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Acts Acts one one in the first book, Oh Theophilus,

I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do

and teach until the day he was taken up. After

he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the

apostles whom he had chosen, he presented himself alive to

them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them

during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God.

And while staying with them, he ordered them not to

depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of

the Father, which he said.

You heard from me for John baptize with water, but

you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many

days from now.

So, when they had come together, they asked him.

Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel.

He said to them, it is not for you to

know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by

his own authority. But you will receive power when the

Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will beat

my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria,

and to the end of the earth.

And when he had said these things, as they were

looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took

him out of their sight. And while they were gazing

into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by

them in white robes, and said.

Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,

will come in the same way as you saw him

go into heaven.

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,

which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And

when they had entered, they went up to the upper

room where they were staying Peter and John, and James,

and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew An Matthew, James the

son of Alpheus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the

son of James. All these with one accord, were devoting

themselves to prayer together with the women, and marry the

mother of Jesus and his brothers. In those days. Peter

stood up among the brothers. The company of persons was

in all about one hundred twenty, and said.

Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy

Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas

who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus, for

he was numbered among us and was allotted his share

in this ministry.

Now this man acquired a field with the reward of

his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle,

and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known

to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field

was called in their own language a caldema, that is

field of blood.

For it has written in the book of Psalms. May

his camp become desolate, and let there be no one

to dwell in it, and let another take his office.

So one of the men who have accompanied us during

all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and

out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, until

the day when he was taken up from us, one

of these men must become with us a witness to

his resurrection.

And they put forward too Joseph called Barsabus, who is

also called Justice, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, you, Lord, who.

Know the hearts of all, show which one of these

two you have chosen to take the place in this

ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned aside to go

to his own place.

And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell

on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.

Acts two. When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were

all together in one place, and suddenly there came from

heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it

filled the entire house where they were sitting, and divided

tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on

each one of them. And they were all filled with

the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues

as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling

in Jerusalem, Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

And at this sound, the multitude came together, and they

were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in

his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying.

Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how

is it that we hear each of us in his

own native language? Meads and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia,

Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia, Egypt

and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyreni, and visitors

from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians. We

hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works

of God.

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another,

what does this mean? But others mocking, said, hah.

They are filled with new wine.

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice

and addressed them.

Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let

this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since

it is only the third hour of the day. But

this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel. And

in the last days it shall be. God declares that

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young

men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even on my male servants and female servants. In those days,

I will pour out my spirit, and they shall prophesy,

and I will show wonders in the heavens above, and

signs on the earth below, blood and fire, and vapor

of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness and

the moon to blood. Before the day of the Lord comes,

the great and magnificent day, and it shall come to

pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the

Lord shall be saved. Men of Israel, hear these words

Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God

with mighty works and wonders and signs, that God did

throw him in your midst. As you yourselves know this,

Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge

of God. You crucified and killed by the hands of

lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death,

because it was not possible for him to be held

by it. For David says concerning him, I saw the

Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand,

that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart was

glad and my tongue rejoiced. My flesh also will dwell

in hope, for you will not abandon my soul to

hades or let your Holy One see corruption. You have

made known to me the paths of life. You will

make me full of gladness with your presence brothers, I

may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David,

that he both died and was bid, and his tomor

is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet,

and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to

him that he would set one of his descendants on

his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of

the Christ. That he was not abandoned to hades, nor

did his flesh see corruption.

This Jesus God raised.

Up, and to that we all are witnesses. Being therefore

exalted in the right hand of God, and having received

from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he

has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he

himself says the Lord, said to my Lord, sit in

my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain

that God has made him both Lord and Christ. This

Jesus whom you crucified.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the

heart and said to Peter and the rest of the.

Apostles, brothers, what shall we do.

And Peter said to them, repent and be baptized, every

one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. For

the forgiveness of your sins. You will receive the gift

of the Holy Spirit for the promises for you and

for your children, and for all who are far off,

everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

And with many other words, he bore witness and continue

to exhort them.

Saying, save yourselves from this crooked generation.

So those who received his word were baptized, and there

were added that day about three thousand souls. And they

devoted themselves to the apostles, teaching and the fellowship, to

the breaking of bread, and the prayers, and Ah came

upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being

done through the apostles, And all who believed were together

and had all things in common, and they were selling

their possessions and belongings, and distributing the proceeds to all

as any head need. And day by day attending the

temple together and breaking bread in their homes. They received

their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and

having favor with all the people, and the Lord added

to their number day by day those who were being

saved acts three. Now Peter and John were going up

to the temple at the hour of prayer the ninth hour,

and a man lame from birth was being carried, whom

they laid daily at the gate of the temple that

is called the Beautiful Gate, to ask alms of those

entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go

into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter

directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said,

look at us. And he fixed his attention on them,

expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, I

have no silver.

And gold, But what I do have, I give to

you the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Rise up

and walk.

And he took him by the right hand and raised

him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong,

and leaping up, he stood and began to walk and

entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

And all the people saw him walking and praising God,

and recognized him as the one who sat at the

beautiful gate of the temple asking for alms. And they

were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened

to him. While he clung to Peter and John. All

the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the

portico called Solomon. And when Peter saw it, he addressed

the people men of.

Israel, why do you wonder at this or why do

you stare at us? As though by our own power

or piety we have made him walk. The God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the

God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you

delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilates, when

he had decided to release him. But you denied the

Holy and righteous ones and asked for a murderer to

be granted to you. And you killed the author of life,

whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses,

and his name by faith in his name has made

this man strong, whom you see and know, and the

faith that is through Jesus has given the man this

perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers,

I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also

your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of

all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. He thus fulfilled.

Repent therefore and turn again, that your sins may be

blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the

presence of the Lord, and that he may send the

Christ appoint it for you Jesus, whom heaven must receive,

until the time for restoring all the things about which

God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Moses said, the Lord God will raise up for you

a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen

to him in whatever he tells you, and it shall

be that every soul who does not listen to that

prophet shall be destroyed from the people, and all the

prophets who have spoken. Samuel and those who came after

him also proclaimed these days you are the sons of

the prophets and of the covenant that got made with

your fathers. Say to Abraham, and in your offspring shall

all the families of the earth be blessed. God, having

raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to

bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.

Acts four. And as they were speaking to the people,

the priests and the captain of the temple, and the

sadducees came upon them greatly annoyed because they were teaching

the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead,

and they arrested them and put them in custody until

the next day, for it was already evening. But many

of those who had heard the word believed, and the

number of the men came to about five thousands. On

the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes gathered

together in Jerusalem, with Annis, the high Priest, and Caiaphus,

and John and Alexander, and all who were of the

high priestly family. And when they had set them in

the midst they inquired.

By what power, oh by what name, did you do this.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to.

Them, rulers of the people and elders, if we are

being examined today concerning a good deed done to a

crippled man, by what means this man has been healed?

Let it be known to all of you and to

all the people of Israel, that by the name of

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised

from the dead by him. This man is standing before you. Well,

this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you,

the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is

salvation in no one else, For there is no other

name under Heaven given among men by which we must

be saved.

Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,

and perceived that they were uneducated common men, they were astonished,

and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But

seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they

had nothing to say in oppositions. But when they had

commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying.

What shall we do with these men?

For that a notable sign has been performed through them

is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we

cannot deny it.

But in order that it may spread no further among

the people, let us warn them to speak no more

to anyone in this name.

So they called them and charged them not to speak

or teach it all in the name of Jesus. But

Peter and John answered them.

Whether it is right in the sight of God, to

listen to you rather than to God. You must judge, for.

We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

And when they had further threatened them, they let them go,

finding no way to punish them because of the people,

for all were praising God for what had happened. For

the man on whom this sign of healing was performed

was more than forty years old. When they were released,

they went to their friends and reported what the chief

priests and the elders had said to them. And when

they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God

and said.

Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, and

the sea and everything in them, who, through the mouth

of our Father David, your Servant, said, by the Holy Spirit,

why of the gentiles rage and the people's plot in vain?

The kings of the earth except themselves.

And the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and

against his anointed. For truly, in this city there were

gathered together against your Holy Servant.

Jesus, whom you anointed both herod and conscious pilot, along

with the gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do

whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

And now, Lord, look upon.

Their threats, and grant to your servants to continue to

speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out

your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through.

The name of your holy Servant Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place in which they

were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled

with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word

of God with boldness. Now the full number of those

who believed were of one heart and mind soul, and

no one said that any of the things that belonged

to him was his own. But they had everything in

common and with great power. The apostles were giving their

testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great

grace was upon them all. There was not a needy

person among them, for as many as were owners of

lands or houses, sold them, and brought the proceeds of

what was sold and laid it at the apostle's feet,

and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus, Joseph,

who was also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means

son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold

a field that belonged to him, and brought the money

and laid it at the Apostle's feet. Acts five. But

a man name Anonius, with his wife Saphira, sold a

piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge, he kept

back for himself some of the proceeds, and brought only

a part of it and laid it at the apostles feet.

But Peter said, Anonius, why is Satan filled your heart

to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back

for yourself part of the proceeds of the land while

it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And

after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?

Why is it that you have contrived this deed in

your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.

When Anonius heard these words, he fell down and breathed

his last, and great fear came upon all who heard

of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up

and carried him out and buried him. After an interval

of about three hours. His wife came in, not knowing

what had happened, And Peter said to her.

Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?

And she said yes for so much. But Peter said

to her.

How is it that you have agreed together to test

the spirit of the Lord. Behold, the feet of those

who have buried your husband are at the door, and

they will carry you out.

Immediately, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.

When the young men came in, they found her dead,

and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon

all who heard of these things. Now many signs and

wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands

of the apostles, and they were all together in Solomon's portico.

None of the rest dared joining them, but the people

held them in high esteem, and more than ever believers

were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

so that they even carried out the sick into the

streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as

Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on

some of them. The people also gathered from the towns

around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits,

and they were all healed. But the high priest rose

up and all who were with him, that is the

party of the Sadducees. And filled with jealousy, they arrested

the apostles and put them in the public prison. But

cheering the night, an angel of the Lord opened the

prison doors and brought them out and said.

Go and stand in the temple and speak to the

people all the words of this life.

And when they heard this, they entered the temple at

daybreak and began to teach. Now, when the High Priest

came and those who were with him, they called together

the council and all the senate of the people of Israel,

and sent to the prison to have them brought. But

when the officers came, they did not find them in

the prison. So they returned and reported.

We found the prisons securely locked in, the guards standing

at the doors.

But when we opened them, we found no one inside.

And when the captain of the temple and the Chief

Priest heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them,

wondering what this would come to. And someone came and

told them, look, the.

Men whom you put in prison are standing in the

temple and teaching the people.

Then the captain, with the officers went and brought them,

but not by force, for they were afraid of being

stoned by the people. And when they had brought them,

they set them before the council, and the high priest

questioned them, saying.

We strictly charged you not to teach in this name.

Yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and

you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

But Peter and the apostles answered, we must obey God

rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus,

whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God

exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior

to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And

we are witnesses to these things, and so is the

Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to

kill them. But a pharisee in the council named Gamaliel,

a teacher of the law held in honor by all

the people, stood up and gave orders to put the

men outside for a little while. And he said to.

Them, men of Israel, take care what you are about

to do with these men, for before these days, Theudas

rose up, claiming to be somebody in the number of men.

About four hundred joined him. He was killed, and all

who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing after him.

Judas the Galileean route up in the days of the census,

and drew away some of the people after him. He

too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So

in the present case, I tell you keep away from

these men and let them alone. For if this plan

or this undertaking is of man, it will fail. But

if it is of God, you will not be able

to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God.

So they took his advice, and when they had called

in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not

to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Then they left the presence of the councils, rejoicing that

they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

And every day in the temple and from house to

house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus. As

the Christ acts. Six. Now, in these days, when the

disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenis

arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected

in the daily distributions. And the twelve summoned the full

number of the disciples and said.

It is not right that we should give up preaching

the word of God to serve tables.

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of

good repute, full of the spirit and of wisdom, whom

we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote

ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.

And what they said please the whole gathering. And they

chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the

Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Procerus, and Nikana, and Timon,

and Parmenas and Nicolaus, Roscolyte of Antioch. These they set

before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands

on them. And the word of God continued to increase,

and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem,

and a great many of the priests became obedient to

the faith, and Stephen, full of grace and power, was

doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some

of those who belonged to the Synagogue of the Freedmen,

as it was called, and of the Sirenians, and of

the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia rose

up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand

the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking.

Then they secretly instigated men who said, we.

Have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.

And they stirred up the people and the elders and

the scribes. And they came upon him and seized him,

and brought him before the council. And they set up

false witnesses who said, this man.

Never ceases to speak words against this holy place and

the law.

For we have heard him.

Say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place

and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.

And gazing at him, all who sat in the council

saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Acts seven. And the High Priest said, are these things so?

And Stephen said.

Brothers and fathers, hear me.

The God of Glory appeared to our father Abraham when

he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Heron, and

said to him, go out from your land and from

your kindred, and go into the land that I will

show you. Then he would out from the land of

the Chaldeans and lived in Heron, And after his father died,

God removed him from there into this land in which

you are now living. Yet he gave him no inheritance

in it, not even a footslength, but promised to give

it to him as a possession and to his offspring

after him, though he had no child. And God spoke

to this effect, that his offspring would be sojournals in

the land belonging to others, who would enslave them and

afflict them four hundred years.

But I will judge the.

Nation that they serve, said God, And after that they

shall come out and worship me in this place. And

he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham

became the father of Isaac and circumcised them on the

eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and

Jacob of the twelve Patriarchs, and the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold.

Him into Egypt.

But God was with him and rescued him out of

all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh,

King of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt.

And over all his household.

Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan,

and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt,

he sent out our fathers on their first visit, And

on the second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers,

and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh, and Joseph sentence

some of Jacob, his father, and all his kindred, seventy

five persons in all. And Jacob went down into Egypt,

and he died, he and our fathers, and they were

carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that

Abraham had bought for some of silver from the sons

of Haymour in Shechem. But as the time of the

promise drew near which God had granted to Abraham, the

people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose over

Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. He dealt

shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose

their infant so that they would not be kept alive.

At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful

in God's sight. And he was brought up for three

months in his father's house. And when he was exposed,

Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her

own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom

of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words

and deeds. When he was forty years old, it came

into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel,

and seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the

oppressed man and avenged him by striking.

Down the Egyptian.

He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was

giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand,

and on the following day he appeared to them as

they were quarreling, and tried to reconcile them, saying, men,

you are brothers, why do you wrong each other? But

the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying,

who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Do you want to kill me as you killed the

Egyptian yesterday. At this retort, Moses fled and became an

exile in the land of Midian, where he became the

father of two sons. Now, when forty years had passed,

an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai,

in a flame of fire and a bush. When Moses

saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as

he drew near to look, there came the voice of

the Lord.

I am the God of your.

Fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.

And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. Then

the Lord said to him, take off the sandals from

your feet, for the place where you are standing as

holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my

people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning,

and I have come down to deliver them.

And now come, I will send you to Egypt.

This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, who made you a

ruler and a judge?

This man God.

Sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of

the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

This man led them out, performing.

Wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea

and in the wilderness for forty years This is the

Moses who said to the Israelites, God will raise up

for you a prophet like me from your brothers. This

is the one who was in the congregation in the

wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai,

and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give

to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust

him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

saying to Aaron, make for us gods.

Who will go before us.

As for this Moses, who let us out from the

land of Egypt, we do not know what has.

Become of him.

And they made a calf in those days and offered

a sacrifice to the Idol, and were rejoicing in the

works of their hands. But God turned away and gave

them over to worship the host of Heaven. As it

is written in the Book of the Prophets, did you

bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices during the forty

years in the wilderness, O house of Israel, you took

up the tent of Moloch and the star of your

God refin the images that you made to worship. And

I will send you into exile beyond Babylon. Our fathers

had the tent of witness in the wilderness just to

see who spoke to Moses directed him to make it

according to the pattern that he had seen. Our fathers,

in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed

the nations that God drove out before our fathers.

So it was until the.

Days of David, who found favor in the sight of

God and asked to find a dwelling place for the

God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a

house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell

in houses made by hands. As the prophet says, heaven

is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What

kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord?

Or what is the place of my rest? Did not

my hand make all these things? You stiff necked people,

uncircumcised in heart and ears, You always resist the Holy Spirit,

as your fathers did, So do you.

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And

they killed those.

Who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom

you have now betrayed and murdered. You who received the

laws delivered by angels and did not keep it.

Now.

When they heard these things, they were enraged, and they

ground their teeth out of me. But he full of

the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory

of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

And he said, behold, I see the heavens open, and

the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped

their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast

him out of the city and stoned him. And the

witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of the

young man named Saul. And as they were stoning steel,

he called.

Out, Lord Jesus, received by spirits.

And fallen to his knees, he cried out with a

loud voice.

Do not want li sin a kids.

Then, And when he had said this, he fell asleep

acts ate. And Saul approved of his execution. And there

arose on that day a great persecution against the Church

in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions

of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried

Stephen and made great life damentation over him. But Saul

was ravaging the church and entering house after house. He

dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed

to them the Christ, and the crowds with one accord,

paid attention to what was being said by Philip. When

they heard him and saw the signs that he did

for unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice came

out of many who had them, and many who were

paralyzed or laying were healed. So there was much joy

in that city. But there was a man named Simon

who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed

the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.

They all paid attention to him, from the least to

the greatest, saying.

This man is the power of God that is called great.

And they paid attention to him because for a law

long time he had amazed them with his magic. But

when they believed Philip as he preached good news about

the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ,

they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed,

and after being baptized, he continued with Philip, and seeing

signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Now, when

the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the

Word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

who came down and prayed for them that they might

receive the Holy Spirit, for He had not yet fallen

on any of them, but they had only been baptized

in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid

their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now,

when Simon saw that the spirit was given through the

laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money, saying.

Give me this power also so that anyone on whom

I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

But Peter said to him, may your silver perish with you,

because you thought you could obtain the gift of God

with money.

You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for

your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of

this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that,

if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

For I see that you are in the gall of

bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

And Simon answered, pray for me.

To the Lord, that nothing of what you have said

may come upon me.

Now, when they had testified and spoken the word of

the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel to

many villages of the Samaritans. Now an angel of the

Lord said to Philip.

Rise and go toward the south, to the road that

goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.

This is a desert place. And he rose and went.

And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official

of Candiacy, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge

of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,

and who was returning, seated in his chariot, and he

was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the spirit said to.

Philip, go over and join this chariot.

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah

the Prophet, and asked, do you understand what you were reading?

And he said, how can I unless someone guides me.

And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading.

Was this like aschief.

He was led to the slota. Unlike a lumb before

it's hiera, it's silent, So he hope has not his

mouth in his humiliation, Justus was denied him who can

describe his insa, for his life is taken away from

the ath.

And the eunuch said to Philip.

About whom I ask you?

Does the prophet say this about himself or about someone else?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and, beginning with this scripture,

he told him the good news about Jesus. And as

they were going along the road, they came to some water,

and the eunuch said.

See he is orda what prevents me from being baptized?

And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both

went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and

he baptized him. And when they came up out of

the water, the spirit of the Lord carried Philip away,

and the eunuch saw him no more and went on

his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and

as he passed through, he preached the gospel to all

the towns until he came to Cesarea Acts nine. But Saul,

still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.

Went to the high priest and asked him for letters

to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found

any belonging to the Way men or women, he might

bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now, as he went on

his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly, alight from heaven

flashed around him, and falling to the ground, he heard

a voice saying to him.

So, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

And he said, who are you? Lord? And he said,

I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

But rise and enter the city, and you will be

told what you are to do.

Who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice,

but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and

although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they

led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

And for three days he was without sight, and neither

ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus

named Anonius. The Lord said to him in a vision, Anonius,

and he said.

Here I am Lord.

And the Lord said to him, rise and go to

the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas,

look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.

For behold, he is praying, and he has seen in

a vision a man named Anonius come in and lay

his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.

But Anonius answered, Lord, I have heard from many about

this man how much evil he has done to your

saints at Jerusalem.

And here he has authority from the chief priest to

bind all who call on your name.

But the Lord said to him, go, for he is

a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before

the gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For

I will show him how much he must suffer for

the sake of my name. So Anonius departed and entered

the house, and laying his hands on him, he said.

Brother, Saul, the Lord.

Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which

you came, has sent me so that you may regain

your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and

he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized,

and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he

was with the disciples at Damascus, and immediately he proclaimed

Jesus in the synagogue's saying he is the Son of God.

And all who heard him were amazed, and.

Said, is not this the man who made havoc in

Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has

he not come here for this purpose to bring them

bound before the chief priest.

But Saul increased all the more and strength, and confounded

the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus

was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews

plotted to kill him, But their plot became known to Saul.

They were watching the gates day and night in order

to kill him. But his disciples took him by night

and let him down through an opening in the wall,

lowering him in a basket. And when he had come

to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples, and they

were all afraid of him, for they did not believe

that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and

brought him to the apostles and declared to them how

on the road he had seen the Lord who spoke

to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly

in the name of Jesus. So he went in and

out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name

of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,

but they were seeking to kill him, And when the

brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and

sent him off to Tarsus. So the church throughout all

Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being

built up and walking in the fear of the Lord

and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. It multiplied.

Now as Peter went here and there among them all

he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

There he found a man named Aeneas, bed ridden for

eight years, who was paralyzed, and Peter said to him.

Annaeus, Jesus Christ heals you, rise and make your bed.

And immediately he rose, and all the residents of Lydda

and Charon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which

translated means Dorcas. She was full of good works and

acts of charity. In those days, she became ill and died,

and when they had washed her, they laid her in

an upper room. Since Lida was near Joppa, the disciples

hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him,

urging him, please come to us without delay. So Peter

rose and went with them, and when he arrived, they

took him to the upper room. All the widows stood

beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other garments that

Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put

them all outside and knelt down and prayed, and turning

to the body, he said, Tabithatha, arise, and she opened

her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up,

and he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then,

calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive, and

it became known throughout all j and many believed in

the Lord, and he stayed in Japa for many days

with one Simon a Tanner acts ten. At Cesarea, there

was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was

known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared

God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people,

and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of

the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel

of God come in and say to him. Cornelius and

he stared at him in terror and said, what is it?

Lord?

And he said to him, your.

Prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

And now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon,

who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon,

a tanner, whose house is by the sea.

When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he

called two of his servants and a devout soldier from

among those who attended him, and having related everything to them,

he sent them to Joppa. The next day. As they

were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went

up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray,

and he became hungry and wanted something to eat. But

while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance

and saw the heavens opened, and something like a great

sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon

the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and

reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice.

To him, rise, Peter, kill and eat.

But Peter said, by no means, Lord, for I have

eaten anything that is common or unclean.

And the voice came to him again a second time.

What God has made clean, do not call common.

This happened three times, and the thing was taken up

at once to heaven. Now, while Peter was inwardly perplexed

as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, Behold,

the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry

for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out

to ask whether Simon, who is called Peter, was lodging there.

And while Peter was pondering the visions, the spirit said

to him.

Behold, three men are looking for you.

Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for

I have sent them.

And Peter went down to the men and said, I

am the.

One you are looking for. What is the reason for

your coming?

And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, an upright, right and

god fearing man who was well spoken of by the

whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to

send for you to come to his house and to

hear what you have to say.

So he invited them in to be his guests. The

next day he rose and went away with them, and

some of the brothers from Jappa accompanied him, and on

the following day they entered cessarea. Cornelius was expecting them

and had called together his relatives and close friends. When

Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his

feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying,

stand up, I too, am a man. And as he

talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered,

and he said to them.

You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew

to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation.

The God has shown me that I should not call

any person common or on. So when I was sent for,

I came without objection. I ask, then, why you sent

for me?

And Cornelius said, four days ago, about this hour. I

was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and

behold a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius,

your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been

remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon,

who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house

of Simon, a tanner by the sea. So I sent

for you at once, and you have been kind enough

to come.

Now.

Therefore we are all here in the presence of God

to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.

So Peter opened his mouth and said, truly.

I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation,

anyone who fears Him and does what is right is

acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent

to Israel preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ,

he is lord of all. You yourselves know what happened

throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that

John proclaimed, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the

Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good

and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. For

God was with him, and we are witnesses of all

that he did. Both in the country of the Jews

and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging

him on a tree. The God raised him on the

third day and made him to appear not to all

the people, but to us, who have been chosen by

God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him. After

he rose from the dead, and he commanded us to

preach to the people and to test that he is

the one appointed by God to be judge of the

living and the dead. Through him, all the prophets bear

witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of

sins through his name.

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit

fell on all who heard the word, and the believers

from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were

amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured

out even on the gentiles, for they were hearing them

speaking in tongues and extolling God.

Then Peter declared, can anyone withhold water for baptizing these

people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name

of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for

some days acts eleven. Now the apostles and the brothers

who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had

received the word of God. So when Peter went up

to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying.

You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.

But Peter began and explained it to them in order.

I was in the city of Joppa praying and in

a trance I saw a vision something like a great

sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners,

and it came down to me. Looking at it closely,

I observed animals and beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds

of the air. And I heard her voice saying to me, rise, Peter, kill.

And eat that.

I said, by no means, Lord, for nothing common or

unclean has ever entered my mouth. But the voice answered

a second time from heaven, what God has made clean,

do not call common. This happened three times, and all

was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that

very moment, three men arrived at the house in which

we were sent to me from cesarea, and the Spirit

told me to go with them, making no distinction. These

six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house,

and he told us how he had seen the Angel

stand in his house and say, send to jop and

bring Simon, who has called Peter. He will declare to

you a message by which you will be saved, you

and all your household. As I began to speak, the

Holy Spirit fell on them, just as on us at

the beginning. And I remember the word of the Lord.

How he said, John, baptize with water, but you will

be baptized with the Holy Spirit. If then God gave

the same gift to them as he gave to us

when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Who was

I that I could stand in God's way?

When they heard these things, they fell silent, and they

glorified God, saying then to.

The Gentiles, also God has granted repentance that leads to life.

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that

arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicious and Cyprus

and Antioch, speaking the Word to no one except Jews.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Syreeni, who,

on coming to Antioch, spoke to the hell in estalso

preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord

was with them, and a great number who believed turned

to the Lord. The report of this came to the

ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas

to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God,

he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain

faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, For he was

a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,

and a great many people were added to the Lord.

So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and

when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.

For a whole year they met with the church and

taught a great many people, and in Antioch the disciples

were first called Christians. Now, in these days prophets came

down from Jerusalem to Antioch, and one of them named Agabus,

stood up and foretold by the spirit that there would

be a great famine over all the world. This took

place in the days of Claudius. So the disciples determined everyone,

according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers

living in Judea, and they did so, sending it to

the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Acts twelve.

About that time, Herod the King laid violent hands on

some who belonged to the Church. He killed James, the

brother of John, with the sword, and when he saw

that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter. Also,

this was during the days of unleavened bread, and when

he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering

him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him,

intending after the passover to bring him out to the people.

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for

him was made to God by the church now when

Herod was about to bring him out. On that very night,

Peter was sleeping between two soldierss bound with two chains

and sentries before the door, were guarding the prisons. And behold,

an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and

a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on

the side and woke him, saying, get up quickly, and

the chains fell off his hands, and the angel said

to him.

Dress yourself and put on your sandals.

And he did so. And he said to him, wrap

your cloak around you, and follow me. And he went

out and followed him. He did not know that what

was being done by the angel was real, but thought

he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the

first and the second guard, they came to the iron

gate leading into the city. It opened for them of

its own accord, and they went out and went along

one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter

came to himself. He said, now, I.

Am sure that the Lord has set his angel rescued

me from the hand of Herod and from all that

the Jewish people were expecting.

When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary,

the mother of John, whose other name was Mark, where

many were gathered together and were praying. And when he

knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl

named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter's voice in her joy,

she did not open the gate, but ran in and

reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said

to her, you are out of your mind, but she

kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying

it is his angel. But Peter continued knocking, and when

they opened they saw him and were amazed. But motioning

to them with his hand to be silent, he described

to them how the Lord had brought him out of

the prison, and he said.

Tell these things to James and to the brothers.

Then he departed and went to another place. Now in

day came there was no little disturbance among the soldiers

over what had become of Peter, And after Herod searched

for him and did not find him, he examined the

sentries and ordered that they should be put to death.

Then he went down from Judea to Cesarea and spent

time there. Now Herod was angry with the people of

Tire and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord,

and having persuaded blasts the king's chamberlain, they asked for

peace because their country depended on the king's country for food.

On an appointed day, Herod put on his royal rogues,

took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration

to them, and the people were shouting.

The voice of a God and not of a man.

Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down because

he did not give God the glory, and he was

eaten by worms and breathed his last. But the word

of God increased and multiplied, and Barnabas and Saw return

from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with

them John whose other name was Mark Acts thirteen. Now

there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon,

who was called Niger, Lucius of Sirenian Mannion, a member

of the court of Herod, the tetrarch, and Saul, while

they were worshiping the Lord and fasting. The Holy Spirit said.

Set apart from me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work

to which I have called them.

Then, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on

them and sent them off. So, being sent out by

the Holy Spirit, they went down to Solucia, and from

there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis,

they proclaimed the word of God and the synagogues of

the Jews, and they had John to assist them. When

they had gone through the whole island as far as Pathis,

they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet

named bar Jesus. He was with the Proconsul Sergius Pollus,

a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and

sought to hear the word of God. But Elamis, the magician,

for that is the meaning of his name, opposed them,

seeking to turn the Proconsul away from the faith. But Saul,

who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,

looked intently at him and said, you.

Son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full

of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making

crooked the straight paths of the ward. And now behold,

the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you

will be blind and unable to see the sun.

For a time. Immediately missed, and darkness fell upon him,

and he went about seeking people to lead him by

the hand. Then the pro consul believed when he saw

what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching

of the Lord. Now Paul and his companion set sail

from Peypos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John

left them and returned to Jerusalem. But they went on

from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on

the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.

After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the

rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying.

Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people,

see it.

So Paul stood up and, motioning with his hands.

Said, men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

The God of this people, Israel, chose our fathers and

made the people great during their stay in the land

of Egypt. And with uplifted arm, he led them out

of it, and for about forty years he put up

with them in the wilderness, and after destroying seven nations

in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land

as an inheritance. All this took about four hundred and

fifty years, and after that he gave them judges until

Samuel the prophet.

Then they asked for.

A king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish,

a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years,

and when he had removed him, he raised up David

to be their king, of whom he testified and said,

I have found in David, the son of Jesse, a

man after my.

Heart who will do all my will.

Of this man's offspring, God has brought to Israel a

savior Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had

claimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israeli.

And as John was finishing his course, he said, what

do you.

Suppose that I am?

I am not he no, But behold after me, one

is coming the sandals of whose feet I am not

worthy to untie brothers, sons of the family of Abraham,

and those among you who fear. God to us has

been sent the message of this salvation for those who

live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not

recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which

are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And

though they found in him no guilt worthy of death,

they asked.

Pilot to have him executed.

And when they had carried out all that was written

of him, they took him down from the tree and

laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from

the dead, and for many days he appeared to those

who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,

who are now his witnesses to the people. And we

bring you the good news that what God promised to

the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children

by raising Jesus. As also it is written in the

second Psalm, you are my son today I have begotten you.

And as for the fact that He raised him from

the dead, no more to return to corruption. He has

spoken in this way, I.

Will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.

Therefore, he says also in another Psalm, you will not

let your holy ones see corruption. For David, after he

had served the purpose of God in his own generation,

fell asleep and was laid with his father, and saw corruption.

But he whom God raised up, did not seek corruption.

Let it be known to you, therefore, brothers, that through

this man, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and

by him, everyone who believes is freed from everything from

which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Beware, therefore, lest what.

Is said in the prophet should come about, Look you, scoffers,

be astounded and perish, for I am doing a work

in your days, a work that you will not believe,

even if one tells it to you.

As they went out to people, begged that these things

might be told them the next Sabbath, and after the

meeting of the synagogue broke up. Many Jews and devout

converts to Judaism. Followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they

spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace

of God. Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear

the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw

the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to

contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul

and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, it was necessary that.

The word of God bespoken first to you, since you

thrust it aside and judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life. Behold,

we are turning to the gentiles, for so the Lord

has commanded us, saying I have made you a light

for the gentiles, that you may bring salvation to.

The ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this,

they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.

And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed,

and the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the

whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of

high standing, and the leading men of the city stirred

up perse Cutian against Paul and Barnabas and drove them

out of their district. But they shook off the dust

from their feet against them and went to Iconium, and

the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts fourteen. Now at Iconium, they entered together into the

Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a

great number of both Jews and Greeks believed, but the

unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds

against the brothers. So they remained for a long time,

speaking boldly for the Lord who bore witness to the

word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be

done by their hands. But the people of the city

were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and some were

the apostles. When an attempt was made by both Gentiles

and Jews with their rulers to mistreat them and to

stone them, they learned of it and fled to Listra

and derby cities of Licaonia, and to the surrounding country,

and there they continued to preach the Gospels. Now at Lystra,

there was a man sitting who could not use his feet.

He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He

listened to Paul speaking, and Paul, looking intently at him,

and seeing that he had faith to be made well,

said in a loud voice, stand up right at your feet,

And he sprang up and began walking. And when the

crowd saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices,

saying in Licaonian.

The goste come down to us in the likeness of men.

Barnabas they called Zeus and Paul Hermes because he was

the chief speaker and the priest of Zeus, whose temple

was at the entrance of the city. Brought oxen and

garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with

the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard

of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into

the crowd, crying out, men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men of like nature with you, and

we bring you good news that you should turn from

these vain things to a living God who made the

heaven and the earth, and the sea and all that

is in them. In past generations, he allowed all the

nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did

not leave himself without witness, for he did good by

giving you reins from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your

hearts with food and gladness.

Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the people from

offering sacrifice to them. But Jews came from Antioch and Iconian,

and having persuaded the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged

him out of the city, supposing that he was dead,

But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up

and entered the city, and on the next day he

went on with Barnabas to Derby. When they had preached

the gospel to that city and had made many disciples,

they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium and to Antioch,

strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue

in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we

must enter the Kingdom of God. And when they had

appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting,

they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, and

when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went

down to Atalaia, and from there they sailed to Antioch,

where they had been commended to the grace of God

for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they

arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that

God had done with them, and how He had opened

a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained

no little time with the disciples Acts fifteen. But some

men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers.

Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom of Moses,

you cannot be saved.

And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and

debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the

others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the

apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent

on their way by the Church, they passed through both

Phoenicia and Sameria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles,

and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they

came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church and

the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that

God had done with them. But some believers who belonged

to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said it.

Is necessary to circumcise them, and to order them to

keep the law of Moses.

The apostles and the elders, who were gathered together to

consider this matter, and after there had been much debate,

Peter stood up and said to them.

Brothers, you know that in the early days God made

a choice among you that by my mouth the Gentiles

should hear the word of the Gospel and believe. And God,

who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving

them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

And He made no distinction between us and them, having

cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you

putting God to the test by placing a yoke on

the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor

we have been able to bear. But we believe that

we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus,

just as they will.

And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to

Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders

God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they

finished speaking, James replied.

Brothers, listen to me.

Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles to

take from them a people for his name.

And with this the words.

Of the prophets agree, just as it is written. After this,

I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of

David that has fallen. I will rebuild its ruins, and

I will restore it that the remnant of mankind may

seek the world and all the gentiles who are called

by my name, says the Lord who makes these things

known from of old. Therefore, my judgment is that we

should not trouble those of the gentiles who turned to God,

but should write to them to abstain from the things

polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what

has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations

Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him,

for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders,

with the whole church, to choose men from among them

and send them to Antioch. With Paul and Barnabas. They

sent Judas called Barsabbus, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

with the following letter.

The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the

brothers who are of the gentiles in Antioch and Syria

and Silicia, Greetings, since we have heard that some persons

have gone out from us and troubled you with words

unsettling your minds. Although we gave them no instructions. It

has seemed good to us, having come to one accord,

to choose men and send them to you, with our

beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives

for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have

therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you

the same things by word of mouth. For it has

seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to

lay on you no greater burden than these requirements, that

you abstained from what has been sacrificed to idols, and

from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from

sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will

do well, farewell well.

So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch,

and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

And when they had read it they rejoiced because of

its encouragement. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets,

encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. And after

they had spent some time, they were sent off in

peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.

But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching

the word of the Lord, with many others also, And

after some days Paul said to Barnabas, let.

Us return and visit the brothers in every city where

we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how

they are now.

Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark, but

Paul thought best not to take with them one who

had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone

with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement,

so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark

with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose

Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to

the grace of the Lord, and he went through Syria

and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Acts sixteen. Paul came also

to Derby and to Lystrastre. A disciple was there named Timothy,

the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,

but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken

of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconian. Paul wanted

Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised

him because of the Jews who were in those places,

for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they went on their way through the cities, they

delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been

reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they

increased in numbers daily. And they went through the region

of Phrygia and Galicia, having been forbidden by the Holy

Spirit to speak the Word in Asia. And when they

had come up to Messia, they attempted to go into Bithynia,

but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So

passing by Messia, they went down to Troas, and a

vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of

Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying.

Come over to Macedonia and help us.

And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought

to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called

us to preach the Gospel to them. So setting sail

from Troaz, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and

the following day Tonneapolis, and from there to Philippi, which

is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and

a Roman colony. We remained in the city some way days,

and on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate

to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place

of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the

women who had come together. One who heard us was

a woman named Lydia from the city of Theota, a

seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God.

The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what

was said by Paul, and after she was baptized and

her household as well, she urged us, saying, if you

have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come

to my house and stay. And she prevailed upon us.

As we were going to the place of prayer, we

were met by a slave girl who had a spirit

of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune telling.

She followed Paul and us, crying out.

These men are servants of the most tied God, who

proclaimed you the.

Way of Safacia.

And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having

become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit I

command you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come

out of her, and it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain

was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them

into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had

brought them to the magistrates, they said.

These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.

They advocate customs that are not lawful for us, as

Romans do accept the practice.

The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore

the garments off them and gave orders to beat them

with rods, And when they had inflicted many blows upon them,

they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep

them safely. Having received this order, he put them into

the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns

to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, And

suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations

of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors

were open, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer

woke and saw that the prison doors were open. He

drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing

that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a

loud voice.

Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.

And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and

trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.

Then he brought them out and said, sirs, what must

I do to be saved? And they said, believe in

the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and

your household. And they spoke the word of the Lord

to him and to all who were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night

and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once,

he and all his family. Then he brought them up

into his house and set food before them, and he rejoiced,

along with his entire household, that he had believed in God.

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying,

let those men go. And the jailer reported these words

to Paul, saying.

The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore, come

out now and go in peace.

But Paul said to them, they have beaten us publicly,

uncondemned men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us

into prisons, And do they now throw us out secretly? No,

let them come themselves and take us out.

The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they

were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

So they came and apologized to them, and they took

them out and asked them to leave the city. So

they went out of the prison and visited Lydia, and

when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and

departed Acts seventeen. Now, when they had passed through Amphipolis

and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonika, where there was a

synagogue of the Jews, and Paul went in, as was

his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with

them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was

necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from

the dead, and saying.

This, Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,

as did a great many of the devout Greeks, and

not a few of the leading women. But the Jews

were jealous and taking some wicked men of the rabble.

They formed a mob, set the city in an uproar,

and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them

out to the crowd, And when they could not find them,

they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the

city authorities, shouting.

These men who have turned the world upside down have

come here also, and Jason has receive them.

And they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar.

Say that there is another king, Jesus.

And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when

they heard these things, And when they had taken money

as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night

to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the

Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those

in Thessalonika. They received the Word with all eagerness, examining

the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek

women of high standing as well as men. But when

the Jews from Thessalonika learned that the Word of God

was proclaimed by Paul at Berea, also they came there too,

agitating and stirring up the crowns. Then the brothers immediately

sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but

Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought

him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command

for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon

as possible, they departed. Now, while Paul was waiting for

them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as

he saw that the city was full of idols. So

he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the

devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those

who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and

Stoic philosophers also conversed with him, and some said.

What does this babbler wish to say?

Others said, he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities.

Because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they

took him and brought him to the Areopogus, saying, may

we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting, For.

You bring some strange things to our ears.

We wish to know.

Therefore, what these things mean.

Now, all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there

would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing

something new. So Paul, standing in the midst of the areopagus, said, men.

Of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are

very religious. For as I passed along and observed the

objects of your worship, I found also an altar with

this inscription to the unknown God, what therefore you worship

as unknown.

This I proclaim to you.

The God who made the world and.

Everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does

not live in temples made by man, nor is he

served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since

He himself gives to all mankind.

Life and breath and everything, and.

He made from one man every nation of mankind to

live on all the face of the earth, having determined

allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that.

They should seek God in the hope.

That they might feel their way toward him and find him.

Yet He is actually not far from each one of us,

for in Him we live and move and have our being, as.

Even some of your own poets have said, for we

are indeed.

His offspring.

Being.

Then God's offspring. We ought not to.

Think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver

or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination

of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, But now

he commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has

fixed a day on which he will judge the world

in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed. And

of this he has given assurance to all by raising

him from the dead.

Now, when they heard of the resurrection of the dead,

some mocked, but others said.

We will hear you again about this.

So Paul went out from their myths, but some men

joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite,

and a woman named Damarus, and others with them. Acts

eighteen After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth,

and he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus,

recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Because Claudius

had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome, and he

went to see them, and because he was of the

same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they

were tent makers by trade, and he reasoned in the

synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied

with the Word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ

was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he

shook out his garments and said to them.

Your blood be on your own heads. I am innocent.

From now on I will go to the Gentiles.

And he left there and went to the house of

a man named Titius Justice, a worshiper of God. His

house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler

of the synagogu, believed in the Lord together with his

entire household, and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed

and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one

night in a vision, do not be afraid, but go

on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am

with you, and no one will attack you to harm you.

For I have many in this city who are my people.

And he stayed a year and six months teaching the

word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul

of a Chaia, the Jews made a united attack on

Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying.

Best man is persuading people to worship God, contrary to

the law.

But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio

said to the Jews, if it.

Were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, oh Jews,

I would have reason to accept your complaint.

But since it is a.

Matter of questions about words and names and your own law,

see to yourselves.

I refuse to be judge of these things.

And he drove them from the tribunal, and they all

seized Sasils, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him

in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention

to any of this. After this, Paul stayed many days longer,

and then took leave of the brothers and set sail

for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenkria,

he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there,

But he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with

the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a

longer period, he declined, but on taking leave of them,

he said, I will return to you if God wills,

and he set sail from Ephesus. When he had landed

at Cesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and

then went down to Antioch. After spending some time there,

he departed and went from one place to the next

through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Now a Jew named Apoulus, a native of Alexandria, came

to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the scriptures.

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord,

and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately

the things concerning Jesus. Though he knew only the baptism

of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.

But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him

and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

And when he wished to cross to Achaea, the brothers

encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him.

When he arrived, he greatly helped those who, through grace

had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public

showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus, Acts nineteen.

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul

passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There

he found some disciples, and he said to them, did.

You receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

And they said, no, we have not even heard that

there is a holy Spirit. And he said, into what then,

were you baptized? They said, into John's baptism?

And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance,

telling the people to believe in the one who was

to come after him, that is Jesus.

On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of

the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands

on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they

began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve

men in all, and he entered the synagogue and for

three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the

Kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued

in unbelief, speaking evil of the way before the congregation,

he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him,

reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for

two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard

the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. And

God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,

so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his

skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases

left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.

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 proclaims.

Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Si that

were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, peus.

I know and all I recognize annoy you.

And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped

on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so

that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

And this became known to all the residents of Ethesus,

both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all,

and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also,

many of those who were now believers came confessing and

divulging their practices. And a number of those who had

practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them

in the sight of all. And they counted the value

of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces

of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to

increase and prevail mightily. Now after these events, Paul resolved

in the spirit to pass through Macedonia and a Chaya

and go to Jerusalem, saying.

After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy

and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the way.

For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver

shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.

These he gathered together with the workmen in similar trades,

and said, men, you.

Know that from this business we have our wealth. And

you see and hear that.

Not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia.

This Paul has persuaded and turned away our great many people,

saying that God's made with hands are not gods, and

there is danger not only that this trade of ours

may come into disrepute, but also that the temple of

the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and

that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she

whom all Asia and the world worshiped.

When they heard this, they were enraged and were crying.

Out the greatest hoomis of the Ephesians.

So the city was filled with the confusion, and they

rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaeis and Aristarchus, Macedonians,

who were Paul's companions in travel. But when Paul wished

to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not

let him, and even some of the Asiarchs who were

friends of his, sent to him and were urging him

not to venture into the theater. Now, some cried out

one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion,

and most of them did not know why they had

come together. Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the

Jews had put forward, and Alexander, motioning with his hand,

wanted to make a defense to the crowd, but when

they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two

hours they all cried out with one voice, great.

His Artemis of the Ephesians.

And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said.

Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know

that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of

the Great Artemis and of the sacred stone that fell

from the sky. Seeing then that these things cannot be denied,

you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash, for

you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious

nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If therefore, Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a

complaint against anyone, the courts are open and there are

pro consuls, let them bring charges against one another. But

if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in

the regular assembly.

For we really are in danger of.

Being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause

that we can give, you justify this commotion.

And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

Acts.

Twenty after the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples,

and after encouraging them he said farewell, and departed from Macedonia.

When he had gone through those regions and had given

them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent

three months, and when a plot was made against him

by the Jews, as he was about to set sail

for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopter the

Bahrean son of Pirus, accompanied him, and of the Thessalonians

Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaeis of Derby and Timothy, and

the Asians Ticachus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and

were waiting for us at Troez. But we sailed away

from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and in

five days we came to them at Troas, where we

stayed for seven days. On the first day of the week,

when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked

with them, intending to depart on the next day, and

he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps

in the upper room where we were gathered, and a

young man named Eudicus, sitting at the window, sank into

a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer, and being

overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story

and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and

bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, do.

Not be alarmed, for his life is in him.

And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread

and eaten, he conversed with them a long while until daybreak,

and so departed, and they took the youth away alive,

and were not a little comforted. But going ahead to

the ship, we set sail for Asos, intending to take

Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself

to go by land. And when he met us at Asos,

we took him on board and went to Mittellini, and

sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios.

The next day we touched at Seimos, and the day

after that we went to my Leidus, for Paul had

decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not

have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening

to be at Jerusalem if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Now from my Leadus, he sent to Ephesus and called

the elders of the church to come to him, and

when they came to him, he said to them.

You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time,

from the first day that I set foot in Asia,

serving the Lord with all humility, and with tears, and

with trials that happened to me through the plots of

the Jews. Oh, I did not shrink from declaring to

you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public

and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and

to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in

our Lord Jesus Christ.

And now behold, I.

Am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the spirit, not knowing

what will happen to me there, except that the Holy

Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and

afflictions await me. But I do not account my life

of any value, nor is precious to myself, if only

I may finish my course and the ministry that I

receive from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel

of the grace of God. And now behold, I know

that none of you, among whom I have gone about

proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face again. Therefore I

testify to you this day that I am innocent of

the blood of all of you, for I did not

shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock

in which the Holy Spirit has made you over seers,

to care for the Church of God, which he obtained

with his own blood.

I know that after my departure.

Fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,

and from among your own selves will arise men speaking

twisted things to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore,

be alert, remembering that for three years I did not

cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. And

now I commend you to God and to the word

of His grace, which is able to build you up

and to give you the inheritance among all those who

are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.

You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and.

To those who were with me in all things.

I have shown you that by working hard in this

way we must help the weak. And remember the words

of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, it is

more blessed to give than to receive.

And when he had said these things, he knelt down

and prayed with them all, and there was much weeping

on the part of all. They embraced Paul and kissed him,

being sorrowful most of all because of the word he

had spoken that they would not see his face again.

And they accompanied him to the ship Acts twenty one one.

And when we had parted from them and set sail,

we came by a great course to kas and the

next day to Rose, and from there to Pata, And

having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard

and set sail. When we had come in sight of Cyprus,

leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria and

landed at Tire, for there the ship was to unload

its cargo, And having sought out the disciples, we stayed

there for seven days, and through the spirit they were

telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When our

days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey,

and they, all with wives and children, accompanied us until

we were outside the city, and kneeling down on the beach,

we prayed and said farewell to one another. Then we

went on board the ship, and they returned home. When

we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais,

and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for

one day. On the next day we departed and came

to Cessarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist,

who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. While we were

staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down

from Judea, and coming to us, he took Paul's belt

and bound his own feet and hands, and said.

Thus says the Holy Spirit, this is how the Jews

at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt

and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

When we heard this, we and the people there urged

him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, what.

Are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I

am ready not only to be imprisoned, but even to

die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said,

let the will of the Lord be done. After these

days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem, and

some of the disciples from Cesarea went with us, bringing

us to the house of Nason of Cyprus, an early

disciplie with whom we should lodge. When we had come

to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. On the following day,

Paul went in with us to James, and all the

elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by

one the things that God had done among the Gentiles

through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God,

and they said to him, you see.

Brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of

those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law.

And they have been told about you that you teach

all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses,

telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according

to our customs. What then is to be done? They

will certainly hear that you have come. Do therefore what

we tell you. We have four men who are under

a vow. Take these men and purify yourself along with them,

and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads.

Thus all will know that there is nothing in what

they have been told about you, but that you yourself

also live in observance of the law. But as for

the gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter

with our judgment that they should abstain from what has

been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what

has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.

Then Paul took them in, and the next day he

purified himself along with them, and went into the temple,

giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled,

and the offering presented for each one of them. When

the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia,

seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd

and laid hands on him, crying out.

Men of Israel, help, This is the man who is

teaching everyone everywhere against the.

People and the law, and this place.

Moreover, he even brought reeks into the temple and has

defiled this holy place.

For they had previously seen Trofemus the Ephesian with him

in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought

him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up,

and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged

him out of the temple, and at once the gates

were shut, and as they were seeking to kill him,

word came to the tribune of the cohort that all

Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and

centurions and ran down to them, and when they saw

the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then

the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him

to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he

was and what he had done. Some in the crowd

were shouting one thing some another, and as he could

not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered

him to be brought into the barracks. And when he

came to the steps, he was actually carried by the

soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. For the

mob of the people followed crying out. As Paul was

about to be brought into the barracks, he said to

the tribune, may I say something to you, And he said,

do you know Greek?

Are you not?

The Egyptian then, who recently stirred up a revolt and

led the four thousand men of the assassins out into

the wilderness.

Paul replied, I am a Jew from Tartars and Cilicia,

a citizen of no obscure city.

I beg you permit.

Me to speak to the people.

And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on

the steps, motioned with his hand to the people, and

when there was a great hush, he addressed them in

the Hebrew language, saying, acts twenty.

Two brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now

make before you.

And when they heard that he was addressing them in

the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet, and he said.

I am a Jew born in Tarsus, in Cilicia, but

brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel,

according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers.

Being zealous for God, as all of you are this.

Day, I persecuted this way to the death, binding and

delivering to prison both men and women. As the High

Priest and the whole council of elders can bear me

witness from them. I received letters to the brothers, and

I journeyed towards Damascus to take those also who were

there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be

punished as I was on my way and drew near

to them ask us about noon, a great light from

heaven suddenly shone around me, and I fell to the

ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul,

why are you persecuting me?

And I answered, who are you?

Lord?

And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth,

whom you are persecuting. Now those who were with me

saw the light, but did not understand the voice of

the one who was speaking to me, and I said,

what shall I do?

Lord?

And the Lord said to me, rise and go into Damascus,

and there you will be told all that is appointed

for you to do. And since I could not see

because of the brightness of that light, I was led

by the hand by those who were with me and

came into Damascus. And one Anonius, a devout man according

to the law spoken of by all the Jews who

lived there, came to me, and, standing by me, said

to me, brother, Saul, receive your sight. And at that

very hour I received my sight and saw him. And

he said, the God of our fathers appointed you to

know his will, to see the righteous One, and to

hear a voice from his mouth for you will be

a witness for him to everyone of what you have

seen and heard.

And now why do you wait?

Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling

on his name. When I had returned to Jerusalem and

was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

and saw him saying to me, make haste and get

out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your

testimony about me.

And I said, Lord, they themselves know.

That in one synagogue after another I amprisoned and beat

those who believed in you. And when the blood of

step and your witness was being shit, I myself was

standing by and approving, and watching over the garments of

those who killed him. And he said to me, go,

or I will send you far away to the gentiles.

Up to this word, they listened to him. Then they

raised their voices and said.

Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he

should not be allowed to live.

And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks

and flinging dust into the air, the tribune ordered him

to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should

be examined by flogging to find out why they were

shouting against him like this. But when they had stretched

him out with the whips, Paul said to the centurion

who was standing by.

Is it lawful for you to flog a man who

is a Roman citizen and uncondemned.

When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune

and said to him him.

What are you about to do for this man as

a Roman citizen.

So the tribune came and said to him, tell me,

are you a Roman citizen?

And he said yes. The tribune answered, I bought this

citizenship for a large sum, Paul said.

But I am a citizen by birth.

So those who were about to examine him withdrew from

him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he

realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he

had bound him. But on the next day, desiring to

know the real reason why he was being accused by

the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests

and all the council to meet, And he brought Paul

down and set him before them Acts twenty three, and

looking intently at the council, Paul said.

Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all

good conscience, up to this.

Day, and the high Priest Anonius commanded those who stood

by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul

said to him, God.

Is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall.

Are you sitting to judge me according to the law,

and yet contrary to the law, you order me to

be struck.

Those who stood by said.

Would you revile God's high priest?

And Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he

was the high priest, for.