Luke wrote “of the things fulfilled among us” paraphrased [ ] ref { } thots
Book of the Acts of the First Believers
1 - And so it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the northern country of Asia and came to Ephesus. (During his second “missionary journey”.) There he found some disciples, 2 and he asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit{/Presence of God} when you believed?”
And they said, “No, we’ve not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, and that one is Jesus.”
5 Upon hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then Paul laid hands on them (while praying to God) and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues {another earthly language or the spiritual prayer language for quieting the heart} and they prophesied. 7 There were twelve men in all. [Not all speak in tongues. Paul wrote “do all heal? Do all prophecy? Do all speak in tongues?” 1Cor.12:30.]
8 Then he went to the synagogue and for three months he spoke openly and freely there, reasoning and persuading about the kingdom of God.
9 But then some who continued to resist the message, became agitated, and began to slander and insult the way to the people of the synagogue. So he stayed away from there, as did the disciples with him. And so he reasoned and taught daily in the hall of Tyrannus instead.
10 This continued for two years, so all who lived in Asia heard the message [logos] of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 11 And God was doing extraordinary works by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or cloths used for aprons which had touched him, were carried back to the sick, and their diseases left them, and evil spirits were cast out.
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 The seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this, 15 but the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know. And I know who Paul is. But who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped upon them, mastered and overpowered them, so they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 This became known to all the people of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And amazement fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised and made all the more known.
18 And many who were now believers came, confessing secret practices, 19 and magic arts brought their books together and burned them in public. And they counted the value and found it came to about fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. {The white horse rider! Going forth conquering and to conquer, openly victorious over powers and principalities! First and main element of the age of our Lord, CE. But “the seals”/elements of Revelation are described at the beginning of the vision, as a blend of their first aNd last effects, effectively veiling what they are. See how the 2nd Seal is response to the first, is given a long sword.. and also see Seal 6 (the long sword! rev.6:12-17) and then 7:1,3.. where we still are for now..}
Next - 19:21-41
