1 [ref]Dear Theofilus, I wrote my first account about all the things that Yeshua began to do and to teach 2 until the day when he was taken up[ref] into the sky after, with the help of the holy spirit, having commanded the missionaries that he had chosen.

3 After the time of his suffering, Yeshua presented himself to them in ways that were infallible proofs that he was alive again—appearing to them and telling them about God’s kingdom. 4 [ref]Once when they were together, he told them, “Don’t leave Yerusalem, but wait there for what was promised by the father, as you all have already heard me say. 5 [ref]Yohan immersed people in water, but you all will be immersed in the holy spirit in just a few days.”

6 So when they were next gathered together, they asked him, “Master, is this now the time when you’ll be restoring the kingdom to Israel?”[fn]

7 But Yeshua responded to them, “You don’t need to know the times or seasons when future events will happen—it’s the father who decides all that. 8 [ref]However, you all will be receiving power when the holy spirit lands on you. Then you’ll tell people about me in Yerusalem and all across the provinces of Yudea and Samaria, and all the way to the furtherest parts of the planet.” 9 [ref]After he’d said that and while they were still looking at him, he was lifted up into the sky until they could no longer see him because of the clouds.

10 As they stood there staring into the sky after he’d gone, suddenly two men in white clothes were standing beside them 11 and said, “You men from Galilee! Why are you still standing there looking up at the sky? This Yeshua who has been taken up away from you into heaven will come back in the same way that you saw him go up into heaven.”

12 Then they walked down the Mount of Olives and returned to Yerusalem which was less than a kilometre away. 13 [ref]They went into the upstairs room where they were staying—Peter and Yohan, Yacob and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, Yacob (son of Alfeus), Simon (the Zealot member), and Yudas (son of Yacob). 14 They were united in their ongoing prayers, along with Maria the mother of Yeshua, and his brothers.

15 Then one day, Peter stood up in the meeting of the believers (about 120 of them) and said, 16 “Brothers, it was necessary for the scripture to be fulfilled, where the holy spirit had spoken previously through David about Yudas, the one who guided those that arrested Yeshua 17 because Yudas was one of us and took his part in our work.

18 [ref](Yudas had bought a field with the money he had received for his treachery, and when he had fallen down in that field, his stomach had burst open and his intestines had slid out on the ground. 19 So everyone in Yerusalem started calling that place ‘The field of blood’.)

20 [ref]Now it was written in the scroll of songs:

‘Let his place become deserted with no one living there,’

and

‘Let another person take his position.’

21 So now it’s appropriate for one of the men that has been with us for the whole time that the master Yeshua was interacting with us, 22 [ref]from Yeshua’s immersion by Yohan until the day that he was lifted up from us into the clouds—a witness of the resurrection—to fill this position.

23 So they selected two men: Yosef Barsabbas (nicknamed Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they requested, “Master, you know everyone’s inner thoughts, so reveal to us which of these two that you have chosen 25 to take this position of service and being an missionary—the position that Yudas deserted to go to his own place.” 26 So they drew straws and Matthias was marked so he was chosen to join the eleven missionaries.

2 [ref]When the Day of Pentecost actually arrived, the believers met together in the same room. 2 Suddenly there was a noise in the sky that sounded like a strong wind, then it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what looked like tongues of fire that kept dividing[fn] and then settling down on each one of them. 4 In this way they were all filled with the holy spirit and began speaking in other languages as the spirit enabled them.

5 At the time, there were godly Jews staying in Yerusalem that had come from other countries all around the world. 6 When they heard this noise, lots of people came to investigate but they were confused because they heard the believers talking in their own languages from around the world. 7 They were astounded and marvelled, asking, “Wow, aren’t these people talking all Galileans? 8 So how come we’re hearing them speak the languages of the countries where we were born? 9 There’s people here from Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Yudea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia Minor, 10 Frygia, Pamfylia, Egypt (Mitsrayim), Libya (near Cyrene), and visitors from Rome, 11 Crete, and Arabia. Some are Jews and some are non-Jews who’ve converted to Judaism. And we can hear them talking about God in our languages.” 12 Everyone was amazed and totally puzzled, asking each other, “What’s going on here?” 13 But others scoffed and said, “Ha, they’ve just had too much to drink.”

14 So the twelve stood up and Peter told the crowd in a loud voice, “People of Yudea and everyone staying in Yerusalem. Listen to me so that I can explain this to you. 15 This group is not drunk like you’re all thinking, because it’s still mid-morning, 16 but you’re seeing what the prophet Yoel wrote about:

17 [ref]God said, ‘In the last days I will pour out my spirit on all humanity—your children will tell of future events, your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams from God. 18 I will pour my spirit out on my male and female slaves and they will tell of future events. 19 I will do unusual things with the stars and planets, and also down on the earth below: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke. 20 I’ll make the sun go dark and the moon go blood red. This will happen before the great victorious day of the coming of the master. 21 Then everyone who relies on the name and authority of the master will be saved.’

22 “Fellow Israelis, listen to this account: You yourselves know that God did miracles through Yeshua from Nazareth, and he fulfilled signs from the scriptures—in fact God did this right in front of you. 23 [ref]Then as part of God’s plan and foreknowledge, this Yeshua was taken to the authorities by those who didn’t follow their own laws, and you all killed him by having him executed on a pole. 24 [ref]But God released him from the agonies of death and brought him back to life—death couldn’t restrain him. 25 [ref]As David wrote,

‘I foresaw the master always being in front of me. I refuse to be afraid because he’s there on my right.

26 Because of that, I was happy and spoke out my praises. My whole body lives in anticipation 27 because you will never abandon my soul in Hades, nor will you allow the godly one to decay. 28 You showed me the roads to life. You fill me with gladness because of your presence.’

29 “Fellow Israelis, we can tell you all with confidence that our patriarch David both died and was buried, and his tomb is still here with us today. 30 [ref]So because he was a prophet, and knowing that God has promised him to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he was foretelling the resurrection of the messiah who was neither ‘abandoned in Hades nor did his body decay.’ 32 Then God raised this Yeshua back to life and we’re all witnesses of that. 33 Now he’s sitting at God’s right hand, and having received the promise of the holy spirit from the father, he poured this out which you are all seeing and hearing today. 34 [ref]You see, David never went up to the heavens, but he himself said,

‘The master said to my master: Sit down at my right

35 until I defeat your enemies.’

36 “So let all Israel know that this Yeshua that you executed on a pole, God made him both the master and the messiah.”

37 When the people heard that, they were deeply troubled and asked Peter and the other missionaries, “What should we do then, brothers?”

38 Peter responded, “Turn away from your sins and each one of you needs to be immersed by the authority of Yeshua the messiah. Then your sins will be forgiven and you all will receive the gift of the holy spirit, 39 because that promise is to you all and your children and to their descendants—to anyone who will call out to the master, our God.”

40 Then Peter shared further teaching with them and encouraged them to save themselves out from this corrupt generation. 41 Because of that, those who welcomed his teaching were immersed and about three thousand people were added to their numbers that day. 42 They continued listening to the teaching of the missionaries, and in building their relationships with each other, and in breaking bread and praying together.

43 They were serious in their learning about God, and the missionaries did many miracles and signs of God’s power in Yerusalem and all the people wanted to be right with God. 44 [ref]All those who did believe were united in purpose and had shared use of many things. 45 Some sold their properties and possessions and divided them among the group so that everyone had everything they needed. 46 Each day they worshipped together at the temple and also went to various homes to break bread together. They talked about Yeshua at their mealtimes without sophistication, 47 praising God and being popular with the people, and every day the master was adding more that were being saved.

3 One afternoon around 3pm, Peter and Yohan were going to the prayer meeting in the temple. 2 Now there was a man who had been lame from birth, and every day he was placed beside a door into the temple—an entry named ‘Beautiful Door’. From there he could beg from the people entering the temple. 3 He saw Peter and Yohan about to enter into the temple, so he asked them for a donation, 4 but Peter and Yohan, looking closely at him said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man grabbed onto them, expecting to get given something by them. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. With the authority of Yeshua the messiah from Nazareth, I command you to walk.” 7 Then Peter grabbed the man by the right hand and pulled him upwards. Immediately the man’s feet and ankles were strengthened 8 and he jumped up and stood and started walking and went into the temple with them, walking and skipping and praising God. 9 All the people there saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognising that he was the man who usually sat outside begging at the ‘Beautiful Door’ of the temple, they were astonished and astounded at what had happened to him.

11 As the man clung onto Peter and Yohan, all the people ran to see them in Solomon’s Porch and they were really astounded. 12 But when Peter saw the crowd, he answered their thoughts, “Fellow Israelis, why are you all puzzled about this, and why are you staring at us as if this man is walking because of our power or closeness to God.” 13 [ref]The god of Abraham, Isaac, and Yacob—the god of our fathers—gave honour to his servant, Yeshua, who you handed over to be killed and then you rejected him when Pilate had judged him and wanted to release him. 14 [ref]You disowned this man who was innocent and sinless, and instead you requested that a murderer be released to you. 15 However in doing so, you killed the creator of life, who God then raised from the dead as we can attest. 16 Now it’s our faith in the authority of Yeshua that has strengthened the legs of this man that you have seen and that you already knew—this authority and faith that comes from Yeshua completely healed this man right in front of you all.

17 So now, friends, I know that you did all that in ignorance, just like your leaders, 18 but actually God was fulfilling what he had had written by the prophets, that the messiah should suffer. 19 Because of that, you all need to repent and turn back to God so that your sins can be erased, 20 and then times of refreshing will come from the presence of the master, and so that he may send Yeshua the messiah who has been appointed, back to save you. 21 For now it is appropriate for heaven to receive him, until the times of restoration of everything, which again God has had written by the faithful prophets. 22 [ref]Indeed Mosheh said, ‘The master, our God will raise up a prophet for you that’s like one of your own brothers. You must listen to everything he says—whatever he tells you. 23 [ref]Everyone who doesn’t listen to that prophet will end up totally destroyed and not part of God’s people.’ 24 Similarly, the prophets from Samuel onwards spoke in turn, and when they spoke they foretold these current days. 25 [ref]And you are the descendants of those prophets, and part of the agreement between God and your ancestors, when he told Abraham, ‘All the families in the world will be blessed by one of your descendants.’ 26 God had raised up his servant and sent him to you Jews first, to bless you by turning each of you away from your own wicked behaviour.”

4 While Peter and Yohan were still talking to the people, the chief priests and a temple officer and some people from the Sadducee sect approached them 2 because they were very upset about what they had been teaching the people, including preaching that Yeshua could give life to the dead. 3 So they arrested the two, and as it was already evening, they put them in jail overnight. 4 Despite this, many people who had heard their message trusted in Yeshua and the number of families who were believers grew to around 5,000.

5 Then the next day, the religious leaders and the elders and the religious teachers gathered together in Yerusalem 6 along with those descended from high priests, including Annas the current high priest and Caiafas and Yohan and Alexander. 7 After having Peter and Yohan brought in and standing them in the middle, they began to ask, “Under what authority did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, having been filled with the holy spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we’re being questioned today about a good deed done to a man who couldn’t walk and which resulted in his healing, 10 then you all need to know, and the people of Israel should also know, that it was done under the authority and name of Yeshua the messiah. He was the man from Nazareth that you executed on a pole, but who God brought back to life. It was because of his authority that this man can now stand before you without deformity. 11 [ref]This Yeshua is:

‘the stone which was rejected by you builders,

has now become the vital cornerstone.’

12 We can’t be saved by anyone else, because there’s no other name or authority that’s been given in the entire world under which people can be saved.

13 The assembled leaders were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and Yohan who they knew to be illiterate, working-class men Then they recognised that they had been with Yeshua, 14 but since the man who was no longer deformed was standing there with them, there was nothing that they could really accuse them of. 15 So they had them removed from the room, and they asked each other, 16 “What should we do with these fellows? By now everyone in Yerusalem has heard about the miracle they did, and we have no way to rebuff it. 17 However, we have to stop it spreading even further, so maybe we should ban them from speaking about this name to anyone.” 18 So they called them back in and decreed that they weren’t allowed to preach or teach under the name of Yeshua anymore.

19 But Peter and Yohan answered, “You judge for yourselves whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to him? 20 As for us, we’re not able to be silent about what we saw and heard.” 21 So after making some further threats, the leaders sent them off. They hadn’t been able to find anything to punish them for, because the people were all praising God for what had happened 22 and because the man who had miraculously recovered was over forty years old.

23 After Peter and Yohan had been released, they went to their own group and told them what the chief priests and elders had said. 24 [ref]When they all heard this, they began to pray out loud to God, saying, “Master, you created heaven and earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 [ref]You spoke long ago by the holy spirit through our ancestor who was your servant, David, when you said,

‘Why are the other nations angry and why have their peoples tried new ideas?”

26 The earthly kings and rulers stood and worked together against the master and against his messiah.’

27 [ref]And indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met with the pagan Romans and the peoples of Israel to conspire against your holy servant Yeshua who you chose. 28 Then they did exactly what your power and plan had already decided would happen. 29 So now, master, see their threats and help us, your slaves, to be able to proclaim your message with boldness. 30 Let us experience your power to heal and do miracles and things that confirm the scriptures by means of the name and authority of your holy servant, Yeshua.”

31 As they finished their requests, the place where they had met was shaken and all of them were filled with the holy spirit, and they went out and boldly proclaimed God’s message.

32 [ref]And so the group of believers were united in their will and attitude. No one claimed anything to be their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 The missionaries of the master, Yeshua, experienced great power and proclaimed the truth about how he came back to life, and God’s favour was with them. 34 None of them were lacking anything, because any of them who owned properties or houses would sell them and donate the proceeds. 35 They would lay them down in front of the missionaries, and from there it was distributed around according to what needs each person had.

36 Yosef (a Levite born in Cyprus who was nicknamed by the missionaries as ‘Barnabas’, meaning ‘Encourager’) was one who 37 owned a field which he sold, and brought the money and put it down in front of the missionaries.

5 But in contrast, a couple named Ananias and Sapphira sold a property 2 but agreed together to hide some of the proceeds. So Ananias brought a smaller amount and put it down in front of the missionaries. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your mind such that you would lie to the holy spirit and keep aside some of the proceeds of the property? 4 Wasn’t it yours before it was sold? And even when it was sold, the money was still yours. Why did you decide to handle it like this? It wasn’t people that you’re lying to, but God.” 5 When Ananias heard that, he fell down and stopped breathing. Everyone who heard about it felt very afraid, 6 and the young men there stood up and covered his body, carried it out, and buried him.

7 Three hours later, Ananias’ wife came in, not knowing anything about what had happened. 8 Peter checked, “Is it true that you guys sold the property for such-and-such an amount?”

“Yes, for that amount,” she replied.

9 But Peter said to her, “Why did the two of you agree to test the spirit of the master? The guys who just buried your husband are just out the door, and they’ll carry you out as well.” 10 Sapphira immediately fell down in front of him and stopped breathing. Then the young men came in and found her dead, so they took her body out and buried her with her husband. 11 So the entire assembly of believers became very afraid, along with every else who heard about these events.

12 The missionaries went on to do many miracles and amazing things, and all the people who gathered in Solomon’s Porch had a united vision, 13 but no one else dared to join them. However, the people were talking positively about them 14 and more were becoming believers in the master—big numbers of both men and women. 15 Some would even bring those who were sick out to the side of the road, lying them on beds and mats waiting for Peter to come past so that even his shadow might touch them. 16 More crowds were coming from the towns around Yerusalem, bringing those who were sick and those tormented by demons, and they were all getting healed.

17 But the chief priest and his colleagues who were members of the sect of Sadducees were filled with jealousy and took action 18 by having the missionaries arrested and thrown into the public jail. 19 But one of the master’s messengers opened the prison doors during the night and led them out again, saying, 20 “Now go and stand in the temple and keep telling the people all the teaching about new life.” 21 So at dawn, having taken notice of the messenger, they went into the temple and started teaching the people there again.

When the chief priest arrived with his companions, they called together the religious council and also the political council of Israel, then called for the missionaries to be brought in from the prison. 22 But when their attendants got to the jail, they weren’t there, so they returned to the gathering and told them, 23 “We found the prison all locked up with the guards in their positions at the doors, but when they opened it up, there was no one inside!” 24 When they heard this, the officer of the temple and the chief priests were totally puzzled as to what could have happened. 25 Just then someone came in and told them, “Hey, the men that you put in prison are in the temple—standing there teaching the people.” 26 So the temple officer took the attendants and went and got them, but didn’t use force because they were afraid that the people might start throwing rocks at them.

27 So they brought them in and stood them in front of the council, where the chief priest addressed them, 28 [ref]“We officially commanded you all not to be teaching in this name and authority. But see here, now you have filled Yerusalem with your teaching, and what’s more, you’re blaming us for the death of that man.” 29 But Peter and the other missionaries answered, “It’s better to obey God than people. 30 The god of our ancestors brought Yeshua back to life after you all handed him over to be hung up on a pole. 31 But God honoured this way-maker and saviour by placing him in the place of honour, to encourage Israel to repent and then to forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these messages, along with the holy spirit who God gave to the ones who obey him.”

33 When the gathered councils heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them, 34 but a certain member of the Pharisee party named Gamaliel stood up in the council chamber. He was a law teacher respected by all the community, and he ordered the guards to take them outside for a while, 35 then he said, “Fellow Israelis, think carefully about what you’re planning to do with these men. 36 A while back, a man called Theudas became prominent, saying that he was someone important. Eventually about four hundred others joined him, but he was killed and those who had followed him were dispersed and it all came to nothing. 37 A bit later on, a Galilean man named Yudas became prominent at the time of the census and he attracted people to him. But he also died, and all those who’d been persuaded by him ended up being scattered. 38 So here’s my advice to you all: pull back from killing these men and allow them to continue, because if this teaching and goings on is man-made, it’ll be overthrown, 39 but if it’s from God, you all won’t be able to bring them down in case you find yourselves opposing God.”

So they were persuaded by Gamaliel, 40 and after calling in the missionaries and having them beaten, they commanded them not to speak using the name and authority of Yeshua and then sent them out. 41 So the missionaries left the councils, very excited that they were considered worthy to be disgraced because of Yeshua. 42 After that, they never stopped teaching and preaching the good message about Yeshua the messiah in the temple and in various homes.

6 However around that time when the number of Yeshua-followers were growing, some of the Greek converts starting grumbling about the Jewish believers because the Greek widows were being overlooked in the daily sharing of food and money. 2 So the twelve missionaries assembled the believers together and told them, “We’re not pleased about having to take time off sharing the message of God to be serving here at the distribution tables. 3 So brothers, look around you for seven men who’re well known to be full of God’s spirit and wisdom, so we can appoint them to be in charge of this part of the work. 4 Then we ourselves can continue to pray and share the message.”

5 This idea pleased the group, so they went ahead and chose Stephen (a man full of faith and of the holy spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a non-Jew from Antioch who had previously converted to Judaism). 6 They stood these seven up in front of the missionaries, who prayed and then placed their hands on them.

7 God’s message continued spreading and the number of followers in Yerusalem was rapidly increasing, and a large number of the priests became believers.

8 Now Stephen (one of the seven) was full of grace and power and was doing miracles and amazing demonstrations of God’s power among the people. 9 But a group from the Freedmen Synagogue as well as Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia Minor rose up and started arguing against Stephen, 10 but they weren’t able to refute the wisdom that he spoke with the help of the pure spirit. 11 So they got some men to falsely accuse Stephen saying, “We heard him denigrating Mosheh and God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the law teachers and so they approached Stephen and arrested him and brought him to the council chambers. 13 There they produced the false witnesses saying, “This man won’t stop spreading messages against this holy temple and against the law 14 because we heard him saying that that Yeshua from Nazareth will be tearing down this building and will be changing the traditions that Mosheh gave to us.” 15 So then the council members looked across at Stephen and saw that his face was shining like that of one of God’s messengers.

7 Then the chief priest asked Stephen, “Is all this true?”

2 [ref]And he replied, “My brothers and fathers, please listen. Our honoured God was seen by our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he moved to Haran 3 and he told him, ‘Leave your land and your relatives, and go to the place that I will show you.’ 4 [ref]So he left Chaldea and moved to Haran, and then after his father died, he moved again to this land where we now live. 5 [ref]Abraham hadn’t received any land here as an inheritance, in fact he’d never been near this land and nor did he have any children, yet God promised to give this entire country to him and his descendants. 6 [ref]And yet God also told him that his descendants would end up staying in another country where they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. 7 [ref]However God promised to punish the nation that enslaved them, and told him that in the end they would leave that place and serve him here in this country. 8 [ref]And he contracted with Abraham about being circumcised, and so when Abraham had Isaac, he circumcised him on the eighth day, and then Isaac went on to have Yacob, and Yacob to have the twelve tribal leaders.

9 [ref]Those brothers went on to become jealous of Yosef and sent him back into Egypt as a slave, but God was with him 10 [ref]and rescued him out of all his troubles there. Then God gave him wisdom and caused him to gain the favour of Far’oh (Pharaoh), the king of Egypt, who then appointed him as the ruler of all Egypt and over Far’oh’s own household. 11 [ref]Then a famine hit all Egypt and Canaan causing great distress and our ancestors were unable to find enough food. 12 But Yacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, so first, he sent off our tribal leaders. 13 [ref]On their second visit, Yosef revealed himself to them, and so Far’oh became aware of Yosef’s heritage. 14 [ref]Then Yosef sent for his father Yacob and all the extended family—some seventy-five of them. 15 [ref]So Yacob went to Egypt, where he and the twelve tribal leaders eventually died, 16 [ref]although their bodies were moved to Shechem where they were put into the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor.

17 [ref]But as the time limit promised to Abraham by God was getting closer, our people multiplied in Egypt 18 until another Far’oh Far’oh (Pharaoh) ended up ruling there who had never known Yosef. 19 [ref]He took advantage of us Jews and mistreated our ancestors, even forcing them apart from their own babies so they wouldn’t live. 20 [ref]Mosheh was born during that time and God considered him beautiful. He spent three months in his own father’s house 21 [ref]before being placed outside, from where Far’oh’s daughter took him and brought him up herself as her own son. 22 So Mosheh was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was a powerful speaker and project leader.

23 [ref]But when he hit forty, it entered his mind to visit his relatives, the Israelis. 24 When he noticed one of them being mistreated, he retaliated and while defending the oppressed man, he struck and killed the Egyptian. 25 He thought his relatives would understand that God was bringing salvation to them via him, but they didn’t see it that way. 26 So on the following day when he saw two of them quarrelling, he tried to resolve the situation by saying, ‘Men, you’re all brothers. Why are you injuring each other?’ 27 But the bullying one pushed him away and said, ‘Who made you the judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 [ref]When he heard that, Mosheh fled Egypt and became an exile in Midian where he eventually had two sons.

30 [ref]After another forty years, he was in the wilderness around Mount Sinai when he saw a messenger in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 Mosheh was amazed at the vision when he saw it, so he approached the bush to look more closely when he heard Yahweh’s voice saying, 32 ‘I am the god of your ancestors—the god of Abraham and of Isaac and of Yacob.’ At that point, Mosheh started trembling and was scared to go any closer to look, 33 but Yahweh said, ‘Take off your sandals, because the ground you’re standing on is dedicated to God. 34 I have noticed the mistreatment of my people in Egypt and heard their groaning and so I came down to rescue them, so now I’m going to send you back to Egypt.’

35 [ref]This was the same Mosheh that they had previously rejected and asked who had made him ruler and judge over them. Now God had indeed sent him as ruler and liberator by means of the messenger that he saw in the thorn bush. 36 [ref]So eventually Mosheh led them out of Egypt after doing miracles and signs of God’s power there, and then also at the Red Sea and during the forty years in the wilderness. 37 [ref]This same Mosheh told Israelis that in the future God would raise up another prophet like him from among them. 38 [ref]Now Mosheh was the person that led the assembly of people in the wilderness, was spoken to by one of God’s messengers on Mt. Sinai, and one of our ancestors that received living messages to pass on to us.

39 “Yet our ancestors didn’t want to obey that man, so they rejected him and started thinking about Egypt again, 40 [ref]saying to Aaron, ‘Make some gods for us to lead us because we’ve got no idea what happened to that Mosheh who led us out of Egypt.’ 41 [ref]So together they made a calf as an idol to bring sacrifices to, and they were pleased with what they’d achieved. 42 [ref]But God turned and allowed them to serve the heavenly armies, just as the prophets wrote,

‘It wasn’t me that you Israelis sacrificed to for those forty years in the wilderness.

43 You turned to Molech’s tent and Rephan’s star as your gods by making images of them to bow down to. So for that, I’ll send you all away into exile beyond Babylon.’

44 [ref]The tent of evidence was with our ancestors in the wilderness—made to the pattern that God had shown Mosheh. 45 [ref]Our ancestors then carried that tent into the land, having inherited it along with Joshua from the possession of the pagans which God drove out ahead of them. The tent remained there until the time of David 46 [ref]who found favour with God and requested to find a tent for the house of Yacob, 47 [ref]but it was Solomon who built the house for God to reside in.

48 However the highest one doesn’t actually live in structures made by people, but as the prophet wrote,

49 [ref]‘Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is where I place my feet.

How could you possibly build a suitable house for me?

50 Wasn’t it me that created everything?’

51 [ref]You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You’re always opposing the holy spirit just like your ancestors were. 52 Which one of the prophets wasn’t persecuted by your ancestors? Even the ones that foretold the coming of the righteous one were killed off by them in just the same way that you yourselves became his betrayers and murderers! 53 You had received the law under the direction of messengers, and yet you didn’t obey it.”

54 When they heard that, they were raging inside and grating their teeth at him. 55 But being full of the holy spirit, Stephen stared up into the sky and was able to see God’s splendour, as well as seeing Yeshua standing there on God’s right. 56 He said, “I can look through the sky that’s opened up and can see humanity’s child standing at God’s right side.”

57 At this point, they blocked their ears and rushed together to grab Stephen, yelling loudly. 58 They drove him out of the city and then started throwing rocks at him. His accusers left their cloaks in charge of a young man named Saul. 59 As Stephen was being hit by the rocks, he called out, “Master Yeshua, receive my spirit.” 60 Then falling to his knees, just before he died he called out loudly, “Master, don’t hold this sin against them.”

8 (And Saul was agreeing that Stephen should be executed.)

That same day, intense persecution began against the assembly in Yerusalem, and so the believers fled throughout the regions of Yudea and Samaria, except for the twelve who stayed. 2 (Some godly men buried Stephen with loud wailing.)

3 [ref]As for Saul, he started on destroying the assembly by entering people’s homes and dragging both men and women out and then off to prison.

4 However, now the people who had fled began to proclaim the good message to others in other places. 5 Around the same time, Philip went to a city in Samaria and told them about the messiah. 6 Crowds gathered and listened carefully to Philip and watched him do miracles—7 many demon-possessed people shouted loudly as the demons left them, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed 8 so there were a lot of happy people there.

9 One man in the city had been practicing magic and amazing the people, and he claimed that he was someone great. His name was Simon 10 and the people there from the least to the most important said, “This power is from the great god.” 11 They gave him a lot of attention because he’d been amazing them with magic for quite a long time. 12 However when Philip started preaching the good message about God’s kingdom and the name and authority of Yeshua the messiah, they believed the message, and many men and women asked to be immersed in water. 13 Simon himself also believed and was immersed, and then started accompanying Philip around—marvelling as he observed the miracles and signs of God’s power.

14 When the missionaries in Yerusalem heard that many people from Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and Yohan out to them 15 so then they prayed for them to receive the holy spirit. 16 (The holy spirit hadn’t fallen on any of them at that point, but they had only been immersed into the name and authority of the master Yeshua.) 17 So Peter and Yohan placed their hands on the new believers and they received the holy spirit.

18 When Simon the magician saw that they received the spirit after having the hands of the missionaries placed on them, he offered money to Peter and Yohan, saying, 19 “Give me this authority so that anyone who I place my hands on will receive the holy spirit.”

20 But Peter responded, “May your money join you in your destruction because you thought you could buy God’s gift with it. 21 There’s no role for you here and no part for you in our work because your heart isn’t right with God. 22 You need to turn away from this evil desire and beg the master that maybe he’ll forgive you for your wrong intentions 23 because I perceive that you have a bitter attitude and ungodly habits.

24 Simon answered, “Oh, please ask the master on my behalf that none of what you mentioned will happen to me.”

25 After that, Peter and Yohan continued to testify and proclaim the good message about the master in many villages around Samaria before they returned to Yerusalem.

26 Then a messenger from the master spoke to Philip, “Start walking and head south on the road that goes downhill from Yerusalem to Gaza through the wilderness.” 27 So he headed off, and on the road he came across an important official of the Ethiopian queen[fn] who was in charge of her treasury. This man had been in Yerusalem to worship God 28 and was returning home in his chariot. As he rode, he was reading the scroll of the prophet Isayah, 29 and the spirit told Philip to approach him and stay by the chariot. 30 So Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading from the prophet Isayah and asked, “Do you know what it is that you’re reading about?”

31 “How could I know when I don’t have someone to guide me,” he answered, and so he invited Philip to climb up and sit with him. 32 Now the particular passage that he was reading was this:[ref]

‘He was led away like a sheep being led to the slaughterhouse,

and stayed as silent as a lamb being shorn

so he never opened his mouth.

33 He was humiliated by a lack of justice.

Who can name his descendants,

because his life is being taken from the earth?’

34 “Now tell me,” said the official, “who was Isayah talking about? Was he talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So Philip started with that passage and explained the good message about Yeshua to him. 36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the official asked, “Look, here’s some water. What would stop me from being immersed here?”

37 ◘ 38 So he commanded the driver to stop the chariot and they both climbed down, and Philip immersed the official in the water. 39 But as they came out of the water, the master’s spirit snatched Philip away and so the official never saw him again, but he continued on his journey very happy. 40 As for Philip, he found himself at the town of Azotus, and as he passed through the coastal towns on the way to Caesarea, he proclaimed the good message in each town.

9 Meanwhile Saul was still spouting off murderous threats towards the followers of the master. He went to the chief priest 2 and obtained official letters to enable him to enter the Jewish meeting halls in Damascus so that if he found either male or female followers of Yeshua, he could arrest them and bring them to Yerusalem in chains.

3 On his journey as he approached Damascus, suddenly light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He dropped to his knees[fn] and heard a voice calling, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5 “Who are you, master?” he asked.

And the voice replied, “I’m Yeshua, the one that you’re persecuting. 6 Now, stand up and go into the city, and you’ll be told there what you need to do.”

7 Meanwhile his travelling companions had stood there speechless, because they had heard the voice but couldn’t see anyone. 8 They helped Saul up from the ground, but even when he opened his eyes, he couldn’t see anything. So they had to lead him into Damascus by hand. 9 Saul stayed there for three days, unable to see and not eating or drinking anything.

10 Now there was a believer there in Damascus named Ananias, and the master spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias.”

“I’m here, master,” he answered.

11 So the master told him, “Get up and go to Yudas’ house in Straight Street where you’ll find a man named Saul from Tarsus. He’s praying right now 12 and in his vision, he saw a man named Ananias who comes in and places his hands on him so that he can receive his sight back.”

13 But Ananias resisted, “Master, I’ve heard a lot about that man, including all the evil things he’s done to your dedicated people in Yerusalem, 14 and the reason he’s here in Damascus with the authority of the chief priests is to arrest everyone who trusts in you.”

15 But the master said, “Go now, because I have chosen that man to be a bearer of my name and authority both in other countries, even to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel, 16 because I’ll be showing him what he’s going to have to suffer for bearing my name.”

17 So Ananias left and went into Yudas’ house where he placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the master has sent me here—Yeshua the one you saw on the road when you were coming here—so that you will be able to see again and also be filled with the holy spirit.” 18 Immediately something like scales fell off Saul’s eyes and he was able to see again, and he got up and got immersed in water, 19 before getting something to eat to renew his strength.

Then Saul stayed several days with the believers in Damascus. 20 He went straight into the Jewish meeting halls and started proclaiming that Yeshua is God’s son.

21 The hearers were all amazed, saying, “Isn’t this the guy that persecuted the ones following that Yeshua in Yerusalem, and even came to Damascus to arrest them here and take them back to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul was growing stronger[fn] and he was confounding the Jews living in Damascus as he taught them that Yeshua is the promised messiah.

23 [ref]After several days, the religious Jews plotted together to kill him, 24 but Saul found out about their plan. Those Jews were also watching the city exits so they could kill him if he tried leaving, 25 but his supporters took him to the city wall at night time and lowered him down in a basket.

26 When he got back to Yerusalem, Saul attempted to join in with the believers there but they were all scared of him, not believing that he was a true follower of Yeshua. 27 However Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the twelve, and Saul told them how he had seen the master on the road, and been spoken to by him, and how he had spoken boldly in Damascus in the name and authority of Yeshua. 28 So Saul stayed connected with the believers, going in and out of Yerusalem and speaking boldly in the name and authority of the master. 29 He also talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they wanted to kill him, 30 so when the brothers found out, they took Saul down to Caesarea on the coast, and from there sent him on a ship to Tarsus.

31 After that the assemblies[fn] of believers throughout Yudea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and grew in their respect and service of the master, also well as increasing in numbers through the encouragement of the holy spirit.

32 Peter travelled around the country and then went to visit the dedicated believers in Lydda. 33 He saw a paralysed man named Aeneas who’d spent eight years lying on his pallet, 34 and said to him, “Aeneas, Yeshua the messiah is healing you. Stand up and pack up your bed.” And straight away Aeneas stood up 35 and all the people living in Lydda and Sharon who saw him became followers of the master.

36 Then in Yoppa there was a believer named Tabitha (or Dorcas if translated) and she did a lot of good things as well as being generous to the poor. 37 Around that time she got sick and died. After washing her body, they placed it in an upper room, 38 and since Yoppa was near Lydda and the believers had heard that Peter was there, they quickly sent two men to request, “Please come as soon as possible.” 39 So Peter went with them, and when they arrived in Yoppa they took him up to the room. All the widows stood there, sobbing and showing him various clothes that Tabitha had made for them. 40 But Peter had them all removed from the room, and then kneeling down he prayed before turning back to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter there she sat up. 41 Peter helped her to stand up, then he called the believers and the widows, and presented the live Tabitha to them. 42 News of this spread throughout Yoppa and many people there believed in the master. 43 So Peter stayed on there for quite a few days, living with a tanner of hides named Simon.

10 Just up in Caesarea there was a Roman army commander named Cornelius (leader of the ‘Italian Regiment’) 2 who, along with all his household, worshipped God and obeyed his laws. He gave to the poor and regularly asked God for help. 3 One afternoon around 3pm he had a vision where he clearly saw one of God’s messengers come into the house and call, “Cornelius.”

4 Cornelius was scared and looked intently and asked, “What is it, master?”

“Your prayers and your helping the poor rose up to God’s notice and attention,” he said. 5 “Now, send some messengers to Yoppa to go and find a man there named Simon Peter. 6 He’s staying with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea.” 7 So as soon as the messenger left, Cornelius called two of his house servants and a godly soldier from his bodyguard, 8 and after explaining the task to them, he sent them off to Yoppa.

9 The next day as they were approaching the town, Peter went up onto the flat roof of the house around midday to pray. 10 But he felt hungry and wanted something to eat, but while it was still being prepared he fell into a trance 11 and saw the sky open up. Something like a sheet was being lowered down to the earth by the four corners 12 and it held all kinds of animals and reptiles, as well as birds. 13 Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up Peter, and slaughter these and eat them.”

14 “I can’t, master,” Peter responded, “because I’ve never eaten anything that’s forbidden.”

15 But the voice spoke a second time, “Don’t you be treating anything as unclean that God has made clean.” 16 This vision happened three times and then the sheet thing was lifted back up into the sky.

17 Now Peter was still there wondering what the vision was all about when the men sent by Cornelius had tracked down the tanner’s house and arrived outside. 18 They called out to ask if Simon Peter was staying there.

19 Even as Peter still continued to ponder about the vision, the spirit said, “Hey, there’s three men here looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs to them. Believe everything they say because I sent them here.” 21 So he went down and asked the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for, so tell me what you came here for.”

22 They answered, “We were sent by Cornelius who’s an army commander who worships God and obeys his laws and has a good reputation with you Jewish people. A holy messenger told him to send for you to come to his house so they can listen to what you have to say.” 23 So Peter invited them in to stay the night.

The next day, Peter and some of the believers from Yoppa started out with them 24 and they arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was expecting them and had also invited some relatives and close friends to join them. 25 Peter entered the house and when they met, Cornelius knelt down and worshipped him 26 but Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up. I’m just a man like you.” 27 After greeting each other, Peter went into the main room and found that quite a few people had gathered there. 28 Then he told them, “You all know that us Jews are forbidden by our laws to associate with or to enter the house of a non-Jew. However, God showed me that it’s not right to treat other people as being lesser or undesirable. 29 That’s why I came without any reservations when you sent for me. But I’m still waiting to know what you all want from me?”

30 So Cornelius answered, “I was praying in my house three days ago in the middle of the afternoon when I suddenly saw a man in shining clothes standing in front of me 31 and he said, ‘Your prayer has been heard, Cornelius, and God has noticed your gifts to the poor. 32 Now he wants you to send messengers to get Simon, the one called Peter, from Yoppa where he’s living by the sea in Simon the tanner’s house.’ 33 I did that straight away and you kindly came here, so now we’re all here in God’s sight to find out everything that the master has commanded you to say.”

34 So Peter spoke up and said, “Honestly, I’m still just realising that God doesn’t favour only certain people,[ref] 35 but he accepts people from any nation as long as they honour and obey him. 36 He sent us a message through the descendants of Israel—a good message that teaches that we can have peace through Yeshua the messiah—everyone’s master. 37 And you all know the news that started in Galilee and spread through all Yudea after the time of Yohan’s teaching and ministry of immersion—38 how God filled Yeshua from Nazareth with the holy spirit and with power, and who then went around doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all the things he did in the Jewish provinces and in Yerusalem, and then how he was executed by them on a stake. 40 Then God brought him back to life on the third day and sent him where he could be seen, 41 not by all the people, but to the witnesses that God had previously appointed—to us who ate with him and drank with him after he’d been raised from the dead. 42 He commanded us to tell the people, and to testify that he is the one who God has designated to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 The writings of all the prophets point towards him, and everyone who believes that he’s God can have their sins forgiven by his authority.”

44 While Peter was still speaking, the holy spirit came down onto everyone who was listening. 45 The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the holy spirit had been poured out even on non-Jews 46 as they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one could argue against them getting immersed in water now that they’ve received the holy spirit just like we did?” 48 So with the authority of Yeshua the messiah, he commanded for them to be immersed in water. Then they asked him to stay with them for a few more days.

11 Soon the missionaries and other believers in Yudea heard that non-Jews had also accepted God’s message, 2 but when Peter went to Yerusalem, the strict Jewish believers were upset with him, 3 saying that he had gone into the home of uncircumcised pagans and even eaten with them.

4 But Peter started explaining from the beginning, 5 “I was staying in Yoppa, and as I was praying I saw a vision of an object like a sheet coming down, as if it was being let down out of the sky by its four corners. As it came down to me 6 I looked at it and saw animals, even wild animals, and reptiles and birds. 7 I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Peter, get up and slaughter these and eat them.’ 8 But I said, ‘Master, I can’t because I’ve never eaten anything that’s forbidden.’ 9 But the voice from the sky spoke again, ‘Don’t you be treating anything as unclean that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was pulled up again into the sky. 11 Next minute there were three men at the house where I was staying saying that they had been sent from Caesarea to fetch me, 12 and the spirit told me to go with them without questioning anything they said. These six other believers went with me, and we arrived at the house of the man who had sent the three. 13 He told us how he’d seen one of God’s messengers standing there in his house and who’d told him, ‘Send someone to Yoppa to fetch Simon, the one called Peter, 14 and he will explain to you how you and all your household can be saved.’ 15 Then when I started speaking to them, the holy spirit came down on them just like it had happened to us previously. 16 That reminded me of the words of the master when he told us, ‘Yohan immersed people in water, but you all will be immersed in the holy spirit. 17 Therefore if God gave the same gift to them that he’d given to us when we’d believed in the master Yeshua the messiah, what authority did I have to contradict God?’ ”

18 When the group heard all this, they had no objections and they praised God, saying, “It seems that God has also allowed the pagans to repent and live.”

19 Over time, due to the persecution that began with Stephen’s killing, the ones who had moved away went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they only shared Yeshua’s teaching with other Jews. 20 However, some of the believers were from Cyprus and Cyrene, and when they got to Antioch they proclaimed the good news from the master Yeshua to the Greeks. 21 And the master caused their efforts to prosper, so a large number of Greeks believed and decided to follow the master.

22 News about this reached the assembly in Yerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw how God’s grace was spreading, he was elated and encouraged them all to earnestly continue to follow the master. 24 Barnabas was good man and full of the holy spirit and full of faith in God, and a large number of people decided to follow Yeshua.

25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Then for a whole year they met with the assembly and regularly taught a large crowd. It was there in Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.

27 In those days, some prophets from Yerusalem went to Antioch, 28 and one of them named Agabus when he was prompted by the spirit, stood up and predicted that the world would experience a severe famine (and this happened later during the reign of Claudius). 29 The believers decided to send assistance to their fellow believers who lived in Yudea—each one according to his means—30 and so they did, sending their contributions with Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders.

12 Around that time, King Herod Agrippa used his power to mistreat some of the believers from the assembly, 2 and he had Yacob, the brother of Yohan, executed by the sword. 3 Then when he saw that it pleased the Jewish religious leaders, he went on to seize Peter during the Flat Bread Celebration. 4 After being arrested, Peter was put in prison where he was guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. After the Passover Feast, Herod planned to display Peter to the people, 5 but while he was being held in prison, those in the assembly were earnestly asking God to help him.

6 Herod planned to send for Peter later that evening, but meanwhile Peter had fallen asleep chained with two chains between two soldiers. There were also prison guards at the door 7 but one of the master’s messengers suddenly appeared standing by Peter and light radiated through the prison cell. The messenger poked Peter in the side to wake him up, saying, “Quickly, get up!” The chains fell off his wrists 8 and the messenger said, “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” so he did. Then the messenger said, “Now put on your coat and follow me.” 9 So Peter followed the messenger out of the cell, not really knowing if it was real or if he was still dreaming. 10 They went past the first guard and then the second, and then came to the iron gate which led out of the prison into the city. The gate opened by itself and they went out onto the street, then at the end of the street the messenger suddenly left him.

11 By now Peter was fully awake and said to himself, “Now I know that the master really did send his messenger to rescue me from Herod and from the plans of the Jewish leaders.”

12 Now that he realised this, he went to Maria’s house (the mother of Yohan Mark) where many believers had met to pray. 13 He knocked at the door in the fence and a servant girl named Rhoda came out to see who it was. 14 But when she recognised Peter’s voice, she was so excited that she forgot about opening the door, but ran back inside to tell everyone that Peter was standing out there. 15 They told her that she must be raving mad, but she insisted it was true, but they said that it must be his messenger.

16 Meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they eventually opened the outer door, they saw that it was him and they were amazed. 17 But Peter signalled them with his hand to be quiet, and then he explained how the master had led him out of the prison, and instructed them, “Tell this to Yacob and the brothers.” Then he left and went off to another place.

18 Once daylight came, there was pandemonium among the soldiers in the prison as they tried to figure out what had happened to Peter. 19 Then when King Herod sent for Peter and he wasn’t there, the prison guards were interrogated and then taken away to be executed.

After that, Herod left Yudea and went up to Caesarea to stay.

20 Now King Herod was disputing with the people of Tyre and Tsidon, and so they got together and persuaded Blastos, a close personal servant of the king, to be their spokesman in asking for peace because they were dependent on food from the king’s provinces.

21 On the agreed day, Herod dressed in his royal garments and seated on his throne, started to address them. 22 The crowd shouted out, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Because he didn’t attribute the honour to God, one the master’s messengers immediately struck him down and he stopped breathing as a result of a worm infestation.

24 Meanwhile God’s message continued to spread and multiply.

25 By then Barnabas and Saul had completed their ministry and returned to[fn] Yerusalem taking Yohan Mark along with them.

13 In the assembly at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen (who grew up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. 2 One day when they were ministering to the master and fasting, the holy spirit said, Appoint Barnabas and Saul to serve me and do the work that I have called them to.” 3 So they fasted and prayed and placed their hands on the two, and then sent them off.

4 So Barnabas and Saul, having been sent by the holy spirit, went down to Seleucia at the coast and from there sailed on to the island of Cyprus. 5 When they arrived in the town of Salamis, they proclaimed God’s message in the Jewish meeting halls. They also had Yohan as their assistant.

6 They travelled around the island and when they got to Paphos, they met a Jewish man named Bar-Jesus.[fn] He was a sorcerer and false prophet 7 who was with Sergius Paulus the proconsul, an intelligent man. Sergius sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear God’s message from them, 8 but the sorcerer opposed them and tried to prevent Sergius from believing. 9 So then Saul (the Roman form of his name was Paul), filled with the holy spirit looked intently at Bar-Jesus 10 and said, “You’re full of all kinds of deceit and fraud you child of the devil. Will you never stop twisting the truth about following the master? 11 Well, look here! The master will extend his power against you and blind you—you’ll go a season without seeing the sun!”

And immediately he could only see fog and darkness, and needed someone to guide him around by the hand. 12 The proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, and was amazed as he learnt about the master.

13 After that, Paul[fn] and his companions sailed from Pafos to Perga in Pamfylia, but Yohan Mark left them and returned to Yerusalem. 14 Paul and his companions, went on from Perga to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the Jewish meeting hall on the Rest Day and sat down with the congregation. 15 After the readings from the Law and from the Prophets,[fn] the leaders sent a messenger over to them to ask, “Men, brothers, if you bring any message of encouragement for the congregation, please share it.”

16 So Paul stood up and, motioning with his hand, started speaking, “Fellow Israelis and every who reveres God, listen to me. 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors and helped the people to prosper when they were staying in Egypt. Then later he showed his power as he led them out 18 and endured them in the wilderness for around forty years. 19 Then having overthrown seven nations in Caanan,[ref] he passed on that land as an inheritance 20 after around 450 years.

“Then he gave them judges through until the time of the prophet Samuel 21 when they requested a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benyamin to reign for forty years. 22 After Saul was removed, God chose David to be their king—the man of whom he said, ‘I found David the son of Jesse, a man who wants to obey me and do everything I ask.’ 23 Then eventually a descendant of David arrived in Israel as promised—the saviour Yeshua. 24 Before he arrived Yohan-the-Immerser had publicly preached to all the people of Israel about being immersed as a sign of repentance. 25 As Yohan’s ministry was nearing an end, he asked, ‘Who do you suspect I am? I’m not the messiah, but he will come after me, and I’m not even worthy to undo his sandals.’

26 “Men, brothers, descendants of Abraham and others here who revere God, the teaching about this salvation has been sent to us. 27 The people of Yerusalem and their religious leaders didn’t recognise this Yeshua, but by their judgement of him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Rest Day. 28 Despite not finding even one charge against him worthy of death, they requested Pilate to execute him 29 and when they had done all the things that the prophets had written about him, they took his body down from the stake and placed it in a burial chamber. 30 But God brought him back to life 31 and his followers who had come to Yerusalem from Galilee saw him for several days and now testify about this to the people. 32 So now we’re preaching this good message to you that what God promised to our ancestors 33 has now been fulfilled for our descendants, now that God brought Yeshua back to life just like it’s written in the second psalm:

‘You are my son;

today I have borne you.’

34 God brought him back to life, and he’s never going to return to the grave to decay. As God said,

‘I will give David’s faithful devout things??? to you all.’

35 So in another psalm God said,

‘You won’t allow your devout one to experience decay.’

36 This can’t be David, because after he’d served his own generation as God led him, he indeed died and was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37 On the contrary, the one who God raised from the dead never experienced decay. 38 So brothers, let it be known to you all that your sins can now be forgiven through this Yeshua—the law of Mosheh was never able to offer you that. 39 Everyone who puts their trust in Yeshua is able to receive a clean record. 40 But keep your eyes open in case something else the prophets wrote might come true:

41 ‘Watch you scoffers, and be amazed and die because I’m doing something special during your time.

Even if someone described it clearly to you all, you still might not believe it.’ ”

42 As they left the meeting hall after the service, the people invited them to speak again the following Rest Day. 43 But when they starting walking away, many people followed after Paul and Barnabas, who then addressed them and encouraged them to continue trusting in God’s grace.

44 So on the following Rest Day, nearly everyone in the city had gathered there to hear the message from God. 45 But the Jewish religious leaders became very jealous when they saw the crowds and claimed that Paul’s words had slandered God. 46 But Paul and Barnabas responded boldly, “It was necessary for God’s message to be explained in the meeting hall to all of the Jews first. But since you are rejecting that teaching, you are all judging yourselves to be unworthy of living forever, so instead, we will now share it with the non-Jews. 47 Because this is what the master commanded us:

‘I have chosen you to be a light for the pagans;

You will take salvation to the end of the earth.’

48 When the non-Jews heard that, they were very happy and were praising the master’s message, and as many as were appointed to receive eternal life believed it.

49 So from there, the master’s message spread throughout the entire region. 50 But the Jewish religious leaders incited some prominent women from the meeting halls and some from the local city government, and they then stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and had them expelled out of their region. 51 So Paul and Barnabas just left that place to face their own consequences, and continued on to Iconium. 52 Meanwhile the believers back in Pisidian Antioch were full of happiness and of the holy spirit.

14 A similar thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish meeting hall and spoke in such as way that a lot of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But those Jews who didn’t believe got the non-Jews emotionally stirred up to oppose the believers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas ended up staying there for quite a while, and as they spoke boldly for the master, he himself confirmed his grace by enabling the two of them to be able to do miracles and amazing things. 4 Nevertheless, the people of the city were divided—some agreeing with the strict Jews, and others supporting the missionaries.

5 At one point, both the non-Jews and the strict Jews and their leaders got worked up enough to come in order to attack them and throw rocks to kill them. 6 However, Paul and Barnabas found out about it and escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region 7 and preached the good message there.

8 In Lystra there was a man sitting there who had been unable to use his legs since birth. 9 He was listening to Paul speaking, when Paul looked straight at him and realised that the man had the faith to be healed. 10 So in a loud voice, Paul said, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man sprang up and was walking around. 11 The crowd of people who saw what Paul had done began to shout out in Lycaonian, “These two look like men, but they’re really gods who have come down to us!” 12 They called Barnabas ‘Zeus’ and called Paul ‘Hermas’ since he was the main speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus wanted to sacrifice with the crowds, so he brought bulls and garlands of flowers to the city gates from the temple on the path to the city.

14 But when the missionaries Barnabas and Paul heard what was going on, they tore their clothes in dismay as they rushed out into the crowd 15 shouting, “Men, why are you doing all these things? We are only humans just like all of you. We were bringing you the good message about abandoning these useless sacrifices and turning to the living God who made heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.[ref] 16 In previous generations he allowed all the nations to go their own different ways, 17 but he never left himself without evidence of himself—sending good rains from heaven to give you all fruitful seasons with food to fill your stomachs and happiness to fill your hearts.” 18 By saying these things, they were eventually just able to restrain the people from sacrificing to them.

19 But some strict Jews came over from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium and were able to persuade the crowds. They threw rocks at Paul to kill him and dragged his body outside the city gates thinking that he was dead. 20 But as the believers were standing around him, Paul got up and went back into the city, but he left again with Barnabas the next day and went to Derbe.

21 They preached the good message in Derbe, and after giving further training to many of them, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch. 22 There they strengthened the faith of the believers—encouraging them to continue believing and to expect that it’s normal to endure a lot of suffering on the path to God’s kingdom. 23 They appointed some elders for each assembly, then they fasted and prayed for the elders—asking the master that they believed in to look after them.

24 After passing through Pisidia, they arrived at Pamfylia 25 and after teaching the master’s message in Perga, they went down to the coastal city of Attalia. 26 From there, they sailed back to Syrian Antioch where the congregation had prayed for God’s grace to be with them[ref] for the work they had just fulfilled.

27 So when they arrived, they gathered the assembly together there and shared about what God had done with them and how he had opened up the door of faith to the non-Jews. 28 Then they stayed on with them there for quite a while.

15 Then some people came to Antioch from Yudea and were teaching the believers that according to Mosheh’ teachings, you can’t be saved unless you’ve been circumcised. 2 This led to no end of argument and debate between them and Paul and Barnabas until it was decided that the two of them and some other believers should go to Yerusalem to ask the missionaries and the elders there about this issue.

3 So indeed the assembly sent the group on their way, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they described how non-Jews had become believers and this news made the believers there very happy.

4 When they arrived in Yerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and the missionaries and the elders, and they explained how God had used them. 5 But some of the believers who were also members of the Pharisee party stood up and said, “It’s quite proper for them to be circumcised and to be commanded to keep the Jewish religious laws.”

6 So the missionaries and the elders met separately in order to consider the matter further. 7 After a lot of debate, Peter stood up and said, “Men, brothers, all of you here know that some time back, God chose me to be a mouthpiece so that the non-Jews could hear the good message and believe. 8 And God who knows even people’s inner thoughts, gave them the same holy spirit that he gave us, 9 and when he purified their minds by the faith, he didn’t do anything different for them than he did for us. 10 So why are you all provoking God by putting a load on the shoulders of these believers that neither we, nor our ancestors, were ever able to bear? 11 But we ourselves have believed thanks to the grace of Yeshua the master, and they can be saved in just the same way.”

12 The whole group sat in silence, and then they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they described everything that God had done among the non-Jews through them, including miracles and amazing things. 13 Then while they were still silent, Yacob responded, “Men, brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon Peter has told us how God first intervened in order to select a people for himself from among the non-Jews. 15 And this actually agrees with the message that the prophets recorded,

16 ‘After these things have happened I will return,

and I will rebuild the worship tent from David’s time that has collapsed,

Although it was overturned, I will rebuild and restore it,

17 so that the remaining people will want to find the master,

and also the non-Jews who cried out to me.

The master who is doing these things is saying this,

18 and planned it this way from eternity.’

19 Because of this, my ruling is not to be troubling the non-Jews who are turning back to God, 20 but to write to them to keep away from anything polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, and from strangled animals and eating or drinking blood. 21 Mosheh’ writings have been preached in every city and are read in our meeting halls on every Rest Day.

22 So the missionaries and elders with all the assembly decided to choose some men to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, so they chose Yudas (nicknamed Barsabbas) and Silas who were leaders among the believers, 23 This is what they wrote: This letter is from the missionaries and elders, your brothers here in Yerusalem to our non-Jewish fellow believers in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 Since we heard that some people who weren’t sent by us came from here and disturbed you all with their upsetting messages, 25 we unanimously agreed to select some men to accompany our dear friends Barnabas and Paul back. 26 These are men who have dedicated their lives to our master, Yeshua the messiah. 27 So we’ve sent Yudas and Silas and they’ll confirm in person what we are writing. 28 It seemed right to the holy spirit and to us to not burden you all with anything more than the following commands: 29 you all must keep away from anything sacrificed to idols, from eating or drinking blood or strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you avoid these things. Farewell.

30 So they were sent off and when they arrived at Antioch, they gathered the believers and handed across the letter, 31 and when they read it, they were very happy with the encouraging contents.

32 Yudas and Barnabas were both prophets, and said a lot to encourage them and strengthen their faith. 33 After they’d stayed there for a while, the believers sent them home carrying greetings from them to the assembly back in Yerusalem.

34 ◘ 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed on there in Antioch, teaching them and preaching the good message along with many others.

36 After a few days, Paul suggested to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the believers in each city where we proclaimed the master’s message, and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take Yohan Mark along with them as well, 38 but Paul didn’t want to take him because he had left them in Pamfylia instead of continuing with them in their work. 39 And so it turned into such a disagreement that the two of them each went their different ways. Barnabas took Yohan Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus 40 while Paul chose Silas and they left after being entrusted to the master’s grace by the believers. 41 They went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies there.

16 Then Paul went to Derbe and then on to Lystra where a believer named Timothy lived. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was Greek. 2 The believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy 3 and Paul wanted him to accompany them on his trip so he circumcised him in advance because of the Jews in that region—everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they passed through various towns, they explained the decision of the missionaries and elders in Yerusalem about which commands they must adhere to. 5 So the assemblies were strengthened in this way and their numbers were increasing each day.

6 From there, they travelled through Phrygia and the Galatia region, after the holy spirit prevented them from proclaiming the message in Asia Minor. 7 When they got to Mysia, they planned to go on into Bithynia, but Yeshua’s spirit didn’t let them, 8 so after leaving Mysia they went to Troas. 9 During the night, Paul had a vision of a Macedonian man standing there and imploring him, “Come on to Macedonia and help us here.” 10 So as a result of the vision, we decided to go straight to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to share the good message with them.

11 From Troas we sailed directly to Samothrace, and then on to Neapolis the following day. 12 From there we continued on to Philippi which is a Roman colony and the capital city of the Macedonia district where we stayed for several days. 13 On the Rest Days, we went down to the river outside the city gate where we thought people might be praying, and we spoke to the women who had met there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira who was a seller of purple goods[fn] and although she already worshipped God, the master opened her mind and she readily accepted what Paul was saying. 15 So then Lydia and her household were all ceremonially immersed, and then she requested, “If you all consider me to be faithful to the master, come and stay at my place.” So she persuaded us.

16 One time as we were walking to the prayer meeting, we met a female slave who was possessed by a spirit that enabled her to tell fortunes, and thanks to that, to earn a lot of money for her masters. 17 She walked along behind us and shouted out, “These men are slaves of the highest god and they will be telling you all how to be saved.” 18 After she’d done this for several days, Paul was so frustrated that he turned around and spoke to the spirit in her, “I command you by the authority of Yeshua the messiah to leave her.”

19 But when her masters realised that their profitable business was about to come to an end, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities at the marketplace. 20 They brought them forward to face the magistrates and said, “These Jews are disturbing the peace in our city 21 and teaching behaviour that we as Romans can neither accept nor practice.” 22 An angry crowd gathered around and the magistrates ordered for Paul and Silas to have their robes torn off and then to be beaten with rods. 23 They were severely beaten and then thrown into prison where the officer was commanded to keep them secure. 24 Because of that, he threw them into the inner cell and locked their feet in stocks.

25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a strong earthquake that shook even the foundations of the prison, and immediately all the prison doors opened up and the chains of all the prisoners came loose. 27 The prison officer woke up, and when he saw that all the prison doors were open, he drew his sword to take his own life as he figured that all the prisoners must have escaped. 28 But Paul shouted out, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all still here!”

29 The officer called for torches, then rushed in and knelt down trembling in front of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he escorted them out and asked, “Masters, what do I need to do to be saved?”

31 “Believe in the master Yeshua,” they replied, “then you and your household can all be saved.” 32 Then they explained the message about the master to him and all those in his household. 33 Even though it was still the middle of the night, he sponged their wounds, and then him and his household were all immersed straight away. 34 He took Paul and Silas up into his house and gave them a meal, and his whole household were happy because they now believed in God.

35 The next day the magistrates sent officials to tell the jailer to release Paul and Silas.

36 So the officer told Paul, “The magistrates sent these officials to order that you two to be released.”

37 But Paul responded, “You mean that after publicly beating us Roman men without a trial, they threw us into prison and now they want to just quietly release us.”

38 So the officials reported this back to the magistrates, and they were quite afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So now they came to the prison in person, and appealed to them, and escorting them out of prison themselves, asked them to please leave the city. 40 So after Paul and Silas left the prison, they went to see Lydia and after encouraging the believers there, they left.

17 After travelling through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas went to Thessalonica where there was a Jewish meeting hall. 2 Paul’s custom was to attend at the local meeting hall on the Rest Day, so he did that, and for three weekends in a row he discussed the scriptures with them, 3 showing them how that it had been written that the messiah would suffer and be killed and come back to life, and then explaining, “This Yeshua that I’ve been telling you about is the messiah.” 4 Some of them were persuaded and joined with Paul and Silas, along with a big group of godly Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

5 But some of the other Jews were envious of them, and enlisted some of the troublemakers from the marketplaces to form a mob. They stirred up all the people, and looking for Paul and Silas so they could bring them out, arrived at the house of a man named Jason. 6 But when they realised that Paul and Silas weren’t there, they dragged Jason and some other believers off to the city leaders, shouting, “Those two men who’ve gone around upsetting the whole world have now come here as well 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They rebel against Caesar’s decrees and claim that Yeshua is a rival king. 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city leaders with these accusations, 9 so the leaders collected a heavy fine from Jason and the others, and then released them.

10 So the believers immediately sent Paul and Silas off during the night to go to Berea. In Berea they also attended at the Jewish meeting hall 11 and this group were more upper-class than the congregation in Thessalonica. They eagerly accepted the message and examined the scriptures every day to check if what was being taught matched what was written there. 12 Because it did, many of the people believed including quite a few of the prominent Greeks. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God’s message was also being proclaimed by Paul there in Berea, they soon turned up to agitate and stir the crowds. 14 So the believers immediately sent Paul off to the coast, but Silas and Timothy both stayed. 15 The ones guiding Paul took him to Athens before they headed back with his instructions for Silas and Timothy to come and join him again as soon as possible.

16 While Paul stayed in Athens waiting for them, he was upset in his spirit as he observed how idolatrous the people were. 17 So while he stayed busy having discussions with the Jews and other worshippers from the meeting hall, he also spent time every day with anyone who just happened to be around in the marketplace. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers enjoyed discussing things with him, but others just mocked him, “What does this babbler want to talk about now?”

But others said, “Seems that he’s talking about strange demons,” because he was preaching the good message about Yeshua and coming back to life. 19 So they grabbed him and brought him to the Aries Hill where the council sat and asked, “Are we allowed to know what this new teaching that you’re bringing is about? 20 It seems that you have some surprising ideas for our ears, so we want to hear what it’s all about.” 21 (Everyone in Athens and even visitors often took the opportunity either to explain or to listen to any new things.)

22 So Paul stood up in the middle of the gathering on the hill and spoke, “Men of Athens, I’ve noticed how you all are very religious, 23 because as I was looking around and observing your objects of worship, I even discovered an altar that was inscribed, ‘To the unknown god.’ So without knowing it, you already worship this God that I’m going to tell you about. 24 This God who created the earth and everything in it is the master of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in man-made temples 25 nor can he be repaired by any human hands and he doesn’t need to be fed. On the contrary, he’s the one who gives life and breath and who gives us everything that we need. 26 From one man he made every nationality that lives across all the earth and designated their boundaries and their futures. 27 He made them so that they would try to discover God, and if they did search for him they might find him as he’s not far from any one of us 28 because

‘We live in him and are moved by him and exist through him.’

Even some of your own poets wrote,

‘We are all descended from just one.’

29 So since we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t be putting gold or silver or stone craftsmanship in the same class as the divine. 30 In fact God overlooked times of such ignorance in the past, but now he’s informing everyone and requiring them to repent 31 because he’s set a date for when he’s going to be fairly judging the world. He’s already appointed the judge who everyone can have faith in because he brought him back to life from the dead.

32 When they heard about a dead person coming back to life, some started mocking but others said, “We’d like to hear more about this from you another time.” 33 So Paul left at that stage 34 but some people joined with him and believed, including Dionysius who was a council member, a woman named Damaris, and others as well.

18 After this, Paul left Athens and travelled to Corinth. 2 There he came across a Jew named Aquila who had been born in Pontus but who had recently moved from Italy along with his wife Priscilla because Emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. So Paul approached them, 3 and since they worked in the same trade, he ended up staying with them and they worked together in their craft of tent-making. 4 On every Rest Day, Paul debated in the Jewish meeting hall, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.

5 However when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to devote his full time to the message—demonstrating to the Jews that Yeshua is the promised messiah. 6 But when they opposed the message and made false accusations, he publicly brushed the dust off his clothes[fn] and said, “Your future deaths are your own problem. I’m innocent of your guilt. From now on, I’ll going to the non-Jews.” 7 So Paul left there, and went to stay at the house of a man named Titos Justus who worshipped God and whose house was next-door to the meeting hall. 8 Krispo the meeting hall leader and all his household decided to follow the master, and many of the Corinthians believed after they heard the message and were immersed.

9 Then the master spoke to Paul one night in a vision, “Don’t be afraid and stay silent, but keep speaking out 10 because I am with you and no one can mistreat you here because there are many of my people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed on for eighteen months, teaching God’s message to the people there.

12 Then at the time when Gallio was the proconsul of Achaia, the Jews united against Paul and brought a case to the tribunal against him 13 saying, “This man is going against the law by persuading people to be worshipping his God.”

14 But as Paul opening his mouth to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “I would have accepted this charge if it was a serious wrong or evil crime and would have listened to you Jews. 15 However, since it’s a question about a message and names and your own law, you all can see to it yourselves because I don’t want to get involved in judging things like that.” 16 So he sent them away from the tribunal, 17 but they grabbed Sosthenes, the leader from the meeting hall, and beat him up right there in front of the tribunal. But Gallio took action to stop them.

18 Paul stayed on for quite a few days after that, then he farewelled the believers and went to Cenchrea where he had his hair cut as was the custom for someone making a vow. Then taking Priscilla and Aquila with him, he sailed towards Syria. 19 When they arrived at Ephesus, he left the other two there while he went into the Jewish meeting hall and had a discussion with the Jews there. 20 They asked him to remain longer, but he turned them down 21 although as he gave his farewells, he said, “I’ll come back here again if God wills it,” then he sailed on from Ephesus.

22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went to Yerusalem and greeted the assembly there before continuing on to Antioch. 23 He stayed there for some time before travelling through the regions of Galatia and Frygia strengthening the faith of the believers through his teaching.

24 Meanwhile a Jewish man named Apollos (who had been born in the city of Alexandria) arrived in Ephesus. He knew the Hebrew scriptures well 25 and had been taught about the master’s way. Being a very enthusiastic person, he started teaching about Yeshua, even though he didn’t know about being filled with the spirit.[ref] 26 So Apollos started speaking out boldly in the Jewish meeting hall. Priscilla and Aquila listened to him, then asked to speak with him privately and explained God’s way more accurately. 27 Now Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, so the believers encouraged him and sent a letter ahead of him to tell the believers there to welcome him, so when he arrived there, he was able to contribute a lot to those who through God’s grace had also become believers. 28 Apollos was also able to thoroughly refute the arguments of the Jews and used the scriptures to show that Yeshua is the messiah.

19 So then while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul travelled through the interior regions before arriving at Ephesus. He found some followers there, 2 and asked them if they had received the holy spirit when they had first believed in Yeshua.

They replied, “We hadn’t even heard that there’s a holy spirit.”

3 “So then what were you immersed into?” asked Paul.

“With Yohan’s immersion,” they answered.

4 Then Paul said, “Yohan immersed people in water with an immersion that went with repentance from their sins, but he told them to believe in the one who would follow him, that is to believe in Yeshua.”

5 When the followers heard this, they were immersed in water again, this time proclaiming their faith in Yeshua the master. 6 Then Paul placed his hands on them and prayed and the holy spirit came down onto them and they started speaking in other languages and speaking messages from God. 7 There were about twelve men in the group.

8 So Paul started going to the Jewish meeting hall and for the next three months he boldly discussed and persuaded them about God’s kingdom. 9 But as some of them refused to believe and became hardened against his teaching and started telling everyone that the Yeshua way was evil, Paul stopped teaching in the meeting hall and taught the followers at Turannos’ school instead. 10 This went on for two years to the point that everyone in Asia Minor, whether Jews or Greeks, heard the message about Yeshua.

11 And God was doing incredible miracles through Paul 12 such that even if handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were placed on top of any person who was sick or troubled with demons, then they would recover and the evil spirits would leave them. 13 But some of the Jewish exorcists going around attempted to use the name of Yeshua to drive out evil spirits by telling them, “I am imploring you all by Yeshua that Paul preaches about.” 14 Seven sons of the Jewish chief priest, Sceva were doing this.

15 But the evil spirit would answer them saying, “I know Yeshua and I recognise Paul, but who are you?”

16 Then the man who had the evil spirit would jump on them and beat them up so they’d end up escaping out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When everyone in Ephesus heard about this, both Jews and Greeks were frightened, and the name of Yeshua the master was being honoured. 18 Many of the people who believed in Yeshua came and confessed their sins and wrong practices. 19 Lots of the people who’d practiced magic brought their scrolls and burnt them in front of the others. When the values of all of these were added up, it was huge—worth around 50,000 silver coins. 20 So that was how the master’s message had a powerful effect and won over many people.

21 After all of this, Paul decided in his spirit that he would need to travel through Macedonia and Achaia enroute to Yerusalem, saying, “After I’ve been there a while, I will also need to go to Rome.” 22 He sent two of his workers, Timothy and Eratos, to Macedonia while he stayed on a bit longer in Asia Minor.

23 But while he was still there, a major disturbance hit the Yeshua followers. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius made little silver shrines of Artemis and this business brought a tidy profit to the local craftsmen. 25 Demetrius gathered all the workers together and told them, “Men, you all know that our prosperity comes from this business of ours. 26 But you’ve seen yourselves and heard from others that not only Ephesus, but almost our entire province of Asia Minor has become persuaded by this Paul fellow, and now the crowds are saying that what we make are not real gods. 27 However it’s not only us and our trade that is coming into disrepute, but the temple of the great goddess Artemis is considered to be useless. This could result in a loss of power for the great Artemis that all of Asia Minor and the inhabited world have been worshipping.”

28 When the gathering heard this, they became very angry and yelled out, “Artemis of the Ephesians is great!” 29 Then the whole city was filled with confusion and the people rushed to the theatre and grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus from Macedonia—travelling companions of Paul’s. 30 Now Paul wanted to go there and speak to the crowd, but the believers wouldn’t let him go. 31 Also some of the leaders from Asia Minor who were friendly towards him, sent messengers to him to implore him not to go to the theatre. 32 Some of the people gathered there were yelling out something, but overall it was just confusion, and the majority of the people couldn’t even tell you the reason why they were there. 33 Some people in the crowd selected Alexander the Jew and sent him forward to speak, so he motioned with his hand ready to explain the situation to the people. 34 But as soon as they recognised that he was a Jew, people started yelling, “Artemis of the Ephesians is great,” and this continued for over two hours.

35 Eventually the city administrator was able to calm the crowd and tell them, “Men, fellow Ephesians, what person from around here doesn’t know that it’s Ephesus that’s the temple keeper of the great Artemis and of this image that fell down from Zeus? 36 Since all of this is unquestionable, it makes sense for everyone to calm down and not do anything reckless. 37 These men that you presented here haven’t stolen anything from the temple, nor have they slandered our goddess. 38 So if Demetrius and the silver craftsmen with him have a case against anyone, they should bring it to the courts and the proconsuls and register the charges. 39 But for the rest of you, if you have a grievance against others, it needs to be settled in a lawful assembly 40 because we’re in danger of being charged with insurrection about what happened today. And we would have no defence that we could respond with concerning this disorderly gathering.” Then he told them all to go home.

20 After all the commotion had died down, Paul sent for the believers, and after greeting and encouraging them, he left Ephesus to go to Macedonia.[fn] 2 As he travelled through the districts, he challenged the people there with a lot of messages, until he eventually arrived in Greece. 3 He’d been there about three months when he heard about a plot by some Jews to waylay him as he boarded a ship to return to Syria, so instead he decided to return through Macedonia 4 with Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia Minor, and Timothy all accompanying him. 5 They went ahead and waited for us[fn] at Troas. 6 So we sailed out from Philippi after the Flat Bread Celebration. We arrived and meet the others there at Troas after a five-day trip, and then stayed on there for seven days.

7 On the Sunday we had gathered together to break bread together and Paul was discussing many things with them. As he was scheduled to leave the next day, the meeting went on towards midnight 8 and there were many lamps in the upper room where we had all gathered. 9 Now there was a young man named Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill, and as Paul went on, he fell asleep and toppled down from the third storey. The ones who reached him first thought he was dead, 10 but Paul had come downstairs and bent over Eutychus and held him in his arms and said to the crowd, “Don’t worry, he’s still alive.” 11 Then Paul went back up and broke the bread with the others, eating a little and continuing to talk with them until leaving at daybreak. 12 The locals took the young man home and were very relieved that he was alive.

13 We went ahead to the ship and departed for Assos where it had been arranged that we’d pick up Paul because he wanted to walk there. 14 So when we met him at Assos, he boarded the ship and we all sailed on to Mitylene. 15 After we left Mitylene, we were out from Kios the next day, in Samos the day after that, and then the following day we arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus because he was hurrying to try to get the Yerusalem for the Day of Pentecost so he didn’t want to spend time in Asia Minor.

17 So while we were at Miletus, he sent a message to Ephesus for the elders of the assembly to come to him. 18 When they arrived, he told them, “You all know that from the very first day that I set foot in Asia Minor and for the entire time that I was there 19 I humbly served the master even through tears and trials when the Jews plotted to destroy me. 20 But I didn’t shrink back from teaching you everything that would help you, whether I was teaching in public or in individual homes. 21 I explained to both Jews and Greeks how they needed to turn their backs on their sins and towards God with faith in our master Yeshua the messiah.

22 However the spirit is now forcing me towards Yerusalem even though I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 I just know that recently in every city, the holy spirit tells me that chains and hardships are waiting for me. 24 But I’ve never regarded my own life as being valuable—I only want to reach the end of my life having served in the way that the master Yeshua instructed me to speak out the good message about God’s grace.

25 So you see, I know that all of you from here where I passed through proclaiming God’s kingdom, you will never see me again. 26 That’s why I’m declaring to all of you today that I’m not guilty of your judgement 27 because I didn’t avoid telling you anything that I had from God. 28 So now you elders look after your own lives and those of your flock because the holy spirit chose you as overseers to shepherd the assembly of God’s people who he paid for with his very own blood. 29 I’m aware that after I leave, vicious wolves will come in amongst you and trying to steal the flock. 30 Even some of you will rise up and teach a message that’s warped but which will draw some of the believers away to follow it, 31 so take great care. Remember that for three years, I never stopped warning each of you along with my tears 32 so now I am leaving you all in God’s hands and with the message of his grace which is quite capable of helping you grow to receive the inheritance that’s for all those who’ve been purified.

33 I never envied anyone’s gold or silver or fancy clothes 34 and you yourselves know that I laboured with my own hands to cover my expenses and for those with me. 35 Yes, I showed you all that it’s good to work and to take care of the weaker ones and to remember the message of the master Yeshua when he said that it’s better to be a giver than a taker.”

36 When he’d finished speaking, Paul knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Everyone was sobbing as they hugged and kissed him 38 because what he had said about never seeing him again had really distressed them. Then they accompanied him to his ship.

21 When it was time for us to sail, we left them and sailed directly across to Cos before going on to Rhodes the next day and then on to Patara. 2 From there we found a ship heading to Phoenicia, so we boarded that and set off. 3 After sighting Cyprus and then leaving it behind on our left, we sailed on to Syria and docked there at the port of Tyre where the ship had cargo to be unloaded. 4 We searched for the believers there and then stayed on with them for seven days. They were inspired by the spirit to tell Paul not to go to Yerusalem. 5 Once our time was up there and everyone knew that we were leaving, even the wives and children accompanied us out of the city to the port. We all knelt on the beach and prayed 6 before we continued on and boarded our ship and they went back to their own homes.

7 So we sailed from Tyre down to Ptolemais where we were able to greet the brothers and sisters and stay overnight with them. 8 The next day we continued on to Caesarea and ended up in Philip’s house. He was one of the original seven men who had been given the responsibility of distributing aid—a preacher of the good message, and we stayed with him. 9 Philip had four unmarried daughters still at home, and they shared messages from God. 10 Several days later a man named Agabus came from Yudea. He too shared messages from God 11 and when he arrived, he picked up Paul’s belt and tied it around his own feet and hands, telling them that the holy spirit had told him that this is how the owner of the belt would be treated by the Jewish leaders in Yerusalem before they would then hand him over to the non-Jews to be dealt with.

12 When we heard this described, both we and the locals begged Paul not to go to Yerusalem 13 but he answered, “Oh come on, what’s all this weeping and carrying on that’s breaking my heart. Actually I’m quite ready not only to be tied up, but even to be killed in Yerusalem as a testimony to the master Yeshua.”

14 When we saw that we couldn’t change his mind, we didn’t say anything else, figuring out that whatever the master wills for the situation would happen, 15 and so after these several days, we had gotten everything ready and started off for Yerusalem. 16 Some of the believers from Caesarea accompanied us and led us to the home of a man named Mnason to stay—he was an older believer from Cyprus.

17 When we arrived at Yerusalem, the brothers and sisters there happily welcomed us, 18 and the next day, we accompanied Paul to go and see Yacob[fn] and the elders of the assembly there. 19 After greeting them, Paul then described all the things that God had done among the non-Jews as he had served among them, 20 and when they’d heard all that they praised God and told Paul, “Brother, you’ve noticed how many thousands of Jews have believed in the messiah but they still strive to observe the Mosheh’ laws. 21 But they’ve heard reports that you’ve been teaching the Jews that live outside our country that they don’t have to obey what Mosheh wrote—telling them that they don’t have to have their children circumcised and that they don’t have to follow our Jewish customs. 22 What will happen now, because the leaders here will certainly hear that you have arrived? 23 So here’s what we suggest that you do: Four of our men are making a public vow. 24 Why don’t you join these four and join them in the purification ceremony at the temple and pay their expenses in getting your heads shaved. Then everyone will be able to see that it’s false what they’ve heard about you, because you clearly still comply with Mosheh’ instructions. 25 And as for the believers who are non-Jews, we’ve informed them of our recommendation that they should avoid anything that’s been offered to an idol, avoid consuming blood and meat from strangled animals and birds, and avoid sexual immorality.”

26 So the next day Paul took the four men for the purification ceremony in the temple and there they announced the date when their vows would be fulfilled and their sacrifices made.

27 When the seven days of the vow were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia Minor noticed Paul in the temple. They stirred up the crowd and grabbed hold of him, 28 yelling out, “Men of Israel. Help us here. This is the man who’s been teaching all around the world against Israel and against Mosheh’ law and against this temple. What’s more he brought non-Jews here into the temple and so has defiled this holy place.” 29 (They said this because they had previously seen Trofimus from Ephesus in the city with Paul and had assumed that he had brought him into the temple.)

30 So now the whole city was in an uproar, and the crowds rushed in, grabbed Paul, and dragged him out of the temple and hurriedly closed the temple gates. 31 They were ready to kill Paul, but the commander of the Roman soldiers had heard that all Yerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Taking some soldiers and officers, he immediately ran down to the temple, and when the crowd saw the commander and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came close and took hold of Paul and ordered that he be tied up with a pair of chains while he tried to find out who he was and what he’d done wrong. 34 Various people in the crowd were shouting out different things, and not being able to make any sense of it because of all the commotion, the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When they got to the stairs, the soldiers had to lift him up above their heads because of the frenzy of the crowd, 36 because most of the people were following and shouting out, “Do away with him!”

37 As they were able to carry him into the fortress, Paul called down to the commander, “Can I say something to you?”

“You speak Greek!”, replied the commander. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who stirred up a group of assassins a while back and led them out into the wilderness?”

39 “No, I’m a Jew from Tarsus in Cilica—a citizen of an important city,” said Paul. “But please, let me speak to these people.”

40 The commander nodded, so the soldiers stood Paul on the stairs where he gestured to the people. The crowd quietened down, and so Paul spoke loudly in his Hebrew language:

22 “Men, brothers, and fathers, listen to what I have to say for myself.” 2 When they heard him speaking Hebrew, they became even more quiet as he continued, 3 “I am a Jew who grew up in this very city to study under Gamaliel. I’ve been raised according to every part of our ancestral law, working hard to obey God like all of you here today. 4 I used to persecute the followers of ‘The Path’ even to death—tying up both men and women and handing them over to the prisons 5 as the Chief Priest and all the council of elders can tell you. I took letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus when I went so that I could arrest the ones there and bring them back here to Yerusalem to be punished.

6 “But one time as I was travelling and getting close to Damascus by the middle of the day, suddenly a bright light from the sky began to flash around me 7 and I fell to the ground. I heard a voice asking me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 ‘Who are you, master?’ I answered. And the voice said, ‘I am Yeshua—the one from Nazareth that you are persecuting.’ 9 The other people with me saw the light but didn’t hear the voice that spoke to me. 10 Then I asked, ‘What do I need to do, master?’ ‘Get up and continue into Damascus,’ the master said. ‘When you get there, you’ll be told everything that you’ve been assigned to do.’ 11 But I couldn’t see anything because the brightness of the light had affected my eyes, so my companions had to lead me by hand into Damascus.

12 “In Damascus there was a man named Ananias—a non-Jew but who was respected by the Jews there because he strove to obey Mosheh’ instructions about living. 13 Ananias came to where I was and standing by me said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight?” That very hour I was able to see again and look at him 14 and he said, ‘The god of our ancestors has decided in advance to reveal his plans to you, and for you to see the sinless one—to hear him speaking 15 because he wants you to inform people everywhere what you’ve seen and heard. 16 So what else are you waiting for? Get up and wash away your sins by getting immersed in water as you request his forgiveness.’

17 “Then when I returned to Yerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the master telling me, ‘Get out of Yerusalem in a hurry because they won’t accept what you’re teaching them about me.’ 19 ‘Master,’ I replied, ‘they know that previously I was the one imprisoning and beating the people who believed in you, 20 and when Stephen was killed after teaching about you, it was me standing there and cheering on the ones executing him as I held their coats for them.’ 21 Then the master told me, ‘Get going now because I’m sending you away to the non-Jews.’ ”

22 Until this point in his message, the crowd had been listening to Paul, but now they started shouting, “Do away with this man! He doesn’t deserve to live in this world!” 23 Then they yelled and threw some of their clothes down onto the ground and threw dust up into the air. 24 So the commander ordered Paul to be brought inside into barracks and ordered that he be flogged and interrogated to determine what he’d done that would make the crowd react like that. 25 But as they strapped him down and stretched him out for the flogging, Paul asked the centurion standing there, “It is legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?”

26 When he heard that, the centurion went to the commander and reported, “How are we going to handle this, because this man is a Roman citizen?”

27 So the commander went in to where Paul was and asked him, “Tell me the truth. Are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes I am,” said Paul.

28 “Yeah, and I paid a lot for mine as well,” mocked the commander.

“Actually mine is through birth,” Paul responded.

29 At this point, the soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul left the room, and even the commander was now afraid after learning that he had had a Roman citizen tied down to be flogged.

30 The next day, the Roman commander still wanted to know what was behind the anger of the Jews, so he had Paul released from the cell, but brought him down to a room where he had ordered the chief priests and the Jewish council to convene. Paul was given a seat

23 and looking directly at the council members said, “Men, brothers, all my life I have lived before God as a good citizen and with a clean conscience.” 2 But Ananias the chief priest commanded one of his companions to whack Paul on the mouth. 3 “God will strike you,” said Paul, “you grand show-off. You’ve been brought here to judge me as someone who knows the law and yet you violate the law by commanding that I be hit in the face.”

4 But the others standing there said, “Are you insulting God’s chief priest?”

5 “Brothers,” said Paul, “I didn’t realise that he’s the chief priest, because the scriptures teach us not to speak wrongly of our leaders.”

6 But then, knowing that the council consisted of some from the sect of the Sadducees and some from the Pharisees’ party, Paul continued loudly, “Men, brothers, like my father, I’m a member of the Pharisees and I’m being tried today concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead!”

7 Well, as soon as he said this, the council was split as the Pharisees and the Sadducees started arguing. 8 (Sadducees say that the dead don’t come back to life, and there’s no messengers and no spirits, but the Pharisees believe there is.) 9 So then there was a big kerfuffle because some of the teachers of the law spoke up for the Pharisees saying, “We don’t see anything wrong with this man. Maybe it was a spirit or one of God’s messengers that spoke to him.”

10 But the Roman commander was afraid that they might tear Paul apart in the big argument, so he called for his soldiers to come down to uplift Paul and return him to the barracks.

11 The following night, the master appeared to Paul and told him, “Be brave because just like you testified about me here in Yerusalem, so too you’ll tell them about me in Rome.”

12 The next day, some of the Jews gathered informally and pledged not to eat or drink until they’d killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty of them in this conspiracy, 14 and they approached the chief priests and elders and told them, “We’ve made an oath to taste nothing until we’ve killed Paul, otherwise we’ll bring a curse on ourselves. 15 So you guys assemble the council and report to the commander so that he’ll bring him down to you all as if you need more information about his actions, and then we’ll have an opportunity to kill before he gets here.

16 But a nephew of Paul had heard about this ambush and went in to the barracks to inform Paul. 17 Paul then called one of the Roman centurions and told him to take the young man to the commander because he had something to tell him. 18 So the centurion took him to the commander, explaining, “The prisoner Paul, called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to report to you.”

19 The commander took the young man by the hand and led him into his private office and asked, “What do you have to tell me?”

20 “The Jews have decided to ask you,”, he said, “that tomorrow you bring Paul down to the council as if they wanted to question him further. 21 But don’t listen to them because over forty of their men will be lying in wait for him, and they have sworn not to eat or drink until they’ve killed him. In fact, they’re all set up already, just waiting for your consent.”

22 The commander told the young man not to tell anyone else about the ambush and dismissed him.

23 Then the commander called in two of his centurions and ordered them to prepare two-hundred soldiers to travel as far as Caesarea, supported by seventy mounted soldiers and two-hundred more with spears. They were to be ready to leave by 9pm, 24 along with a horse for Paul to ride, and were to get him safely to Governor Felix. 25 Then the commander wrote a letter ready to take:

26 “Greetings to the most excellent Governor Felix from Claudius Lysias. 27 I’m writing to you about this man who had been captured by the Jews here and they were about to kill him when I moved in with my soldiers because he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know what they were accusing him of, so I took him down to their council meeting, 29 but I discovered that it was just some detail about their Jewish law and nothing that should result in death or imprisonment. 30 Then when I learnt that they have a plot to try to ambush and kill him, I sent him immediately to you, and I’ll order his accusers to bring their case before you.”

31 So the soldiers carried out their instructions and took Paul as far as Antipatris during the night. 32 The next morning the foot soldiers returned to the barracks, leaving the mounted soldiers to take him on 33 to Caesarea, where they presented Paul to the governor along with the letter. 34 After reading the letter the governor asked Paul what province that he’s from and found out that he was from Cilicia. 35 Then he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in the prison in Herod’s palace until he would hear from him in the future once his accusers got there.

24 Five days later, Ananias the chief priest arrived along with some elders and an attorney named Tertullos, to bring the charges against Paul before Governor Felix. 2 Once he was called to speak, Tertullos began his accusation of Paul:

“We have seen peace under your rule and the helpful reforms that this nation has experienced through your provision, 3 most excellent Felix, and we gratefully welcome everything you’ve done and everywhere you’ve done it. 4 But in order not to oblige you longer than necessary, in your gentleness we request you to listen to our brief statement. 5 This man here has been found to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews throughout the inhabited world, and as a ring-leader of the Nazarite sect 6 he even attempted to profane the temple where we were able to arrest him. 7 ◘ 8 When you examine him yourself you’ll discover all these things that we’re accusing him of.” 9 The Jews who had come also affirmed all the accusations.

10 So the governor nodded for Paul to speak and he started,

“I happily defend myself today knowing that you have many years of experience ruling in this region. 11 You can quickly establish that it was less than twelve days ago that I arrived in Yerusalem to worship there. 12 They never found me in the temple arguing with anyone or stirring up the crowd, and nor was I doing that in the Jewish meeting halls or anywhere in the city 13 and so they can’t provide evidence to you to support any of their accusations. 14 However, I must confess that I follow ‘The Path’ that they call a sect which serves the God of our ancestors and believes everything in Mosheh’ law as well as the writings of the prophets. 15 We put our trust in the same God that they themselves follow, and we all anticipate a resurrection of those who serve God and those who don’t. 16 Because of this, I also strive to maintain a clean conscience in everything, before God and the people.

17 After several years away, I arrived in Yerusalem bringing offerings to help my own people and before God. 18 That was when they found me in the temple after going through the purification ceremony, and without either a crowd or a commotion around me. 19 But there were some Jews from the province of Asia Minor who are the ones who should be appearing here before you, and they should be the ones accusing me if they could find anything against me. 20 Even these ones here now should explain what their council found me guilty of, 21 other than my calling out that I was being judged because I believe in the resurrection of the dead.

22 But Felix who was already familiar with followers of ‘The Path’, announced that the trial would be adjourned until Commander Lysias arrived when he would investigate further. 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul confined, but under relaxed conditions and allowing any of his friends to bring him anything he needed.

24 However, several days later Felix returned there, this time with his wife Drusilla who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him explain about faith in the messiah. 25 But when the subject turned to righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement, Felix became very uncomfortable and told him, “That’s enough for now. If I have time in the future, I’ll send for you.” 26 However he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, so he often sent for him and spoke with him.

27 This went on for two years, until Felix was replaced as governor by Porcius Festus, but wanting to stay in the good books of the Jews, Felix left Paul confined.

25 After Festus had been in the area for three days, he made the uphill trip from Caesarea to Yerusalem. 2 There the chief priests and the Jewish leaders repeated their case against Paul, and they implored Festus, 3 asking as a special favour, that he would order Paul to be sent to Yerusalem (because they wanted to ambush and kill him on the way). 4 But Festus replied that he’d keep Paul in Caesarea and he was heading back there soon, 5 so he told them, “Some of your leaders can go there with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can explain their accusations there.”

6 After staying seven or eight days in Yerusalem, Festus and company travelled back to Caesarea, and the next day he sat at the judge’s bench and ordered that Paul be brought in. 7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come from Yerusalem stood facing Paul and presented many heavy charges which they weren’t able to prove. 8 Paul defended himself, stating that he had not sinned against any Jewish law or against the temple, nor against any Roman law.

9 However, Festus wanted to be able to grant a favour to the Jews, so in response to Paul he asked, “Are you willing to be returned to Yerusalem so that I can judge you about these things there?”

10 “I’m here facing Caesar’s representative,” Paul replied. “and it’s quite appropriate for me to be judged here. I’ve done nothing wrong to these Jews as you can no doubt see for yourself. 11 If I had done anything wrong, anything worthy of the death sentence, then I’m ready to accept death. On the other hand, if none of their accusations are true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

12 So the Festus conferred with his legal counsel and answered, “Well, you’ve appealed to Caesar so you’ll go to Caesar!”