The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The magistrates have sent orders<n id="2" /> to release you. So come out now and go in peace.&#8221;<n id="3" />

but since it concerns points of disagreement<n id="1" /> about words and names and your own law, settle<n id="2" /> it yourselves. I will not be<n id="3" /> a judge of these things!&#8221;

This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia,<n id="1" /> both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.<n id="2" />p>

If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint<n id="1" /> against someone, the courts are open<n id="2" /> and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there.<n id="3" />

For<n id="1" /> we are in danger of being charged with rioting<n id="2" /> today, since there is no cause we can give to explain<n id="3" /> this disorderly gathering.&#8221;<n id="4" />

especially saddened<n id="1" /> by what<n id="2" /> he had said, that they were not going to see him<n id="3" /> again. Then they accompanied<n id="4" /> him to the ship.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Men of Israel,<n id="1" /> listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds,<n id="2" /> wonders, and miraculous signs<n id="3" /> that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know &#8211;

When<n id="1" /> they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken,<n id="2" /> and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak<n id="3" /> the word of God<n id="4" /> courageously.<n id="5" />p>

The<n id="1" /> proposal pleased the entire group, so<n id="2" /> they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with<n id="3" /> Philip,<n id="4" /> Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism<n id="5" /> from Antioch.<n id="6" />

The word of God continued to spread,<n id="1" /> the number of disciples in Jerusalem<n id="2" /> increased greatly, and a large group<n id="3" /> of priests became obedient to the faith.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen<n id="1" /> went as far as<n id="2" /> Phoenicia,<n id="3" /> Cyprus,<n id="4" /> and Antioch,<n id="5" /> speaking the message<n id="6" /> to no one but Jews.

After the reading from the law and the prophets,<n id="1" /> the leaders of the synagogue<n id="2" /> sent them a message,<n id="3" /> saying, &#8220;Brothers,<n id="4" /> if you have any message<n id="5" /> of exhortation<n id="6" /> for the people, speak it.&#8221;<n id="7" />

So they stayed there<n id="1" /> for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified<n id="2" /> to the message<n id="3" /> of his grace, granting miraculous signs<n id="4" /> and wonders to be performed through their hands.

<t /><p class="bodytext">After some days Paul said to Barnabas, &#8220;Let&#8217;s return<n id="1" /> and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord<n id="2" /> to see how they are doing.&#8221;<n id="3" />

These Jews<n id="1" /> were more open-minded<n id="2" /> than those in Thessalonica,<n id="3" /> for they eagerly<n id="4" /> received<n id="5" /> the message, examining<n id="6" /> the scriptures carefully every day<n id="7" /> to see if these things were so.

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

<p class="bodytext">Now when Silas and Timothy arrived<n id="1" /> from Macedonia,<n id="2" /> Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming<n id="3" /> the word, testifying<n id="4" /> to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.<n id="5" />

But just as Paul was about to speak,<n id="1" /> Gallio said to the Jews, &#8220;If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy,<n id="2" /> I would have been justified in accepting the complaint<n id="3" /> of you Jews,<n id="4" />

On the first day<n id="1" /> of the week, when we met<n id="2" /> to break bread, Paul began to speak<n id="3" /> to the people, and because he intended<n id="4" /> to leave the next day, he extended<n id="5" /> his message until midnight.

But I do not consider my life<n id="1" /> worth anything<n id="2" /> to myself, so that<n id="3" /> I may finish my task<n id="4" /> and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news<n id="5" /> of God&#8217;s grace.p>