Acts 9:29

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.

Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,

When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them,

This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,

There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I remained there with the kings of Persia.

But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth. There is no one who holds with me against these, but Michael your prince.

“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.

Yahweh said to Satan, “Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?”

To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom.

and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time,

But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore we also speak;

Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor, but no man knows where his tomb is to this day.

As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

The word of God increased and the number of the disciples greatly multiplied in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.

But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.

When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.

But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,

Brothers, pray for us.

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you,

As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord.

But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.

You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up! Don’t be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”

Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.

But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Do all things without complaining and arguing,

that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

Honor widows who are widows indeed.

Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

“To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lamp stands says these things:

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,

But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”

Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.