Some men joined him and believed, among whom was Dionysius, a member of the council; there was also a woman named Damaris, and some other people.

Many of them believed his message and were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to the group that day.

They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.

All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another.

As soon as Peter and John were set free, they returned to their group and told them what the chief priests and the elders had said.

Many miracles and wonders were being performed among the people by the apostles. All the believers met together in Solomon's Porch.

But more and more people were added to the group---a crowd of men and women who believed in the Lord.

The same thing happened in Iconium: Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of Jews and Gentiles became believers.

The people of the city were divided: some were for the Jews, others for the apostles.

Some of them were convinced by his words, but others would not believe.

Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge."

Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.

Tell me, my love, Where will you lead your flock to graze? Where will they rest from the noonday sun? Why should I need to look for you among the flocks of the other shepherds?

Don't you know the place, loveliest of women? Go and follow the flock; find pasture for your goats near the tents of the shepherds.

Most beautiful of women, where has your lover gone? Tell us which way your lover went, so that we can help you find him.

At that time many nations will come to the LORD and become his people. He will live among you, and you will know that he has sent me to you.

The LORD Almighty says, "The time is coming when people from many cities will come to Jerusalem.

Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the LORD Almighty and to pray for his blessing.

And so the Lord says, "You must leave them and separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with what is unclean, and I will accept you.

I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

It was more than we could have hoped for! First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will they gave themselves to us as well.

Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from the group and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two men who were highly respected by the believers, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,

We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things we are writing.

Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength.

while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace.

So he held discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentiles who worshiped God, and also in the public square every day with the people who happened to come by.

After the people had left the meeting, Paul and Barnabas were followed by many Jews and by many Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism. The apostles spoke to them and encouraged them to keep on living in the grace of God.

Paul wanted to take Timothy along with him, so he circumcised him. He did so because all the Jews who lived in those places knew that Timothy's father was Greek.

He held discussions in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks.

This went on for two years, so that all the people who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord.

"People of Israel!" they shouted. "Help! This is the man who goes everywhere teaching everyone against the people of Israel, the Law of Moses, and this Temple. And now he has even brought some Gentiles into the Temple and defiled this holy place!"

Many of them believed; and many Greek women of high social standing and many Greek men also believed.

But the Jews stirred up the leading men of the city and the Gentile women of high social standing who worshiped God. They started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their region.