TSK · Acts 13:43

“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me– and I in him– bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.

The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch.

But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their region.

They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying,“We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions.”

Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

But some people joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

They set a day to meet with him, and they came to him where he was staying in even greater numbers. From morning until evening he explained things to them, testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets.

through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory.

And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

God’s Suffering Servants Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!

Nevertheless, let us live up to the standard that we have already attained.

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end,

Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them.

Exhortation to the Faithful Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.

Children of God And now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.