Open Bible Data Home  About  News  OET Key

Moff JOS 1 CHR 2 CHR EZRA NEH EST JOB PSA PROV ECC SNG JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOEL AMOS OBA YNA MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL MAT MARK LUKE YHN ACTs ROM 1 COR 2 COR GAL EPH PHP COL 1 TH 2 TH 1 TIM 2 TIM TIT PHM HEB YAC 1 PET 2 PET 1 YHN 2 YHN 3 YHN YUD REV

◄ Moff ACTs ►

ACT

15 Now during these days Peter stood up among the brothers (there was a crowd of about a hundred and twenty persons all together). 16 "My brothers," said he, "it had to be fulfilled, that scripture which the holy Spirit uttered beforehand by the lips of David with regard to Judas who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 Judas did enter our number, he did get his allotted share of this our ministry. 18 With the money paid him for his crime he purchased an estate; but swelling up he burst in two, and all his bowels poured out — 19 a fact which became known to all the residents in Jerusalem, so that the estate got the name, in their language, of Akeldamach or The Ground of Blood. 20 Now it is written in the book of psalms,

Desolate be his residence,

may no one dwell in it: also,

let another man take over his charge. 21 Well then, of the men who have been associated with us all the time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 from the baptism of John down to the day when he was taken up from us — of these men one must join us as a witness to his resurrection." 23 So they brought forward two men, Joseph called Bar-Sabbas (surnamed Justus) and Matthias; 24 and they prayed, "O Lord, who readest the hearts of all, do thou single out from these two men him whom thou hast chosen 25 to fill the place in this apostolic ministry which Judas left in order to go to his own place." 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, who was assigned his position with the eleven apostles.

2 During the course of the day of Pentecost they were all together, 2 when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a violent blast of wind, which filled the whole house where they were seated. 3 They saw tongues like flames distributing themselves, one resting on the head of each, 4 and they were all filled with the holy Spirit — they began to speak in foreign tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to express themselves. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6 So when this sound was heard, the multitude gathered in bewilderment, for each heard them speaking in his own language. 7 All were amazed and astonished. "Are these not all Galileans," they said, "who are speaking? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native tongue? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, 10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the districts of Libya round Cyrene, visitors from Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear these men talking of the triumphs of God in our own languages!" 12 They were all amazed and quite at a loss. "What can it mean?" they said to one another. 13 Some others sneered, "They are brim-full of new wine!"

14 But Peter stood up along with the eleven, and raising his voice he addressed them thus: "Men of Judaea and residents in Jerusalem, let everyone of you understand this--attend to what I say: 15 these men are not drunk, as you imagine. Why, it is only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was predicted by the prophet Joel--

In the last days, saith God,

then will I pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

your sons and daughters shall prophesy,

your young men shall see visions,

your old men shall dream dreams:

on my very slaves and slave-girls in those days will I pour out my Spirit,

and they shall prophesy.

And I will display wonders in heaven above

and signs on earth below,

blood and fire and vapour of smoke:

the sun shall be changed into darkness

and the moon into blood,

ere the great, open Day of the Lord arrives.

And everyone who invokes the name of the Lord shall be saved.

22 Men of Israel, listen to my words. Jesus the Nazarene, a man accredited to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs which God performed by him among you (as you yourselves know), 23 this Jesus, betrayed in the predestined course of God's deliberate purpose, you got wicked men to nail to the cross and murder; 24 but God raised him by checking the pangs of death. Death could not hold him. 25 For David says of him,

I saw the Lord before me evermore;

lest I be shaken, he is at my right hand.

My heart is glad,

my tongue exults,

my very flesh will rest in hope,

because thou wilt not forsake my soul in the grave,

nor let thy holy one suffer decay.

Thou hast made known to me the paths of life,

thou wilt fill me with delight in thy presence.

29 Brothers, I can speak quite plainly to you about the patriarch David; he died and was buried and his tomb remains with us to this day. 30 (He was a prophet; he knew God had sworn an oath to him that he would seat one of his descendants on his throne; 31 so he spoke with a prevision of the resurrection of the Christ, when he said that he was not forsaken in the grave nor did his flesh suffer decay. 32 This Jesus God raised, as we can all bear witness. 33 Uplifted then by God's right hand, and receiving from the Father the long-promised holy Spirit, he has poured on us what you now see and hear.) 34 For it was not David who ascended to heaven; David says,

The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand,

till I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'. 36 So let all the house of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this very Jesus whom you have crucified."

37 When they heard this, it went straight to their hearts; they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what are we to do?" 38 "Repent," said Peter, "let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; then you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is meant for you and for your children and for all who are far off, for anyone whom the Lord our God may call to himself." 40 And with many another appeal he urged and entreated them. "Save yourselves," he cried, "from this crooked generation!" 41 So those who accepted what he said were baptized; about three thousand souls were brought in, that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the instruction given by the apostles and to fellowship, breaking bread and praying together. 43 Awe fell on everyone, and many wonders and signs were performed by the apostles [in Jerusalem]. 44 The believers all kept together; they shared all they had with one another, 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds among all, as anyone might be in need. 46 Day after day they resorted with one accord to the temple and broke bread together in their own homes; they ate with a glad and simple heart, 47 praising God and looked on with favour by all the people. Meantime the Lord added the saved daily to their number.

3 Peter and John were on their way up to the temple for the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon, 2 when a man lame from birth was carried past, who used to be laid every day at what was called the "Beautiful Gate" of the temple, to ask alms from those who entered the temple. 3 When he noticed that Peter and John meant to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked at him steadily, as did John, and said, "Look at us." 5 The man attended, expecting to get something from them. 6 But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, [get up and] walk!" 7 And catching him by the right hand he raised him. Instantly his feet and ankles grew strong, 8 he leapt to his feet, started to walk, and accompanied them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and when they recognized this was the very man who used to sit and beg at the Gate Beautiful, they were lost in awe and amazement at what had happened to him.

11 As he clung to Peter and John, all the people rushed awestruck to them in what was called Solomon's portico. 12 But when Peter saw this, he said to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you surprised at this? Why do you stare at us, as if we had made him walk by any power or piety of ours? 13 The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers has glorified Jesus his servant, whom you delivered up and repudiated before Pilate. Pilate had decided to release him, 14 but you repudiated the Holy and Just One; the boon you asked was a murderer, 15 and you killed the pioneer of Life. But God raised him from the dead, as we can bear witness. 16 (He it is who has given strength to this man whom you see and know, by faith in His name; it is the faith He inspires which has made the man thus hale and whole before you all.) 17 Now I know, brothers, that you acted in ignorance, like your rulers — 18 though this was how God fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the lips of all the prophets, namely the sufferings of his Christ. 19 Repent then, and turn to have your sins blotted out, so that a breathing-space may be vouchsafed you, 20 and that the Lord may send Jesus your long-decreed Christ, 21 who must be kept in heaven till the period of the great Restoration. Ages ago God spoke of this by the lips of his holy prophets; 22 for Moses said,

The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brotherhood, as he raised me:

you must listen to whatever he may tell you.

Any soul that will not listen to this prophet shall be exterminated from the People; 24 and all the prophets who have spoken since Samuel and his successors have also announced these days. 25 Now you are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers when he said to Abraham, all families on earth shall be blessed in your offspring. 26 It was for you first that God raised up his Servant, and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

4 While they were speaking to the people, they were surprised by the priests, the commander of the temple, and the Sadducees, 2 who were annoyed at them teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus as an instance of resurrection from the dead. 3 They laid hands on them and, as it was now evening, put them in custody till next morning. 4 (A number of those who heard them speak believed, bringing up their numbers to [about] five thousand.)

5 Next morning a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their rulers, elders and scribes, 6 which was attended by the high priest Annas, by Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high priest's family. 7 They made the men stand before them and inquired, "By what authority, in whose name, have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, 9 if we are being cross-examined to-day upon a benefit rendered to a cripple, upon how this man got better, 10 you and the people of Israel must all understand that he stands before you strong and well, thanks to the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead. 11 He is

the stone despised by you builders,

which has become head of the corner. 12 There is no salvation by anyone else, nor even a second Name under heaven appointed for us men and our salvation."

13 They were astonished to notice how outspoken Peter and John were, and to discover that they were uncultured persons and mere outsiders; they recognized them as having been companions of Jesus, 14 but as they saw the man who had been healed standing beside them, they could say nothing. 15 Ordering them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin, they proceeded to hold a consultation. 16 "What are we to do with these men?" they said. "It is plain to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem that a miracle has admittedly been worked by them. That we cannot deny. 17 However, to keep things from going any further with the people, we had better threaten them that they are not to tell anyone in future about this Name." 18 So they called the men in and ordered them not to speak or teach a single sentence about the Name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Decide for yourselves whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God. 20 Certainly we cannot give up speaking of what we have seen and heard." 21 Then they threatened them still further and let them go; on account of the people they found themselves unable to find any means of punishing them, for everybody was glorifying God over what had happened 22 (the man on whom this miracle of healing had been performed, being more than forty years old).

23 On being released they went to their friends and related what the high priests and elders had said; 24 and on hearing this the entire company raised their cry to God, "O Sovereign Lord, thou art he who made heaven, earth, and sea, and all that in them is, 25 who said to our fathers by the holy Spirit through the lips of thy servant David,

Why did the Gentiles rage,

and the peoples vainly conspire?

Kings of the earth stood ready,

rulers mustered together against the Lord and his Christ. 27 In this very city they actually mustered against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst consecrate — Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 mustering to carry out what thy hand had traced, thy purpose had decreed. 29 So now, O Lord, consider the threats of these men, and grant that thy servants may be perfectly fearless in speaking thy word, 30 when thy hand is stretched out to heal and to perform miracles and wonders by the name of thy holy Servant Jesus." 31 At their prayer the place of meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit, speaking God's word fearlessly; 33 the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and great grace was upon them all.

32 Now there was but one heart and soul among the multitude of the believers; not one of them considered anything his personal property, they shared all they had with one another. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sale, 35 laying the money before the feet of the apostles; it was then distributed according to each individual's need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was surnamed Barnabas or (as it may be translated) "Son of Encouragement" by the apostles, a Levite of Cypriote birth, 37 sold a farm belonging to him and brought the money, which he placed before the feet of the apostles.

5 But a man called Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira had sold some property, 2 appropriated some of the purchase-money with the connivance of his wife; he only brought part of it to lay before the feet of the apostles. 3 "Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan filled your heart and made you cheat the holy Spirit by appropriating some of the money paid for the land? 4 When it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And even after the sale, was the money not yours to do as you pleased about it? How could you think of doing a thing like this? You have not defrauded men but God." 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and expired. (Great awe came over all who heard of it.) 6 And the younger men rose, wrapped the body up and carried it away to be buried. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife happened to come in, quite unconscious of what had occurred. 8 "Tell me," said Peter, "did you only sell the land for such and such a sum?" "Yes," she said, "that was all we sold it for." 9 Peter said to her, "How could you arrange to put the Lord's Spirit to the proof? Listen, there are the footsteps of the men who have buried your husband! They are at the door, and they will carry you out as well." 10 Instantly she fell down at their feet and expired. The younger men came in to find her dead; they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great awe came over the whole church and over all who heard about this.

12 Now they all without exception met in the portico of Solomon. 13 Though the people extolled them, not a soul from the outside dared to join them. 14 On the other hand, crowds of men and women who believed in the Lord were brought in. 12 Many miracles and wonders were performed among the people by the apostles. 15 In fact, invalids were actually carried into the streets and laid on beds and mattresses, so that, when Peter passed, his shadow at anyrate might fall on one or other of them. 16 Crowds gathered even from the towns round Jerusalem, bringing invalids and people troubled with unclean spirits, all of whom were healed.

17 This filled the high priest Annas and his allies, the Sadducean party, with bitter jealousy; 18 they laid hands on the apostles and put them into the public prison, 19 but an angel of the Lord opened the prison-doors during the night and brought them out, saying, 20 "Go and stand in the temple, telling the people all about this Life." 21 With these orders they went into the temple about dawn and proceeded to teach. Meantime the high priest and his allies met, called the Sanhedrin together and the council of seniors belonging to the sons of Israel, and then sent to prison for the men. 22 But as the attendants did not find them when they got to the prison, they came back to report, 23 "We found the prison safely locked up with the sentries posted at the doors, but on opening the doors we found no one inside!" 24 On hearing this the commander of the temple and the high priests were quite at a loss to know what to make of it. 25 However, someone came and reported to them, "Here are the very men you put in prison, standing in the temple and teaching the people!"

26 At this the commander went off with the attendants and fetched them — but without using violence, for fear that the people would pelt them with stones. 27 They conducted them before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked them, 28 "We strictly forbade you to teach about this Name, did we not? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine! You want to make us responsible for this man's death!" 29 Peter and the apostles answered, "One must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you murdered by hanging him on a gibbet. 31 God lifted him up to his right hand as our pioneer and saviour, in order to grant repentance and remission of sins to Israel. 32 To these facts we bear witness, with the holy Spirit which God has given to those who obey him." 33 When they heard this, they were so furious that they determined to make away with the apostles. 34 But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin called Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law who was highly respected by all the people, got up and ordered the apostles to be removed for a few moments. 35 Then he said, "Men of Israel, take care what you do about these men. 36 In days gone by Theudas started up, claiming to be a person of importance; a number of men, about four hundred of them, rallied to him, but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and wiped out. 37 After him Judas the Galilean started up at the time of the census, and got people to desert to him; but he perished too, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So I advise you to-day to leave these men to themselves. Let them alone. If this project or enterprise springs from men, it will collapse; 39 whereas, if it really springs from God, you will be unable to put them down. You may even find yourselves fighting God!" 40 They gave in to him, and after summoning the apostles and giving them a flogging, they released them with instructions that they were not to speak about the name of Jesus. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy of suffering dishonour for the sake of the Name; 42 not for a single day did they cease to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus the Christ in the temple and at home.

6 During these days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists began to complain against the Hebrews, on the ground that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the main body of the disciples and said: "It is not desirable that we should drop preaching the word of God and attend to meals. 3 Brothers, look out seven of your own number, men of good reputation who are full of the Spirit and of wisdom. We will appoint them to this duty, 4 but we will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." 5 This plan commended itself to the whole body, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nikolaos a proselyte from Antioch; 6 these men they presented to the apostles, who, after prayer, laid their hands upon them.

7 And the word of God spread; the number of the disciples in Jerusalem greatly increased, and a host of priests became obedient to the faith.

8 Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, performed great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 Some of those who belonged to the so-called synagogue of the Libyans, the Cyrenians, and the Alexandrians, as well as to that of the Cilicians and Asiatics, started a dispute with Stephen, 10 but they could not meet the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11 They then instigated people to say, "We have heard him talking blasphemy against Moses and God." 12 In this way they excited the people, the elders, and the scribes, who rushed on him, dragged him away, and took him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They also brought forward false witnesses to say, "This fellow is never done talking against this holy Place and the Law! 14 Why, we have heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this Place and change the customs handed down to us by Moses!"

15 Then all who were seated in the Sanhedrin fixed their eyes on him, and saw that his face shone like the face of an angel. 7 Said the high priest, "Is this true?"

2 "Listen, brothers and fathers," said Stephen. "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before ever he stayed in Haran, 3 and said to him, 'Leave your land and your countrymen and come to whatever land I show you.' 4 Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and stayed in Haran. From Haran God shifted him, after his father's death, to this land which you now inhabit. 5 But he did not give him any inheritance in it, not even a foot of the land. All be did was to promise that he would give it as a possession to him and to his offspring after him (he at the time being childless). 6 What God said was this: 'His offspring will sojourn in a foreign land, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. 7 But,' said God, 'I will pass sentence on the nation that has made them slaves, and then they will get away to worship me in this Place.' 8 God also gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, whom he circumcised on the eighth day, Isaac was the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9 Out of jealousy the patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him, 10 rescuing him from all his troubles and allowing him to find favour for his wisdom with Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him viceroy over Egypt and over all his own household. 11 Now a famine came over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, attended with great misery, so that our ancestors could not find provender. 12 But, hearing there was food in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors on their first visit to that country; 13 at their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Pharaoh was informed of Joseph's lineage. 14 Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his kinsfolk, amounting to seventy-five souls; 15 and Jacob went south to Egypt. When he and our ancestors died, 16 they were carried across to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. 17 As the time approached for the promise God had made to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 till another king arose to rule Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph. 19 He took a cunning method with our race; he oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to expose their infants, to prevent them from surviving. 20 It was at this period that Moses was born, a divinely beautiful child. For three months he was brought up in his father's house; 21 then he was exposed, but Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 So Moses was educated in all the culture of the Egyptians; he was a strong man in speech and action. 23 When he had completed his fortieth year, it occurred to him to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 He saw one of them being badly treated, so he defended him, struck down the Egyptian, and thus avenged the man who had been wronged. 25 (He thought his brothers would understand God was going to bring them deliverance by means of him, but they did not understand.) 26 Next day he came upon two of them fighting and tried to pacify them. "You are brothers!" he said, "why injure one another?" 27 But the man who was injuring his neighbour pushed him aside. "Who made you ruler and umpire over us?" he asked. 28 'Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 29 At that Moses fled; he became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he had two sons born to him. 30 At the close of forty years an angel [of the Lord] appeared to him in the flames of a burning thorn-bush, in the desert of mount Sinai. 31 When Moses saw this, he marvelled at the sight; and as he went up to look at it, the voice of the Lord said, 32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.' Moses was so terrified that he did not dare to look at the bush. 33 But the Lord said to him, 'Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is sacred ground. 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, I have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you back to Egypt.' 35 The Moses they refused, when they said, 'Who made you ruler and umpire?'--that was the very man whom God sent to rule and to redeem them, by aid of the angel who had appeared to him in the bush. 36 He it was who led them forth, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the desert during forty years. 37 (This was the Moses who told the sons of Israel, 'God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brotherhood, as he raised me.') 38 This was the man who at the assembly in the desert intervened between the angel who spoke to him on mount Sinai and our fathers; he received living Words to be given to us. 39 But our fathers would not submit to him; they pushed him aside and hankered secretly after Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, 'Make gods that will march in front of us! As for this Moses who led us out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him!' 41 They actually made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to this idol, and grew festive over what their own hands had manufactured. 42 So God turned from them, abandoning them to the worship of the starry Host--as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did you offer me victims and sacrifices during the forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? 43 No, it was the tent of Moloch and the star-symbol of Rephan your god that you carried, figures that you manufactured for worship. So now I will transport you beyond Babylon! 44 In the desert our fathers had the tent of witness as arranged by Him who told Moses to make it after the pattern he had seen. 45 It was passed on and borne in by our fathers as with Joshua they took possession of the territory of the nations whom God drove out before our fathers. So it remained down to the days of David. 46 He found favour with God and asked permission to devise a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 It was Solomon, however, who built him a house. 48 And yet the most High does not dwell in houses made by hands. As the prophet says,

Heaven is my throne,

the earth is a footstool for my feet!

What house would you build me? saith the Lord.

On what spot could I settle?

Did not my hand make all this? 51 Stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ear, you are always resisting the holy Spirit! As with your fathers, so with you! 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Just One. And here you have betrayed him, murdered him! — 53 you who got the Law that angels transmitted, and have not obeyed it!"

54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 He, full of the holy Spirit, gazed up at heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of man standing at God's right hand!" 57 With a loud shriek they shut their ears and rushed at him like one man. 58 Putting him outside the city, they proceeded to stone him (the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a youth called Saul). 59 So they stoned Stephen, who called on the Lord, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 60 Then he knelt down and cried aloud, "Lord, let not this sin stand against them!" With these words he slept the sleep of death. 8 (Saul quite approved of his murder.)

That day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone, with the exception of the apostles, was scattered over Judaea and Samaria.

2 Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him, 3 but Saul made havoc of the church by entering one house after another, dragging off men and women, and consigning them to prison.

4 Now those who were scattered went through the land preaching the gospel. 5 Philip travelled down to a town in Samaria, where he preached Christ to the people. 6 And the crowds attended like one man to what was said by Philip, listening to him and watching the miracles he performed. 7 For unclean spirits came screaming and shrieking out of many who had been possessed, and many paralytics and lame people were healed. 8 So there was great rejoicing in that town.

9 Now for some time previous a man called Simon had been practising magic arts in the town, to the utter astonishment of the Samaritan nation; he made himself out to be a great person, 10 and all sorts and conditions of people attached themselves to him, declaring he was that Power of God which is known as "the Great Power." 11 They attached themselves to him because he had dazzled them with his skill in magic for a considerable time. 12 But when they believed Philip, who preached the gospel of the Reign of God and the name of Jesus, they had themselves baptized, both men and women; 13 indeed Simon himself believed, and after his baptism kept close to Philip, utterly astonished to see the signs and striking miracles which were taking place.

14 When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they despatched Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed that the Samaritans might receive the holy Spirit. 16 (As yet it had not fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the holy Spirit. 18 Now Simon noticed that the holy Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles" hands; so he brought them money, 19 saying, 'Let me share this power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the holy Spirit.' 20 Peter said to him, 'Death to you and your money, for dreaming you could buy the gift of God! 21 You come in for no share or lot in this religion. Your heart is all wrong in the sight of God. 22 So repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask God whether you cannot be forgiven for your heart's purpose. 23 For I see you are a bitter poison and a pack of evil.' 24 Simon replied, 'Beseech the Lord for me! Pray that nothing you have said may befall me!'

25 After bearing their testimony to the word of the Lord and preaching it, the apostles went back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to a number of the Samaritan villages; 26 but an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Get up and go south, along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza' (the desert-route). 27 So he got up and went on his way. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a high official of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians (he was her chief treasurer), who had come to Jerusalem for worship 28 and was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join that chariot.' 30 When Philip ran up, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. 'Do you really understand what you are reading?' 31 he asked. 'Why, how can I possibly understand it,' said the eunuch, 'unless some one puts me on the right track?' And he begged Philip to get up and sit beside him. 32 Now the passage of scripture which he was reading was as follows:--

he was led like a sheep to be slaughtered,

and as a lamb is dumb before the shearer,

so he opens not his lips.

By humbling himself he had his doom removed.

Who can tell his family?

For his life is cut off from the earth.

34 So the eunuch said to Philip, 'Pray, who is the prophet speaking about? Is it himself or someone else?' 35 Then Philip opened his lips, and starting from this scripture preached the gospel of Jesus to him. 36 As they travelled on, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'Here is water! What is to prevent me being baptized?' 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop. Both of them stepped into the water, and Philip baptized the eunuch. 39 When they came up from the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch lost sight of him. He went on his way rejoicing, 40 while Philip found himself at Azotus, where he passed on, preaching the gospel in every town, till he reached Caesarea.

9 Meanwhile Saul still breathed threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus empowering him to put any man or woman in chains whom he could find belonging to the Way, and bring them to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus in the course of his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed round him; 4 he dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 5 'Who are you?' he asked. 'I am Jesus,' he said, 'and you persecute me. 6 Get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you have to do.' 7 His fellow-travellers stood speechless, for they heard the voice but they could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open he could see nothing; so they took his hand and led him to Damascus. 9 For three days he remained sightless, he neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple called Ananias in Damascus. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' He said, 'I am here, Lord.' 11 And the Lord said to him, 'Go away to the street called 'The Straight Street,' and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus called Saul. He is praying at this very moment, 12 and he has seen a man called Ananias enter and lay his hands upon him to bring back his sight.' 13 'But, Lord,' Ananias answered, 'many people have told me about all the mischief this man has done to thy saints at Jerusalem! 14 And in this city too he has authority from the high priests to put anyone in chains who invokes thy Name!' 15 But the Lord said to him, 'Go; I have chosen him to be the means of bringing my Name before the Gentiles and their kings as well as before the sons of Israel. 16 I will show him all he has to suffer for the sake of my Name.'

17 So Ananias went off and entered the house, laying his hands on him with these words, 'Saul, my brother, I have been sent by the Lord, by Jesus who appeared to you on the road, to let you regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit.' 18 In a moment something like scales fell from his eyes, he regained his sight, got up and was baptized. 19 Then he took some food and felt strong again. For several days he stayed at Damascus with the disciples. 20 He lost no time in preaching throughout the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God — 21 to the amazement of all his hearers, who said, 'Is this not the man who in Jerusalem harried those who invoke this Name, the man who came here for the express purpose of carrying them all in chains to the high priests?'

22 Saul became more and more vigorous. He put the Jewish residents in Damascus to confusion by his proof that Jesus was the Christ; 23 and the Jews, after a number of days had elapsed, conspired to make away with him. 24 But their plot came to the ears of Saul, and, although they kept watch on the gates day and night in order to make away with him, 25 his disciples managed one night to let him down over the wall by lowering him in a basket. 26 He got to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, unable to believe he was really a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, got hold of him and brought him to the apostles. To them he related how he had seen the Lord upon the road, how He had spoken to him, and how he had spoken freely in the name of Jesus at Damascus. 28 He then went in and out among them at Jerusalem, speaking freely in the name of the Lord; 29 he also held conversations and debates with the Hellenists. But when the brothers learned that the Hellenists were attempting to make away with him, 30 they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Now, all over Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria, the church enjoyed peace; it was consolidated, inspired by reverence for the Lord and by its invocation of the holy Spirit, and so increased in numbers. 32 Peter moved here and there among them all, and it happened that in the course of his tours he came down to visit the saints who stayed at Lydda. 33 There he found a man called Aeneas who had been bed-ridden for eight years with paralysis. 34 'Aeneas,' said Peter, 'Jesus the Christ cures you! Get up and make your bed!' He got up at once. 35 And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Saron saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36 At Joppa there was a disciple called Tabitha (which may be translated Dorcas, or "Gazelle"), a woman whose life was full of good actions and of charitable practices. 37 She happened to take ill and die at this time, and after washing her body they laid it in an upper room. 38 When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda (for Joppa is not far from Lydda), they sent two men to beg him to 'Come on to us without delay.' 39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him up to the room, where all the widows stood beside him crying as they showed him the garments and dresses that Dorcas used to make when she was with them. 40 Peter put them all outside; then he knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body said, 'Tabitha, rise.' She opened her eyes, and on seeing Peter she sat up. 41 Then he gave her his hand, raised her, and, after calling the saints and the widows he presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

43 In Joppa Peter stayed for some time, at the house of Simon a tanner. 10 Now in Caesarea there was a man called Cornelius, a captain in the Italian regiment, 2 a religious man, who reverenced God with all his household, who was liberal in his alms to the People, and who constantly prayed to God. 3 About three o'clock in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God entering and saying to him, 'Cornelius.' 4 He stared at the angel in terror, saying, 'What is it?' He replied, 'Your prayers and your alms have risen before God as a sacrifice to be remembered. 5 You must now send some men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is surnamed Peter; 6 he is staying with Simon a tanner, whose house stands by the sea.' 7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his menservants and a religiously minded soldier who belonged to his personal retinue, 8 and after describing all the vision to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Next day they were still on the road and not far from the town, when Peter went up to the roof of the house about noon to pray. 10 He became very hungry and longed for some food. But as they were getting the meal ready, a trance came over him. 11 He saw heaven open and a vessel coming down, like a huge sheet lowered by the four corners to the earth, 12 which contained all quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth and wild birds. 13 A voice came to him, 'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.' 14 But Peter said, 'No, no, my Lord; I have never eaten anything common or unclean.' 15 A second time the voice came back to him, 'What God has cleansed, you must not regard as common.' 16 This happened three times; then the vessel was at once raised to heaven. 17 Peter was quite at a loss to know the meaning of the vision he had seen; but just then, the messengers of Cornelius, who had made inquiries for the house of Simon, stood at the door 18 and called out to ask if Simon, surnamed Peter, was staying there. 19 So the Spirit said to Peter, who was pondering over the vision, 'There are three men looking for you! 20 Come, get up and go down, and have no hesitation about accompanying them, for it is I who have sent them.'

21 Then Peter went down to the men, saying, 'I am the man you are looking for. What is your reason for coming?' 22 They said, 'Cornelius, a captain, a good man who reverences God and enjoys a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house and to listen to what you had to say.' 23 So he invited them in and entertained them.

Next day he was up and off with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa; 24 and on the next day he reached Caesarea. 25 Peter was just going into the house when Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him; 26 but Peter raised him, saying, 'Get up, I am only a man myself.' 27 Then talking to him he entered the house, to find a large company assembled. 24 (For Cornelius had been expecting him and had called his kinsfolk and intimate friends together.) 28 To them Peter said, 'You know yourselves it is illegal for a Jew to join or accost anyone belonging to another nation; but God has shown me that I must not call any man common or unclean, 29 and so I have come without any demur when I was sent for. Now I want to know why you sent for me?'

30 'Three days ago,' said Cornelius, 'at this very hour I was praying in my house at three o'clock in the afternoon, when a man stood before me in shining dress, 31 saying, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, your alms are remembered by God. 32 You must send to Joppa and summon Simon who is surnamed Peter; he is staying in the house of Simon a tanner beside the sea.' 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Well now, here we are all present before God to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to say.'

34 Then Peter opened his lips and said, 'I see quite plainly that God has no favourites, 35 but that he who reverences Him and lives a good life in any nation is welcomed by Him. 36 You know the message he sent to the sons of Israel when he preached the gospel of peace by Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all); 37 you know how it spread over the whole of Judaea, starting from Galilee after the baptism preached by John — 38 how God consecrated Jesus of Nazaret with the holy Spirit and power, and how he went about doing good and curing all who were harassed by the devil; for God was with him. 39 As for what he did in the land of the Jews and of Jerusalem, we can testify to that. They slew him by hanging him on a gibbet, 40 but God raised him on the third day, and allowed him to be seen 41 not by all the People but by witnesses whom God had previously selected, by us who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead, 42 when he enjoined us to preach to the People, testifying that this was he whom God has appointed to be judge of the living and of the dead. 43 All the prophets testify that everyone who believes in him is to receive remission of sins through his Name.' 44 While Peter was still speaking, the holy Spirit fell upon all who listened to what he said. 45 Now the Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were amazed that the gift of the holy Spirit had actually been poured out on the Gentiles — 46 for they heard them speak with "tongues" and magnify God. At this Peter asked, 47 'Can anyone refuse water for the baptism of these people — people who have received the holy Spirit just as we ourselves have?' 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain for some days.

11 Now the apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party fell foul of him. 3 'You went into the houses of the uncircumcised,' they said, 'and you ate with them!' 4 Then Peter proceeded to put the facts before them. 5 'I was in the town of Joppa at prayer,' he said, 'and in a trance I saw a vision — a vessel coming down like a huge sheet lowered from heaven by the four corners. It came down to me, 6 and when I looked steadily at it, I noted the quadrupeds of the earth, the wild beasts, the creeping things and the wild birds. 7 Also I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.' 8 I said, 'No, no, my Lord; nothing common or unclean has ever passed my lips.' 9 But a voice answered me for the second time out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, you must not regard as common.' 10 This happened three times, and then the whole thing was drawn back into heaven. 11 At that very moment three men reached the house where I was living, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation in accompanying them; these six brothers went with me as well, and we entered the man's house. 13 He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is surnamed Peter; 14 he will tell you how you and all your household are to be saved.' 15 Now just as I began to speak, the holy Spirit fell upon them as upon us at the beginning; 16 and I remembered the saying of the Lord, that 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the holy Spirit.' 17 Well then, if God has given them exactly the same gift as he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I--how could I try to thwart God?' 18 On hearing this they desisted and glorified God, saying, 'So God has actually allowed the Gentiles to repent and live!'

19 Now those who had been scattered by the trouble which arose over Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they preached the word to none except Jews. 20 Some of them, however, were Cypriotes and Cyrenians, who on reaching Antioch told the Greeks also the gospel of the Lord Jesus; 21 the strong hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number believed and turned to the Lord. 22 The news of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they despatched Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God he rejoiced, and encouraged them all to hold by the Lord with heartfelt purpose 24 (for he was a good man, full of the holy Spirit and faith). Considerable numbers of people were brought in for the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and on finding him he brought him to Antioch, where for a whole year they were guests of the church and taught considerable numbers. It was at Antioch too that the disciples were originally called 'Christians.'

27 During these days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, 28 one of whom, named Agabus, showed by the Spirit that a severe famine was about to visit the whole world (the famine which occurred in the reign of Claudius). 29 So the disciples put aside money, as each of them was able to afford it, for a contribution to be sent to the brothers in Judaea. 30 This they carried out, sending their contribution to the presbyters by Barnabas and Saul.

12 It was about that time that king Herod laid hands of violence on some members of the church. 2 James the brother of John he slew with the sword, 3 and when he saw this pleased the Jews, he went on to seize Peter. (This was during the days of unleavened bread.) 4 After arresting him he put him in prison, handing him over to a guard of sixteen soldiers, with the intention of producing him to the People after the passover. 5 So Peter was closely guarded in prison, while earnest prayer for him was offered to God by the church.

6 The very night before Herod meant to have him produced, Peter lay asleep between two soldiers; he was fastened by two chains, and sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. 7 But an angel of the Lord flashed on him, and a light shone in the cell; striking Peter on the side he woke him, saying, 'Quick, get up!' The fetters dropped from his hands, 8 and the angel said to him, 'Gird yourself and put on your sandals.' He did so. Then said the angel, 'Put on your coat and follow me.' 9 And he followed him out, not realizing that what the angel did was real, but imagining that he saw a vision. 10 When they had passed the first guard and the second they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of its own accord; they passed out, and after they had gone through one street, the angel immediately left him. 11 Then Peter came to his senses and said, 'Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating.' 12 When he grasped the situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was surnamed Mark, where a number had met for prayer. 13 When he knocked at the door of the porch, a maidservant called Rhoda came to answer it; 14 but as soon as she recognized Peter's voice, instead of opening the door she ran inside from sheer joy and announced that Peter was standing in front of the porch. 15 'You are mad,' they said. But she insisted it was true. 'It is his angel,' they said. 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door they were amazed to see him. 17 He beckoned to them to keep quiet and then described to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. 'Report this to James,' he said, 'and to the brothers.' And off he went to another place. 18 Now when day broke there was a great commotion among the soldiers over what could have become of Peter. 19 Herod made inquiries for him but could not find him; so, after cross-examining the guards, he ordered them off to death.

He then went down from Judaea to Caesarea, where he spent some time. 20 As there was a bitter feud between him and the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, they waited on him unanimously, and after conciliating the royal chamberlain Blastus they made overtures for peace, as their country depended for its food-supply upon the royal territory. 21 On a stated day Herod arrayed himself in royal robes, took his seat on the dais, and proceeded to harangue them. 22 The populace shouted, 'It is a god's voice, not a man's!' 23 and in a moment an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given due glory to God; he was eaten up by worms and so expired.

24 The word of God spread and multiplied.

25 After fulfilling their commission, Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, bringing with them John who is surnamed Mark.

13 Now in the local church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Symeon (called Niger) and Lucius the Cyrenian, besides Manaen (a foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, 'Come! set me apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and let them go.

4 Sent out thus by the holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 On reaching Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues, with John as their assistant. 6 They covered the whole island as far as Paphos, where they fell in with a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet called Bar-Jesus; 7 he belonged to the suite of the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man who called for Barnabas and Saul and demanded to hear the word of God. 8 But the sorcerer Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) tried to divert the proconsul from the faith. 9 So Saul (who is also called Paul), filled with the holy Spirit, looked steadily at him 10 and said, 'You son of the devil, you enemy of all good, full of all craft and all cunning, will you never stop diverting the straight paths of the Lord? 11 See here, the Lord's hand will fall on you, and you will be blind, unable for a time to see the sun.' In a moment a dark mist fell upon him, and he groped about for someone to take him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had happened; he was astounded at the doctrine of the Lord.

13 Setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions reached Perga in Pamphylia; John left them and went back to Jerusalem, 14 but they passed on from Perga and arrived at Pisidian Antioch. On the sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down; 15 and, after the reading of the Law and the prophets, the presidents of the synagogue sent to tell them, 'Brothers, if you have any word of counsel for the people, say it.'

16 So Paul stood up and motioning with his hand said, 'Listen, men of Israel and you who reverence God. 17 The God of this People Israel chose our fathers; he multiplied the people as they sojourned in the land of Egypt and with arm uplifted led them out of it. 18 For about forty years he bore with them in the desert, 19 and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan he gave them their land as an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years. 20 After that he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel. 21 Then it was that they begged for a king, and God gave them forty years of Saul, the son of Kish, who belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. 22 After deposing him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he bore this testimony that 'In David, the son of Jessai, I have found a man after my own heart, who will obey all my will.' 23 From his offspring God brought to Israel, as he had promised, a saviour in Jesus, 24 before whose coming John had already preached a baptism of repentance for all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was closing his career he said, 'What do you take me for? I am not He; no, he is coming after me, and I am not fit to untie the sandals on his feet!' 26 Brothers, sons of Abraham's race and all among you who reverence God, the message of this salvation has been sent to us. 27 The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their rulers, by condemning him in their ignorance, fulfilled the words of the prophets which are read every sabbath; 28 though they could find him guilty of no crime that deserved death, they begged Pilate to have him put to death, 29 and, after carrying out all that had been predicted of him in scripture, they lowered him from the gibbet and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead. 31 For many days he was seen by those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem; they are now his witnesses to the People. 32 So we now preach to you the glad news that the promise made to the fathers 33 has been fulfilled by God for us their children, when he raised Jesus. As it is written in the second psalm,

thou art my son,

to-day have I become thy father. 34 And as a proof that he has raised him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has said this: I will give you the holiness of David that fails not. 35 Hence in another psalm he says,

thou wilt not let thy holy One suffer decay. 36 Of course David, after serving God's purpose in his own generation, died and was laid beside his fathers; he suffered decay, 37 but He whom God raised did not suffer decay. 38 So you must understand, my brothers, that remission of sins is proclaimed to you through him, 39 and that by him everyone who believes is absolved from all that the law of Moses never could absolve you from. 40 Beware then in case the prophetic saying applies to you:

Look, you disdainful folk,

wonder at this and perish--

for in your days I do a deed,

a deed you will never believe, not though one were to explain it to you.'

42 As Paul and Barnabas went out, the people begged to have all this repeated to them on the following sabbath. 43 After the synagogue broke up, a number of the Jews and the devout proselytes followed them; Paul and Barnabas talked to them and encouraged them to hold by the grace of God. 44 And on the next sabbath nearly all the town gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds they were filled with jealousy; they began to contradict what Paul said and to abuse him. 46 So Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly. 'The word of God,' they said, 'had to be spoken to you in the first instance; but as you push it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, well, here we turn to the Gentiles! 47 For these are the Lord's orders to us:

I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles,

to bring salvation to the end of the earth.'

48 When the Gentiles heard this they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord and believed, that is, all who had been ordained to eternal life; 49 and the word of the Lord went far and wide over the whole country. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high rank and the leading men in the town, who stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their territory. 51 They shook the dust off their feet as a protest and went to Iconium. 52 As for the disciples, they were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.

14 At Iconium the same thing happened. They went into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a great body both of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 [Move to follow vs 3] But the refractory Jews stirred up and exasperated the feeling of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3 Here they spent a considerable time, speaking fearlessly about the Lord, who attested the word of his grace by allowing signs and wonders to be performed by them. 4 The populace of the town was divided; some sided with the Jews, some with the apostles. 5 But, when the Gentiles and Jews along with their rulers made a hostile movement to insult and stone them, 6 the apostles grasped the situation and escaped to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country; 7 there they continued to preach the gospel.

8 At Lystra there was a man sitting, who was powerless in his feet, a lame man unable to walk ever since he was born. 9 He heard Paul speaking, and Paul, gazing steadily at him and noticing that he had faith enough to make him better, 10 said in a loud voice, 'Stand erect on your feet.' Up he jumped and began to walk. 11 Now when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in human form!' 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the chief spokesman. 13 Indeed the priest of the temple of Zeus in front of the town brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to offer sacrifice along with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, heard this they rent their clothes and sprang out among the crowd, 15 shouting, 'Men, what is this you are doing? We are but human, with natures like your own! The gospel we are preaching to you is to turn from such futile ways to the living God who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is. 16 In bygone ages he allowed all nations to go their own ways, 17 though as the bountiful Giver he did not leave himself without a witness, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, giving you food and joy to your heart's content.' 18 Even by saying this, it was all they could do to keep the crowds from sacrificing to them.

19 But Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived, who won over the crowds, and after pelting Paul with stones they dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. 20 However, as the disciples gathered round him, he got up and went into the town.

Next day he went off with Barnabas to Derbe, 21 and after preaching the gospel to that town and making a number of disciples, they turned back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to hold by the faith, and telling them that 'we have to get into the Realm of God through many a trouble.' 23 They chose presbyters for them in every church, and with prayer and fasting entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 Then they came through Pisidia to Pamphylia, 25 and after speaking the word of the Lord in Perga they went down to Attaleia; 26 thence they sailed for Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On their arrival they gathered the church together and reported how God had been with them, what he had done, and how he had opened a door into faith for the Gentiles.

28 They spent a considerable time with the disciples there. 15 But certain individuals came down from Jerusalem and taught the brothers that 'unless you get circumcised after the custom of Moses you cannot be saved.' 2 As a sharp dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas, along with some others of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question. 3 The church sped them on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Syria informing the brothers, to the great joy of all, that the Gentiles were turning to God. 4 On arriving at Jerusalem they were received by the church, the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported how God had been with them and what he had done.

5 Some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisaic party got up and said, 'Gentiles must be circumcised and told to observe the law of Moses.' 6 The apostles and the presbyters met to investigate this question, 7 and a keen controversy sprang up; but Peter rose and said to them, 'Brothers, you are well aware that from the earliest days God chose that of you all I should be the one by whom the Gentiles were to hear the word of the gospel and believe it. 8 The God who reads the hearts of all attested this by giving them the holy Spirit just as he gave it to us; 9 in cleansing their hearts by faith he made not the slightest distinction between us and them. 10 Well now, why are you trying to impose a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we ourselves could bear? 11 No, it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we believe and are saved, in the same way as they are.' 12 So the whole meeting was quieted and listened to Barnabas and Paul recounting the signs and wonders God had performed by them among the Gentiles.

13 When they had finished speaking, James spoke. 'Brothers,' he said, 'listen to me. 14 Symeon has explained how it was God's original concern to secure a People from among the Gentiles to bear his Name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets; as it is written,

After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent,

its ruins I will rebuild and erect it anew,

that the rest of men may seek for the Lord,

even all the Gentiles who are called by my name,

saith the Lord, 18 who makes this known from of old. 19 Hence, in my opinion, we ought not to put fresh difficulties in the way of those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but write them injunctions to abstain from whatever is contaminated by idols, from sexual vice, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from tasting blood; 21 for Moses has had his preachers from the earliest ages in every town, where he is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath.'

22 Then the apostles and the presbyters, together with the whole church, decided to select some of their number and send them with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. The men selected were Judas (called Bar-Sabbas) and Silas, prominent members of the brotherhood. 23 They conveyed the following letter. 'The apostles and the presbyters of the brotherhood to the brothers who belong to the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: greeting. 24 Having learned that some of our number, quite unauthorized by us, have unsettled you with their teaching and upset your souls, 25 we have decided unanimously to select some of our number and send them to you along with our beloved Paul and Barnabas 26 who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We therefore send Judas and Silas with the following message, which they will also give to you orally. 28 The holy Spirit and we have decided not to impose any extra burden on you, apart from these essential requirements: 29 abstain from food that has been offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual vice. Keep clear of all this and you will prosper. Goodbye.'

30 When the messengers were despatched, they went down to Antioch and after gathering the whole body they handed them the letter. 31 On reading it the people rejoiced at the encouragement it brought; 32 and as Judas and Silas were themselves prophets, they encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many a counsel. 33 Then after some time had passed the brothers let them go with a greeting of peace to those who had sent them. 35 Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord along with a number of others.

36 Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas, 'Come and let us go back to visit the brothers in every town where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they are doing.' 37 But while Barnabas wanted to take John (who was called Mark) along with them, 38 Paul held they should not take a man with them who had deserted them in Pamphylia, instead of accompanying them on active service. 39 So in irritation they parted company, Barnabas taking Mark with him and sailing for Cyprus, 40 while Paul selected Silas and went off, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He made his way through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

16 He also came down to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple called Timotheus, the son of a believing Jewess and a Greek father. 2 He had a good reputation among the brothers at Lystra and Iconium; 3 so, as Paul wished him to go abroad with him, he took and circumcised him on account of the local Jews, all of whom knew his father had been a Greek.

4 As they travelled on from town to town, they handed over to the people the resolutions which the apostles and the presbyters in Jerusalem had decided were to be obeyed; 5 and the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers day by day. 6 They crossed Phrygia and the country of Galatia, the holy Spirit having stopped them from preaching the word in Asia; 7 when they got as far as Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, 8 and so they passed Mysia by and went down to Troas.

9 A vision appeared to Paul by night, the vision of a Macedonian standing and appealing to him with the words, 'Cross to Macedonia and help us.' 10 As soon as he saw the vision, we made efforts to start for Macedonia, inferring that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 Setting sail then from Troas we ran straight to Samothrace and on the following day to Neapolis. 12 We then came to the Roman colony of Philippi, which is the foremost town of the district of Macedonia. In this town we spent some days. 13 On the sabbath we went outside the gate to the bank of the river, where as usual there was a place of prayer; we sat down and talked to the women who had gathered. 14 Among the listeners there was a woman called Lydia, a dealer in purple who belonged to the town of Thyatira. She reverenced God, and the Lord opened her heart to attend to what Paul said. 15 When she was baptized, along with her household, she begged us, saying, 'If you are convinced I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.' She compelled us to come.

16 Now it happened as we went to the place of prayer that a slave-girl met us, possessed by a spirit of ventriloquism, and a source of great profit to her owners by her power of fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shrieking, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, they proclaim to you the way of salvation!' 18 She did this for a number of days. Then Paul turned in annoyance and told the spirit, 'In the name of Jesus Christ I order you out of her!' And it left her that very moment. 19 But when her owners saw their chance of profit was gone, they caught hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them before the magistrates in the forum. 20 Bringing them before the praetors they declared, 'These fellows are Jews who are making an agitation in our town; 21 they are proclaiming customs which as Romans we are not allowed to accept or observe!' 22 The crowd also joined in the attack upon them, while the praetors, after having them stripped and after ordering them to be flogged with rods, 23 had many lashes inflicted on them and put them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safe. 24 On receiving so strict a charge, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

25 But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing to God, while the prisoners listened, 26 all of a sudden there was a great earthquake which shook the very foundations of the prison; the doors all flew open in an instant and the fetters of all the prisoners were unfastened. 27 When the jailer started from his sleep and saw the prison-doors open, he drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, supposing the prisoners had made their escape; 28 but Paul shouted aloud, 'Do not harm yourself, we are all here!' 29 So calling for lights he rushed in, fell in terror before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out (after securing the other prisoners). 'Sirs,' he said, 'what must I do to be saved?' 31 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,' they said, 'and then you will be saved, you and your household as well.' 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house. 33 Then he took them at that very hour of the night and washed their wounds and got baptized instantly, he and all his family. 34 He took them up to his house and put food before them, overjoyed like all his household at having believed in God.

35 When day broke, the praetors sent the lictors with the message, 'Release these men.' 36 The jailer repeated this to Paul. 'The praetors,' he said, 'have sent to release you. So come out and go in peace?' 37 But Paul replied, 'They flogged us in public and without a trial, flogged Roman citizens! They put us in prison, and now they are going to get rid of us secretly! No indeed! Let them come here themselves and take us out!' 38 The lictors reported this to the praetors, who, on hearing the men were Roman citizens, became alarmed; 39 they went to appease them and after taking them out of prison begged them to leave the town. 40 So they left the prison and went to Lydia's house, where they saw the brothers and encouraged them; then they departed.

17 Travelling on through Amphipolis and Apollonia they reached Thessalonica. Here there was a Jewish synagogue, 2 and Paul as usual went in; for three sabbaths he argued with them on the scriptures, 3 explaining and quoting passages to prove that the messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that 'the Jesus I proclaim to you is the messiah.' 4 Some were persuaded and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, including a host of devout Greeks and a large number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were aroused to jealousy; they got hold of some idle rascals to form a mob and set the town in an uproar; they attacked Jason's house in the endeavour to bring them out before the populace, 6 but as they failed to find Paul and Silas they haled Jason and some of the brothers before the politarchs, yelling, 'These upsetters of the whole world have come here too! 7 Jason has welcomed them! They all violate the decrees of Caesar by declaring someone else called Jesus is king.' 8 Both the crowd and the politarchs were disturbed when they heard this; 9 however, they let Jason and the others go, after binding them over to keep the peace.

10 Then the brothers at once sent off Paul and Silas by night to Beroea. When they arrived there, they betook themselves to the Jewish synagogue, 11 where the people were more amenable than at Thessalonica; they were perfectly ready to receive the Word and made a daily study of the scriptures to see if it was really as Paul said. 12 Many of them believed, together with a large number of prominent Greeks, both women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica heard that Paul was proclaiming the word of God at Beroea as well, they came to create a disturbance and a riot among the crowds at Beroea too. 14 The brothers then sent off Paul at once on his way to the sea, while Silas and Timotheus remained where they were. 15 Paul's escort brought him as far as Athens and left with instructions that Silas and Timotheus were to join him as soon as possible.

16 While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his soul was irritated at the sight of the idols that filled the city. 17 He argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout proselytes and also in the marketplace daily with those who chanced to be present. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also came across him. Some said, 'Whatever does the fellow mean with his scraps of learning'?" Others said, "He looks like a herald of foreign deities" (this was because he preached 'Jesus' and 'the Resurrection'). 19 Then taking him to the Areopagus they asked, "May we know what is this novel teaching of yours? 20 You talk of some things that sound strange to us; so we want to know what they mean." 21 (For all the Athenians and the foreign visitors to Athens occupied themselves with nothing else than repeating or listening to the latest novelty.) 22 So Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said,

"Men of Athens, I observe at every turn that you are a most religious people. 23 Why, as I passed along and scanned your objects of worship, I actually came upon an altar with the inscription TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Well, I proclaim to you what you worship in your ignorance. 24 The God who made the world and all things in it, he, as Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in shrines that are made by human hands; 25 he is not served by human hands as if he needed anything, for it is he who gives life and breath and all things to all men. 26 All nations he has created from a common origin, to dwell all over the earth, fixing their allotted periods and the boundaries of their abodes, 27 meaning them to seek for God on the chance of finding him in their groping for him. Though indeed he is close to each one of us, 28 for it is in him that we live and move and exist — as some of your own poets have said,

'We too belong to His race.' 29 Well, as the race of God, we ought not to imagine that the divine nature resembles gold or silver or stone, the product of human art and invention. 30 Such ages of ignorance God overlooked, but he now charges men that they are all everywhere to repent, 31 inasmuch as he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world justly by a man whom he has destined for this. And he has given proof of this to all by raising him from the dead."

32 But on hearing of a 'resurrection of dead men,' some sneered, while others said, "We will hear you again on that subject." 33 So Paul withdrew from them. 34 Some men, however, did join him and believe, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman called Damaris, and some others.

18 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he came across a Jew called Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, as Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul accosted them, 3 and as he belonged to the same trade he stayed with them and they all worked together. (They were workers in leather by trade.) 4 Every sabbath he argued in the synagogue, persuading both Jews and Greeks. 5 By the time Silas and Timotheus came south from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed in this preaching of the word, arguing to the Jews that the messiah was Jesus. 6 But as they opposed and abused him, he shook out his garments in protest, saying, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am not responsible! After this I will go to the Gentiles." 7 Then he removed to the house of a devout proselyte called Titus Justus, which adjoined the synagogue. 8 But Crispus the president of the synagogue believed in the Lord, as did all his household, and many of the Corinthians listened, believed, and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul in a vision by night, "Have no fear, speak on and never stop, 10 for I am with you, and no one shall attack and injure you; I have many people in this city." 11 So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching them the word of God.

12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia the Jews without exception rose against Paul and brought him up before the tribunal, 13 crying, "This fellow incites men to worship God contrary to the Law." 14 Paul was just on the point of opening his lips to reply, when Gallio said to the Jews, "If it had been a misdemeanour or wicked crime, there would be some reason in me listening to you,O Jews. 15 But as these are merely questions of words and persons and your own Law, you can attend to them for yourselves. I decline to adjudicate upon matters like that." 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 Then all [the Greeks] caught hold of Sosthenes the president of the synagogue and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio took no notice.

18 After waiting on for a number of days Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. (As the latter was under a vow, he had his head shaved at Cenchreae.) 19 When they reached Ephesus, Paul left them there. He went to the synagogue and argued with the Jews, 20 who asked him to stay for a while. But he would not consent; 21 he said goodbye to them, telling them, "I will come back to you, if it is the will of God." Then, sailing from Ephesus, 22 he reached Caesarea, went up to the capital to salute the church, and travelled down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there he went off on a journey right through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples.

24 There came to Ephesus a Jew called Apollos, who was a native of Alexandria, a man of culture, strong in his knowledge of the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and he preached and taught about Jesus with ardour and accuracy, though all the baptism he knew was that of John. 26 In the synagogue he was very outspoken at first; but when Aquila and Priscilla listened to him, they took him home and explained more accurately to him what the Way of God really meant. 27 As he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers wrote and urged the disciples there to give him a welcome. And on his arrival he proved of great service to those who by God's grace had believed, 28 for he publicly refuted the Jews with might and main, showing from the scriptures that the messiah was Jesus. 19 It was when Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples, 2 whom he asked, "Did you receive the holy Spirit when you believed?" "No," they said, "we never even heard of its existence." 3 "Then," said he, "what were you baptized in?" "In John's baptism," they replied. 4 "John," said Paul, "baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they had themselves baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, 6 and after Paul laid his hands on them the holy Spirit came upon them, they spoke with 'tongues' and prophesied. 7 They numbered all together about twelve men.

8 Then Paul entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out fearlessly, arguing and persuading people about the Reign of God. 9 But as some grew stubborn and disobedient, decrying the Way in presence of the multitude, he left them, withdrew the disciples, and continued his argument every day from eleven to four in the lecture-room of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

11 God also worked no ordinary miracles by means of Paul; 12 people even carried away towels or aprons he had used, and at their touch sick folk were freed from their diseases and evil spirits came out of them. 13 Some strolling Jewish exorcists also undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!" 14 The seven sons of Sceuas, a Jewish high priest, used to do this. 15 But the evil spirit retorted, "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but you — who are you?" 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit resided leapt at them, overpowered them all, and belaboured them, till they rushed out of the house stripped and wounded. 17 This came to the ears of all the inhabitants of Ephesus, Jews as well as Greeks; awe fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 Many believers would also come to confess and disclose their magic spells; 19 and numbers who had practised magic arts collected their books and burned them in the presence of all. On adding up the value of them, it was found that they were worth two thousand pounds.

20 Thus did the word of the Lord increase and prevail mightily.

21 After these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. "After I get there," he said, "I must also visit Rome." 22 So he despatched two of his assistants to Macedonia, Timotheus and Erastus, while he himself stayed on awhile in Asia.

23 It was about that time that a great commotion arose over the Way. This was how it happened. 24 By making silver shrines of Artemis a silversmith called Demetrius was the means of bringing rich profit to his workmen. 25 So he got them together, along with the workmen who belonged to similar trades, and said to them: "My men, you know this trade is the source of our wealth. 26 You also see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost all over Asia this fellow Paul has drawn off a considerable number of people by his persuasions. He declares that hand-made gods are not gods at all. 27 Now the danger is not only that we will have our trade discredited but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will fall into contempt and that she will be degraded from her majestic glory, she whom all Asia and the wide world worship." 28 When they heard this they were filled with rage and raised the cry, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus!" 29 So the city was filled with confusion. They rushed like one man into the amphitheatre, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were travelling with Paul. 30 (Paul wanted to enter the popular assembly, but the disciples would not allow him. 31 Some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, also sent to beg him not to venture into the amphitheatre.) 32 Some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority had no idea why they had met. 33 Some of the mob concluded it must be Alexander, as the Jews pushed him to the front. So Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to defend himself before the people; 34 but when they discovered he was a Jew, a roar broke from them all, and for about two hours they shouted, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus!"

35 The secretary of state then got the mob calmed down, and said to them, "Men of Ephesus, who on earth does not know that the city of Ephesus is Warden of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven? 36 All this is beyond question. So you should keep calm and do nothing reckless. 37 Instead of that, you have brought these men here who are guilty neither of sacrilege nor of blasphemy against our goddess. 38 If Demetrius and his fellow tradesmen have a grievance against anybody, let both parties state their charges; assizes are held and there are always the proconsuls. 39 Any wider claim must be settled in the legal assembly of the citizens. 40 Indeed there is a danger of our being charged with riot over to-day's meeting; there is not a single reason we can give for this disorderly gathering." 41 With these words he dismissed the assembly.

20 When the tumult had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and encouraged them; he then took leave of them and went his way to Macedonia. 2 After passing through the districts of Macedonia and encouraging the people at length, he came to Greece, 3 where he spent three months. Just as he was on the point of sailing for Syria, the Jews laid a plot against him. He therefore resolved to return through Macedonia. 4 His company as far as Asia consisted of Sopater of Beroea (the son of Pyrrhus), Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, Timotheus, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.

5 They went on to wait for us at Troas, 6 while we sailed from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and joined them five days later at Troas. There we spent seven days. 7 On the first day of the week we met for the breaking of bread; Paul addressed them, as he was to leave next day, and he prolonged his address till midnight 8 (there were plenty of lamps in the upper room where we met). 9 In the window sat a young man called Eutychus, and as Paul's address went on and on, he got overcome with drowsiness, went fast asleep, and fell from the third storey. He was picked up a corpse, 10 but Paul went downstairs, threw himself upon him, and embraced him. "Do not lament," he said, "the life is still in him." 11 Then he went upstairs, broke bread, and ate; finally, after conversing awhile with them till the dawn, he went away. 12 As for the lad, they took him away alive, much to their relief. 13 Now we had gone on beforehand to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. This was his own arrangement, for he intended to travel by land. 14 So when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and got to Mitylene. 15 Sailing thence on the following day we arrived off Chios; next day we crossed over to Samos, and [after stopping at Trogyllium] we went on next day to Miletus. 16 This was because Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, to avoid any loss of time in Asia; he wanted to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the presbyters of the church. 18 When they came to him, he said, "You know quite well how I lived among you all the time ever since I set foot in Asia, 19 how I served the Lord in all humility, with many a tear and many a trial which I encountered owing to the plots of the Jews, 20 how I never shrank from letting you know anything for your good, or from teaching you alike in public and from house to house, 21 bearing my testimony, both to Jews and Greeks, of repentance before God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 Now here I go to Jerusalem under the binding force of the Spirit. What will befall me there, I do not know. 23 Only, I know this, that in town after town the holy Spirit testifies to me that bonds and troubles are awaiting me. 24 But then, I set no value on my own life as compared with the joy of finishing my course and fulfilling the commission I received from the Lord Jesus to attest the gospel of the grace of God. 25 I know to-day that not one of you will ever see my face again — not one of you among whom I moved as I preached the Reign. 26 Therefore do I protest before you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you; 27 I never shrank from letting you know the entire purpose of God. 28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you guardians; shepherd the church of the Lord which he has purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that when I am gone, fierce wolves will get in among you, and they will not spare the flock; yes. 30 and men of your own number will arise with perversions of the truth to draw the disciples after them. 31 So be on the alert, remember how for three whole years I never ceased night and day to watch over each one of you with tears. 32 And now I entrust you to God and the word of his grace; he is able to upbuild you and give you your inheritance among all the consecrated. 33 Silver, gold, or apparel I never coveted; 34 you know yourselves how these hands of mine provided everything for my own needs and for my companions. 35 I showed you how this was the way to work hard and succour the needy, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, 'To give is happier than to get.'"

36 With these words he knelt down and prayed beside them all. 37 They all broke into loud lamentation and falling upon the neck of Paul kissed him fondly, 38 sorrowing chiefly because he told them they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

21 When we had torn ourselves away from them and set sail, we made a straight run to Cos, next day to Rhodes, and thence to Patara; 2 as we found a ship there bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on our left, we sailed for Syria, landing at Tyre, where the ship was to unload her cargo. 4 We found out the local disciples and stayed there for seven days. These disciples told Paul by the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem; 5 but, when our time was up, we started on our journey, escorted by them, women and children and all, till we got outside the town. Then, kneeling on the beach, we prayed 6 and said goodbye to one another. We went on board and they went home. 7 By sailing from Tyre to Ptolemais we completed our voyage; we saluted the brothers, spent a day with them, 8 and started next morning for Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist (he belonged to the Seven, 9 and had four unmarried daughters who prophesied). We stayed with him.

10 While we remained there for a number of days, a prophet called Agabus came down from Judaea. 11 He came to us, took Paul's girdle and bound his own feet and hands, saying, "Here is the word of the holy Spirit: 'So shall the Jews bind the owner of this girdle at Jerusalem and hand him over to the Gentiles'." 12 Now when we heard this, we and the local disciples besought Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, "What do you mean by weeping and disheartening me? I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord Jesus." 14 As he would not be persuaded, we acquiesced, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

15 After these days we packed up and started for Jerusalem, 16 accompanied by some of the disciples from Caesarea, who conducted us to the house of Mnason, a Cypriote, with whom we were to lodge. He was a disciple of old standing.

17 The brothers welcomed us gladly on our arrival at Jerusalem. 18 Next day we accompanied Paul to James; all the presbyters were present, 19 and after saluting them Paul described in detail what God had done by means of his ministry among the Gentiles. 20 They glorified God when they heard it. Then they said to him, "Brother, you see how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, all of them ardent upholders of the Law. 21 Now, they have heard that you teach all Jews who live among Gentiles to break away from Moses and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs. 22 What is to be done? They will be sure to hear you have arrived. 23 So do as we tell you. We have four men here under a vow; 24 associate yourself with them, purify yourself with them, pay their expenses so that they may be free to have their heads shaved, and then everybody will understand there is nothing in these stories about you, but that, on the contrary, you are guided by obedience to the Law. 25 As for Gentile believers, we have issued our decision that they must avoid food that has been offered to idols, the taste of blood, flesh of animals that have been strangled, and sexual vice." 26 Then Paul associated himself with the men next day; he had himself purified along with them and went into the temple to give notice of the time when the days of purification would be completed — the time, that is to say, when the sacrifice could be offered for each one of them.

27 The seven days were almost over when the Asiatic Jews, catching sight of him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 shouting, "To the rescue, men of Israel! Here is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against the People and the Law and this Place! And he has actually brought Greeks inside the temple and defiled this holy Place!" 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian along with him in the city, and they supposed Paul had taken him inside the temple.)

30 The whole city was thrown into turmoil. The people rushed together, seized Paul and dragged him outside the temple; whereupon the doors were immediately shut. 31 They were attempting to kill him, when word reached the commander of the garrison that the whole of Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 Taking some soldiers and officers, he at once rushed down to them, and when they saw the commander and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came up and seized him; he ordered him to be bound with a couple of chains, and asked "Who is he?" and "What has he done?" 34 Some of the crowd roared one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts owing to the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. 35 By the time he reached the steps, he had actually to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the whole mass of the people followed shouting, "Away with him!"

37 Just as he was being taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "May I say a word to you?" "You know Greek!" said the commander. 38 "Then you are not the Egyptian who in days gone by raised the four thousand assassins and led them out into the desert?" 39 Paul said, "I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, the citizen of a famous town. Pray let me speak to the people." 40 As he gave permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. A great hush came over them, and he addressed them as follows in Hebrew.

22 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence I now make before you." 2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew they were all the more quiet. So he went on. 3 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel in all the strictness of our ancestral Law, ardent for God as you all are to-day. 4 I persecuted this Way of religion to the death, chaining and imprisoning both men and women, 5 as the high priest and all the council of elders can testify. It was from them that I got letters to the brotherhood at Damascus, and then journeyed thither to bind those who had gathered there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

6 Now as I neared Damascus on my journey, suddenly about noon a brilliant light from heaven flashed round me. 7 I dropped to the earth and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 8 'Who are you?' I asked. He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me.' 9 (My companions saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who talked to me.) 10 I said, 'What am I to do?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and make your way into Damascus; there·you shall be told about all you are destined to do.' 11 As I could not see owing to the dazzling glare of that light,. my companions took my hand and so I reached Damascus. 12 Then a certain Ananias, a devout man in the Law, who had a good reputation among all the Jewish inhabitants, 13 came to me and standing beside me said, 'Saul, my brother, regain your sight!' The same moment I regained my sight and looked up at him. 14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One, and to hear him speak with his own lips. 15 For you are to be a witness for him before all men, a witness of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now, why do you wait? Get up and be baptized and wash away your sins, invoking his name.'

17 When I returned to Jerusalem, it happened that while I was praying in the temple I fell into a trance 18 and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste, leave Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept your evidence about me.' 19 'But, Lord,' I said, 'they surely know it was I who imprisoned and flogged those who believed in you throughout the synagogues, 20 and that I stood and approved when the blood of your martyr Stephen was being shed, taking charge of the clothes of his murderers!' 21 But he said to me, 'Go; I will send you afar to the Gentiles — — '" 22 Till he said that, they had listened to him. But at that they shouted, "Away with such a creature from the earth! He is not fit to live!" 23 They yelled and threw their clothes into the air and flung dust about, 24 till the commander ordered him to be taken inside the barracks and examined under the lash, so as to find out why the people shouted at him in this way. 25 They had strapped him up, when Paul said to the officer who was standing by, "Are you allowed to scourge a Roman citizen — and to scourge him without a trial?" 26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." 27 So the commander went to him and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. 28 The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul. 29 Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

30 Next day, as he was anxious to find out the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to meet, and brought Paul down, placing him in front of them. 23 With a steady look at the Sanhedrin Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived with a perfectly good conscience before God down to the present day." 2 Then the high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 At this Paul said to him, "You whitewashed wall, God will strike you! You sit there to judge me by the Law, do you? And you break the Law by ordering me to be struck!" 4 The bystanders said, "What! would you rail at God's high priest?" 5 "Brothers," said Paul, "I did not know he was high priest" (for it is written, You must not speak evil of any ruler of your people). 6 Then, finding half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisees, Paul shouted to them, "I am a Pharisee, brothers, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection from the dead that I am on trial!"

7 When he said this, a quarrel broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; the meeting was divided. 8 For while the Sadducees declare there is no such thing as resurrection, angels, or spirits, the Pharisees affirm them all. 9 Thus a loud clamour broke out. Some of the scribes who belonged to the Pharisaic party got up and contended, "We find nothing wrong about this man. What if some spirit or angel has spoken to him?"

10 The quarrel then became so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul in pieces; he therefore ordered the troops to march down and take him from them by force, bringing him inside the barracks. 11 On the following night the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage! As you have testified to me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome."

12 When day broke, the Jews formed a conspiracy, taking a solemn oath neither to eat nor to drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty of them in this plot. 14 They then went to the high priests and elders, saying, "We have taken a solemn oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now you and the Sanhedrin must inform the commander that you propose to investigate this case in detail, so that he may have Paul brought down to you. We will be all ready to kill him on the way down."

16 Paul's nephew heard about their treacherous ambush; so he got admission to the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul summoned one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has some news to give him." 18 So the officer took him to the commander, saying, "The prisoner Paul has summoned me to ask if I would bring this young man to you, as he has something to tell you." 19 The commander then took him by the hand aside and asked him in private, "What is the news you have for me?" 20 He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to-morrow to the Sanhedrin, on the plea that they propose to examine his case in detail. 21 Now do not let them persuade you. More than forty of them are lying in ambush for him, and they have taken a solemn oath neither to eat nor to drink till they have murdered him. They are all ready at this moment, awaiting your consent."

22 Then the commander dismissed the youth, bidding him "Tell nobody that you have informed me of this." 23 He summoned two of the officers and said, "Get ready by nine o'clock to-night two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, also seventy troopers, and two hundred spearmen." 24 Horses were also to be provided, on which they were to mount Paul and carry him safe to Felix the governor. 25 He then wrote a letter in the following terms. 26 "Claudius Lysias, to his excellency the governor Felix: greeting. 27 This man had been seized by the Jews and was on the point of being murdered by them, when I came on them with the troops and rescued him, as I had ascertained that he was a Roman citizen. 28 Anxious to find out why they accused him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin, 29 where I found he was accused of matters relating to their Law but not impeached for any crime that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 I am informed a plot is to be laid against him, so I am sending him to you at once, telling his accusers that they must impeach him before you. Farewell."

31 The soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 Next day the infantry returned to their barracks, leaving the troopers to ride on with him. 33 They reached Caesarea, presented the letter to the governor, and also handed Paul over to him. 34 On reading the letter he asked what province he belonged to, and finding it was Cilicia 35 he said, "I will go into your case whenever your accusers arrive," giving orders that he was to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.

24 Five days later down came the high priest Ananias with some elders and a barrister called Tertullus. They laid information before the governor against Paul. 2 So Paul was summoned, and then Tertullus proceeded to accuse him. "Your excellency," he said to Felix, "as it is owing to you that we enjoy unbroken peace, and as it is owing to your wise care that the state of this nation has been improved in every way and everywhere, 3 we acknowledge all this with profound gratitude. 4 I have no wish to weary you, but I beg of you to grant us in your courtesy a brief hearing. 5 The fact is, we have found this man is a perfect pest; he stirs up sedition among the Jews all over the world and he is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect. 6 He actually tried to desecrate the temple, but we got hold of him. 7 -- 8 Examine him for yourself and you will be able to find out about all these charges of ours against him." 9 The Jews joined in the attack, declaring that such were the facts of the case.

10 Then at a nod from the governor Paul made his reply. "As I know you have administered justice in this nation for a number of years," he said, "I feel encouraged to make my defence, 11 because it is not more than twelve days, as you can easily ascertain, since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 12 They never found me arguing with anyone in the temple or causing a riot either in the synagogues or in the city; 13 they cannot furnish you with any proof of their present charges against me. 14 I certainly admit to you that I worship our fathers' God according to the methods of what they call a 'sect'; but I believe all that is written in the Law and in the prophets, 15 and I cherish the same hope in God as they accept, namely that there is to be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. 16 Hence I too endeavour to have a clear conscience before God and men all the time. 17 After a lapse of several years I came up with alms and offerings for my nation, 18 and it was in presenting these that I was found within the temple. I was ceremonially pure, I was not mixed up in any mob or riot; no, the trouble was caused by some Jews from Asia, 19 who ought to have been here before you with any charge they may have against me. 20 Failing them, let these men yonder tell what fault they found with my appearance before the Sanhedrin! — 21 unless it was with the single sentence I uttered, when I stood and said, 'It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial to-day before you.''

22 As Felix had a pretty accurate knowledge of the Way, he remanded Paul, telling the Jews, 'When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.' 23 He gave orders to the officer to have Paul kept in custody but to allow him some freedom and not to prevent any of his own people from rendering him any service.

24 Some days later Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and heard what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus; 25 but when he argued about morality, self-mastery, and the future judgment, Felix grew uneasy. 'You may go for the present,' he said; 'when I can find a moment, I will send for you' 26 (though at the same time he hoped Paul would give him a bribe). So he did send for him pretty frequently and conversed with him. 27 But when two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and as Felix wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, he left Paul still in custody.

25 Three days after Festus entered his province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 The high priests and the Jewish leaders laid information before him against Paul, and begged him, 3 as a special favour, to send for him to Jerusalem, meaning to lay an ambush for him and murder him on the road. 4 Festus replied that Paul would be kept in custody at Caesarea, but that he himself meant to leave for Caesarea before long — 5 'when,' he added, 'your competent authorities can come down with me and charge the man with whatever crime he has committed.' 6 After staying not more than eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea.

Next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought before him. 7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought a number of serious charges against him, none of which they were able to prove. 8 Paul's defence was, 'I have committed no offence against the Law of the Jews, against the temple, or against Caesar.' 9 As Festus wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, he asked Paul, 'Will you go up to Jerusalem and be tried there by me upon these charges?' 10 Paul said, 'I am standing before Caesar's tribunal; that is where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong whatever to the Jews — you know that perfectly well. 11 If I am a criminal, if I have done anything that deserves death, I do not object to die; but if there is nothing in any of their charges against me, then no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!' 12 Then, after conferring with the council, Festus answered, 'You have appealed to Caesar? Very well, you must go to Caesar! '

13 Some days had passed, when king Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 As they were spending several days there, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. 'There is a man,' he said, 'who was left in prison by Felix. 15 When I was at Jerusalem, the high priests and elders of the Jews informed me about him and demanded his condemnation. 16 I told them Romans were not in the habit of giving up any man until the accused met the accusers face to face and had a chance of defending himself against the impeachment. 17 Well, the day after they came here along with me, I took my seat on the tribunal without any loss of time. I ordered the man to be brought in, 18 but when his accusers stood up they did not charge him with any of the crimes that I had expected. 19 The questions at issue referred to their own religion and to a certain Jesus who had died. Paul said he was alive. 20 As I felt at a loss about the method of inquiry into such topics, I asked if he would go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. 21 But Paul entered an appeal for his case to be reserved for the decision of the emperor; so I ordered him to be detained till I could remit him to Caesar.' 22 'I should like to hear the man myself,' said Agrippa to Festus. 'You shall hear him to-morrow,' said Festus.

23 So next day Agrippa and Bernice proceeded with great pomp to the hall of audience, accompanied by the military commanders and the prominent civilians of the town. Festus then ordered Paul to be brought in. 24 'King Agrippa and all here present,' said Festus, 'you see before you a man of whom the entire body of the Jews at Jerusalem and also here have complained to me. They loudly insist he ought not to live any longer. 25 I could not find he had done anything that deserved death, so I decided to send him, on his own appeal, to the emperor. 26 Only, I have nothing definite to write to the sovereign about him. So I have brought him up before you all, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, in order that I may have something to write as the result of your cross-examination. 27 For it seems absurd to me to forward a prisoner without notifying the particulars of his charge.' 26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You have our permission to speak upon your own behalf.' At this Paul stretched out his hand and began his defence.

2 'I consider myself fortunate, king Agrippa, in being able to defend myself to-day before you against all that the Jews charge me with; 3 for you are well acquainted with all Jewish customs and questions. Pray listen to me then with patience. 4 How I lived from my youth up among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all that early career of mine, is known to all the Jews. 5 They know me of old. They know, if they chose to admit it, that as a Pharisee I lived by the principles of the strictest party in our religion. 6 To-day I am standing my trial for hoping in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 a promise which our twelve tribes hope to gain by serving God earnestly both night and day. And I am actually impeached by Jews for this hope, O king! 9 I once believed it my duty indeed actively to oppose the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10 I did so in Jerusalem. I shut up many of the saints in prison, armed with authority from the high priests; when they were put to death, I voted against them; 11 there was not a synagogue where I did not often punish them and force them to blaspheme; and in my frantic fury I persecuted them even to foreign towns. 12 I was travelling to Damascus on this business, with authority and a commission from the high priests, 13 when at mid-day on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more dazzling than the sun, flash round me and my fellow-travellers. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? You hurt yourself by kicking at the goad.' 15 'Who are you?' I asked. And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. 16 Now get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you to my service as a witness to what you have seen and to the visions you shall have of me. 17 I will rescue you from the People and also from the Gentiles--to whom I send you, 18 that their eyes may be opened and that they may turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, to get remission of their sins and an inheritance among those who are consecrated by faith in me.' 19 Upon this, O king Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision; 20 I announced to those at Damascus and at Jerusalem in the first instance, then all over the land of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they were to repent and turn to God by acting up to their repentance. 21 This is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to assassinate me. 22 To this day I have had the help of God in standing, as I now do, to testify alike to low and high, never uttering a single syllable beyond what the prophets and Moses predicted was to take place. 8 Why should you consider it incredible that God raises the dead, 23 that the Christ is capable of suffering, and that he should be the first to rise from the dead and bring the message of light to the People and to the Gentiles?'

24 When he brought this forward in his defence, Festus called out, 'Paul, you are quite mad! Your great learning is driving you insane.' 25 'Your excellency,' said Paul to Festus, 'I am not mad, I am speaking the sober truth. 26 Why, the king is well aware of this! To the king I can speak without the slightest hesitation. I do not believe any of it has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, you believe the prophets? I know you do.' 28 'At this rate,' Agrippa remarked, 'it won't be long before you believe you have made a Christian of me!' 29 'Long or short,' said Paul, 'I would to God that not only you but all my hearers to-day could be what I am — barring these chains!'

30 Then the king rose, with the governor and Bernice and those who had been seated beside them. 31 They retired to discuss the affair, and agreed that 'this man has done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.' 32 'He might have been released,' said Agrippa to Festus, 'if he had not appealed to Caesar.'

27 When it was decided we were to sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to an officer of the Imperial regiment called Julius. 2 Embarking in an Andramyttian ship which was bound for the Asiatic seaports, we set sail, accompanied by a Macedonian from Thessalonica called Aristarchus. 3 Next day we put in at Sidon, where Julius very kindly allowed Paul to visit his friends and be looked after. 4 Putting to sea from there, we had to sail under the lee of Cyprus, as the wind was against us; 5 then, sailing over the Cilician and Pamphylian waters, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the officer found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her. 7 For a number of days we made a slow passage and had great difficulty in arriving off Cnidus; then, as the wind checked our progress, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Cape Salmone, 8 and coasting along it with great difficulty we reached a place called Fair Havens, not far from the town of Lasea.

9 By this time it was far on in the season and sailing had become dangerous (for the autumn Fast was past), so Paul warned them thus: 10 'Men,' said he, 'I see this voyage is going to be attended with hardship and serious loss not only to the cargo and the ship but also to our own lives.' 11 However the officer let himself be persuaded by the captain and the owner rather than by anything Paul could say, 12 and, as the harbour was badly placed for wintering in, the majority proposed to set sail and try if they could reach Phoenix and winter there (Phoenix is a Cretan harbour facing S.W. and N.W.). 13 When a moderate southerly breeze sprang up, they thought they had secured their object, and after weighing anchor they sailed along the coast of Crete, close inshore. 14 Presently down rushed a hurricane of a wind called Euroclydon; 15 the ship was caught and unable to face the wind, so we gave up and let her drive along. 16 Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we managed with great difficulty to get the boat hauled in; 17 once it was hoisted aboard, they used ropes to undergird the ship, and in fear of being stranded on the Syrtis they lowered the sail and lay to. 18 As we were being terribly battered by the storm, they had to jettison the cargo next day, 19 while two days later they threw the ship's gear overboard with their own hands; 20 for many days neither sun nor stars could be seen, the storm raged heavily, and at last we had to give up all hope of being saved. 21 When they had gone without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, 'Men, you should have listened to me and spared yourselves this hardship and loss by refusing to set sail from Crete. 22 I now bid you cheer up. There will be no loss of life, only of the ship. 23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve, stood before me, 24 saying, 'Have no fear, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And God has granted you the lives of all your fellow-voyagers.' 25 Cheer up, men! I believe God, I believe it will turn out just as I have been told. 26 However, we are to be stranded on an island.'

27 When the fourteenth night arrived, we were drifting about in the sea of Adria, when the sailors about midnight suspected land was near. 28 On taking soundings they found twenty fathoms, and a little further on, when they sounded again, they found fifteen. 29 Then, afraid of being stranded on the rocks, they let go four anchors from the stern and longed for daylight. 30 The sailors tried to escape from the ship. They had even lowered the boat into the sea, pretending they were going to layout anchors from the bow, 31 when Paul said to the officer and the soldiers, 'You cannot be saved unless these men stay by the ship.' 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her fall off. 33 Just before daybreak Paul begged them all to take some food. 'For fourteen days,' he said, 'you have been on the watch all the time, without a proper meal. 34 Take some food then, I beg of you; it will keep you alive. You are going to be saved! Not a hair of your heads will perish.' 35 With these words he took a loaf and after thanking God, in presence of them all, broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all cheered up and took food for themselves 37 (there were about seventy-six souls of us on board, all told); 38 and when they had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.

39 When day broke, they could not recognize what land it was; however, they noticed a creek with a sandy beach, and resolved to see if they could run the ship ashore there. 40 So the anchors were cut away and left in the sea, while the crew unlashed the ropes that tied the rudders, hoisted the foresail to the breeze, and headed for the beach. 41 Striking a reef, they drove the ship aground; the prow jammed fast, but the stern began to break up under the beating of the waves. 42 Now the soldiers resolved to kill the prisoners, in case any of them swam off and escaped; 43 but as the officer wanted to save Paul, he put a stop to their plan, ordering those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 44 while the rest were to manage with planks or pieces of wreckage. In this way it turned out that the whole company got safe to land.

28 It was only after our escape that we found out the island was called Malta. 2 The natives showed us uncommon kindness, for they lit a fire and welcomed us all to it, as the rain had come on and it was chilly. 3 Now Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, when a viper crawled out with the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to each other, 'This man must be a murderer! He has escaped the sea, but Justice will not let him live.' 5 However, he shook off the creature into the fire and was not a whit the worse. 6 The natives waited for him to swell up or drop down dead in a moment, but after waiting a long while and observing that no harm had befallen him, they changed their minds and declared he was a god.

7 There was an estate in the neighbourhood which belonged to a man called Publius, the governor of the island; he welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 His father, it so happened, was laid up with fever and dysentery, but Paul went in to see him and after prayer laid his hands on him and cured him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick folk in the island also came and got cured; 10 they made us rich presents and furnished us, when we set sail, with all we needed.

11 We set sail, after three months, in an Alexandrian ship, with the Dioscuri on her figure-head, which had wintered at the island. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed for three days. 13 Then tacking round we reached Rhegium; next day a south wind sprang up which brought us in a day to Puteoli, 14 where we came across some of the brotherhood, who invited us to stay a week with them.

In this way we reached Rome. 15 As the local brothers had heard about us, they came out to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae, and when Paul saw them he thanked God and took courage. 16 When we did reach Rome, Paul got permission to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

17 Three days later, he called the leading Jews together, and when they met he said to them, 'Brothers, although I have done nothing against the People or our ancestral customs, I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. 18 They meant to release me after examination, as I was innocent of any crime that deserved death. 19 But the Jews objected, and so I was obliged to appeal to Caesar — not that I had any charge to bring against my own nation. 20 This is my reason for asking to see you and have a word with you. I am wearing this chain because I share Israel's hope.' 21 They replied, 'We have had no letters about you from Judaea, and no brother has come here with any bad report or story about you. 22 We think it only right to let you tell your own story; but as regards this sect, we are well aware that there are objections to it on all hands.'

23 So they fixed a day and came to him at his quarters in large numbers. From morning to evening he explained the Reign of God to them from personal testimony, and tried to convince them about Jesus from the law of Moses and the prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but the others would not believe. 25 As they could not agree among themselves, they were turning to go away, when Paul added this one word: 'It was an apt word that the holy Spirit spoke by the prophet Isaiah to your fathers, 26 when he said,

Go and tell this people,

'You will hear and hear but never understand,

you will see and see but never perceive.'

For the heart at this people is obtuse,

their ears are heavy at hearing,

their eyes they have closed,

lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

lest they understand with their heart and turn again, and I cure them. 28 Be sure of this, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen to it.'

30 For two full years he remained in his private lodging, welcoming anyone who came to visit him; 31 he preached the Reign of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unmolested.