Jesus

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”

On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.

Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”

Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.

testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

When he would not be dissuaded, we fell silent and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

When they heard this, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.

My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.

You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.