00:02:33.090 annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command 00:02:33.090 --> 00:02:35.310 you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of 00:02:35.310 --> 00:02:38.430 her. And he came out that very hour. But when 00:02:38.430 --> 00:02:40.909 her masters saw that their hope of profit was 00:02:40.909 --> 00:02:43.509 gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged 00:02:43.509 --> 00:02:45.599 them into the marketplace. to the authorities. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:48.060 And they brought them to the magistrates and 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:51.500 said, These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:53.939 our city, and they teach customs which are not 00:02:53.939 --> 00:02:57.199 lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe. 00:02:57.580 --> 00:03:00.439 Then the multitude rose up together against them, 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:03.219 and the magistrates tore off their clothes and 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:05.800 commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:08.199 they had laid many strips on them, they threw 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:10.819 them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep 00:03:10.819 --> 00:03:13.819 them securely. Having received such a charge, 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:16.419 he put them into the inner prison and fastened 00:03:16.419 --> 00:03:19.520 their feet in the stocks. But at midnight, Paul 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.060 and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:24.819 and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.240 there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:30.039 of the prison were shaken, and immediately all 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:32.620 the doors were opened and everyone's chains were 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:34.960 loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.780 from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, 00:03:38.139 --> 00:03:41.139 supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword 00:03:41.139 --> 00:03:43.939 and was about to kill himself. But Paul called 00:03:43.939 --> 00:03:46.780 with a loud voice saying, Do yourself no harm, 00:03:46.860 --> 00:03:50.159 for we are all here. Then he called for a light, 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:53.300 ran in and fell down trembling before Paul and 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:56.099 Silas. And he brought them out and said, Sirs, 00:03:56.099 --> 00:03:59.439 what must I do to be saved? So they said, Believe 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.879 on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:04.819 you and your household. Then they spoke the word 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:07.139 of the Lord to him and to all who were in his 00:04:07.139 --> 00:04:09.780 house. And he took them the same hour of the 00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:12.240 night and washed their stripes. And immediately 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.520 he and all his family were baptized. Now when 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:17.939 he had brought them into his house, he set food 00:04:17.939 --> 00:04:20.600 before them, and he rejoiced, having believed 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.620 in God with all his household. And when it was 00:04:23.620 --> 00:04:26.160 day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:28.899 Let those men go. So the keeper of the prison 00:04:28.899 --> 00:04:31.740 reported these words to Paul, saying, The magistrates 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:34.290 have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart 00:04:34.290 --> 00:04:37.170 and go in peace. But Paul said to them, They 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:40.709 have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and 00:04:40.709 --> 00:04:43.290 have thrown us into prison. And now do they put 00:04:43.290 --> 00:04:46.769 us out secretly? No, indeed. Let them come themselves 00:04:46.769 --> 00:04:49.889 and get us out. And the officers told these words 00:04:49.889 --> 00:04:52.250 to the magistrates, and they were afraid when 00:04:52.250 --> 00:04:54.850 they heard that they were Romans. Then they came 00:04:54.850 --> 00:04:56.970 and pleaded with them and brought them out and 00:04:56.970 --> 00:04:59.810 asked them to depart from the city. So they went 00:04:59.810 --> 00:05:02.170 out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia. 00:05:02.620 --> 00:05:05.019 and when they had seen the brethren they encouraged 00:05:05.019 --> 00:05:11.339 them and departed chapter seventeen now when 00:05:11.339 --> 00:05:14.139 they had passed through amphipolis and apollonia 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:17.500 they came to thessalonica where there was a synagogue 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:20.779 of the jews then paul as his custom was went 00:05:20.779 --> 00:05:23.759 into them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.540 them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating 00:05:26.540 --> 00:05:29.259 that the Christ had to suffer and rise again 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:32.259 from the dead, and are saying, This Jesus, whom 00:05:32.259 --> 00:05:35.279 I preach to you, is the Christ. And some of them 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.680 were persuaded, and a great multitude of the 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:40.620 devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, 00:05:40.779 --> 00:05:43.579 joined Paul and Silas. But the Jews who were 00:05:43.579 --> 00:05:46.519 not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:49.079 the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering 00:05:49.079 --> 00:05:52.029 a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked 00:05:52.029 --> 00:05:54.629 the house of Jason, and sought to bring them 00:05:54.629 --> 00:05:57.350 out to the people. But when they did not find 00:05:57.350 --> 00:05:59.689 them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to 00:05:59.689 --> 00:06:02.769 the rulers of the city, crying out, These who 00:06:02.769 --> 00:06:05.810 have turned the world upside down have come here 00:06:05.810 --> 00:06:09.069 too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all 00:06:09.069 --> 00:06:12.189 acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying 00:06:12.189 --> 00:06:15.060 there is another king. Jesus. And they troubled 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:17.699 the crowd and the rulers of the city when they 00:06:17.699 --> 00:06:20.339 heard these things. So when they had taken security 00:06:20.339 --> 00:06:23.860 from Jason and the rest, they let them go. Then 00:06:23.860 --> 00:06:26.120 the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:29.199 away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:31.860 went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were 00:06:31.860 --> 00:06:34.379 more fair -minded than those in Thessalonica, 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:36.740 in that they received the word with all readiness 00:06:36.740 --> 00:06:39.779 and searched the scriptures daily to find out 00:06:39.779 --> 00:06:42.360 whether these things were so. Therefore many 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:45.120 of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:48.339 prominent women as well as men. But when the 00:06:48.339 --> 00:06:50.519 Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:54.040 of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:56.860 there also and stirred up the crowds. Then immediately 00:06:56.860 --> 00:06:59.620 the brethren sent Paul away to go to the sea. 00:06:59.819 --> 00:07:03.399 But both Silas and Timothy remained there. So 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:06.199 those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens, 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:09.079 and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:11.639 to come to him with all speed, they departed. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:15.300 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:17.740 spirit was provoked within him when he saw that 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:20.899 the city was given over to idols. Therefore he 00:07:20.899 --> 00:07:23.500 reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with 00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:25.540 the Gentile worshippers, and in the marketplace 00:07:25.540 --> 00:07:28.410 daily with those who happened to be there. Then 00:07:28.410 --> 00:07:31.069 certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered 00:07:31.069 --> 00:07:34.110 him, and some said, What does this babbler want 00:07:34.110 --> 00:07:37.129 to say? Others said, He seems to be a proclaimer 00:07:37.129 --> 00:07:39.389 of foreign gods, because he preached to them 00:07:39.389 --> 00:07:41.709 Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him 00:07:41.709 --> 00:07:43.829 and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May 00:07:43.829 --> 00:07:46.509 we know what this new doctrine is of which you 00:07:46.509 --> 00:07:49.170 speak, for you are bringing some strange things 00:07:49.170 --> 00:07:52.220 to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these 00:07:52.220 --> 00:07:55.079 things mean. For all the Athenians and the foreigners 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:57.779 who were there spent their time in nothing else 00:07:57.779 --> 00:08:00.500 but either to tell or to hear some new thing. 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:02.939 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus 00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:06.439 and said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in all 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:09.519 things you are very religious. For as I was passing 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:11.779 through and considering the objects of your worship, 00:08:11.939 --> 00:08:14.339 I even found an altar with this inscription. 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:38.120 And he has made from one blood every nation of 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:41.389 men to dwell on all the face of the earth. and 00:08:41.389 --> 00:08:44.049 has determined their pre -appointed times and 00:08:44.049 --> 00:08:46.450 the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they 00:08:46.450 --> 00:08:48.909 should seek the Lord in the hope that they might 00:08:48.909 --> 00:08:51.509 grope for him and find him, though he is not 00:08:51.509 --> 00:08:54.470 far from each one of us. For in him we live and 00:08:54.470 --> 00:08:57.029 move and have our being, as also some of your 00:08:57.029 --> 00:09:00.370 own poets have said, for we are also his offspring. 00:09:00.929 --> 00:09:03.610 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, 00:09:03.830 --> 00:09:06.250 we ought not to think that the divine nature 00:09:06.250 --> 00:09:10.059 is like gold or silver or stone. something shaped 00:09:10.059 --> 00:09:13.700 by art and man's devising. Truly, these times 00:09:13.700 --> 00:09:17.100 of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands 00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:20.159 all men everywhere to repent, because he has 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:22.440 appointed a day on which he will judge the world 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:25.759 in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. 00:09:25.940 --> 00:09:29.299 He has given assurance of this to all by raising 00:09:29.299 --> 00:09:31.899 him from the dead. And when they heard of the 00:09:31.899 --> 00:09:34.580 resurrection of the dead, some mocked while others 00:09:34.580 --> 00:09:37.179 said, We will hear you again on this matter. 00:09:37.529 --> 00:09:40.049 So Paul departed from among them. However, some 00:09:40.049 --> 00:09:43.049 men joined him and believed. Among them Dionysius 00:09:43.049 --> 00:09:46.190 the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others 00:09:46.190 --> 00:09:52.649 with them. After these things, Paul departed 00:09:52.649 --> 00:09:55.269 from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found 00:09:55.269 --> 00:09:58.309 a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who 00:09:58.309 --> 00:10:01.230 had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, 00:10:01.370 --> 00:10:04.029 because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to 00:10:04.029 --> 00:10:06.799 depart from Rome. And he came to them. So because 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.460 he was of the same trade, he stayed with them 00:10:09.460 --> 00:10:12.159 and worked, for by occupation they were tent 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:14.820 makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every 00:10:14.820 --> 00:10:18.460 Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When 00:10:18.460 --> 00:10:21.220 Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul 00:10:21.220 --> 00:10:23.960 was compelled by the Spirit and testified to 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:26.970 the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they 00:10:26.970 --> 00:10:29.529 opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments 00:10:29.529 --> 00:10:31.730 and said to them, Your blood be upon your own 00:10:31.730 --> 00:10:35.029 heads, I am clean. From now on I will go to the 00:10:35.029 --> 00:10:37.370 Gentiles. He departed from there and entered 00:10:37.370 --> 00:10:40.289 the house of a certain man named Justus, one 00:10:40.289 --> 00:10:43.029 who worshipped God, whose house was next door 00:10:43.029 --> 00:10:45.409 to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of 00:10:45.409 --> 00:10:48.009 the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all 00:10:48.009 --> 00:10:50.590 his household, and many of the Corinthians, hearing, 00:10:50.929 --> 00:10:53.409 believed and were baptized. Now the Lord spoke 00:10:53.409 --> 00:10:56.360 to Paul in the night by vision. Do not be afraid, 00:10:56.419 --> 00:10:59.360 but speak, and do not keep silent. For I am with 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:01.360 you, and no one will attack you to hurt you, 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:04.600 for I have many people in this city. And he continued 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:07.460 there a year and six months, teaching the word 00:11:07.460 --> 00:11:10.340 of God among them. When Galio was proconsul of 00:11:10.340 --> 00:11:13.679 Achaia, the Jews, with one accord, rose up against 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:16.039 Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:19.539 This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary 00:11:19.539 --> 00:11:22.500 to the law. And when Paul was about to open his 00:11:22.500 --> 00:11:25.639 mouth, Galio said to the Jews, If it were a matter 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:28.240 of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:30.860 would be reason why I should bear with you. But 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:33.419 if it is a question of words and names and your 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:36.399 own law, look to it yourselves, for I do not 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:39.019 want to be a judge of such matters. And he drove 00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:41.600 them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.460 took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and 00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:46.860 beat him before the judgment seat. But Galio 00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:49.720 took no notice of these things. So Paul still 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:52.360 remained a good while. Then he took leave of 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.340 the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla 00:11:55.340 --> 00:11:58.039 and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:01.419 off at Sincrea, for he had taken a vow, and he 00:12:01.419 --> 00:12:04.379 came to Ephesus and left them there. But he himself 00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:06.639 entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.240 When they asked him to stay a longer time with 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:11.980 them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, 00:12:12.019 --> 00:12:14.960 saying, I must by all means keep this coming 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:17.820 feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to 00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:20.559 you. God willing, and he sailed from Ephesus. 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:23.860 And when he had landed at Caesarea and gone up 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:26.519 and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:29.179 After he had spent some time there, he departed 00:12:29.179 --> 00:12:31.919 and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:35.240 in order, strengthening all the disciples. Now 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:37.960 a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, 00:12:38.340 --> 00:12:40.440 an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures, 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:43.299 came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:45.879 in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:48.700 spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things 00:12:48.700 --> 00:12:51.240 of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:54.559 of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. 00:12:54.860 --> 00:12:57.519 When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took 00:12:57.519 --> 00:12:59.960 him aside and explained to him the way of God, 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:02.700 more accurately. And when he desired to cross 00:13:02.700 --> 00:13:05.399 to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:07.820 disciples to receive him. And when he arrived, 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:10.799 he greatly helped those who had believed through 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.019 grace, for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:17.500 showing from the scriptures that Jesus is the 00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:24.899 Christ. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as 00:13:24.899 --> 00:13:27.100 much as I did. And I look forward to seeing you 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:29.500 again tomorrow to continue on our journey. God 00:13:29.500 --> 00:13:30.820 bless you and have a great day.