Apollos then wanted to go to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters encouraged him to do that. They wrote to the disciples there and asked them to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by God’s grace had become believers.
But the Jewish leaders stirred up some important Gentile women who attended the synagogue. They also stirred up some men who were leaders in the city. They got all these people to oppose and attack Paul and Barnabas, and they threw the two men out of that area. But
He worked for the governor, Sergius Paulus. But the governor was an intelligent man, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul because wanted to hear God’s word.
I know how much you want to do that. I’ve been bragging about you to the people in Macedonia. I’ve been telling them that you who live in Achaia have been ready to give since last year. Your eagerness has stirred up most of them to give as well.
From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and from Timothy our brother. To the members of God’s church in Corinth and to all of God’s holy people everywhere in southern Greece.
You know that the first believers in Achaia were from the family of Stephanas. They’ve spent all their time serving the Lord’s people. Brothers and sisters, I’m asking you
Paul answered, “I’m now standing in Caesar’s court. That’s where I should be put on trial, because I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jews. You know that yourself very well.
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over to their side. They threw stones at Paul and then dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.
Pilate also wanted to release Jesus because he’d gotten a message from his wife while he was judging the case. The message said, “Don’t do anything to that man. He’s innocent. I had a terrible nightmare about him last night.”
Also please greet the church that meets in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person in the province of Asia to believe in Christ.
But other Jews were jealous. They rounded up some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. The Jews rushed to Jason’s house to look for Paul and Silas because they wanted to bring them out to the crowd.
When Pilate heard that, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place called the Stone Walkway. (In the Hebrew language it was called Gabbatha.)
After all this had happened, Paul decided to go over to Macedonia and Achaia and then on to Jerusalem. “And after I’ve been there,” he said, “I must also visit Rome.”
I’ve had to keep on the move constantly. I’ve been in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my fellow Jews, and in danger from Gentiles. I’ve been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I’ve been in danger from people who pretended they were believers.
Brothers and sisters, you imitated the members of the synagogues in Judea that believe in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own people the same things they suffered from the Jews,
by trying to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they can be saved. By doing that, they’re continually increasing their sins to the maximum. But God’s anger has come on them at last.