The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 After Athens, Paul went to Corinth.
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After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius.
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And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking.
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And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.
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And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God's Messiah.
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And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
6 But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. "Have it your way, then," he said. "You've made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I'm spending my time with the other nations."
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And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
7 He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews' meeting place.
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And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8 But Paul's efforts with the Jews weren't a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.
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And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
9 One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: "Keep it up, and don't let anyone intimidate or silence you.
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Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision,Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
10 No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city."
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For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
11 That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.
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And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court,
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And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 and filed chcrges: "This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal."
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Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
14 Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, "If this was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out.
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And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
15 But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your endless hairsplitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it on your own time. I can't be bothered with this nonsense,"
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But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
16 and he cleared them out of the courtroom.
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And he drave them from the judgment seat.
17 Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting-place president, and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn't raise a finger. He could not have cared less.
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Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
18 Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth, but then it was time to take leave of his friends. Saying his good-byes, he sailed for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken.
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And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
19 They landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and stayed. Paul left the ship briefly to go to the meeting place and preach to the Jews.
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And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20 They wanted him to stay longer, but he said he couldn't.
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When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
21 But after saying good-bye, he promised, "I'll be back, God willing."
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But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
22 he sailed to Caesarea. He greeted the assembly of Christians there, and then went on to Antioch, completing the journey.
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And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 After spending a considerable time with the Antioch Christians, Paul set off again for Galatia and Phrygia, retracing his old tracks, one town after another, putting fresh heart into the disciples.
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And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
24 A man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures.
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And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 He was well-educated in the way of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm. Apollos was accurate in everything he taught about Jesus up to a point, but he only went as far as the baptism of John.
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This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
26 He preached with power in the meeting place. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and told him the rest of the story.
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And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
27 When Apollos decided to go on to Achaia province, his Ephesian friends gave their blessing and wrote a letter of recommendation for him, urging the disciples there to welcome him with open arms. The welcome paid off: Apollos turned out to be a great help to those who had become believers through God's immense generosity.
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And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
28 He was particularly effective in public debate with the Jews as he brought out proof after convincing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was in fact God's Messiah.
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For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The King James Version is in the public domain.