Jesus and John the Baptist^(A)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,^(B) he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.^[a]

² When John,^(C) who was in prison,^(D) heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,^(E) or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.^{(F) 6} Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”^(G)

⁷ As John’s^(H) disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness^(I) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(J) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,^[d] and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.^{(M) 14} And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^{(N) 15} Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(O)

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating^(P) nor drinking,^(Q) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^(R) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Woe on Unrepentant Towns^(S)

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!^(T) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,^(U) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.^{(V) 22} But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.^{(W) 23} And you, Capernaum,^(X) will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[e](Y) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”^(Z)

The Father Revealed in the Son^(AA)

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father,^(AB) Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.^{(AC) 26} Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me^(AD) by my Father.^(AE) No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.^(AF)

²⁸ “Come to me,^(AG) all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.^{(AH) 29} Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,^(AI) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.^{(AJ) 30} For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”^(AK)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(AL)(AM)

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain^(AN) and eat them. ² When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”^(AO)

³ He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?^{(AP) 4} He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.^{(AQ) 5} Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath^(AR) and yet are innocent? ⁶ I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.^{(AS) 7} If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’^[f](AT) you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man^(AU) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁹ Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, ¹⁰ and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus,^(AV) they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”^(AW)

¹¹ He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?^{(AX) 12} How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!^(AY) Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.^(AZ)

God’s Chosen Servant

¹⁵ Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.^{(BA) 16} He warned them not to tell others about him.^{(BB) 17} This was to fulfill^(BC) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

Jesus and Beelzebul^(BG)

²² Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.^{(BH) 23} All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”^(BI)

²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul,^(BJ) the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”^(BK)

²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts^(BL) and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ If Satan^(BM) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul,^(BN) by whom do your people^(BO) drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God^(BP) has come upon you.

²⁹ “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

³⁰ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.^{(BQ) 31} And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{(BR) 32} Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age^(BS) or in the age to come.^(BT)

³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.^{(BU) 34} You brood of vipers,^(BV) how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks^(BW) what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”^(BX)

The Sign of Jonah^(BY)(BZ)

³⁸ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign^(CA) from you.”^(CB)

³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{(CC) 40} For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,^(CD) so the Son of Man^(CE) will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.^{(CF) 41} The men of Nineveh^(CG) will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,^(CH) and now something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came^(CI) from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

⁴³ “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.^(CJ) That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers^(CK)

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother^(CL) and brothers^(CM) stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven^(CN) is my brother and sister and mother.”

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,^(A) where a disciple named Timothy^(B) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer^(C) but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers^(D) at Lystra and Iconium^(E) spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^{(F) 4} As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders^(G) in Jerusalem^(H) for the people to obey.^{(I) 5} So the churches were strengthened^(J) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(K)

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia^(L) and Galatia,^(M) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.^{(N) 7} When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(O) would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.^{(P) 9} During the night Paul had a vision^(Q) of a man of Macedonia^(R) standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we^(S) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel^(T) to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

¹¹ From Troas^(U) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi,^(V) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(W) And we stayed there several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath^(X) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(Y) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(Z) to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household^(AA) were baptized,^(AB) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer,^(AC) we were met by a female slave who had a spirit^(AD) by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God,^(AE) who are telling you the way to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.^(AF)

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of making money^(AG) was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(AH) and dragged^(AI) them into the marketplace to face the authorities. ²⁰ They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar^{(AJ) 21} by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans^(AK) to accept or practice.”^(AL)

²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.^{(AM) 23} After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer^(AN) was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(AO)

²⁵ About midnight^(AP) Paul and Silas^(AQ) were praying and singing hymns^(AR) to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.^(AS) At once all the prison doors flew open,^(AT) and everyone’s chains came loose.^{(AU) 27} The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.^{(AV) 28} But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.^{(AW) 30} He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”^(AX)

³¹ They replied, “Believe^(AY) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved^(AZ)—you and your household.”^{(BA) 32} Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night^(BB) the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.^{(BC) 34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he^(BD) was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

³⁵ When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” ³⁶ The jailer^(BE) told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”^(BF)

³⁷ But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens,^(BG) and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

³⁸ The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.^{(BH) 39} They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.^{(BI) 40} After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house,^(BJ) where they met with the brothers and sisters^(BK) and encouraged them. Then they left.

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(BL) where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(BM) and on three Sabbath^(BN) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^{(BO) 3} explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(BP) and rise from the dead.^(BQ) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”^(BR) he said. ⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,^(BS) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

⁵ But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.^(BT) They rushed to Jason’s^(BU) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^{[b] 6} But when they did not find them, they dragged^(BV) Jason and some other believers^(BW) before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world^(BX) have now come here,^{(BY) 7} and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”^{(BZ) 8} When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. ⁹ Then they made Jason^(CA) and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas^(CB) away to Berea.^(CC) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.^{(CD) 11} Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,^(CE) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures^(CF) every day to see if what Paul said was true.^{(CG) 12} As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.^(CH)

¹³ But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,^(CI) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. ¹⁴ The believers^(CJ) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas^(CK) and Timothy^(CL) stayed at Berea. ¹⁵ Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens^(CM) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.^(CN)

In Athens

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue^(CO) with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news^(CP) about Jesus and the resurrection.^{(CQ) 19} Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,^(CR) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching^(CS) is that you are presenting? ²⁰ You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” ²¹ (All the Athenians^(CT) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

²² Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus^(CU) and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.^{(CV) 23} For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship^(CW)—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it^(CX) is the Lord of heaven and earth^(CY) and does not live in temples built by human hands.^{(CZ) 25} And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.^{(DA) 26} From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.^{(DB) 27} God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.^{(DC) 28} ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’^[c](DD) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’^[d]

²⁹ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.^{(DE) 30} In the past God overlooked^(DF) such ignorance,^(DG) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.^{(DH) 31} For he has set a day when he will judge^(DI) the world with justice^(DJ) by the man he has appointed.^(DK) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”^(DL)

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,^(DM) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” ³³ At that, Paul left the Council. ³⁴ Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,^(DN) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

In Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens^(DO) and went to Corinth.^{(DP) 2} There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,^(DQ) because Claudius^(DR) had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, ³ and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.^{(DS) 4} Every Sabbath^(DT) he reasoned in the synagogue,^(DU) trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

⁵ When Silas^(DV) and Timothy^(DW) came from Macedonia,^(DX) Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.^{(DY) 6} But when they opposed Paul and became abusive,^(DZ) he shook out his clothes in protest^(EA) and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads!^(EB) I am innocent of it.^(EC) From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”^(ED)

⁷ Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.^{(EE) 8} Crispus,^(EF) the synagogue leader,^(EG) and his entire household^(EH) believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

⁹ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:^(EI) “Do not be afraid;^(EJ) keep on speaking, do not be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you,^(EK) and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.^(EL)

¹² While Gallio was proconsul^(EM) of Achaia,^(EN) the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. ¹³ “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

¹⁴ Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. ¹⁵ But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law^(EO)—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” ¹⁶ So he drove them off. ¹⁷ Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes^(EP) the synagogue leader^(EQ) and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

¹⁸ Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters^(ER) and sailed for Syria,^(ES) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.^(ET) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae^(EU) because of a vow he had taken.^{(EV) 19} They arrived at Ephesus,^(EW) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. ²¹ But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”^(EX) Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²² When he landed at Caesarea,^(EY) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.^(EZ)

²³ After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia^(FA) and Phrygia,^(FB) strengthening all the disciples.^(FC)

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,^(FD) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.^(FE) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[e](FF) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.^{(FG) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila^(FH) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,^(FI) the brothers and sisters^(FJ) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures^(FK) that Jesus was the Messiah.^(FL)