I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius.

They all grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the court. But that did not bother Gallio a bit.

After the reading from the Law of Moses and from the writings of the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message: "Friends, we want you to speak to the people if you have a message of encouragement for them."

While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus' house and told him, "Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?"

He was a religious man; he and his whole family worshiped God. He also did much to help the Jewish poor people and was constantly praying to God.

One of those who heard us was Lydia from Thyatira, who was a dealer in purple cloth. She was a woman who worshiped God, and the Lord opened her mind to pay attention to what Paul was saying.

After she and the people of her house had been baptized, she invited us, "Come and stay in my house if you have decided that I am a true believer in the Lord." And she persuaded us to go.

Then he took Paul and Silas up into his house and gave them some food to eat. He and his family were filled with joy, because they now believed in God.

together with all of Abraham's slaves.

I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised."

If you are not willing to serve him, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors worshiped in Mesopotamia or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living. As for my family and me, we will serve the LORD."

When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do, brothers?"

For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away---all whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

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

But when they believed Philip's message about the good news of the Kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Philip began to speak; starting from this passage of scripture, he told him the Good News about Jesus.

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Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

He said to them, "Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed?

But not all have accepted the Good News. Isaiah himself said, "Lord, who believed our message?"

Christ has been divided into groups! Was it Paul who died on the cross for you? Were you baptized as Paul's disciples?

No one can say, then, that you were baptized as my disciples.

Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to tell the Good News, and to tell it without using the language of human wisdom, in order to make sure that Christ's death on the cross is not robbed of its power.