\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Acts}
{\MTB The
\par }{\MT Acts
\par }{\MTB of the Apostles

\par }{\MS The Church and the Jews
\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH The Acts of the Apostles Peter and John
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}The
first
account
which
I
drew
up,
Theophilus,
dealt
with
all
that
Jesus
did
and
taught
from
the
very
first,
\VS{2}down
to
that
day
on
which
he
was
taken
up
to
heaven,
after
he
had,
by
the
help
of
the
Holy
Spirit,
given
instructions
to
the apostles
whom
he
had
chosen.
\VS{3}With
abundant
proofs,
he
showed
himself
to
them,
still
living,
after
his
death;
appearing
to
them
from
time
to
time
during
forty
days,
and
speaking
of
all
that
related
to
the
kingdom
of
God.
\VS{4}And
once,
when
he
had
gathered
them
together,
he
charged
them
not
to
leave
Jerusalem,
but
to
wait
there
for
the
fulfillment
of
the
Father’s
promise –
{\WJ{“that
promise,”}}
he
said,
{\WJ{“of
which
you
have
heard
me
speak;}}
\VS{5}{\WJ{
for,
while
John baptized
with
water,
you
will
be baptized
with
the
Holy
Spirit
before
many
days
have
passed.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{6}So,
when
the apostles
had
met
together,
they
asked
Jesus
this
question – “Master,
is
this
the
time
when
you
intend
to re-establish
the
kingdom
for
Israel?”
\VS{7}His
answer
was,
{\WJ{“It
is
not
for
you
to
know
times
or
hours,
for
the
Father
has
reserved
these
for
his
own
decision;}}
\VS{8}{\WJ{
but
you
will
receive
power,
when
the
Holy
Spirit
will
have
descended
on
you,
and
will
be
witnesses
for
me
not
only
in
Jerusalem,
but
throughout
Judea
and
Samaria,
and
to
the
ends
of
the
earth.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{9}No sooner
had
Jesus
said
this
than
he
was
caught
up
before
their
eyes,
and
a
cloud
received
him
from
their
sight.
\VS{10}While
they
were
still
gazing
up
into
the
heavens,
as
he
went,
suddenly
two
men,
clothed
in
white,
stood
beside
them,
\VS{11}and
said, “People
of
Galilee,
why
are
you
standing
here
looking
up
into
the
heavens?
This
same
Jesus,
who
has
been
taken
from
you
into
the
heavens,
will
come
in
the
same
way
in
which
you
have
seen
him
go
into
the
heavens.”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}Then
the apostles
returned
to
Jerusalem
from
the
hill
called
Olivet,
which
is
about
three
quarters
of
a mile
from
the
city.
\VS{13}When
they
reached
Jerusalem,
they
went
to
the upstairs
room,
where
they
were
staying.
There
were
there
Peter,
John,
James,
and Andrew,
Philip
and
Thomas, Bartholomew
and
Matthew,
James
the
son
of Alphaeus,
Simon
the Zealot,
and
Judas
the
son
of
James.
\VS{14}They
all
united
in
devoting
themselves
to
prayer,
and
so
did
some
women,
and
Mary,
the
mother
of
Jesus,
and
his
brothers.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{15}About
this
time,
at
a
meeting
of
the
Lord’s
followers,
when
there
were
about
a
hundred
and
twenty
present,
Peter
rose
to
speak.
\VS{16}“Friends,”
he
said, “it
was
necessary
that
the prediction
of
scripture
should
be
fulfilled,
which
the
Holy
Spirit
made
by
the
lips
of
David
about
Judas,
who
acted
as
guide
to
the
men
who
arrested
Jesus,
\VS{17}for
he
was
one
of
our
number
and
had
his
part
allotted
him
in
this
work
of
ours.”
\VS{18}(This
man
had
bought
a
piece
of
land
with
the
price
of
his
treachery;
and,
falling
heavily,
his
body
had
burst
open,
and
all
his
bowels protruded.
\VS{19}This
became
known
to
everyone
living
in
Jerusalem,
so
that
the
field
came
to
be
called,
in
their
language, ‘Akeldama,’
which
means
the ‘Field
of
Blood.’)
\par }{\PP \VS{20}“For
in
the
book
of
Psalms,”
Peter
continued, “it
is
said –
\par }{\Q ‘Let
his
home
become
desolate,
\par }{\QB and
let
no
one
live
in it’;
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM and
also –
\par }{\Q ‘His
office
let
another
take.’
\par }{\MM \VS{21}Therefore,
from
among
the
men
who
have
been
with
us
all
the
time
that
Jesus,
our
Master,
went
in
and
out
among
us –
\VS{22}from
his baptism
by
John
down
to
that
day
on
which
he
was
taken
from
us –
someone
must
be
found
to
join
us
as
a
witness
of
his resurrection.”
\VS{23}So
they
put
forward
two
men,
Joseph
called Barsabbas,
whose
other
name
was
Justus,
and
Matthias;
\VS{24}and
they
offered
this
prayer –
\par }{\Q “Lord,
who
reads
all
hearts,
show
which
of
these
two
men
you
have
chosen
\VS{25}to
take
the
place
in
this apostolic
work,
which
Judas
has
abandoned,
to
go
to
his
proper
place.”
\par }{\MM \VS{26}Then
they
drew
lots
between
them;
and,
the
lot
having
fallen
to
Matthias,
he
was
added
to
the
number
of
the
eleven apostles.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{2}{\PP \VerseOne{1}In
the
course
of
the
Festival
at
the
close
of
the
Harvest
the
disciples
had
all
met
together,
\VS{2}when
suddenly
there
came
from
the
heavens
a
noise
like
a
strong
wind
rushing
by;
it
filled
the
whole
house
in
which
they
were
sitting.
\VS{3}Then
there
appeared
tongues
of
what
seemed
to
be
flame,
separating,
so
that
one
settled
on
each
of
them;
\VS{4}and
they
were
all
filled
with
the
Holy
Spirit,
and
began
to
speak
in
different
languages
as
the
Spirit
prompted
their
utterances.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}Now
there
were
then
staying
in
Jerusalem religious
Jews
from
every
country
in
the
world;
\VS{6}and,
when
this
sound
was
heard,
numbers
of
people
collected,
in
the
greatest excitement,
because
each
of
them
heard
the
disciples
speaking
in
his
own
language.
\VS{7}They
were
utterly
amazed,
and
kept
asking
in
astonishment, “What!
Are
not
all
these
people
who
are
speaking
Galileans?
\VS{8}Then
how
is
it
that
we
each
of
us
hear
them
in
our
own
language?
\VS{9}Some
of
us
are
Parthians,
some
Medes,
some
Elamites;
and
some
of
us
live
in
Mesopotamia,
in
Judea
and
Cappadocia,
in
Pontus
and Roman
Asia,
\VS{10}in
Phrygia
and
Pamphylia,
in
Egypt
and
the
districts
of
Libya adjoining
Cyrene;
some
of
us
are
visitors
from
Rome,
\VS{11}either
Jews
by
birth
or
converts,
and
some
are
Cretans
and
Arabians –
yet
we
all
alike
hear
them
speaking
in
our
own
languages
of
the
great
things
that
God
has
done.”
\VS{12}They
were
all
utterly
amazed
and
bewildered.
\par }{\PP “What
does
it
mean?”
they
asked
one
another.
\VS{13}But
there
were
some
who
said
with
a
sneer, “They
have
had
too
much
new
wine.”
\par }{\PP \VS{14}Then
Peter,
surrounded
by
the
eleven
other apostles,
stood
up,
and,
raising
his
voice,
addressed
the
crowd. “People
of
Judea,”
he
began, “and
all
you
who
are
staying
in
Jerusalem,
let
me
tell
you
what
this
means.
Mark
well
my
words.
\VS{15}These
people
are
not
drunk,
as
you
suppose;
for
it
is
only
now
nine
in
the
morning!
No!
\VS{16}This
is
what
is
spoken
of
in
the
prophet
Joel –
\par }{\Q \VS{17}‘It
will
come
about
in
the
last
days,’
God
says,
\par }{\QB ‘That
I
will
pour
out
my
Spirit
on
all
humanity;
\par }{\Q your
sons
and
your
daughters
will
become
prophets,
\par }{\Q your
young
men
will
see
visions,
\par }{\Q and
your
old
men
dream
dreams;
\par }{\QB \VS{18}yes,
even
on
the
slaves –
for
they
are
mine –
both
men
and
women,
\par }{\QB I
will
in
those
days
pour
out
my
Spirit,
\par }{\QC and
they
will
become
prophets;
\par }{\Q \VS{19}and
I
will
show
wonders
in
the
heavens
above,
\par }{\Q and
signs
on
the
earth
below –
\par }{\QB blood
and
fire
and
mist
of
smoke;
\par }{\Q \VS{20}the
sun
will
become
darkness,
\par }{\Q and
the
moon blood-red,
\par }{\QB before
the
day
of
the
Lord
comes –
that
great
and awful
day.
\par }{\QC \VS{21}Then
will
everyone
who invokes
the
name
of
the
Lord
be
saved.’
\par }{\MM \VS{22}People
of
Israel,
listen
to
what
I
am
saying.
Jesus
of
Nazareth,
a
man
whose
mission
from
God
to
you
was
proved
by
miracles,
wonders,
and
signs,
which
God
showed
among
you
through
him,
as
you
know
full
well –
\VS{23}he,
I
say,
in
accordance
with
God’s
definite
plan
and
with
his
previous
knowledge,
was
betrayed,
and
you,
by
the
hands
of
lawless
men,
nailed
him
to
a
cross
and
put
him
to
death.
\VS{24}But
God
released
him
from
the
pangs
of
death
and
raised
him
to
life,
it
being
impossible
for
death
to
retain
its
hold
on
him.
\VS{25}Indeed
he
was
the
one
David
was referring
to
when
he
said –
\par }{\Q ‘I
have
had
the
Lord
ever
before
my
eyes,
\par }{\QB for
he
stands
at
my
right
hand,
so
that
I
should
not
be
disquieted.
\par }{\Q \VS{26}Therefore
my
heart
was cheered,
and
my
tongue
told
its
delight;
\par }{\QB yes,
even
my
body,
too,
will
rest
in
hope;
\par }{\Q \VS{27}For
you
will
not
abandon
my
soul
to Hades,
\par }{\QB nor
surrender
me,
your
holy
one,
to
undergo
corruption.
\par }{\Q \VS{28}You
have
shown
me
the
path
to
life,
\par }{\QB you
will
fill
me
with
gladness
in
your
presence.’
\par }{\MM \VS{29}Friends,
I
can
speak
to
you
the
more
confidently
about
the
patriarch
David,
because
he
is
dead
and
buried,
and
his
tomb
is
here
among
us
to
this
very
day.
\VS{30}David,
then,
prophet
as
he
was,
knowing
that
God
had
solemnly
sworn
to
him
to
set
one
of
his
descendants
on
his
throne,
looked
into
the
future,
\VS{31}and referred
to
the resurrection
of
the
Christ
when
he
said
that
he
had
not
been
abandoned
to Hades,
nor
had
his
body undergone
corruption.
\VS{32}It
was
this
Jesus,
whom
God
raised
to
life;
and
of
that
we
are
ourselves
all
witnesses.
\VS{33}And
now
that
he
has
been
exalted
to
the
right
hand
of
God,
and
has
received
from
the
Father
the
promised
gift
of
the
Holy
Spirit,
he
has
begun
to
pour
out
that
gift,
as
you
yourselves
now
see
and
hear.
\VS{34}It
was
not
David
who
went
up
into
heaven;
for
he
himself
says –
\par }{\Q ‘The
Lord
said
to
my
master, “Sit
on
my
right
hand,
\par }{\Q \VS{35}Until
I
put
your
enemies
as
a
footstool
under
your
feet.” ’
\par }{\MM \VS{36}So
let
the
whole
nation
of
Israel
know
beyond
all
doubt,
that
God
has
made
him
both
Lord
and
Christ –
this
Jesus
whom
you
crucified.”
\par }{\PP \VS{37}When
the
people
heard
this,
they
were conscience-smitten,
and
said
to
Peter
and
the
rest
of
the apostles, “Friends,
what
can
we
do?”
\par }{\PP \VS{38}“Repent,”
answered
Peter, “and
be baptized
every
one
of
you
in
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ
for
the
forgiveness
of
your
sins;
and
then
you
will
receive
the
gift
of
the
Holy
Spirit.
\VS{39}For
the
promise
is
for
you
and
for
your
children,
and
also
for
all
those
now
far
away,
who
may
be
called
by
the
Lord
our
God.”
\par }{\PP \VS{40}Peter
spoke
to
them
for
a
long
time
using
many
other
arguments
and
pleaded
with
them – “Save
yourselves
from
the
perverse
spirit
of
this
age.”
\VS{41}So
those
who
accepted
his
teaching
were baptized,
and
about
three
thousand
people
joined
the
disciples
on
that
day
alone.
\VS{42}They
devoted
themselves
to
the
teaching
of
the apostles
and
to
the
Common
life
of
the church,
to
the
breaking
of
the
bread
and
to
the
Prayers.
\par }{\PP \VS{43}A
deep impression
was
made
on
everyone,
and
many
wonders
and
signs
were
done
at
the
hands
of
the apostles.
\VS{44}All
who
became
believers
in Christ
held
everything
for
the
common
use;
\VS{45}they
sold
their
property
and
their
goods,
and
shared
the
proceeds
among
them
all,
according
to
their
individual
needs.
\VS{46}Every
day
they
devoted
themselves
to
meeting
together
in
the
Temple
Courts,
and
to
the
breaking
of
bread
at
their
homes,
while
they partook
of
their
food
in simple-hearted
gladness,
praising
God,
and winning
the goodwill
of
all
the
people.
\VS{47}And
the
Lord
daily
added
to
their
company
those
who
were
in
the
path
of
salvation.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{3}{\PP \VerseOne{1}One
day,
as
Peter
and
John
were
going
up
into
the
Temple
Courts
for
the
three o’clock
Prayers,
\VS{2}a
man,
who
had
been
lame
from
his
birth,
was
being
carried
by.
This
man
used
to
be
set
down
every
day
at
the
gate
of
the
Temple
called ‘the
Beautiful
Gate,’
to
beg
of
those
who
went
in.
\VS{3}Seeing
Peter
and
John
on
the
point
of
entering,
he
asked
them
to
give
him
something.
\VS{4}Peter
fixed
his
eyes
on
him,
and
so
did
John,
and
then
Peter
said, “Look
at
us.”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}The
man
was
all
attention,
expecting
to
get
something
from
them;
\VS{6}but
Peter
added, “I
have
no
gold
or
silver,
but
I
give
you
what
I
have.
In
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ
of
Nazareth,
get
up
and
walk.”
\VS{7}Grasping
the
lame
man
by
the
right
hand,
Peter
lifted
him
up.
Instantly
the
man’s
feet
and
ankles
became
strong,
\VS{8}and,
leaping
up,
he
stood
and
began
to
walk
about,
and
then
went
with
them
into
the
Temple
Courts,
walking,
and
leaping,
and
praising
God.
\VS{9}All
the
people
saw
him
walking
about
and
praising
God;
\VS{10}and,
when
they
recognized
him
as
the
man
who
used
to
sit
begging
at
the
Beautiful
Gate
of
the
Temple,
they
were
utterly
astonished
and
amazed
at
what
had
happened
to
him.
\VS{11}While
the
man
still
clung
to
Peter
and
John,
the
people
all
quickly
gathered
around
them
in
the Colonnade
named
after
Solomon,
in
the
greatest
astonishment.
\par }{\PP \VS{12}On
seeing
this,
Peter
said
to
the
people, “People
of
Israel,
why
are
you
surprised
at
this?
And
why
do
you
stare
at
us,
as
though
we,
by
any
power
or
piety
of
our
own,
had
enabled
this
man
to
walk?
\VS{13}The
God
of
Abraham,
Isaac,
and
Jacob,
the
God
of
our
ancestors,
has
done
honor
to
his
servant
Jesus –
him
whom
you
gave
up
and disowned
before
Pilate,
when
he
had
decided
to
set
him
free.
\VS{14}You,
I
say, disowned
the
holy
and
righteous
one,
and
asked
for
the
release
of
a
murderer!
\VS{15}The
guide
to
life
you
put
to
death!
But
God
raised
him
from
the
dead –
and
of
that
we
are
ourselves
witnesses.
\VS{16}And
it
is
by
faith
in
the
name
of
Jesus,
that
this
man,
whom
you
all
see
and
know,
has –
by
his
name –
been
made
strong.
Yes,
it
is
the
faith
inspired
by
Jesus
that
has
made
this
complete
cure
of
the
man,
before
the
eyes
of
you
all.
\VS{17}And
yet,
my
friends,
I
know
that
you
acted
as
you
did
from
ignorance,
and
your
rulers
also.
\VS{18}But
it
was
in
this
way
that
God
fulfilled
all
that
he
had
long
ago
foretold,
as
to
the
sufferings
of
his
Christ,
by
the
lips
of
all
the
prophets.
\VS{19}Therefore,
repent
and
turn
so
that
your
sins
may
be
wiped
away;
so
that happier
times
may
come
from
the
Lord
himself,
\VS{20}and
so
that
he
may
send
you,
in
Jesus,
your long-appointed
Christ.
\VS{21}But
heaven
must
be
his
home,
until
the
days
of
the Universal Restoration,
of
which
God
has
spoken
by
the
lips
of
his
holy
prophets
from
the
very
first.
\VS{22}Moses
himself
said –
\par }{\Q ‘The
Lord
your
God
will
raise
up
from
among
yourselves
a
prophet,
as
he
raised
me.
To
him
you
will
listen
whenever
he
speaks
to
you.
\VS{23}And
it
will
be
that
should
anyone
among
the
people
not
listen
to
that
prophet,
he
will
be
utterly
destroyed.’
\par }{\MM \VS{24}Yes,
and
all
the
prophets
from
Samuel onwards,
and
all
their
successors
who
had
a
message
to
deliver,
told
of
these
days.
\VS{25}You
yourselves
are
the
heirs
of
the
prophets,
and
heirs,
too,
of
the
covenant
which
God
made
with
your
ancestors,
when
he
said
to
Abraham –
\par }{\Q ‘In
your
descendants
will
all
the
nations
of
the
earth
be
blessed.’
\par }{\MM \VS{26}For
you,
first,
God
raised
up
his
servant,
and
sent
him
to
bless
you,
by
turning
each
one
of
you
from
his
wicked
ways.”

\par }\Chap{4}{\PP \VerseOne{1}While
Peter
and
John
were
still
speaking
to
the
people,
the
chief
priest,
with
the
officer
in
charge
at
the
Temple
and
the
Sadducees,
came
up
to
them,
\VS{2}much
annoyed
because
they
were
teaching
the
people,
and
because,
through
Jesus,
they
were
preaching
the resurrection
from
the
dead.
\VS{3}They
arrested
the apostles
and,
as
it
was
already
evening,
had
them
placed
in
custody
until
the
next
day.
\VS{4}Many,
however,
of
those
who
had
heard
the apostles’
message
became
believers
in
Christ,
the
number
of
the
men
alone amounting
to
about
five
thousand.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{5}The
next
day,
a
meeting
of
the
leaders
of
the
people,
the
elders,
and
the
teachers
of
the
Law
was
held
in
Jerusalem.
\VS{6}There
were
present Annas
the
high
priest,
Caiaphas,
John, Alexander,
and
all
who
were
of High-Priestly
rank.
\VS{7}They
had
Peter
and
John
brought
before
them,
and
questioned
them.
\par }{\PP “By
what
power,”
they
asked, “Or
in
whose
name
have
men
like
you
done
this
thing?”
\par }{\PP \VS{8}Then,
Peter,
filled
with
the
Holy
Spirit,
said, “Leaders
of
the
people
and
elders,
\VS{9}since
we
are
on
our
trial
today
for
a
kind
act
done
to
a
helpless
man,
and
are
asked
in
what
way
the
man
here
before
you
has
been
cured,
\VS{10}let
me
tell
you
all
and
all
the
people
of
Israel,
that
it
is
by
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ
of
Nazareth,
whom
you
crucified
and
whom
God
raised
from
the
dead –
it
is,
I
say,
by
his
name
that
this
man
stands
here
before
you
lame
no
longer.
\VS{11}Jesus
is ‘the
stone
which,
scorned
by
you
the
builders,
has
yet
become
the
corner
stone.’
\VS{12}And
salvation
is
in
him
alone;
for
there
is
no
other
name
in
the
whole
world,
given
to
people,
to
which
we
must
look
for
our
salvation.”
\par }{\PP \VS{13}When
the
Council
saw
how
boldly
Peter
and
John
spoke,
and
found
that
they
were uneducated
men
of
humble
station,
they
were
surprised,
and
realized
that
they
had
been
companions
of
Jesus.
\VS{14}But,
when
they
looked
at
the
man
who
had
been
healed,
standing
there
with
them,
they
had
nothing
to
say.
\VS{15}So
they
ordered
them
out
of
court,
and
then
began
consulting
together.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}“What
are
we
to
do
to
these
men?”
they
asked
one
another. “That
a remarkable
sign
has
been
given
through
them
is
obvious
to
everyone
living
in
Jerusalem,
and
we
cannot
deny
it.
\VS{17}But,
to
prevent
this
thing
from
spreading
further
among
the
people,
let
us
warn
them
not
to
speak
in
this
name
any
more
to
anyone
whatever.”
\par }{\PP \VS{18}So
they
called
the apostles
in,
and
ordered
them
not
to
speak
or
teach
in
the
name
of
Jesus.
\par }{\PP \VS{19}But
Peter
and
John
replied, “Whether
it
is
right,
in
the
sight
of
God,
to
listen
to
you
rather
than
to
him –
judge
for
yourselves,
\VS{20}for
we
cannot
help
speaking
of
what
we
have
seen
and
heard.”
\VS{21}However,
after
further
warnings,
the
Council
set
them
at
liberty,
not
seeing
any
safe
way
of
punishing
them,
because
of
the
people,
for
they
were
all
praising
God
for
what
had
occurred;
\VS{22}for
the
man
who
was
the
subject
of
this
miraculous
cure
was
more
than
forty
years
old.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{23}After
they
had
been
set
at
liberty,
the apostles
went
to
their
friends
and
told
them
what
the
chief
priests
and
the
elders
had
said
to
them.
\VS{24}All
who
heard
their
story,
moved
by
a
common
impulse,
raised
their
voices
to
God
in
prayer:
\par }{\Q “Sovereign
Lord,
it
is
you
who
has
made
the
heavens,
the
earth,
the
sea,
and
everything
that
is
in
them,
\VS{25}and
who,
by
the
lips
of
our
ancestor,
your
servant
David,
who
spoke
under
the
influence
of
the
Holy
Spirit,
have
said –
\par }{\QB ‘Why
did
the
nations
rage,
\par }{\QC and
the
peoples
form
vain
designs?
\par }{\QB \VS{26}The
kings
of
the
earth
set
their
array,
\par }{\QB and
its
rulers
gathered
together,
\par }{\QC against
the
Lord
and
against
his
Christ.’
\par }{\Q \VS{27}There
have
indeed
gathered
together
in
this
city
against
your
holy
servant
Jesus,
whom
you
has
consecrated
the Christ,
not
Herod
and
Pontius
Pilate
only,
but
the
nations
and
the
people
of
Israel
besides –
\VS{28}yet
only
to
do
what
you,
by
your
power
and
of
your
own
will,
did
long
ago
destine
to
be
done.
\VS{29}Now,
therefore,
Lord,
mark
their
threats,
and
enable
your
servants,
with
all fearlessness,
to
tell
your
message,
\VS{30}while
you
stretch
out
your
hand
to
heal,
and
cause
signs
and
wonders
to
take
place
through
the
name
of
your
holy
servant
Jesus.”
\par }{\MM \VS{31}When
their
prayer
was
ended,
the
place
in
which
they
were
assembled
was
shaken;
and
they
were
all
filled
with
the
Holy
Spirit,
and
began
to
tell
God’s
message fearlessly.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{32}The
whole
body
of
those
who
had
become
believers
in
Christ
were
of
one
heart
and
mind.
Not
one
of
them
claimed
any
of
his
goods
as
his
own,
but
everything
was
held
for
the
common
use.
\VS{33}The apostles
continued
with
great
power
to
bear
their
testimony
to
the resurrection
of
the
Lord
Jesus,
and
God’s
blessing
rested
on
them
all
abundantly.
\VS{34}Nor
was
there
anyone
in
need
among
them,
for
all
who
were
owners
of
land
or
houses
sold
them,
and
brought
the
proceeds
of
the
sales
\VS{35}and
laid
them
at
the apostles’
feet;
and
then
everyone
received
a
share
in
proportion
to
his
wants.
\VS{36}A
Levite
of
Cyprian
birth,
named
Joseph, (who
had
received
from
the apostles
the additional
name
of ‘Barnabas’ –
which
means ‘The Consoler,’)
\VS{37}Sold
a
farm
that
belonged
to
him,
and
brought
the
money
and
laid
it
at
the apostles’
feet.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{5}{\PP \VerseOne{1}There
was,
however,
a
man
named Ananias,
who,
with
his
wife
Sapphira,
sold
some
property,
\VS{2}and,
with
her connivance,
kept
back
some
of
the
proceeds.
He
brought
only
a
part
and
laid
it
at
the apostles’
feet.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}“Ananias,”
Peter
exclaimed, “how
is
it
that
Satan
has
so
taken
possession
of
your
heart
that
you
have
lied
to
the
Holy
Spirit,
and
kept
back
a
part
of
the
money
paid
for
the
land?
\VS{4}While
it
was unsold,
was
not
it
your
own?
And
after
it
was
sold,
was
not
the
money
at
your
own
disposal?
How
did
you
come
to
think
of
such
a
thing?
You
have
lied,
not
to
people,
but
to
God!”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}As Ananias
heard
these
words,
he
fell
down
and
expired;
and
everyone
who
heard
of
it
was
appalled.
\VS{6}The
young
men
got
up,
and,
winding
the
body
in
a sheet,
carried
it
out
and
buried
it.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}After
an
interval
of
about
three
hours
his
wife
came
in,
not
knowing
what
had
happened.
\VS{8}“Is
it
true,”
Peter
asked,
addressing
her, “that
you
sold
your
land
for
such
a
sum?”
\par }{\PP “Yes,”
she
answered, “we
did.”
\VS{9}Then
Peter
said, “How
did
you
come
to
agree
to
provoke
the
Spirit
of
the
Lord?
Listen!
The
footsteps
of
those
who
have
buried
your
husband
are
at
the
door;
and
they
will
carry
you
out
too.”
\par }{\PP \VS{10}Instantly Sapphira
fell
down
at Peter’s
feet
and
expired.
On
coming
in,
the
young
men
found
her
dead;
so
they
carried
her
out
and
buried
her
by
her
husband’s
side.
\VS{11}The
whole
church
and
all
who
heard
of
these
events
were
appalled.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{12}Many
signs
and
wonders
continued
to
occur
among
the
people,
through
the instrumentality
of
the apostles,
whose
custom
it
was
to
meet
all
together
in
the Colonnade
of
Solomon;
\VS{13}but
of
the
rest
no
one
ventured
to
join
them.
On
the
other
hand,
the
people
were
full
of
their
praise,
\VS{14}and
still
larger
numbers,
both
of
men
and
women,
as
they
became
believers
in
the
Lord,
were
added
to
their
number.
\VS{15}The consequence
was
that
people
would
bring
out
their
sick
even
into
the
streets,
and
lay
them
on mattresses
and
mats,
in
the
hope
that,
as
Peter
came
by,
at
least
his
shadow
might
fall
on
someone
of
them.
\VS{16}Besides
this,
the
inhabitants
of
the
towns
around
Jerusalem flocked
into
the
city,
bringing
with
them
their
sick
and
those
who
were
troubled
by
foul
spirits;
and
they
were
cured
everyone.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{17}At
this
the
high
priest
was
roused
to
action,
and
he
and
all
his
supporters (who
formed
the
party
of
the
Sadducees),
moved
by
jealousy,
\VS{18}arrested
the apostles,
and
had
them
placed
in
custody.
\VS{19}An
angel
of
the
Lord,
however,
opened
the
prison
doors
at
night
and
led
them
out.
\VS{20}“Go,”
he
said, “and
stand
in
the
Temple
Courts,
and
tell
the
people
the
whole
message
of
this
new
life.”
\VS{21}When
they
heard
this,
they
went
at
daybreak
into
the
Temple
Courts,
and
began
to
teach.
The
high
priest
and
his
party,
on
their
arrival,
summoned
the
High
Council,
including
all
the
leaders
of
the
people
among
the
Israelites,
and
sent
to
the
jail
to
fetch
the apostles.
\VS{22}But,
when
the
officers
got
there,
they
did
not
find
them
in
the
prison;
so
they
returned
and
reported
that,
\VS{23}while
they
had
found
the
goal barred
securely
and
the
guards
posted
at
the
doors,
yet,
on
opening
them,
they
had
not
found
anyone
inside.
\VS{24}When
the
officer
in
charge
at
the
Temple
and
the
chief
priests
heard
their
story,
they
were
perplexed
about
the apostles
and
as
to
what
all
this
would
lead
to.
\VS{25}Presently,
however,
someone
came
and
told
them,
that
the
men
whom
they
had
put
in
prison
were
actually
standing
in
the
Temple
Courts,
teaching
the
people.
\VS{26}Then,
the
officer
went
with
his
men
and
fetched
the apostles –
without
using
violence,
for
they
were
afraid
of
being
stoned
by
the
people –
\VS{27}and
then
brought
them
before
the
Council.
The
high
priest
demanded
an
explanation
from
them.
\par }{\PP \VS{28}“We
gave
you
strict
orders,”
he
said, “not
to
teach
in
this
name.
Yet
you
have
actually
flooded
Jerusalem
with
your
teaching,
and
you
want
to
make
us
responsible
for
the
death
of
this
man.”
\par }{\PP \VS{29}To
this
Peter
and
the apostles
replied, “We
must
obey
God
rather
than
people.
\VS{30}The
God
of
our
ancestors
raised
Jesus,
whom
you
put
to
death
by
hanging
him
on
a
cross.
\VS{31}It
is
this
Jesus
whom
God
has
exalted
to
his
right
hand,
to
be
a
guide
and
a
Savior,
to
give
Israel
repentance
and
forgiveness
of
sins.
\VS{32}And
we
are
witness
to
the
truth
of
this,
and
so
is
the
Holy
Spirit –
the
gift
of
God
to
those
who
obey
him.”
\par }{\PP \VS{33}The
members
of
the
Council
became frantic
with
rage
on
hearing
this,
and
were
for
putting
the apostles
to
death.
\VS{34}But
Gamaliel,
a
Pharisee,
who
was
a
Doctor
of
the
Law
and
who
was
held
in universal
respect,
rose
in
the
Council,
and
directed
that
the
men
should
be
taken
out
of
court
for
a
little
while.
\par }{\PP \VS{35}He
then
said, “People
of
Israel,
take
care
as
to
what
you
intend
to
do
with
these
men.
\VS{36}For
not
long
ago
Theudas
appeared, professing
to
be
somebody,
and
was
joined
by
a
body
of
some
four
hundred
men.
But
he
was
killed;
and
all
his
followers
scattered
and dwindled
away.
\VS{37}After
him,
Judas
the
Galilean
appeared
at
the
time
of
the
census,
and
induced
people
to
follow
him;
yet
he,
too,
perished
and
all
his
followers
were
dispersed.
\VS{38}And,
in
this
present
case,
my
advice
to
you
is
not
to interfere
with
these
men,
but
to
leave
them
alone,
for,
if
their
designs
and
their
work
are
merely
of
human
origin,
they
will
come
to
an
end;
\VS{39}but,
if
they
are
of
divine
origin,
you
will
be
powerless
to
put
an
end
to
them –
or
else
you
may
find
yourselves
fighting
against
God!”
\par }{\PP \VS{40}The
Council
followed
his
advice,
and,
calling
the apostles
in,
had
them
flogged,
and
then,
after cautioning
them
not
to
speak
in
the
name
of
Jesus,
set
them
free.
\VS{41}But
the apostles
left
the
Council,
rejoicing
that
they
had
been
thought
worthy
to
suffer
disgrace
for
that
name;
\VS{42}and
never
for
a
single
day,
either
in
the
Temple
Courts
or
in
private
houses,
did
they
cease
to
teach,
or
to
tell
the
good
news
of
Jesus,
the
Christ.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{6}{\PP \VerseOne{1}About
this
time,
when
the
number
of
the
disciples
was
constantly
increasing,
complaints
were
made
by
the Greek
speaking
Jews
against
the
Aramaic
speaking
Jews,
that
their
widows
were
being
overlooked
in
the
daily distribution.
\VS{2}The
Twelve,
therefore,
called
together
the
general
body
of
the
disciples
and
said
to
them, “It
is
not
well
for
us
to
see
to
the distribution
at
the
tables
and
neglect
God’s
message.
\VS{3}Therefore,
friends,
look
for
seven
men
of
reputation
among
yourselves,
wise
and spiritually-minded
men,
and
we
will
appoint
them
to
attend
to
this
matter;
\VS{4}while
we,
for
our
part,
will
devote
ourselves
to
prayer,
and
to
the
delivery
of
the
message.”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}This
proposal
was unanimously
agreed
to;
and
the
disciples
chose
Stephen –
a
man
full
of
faith
and
of
the
Holy
Spirit –
and
Philip,
Prochorus,
Nicanor,
Timon,
Parmenas,
and Nicholas
of Antioch,
a
former
convert
to Judaism;
\VS{6}and
they
brought
these
men
to
the apostles,
who,
after
praying,
placed
their
hands
on
them.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{7}So
God’s
message
spread,
and
the
number
of
the
disciples
continued
to
increase
rapidly
in
Jerusalem,
and
a
large
body
of
the
priests
accepted
the
faith.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{8}Meanwhile
Stephen, divinely
helped
and
strengthened,
was
showing
great
wonders
and
signs
among
the
people.
\VS{9}But
some
members
of
the
Synagogue
of
the
Freed
Slaves (as
it
was
called),
Cyrenians, Alexandrians,
and
Visitors
from
Cilicia
and Roman
Asia,
were
roused
to
action
and
began
disputing
with
Stephen;
\VS{10}yet
they
were
quite
unable
to
withstand
the
wisdom
and
the
inspiration
with
which
he
spoke.
\VS{11}Then
they
induced
some
men
to
assert
that
they
had
heard Stephen
saying blasphemous
things
against
Moses,
and
against
God;
\VS{12}and
they
stirred
up
the
people,
as
well
as
the
elders
and
the
teachers
of
the
Law,
and
set
on Stephen,
and
arrested
him,
and
brought
him
before
the
High
Council.
\VS{13}There
they
produced
witnesses
who
gave
false
evidence.
\par }{\PP “This
man,”
they
said, “is
incessantly
saying
things
against
this
holy
place
and
the
Law;
\VS{14}indeed,
we
have
heard
him
declare
that
this
Jesus
of
Nazareth
will
destroy
this
place,
and
change
the
customs
handed
down
to
us
by
Moses.”
\VS{15}The
eyes
of
all
the
members
of
the
Council
were riveted
on Stephen,
and
they
saw
his
face
looking
like
the
face
of
an
angel.

\par }\Chap{7}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Then
the
high
priest
asked, “Is
this
true?”
\VS{2}Stephen
replied, “Brothers
and
fathers,
hear
what
I
have
to
say.
God,
who manifests
himself
in
the
glory,
appeared
to
our
ancestor
Abraham
when
he
was
in
Mesopotamia,
and
before
he
settled
in
Haran,
and
said
to
him –
\VS{3}‘Leave
your
country
and
your
people,
and
come
into
the
country
that
I
will
show
you.’
\VS{4}And
so
Abraham
left
the
country
of
the Chaldaeans
and
settled
in
Haran;
and
from
there,
after
his
father’s
death,
God
caused
him
to migrate
into
this
country,
in
which
you
are
now
living.
\VS{5}God
did
not
at
that
time
give
him
any
part
of
it,
not
even
a
foot
of
ground.
But
he
promised
to
give
him
possession
of
it
and
his
descendants
after
him,
though
at
that
time
he
had
no
child.
\VS{6}God’s
words
were
these – ‘Abraham’s
descendants
will
live
in
a
foreign
country,
where
they
will
be
enslaved
and ill-treated
for
four
hundred
years.
\VS{7}But
I
myself
will
judge
the
nation,
to
which
they
will
be
enslaved,’
God
said, ‘and
after
that
they
will
leave
the
country
and
worship
me
in
this
place.’
\VS{8}Then
God
made
with
Abraham
the
covenant
of
circumcision;
and
under
it
Abraham
became
the
father
of
Isaac,
and
circumcised
him
when
he
was
eight
days
old;
and
Isaac
became
the
father
of
Jacob;
and
Jacob
of
the
Twelve
Patriarchs.
\VS{9}The
Patriarchs,
out
of
jealousy,
sold
Joseph
into
slavery
in
Egypt;
but
God
was
with
him,
\VS{10}and
delivered
him
out
of
all
his
troubles,
and
enabled
him
to
win
favor
and
show
wisdom
before
Pharaoh,
king
of
Egypt,
who
appointed
him
Governor
of
Egypt
and
of
his
whole
household.
\VS{11}Then
a
famine
spread
over
the
whole
of
Egypt
and
Canaan,
causing
great
distress,
and
our
ancestors
could
find
no
food.
\VS{12}Hearing,
however,
that
there
was
corn
in
Egypt,
Jacob
sent
our
ancestors
there
on
their
first
visit.
\VS{13}In
the
course
of
their
second
visit,
Joseph
revealed
himself
to
his
brothers,
and
his
family
became
known
to
Pharaoh.
\VS{14}Then
Joseph
sent
an
urgent invitation
to
his
father
Jacob
and
to
his
relatives,
seventy-five
persons
in
all;
\VS{15}and
so
Jacob
went
down
into
Egypt.
There
he
died,
and
our
ancestors
also,
\VS{16}and
their
bodies
were
removed
to
Shechem,
and
laid
in
the
tomb
which
Abraham
had
bought
for
a
sum
of
money
from
the
sons
of
Hamor
in
Shechem.
\VS{17}As
the
time
drew
near
for
the
fulfillment
of
the
promise
which
God
had
made
to
Abraham,
the
people
increased largely
in
numbers
in
Egypt,
\VS{18}until
a
new
king,
who
knew
nothing
of
Joseph,
came
to
the
throne.
\VS{19}This
king
acted
deceitfully towards
our
people
and ill-treated
our
ancestors,
making
them
abandon
their
own
infants,
so
that
they
should
not
be
reared.
\VS{20}It
was
just
at
this
time
that
Moses
was
born.
He
was
an
exceedingly
beautiful
child,
and
for
three
months
was
brought
up
in
his
own
father’s
house;
\VS{21}and,
when
he
was
abandoned,
the
daughter
of
Pharaoh
found
him
and
brought
him
up
as
her
own
son.
\VS{22}So
Moses
was
educated
in
all
the
learning
of
the
Egyptians,
and
proved
his
ability
both
by
his
words
and
actions.
\VS{23}When
he
was
in
his
fortieth
year,
he
resolved
to
visit
his
fellow
Israelites;
\VS{24}and,
seeing
an
Israelite ill-treated,
he
defended
him,
and
avenged
the
man,
who
was
being
wronged,
by
striking
down
the
Egyptian.
\VS{25}He
thought
his
own
people
would
understand
that
God
was
using
him
to
save
them;
but
they
failed
to
do
so.
\VS{26}The
next
day
he
again
appeared
on
the scene,
when
some
of
them
were
fighting,
and
tried
to
make
peace
between
them. ‘Men,’
he
said, ‘you
are
brothers;
how
is
it
that
you
are ill-treating
one
another?’
\VS{27}But
the
man
who
was ill-treating
his
fellow
workman
pushed
Moses
aside
saying – ‘Who
made
you
a
ruler
and
judge
over
us?
\VS{28}Do
you
mean
to
make
away
with
me
as
you
did
yesterday
with
that
Egyptian?’
\VS{29}At
these
words
Moses
took
to
flight,
and
became
an
exile
in
Midian;
and
there
he
had
two
sons
born
to
him.
\VS{30}Forty
years
had
passed
when
there
appeared
to
him,
in
the
desert
of
Mount
Sinai,
an
angel
in
a
flame
of
fire
in
a
bush.
\VS{31}When
Moses
saw
it,
he
was
astonished
at
the
vision;
but
on
his
going
nearer
to
look
at
it
more
closely,
the
voice
of
the
Lord
was
heard
to
say –
\VS{32}‘I
am
the
God
of
your
ancestors,
the
God
of
Abraham,
Isaac,
and
Jacob.’
Moses
trembled,
and
did
not
dare
to
look.
\VS{33}Then
the
Lord
said
to
him – ‘Take
your
sandals
off
your
feet,
for
the
spot
where
you
are
standing
is
holy
ground.
\VS{34}I
have
seen
the
oppression
of
my
people
who
are
in
Egypt,
and
heard
their
groans,
and
I
have
come
down
to
deliver
them.
Come
now
and
I
will
send
you
into
Egypt.’
\VS{35}This
same
Moses,
whom
they
had disowned
with
the
words – ‘Who
made
you
a
ruler
and
a
judge?’
was
the
man
whom
God
sent
to
be
both
a
ruler
and
a
deliverer,
under
the
guidance
of
the
angel
that
had
appeared
to
him
in
the
bush.
\VS{36}He
it
was
who
led
them
out,
after
he
had
shown
wonders
and
signs
in
Egypt,
in
the
Red
Sea,
and
in
the
desert
during
forty
years.
\VS{37}This
was
the
Moses
who
said
to
the
people
of
Israel – ‘God
will
raise
up
for
you,
from
among
yourselves,
a
prophet,
as
he
raised
up
me.’
\VS{38}He,
too,
it
was
who
was
present
at
the
assembly
in
the
desert,
with
the
angel
who
talked
to
him
on
Mount
Sinai,
and
with
our
ancestors,
and
who
received
living truths
to
impart
to
you.
\VS{39}Yet
our
ancestors
refused
him
obedience;
more
than
that,
they
rejected
him,
and
in
their
hearts
turned
back
to
Egypt,
\VS{40}while
they
said
to
Aaron – ‘Make
us
Gods
who
will
lead
the
way
for
us,
since,
as
for
this
Moses
who
has
brought
us
out
of
Egypt,
we
do
not
know
what
has
become
of
him.’
\VS{41}That
was
the
time
when
they
made
the
calf
and
offered
sacrifice
to
their
idol,
and
held festivities
in
honor
of
their
own
handiwork!
\VS{42}So
God
turned
from
them
and
left
them
to
the
worship
of
the Starry
Host,
as
is
written
in
the
book
of
the
prophets –
\par }{\Q ‘Did
you
offer
victims
and
sacrifices
to
me,
house
of
Israel,
\par }{\QB all
those
forty
years
in
the
desert?
\par }{\Q \VS{43}You
took
with
you
the
tent
where
Moloch
is
worshiped
\par }{\Q and
the
star
of
the
god
Rephan –
\par }{\QB the
images
which
you
had
made
to
worship.
\par }{\QC Therefore
I
will
exile
you
beyond
Babylon.’
\par }{\MM \VS{44}Our
ancestors
had
the
tent
where
they
worshiped
God
in
the
desert,
constructed,
just
as
he
who
spoke
to
Moses
had
directed
him
to
make
it,
after
the
model
which
he
had
seen.
\VS{45}This
tent,
which
was
handed
down
to
them,
was
brought
into
this
country
by
our
ancestors
who
accompanied
Joshua (at
the conquest
of
the
nations
that
God
drove
out
before
their
advance),
and
remained
here
until
the
time
of
David.
\VS{46}David
found
favor
with
God,
and
prayed
that
he
might
provide
the
God
of
Jacob
with
a
place
to
reside.
\VS{47}But
it
was
Solomon
who
built
a
house
for
God.
\VS{48}Yet
it
is
not
in
buildings
made
by
hands
that
the
Most
High
dwells.
As
the
prophet
says –
\par }{\Q \VS{49}‘The
heavens
are
a
throne
for
me,
\par }{\QB and
the
earth
a
stool
for
my
feet.
\par }{\Q What
manner
of
house
will
you
build
me,
asks
the
Lord,
\par }{\QB or
what
place
is
there
where
I
may
rest?
\par }{\QC \VS{50}Was
it
not
my
hand
that
made
all
these
things?’
\par }{\MM \VS{51}Stubborn
people,
heathen
in
heart
and
ears,
you
are
for
ever resisting
the
Holy
Spirit;
your
ancestors
did
it,
and
you
are
doing
it
still.
\VS{52}Which
of
the
prophets
escaped
persecution
at
their
hands?
They
killed
those
who
foretold
the
coming
of
the
righteous
one;
of
whom
you,
in
your
turn,
have
now
become
the
betrayers
and
murderers –
\VS{53}you
who
received
the
Law
as transmitted
by
angels
and
yet
failed
to
keep
it.”
\par }{\PP \VS{54}As
they
listened
to
this,
the
Council
grew frantic
with
rage,
and
gnashed
their
teeth
at Stephen.
\VS{55}He,
filled
as
he
was
with
the
Holy
Spirit,
fixed
his
eyes intently
on
the
heavens,
and
saw
the
glory
of
God
and
Jesus
standing
at
God’s
right
hand.
\par }{\PP \VS{56}“Look,”
he
exclaimed, “I
see
heaven
open
and
the
Son
of
Man
standing
at
God’s
right
hand!”
\VS{57}At
this,
with
a
loud
shout,
they
stopped
their
ears
and
all
rushed
on
him,
forced
him
outside
the
city,
\VS{58}and
began
to
stone
him,
the
witnesses
laying
their
clothes
at
the
feet
of
a
young
man
named
Saul.
\VS{59}And
they
stoned
Stephen,
while
he
cried
to
the
Lord, “Lord
Jesus!
Receive
my
spirit!”
\VS{60}Falling
on
his
knees,
he
called
out
loudly, “Lord!
Do
not
charge
them
with
this
sin;”
and
with
these
words
he
fell
asleep.

\par }\Chap{8}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Saul
approved
of
his
being
put
to
death.
\par }{\PP On
that
very
day
a
great
persecution
broke
out
against
the
church
which
was
in
Jerusalem;
and
its
members,
with
the exception
of
the apostles,
were
all
scattered
over
the
districts
of
Judea
and
Samaria.
\VS{2}Some religious
men
buried
Stephen,
with
loud
lamentations
for
him.
\VS{3}But
Saul
began
to
devastate
the
church;
he
entered
house
after
house,
dragged
out
men
and
women
alike,
and
threw
them
into
prison.
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Now
those
who
were
scattered
in
different
directions
went
from
place
to
place
proclaiming
the
good
news.
\VS{5}Philip
went
down
to
the
city
of
Samaria,
and
there
began
to
preach
the
Christ.
\VS{6}The
people,
one
and
all,
listened
attentively
to
what
Philip
told
them,
when
they
heard
of,
and
saw,
the
miracles
which
he
was
working.
\VS{7}For
there
were
many instances
of
people
with
foul
spirits,
where
the
spirits,
with
loud screams,
came
out
of
them;
and
many
who
were
paralyzed
or
lame
were
cured,
\VS{8}so
that
there
was
great
rejoicing
throughout
that
city.
\VS{9}There
was
staying
in
the
city
a
man
named
Simon,
who
had
been
practicing
magic
there
and mystifying
the
Samaritan
people,
giving
himself
out
to
be
some
great
being.
\VS{10}Everyone,
high
and
low,
paid
attention
to
him. ‘This
man,’
they
used
to
say, ‘must
be
that
power
of
God
which
people
call “The
Great
Power.” ’
\VS{11}And
they
paid
attention
to
him
because
they
had
for
a
long
time
been mystified
by
his
magic
arts.
\VS{12}However,
when
they
came
to
believe
Philip,
as
he
told
them
the
good
news
about
the
kingdom
of
God
and
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ,
they
were baptized,
both
men
and
women.
\VS{13}Even
Simon
believed,
and
after
his baptism
attached
himself
to
Philip,
and
was
in
his
turn mystified
at
seeing
signs
and
great
miracles
constantly occurring.
\par }{\PP \VS{14}When
the apostles
at
Jerusalem
heard
that
the
Samaritans
had
welcomed
God’s
message,
they
sent
Peter
and
John
to
them;
\VS{15}and
they,
on
their
arrival,
prayed
that
the
Samaritans
might
receive
the
Holy
Spirit.
\VS{16}(As
yet
the
Spirit
had
not
descended
on
any
of
them;
they
had
only
been baptized
in
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus).
\VS{17}Then
Peter
and
John
placed
their
hands
on
them,
and
they
received
the
Holy
Spirit.
\par }{\PP \VS{18}When
Simon
saw
that
it
was
through
the
placing
of
the apostles’
hands
on
them
that
the
Spirit
was
given,
he
brought
them
a
sum
of
money
and
said,
\VS{19}“Give
me
also
this
power
of
yours,
so
that,
if
I
place
my
hands
on
anyone,
he
may
receive
the
Holy
Spirit.”
\par }{\PP \VS{20}“A
curse
on
you
and
on
your
silver,”
Peter
exclaimed, “for
thinking
that
God’s
free
gift
can
be
bought
with
money!
\VS{21}You
have
no
share
or
part
in
our
message,
for
your
heart
is
not
right
with
God.
\VS{22}Therefore
repent
of
this
wickedness
of
yours,
and
pray
to
the
Lord,
that,
if possible,
you
may
be
forgiven
for
such
a
thought;
\VS{23}for
I
see
that
you
have
fallen
into
the
bitterness
of
envy
and
the
fetters
of
sin.”
\par }{\PP \VS{24}“Pray
to
the
Lord
for
me,
all
of
you,”
Simon
answered, “so
that
none
of
the
things
you
have
spoken
of
may
happen
to
me.”
\par }{\PP \VS{25}Peter
and
John,
having
borne
their
testimony
and
delivered
the
Lord’s
message,
returned
to
Jerusalem,
telling
the
good
news,
as
they
went,
in
many
Samaritan
villages.
\par }{\PP \VS{26}Meanwhile
an
angel
of
the
Lord
had
said
to
Philip, “Set
out
on
a
journey southwards,
along
the
road
that
runs
down
from
Jerusalem
to
Gaza.” (It
is
now
deserted).
\VS{27}So Philip
set
out
on
a
journey;
and
on
his
way
he
came
on
an
official
of
high
rank,
in
the
service
of
Candace,
Queen
of
the Abyssinians.
He
was
her
treasurer,
and
had
been
to
Jerusalem
to
worship,
\VS{28}and
was
now
on
his
way
home,
sitting
in
his
carriage
and
reading
the
prophet
Isaiah.
\par }{\PP \VS{29}The
Spirit
said
to
Philip, “Go
up
to
the
carriage
over
there
and
keep
close
to
it.”
\VS{30}So
Philip
ran
up,
and
he
heard
the Abyssinian
reading
the
prophet
Isaiah.
\par }{\PP “Do
you
understand
what
you
are
reading?”
he
asked.
\VS{31}“How
can
I,”
the
other
answered, “unless
someone
will
explain
it
to
me?”
and
he
invited
Philip
to
get
up
and
sit
by
his
side.
\VS{32}The
passage
of
scripture
which
he
was
reading
was
this –
\par }{\Q ‘Like
a
sheep,
he
was
led
away
to
slaughter,
\par }{\QB and
as
a
lamb
is
dumb
in
the
hands
of
its
shearer,
\par }{\QB so
he
refrains
from
opening
his
lips.
\par }{\Q \VS{33}He
was
humiliated
and
justice
was
denied
him.
\par }{\Q Who
will
tell
the
story
of
his
generation?
\par }{\QB For
his
life
is
cut
off
from
earth.’
\par }{\MM \VS{34}“Now,”
said
the
Treasurer,
addressing
Philip, “tell
me,
of
whom
is
the
prophet
speaking?
Of
himself,
or
of
someone
else?”
\VS{35}Then
Philip
began,
and,
taking
this
passage
as
his
text,
told
him
the
good
news
about
Jesus.
\par }{\PP \VS{36}Presently,
as
they
were
going
along
the
road,
they
came
to
some
water,
and
the
Treasurer
exclaimed, “Look!
Here
is
water;
what
is
to
prevent
my
being baptized?”
\VS{37}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 8:37 }
Some later manuscripts add: Philip said, “If you believe with your whole heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”}
\VS{38}So
he
ordered
the
carriage
to
stop,
and
they
went
down
into
the
water –
both
Philip
and
the
Treasurer –
and
Philip baptized
him.
\VS{39}But,
when
they
came
up
out
of
the
water,
the
Spirit
of
the
Lord
caught
Philip
away,
and
the
Treasurer
saw
no
more
of
him;
for
he
continued
his
journey
with
a
joyful
heart.
\VS{40}But
Philip
was
found
at
Ashdod,
and,
as
he
went
on
his
way,
he
told
the
good
news
in
all
the
towns
through
which
he
passed,
until
he
came
to
Caesarea.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{9}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Meanwhile
Saul,
still
breathing
murderous
threats
against
the
disciples
of
the
Lord,
went
to
the
high
priest,
\VS{2}and
asked
him
to
give
him
letters
to
the
Jewish
congregations
at
Damascus, authorizing
him,
if
he
found
there
any
supporters
of
the
Way,
whether
men
or
women,
to
have
them
put
in
chains
and
brought
to
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}While
on
his
journey,
as
he
was nearing
Damascus,
suddenly
a
light
from
the
heavens
flashed
around
him.
\VS{4}He
fell
to
the
ground
and
heard
a
voice
saying
to
him –
{\WJ{“Saul,
Saul,
why
are
you
persecuting
me?”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{5}“Who
are
you,
Lord?”
he
asked.
\par }{\PP {\WJ{“I
am
Jesus,
whom
you
are
persecuting,”}}
the
voice
answered;
\VS{6}{\WJ{“Yet
stand
up
and
go
into
the
city,
and
you
will
be
told
what
you
must
do.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{7}The
men
traveling
with
Saul
were
meanwhile
standing
speechless;
they
heard
the
sound
of
the
voice,
but
saw
no
one.
\VS{8}When
Saul
got
up
from
the
ground,
though
his
eyes
were
open,
he
could
see
nothing.
So
his
men
led
him
by
the
hand,
and
brought
him
into
Damascus;
\VS{9}and
for
three
days
he
was
unable
to
see,
and
took
nothing
either
to
eat
or
to
drink.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{10}Now
there
was
at
Damascus
a
disciple
named Ananias,
to
whom,
in
a
vision,
the
Lord
said,
{\WJ{“Ananias.”}}
\par }{\PP “Yes,
Lord,”
he
answered.
\VS{11}{\WJ{“Go
at
once,”}}
said
the
Lord,
{\WJ{“to
the
Straight
Street,
and
ask
at Judas’s
house
for
a
man
named
Saul,
from
Tarsus.
He
is
at
this
moment
praying,}}
\VS{12}{\WJ{
and
he
has
seen,
in
a
vision,
a
man
named Ananias
coming
in
and
placing
his
hands
on
him,
so
that
he
may
recover
his
sight.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{13}“Lord,”
exclaimed Ananias, “I
have
heard
from
many
people
about
this
man –
how
much
harm
he
has
done
at
Jerusalem
to
your
people
there.
\VS{14}And,
here,
too,
he
holds
authority
from
the
chief
priests
to
put
in
chains
all
those
who
invoke
your
name.”
\VS{15}But
the
Lord
said
to
him,
{\WJ{“Go,
for
this
man
is
my
chosen
instrument
to
uphold
my
name
before
the
Gentiles
and
their
kings,
and
the
people
of
Israel.}}
\VS{16}{\WJ{
I
will
myself
show
him
all
that
he
has
to
suffer
for
my
name.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{17}So Ananias
went,
entered
the
house,
and,
placing
his
hands
on
Saul,
said, “Saul,
my
brother,
I
have
been
sent
by
the
Lord –
by
Jesus,
who
appeared
to
you
on
your
way
here –
so
that
you
may
recover
your
sight
and
be
filled
with
the
Holy
Spirit.”
\VS{18}Instantly
it
seemed
as
if
a film
fell
from
Saul’s
eyes,
and
his
sight
was
restored.
Then
he
got
up
and
was baptized,
\VS{19}and,
after
he
had
taken
food,
he
felt
his
strength
return.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP Saul
stayed
for
some
days
with
the
disciples
who
were
at
Damascus,
\VS{20}and
at
once
began
in
the
synagogues
to
proclaim
Jesus
as
the
Son
of
God.
\VS{21}All
who
heard
him
were
amazed.
\par }{\PP “Is
not
this,”
they
asked, “the
man
who
worked havoc
in
Jerusalem
among
those
that
invoke
this
name,
and
who
had
also
come
here
for
the
express
purpose
of
having
such
persons
put
in
chains
and
taken
before
the
chief
priests?”
\VS{22}Saul’s
influence,
however,
kept
steadily
increasing,
and
he
confounded
the
Jewish
people
who
lived
in
Damascus
by
the proofs
that
he
gave
that
Jesus
was
the
Christ.
\par }{\PP \VS{23}After
some
time
some
of
them
laid
a
plot
to
kill
Saul,
\VS{24}but
it
became
known
to
him.
They
even
watched
the
gates
day
and
night,
to
kill
him;
\VS{25}but
his
disciples
let
him
down
by
night
through
an
opening
in
the
wall,
lowering
him
in
a
basket.
\par }{\PP \VS{26}On
his
arrival
in
Jerusalem,
Saul
attempted
to
join
the
disciples,
but
they
were
all
afraid
of
him,
as
they
did
not
believe
that
he
was
really
a
disciple.
\VS{27}Barnabas,
however,
taking
him
by
the
hand,
brought
him
to
the apostles,
and
told
them
the
whole
story
of
how
Saul
on
his
journey
had
seen
the
Lord,
and
how
the
Lord
had
talked
to
him,
and
how
in
Damascus
he
had
spoken
out fearlessly
in
the
name
of
Jesus.
\VS{28}After
that,
Saul
remained
in
Jerusalem,
in
close
contact
with
the apostles;
and
he
spoke fearlessly
in
the
name
of
the
Lord,
\VS{29}talking
and
arguing
with
the
Jews
of
foreign
birth,
who,
however,
made
attempts
to
kill
him.
\VS{30}But,
when
the
followers
found
this
out,
they
took
him
down
to
Caesarea,
and
sent
him
on
his
way
to
Tarsus.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{31}And
so
it
came
about
that
the
church,
throughout
Judea,
Galilee,
and
Samaria,
enjoyed
peace
and
became
firmly
established;
and,
ordering
its
life
by
respect
for
the
Lord
and
the
help
of
the
Holy
Spirit,
it
increased
in
numbers.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{32}Peter,
while
traveling
from
place
to
place
throughout
the
country,
went
down
to
visit
the
people
of Christ
living
at
Lydda.
\VS{33}There
he
found
a
man
named Aeneas,
who
had
been
bedridden
for
eight
years
with paralysis.
\VS{34}“Aeneas,”
Peter
said
to
him, “Jesus
Christ cures
you.
Get
up,
and
make
your
bed.” Aeneas
got
up
at
once;
\VS{35}and
all
the
inhabitants
of
Lydda
and
of
the
Plain
of
Sharon
saw
him,
and
came
over
to
the
Lord’s
side.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP p
\VS{36}At
Joppa
there
lived
a
disciple
whose
name
was
Tabitha,
which
is
in Greek ‘Dorcas’ –
a
Gazelle.
Her
life
was
spent
in
doing
kind
and charitable
actions.
\VS{37}Just
at
that
time
she
was
taken
ill,
and
died;
and
they
had
washed
her
body
and
laid
it
out
in
an upstairs
room.
\VS{38}Joppa
was
near
Lydda,
and
the
disciples,
having
heard
that
Peter
was
at
Lydda,
sent
two
men
with
the
request
that
he
come
to
them
without
delay.
\VS{39}Peter
returned
with
them
at
once.
On
his
arrival,
he
was
taken upstairs,
and
all
the
widows
came
around
him
in
tears,
showing
the
coats
and
other
clothing
which
Dorcas
had
made
while
she
was
among
them.
\VS{40}But
Peter
sent
everybody
out
of
the
room,
and
knelt
down
and
prayed.
Then,
turning
to
the
body,
he
said, “Tabitha!
Stand
up.”
\par }{\PP She
opened
her
eyes,
and,
seeing
Peter,
sat
up.
\VS{41}Giving
her
his
hand,
Peter
raised
her
up,
and,
calling
in
the
widows
and
others
of Christ’s
people,
presented
her
to
them
alive.
\VS{42}This
became
known
all
through
Joppa,
and
numbers
of
people
came
to
believe
in
the
Lord.
\VS{43}And
Peter
stayed
some
days
at
Joppa
with
a
tanner
named
Simon.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{10}{\PP \VerseOne{1}At
Caesarea
there
was
a
man
named
Cornelius,
a
centurion
in
the regiment
known
as
the ‘Italian Regiment,’
\VS{2}A religious
man
and
one
who
reverenced
God,
with
all
his
household.
He
was
liberal
in
his charities
to
the
people,
and
prayed
to
God
constantly.
\VS{3}One
afternoon,
about
three o’clock,
he
distinctly
saw
in
a
vision
an
angel
from
God
come
to
him,
and
call
him
by
name.
\VS{4}Cornelius
fixed
his
eyes
on
him
and,
in
great
alarm,
said, “What
is
it,
Lord?”
\par }{\PP “Your
prayers
and
your charities,”
the
angel
answered, “have
been
an
acceptable
offering
to
God.
\VS{5}And
now,
send
messengers
to
Joppa
and
fetch
a
man
called
Simon,
who
is
also
known
as
Peter.
\VS{6}He
is
lodging
with
a
tanner
named
Simon,
who
has
a
house
near
the
sea.”
\par }{\PP \VS{7}When
the
angel,
who
had
spoken
to
him,
had
gone,
Cornelius
called
two
servants
and
a religious
soldier,
who
was
one
of
his
constant
attendants,
\VS{8}and,
after
telling
them
the
whole
story,
sent
them
to
Joppa.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}On
the
next
day,
while
these
men
were
on
their
way,
just
as
they
were nearing
the
town,
Peter
went
up
on
the
housetop
about
midday
to
pray.
\VS{10}He
became
hungry
and
wanted
something
to
eat;
but
while
it
was
being
prepared,
he
fell
into
a
trance,
\VS{11}and
saw
that
the
heavens
were
open,
and
that
something
like
a
great
sail
was
descending,
let
down
by
its
four
corners towards
the
earth.
\VS{12}In
it
were
all
kinds
of quadrupeds,
reptiles,
and
birds.
\VS{13}Then
he
was
aware
of
a
voice
which
said –
{\WJ{“Stand
up,
Peter,
kill
something,
and
eat.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{14}“No,
Lord,
I
cannot,”
answered
Peter, “for
I
have
never
eaten
anything
defiled
and
unclean.”
\VS{15}Again
he
was
aware
of
a
voice
which
said –
{\WJ{“What
God
has
pronounced
clean,
do
not
regard
as
defiled.”}}
\VS{16}This
happened
three
times,
and
then
suddenly
it
was
all
taken
up
into
the
heavens.
\par }{\PP \VS{17}While
Peter
was
still
perplexed
as
to
the
meaning
of
the
vision
that
he
had
seen,
the
men
sent
by
Cornelius,
having
enquired
the
way
to
Simon’s
house,
came
up
to
the
gate,
\VS{18}and
called
out
and
asked
if
the
Simon,
who
was
also
known
as
Peter,
was
lodging
there.
\VS{19}Peter
was
still pondering
over
the
vision,
when
the
Spirit
said
to
him, “There
are
two
men
looking
for
you
at
this
moment.
\VS{20}Go
down
at
once
and
do
not
hesitate
to
go
with
them,
for
I
have
sent
them.”
\par }{\PP \VS{21}Peter
went
down
to
the
men
and
said, “I
am
the
person
you
are
looking
for.
What
is
your
reason
for
coming?”
\par }{\PP \VS{22}The
men
replied, “Our
centurion,
Cornelius,
a pious
man
who reverences
God
and
is
well
spoken
of
by
the
whole
Jewish
nation,
has
been
instructed
by
a
holy
angel
to
send
for
you
to
his
house,
and
to
listen
to
what
you
have
to
say.”
\VS{23}So
Peter
invited
them
in
and
entertained
them.
\par }{\PP The
next
day
he
lost
no
time
in
setting
out
with
them,
accompanied
by
some
of
the
Lord’s
followers
from
Joppa;
\VS{24}and
the
day
following
he
entered
Caesarea.
Cornelius
was
expecting
them,
and
had
invited
his
relatives
and
intimate
friends
to
meet
them.
\VS{25}So,
when
Peter
entered
the
city,
Cornelius
met
him,
and,
throwing
himself
at
Peter’s
feet,
bowed
to
the
ground.
\VS{26}Peter,
however,
lifted
him
up,
saying
as
he
did
so, “Stand
up,
I
am
only
human
like
yourself.”
\par }{\PP \VS{27}Talking
with
him
as
he
went,
Peter
entered
the
house,
where
he
found
a
large
gathering
of
people,
to
whom
he
said,
\VS{28}“You
are
doubtless
aware
that
it
is
forbidden
for
a
Jew
to
be
intimate
with
a
foreigner,
or
even
to
enter
his
house;
and
yet
God
has
shown
me
that
I
ought
not
to
call
anyone
defiled
or
unclean.
\VS{29}That
was
why
I
came,
when
I
was
sent
for,
without
raising
any objection.
And
now
I
ask
your
reason
for
sending
for
me.”
\par }{\PP \VS{30}“Just
three
days
ago
this
very
hour,”
Cornelius
said, “I
was
in
my
house,
saying
the
Afternoon
Prayers,
when
a
man
in
dazzling
clothing
suddenly
stood
before
me.
\VS{31}‘Cornelius,’
he
said, ‘your
prayer
has
been
heard,
and
your charities
have
been
accepted,
by
God.
\VS{32}Therefore
send
to
Joppa,
and
invite
the
Simon,
who
is
also
known
as
Peter,
to
come
here.
He
is
lodging
in
the
house
of
Simon
the
tanner,
near
the
sea.’
\VS{33}Accordingly
I
sent
to
you
at
once,
and
you
have
been
so
good
as
to
come.
And
now
we
are
all
here
in
the
presence
of
God,
to
listen
to
all
that
you
have
been
instructed
by
the
Lord
to
say.”
\VS{34}Then
Peter
began.
\par }{\PP “I
see,
beyond
all
doubt,”
he
said, “that
God
does
not
show
partiality,
\VS{35}but
that
in
every
nation
he
who reverences
him
and
does
what
is
right
is
acceptable
to
him.
\VS{36}God
has
sent
his
message
to
the
Israelites
and
told
them,
through
Jesus
Christ,
the
good
news
of
peace –
and
Jesus
is
Lord
of
all!
\VS{37}You
yourselves
know
the
story
which
spread
through
all
Judea,
how,
beginning
form
Galilee,
after
the baptism
which
John
proclaimed –
\VS{38}the
story,
I
mean,
of
Jesus
of
Nazareth,
and
how
God
consecrated
him
his
Christ
by enduing
him
with
the
Holy
Spirit
and
with
power;
and
how
he
went
about
doing
good
and
curing
all
who
were
under
the
power
of
the
devil,
because
God
was
with
him.
\VS{39}We
are
ourselves,
too,
witnesses
to
all
that
he
did
in
Judea
and
in
Jerusalem;
yet
they
put
him
to
death
by
hanging
him
on
a
cross!
\VS{40}This
Jesus
God
raised
on
the
third
day,
and
enabled
him
to
appear,
\VS{41}not
indeed
to
everyone,
but
to
witnesses
chosen
beforehand
by
God –
to
us,
who
ate
and
drank
with
him
after
his resurrection
from
the
dead.
\VS{42}Further,
God
charged
us
to
proclaim
to
the
people,
and
solemnly
affirm,
that
it
is
Jesus
who
has
been
appointed
by
God
judge
of
the
living
and
the
dead.
\VS{43}To
him
it
is
that
all
the
prophets
bear
witness,
when
they
say
that
everyone
who
believes
in
him
receives
through
his
name
forgiveness
of
sins.”
\par }{\PP \VS{44}Before
Peter
had
finished
saying
these
words,
the
Holy
Spirit
fell
on
all
who
were
listening
to
the
message.
\VS{45}Those
converts
from Judaism,
who
had
come
with
Peter,
were
amazed
that
the
gift
of
the
Holy
Spirit
had
been
bestowed
even
on
the
Gentiles;
\VS{46}for
they
heard
them
speaking
in
different
languages
and extolling
God.
At
this
Peter
asked,
\VS{47}“Can
anyone
refuse
the
water
for
the baptism
of
these
people,
now
that
they
have
received
the
Holy
Spirit
as
we
did
ourselves?”
\VS{48}And
he
directed
that
they
should
be baptized
in
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ;
after
which
they
asked
him
to
stay
there
a
few
days
longer.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{11}{\PP \VerseOne{1}The apostles
and
the
followers
throughout
Judea
heard
that
even
the
Gentiles
had
welcomed
God’s
message.
\VS{2}But,
when
Peter
went
up
to
Jerusalem,
those
who
were
converts
from Judaism
began
to
attack
him,
\VS{3}on
the
ground
that
he
had
visited
people
who
were
not
circumcised,
and
had
taken
meals
with
them.
\VS{4}So
Peter
began
to
relate
the facts
to
them
as
they
had
occurred.
\VS{5}“I
was
in
the
town
of
Joppa,”
he
said, “and
was
praying;
and,
while
in
a
trance,
I
saw
a
vision.
There
was
something
like
a
great
sail
descending,
let
down
by
its
four
corners
out
of
the
heavens;
and
it
came
right
down
to
me.
\VS{6}Looking intently
at
it,
I
began
to
distinguish quadrupeds,
wild
beasts,
reptiles,
and
birds;
\VS{7}and
I
also
heard
a
voice
saying
to
me –
{\WJ{‘Stand
up,
Peter,
kill
something
and
eat.’}}
\VS{8}‘No,
Lord,
I
cannot,’
I
answered, ‘for
nothing
defiled
or
unclean
has
ever
passed
my
lips.’
\VS{9}Then
a
second
time
there
came
a
voice
from
the
heavens.
{\WJ{‘What
God
has
pronounced clean’,}}
it
said,
{\WJ{‘you
must
not
call
defiled.’}}
\VS{10}This
happened
three
times,
and
then
all
was
drawn
up
again
into
the
heavens.
\VS{11}At
that
moment
three
men,
who
had
been
sent
from
Caesarea
to
see
me,
came
up
to
the
house
in
which
we
were.
\VS{12}The
Spirit
told
me
to
go
with
them
without
hesitation.
These
six
companions
also
went
with
me.
And,
when
we
came
into
the
man’s
house,
\VS{13}he
told
us
how
he
had
seen
the
angel
standing
in
his
house,
and
how
the
angel
had
said
to
him – ‘Send
to
Joppa
and
fetch
the
Simon,
who
is
also
known
as
Peter;
\VS{14}for
he
will
tell
you truths,
which
will
prove
the
means
of
salvation
to
you
and
all
your
household.’
\VS{15}I
had
but
just
begun
to
speak,”
continued
Peter, “when
the
Holy
Spirit
fell
on
them,
exactly
as
on
us
at
the
first;
\VS{16}and
I recalled
the
saying
of
the
Master –
{\WJ{‘John baptized
with
water,
but
you
will
be baptized
with
the
Holy
Spirit.’}}
\VS{17}Since
then,
God
had
given
them
the
very
same
gift
as
he
gave
us
when
we
became
believers
in
Jesus
Christ
the
Master –
who
was
I
that
I
could
thwart
God?”
\par }{\PP \VS{18}On
hearing
this
statement,
they
said
no
more,
but
broke
out
into
praise
of
God. “So
even
to
the
Gentiles,”
they
exclaimed, “God
has
granted
the
repentance
which
leads
to
life!”
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{19}Now
those
who
had
been
scattered
in
different
directions,
in consequence
of
the
persecution
that
followed
the
death
of
Stephen,
went
as
far
as
Phoenicia,
Cyprus,
and Antioch,
telling
the
message –
but
only
to
Jews.
\VS{20}Some
of
them,
however,
who
were
men
of
Cyprus
and
Cyrene,
on
coming
to Antioch,
addressed
themselves
also
to
the
Jews
of
foreign
birth,
telling
them
the
good
news
about
that
Lord
Jesus.
\VS{21}The
power
of
the
Lord
was
with
them,
so
that
a
great
number
who
had
learned
to
believe
came
over
to
the
Lord’s
side.
\VS{22}The
news
about
them
reached
the
ears
of
the
church
at
Jerusalem,
and
they
sent Barnabas
to Antioch.
\VS{23}On
coming
there
he
saw
to
his
great
joy
these
tokens
of
the
loving
kindness
of
God,
and
encouraged
them
all
to
make
up
their
minds
to
be
faithful
to
the
Lord –
\VS{24}For Barnabas
was
a
good
man
and
full
of
the
Holy
Spirit
and
of
faith –
and
a
large
number
of
people
took
their
stand
on
the
Lord’s
side.
\VS{25}Afterward Barnabas
left
for
Tarsus
to
look
for
Saul;
\VS{26}and,
when
he
had
found
him,
he
brought
him
to Antioch.
And
so
it
came
about
that,
for
a
whole
year,
they
attended
the meetings
of
the
church
there,
and
taught
a
large
number
of
people;
and
it
was
in Antioch
that
the
disciples
were
first
called ‘Christians.’
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{27}During
this
time,
some
prophets
came
to Antioch
from
Jerusalem.
\VS{28}One
of
them,
named Agabus,
came
forward
and,
under
the
influence
of
the
Spirit, foretold
a
great
famine
that
was
to
spread
over
all
the
world –
a
famine
which
occurred
in
the
reign
of
Claudius.
\VS{29}So
the
disciples,
without exception,
determined,
in
proportion
to
their
means,
to
send
something
to
help
the
followers
living
in
Judea.
\VS{30}And
this
they
did,
sending
it
to
the church
elders
by Barnabas
and
Saul.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{12}{\PP \VerseOne{1}It
was
at
that
time
that
King
Herod
began
to ill-treat
some
of
the
members
of
the
church.
\VS{2}He
had
James,
the
brother
of
John,
beheaded;
\VS{3}and,
when
he
saw
that
the
Jews
were
pleased
with
this,
he
proceeded
to
arrest
Peter
also. (This
was
during
the
Festival
of
the
unleavened
bread.)
\VS{4}After
seizing
Peter,
Herod
put
him
in
prison,
and
entrusted
him
to
the
keeping
of
four
Guards
of
four
soldiers
each,
intending,
after
the
Passover,
to
bring
him
up
before
the
people.
\VS{5}So
Peter
was
kept
in
prison,
but
meanwhile
the
prayers
of
the
church
were
being
earnestly
offered
to
God
on
his
behalf.
\VS{6}Just
when
Herod
was
intending
to
bring
him
before
the
people,
on
that
very
night
Peter
was
asleep
between
two
soldiers, chained
to
them
both,
while
there
were
sentries
in
front
of
the
door,
guarding
the
prison.
\VS{7}Suddenly
an
angel
of
the
Lord
stood
by
him,
and
a
light
shone
in
the
cell.
The
angel
struck
Peter
on
the
side,
and
roused
him
with
the
words, “Get
up
quickly.”
\VS{8}The
chains
dropped
from
his
wrists,
and
then
the
angel
said, “Put
on
your
belt
and
sandals.”
When
Peter
had
done
so,
the
angel
added, “Throw
your
cloak
around
you
and
follow
me.”
\par }{\PP \VS{9}Peter
followed
him
out,
not
knowing
that
what
was
happening
under
the angel’s
guidance
was real,
but
thinking
that
he
was
seeing
a
vision.
\VS{10}Passing
the
first
Guard,
and
then
the
second,
they
came
to
the
iron
gate
leading
into
the
city,
which
opened
to
them
of
itself;
and,
when
they
had
passed
through
that,
and
had
walked
along
one
street,
all
at
once
the
angel
left
him.
\par }{\PP \VS{11}Then
Peter
came
to
himself
and
said, “Now
I
know
beyond
all
doubt
that
the
Lord
has
sent
his
angel,
and
has
rescued
me
from
Herod’s
hands
and
from
all
that
the
Jewish
people
have
been
expecting.”
\VS{12}As
soon
as
he
realized
what
had
happened,
he
went
to
the
house
of
Mary,
the
mother
of
John
who
was
also
known
as
Mark,
where
a
number
of
people
were
gathered
together,
praying.
\VS{13}On
his
knocking
at
the
door
in
the
gate,
a
maidservant,
named
Rhoda,
came
to
answer
it.
\VS{14}She
recognized
Peter’s
voice,
but
in
her
joy
left
the
gate unopened,
and
ran
in,
and
told
them
that
Peter
was
standing
outside.
\par }{\PP \VS{15}“You
are
mad!”
they
exclaimed.
But,
when
she
persisted
that
it
was
so,
they
said, “It
must
be
his
spirit!”
\par }{\PP \VS{16}Meanwhile
Peter
went
on
knocking,
and,
when
they
opened
the
gate
and
saw
him,
they
were
amazed.
\VS{17}Peter
signed
to
them
with
his
hand
to
be
silent,
and
then
told
them
how
the
Lord
had
brought
him
out
of
the
prison,
adding, “Tell
James
and
the
others
all
this.”
Then
he
left
the
house,
and
went
away
to
another
place.
\par }{\PP \VS{18}In
the
morning
there
was
a
great
stir
among
the
soldiers –
what
could
have
become
of
Peter!
\VS{19}And,
when
Herod
had
made
further
search
for
him
and
failed
to
find
him,
he
closely
questioned
the
Guard,
and
ordered
them
away
to
execution.
Then
he
went
down
from
Judea
to
stay
at
Caesarea.
\par }{\PP \VS{20}It
happened
that
Herod
was
deeply
offended
with
the
people
of
Tyre
and
Sidon,
but
they
went
in
a
body
to
him,
and,
having
succeeded
in winning
over Blastus,
the
Chamberlain,
they
begged
Herod
for
a
reconciliation,
because
their
country
was
dependent
on
the
king’s
for
its
food
supply.
\VS{21}On
an
appointed
day
Herod,
wearing
his
state
robes,
seated
himself
on
his
throne,
and
delivered
an
oration.
\VS{22}The
people
kept
shouting, “It
is
the
voice
of
God,
and
not
of
a
person!”
\par }{\PP \VS{23}Instantly
an
angel
of
the
Lord
struck
him,
because
he
did
not
give
God
the
glory;
and
he
was
attacked
with
worms,
and
died.
\VS{24}Meanwhile
the
Lord’s
message
kept
extending,
and
spreading
far
and
wide.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{25}When Barnabas
and
Saul
had
carried
out
their
mission,
they
returned
to
Jerusalem,
and
took
with
them
John,
who
was
also
known
as
Mark.

\par }{\MS The Church and the Gentiles
\par }\Chap{13}{\SH Acts of the Apostle Paul
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}Among
the
members
of
the
church
at Antioch
there
were
several
prophets
and
teachers – Barnabas,
Simeon
who
was
known
by
the
name
of ‘Black’,
Lucius
of
Cyrene,
Manaen, foster-brother
of
Prince
Herod,
and
Saul.
\VS{2}While
they
were
engaged
in
the
worship
of
the
Lord
and
were
fasting,
the
Holy
Spirit
said, “Set
apart
for
me Barnabas
and
Saul,
for
the
work
to
which
I
have
called
them.”
\VS{3}Accordingly,
after
fasting
and
prayer,
they
placed
their
hands
on
them
and
dismissed
them.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{4}Barnabas
and
Saul,
sent
on
this
mission,
as
they
were,
by
the
Holy
Spirit,
went
down
to
Seleucia,
and
from
there
sailed
to
Cyprus.
\VS{5}On
reaching
Salamis,
they
began
to
tell
the
message
of
God
in
the
Jewish
synagogues;
and
they
had
John
with
them
as
an
assistant.
\VS{6}After
passing
through
the
whole
island,
they
reached
Paphos,
where
they
found
an
astrologer
who
pretended
to
be
a
prophet –
a
Jew
by
birth,
whose
name
was Barjoshua.
\VS{7}He
was
at
the
court
of
the
Governor,
Sergius
Paulus,
a
man
of
intelligence,
who
sent
for Barnabas
and
Saul
and
asked
to
be
told
God’s
message.
\VS{8}But
Elymas,
the
astrologer (for
that
is
the
meaning
of
the
word),
opposed
them,
eager
to divert
the
Governor’s
attention
from
the
faith.
\VS{9}However,
Saul (who
is
the
same
as
Paul),
full
of
the
Holy
Spirit,
fixed
his
eyes
on
him
and
said,
\VS{10}“You incarnation
of
deceit
and
all
fraud!
You
son
of
the
devil!
You
opponent
of
all
that
is
good!
Will
you
never
cease
to divert
the
straight
paths
of
the
Lord?
Listen!
\VS{11}The
hand
of
the
Lord
is
on
you
even
now,
and
you
will
be
blind
for
a
time
and
unable
to
see
the
sun.”
Immediately
a
mist
and
darkness
fell
on
him,
and
he
went feeling
about
for
someone
to
guide
him.
\VS{12}When
the
Governor
saw
what
had
happened,
he
became
a believer
in
Christ,
being
greatly
impressed
by
the
teaching
about
the
Lord.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{13}After
this,
Paul
and
his
companions
set
sail
from
Paphos
and
went
to
Perga
in
Pamphylia,
where
John
left
them
and
returned
to
Jerusalem.
\VS{14}The
others
went
on
from
Perga
and
arrived
at Antioch
in
Pisidia.
There
they
went
into
the
synagogue
on
the
Sabbath
and
took
their seats.
\VS{15}After
the
reading
of
the
Law
and
the
prophets,
the synagogue
leader
sent
them
this
message – “Friends,
if
you
have
any
helpful
words
to
address
to
the
people,
now
is
the
time
to
speak.”
\VS{16}So
Paul
rose
and,
motioning
with
his
hand,
said:
\par }{\PP “People
of
Israel
and
all
here
who
worship
God,
hear
what
I
have
to
say.
\VS{17}The
God
of
this
people
Israel
chose
our
ancestors,
and
during
their
stay
in
Egypt
increased
the
prosperity
of
the
people,
and
then
with
uplifted
arm
brought
them
out
from
that
land.
\VS{18}For
about
forty
years
he
bore
with
them
in
the
desert;
\VS{19}then,
after
destroying
seven
heathen
nations
in
Canaan,
he
allotted
their
land
to
this
people –
\VS{20}For
about
four
hundred
and
fifty
years.
In
later
times
he
gave
them
Judges,
of
whom
the
prophet
Samuel
was
the
last.
\VS{21}And,
when
they
demanded
a
king,
God
gave
them
Saul
the
son
of
Kish,
a
man
of
the
tribe
of
Benjamin,
who
reigned
for
forty
years.
\VS{22}After
removing
him,
he
raised
David
to
the
throne,
and
bore
this
testimony
to
him – ‘In
David,
the
son
of
Jesse,
I
have
found
a
man
after
my
own
heart,
who
will
carry
out
all
my
purposes.’
\VS{23}It
was
from
this
man’s
descendants
that
God,
in
accordance
with
his
promise,
gave
Israel
a
Savior –
Jesus;
\VS{24}John
having
first
proclaimed,
before
the
appearance
of Jesus,
a baptism
on
repentance
for
all
the
people
of
Israel.
\VS{25}As
John
was
drawing towards
the
end
of
his career,
he
said ‘What
do
you
suppose
that
I
am?
I
am
not
the
Christ.
But
there
is “one
coming”
after
me,
whose
sandal
I
am
not
worthy
to
untie.’
\VS{26}Brothers
and
sisters,
descendants
of
Abraham,
and
all
those
among
you
who
worship
God,
it
was
to
us
that
the
message
of
this
salvation
was
sent.
\VS{27}The
people
of
Jerusalem
and
their
leaders,
failing
to
recognize
Jesus,
and
not
understanding
the
utterances
of
the
prophets
that
are
read
every
Sabbath,
fulfilled
them
by
condemning
him.
\VS{28}They
found
no
ground
at
all
for
putting
him
to
death,
and
yet
demanded
his
execution
from
Pilate;
\VS{29}and,
after
carrying
out
everything
written
about
him,
they
took
Jesus
down
from
the
cross,
and
laid
him
in
a
tomb.
\VS{30}But
God
raised
him
from
the
dead;
\VS{31}and
he
appeared
for
many
days
to
those
who
had
gone
up
with
him
from
Galilee
to
Jerusalem,
and
who
are
now
witnesses
for
him
to
the
people.
\VS{32}We
also
have
good
news
to
tell
you,
about
the
promise
made
to
our
ancestors –
\VS{33}That
our
children
have
had
this
promise
completely
fulfilled
to
them
by
God,
by
his
raising
Jesus.
That
is
just
what
is
said
in
the
second
Psalm –
\par }{\Q ‘You
are
my
Son;
this
day
I
have
become
your
Father.’
\par }{\MM \VS{34}As
to
his
raising
Jesus
from
the
dead,
never
again
to
return
to
corruption,
this
is
what
is
said –
\par }{\Q ‘I
will
give
to
you
the
sacred
promises
made
to
David;’
\par }{\MM \VS{35}And,
therefore,
in
another
Psalm
it
is
said –
\par }{\Q ‘You
will
not
give
up
the
Holy
One
to
undergo
corruption.’
\par }{\MM \VS{36}David,
after
obediently
doing
God’s
will
in
his
own
time,
fell
asleep
and
was
laid
by
the
side
of
his
ancestors,
and
did
undergo
corruption;
\VS{37}but
Jesus,
whom
God
raised
from
the
dead,
did
not
undergo
corruption.
\VS{38}I
would,
therefore,
like
you
to
know,
friends,
that
through
Jesus
forgiveness
of
sins
is
being
proclaimed
to
you,
\VS{39}and
that,
in
union
with
him,
everyone
who
believes
in
him
is absolved
from
every
sin
from
which
under
the
Law
of
Moses
you
could
not
be absolved.
\VS{40}Beware,
therefore,
that
what
is
said
in
the
prophets
does
not
come
true
of
you –
\par }{\Q \VS{41}‘Look,
you
despisers,
and
wonder,
and
perish;
\par }{\Q for
I
am
doing
a
deed
in
your
days –
\par }{\QB a
deed
which,
though
told
you
in
full,
you
will
never believe’.”
\par }{\MM \VS{42}As
Paul
and Barnabas
were
leaving
the synagogue,
the
people
begged
for
a repetition
of
this
teaching
on
the
next
Sabbath.
\VS{43}After
the
congregation
had
dispersed,
many
of
the
Jews,
and
of
the
converts
who
joined
in
their
worship,
followed
Paul
and Barnabas,
who
talked
with
them
and
urged
them
to
continue
to
rely
on
the
loving
kindness
of
God.
\par }{\PP \VS{44}On
the
following
Sabbath,
almost
all
the
city
gathered
to
hear
God’s
message.
\VS{45}But
the
sight
of
the
crowds
of
people
filled
the
minds
of
the
Jews
with
jealousy,
and
they
kept contradicting
Paul’s
statements
in
violent
language.
\VS{46}Then
Paul
and Barnabas
spoke
out fearlessly,
and
said:
\par }{\PP “It
was
necessary
that
the
message
of
God
should
be
told
to
you
first;
but,
since
you
reject
it
and
reckon
yourselves
not
worthy
of
the
eternal
life –
we
turn
to
the
Gentiles!
\VS{47}For
this
is
the
Lord’s
command
to
us –
\par }{\Q ‘I
have
destined
you
for
a
light
to
the
Gentiles,
\par }{\Q a
means
of
salvation
to
the
ends
of
the earth’.”
\par }{\MM \VS{48}On
hearing
this,
the
Gentiles
were
glad
and
extolled
God’s
message;
and
all
those
who
had
been
enrolled
for
eternal
life
became
believers
in
Christ;
\VS{49}and
the
Lord’s
message
was
carried
throughout
that
district.
\VS{50}But
the
Jews
incited
the
women
of
high social
standing
who
worshiped
with
them,
and
the
leading
men
of
the
town,
and
started
a
persecution
against
Paul
and Barnabas,
and
drove
them
out
of
their
region.
\VS{51}They,
however,
shook
the
dust
off
their
feet
in
protest,
\VS{52}and
went
to Iconium,
leaving
the
disciples
full
of
joy
and
of
the
Holy
Spirit.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{14}{\PP \VerseOne{1}The
same
thing
occurred
in
Iconium,
where
Paul
and Barnabas
went
into
the
Jewish
synagogue,
and
spoke
in
such
a
way
that
a
great
number
of
both
Jews
and
Greeks
believed
in Christ.
\VS{2}But
the
Jews
who
refused
to
believe
stirred
up
the
Gentiles,
and
poisoned
their
minds
against
the
Lord’s
followers.
\VS{3}Therefore
Paul
and Barnabas
spent
a
long
time
there,
and
spoke
out fearlessly, relying
on
the
Lord,
who
confirmed
the
message
of
his
love
by permitting
signs
and
wonders
to
take
place
at
their
hands.
\VS{4}But
the townspeople
were
divided,
some siding
with
the
Jews,
some
with
the apostles;
\VS{5}and,
when
there
was
an
attempt
on
the
part
of
both
Gentiles
and
Jews,
with
their
leaders,
to
resort
to
violence
and
to
stone
them,
\VS{6}the apostles
heard
of
it,
and
took
refuge
in
Lystra
and
Derbe,
towns
in
Lycaonia,
and
in
the
district
around,
\VS{7}and
there
they
continued
to
tell
the
good
news.
\par }{\PP \VS{8}In
the
streets
of
Lystra
there
used
to
sit
a
man
who
had
no
power
in
his
feet;
he
had
been
lame
from
his
birth,
and
had
never
walked.
\VS{9}This
man
was
listening
to
Paul
speaking,
when
Paul,
looking intently
at
him,
and
seeing
that
he
had
the
faith
to
be
healed,
\VS{10}said
loudly, “Stand
upright
on
your
feet.”
\par }{\PP The
man
leaped
up,
and
began
walking
about,
\VS{11}and
the
crowd,
seeing
what
Paul
had
done,
called
out
in
the
Lycaonian
language, “The
Gods
have
come
down
to
us
in
human
form.”
\VS{12}So
they
called Barnabas ‘Zeus,’
and
Paul ‘Hermes,’
because
he
took
the
lead
in
speaking;
\VS{13}and
the
priest
of Zeus-beyond-the-Walls,
accompanied
by
the
crowd,
brought
bullocks
and
garlands
to
the
gates,
with
the
intention
of
offering
sacrifices.
\VS{14}But,
when
the apostles Barnabas
and
Paul
heard
of
it,
they
tore
their
clothes
and
rushed
out
into
the
crowd.
\par }{\PP “Friends,
why
are
you
doing
this?”
they
shouted.
\VS{15}“We
are
only
people
like
yourselves,
and
we
have
come
with
the
good
news
that
you
should
turn
away
from
these follies
to
a
living
God,
who
made
the
heavens,
the
earth,
the
sea,
and
everything
that
is
in
them.
\VS{16}In bygone
times
he
permitted
all
the
nations
to
go
their
own
ways.
\VS{17}Yet
he
has
not
failed
to
give
you,
in
the
good
he
does,
some
revelation
of
himself –
sending
you
from
heaven
rain
and
fruitful
seasons,
and gladdening
your
hearts
with
plenty
and
good
cheer.”
\VS{18}Even
with
this
appeal
they
could
hardly
restrain
the
people
from
offering
sacrifice
to
them.
\par }{\PP \VS{19}Presently,
however,
there
came
some
Jews
from Antioch,
and
Iconium
who,
after
they
had
won
over
the
people,
stoned
Paul,
and
dragged
him
out
of
the
town,
thinking
him
to
be
dead.
\VS{20}But,
when
the
disciples
had
gathered
around
him,
he
got
up
and
went
back
into
the
town;
the
next
day
he
went
with Barnabas
to
Derbe.
\VS{21}After
telling
the
good
news
throughout
that
town,
and
making
a
number
of
converts,
they
returned
to
Lystra,
Iconium,
and Antioch,
\VS{22}reassuring
the
minds
of
the
disciples,
urging
them
to
remain
true
to
the
faith,
and
showing
that
it
is
only
through
many
troubles
that
we
can
enter
the
kingdom
of
God.
\VS{23}They
also
appointed
elders
for
them
in
every
church,
and,
after
prayer
and
fasting,
commended
them
to
the
Lord
in
whom
they
had
learned
to
believe.
\VS{24}Paul
and Barnabas
then
went
through
Pisidia,
and
came
into
Pamphylia,
\VS{25}and,
after
telling
the
message
at
Perga,
went
down
to Attaleia.
\VS{26}From
there
they
sailed
to Antioch –
the
place
where
they
had
been
committed
to
the
gracious
care
of
God
for
the
work
which
they
had
now
finished.
\VS{27}After
their
arrival,
they
gathered
the
church
together,
and
gave
an
account
of
all
that
God
had
helped
them
to
do,
and
especially
how
he
had
opened
to
the
Gentiles
the
door
of
faith;
\VS{28}and
at Antioch
they
stayed
with
the
disciples
for
a
considerable
time.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{15}{\PP \VerseOne{1}But
certain
persons
came
down
from
Judea,
and
began
to
teach
the
Lord’s
followers
that,
unless
they
were
circumcised,
in
accordance
with
the
custom
required
by
Moses,
they
could
not
be
saved.
\VS{2}This
gave
rise
to
a
serious
dispute,
and
much
discussion,
between
Paul
and Barnabas
and
these
people,
and
it
was
therefore
settled
that
Paul
and Barnabas
and
others
of
their
number
should
go
up
to
Jerusalem,
to
consult
the apostles
and church
elders
about
the
matter
under
discussion.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}The
church,
therefore,
sent
them
on
their
journey,
and
they
made
their
way
through
Phoenicia
and
Samaria,
telling
the
story
of
the
conversion
of
the
Gentiles,
to
the
great
joy
of
all
the
followers.
\VS{4}On
their
arrival
at
Jerusalem,
they
were
welcomed
by
the
church,
as
well
as
by
the apostles
and
the
elders,
and
gave
an
account
of
all
that
God
had
helped
them
to
do.
\VS{5}Some
of
the
Pharisees’
party,
however,
who
had
become
believers
in Christ,
came
forward
and
declared
that
they
were
bound
to
circumcise
converts
and
to
direct
them
to
observe
the
Law
of
Moses.
\VS{6}The apostles
and
the church
elders
held
a
meeting
to
consider
this
question.
\VS{7}After
much
discussion,
Peter
rose
and
said:
\par }{\PP “You,
my
friends,
know
well
that
long
ago
God singled
me
out –
that
through
my
lips
the
Gentiles
should
hear
the
message
of
the
good
news,
and
become
believers
in Christ.
\VS{8}Now
God,
who
reads
all
hearts,
declared
his
acceptance
of
the
Gentiles,
by
giving
them
the
Holy
Spirit,
just
as
he
did
to
us.
\VS{9}He
made
no
distinction
between
them
and
us,
when
he
purified
their
hearts
by
their
faith.
\VS{10}Why,
then,
do
you
now
provoke
God,
by
putting
on
the
necks
of
these
disciples
a
yoke
which
neither
our
ancestors
nor
we
were
able
to
bear?
\VS{11}No,
it
is
through
the
loving
kindness
of
the
Lord
Jesus
that
we,
just
as
they
do,
believe
that
we
have
been
saved.”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}Every
voice
in
the
assembly
was
hushed,
as
they
listened
to Barnabas
and
Paul,
while
they
gave
an
account
of
all
the
signs
and
wonders
which
God
had
shown
among
the
Gentiles
through
them.
\VS{13}After
they
had
finished
speaking,
James
addressed
the
Council.
\par }{\PP “Friends,”
he
began, “hear
what
I
have
to
say.
\VS{14}Simon
has
described
the
manner
in
which
God
first
visited
the
Gentiles,
in
order
to
take
from
among
them
a
people
to
bear
his
name.
\VS{15}And
that
is
in harmony
with
the
words
of
the
prophets,
where
they
say –
\par }{\Q \VS{16}‘After
this
I
will
return;
\par }{\Q and
I
will
rebuild
the
house
of
David
which
has
fallen –
\par }{\Q its
ruins
I
will
rebuild,
\par }{\QB and
will
set
it
up
once
more;
\par }{\Q \VS{17}that
so
the
rest
of
mankind
may
earnestly
seek
the
Lord –
\par }{\Q even
all
the
Gentiles
on
whom
my
name
has
been
bestowed,
\par }{\QB \VS{18}says
the
Lord,
as
he
does
these
things,
known
from
long
ago.’
\par }{\MM \VS{19}In
my
judgment,
therefore,
we
should
not
add
to
the difficulties
of
those
Gentiles
who
are
turning
to
God,
\VS{20}but
we
should
write
to
them
to
abstain
from
food
that
has
been
polluted
by
being
sacrificed
to
idols,
from
impurity,
from
eating
the
flesh
of
strangled
animals,
and
from
blood.
\VS{21}For
in
every
town,
for
generations
past,
there
have
been
those
who
preach
Moses,
read
as
he
is
in
the
synagogues
every
Sabbath.”
\par }{\PP \VS{22}It
was
then
decided
by
the apostles
and
the
elders,
with
the
assent
of
the
whole
church,
to
choose
some
of
their
number,
and
send
them
to Antioch
with
Paul
and Barnabas.
Those
chosen
were
Judas (called Barsabas)
and
Silas,
who
were
leaders
among
the
community.
\VS{23}They
were
bearers
of
the
following
letter –
\par }{\Q ‘The apostles,
and
the
followers
who
are
the church
elders,
send
their
greetings
to
the
followers
of
the
Lord
of
Gentile
birth
in Antioch,
Syria,
and
Cilicia.
\VS{24}As
we
had
heard
that
some
of
our
number
had
upset
you
by
their assertions,
and unsettled
your
minds –
without
instructions
from
us –
\VS{25}We
met
and
decided
to
choose
certain
men
and
send
them
to
you
with
our
dear
friends Barnabas
and
Paul,
\VS{26}who
have
risked
their
lives
for
the
name
of
our
Lord,
Jesus
Christ.
\VS{27}We
are
accordingly
sending
Judas
and
Silas,
and
they
will
tell
you
by
word
of
mouth
what
we
are
now
writing.
\VS{28}We
have,
therefore,
decided,
under
the
guidance
of
the
Holy
Spirit,
to
lay
no
further
burden
on
you
beyond
these
necessary
conditions –
\VS{29}That
you
abstain
from
food
offered
to
idols,
from
blood,
from
eating
the
flesh
of
strangled
animals,
and
from
impurity.
If
you
guard
yourselves
against
such
things,
it
will
be
well
with
you.
Farewell.’
\par }{\MM \VS{30}So
the
bearers
of
this
letter
were
sent
on
their
way,
and
went
down
to Antioch.
There
they
called
a
meeting
of
all
the
followers,
\VS{31}and
delivered
the
letter,
the
reading
of
which
caused
great
rejoicing
by
its encouraging contents.
\VS{32}Judas
and
Silas,
who
were
themselves
prophets,
further
encouraged
the
them
by
many
an
address,
and
strengthened
their
faith.
\VS{33}After
some
stay,
they
were
dismissed
with
kind farewells
from
the
followers,
and
returned
to
those
who
had
sent
them.
\VS{34}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 15:34 }
Some later manuscripts add: But Silas decided to stay.}
\par }{\PP \VS{35}Paul
and Barnabas,
however,
remained
in Antioch,
where
they
taught
and,
with
the
help
of
many
others,
told
the
good
news
of
the
Lord’s
message.
\VS{36}Some
time
after
this,
Paul
said
to Barnabas, “Let
us
go
back
and
visit
the
Lord’s
followers
in
every
town
in
which
we
have
told
the
Lord’s
message,
and
see
how
they
are
prospering.”
\VS{37}Barnabas
wished
to
take
with
them
John,
whose
other
name
was
Mark;
\VS{38}but
Paul
felt
that
they
ought
not
to
take
with
them
the
man
who
had
deserted
them
in
Pamphylia,
and
had
not
gone
on
with
them
to
their
work.
\VS{39}This
caused
such
unpleasant
feeling
between
them
that
they
parted
ways, Barnabas
taking
Mark
and sailing
for
Cyprus,
\VS{40}while
Paul
chose
Silas
for
his
companion
and,
after
he
had
been
committed
by
the
followers
to
the
gracious
care
of
the
Lord,
\VS{41}started
on
his
journey
and
went
through
Syria
and
Cilicia,
strengthening
the
churches
in
the
faith.

\par }\Chap{16}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Among
other
places
Paul
went
to
Derbe
and
Lystra.
At
the
latter
place
they
found
a
disciple,
named
Timothy,
whose
mother
was
a
Jewish
woman
who
was
a
believer,
while
his
father
was
a
Greek,
\VS{2}and
who
was
well
spoken
of
by
the
followers
of
the
Lord
in
Lystra
and
Iconium.
\VS{3}Wishing
to
take
this
man
with
him
on
his
journey,
Paul
caused
him
to
be
circumcised
out
of
consideration
for
the
Jews
in
that
region,
for
they
all
knew
that
his
father
had
been
a
Greek.
\VS{4}As
they
traveled
from
town
to
town,
they
gave
the
followers
the
decisions
which
had
been
reached
by
the apostles
and church
elders
at
Jerusalem,
for
them
to
observe.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}So
the
churches
grew
stronger
in
the
faith,
and
increased
in
numbers
from
day
to
day.
\par }{\PP \VS{6}They
next
went
through
the
Phrygian
district
of
Galatia,
but
were
restrained
by
the
Holy
Spirit
from
delivering
the
message
in Roman
Asia.
\VS{7}When
they
reached
the
borders
of
Mysia,
they
attempted
to
go
into Bithynia,
but
the
Spirit
of
Jesus
did
not
permit
them.
\VS{8}Passing
through
Mysia,
they
went
down
to
Troas;
\VS{9}and
there
one
night
Paul
saw
a
vision.
A
Macedonian
was
standing
and
appealing
to
him – ‘Come
over
to
Macedonia
and
help
us.’
\VS{10}So,
immediately
after
Paul
had
seen
the
vision,
we
looked
for
an opportunity
to
cross
over
to
Macedonia,
concluding
that
God
had
summoned
us
to
tell
the
good
news
to
the
people
there.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{11}Accordingly
we
set
sail
from
Troas,
and
ran
before
the
wind
to
Samothrace,
reaching
Neapolis
the
next
day.
\VS{12}From
there
we
made
our
way
to
Philippi,
which
is
the
principal
city
of
that
part
of
Macedonia,
and
also
a Roman
Settlement.
\par }{\PP In
that
city
we
spent
several
days.
\VS{13}On
the
Sabbath
we
went
outside
the
gate
to
the
riverside,
where
we
supposed
there
would
be
a
place
of
prayer;
and
we
sat
down
and
talked
to
the
women
who
were
gathered
there.
\VS{14}Among
them
was
a
woman,
named
Lydia, belonging
to
Thyatira,
a
dealer
in
purple
cloth,
who
was
accustomed
to
join
in
the
worship
of
God.
The
Lord
touched
this
woman’s
heart,
so
that
she
gave
attention
to
the
message
delivered
by
Paul,
\VS{15}and,
when
she
and
her
household
had
been baptized,
she
urged
us
to
become
her
guests.
\par }{\PP “Since
you
have
shown
your conviction,”
she
said, “that
I
really
am
a
believer
in
the
Lord,
come
and
stay
in
my
house.”
And
she
insisted
on
our
doing
so.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}One
day,
as
we
were
on
our
way
to
the
place
of
prayer,
we
were
met
by
a
girl
possessed
by
a
divining
spirit,
who
made
large
profits
for
her
masters
by
fortune-telling.
\VS{17}This
girl
followed
Paul
and
the
rest
of
us,
calling, “These
men
are
servants
of
the
most
high
God,
and
they
are
bringing
you
news
of
a
way
to
salvation.”
\VS{18}She
had
been
doing
this
for
several
days,
when
Paul,
much
vexed,
turned
and
said
to
the
spirit
within
her, “In
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ
I
command
you
to
leave
her.”
That
very
moment
the
spirit
left
her.
\par }{\PP \VS{19}When
her
masters
saw
that
there
was
no
hope
of
further
profit
from
her,
they
seized
Paul
and
Silas,
dragged
them
into
the
public
square
to
the
authorities,
\VS{20}and
took
them
before
the
Magistrates.
\par }{\PP “These
men
are
causing
a
great
disturbance
in
our
town,”
they
complained;
\VS{21}“They
are
Jews,
and
they
are
teaching
customs
which
it
is
not
right
for
us,
as
Romans,
to sanction
or adopt.”
\par }{\PP \VS{22}The
mob
rose
as
one
person
against
them,
and
the
Magistrates
stripped
them
of
their
clothing
and
ordered
them
to
be
beaten
with
rods.
\VS{23}After
beating
them
severely,
the
Magistrates
put
them
in
prison,
with
orders
to
the
jailer
to
keep
them
in
safe
custody.
\VS{24}On
receiving
so
strict
an
order,
the
Governor
put
them
into
the
inner
cell,
and
secured
their
feet
in
the
stocks.
\VS{25}About
midnight,
while
Paul
and
Silas
were
praying
and
singing
hymns
to
God,
and
while
the
prisoners
were
listening
to
them,
\VS{26}suddenly
there
was
an
earthquake
of
such
violence
that
the
jail
was
shaken
to
its
foundations;
all
the
doors
flew
open,
and
all
the prisoners’
chains
were loosened.
\VS{27}Roused
from
his
sleep,
and
seeing
the
prison
doors
open,
the
Governor
drew
his
sword
intending
to
kill
himself,
in
the
belief
that
the
prisoners
had
escaped.
\VS{28}But
Paul
called
our
loudly, “Do
not
harm
yourself;
we
are
all
here.”
\par }{\PP \VS{29}Calling
for
a
light,
the
Governor
rushed
in,
and flung
himself
trembling
at
the
feet
of
Paul
and
Silas.
\VS{30}Then
he
led
them
out,
and
said, “What
must
I
do
to
be
saved?”
\par }{\PP \VS{31}“Believe
in
Jesus,
our
Lord,”
they
replied, “and
you
will
be
saved,
you
and
your
household
too.”
\VS{32}Then
they
spoke
to
him
of
God’s
message,
and
to
all
his
household
as
well.
\VS{33}And
that
very
hour
of
the
night
he
took
them
and
washed
their
wounds,
and
he
himself
and
everyone belonging
to
him
were baptized
without
delay.
\VS{34}Afterward
he
took
them
up
to
his
house
and
set
before
them
something
to
eat,
rejoicing
that
he,
with
all
his
household,
had
come
to
believe
in
God.
\par }{\PP \VS{35}In
the
morning
the
Magistrates
sent
the
guards
with
an
order
for
the
men
to
be
discharged.
\VS{36}The
jailer
told
Paul
of
his
instructions. “The
Magistrates
have
sent
an
order
for
your
discharge,”
he
said, “so
you
had
better
leave
the
place
at
once
and
go
quietly
away.”
\par }{\PP \VS{37}But
Paul’s
answer
to
them
was, “They
have
flogged
us
in
public
without
trial,
though
we
are
Roman
citizens,
and
they
have
put
us
in
prison,
and
now
they
are
for
sending
us
out
secretly!
No,
indeed!
Let
them
come
and
take
us
out
themselves.”
\VS{38}The
guards
reported
his
words
to
the
Magistrates,
who,
on
hearing
that
Paul
and Silas
were
Roman
citizens,
were
alarmed,
\VS{39}and
went
to
the
prison,
and
did
their
best
to
conciliate
them.
Then
they
took
them
out,
and
begged
them
to
leave
the
city.
\VS{40}When
Paul
and Silas
left
the
prison,
they
went
to
Lydia’s
house,
and,
after
they
had
seen
the
Lord’s
followers,
and
encouraged
them,
they
left
the
place.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{17}{\PP \VerseOne{1}After
passing
through Amphipolis
and Apollonia,
Paul
and Silas
came
to
Thessalonica.
Here
the
Jews
had
a
synagogue;
\VS{2}and,
following
his
usual
custom,
Paul
joined
them,
and
for
three
Sabbaths
addressed
them,
drawing
his
arguments
from
the
scriptures.
\VS{3}He
laid
before
them
and
explained
that
the
Christ
must
undergo
suffering
and
rise
from
the
dead;
and “It
is
this
man,”
he
declared, “who
is
the
Christ –
this
Jesus
about
whom
I
am
telling
you.”
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Some
of
the
people
were
convinced,
and
threw
in
their
lot
with
Paul
and
Silas,
as
did
also
a
large
body
of
Greeks
who
were
accustomed
to
join
in
the
Jewish
services,
and
a
great
number
of
leading
women.
\VS{5}But
the
Jewish
leaders,
becoming
jealous,
engaged
some
worthless
fellows
from
the
streets,
and,
getting
a
mob
together,
kept
the
city
in
an
uproar.
They
attacked
Jason’s
house,
with
the
intention
of
bringing
Paul
and Silas
before
the Popular
Assembly;
\VS{6}and,
not
finding
them
there,
they
proceeded
to
drag
Jason
and
some
of
the
Lord’s
followers
before
the
city
magistrates,
shouting
out,
\par }{\PP “These
men,
who
have
turned
the
world
upside
down,
have
now
come
here,
\VS{7}and
have
been harbored
by
Jason!
They
are
all defying
the
decrees
of
the Emperor.
They
say
that
someone
else
is
king –
a
man
called
Jesus!”
\par }{\PP \VS{8}On
hearing
this,
the
people
and
the
city
magistrates
were
much
concerned;
\VS{9}and,
before
letting
them
go,
they
took
bail
from
Jason
and
the
others.
\VS{10}That
very
night
the
followers
sent
Paul
and
Silas
off
to Beroea;
and
on
reaching
that
place,
they
went
to
the
Jewish
synagogue.
\VS{11}These
Jews
of Beroea
were
better
disposed
than
those
in
Thessalonica,
for
they
welcomed
the
message
with
great
readiness,
and
daily
examined
the
scriptures
to
see
if
what
was
said
was
true.
\VS{12}As
a consequence,
many
of
them
became
believers
in Christ,
besides
a
considerable
number
of
Greek
women
of
position,
and
of
men
also.
\VS{13}But,
when
the
Jewish
leaders
in
Thessalonica
found
out
that
God’s
message
had
been
delivered
by
Paul
at Beroea,
they
came
there
too, exciting
and
disturbing
the
minds
of
the
people.
\VS{14}The
followers
immediately
arranged
for
Paul
to
go
away
to
the
coast,
but
both
Silas
and
Timothy
stayed
behind
in Beroea.
\VS{15}The
friends
who
escorted
Paul
took
him
as
far
as Athens,
and,
after
receiving
a
message
for
Silas
and
Timothy
to
join
him
as
quickly
as possible,
they
started
on
their
return.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{16}While
Paul
was
waiting
for
them
at Athens,
his
heart
was
stirred
at
seeing
the
whole
city
full
of
idols.
\VS{17}So
he
argued
in
the
synagogue
with
the
Jews
and
with
those
who
joined
in
their
worship,
as
well
as
daily
in
the
public
Square
with
those
who
happened
to
be
there.
\VS{18}Among
others,
some
Epicurean
and
Stoic
Philosophers
joined
issue
with
him.
Some
asked “What
is
this prater
wanting
to
make
out?”,
while
others
said “He
seems
to
be
a
preacher
of
foreign
Deities.” (This
was
because
he
was
telling
the
good
news
about
Jesus
and
the resurrection).
\VS{19}So
they
laid
hold
of
him
and
took
him
to
the
Court
of Areopagus.
\par }{\PP “May
we
hear,”
they
asked, “what
new
teaching
this
is
which
you
are
giving?
\VS{20}For
you
are
bringing
some
strange
things
to
our
notice,
and
we
should
like
to
know
what
they
mean.”
\VS{21}(All Athenians
and
the
foreigners
staying
in
the
city
found
no
time
for
anything
else
but
telling,
or
listening
to,
the
last
new
thing.)
\par }{\PP \VS{22}So
Paul
took
his
stand
in
the
middle
of
the
Court,
and
said – “People
of Athens,
on
every
hand
I
see
signs
of
your
being
very
devout.
\VS{23}For
as
I
was
going
about,
looking
at
your
sacred
shrines,
I
came
upon
an
altar
with
this
inscription – ‘To
an
Unknown
God.’
What,
therefore,
you
worship
in
ignorance,
that
I
am
now
proclaiming
to
you.
\VS{24}The
God
who
made
the
world
and
all
things
that
are
in
it –
he,
Lord
as
he
is
of
heaven
and
earth,
does
not
live
in
temples
made
by
hands,
\VS{25}neither
do
human
hands
minister
to
his
wants,
as
though
he
needed
anything,
since
he
himself
gives,
to
all,
life,
and
breath,
and
all
things.
\VS{26}He
made
all
races
of
the
earth’s
surface – fixing
a
time
for
their
rise
and
fall,
and
the
limits
of
their
settlements –
\VS{27}That
they
might
search
for
God,
if
by
any
means
they
might
feel
their
way
to
him
and
find
him.
And
yet
he
is
not
really
far
from
any
one
of
us;
\VS{28}for
in
him
we
live
and
move
and
are.
To
use
the
words
of
some
of
your
own
poets –
\par }{\Q ‘His
offspring,
too,
are
we.’
\par }{\MM \VS{29}Therefore,
as
the
offspring
of
God,
we
must
not
think
that
the
Deity
has
any
resemblance
to
anything
made
of
gold,
or
silver,
or
stone –
a
work
of
human
art
and
imagination.
\VS{30}True,
God
looked
with indulgence
on
the
days
of
people’s
ignorance,
but
now
he
is announcing
to
everyone
everywhere
the
need
for
repentance,
\VS{31}because
he
has
fixed
a
day
on
which
he
intends
to
judge
the
world
with
justice,
by
a
man
whom
he
has
appointed –
and
of
this
he
has
given
all
people
a
pledge
by
raising
this
man
from
the
dead.”
\par }{\PP \VS{32}On
hearing
of
a resurrection
of
the
dead,
some
began jeering,
but
others
said
that
they
wanted
to
hear
what
he
had
to
say
about
that
another
time.
\VS{33}And
so
Paul
left
the
Court.
\VS{34}There
were,
however,
some
people
who
joined
him,
and
became
believers
in Christ.
Among
them
were
Dionysius,
a
member
of
the
Court
of Areopagus,
a
woman
named
Damaris,
and
several
others.

\par }\Chap{18}{\PP \VerseOne{1}On
leaving Athens,
Paul
next
went
to
Corinth.
\VS{2}There
he
met
a
Jew
of
the
name
of Aquila,
from
Pontus,
who,
with
his
wife
Priscilla,
had
lately
come
from
Italy,
in consequence
of
the
order
which
had
been
issued
by
the Emperor
Claudius
for
all
Jews
to
leave
Rome.
Paul
paid
them
a
visit,
\VS{3}and,
since
their
trade
was
the
same
as
his,
he
stayed
and
worked
with
them –
their
trade
was tent-making.
\VS{4}Every
Sabbath
Paul
gave addresses
in
the
synagogue,
trying
to convince
both
Jews
and
Greeks.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}But,
when
Silas
and
Timothy
had
come
down
from
Macedonia,
Paul
devoted
himself
entirely
to
delivering
the
message,
earnestly maintaining
before
the
Jews
that
Jesus
was
the
Christ.
\VS{6}However,
as
they
set
themselves
against
him
and
became abusive,
Paul
shook
his
clothes
in
protest
and
said
to
them, “Your
blood
be
on
your
own
heads.
My
conscience
is
clear.
From
this
time
forward
I
will
go
to
the
Gentiles.”
\par }{\PP \VS{7}So
he
left,
and
went
to
the
house
of
a
certain
Titius
Justus,
who
had
been
accustomed
to
join
in
the
worship
of
God,
and
whose
house
was
next
door
to
the
synagogue.
\VS{8}Crispus,
the synagogue
leader,
came
to
believe
in
the
Lord,
and
so
did
all
his
household;
and
many
of
the
Corinthians,
as
they
listened
to
Paul,
became
believers
in
Christ
and
were baptized.
\VS{9}One
night
the
Lord
said
to
Paul,
in
a
vision,
{\WJ{“Have
no
fear,
but
continue
to
speak,
and
refuse
to
be
silenced;}}
\VS{10}{\WJ{
for
I
am
with
you,
and
no
one
will
do
you
harm,
for
I
have
many
people
in
this
city.”}}
\VS{11}So
he
settled
there
for
a
year
and
a
half,
and
taught
God’s
message
among
the
people.
\par }{\PP \VS{12}While
Gallio
was
governor
of
Greece,
some
of
the
Jewish
leaders
made
a combined
attack
on
Paul,
and
brought
him
before
the
Governor’s Bench,
\VS{13}charging
him
with persuading
people
to
worship
God
in
a
way
forbidden
by
the
Law.
\VS{14}Just
as
Paul
was
on
the
point
of
speaking,
Gallio
said
to
them, “If
this
were
a
case
of misdemeanor
or
some
serious
crime,
there
would
be
some
reason
for
my
listening
patiently
to
you;
\VS{15}but,
since
it
is
a
dispute
about
words,
and
names,
and
your
own
Law,
you
must
see
to
it
yourselves.
I
do
not
choose
to
be
a
judge
in
such
matters.”
\par }{\PP \VS{16}Saying
this,
he
drove
them
back
from
the Bench.
\VS{17}Then
they
all
set
on
Sosthenes,
the synagogue
leader,
and
beat
him
in
front
of
the Bench,
but
Gallio
did
not
trouble
himself
about
any
of
these
things.
\par }{\PP \VS{18}Paul
remained
there
some
time
after
this,
and
then
took
leave
of
the
followers,
and
sailed
to
Syria
with
Priscilla
and Aquila,
but
not
before
his
head
had
been
shaved
at Cenchreae,
because
he
was
under
a
vow.
\VS{19}They
put
into
Ephesus,
and
there
Paul,
leaving
his
companions,
went
into
the
synagogue
and
addressed
the
Jews.
\VS{20}When
they
asked
him
to
prolong
his
stay,
he
declined,
saying
however,
\VS{21}as
he
took
his
leave, “I
will
come
back
again
to
you,
please
God,”
and
then
set
sail
from
Ephesus.
\VS{22}On
reaching
Caesarea,
he
went
up
to
Jerusalem
and
exchanged greetings
with
the
church,
and
then
went
down
to Antioch.
\VS{23}After
making
some
stay
in Antioch,
he
set
out
on
a tour
through
the
Phrygian
district
of
Galatia,
strengthening
the
faith
of
all
the
disciples
as
he
went.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{24}Meanwhile
there
had
come
to
Ephesus
an Alexandrian
Jew,
named Apollos,
an
eloquent
man,
who
was
well-versed
in
the
scriptures.
\VS{25}He
had
been well-instructed
in
the
Way
of
the
Lord,
and
with
burning
zeal
he
spoke
of,
and
taught
carefully,
the facts
about
Jesus,
though
he
knew
of
no baptism
but
John’s.
\VS{26}This
man
began
to
speak
out fearlessly
in
the
synagogue;
and
when
Priscilla
and Aquila
heard
him,
they
took
him
home
and
explained
the
Way
of
God
to
him
more
carefully
still.
\VS{27}When
he
wanted
to
cross
to
Greece,
the
followers
furthered
his
plans,
and
wrote
to
the
disciples
there
to
welcome
him.
On
his
arrival
he
proved
of
great
assistance
to
those
who
had,
through
the
loving
kindness
of
God,
become
believers
in Christ,
\VS{28}for
he
vigorously confuted
the
Jews,
publicly proving
by
the
scriptures
that
Jesus
was
the
Christ.

\par }\Chap{19}{\PP \VerseOne{1}While Apollos
was
at
Corinth,
Paul
passed
through
the inland
districts
of Roman
Asia,
and
went
to
Ephesus.
There
he
found
some
disciples,
of
whom
he
asked,
\VS{2}“Did
you,
when
you
became
believers
in Christ,
receive
the
Holy
Spirit?”
\par }{\PP “No,”
they
answered, “we
did
not
even
hear
that
there
was
a
Holy
Spirit.”
\par }{\PP \VS{3}“What
then
was
your baptism?”
Paul
asked.
\VS{4}“John’s baptism
was
a baptism
on
repentance,”
rejoined
Paul, “and
John
told
the
people (speaking
of
the ‘one coming’
after
him)
that
they
should
believe
in
him –
that
is
in
Jesus.”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}On
hearing
this,
they
were baptized
in
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus,
\VS{6}and,
after
Paul
had
placed
his
hands
on
them,
the
Holy
Spirit
descended
on
them,
and
they
began
to
speak
in
other
languages
and
to
preach.
\VS{7}There
were
about
twelve
of
them
in
all.
\par }{\PP \VS{8}Paul
went
to
the
synagogue
there,
and
for
three
months
spoke
out fearlessly,
giving addresses
and
trying
to convince
his hearers,
about
the
kingdom
of
God.
\VS{9}Some
of
them,
however,
hardened
their
hearts
and
refused
to
believe, denouncing
the
Way
before
the
people.
So
Paul
left
them
and
withdrew
his
disciples,
and
gave
daily addresses
in
the lecture-hall
of
Tyrannus.
\VS{10}This
went
on
for
two
years,
so
that
all
who
lived
in Roman
Asia,
Jews
and
Greeks
alike,
heard
the
Lord’s
message.
\par }{\PP \VS{11}God
did
miracles
of
no
ordinary
kind
by
Paul’s
hands;
\VS{12}so
that
people
would
carry
home
to
the
sick
handkerchiefs
or
aprons
that
had
touched
his
body,
and
their
diseases
would
leave
them
and
the
wicked
spirits
go
out
of
them.
\VS{13}An
attempt
was
made
by
some
itinerant
Jews,
who
were
exorcists,
to
use
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus
over
those
who
had
wicked
spirits
in
them.
\par }{\PP “I
order
you,”
they
would
say, “by
the
Jesus,
whom
Paul
preaches.”
\VS{14}The
seven
sons
of
Sceva,
a
Jewish
chief
priest,
were
doing
this;
\VS{15}but
the
wicked
spirit
answered
them, “Jesus
I
acknowledge,
and
Paul
I
know,
but
you –
who
are
you?”
\par }{\PP \VS{16}Then
the
man,
in
whom
this
wicked
spirit
was,
sprang
on
them, mastered
both
of
them,
and
so
completely
overpowered
them,
that
they
fled
out
of
the
house,
stripped
of
their
clothes,
and
wounded.
\VS{17}This incident
came
to
the
knowledge
of
all
the
Jews
and
Greeks
living
at
Ephesus;
they
were
all awe-struck,
and
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus
was
held
in
the
highest
honor.
\VS{18}Many,
too,
of
those
who
had
become
believers
in Christ
came
with
a
full
confession
of
their
practices;
\VS{19}while
a
number
of
people,
who
had
practiced
magic,
collected
their
books
and
burnt
them
publicly;
and
on
reckoning
up
the
price
of
these,
they
found
it amounted
to
fifty
thousand
silver coins.
\VS{20}So irresistibly
did
the
Lord’s
message
spread
and
prevail.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{21}Sometime
after
these
events
Paul
resolved
to
go
through
Macedonia
and
Greece,
and
then
make
his
way
to
Jerusalem. “And
after
I
have
been
there,”
he
said, “I
must
visit
Rome
also.”
\VS{22}So
he
sent
to
Macedonia
two
of
his
helpers,
Timothy
and
Erastus,
while
he
himself
stayed
for
some
time
longer
in Roman
Asia.
\par }{\PP \VS{23}Just
about
that
time
a
great
disturbance
arose
about
the
Way.
\VS{24}A
silversmith
named
Demetrius,
who
made
silver models
of
the
shrine
of Artemis,
and
so
gave
a
great
deal
of
work
to
the
artisans,
\VS{25}got
these
men
together,
as
well
as
the
workmen
engaged
in
similar occupations,
and
said:
\par }{\PP “Men,
you
know
that
our
prosperity
depends
on
this
work,
\VS{26}and
you
see
and
hear
that
not
only
at
Ephesus,
but
in
almost
the
whole
of Roman
Asia,
this
Paul
has
convinced
and
won
over
great
numbers
of
people,
by
his assertion
that
those
Gods
which
are
made
by
hands
are
not
Gods
at
all.
\VS{27}So
that
not
only
is
this
business
of
ours likely
to
fall
into discredit,
but
there
is
the
further
danger
that
the
Temple
of
the
great
Goddess Artemis
will
be
thought
nothing
of,
and
that
she
herself
will
be
deprived
of
her
splendor –
though
all Roman
Asia
and
the
whole
world
worship
her.”
\par }{\PP \VS{28}When
they
heard
this,
the
men
were
greatly
enraged,
and
began
shouting – “Great
is Artemis
of
the
Ephesians!”
\VS{29}The
commotion
spread
through
the
whole
city,
and
the
people
rushed
together
into
the amphitheater,
dragging
with
them
Gaius
and Aristarchus,
two
Macedonians
who
were
Paul’s
traveling
companions.
\VS{30}Paul
wished
to
go
into
the amphitheater
and
face
the
people,
but
the
disciples
would
not
let
him,
\VS{31}while
some
of
the
chief religious
officials
of
the
province,
who
were
friendly
to
him,
sent
repeated entreaties
to
him
not
to
trust
himself
inside.
\VS{32}Meanwhile
some
were
shouting
one
thing
and
some
another,
for
the
Assembly
was
all
in
confusion,
most
of
those
present
not
even
knowing
why
they
had
met.
\VS{33}But
some
of
the
crowd
prompted Alexander,
whom
several
of
the
Jewish
leaders
had
pushed
to
the
front,
and
he
waved
his
hand
to
show
that
he
wanted
to
speak
in
their
defense
to
the
people.
\VS{34}However,
when
they
recognized
him
as
a
Jew,
one
cry
broke
from
them
all,
and
they
continued
shouting
for
two
hours – “Great
is Artemis
of
the
Ephesians!”
\par }{\PP \VS{35}When
the
Recorder
had
succeeded
in
quieting
the
crowd,
he
said, “People
of
Ephesus,
who
is
there,
I
ask
you,
who
needs
to
be
told
that
this
city
of
Ephesus
is
the
Warden
of
the
Temple
of
the
great Artemis,
and
of
the
statue
which
fell
down
from Zeus?
\VS{36}As
these
are undeniable facts,
you
ought
to
keep
calm
and
do
nothing
rash;
\VS{37}for
you
have
brought
these
men
here,
though
they
are
neither
robbers
of
Temples
nor blasphemers
of
our
Goddess.
\VS{38}If,
however,
Demetrius
and
the
artisans
who
are
acting
with
him
have
a
charge
to
make
against
anyone,
there
are
court
days
and
there
are
Magistrates;
let
both
parties
take
legal proceedings.
\VS{39}But
if
you
want
anything
more,
it
will
have
to
be
settled
in
the
regular
Assembly.
\VS{40}For
I
tell
you
that
we
are
in
danger
of
being
proceeded
against
for
today’s
riot,
there
being
nothing
to
account
for
it;
and
in
that
case
we
will
be
at
a
loss
to
give
any
reason
for
this
disorderly
gathering.”
\par }{\PP \VS{41}With
these
words
he
dismissed
the
Assembly.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{20}{\PP \VerseOne{1}When
the
uproar
had
ceased,
Paul
sent
for
the
disciples,
and,
with
encouraging
words,
bade
them goodbye,
and
started
on
his
journey
to
Macedonia.
\VS{2}After
going
through
those
districts
and
speaking
many
encouraging
words
to
the
disciples,
he
went
into
Greece,
where
he
stayed
three
months.
\VS{3}He
was
about
to
sail
to
Syria,
when
he
learned
that
a
plot
had
been
laid
against
him
by
several
of
the
Jewish
leaders;
so
he
decided
to
return
by
way
of
Macedonia.
\VS{4}He
was
accompanied
by
Sopater
the
son
of
Pyrrhus,
of Beroea, Aristarchus
and
Secundus
from
Thessalonica,
Gaius
of
Derbe,
and
Timothy,
as
well
as
by
Tychicus
and
Trophimus
of Roman Asia.
\VS{5}These
people
went
to
Troas
and
waited
for
us
there;
\VS{6}while
we
ourselves
sailed
from
Philippi
after
the
Passover,
and
joined
them
five
days
later
at
Troas,
where
we
stayed
for
a
week.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}On
the
first
day
of
the
week,
when
we
had
met
for
the
breaking
of
bread,
Paul,
who
was
intending
to
leave
the
next
day,
began
to
address
those
who
were
present,
and
prolonged
his
address
until
midnight.
\VS{8}There
were
a
good
many
lamps
in
the upstairs
room,
where
we
had
met;
\VS{9}and
a
young
man
named
Eutychus,
sitting
at
the
window,
was gradually
overcome
with
great
drowsiness,
as
Paul
continued
his
address.
At
last,
quite
overpowered
by
his
drowsiness,
he
fell
from
the
third
story
to
the
ground,
and
was
picked
up
for
dead.
\VS{10}But
Paul
went
down,
threw
himself
on
him,
and
put
his
arms
around
him.
\par }{\PP “Do
not
be
alarmed,”
he
said, “he
is
still
alive.”
\VS{11}Then
he
went upstairs;
and,
after
breaking
and partaking
of
the
bread,
he
talked
with
them
at
great
length
until
daybreak,
and
then
left.
\VS{12}Meanwhile
they
had
taken
the
lad
away
alive,
and
were
greatly
comforted.
\par }{\PP \VS{13}We
started
first,
went
on
board
ship,
and
sailed
for Assos,
intending
to
take
Paul
on
board
there.
This
was
by
his
own
arrangement,
as
he
intended
to
go
by
land
himself.
\VS{14}So,
when
he
met
us
at Assos,
we
took
him
on
board
and
went
on
to
Mitylene.
\VS{15}The
day
after
we
had
sailed
from
there,
we
arrived
off
Chios,
touched
at
Samos
the
following
day,
and
the
next
day
reached
Miletus;
\VS{16}for
Paul
had
decided
to
sail
past
Ephesus,
so
as
to
avoid
spending
much
time
in Roman
Asia.
He
was
making
haste
to
reach
Jerusalem,
if
possible,
by
the
Festival
at
the
close
of
the
Harvest.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{17}From
Miletus,
however,
he
sent
to
Ephesus
and
invited
the
church
elders
to
meet
him;
\VS{18}and,
when
they
came,
he
said
to
them, “You
know
well
the
life
that
I
always
led
among
you
from
the
very
first
day
that
I
set
foot
in Roman
Asia,
\VS{19}serving
the
Lord,
as
I
did,
in
all
humility,
amid
the
tears
and
trials
which
fell
to
my
lot
through
the
plots
of
some
of
the
Jewish
leaders.
\VS{20}I
never
shrank
from
telling
you
anything
that
could
be
helpful
to
you,
or
from
teaching
you
both
in
public
and
in
private.
\VS{21}I
earnestly pointed
both
Jews
and
Greeks
to
the
repentance
that
leads
to
God,
and
to
faith
in
Jesus,
our
Lord.
\VS{22}And
now,
under
spiritual
constraint,
I
am
here
on
my
way
to
Jerusalem,
not
knowing
what
will
happen
to
me
there,
\VS{23}except
that
in
town
after
town
the
Holy
Spirit
plainly
declares
to
me
that
imprisonment
and
troubles
await
me.
\VS{24}But
I
count
my
life
of
no
value
to
myself,
if
only
I
may
complete
the
course
marked
out
for
me,
and
the
task
that
was
allotted
me
by
the
Lord
Jesus –
which
was
to
declare
the
good
news
of
the
love
of
God.
\VS{25}And
now,
I
tell
you,
I
know
that
none
of
you
will
ever
see
my
face
again –
you
among
whom
I
have
gone
about
proclaiming
the
kingdom.
\VS{26}Therefore
I
declare
to
you
this
day,
that
my
conscience
is
clear
in
regard
to
the
fate
of
any
of
you,
\VS{27}for
I
have
not shrunk
from announcing
the
whole
purpose
of
God
regarding
you.
\VS{28}Be watchful
over
yourselves,
and
over
the
whole
flock,
of
which
the
Holy
Spirit
has
placed
you
in
charge,
to
shepherd
the
church
of
God,
which
he
won
for
himself
at
the
cost
of
his
life.
\VS{29}I
know
that,
after
my
departure,
merciless
wolves
will
get
in
among
you,
who
will
not
spare
the
flock;
\VS{30}and
from
among
yourselves,
too,
people
will
arise,
who
will
teach perversions
of
truth,
so
as
to
draw
away
the
disciples
after
them.
\VS{31}Therefore,
be
on
your
guard,
remembering
how
for
three
years,
night
and
day,
I
never
ceased,
even
with
tears,
to
warn
each
one
of
you.
\VS{32}And
now
I
commend
you
to
the
Lord
and
to
the
message
of
his
love –
a
message
which
has
the
power
to
build
up
your characters,
and
to
give
you
your
place
among
all
those
who
have
become Christ’s
people.
\VS{33}I
have
never
coveted
anyone’s
gold
or
silver
or
clothing.
\VS{34}You,
yourselves,
know
that
these
hands
of
mine
provided
not
only
for
my
own
wants,
but
for
my
companions
also.
\VS{35}I
left
nothing
undone
to
show
you
that,
laboring
as
I
labored,
you
ought
to
help
the
weak,
and
to
remember
the
words
of
the
Lord
Jesus,
how
he
said
himself –
{\WJ{‘It
is
more
blessed
to
give
than
to
receive.’ ”}}
\VS{36}When
Paul
had
finished
speaking,
he
knelt
down
and
prayed
with
them
all.
\VS{37}All
were
in
tears;
and
throwing
their
arms
around
Paul’s
neck,
they
kissed
him
again
and
again,
\VS{38}grieving
most
of
all
over
what
he
had
said –
that
they
would
never
see
his
face
again.
Then
they
escorted
him
to
the
ship.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{21}{\PP \VerseOne{1}When
we
had
torn
ourselves
away
and
had
set
sail,
we
ran
before
the
wind
to
Cos;
the
next
day
we
came
to
Rhodes,
and
from
there
to
Patara,
\VS{2}where
we
found
a
ship
crossing
to
Phoenicia,
and
went
on
board
and
set
sail.
\VS{3}After sighting
Cyprus
and
leaving
it
on
the
left,
we
sailed
to
Syria,
and
put
into
Tyre,
where
the
ship
was
to
discharge
her
cargo.
\VS{4}There
we
found
the
disciples
and
stayed
a
week
with
them.
Speaking
under
the
influence
of
the
Spirit,
they
warned
Paul
not
to
set
foot
in
Jerusalem.
\VS{5}However,
when
we
had
come
to
the
end
of
our
visit,
we
went
on
our
way,
all
the
disciples
with
their
wives
and
children escorting
us
out
of
the
city.
We
knelt
down
on
the beach,
and
prayed,
\VS{6}and
then
said goodbye
to
one
another;
after
which
we
went
on
board,
and
they
returned
home.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}After
we
had
made
the
run
from
Tyre,
we
landed
at
Ptolemais,
and
exchanged greetings
with
the
followers
there,
and
spent
a
day
with
them.
\VS{8}The
next
day
we
left,
and
reached
Caesarea,
where
we
went
to
the
house
of
Philip,
the missionary,
who
was
one
of
the
Seven,
and
stayed
with
him.
\VS{9}He
had
four
unmarried
daughters,
who
had
the
gift
of
prophecy.
\VS{10}During
our
visit,
which
lasted
several
days,
a
prophet,
named Agabus,
came
down
from
Judea.
\VS{11}He
came
to
see
us,
and,
taking
Paul’s
belt,
and
binding
his
own
feet
and
hands
with
it,
said, “This
is
what
the
Holy
Spirit
says – ‘The
man
to
whom
this
belt
belongs
will
be
bound
like
this
by
the religious
authorities
in
Jerusalem,
and
they
will
give
him
up
to
the Gentiles’.”
\VS{12}When
we
heard
that,
we
and
the
people
of
the
place
began
to
entreat
Paul
not
to
go
up
to
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP \VS{13}It
was
then
that
Paul
made
the
reply, “Why
are
you
weeping
and
breaking
my
heart
like
this?
For
my
part,
I
am
ready
not
only
to
be
bound,
but
even
to
suffer
death
at
Jerusalem
for
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus.”
\VS{14}So,
as
he
would
not
be
persuaded,
we
said
no
more
to
him,
only
adding – “The
Lord’s
will
be
done.”
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{15}At
the
end
of
our
visit,
we
made
our
preparations,
and
started
on
our
way
up
to
Jerusalem.
\VS{16}Some
of
the
disciples
from
Caesarea
went
with
us,
and
brought
Mnason
with
them,
a Cypriot
disciple
of
long
standing,
with
whom
we
were
to
stay.
\VS{17}On
our
arrival
at
Jerusalem,
the
followers
of
the
Lord
there
gave
us
a
hearty
welcome;
\VS{18}and
the
next
day
Paul
went
with
us
to
see
James,
and
all
the church
elders
were
present.
\VS{19}After greeting
them,
Paul
related
in
detail
all
that
God
had
done
among
the
Gentiles
through
his
efforts;
\VS{20}and,
when
they
had
heard
it,
they
began
praising
God,
and
said
to
Paul:
\par }{\PP “You
see,
brother,
that
those
of
our
people
who
have
become
believers
in Christ
may
be
numbered
by
tens
of
thousands,
and
they
are
all naturally
earnest
in upholding
the
Jewish
Law.
\VS{21}Now
they
have
heard
it
said
about
you,
that
you
teach
all
of
our
people
in
foreign
countries
to
forsake
Moses,
for
you
tell
them
not
to
circumcise
their
children
or
even
to
observe
Jewish
customs.
\VS{22}Well
now,
as
they
are
certain
to
hear
of
your
arrival,
do
what
we
are
going
to suggest.
\VS{23}We
have
four
men
here,
who
have
of
their
own
accord
put
themselves
under
a
vow.
\VS{24}Join
these
men,
share
their
purification,
and
bear
their
expenses,
so
that
they
may
shave
their
heads;
and
then
all
will
see
that
there
is
no
truth
in
what
they
have
been
told
about
you,
but
that,
on
the
contrary,
you
yourself
rule
your
life
in
obedience
to
the
Jewish
Law.
\VS{25}As
to
the
Gentiles
who
have
become
believers
in Christ,
we
have
sent
our
decision
that
they
should
avoid
food
offered
to
idols,
and
blood,
and
the
flesh
of
strangled
animals,
and
impurity.”
\par }{\PP \VS{26}Paul
joined
the
men,
and
the
next
day
shared
their
purification,
and
went
into
the
Temple,
and
gave
notice
of
the expiration
of
the
period
of
purification
when
the
usual
offering
should
have
been
made
on
behalf
of
each
of
them.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{27}But,
just
as
the
seven
days
were
drawing
to
a
close,
some
of
the
Jewish
people
from Roman
Asia
caught
sight
of
Paul
in
the
Temple,
and
caused
great excitement
among
all
the
people
present,
by
seizing
Paul
and
shouting,
\VS{28}“People
of
Israel!
Help!
This
is
the
man
who
teaches
everyone
everywhere
against
our
people,
our
Law,
and
this
place;
and,
what
is
more,
he
has
actually
brought
Greeks
into
the
Temple
and
defiled
this
sacred
place.”
\VS{29}(For
they
had
previously
seen
Trophimus
the
Ephesian
in
Paul’s
company
in
the
city,
and
were
under
the
belief
that
Paul
had
taken
him
into
the
Temple.)
\par }{\PP \VS{30}The
whole
city
was
stirred,
and
the
people
quickly
collected,
seized
Paul,
and
dragged
him
out
of
the
Temple,
when
the
doors
were
immediately
shut.
\VS{31}They
were
bent
on
killing
him,
when
it
was
reported
to
the
officer
commanding
the
garrison,
that
all
Jerusalem
was
in
commotion.
\VS{32}He
instantly
got
together
some
officers
and
soldiers,
and
charged
down
on
the
crowd,
who,
when
they
saw
the
commanding
officer
and
his
soldiers,
stopped
beating
Paul.
\VS{33}Then
he
went
up
to
Paul,
arrested
him,
ordered
him
to
be
doubly chained,
and
proceeded
to
inquire
who
he
was,
and
what
he
had
been
doing.
\VS{34}Some
of
the
crowd
said
one
thing,
and
some
another;
and,
as
he
could
get
no
definite
reply
because
of
the
uproar,
he
ordered
Paul
to
be
taken
into
the
barracks.
\VS{35}When
Paul
reached
the
steps,
he
was
actually
being
carried
by
the
soldiers, owing
to
the
violence
of
the
mob;
\VS{36}for
the
people
were
following
in
a
mass,
shouting
out, “Kill
him!”
\par }{\PP \VS{37}Just
as
he
was
about
to
be
taken
into
the
Fort,
Paul
said
to
the
commanding
officer, “May
I
speak
to
you?”
\par }{\PP “Do
you
know
Greek?”
asked
the
commanding
officer.
\VS{38}“Aren’t
you,
then,
the
Egyptian
who
some
time
ago
raised
an
insurrection
and
led
the
four
thousand
Bandits
out
into
the
wilderness?”
\par }{\PP \VS{39}“No,”
said
Paul, “I
am
a
Jew
of
Tarsus
in
Cilicia,
a
citizen
of
a
city
of
some
note.
I
beg
you
to
give
me
permission
to
speak
to
the
people.”
\par }{\PP \VS{40}The
commanding
officer
gave
his
permission,
and
Paul,
standing
on
the
steps,
made
signs
with
his
hand
to
the
people,
and,
when comparative
silence
had
been
obtained,
he
said
to
them
in
Hebrew:

\par }\Chap{22}{\PP \VerseOne{1}“Brothers
and
fathers,
listen
to
the
defense
which
I
am
about
to
make.”
\VS{2}When
they
heard
that
he
was
speaking
to
them
in
Hebrew,
they
were
still
more
quiet;
and
Paul
went
on:
\par }{\PP \VS{3}“I
am
a
Jew,
from
Tarsus
in
Cilicia,
but
I
was
brought
up
in
this
city
under
the
teaching
of
Gamaliel,
and
educated
in
accordance
with
the strict system
of
our
ancestral
Law.
I
was
as
zealous
in
God’s
service
as
any
of
you
who
are
here
today.
\VS{4}In
my
persecution
of
this
Way
I
did
not
stop
even
at
the
taking
of
life.
I
put
in
chains,
and
imprisoned,
men
and
women
alike –
\VS{5}And
to
that
the
high
priest
himself
and
all
the
council
of
elders
can
testify.
For
I
had
letters
of introduction
from
them
to
our
fellow
Jews
at
Damascus,
and
I
was
on
my
way
to
that
place,
to
bring
those
whom
I
might
find
there
prisoners
to
Jerusalem
for
punishment.
\VS{6}While
I
was
still
on
my
way,
just
as
I
was
getting
close
to
Damascus,
about
midday,
suddenly
there
flashed
from
the
heavens
a
great
light
all
around
me.
\VS{7}I
fell
to
the
ground,
and
heard
a
voice
saying
to
me
{\WJ{‘Saul,
Saul,
why
are
you
persecuting
me?’}}
\VS{8}‘Who
are
you,
Lord?’
I
replied.
Then
the
voice
said
{\WJ{‘I
am
Jesus
of
Nazareth
whom
you
are
persecuting.’}}
\VS{9}The
men
with
me
saw
the
light,
but
did
not
hear
the speaker’s
voice.
\VS{10}Then
I
said ‘What
am
I
to
do,
Lord?’
{\WJ{‘Get
up
and
go
into
Damascus,’}}
The
Lord
said
to
me,
{\WJ{‘and
there
you
will
be
told
all
that
you
have
been
appointed
to
do.’}}
\VS{11}In consequence
of
that
dazzling
light
I
could
not
see,
but
my
companions
held
me
by
the
hand,
until
I
reached
Damascus.
\VS{12}There
a
man
named Ananias,
a strict observer
of
our
Law,
well
spoken
of
by
all
the
Jewish
inhabitants,
came
to
see
me.
\VS{13}Standing
close
to
me,
he
said ‘Saul,
my
brother,
recover
your
sight.’
And
then
and
there
I
recovered
my
sight
and
looked
up
at
him.
\VS{14}Then
he
said ‘The
God
of
our
ancestors
has
appointed
you
to
learn
his
will,
and
to
see
the
righteous
one,
and
to
hear
words
from
his
lips;
\VS{15}for
you
will
be
a
witness
for
him
to
all
the
world
of
what
you
have
just
seen
and
heard.
\VS{16}And
now
why
wait
any
longer,
Be baptized
at
once,
wash
away
your
sins,
and
invoke
his
name.’
\VS{17}After
my
return
to
Jerusalem,
while
I
was
praying
one
day
in
the
Temple,
I
fell
into
a
trance,
\VS{18}and
saw
Jesus
saying
to
me
{\WJ{‘Make
haste
and
leave
Jerusalem
at
once,
because
they
will
not
accept
your
testimony
about
me.’}}
\VS{19}‘Lord,’
I
answered, ‘these
people
know
that
I
used
to
imprison
and
scourge,
in
synagogue
after
synagogue,
those
who
believed
in
you;
\VS{20}and,
when
the
blood
of
your
martyr,
Stephen,
was
being
shed,
I
was
myself
standing
by,
approving
of
his
death,
and
took
charge
of
the
clothes
of
those
who
were murdering
him.’
\VS{21}But
Jesus
said
to
me
{\WJ{‘Go;
for
I
will
send
you
to
the
Gentiles
far away’.”}}
\par }{\PP \VS{22}Up
to
this
point
the
people
had
been
listening
to
Paul,
but
at
these
words
they
called
out, “Kill
him!
A
fellow
like
this
ought
not
to
have
been
allowed
to
live!”
\VS{23}As
they
were
shouting,
tearing
off
their
clothes,
and
throwing
dust
in
the
air,
\VS{24}the
commanding
officer
ordered
Paul
to
be
taken
into
the
Fort,
and
directed
that
he
should
be
examined
under
the lash
so
that
he
might
find
out
the
reason
for
their
outcry
against
him.
\par }{\PP \VS{25}But
just
as
they
had
tied
him
up
to
be
scourged,
Paul
said
to
the
centurion
standing
near, “Is
it
legal
for
you
to
scourge
a
Roman
citizen, unconvicted?”
\VS{26}On
hearing
this,
the
centurion
went
and
reported
it
to
the
commanding
officer. “Do
you
know
what
you
are
doing?”
he
said. “This
man
is
a
Roman
citizen.”
\VS{27}So
the
commanding
officer
went
up
to
Paul
and
said, “Tell
me,
are
you
a
Roman
citizen?”
\par }{\PP “Yes,”
replied
Paul.
\VS{28}“I
had
to
pay
a
heavy
price
for
my
position
as
citizen,”
said
the
officer. “I
am
one
by
birth,”
rejoined
Paul.
\par }{\PP \VS{29}The
men
who
were
to
have
examined
Paul
immediately
drew
back,
and
the
officer,
finding
that
Paul
was
a
Roman
citizen,
was
alarmed
at
having
put
him
in
chains.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{30}On
the
next
day
the
commanding
officer,
wishing
to
find
out
the real
reason
why
Paul
was
denounced
by
the
Jewish
leaders,
had
his
chains
taken
off,
and
directed
the
chief
priests
and
the
whole
of
the
High
Council
to
assemble,
and
then
took
Paul
down
and
brought
him
before
them.

\par }\Chap{23}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Paul
fixed
his
eyes
on
the
Council,
and
began:
\par }{\PP “Brothers,
for
my
part,
I
have
always
ordered
my
life
before
God,
with
a
clear
conscience,
up
to
this
very
day.”
\VS{2}At
this,
the
high
priest Ananias
ordered
the
men
standing
near
to
strike
him
on
the
mouth;
\VS{3}Paul
turned
to
him
and
said:
\par }{\PP “God
will
strike
you,
you
whitewashed
wall!
Are
you
sitting
there
to
try
me
in
accordance
with
law,
and
yet,
in
defiance
of
law,
order
me
to
be
struck?”
\VS{4}The
people
standing
near
said
to
Paul, “Do
you
know
that
you
are insulting
God’s
high
priest?”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}“I
did
not
know,
brothers,
that
it
was
the
high
priest,”
said
Paul, “for
scripture
says –
\par }{\Q ‘Of
the
ruler
of
your
people
you
should
speak
no ill’.”
\par }{\MM \VS{6}Noticing
that
some
of
those
present
were
Sadducees
and
others
Pharisees,
Paul
called
out
in
the
Council, “Brothers,
I
am
a
Pharisee
and
a
son
of
Pharisees.
It
is
on
the
question
of
hope
for
the
dead
and
of
their resurrection
that
I
am
on
my
trial.”
\par }{\PP \VS{7}As
soon
as
he
said
this,
a
dispute
arose
between
the
Pharisees
and
the
Sadducees;
and
there
was
a
sharp
division
of
opinion
among
those
present.
\VS{8}(For
Sadducees
say
there
is
no
such
thing
as
a resurrection,
and
that
there
is
neither
angel
nor
spirit,
while
Pharisees
believe
in
both.)
\VS{9}So
a
great
uproar ensued,
and
some
of
the
Teachers
of
the
Law belonging
to
the
Pharisees’
party
stood
up
and
hotly
protested, “We
find
nothing
whatever
wrong
in
this
man.
Suppose
a
spirit
did
speak
to
him,
or
an
angel…”
\VS{10}The
dispute
was
becoming
so
violent,
that
the
commanding
officer,
fearing
that
Paul
would
be
torn
in
pieces
between
them,
ordered
the
Guard
to
go
down
and
rescue
him
from
them,
and
take
him
into
the
Fort.
\par }{\PP \VS{11}That
night
the
Lord
came
and
stood
by
Paul,
and
said,
{\WJ{“Courage!
You
have
borne
witness
for
me
in
Jerusalem
and
you
must
bear
witness
in
Rome
also.”}}
\VS{12}In
the
morning
some
Jewish
men combined
together,
and
took
an
oath
that
they
would
not
eat
or
drink
until
they
had
killed
Paul.
\VS{13}There
were
more
than
forty
in
the
plot;
\VS{14}and
they
went
to
the
chief
priests
and
the
elders,
and
said, “We
have
taken
a
solemn
oath
not
to
touch
food
until
we
have
killed
Paul.
\VS{15}So
we
want
you
now,
with
the
consent
of
the
Council,
to suggest
to
the
commanding
officer
that
he
should
bring
Paul
down
before
you,
as
though
you
intended
to
go
more
fully
into
his
case;
but,
before
he
comes
here,
we
will
be
ready
to
make
away
with
him.”
\par }{\PP \VS{16}However,
the
son
of
Paul’s
sister,
hearing
of
the
plot,
went
to
the
Fort,
and
on
being admitted,
told
Paul
about
it.
\VS{17}Paul
called
one
of
the
garrison
centurion
and
asked
him
to
take
the
lad
to
the
commanding
officer,
as
he
had
something
to
tell
him.
\VS{18}The centurion
went
with
the
lad
to
the
commanding
officer,
and
said, “The
prisoner
Paul
called
me
and
asked
me
to
bring
this
lad
to
you,
as
he
has
something
to
tell
you.”
\par }{\PP \VS{19}The
commanding
officer
took
the
lad
by
the
hand,
and, stepping
aside,
asked
what
it
was
he
had
to
tell
him.
\VS{20}“Some
men
have
agreed,”
answered
the
lad, “to
ask
you
to
bring
Paul
down
before
the
Council
tomorrow,
on
the
plea
of
your
making
further
inquiry
into
his
case.
\VS{21}But
do
not
let
them
persuade
you,
for
more
than
forty
of
them
are
lying
in
wait
for
him,
who
have
taken
an
oath
that
they
will
not
eat
or
drink,
until
they
have
made
away
with
him;
and
they
are
at
this
very
moment
in
readiness,
counting
on
your
promise.”
\VS{22}The
commanding
officer
then
dismissed
the
lad, cautioning
him
not
to
mention
to anybody
that
he
had
given
him
that
information.
\VS{23}Then
he
called
two
Captains,
and
ordered
them
to
have
two
hundred
soldiers
ready
to
go
to
Caesarea,
as
well
as
seventy troopers
and
two
hundred lancers,
by
nine o’clock
that
night,
\VS{24}and
to
have
horses
ready
for
Paul
to
ride,
so
that
they
might
take
him
safely
to
Felix,
the
Governor.
\VS{25}He
also
wrote
a
letter
along
these
lines:
\par }{\Q \VS{26}‘Claudius
Lysias
sends
his
compliments
to
His
Excellency
Felix
the
Governor.
\VS{27}The
man
whom
I
send
with
this
had
been
seized
by
some
Jews,
and
was
on
the
point
of
being
killed
by
them,
when
I
came
upon
them
with
the
force
under
my
command,
and
rescued
him,
as
I
learned
that
he
was
a
Roman
citizen.
\VS{28}Wanting
to
know
exactly
the
ground
of
the
charges
they
made
against
him,
I
brought
him
before
their
Council,
\VS{29}when
I
found
that
their
charges
were
connected
with
questions
of
their
own
Law,
and
that
there
was
nothing alleged
involving
either
death
or
imprisonment.
\VS{30}Having,
however,
information
of
a
plot
against
the
man,
which
was
about
to
be
put
into
execution,
I
am
sending
him
to
you
at
once,
and
I
have
also
directed
his
accusers
to prosecute
him
before
you.’
\par }{\MM \VS{31}The
soldiers,
in
accordance
with
their
orders,
took
charge
of
Paul
and
conducted
him
by
night
to Antipatris;
\VS{32}and
on
the
next
day,
leaving
the troopers
to
go
on
with
him,
they
returned
to
the
Fort.
\VS{33}On
arriving
at
Caesarea,
the troopers
delivered
the
letter
to
the
Governor,
and
brought
Paul
before
him.
\VS{34}As
soon
as Felix
had
read
the
letter,
he
enquired
to
what
province
Paul
belonged,
and,
learning
that
he
came
from
Cilicia,
he
said,
\VS{35}“I
will
hear
all
you
have
to
say
as
soon
as
your
accusers
have
arrived.”
And
he
ordered
Paul
to
be
kept
under
guard
in
Herod’s
Government
house.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{24}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Five
days
afterward
the
high
priest Ananias
came
down
with
some
of
the
elders
and
a barrister
named
Tertullus.
They
laid
an
information
with
the
Governor
against
Paul;
\VS{2}and,
when
the
hearing
came
on,
Tertullus
began
his
speech
for
the prosecution.
\VS{3}“We owe
it
to
your
Excellency,”
he
said, “that
we
are enjoying
profound
peace,
and
we owe
it
to
your
foresight
that
this
nation
is
constantly securing
reforms – advantages
which
we
very
gratefully
accept
at
all
times
and
places.
\VS{4}But –
not
to
be
tedious –
I
beg
you,
with
your
accustomed
fairness,
to
listen
to
a
brief
statement
of
our
case.
\VS{5}We
have
found
this
man
a
public
pest;
he
is
one
who
stirs
up
disputes
among
our
people
all
the
world
over,
and
is
a
ringleader
of
the
Nazarene heretics.
\VS{6}He
even
attempted
to
desecrate
the
Temple
itself,
but
we
caught
him;
\VS{7}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 24:7 }
Some later manuscripts add: We wanted to judge him according to our law. But Lysias the commanding officer came and took him out of our hands by force, ordering his accusers to come before you.}
\VS{8}and
you
will
be
able,
by examining
him
on
all
these
points,
to
satisfy
yourself
as
to
the
charges
which
we
are
bringing
against
him.”
\par }{\PP \VS{9}The
Jewish
crowd
also
joined
in
the
attack
and
bore
out
his
statements.
\VS{10}On
a
sign
from
the
Governor,
Paul
made
this
reply:
\par }{\PP “Knowing,
as
I
do,
for
how
many
years
you
have
acted
as
judge
to
this
nation,
it
is
with
confidence
that
I
undertake
my
own
defense.
\VS{11}For
you
can
easily
verify
that
it
is
not
more
than
twelve
days
ago
that
I
went
up
to
worship
at
Jerusalem,
\VS{12}where
my prosecutors
never
found
me
holding discussions
with
anyone,
or
causing
a
crowd
to
collect –
either
in
the
Temple,
or
in
the
synagogues,
or
about
the
city;
\VS{13}and
they
cannot
establish
the
charges
which
they
are
now
making
against
me.
\VS{14}This,
however,
I
do
acknowledge
to
you,
that
it
is
as
a believer
in
the
Way
which
they
call heretical,
that
I
worship
the
God
of
my
ancestors.
At
the
same
time,
I
believe
everything
that
is
in
accordance
with
the
Law
and
that
is
written
in
the
prophets;
\VS{15}and
I
have
a
hope
that
rests
in
God –
a
hope
which
they
also
cherish –
that
there
will
one
day
be
a resurrection
of
good
and
bad
alike.
\VS{16}This
being
so,
I
strive
at
all
times
to
keep
my
conscience
clear
before
both
God
and
people.
\VS{17}After
some
years’ absence
I
had
come
to
bring charitable
gifts
to
my
nation,
and
to
make
offerings;
\VS{18}and
it
was
while
engaged
in
this
that
they
found
me
in
the
Temple,
after completing
a
period
of
purification,
but
not
with
any
crowd
or disorder.
\VS{19}There
were,
however,
some
Jews
from Roman Asia
who
ought
to
have
been
here
before
you,
and
to
have
made
any
charge
that
they
may
have
against
me –
\VS{20}Or
else
let
my
opponents
here
say
what
they
found
wrong
in
me
when
I
was
before
the
Council,
\VS{21}except
as
to
the
one
sentence
that
I
shouted
out
as
I
stood
among
them – ‘It
is
about
the resurrection
of
the
dead
that
I
am
on
my
trial
before
you today’.”
\par }{\PP \VS{22}Felix,
however, adjourned
the
case –
though
he
had
a
fairly
accurate
knowledge
of
all
that
concerned
the
Way –
with
the
promise, “When
Lysias,
the
commanding
officer,
comes
down,
I
will
give
my
decision
in
your
case.”
\VS{23}So
he
gave
orders
to
the
centurion
in
charge
of
Paul
to
keep
him
in
custody,
but
to
relax
the
regulations,
and
not
to
prevent
any
of
his
personal
friends
from
attending
to
his
wants.
\par }{\PP \VS{24}Some
days
later
Felix
came
with
his
wife
Drusilla,
who
was
Jewish,
and,
sending
for
Paul,
listened
to
what
he
had
to
say
about
faith
in
Christ
Jesus.
\VS{25}But,
while
Paul
was
speaking
at
length
about
righteousness,
self-control,
and
the
coming
judgment,
Felix
became
terrified,
and interrupted
him – “Go
for
the
present,
but,
when
I
find
an
opportunity,
I
will
send
for
you
again.”
\VS{26}He
was
hoping,
too,
for
a
bribe
from
Paul,
and
so
he
used
to
send
for
him
frequently
and
talk
with
him.
\VS{27}But,
after
the
lapse
of
two
years,
Felix
was
succeeded
by
Porcius
Festus;
and,
wishing
to
gain popularity
with
the
Jewish
leaders,
he
left
Paul
a
prisoner.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{25}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Three
days
after
Festus
had
arrived
in
his
province,
he
left
Caesarea
and
went
up
to
Jerusalem.
\VS{2}There
the
chief
priests
and
the
leading
men
among
the
Jews
laid
an
information
before
him
against
Paul,
\VS{3}and
asked
a
favor
of
him,
to Paul’s
injury –
to
have
Paul
brought
to
Jerusalem.
All
the
while
they
were
plotting
to
make
away
with
him
on
the
road.
\VS{4}But
Festus
answered
that
Paul
was
in
prison
at
Caesarea,
and
that
he
himself
would
be
leaving
for
that
place
shortly.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}“So
let
the
influential
men
among
you,”
he
said, “go
down
with
me,
and
if
there
is
anything
amiss
in
the
man,
charge
him formally
with
it.”
\VS{6}After
staying
among
them
some
eight
or
ten
days, Festus
went
down
to
Caesarea.
The
next
day
he
took
his
seat
on
the Bench,
and
ordered
Paul
to
be
brought
before
him.
\VS{7}On Paul’s
appearance,
the
Jewish
leaders
who
had
come
down
from
Jerusalem
surrounded
him,
and
made
many
serious
charges,
which
they
failed
to
establish.
\VS{8}Paul’s
answer
to
the
charge
was – ‘I
have
not
committed
any
offense
against
the
Jewish
Law,
or
the
Temple,
or
the Emperor.’
\VS{9}But,
as
Festus
wished
to
gain popularity
with
the
Jews,
he interrupted
Paul
with
the
question, “Are
you
willing
to
go
up
to
Jerusalem
and
be
tried
on
these
charges
before
me
there?”
\par }{\PP \VS{10}“No,”
replied
Paul, “I
am
standing
at
the Emperor’s
court,
where
I
ought
to
be
tried.
I
have
not
wronged
the
Jews,
as
you
yourself
are
well
aware.
\VS{11}If,
however,
I
am
breaking
the
law
and
have
committed
any
offense
deserving
death,
I
do
not
ask
to
escape
the
penalty;
but,
if
there
is
nothing
in
the
accusations
of
these
people,
no
one
has
the
power
to
give
me
up
to
them.
I
appeal
to
the Emperor.”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}Festus,
after conferring
with
his
Council,
answered, “You
have
appealed
to
the Emperor;
to
the Emperor
you
will
go.”
\par }{\PP \VS{13}Some
days
later
King Agrippa
and Bernice
came
down
to
Caesarea,
and
paid
a
visit
of congratulation
to
Festus;
\VS{14}and,
as
they
were
staying
there
for
several
days,
Festus
laid
Paul’s
case
before
the
king. “There
is
a
man
here,”
he
said, “left
a
prisoner
by
Felix,
\VS{15}about
whom,
when
I
came
to
Jerusalem,
the
Jewish
chief
priest
and
the
elders
laid
an
information, demanding
judgment
against
him.
\VS{16}My
answer
to
them
was,
that
it
was
not
the
practice
of
Romans
to
give
up
anyone
to
their
accusers
until
the
accused
had
met
them
face
to
face,
and
had
also
had
an
opportunity
of
answering
the
charges
brought
against
them.
\VS{17}So
they
met
here,
and
without
loss
of
time
I
took
my
seat
on
the Bench
the
very
next
day,
and
ordered
the
man
to
be
brought
before
me.
\VS{18}But,
when
his
accusers
came
forward,
they
brought
no
charge
of
wrongdoing
such
as
I
had
expected;
\VS{19}but
I
found
that
there
were
certain
questions
in
dispute
between
them
about
their
own
religion,
and
about
some
dead
man
called
Jesus,
whom
Paul
declared
to
be
alive.
\VS{20}And,
as
I
was
at
a
loss
how
to
enquire
into
questions
of
this
kind,
I
asked
Paul
if
he
were
willing
to
go
up
to
Jerusalem,
and
be
put
on
trial
there.
\VS{21}Paul,
however,
appealed
to
have
his
case
reserved
for
the
consideration
of
his August
Majesty,
so
I
ordered
him
to
be
detained
in
custody,
until
I
could
send
him
to
the
Emperor.”
\par }{\PP \VS{22}“I
should
like
to
hear
this
man
myself,” Agrippa
said
to
Festus.
\par }{\PP “You
will
hear
him
tomorrow,”
Festus
answered.
\par }{\PP \VS{23}So
the
next
day,
when Agrippa
and Bernice
had
come
in
full
state
and
had
entered
the
Audience
Chamber,
with
the
superior
officers
and
the
principal
people
of
the
city,
by
the
order
of
Festus
Paul
was
brought
before
them.
\VS{24}Then
Festus
said, “King Agrippa,
and
all
here
present,
you
see
before
you
the
man
about
whom
the
whole
Jewish
people
have
applied
to
me,
both
at
Jerusalem
and
here,
loudly
asserting
that
he
ought
not
to
be
allowed
to
live.
\VS{25}I
found,
however,
that
he
had
not
done
anything
deserving
death;
so,
as
he
had
himself
appealed
to
his August
Majesty,
I
decided
to
send
him.
\VS{26}But
I
have
nothing
definite
to
write
about
him
to
my Imperial
Master;
and
for
that
reason
I
have
brought
him
before
you
all,
and
especially
before
you,
King Agrippa,
that,
after examining
him,
I
may
have
something
to
write.
\VS{27}For
it
seems
to
me absurd
to
send
a
prisoner,
without
at
the
same
time stating
the
charges
made
against
him.”

\par }\Chap{26}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Turning
to
Paul, Agrippa
said, “You
are
at
liberty
to
speak
for
yourself.”
Then
Paul
stretched
out
his
hand
and
began
his
defense.
\VS{2}“I
have
been congratulating
myself,
King Agrippa,”
he
said, “that
it
is
before
you
that
I
have
to
make
my
defense
today,
with
regard
to
all
the
charges
brought
against
me
by
my
own
people,
\VS{3}especially
as
you
are
so well-versed
in
all
the
customs
and
questions
of
the
Jewish
world.
I
beg
you
therefore
to
give
me
a
patient
hearing.
\VS{4}My
life,
then,
from
youth
upwards,
was
passed,
from
the
very
first,
among
my
own
nation,
and
in
Jerusalem,
and
is
within
the
knowledge
of
all
Jews;
\VS{5}and
they
have
always
known –
if
they
choose
to
give
evidence –
that,
in
accordance
with
the
very strictest
form
of
our
religion,
I
lived
a
true
Pharisee.
\VS{6}Even
now,
it
is
because
of
my
hope
in
the
promise
given
by
God
to
our
ancestors
that
I
stand
here
on
my
trial –
\VS{7}A
promise
which
our
twelve
tribes,
by
earnest
service
night
and
day,
hope
to
see
fulfilled.
It
is
for
this
hope,
your
Majesty,
that
I
am
accused –
and
by
Jews
themselves!
\VS{8}Why
do
you
all
hold
it incredible
that
God
should
raise
the
dead?
\VS{9}I
myself,
it
is
true,
once
thought
it
my
duty
to
oppose
in
every
way
the
name
of
Jesus
of
Nazareth;
\VS{10}and
I
actually
did
so
at
Jerusalem.
Acting
on
the
authority
of
the
chief
priests,
I
myself
threw
many
of
the
people
of Christ
into
prison,
and,
when
it
was
proposed
to
put
them
to
death,
I
gave
my
vote
for
it.
\VS{11}Time
after
time,
in
every
synagogue,
I
tried
by
punishments
to
force
them
to
blaspheme.
So frantic
was
I
against
them,
that
I
pursued
them
even
to
towns
beyond
our
borders.
\VS{12}It
was
while
I
was
traveling
to
Damascus
on
an
errand
of
this
kind,
entrusted
with
full
powers
by
the
chief
priests,
\VS{13}that
at
midday,
your
Majesty,
I
saw
right
in
my
path,
coming
from
the
heavens,
a
light
brighter
than
the
glare
of
the
sun,
which
shone
all
around
me
and
those
traveling
with
me.
\VS{14}We
all
fell
to
the
ground,
and
then
I
heard
a
voice
saying
to
me
in
Hebrew –
{\WJ{‘Saul,
Saul,
why
are
you
persecuting
me?
By kicking
against
the
goad
you
are
punishing
yourself.’}}
\VS{15}‘Who
are
you,
Lord?’
I
asked.
And
the
Lord
said,
{\WJ{‘I
am
Jesus,
whom
you
are
persecuting;}}
\VS{16}{\WJ{
but
get
up
and
stand
upright;
for
I
have
appeared
to
you
in
order
to
appoint
you
a
servant
and
a
witness
of
those revelations
of
me
which
you
have
already
had,
and
of
those
in
which
I
will
yet
appear
to
you,}}
\VS{17}{\WJ{
since
I
am
choosing
you
out
from
your
own
people
and
from
the
Gentiles,
to
whom
I
now
send
you,}}
\VS{18}{\WJ{
to
open
their
eyes,
and
to
turn
them
from
darkness
to
light,
and
from
the
power
of
Satan
to
God;
so
that
they
may
receive
pardon
for
their
sins,
and
a
place
among
those
who
have
become
God’s
people,
by
faith
in
me.’}}
\VS{19}After
that,
King Agrippa,
I
did
not
fail
to
obey
the
heavenly
vision;
\VS{20}on
the
contrary,
first
to
those
at
Damascus
and
Jerusalem,
and
then
through
the
whole
of
Judea,
and
to
the
Gentiles
as
well,
I
began
to
preach
repentance
and conversion
to
God,
and
a
life befitting
that
repentance.
\VS{21}This
is
why
some
men
seized
me
in
the
Temple,
and
made
attempts
on
my
life.
\VS{22}However
I
have
received
help
from
God
to
this
very
day,
and
so
stand
here,
and
bear
my
testimony
to
high
and
low
alike –
without
adding
a
word
to
what
the
prophets,
as
well
as
Moses,
declared
should
happen –
\VS{23}That
the
Christ
must
suffer,
and
that,
by
rising
from
the
dead,
he
was
destined
to
be
the
first
to
bring
news
of
light,
not
only
to
our
nation,
but
also
to
the
Gentiles.”
\par }{\PP \VS{24}While
Paul
was
making
this
defense,
Festus
called
out
loudly, “You
are
mad,
Paul;
your
great
learning
is
driving
you
mad.”
\par }{\PP \VS{25}“I
am
not
mad,
your
Excellency,”
he
replied. “On
the
contrary,
the
statements
that
I
am
making
are
true
and
sober.
\VS{26}Indeed,
the
king
knows
about
these
matters,
so
I
speak
before
him
without
constraint.
I
am
sure
that
there
is
nothing
whatever
of
what
I
have
been
telling
him
that
has
escaped
his
attention;
for
all
this
has
not
been
done
in
a
corner.
\VS{27}King Agrippa,
do
you
believe
the
prophets?
I
know
you
do.”
\par }{\PP \VS{28}But Agrippa
said
to
Paul, “You
are
soon
trying
to
make
a
Christian
of
me!”
\par }{\PP \VS{29}“Whether
it
is
soon
or
late,”
answered
Paul, “I
pray
to
God
that
not
only
you,
but
all
who
are
listening
to
me,
might
today
become
just
what
I
am
myself –
except
for
these
chains!”
\VS{30}Then
the
king
rose,
with
the
Governor
and Bernice
and
those
who
had
been
sitting
with
them,
\VS{31}and,
after retiring, discussed
the
case
among
themselves. “There
is
nothing,”
they
said, “deserving
death
or
imprisonment
in
this
man’s
conduct”;
\VS{32}and,
speaking
to
Festus, Agrippa
added, “The
man
might
have
been
discharged,
if
he
had
not
appealed
to
the Emperor.”

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{27}{\PP \VerseOne{1}As
it
was
decided
that
we
were
to
sail
to
Italy,
Paul
and
some
other
prisoners
were
put
in
charge
of
a
centurion
of
the
Augustan
Guard,
named
Julius.
\VS{2}We
went
on
board
a
ship
from Adramyttium,
which
was
on
the
point
of
sailing
to
the ports
along
the
coast
of Roman
Asia,
and
put
to
sea. Aristarchus,
a
Macedonian
from
Thessalonica,
went
with
us.
\VS{3}The
next
day
we
put
in
to
Sidon,
where
Julius
treated
Paul
in
a
friendly
manner,
and
allowed
him
to
go
to
see
his
friends
and
receive
their hospitality.
\VS{4}Putting
to
sea
again,
we
sailed
under
the lee
of
Cyprus,
because
the
wind
was
against
us;
\VS{5}and,
after
crossing
the
sea
of
Cilicia
and
Pamphylia,
we
reached
Myra
in
Lycia.
\VS{6}There
the Roman
officer
found
an Alexandrian
ship
on
her
way
to
Italy,
and
put
us
on
board
of
her.
\VS{7}For
several
days
our progress
was
slow,
and
it
was
only
with
difficulty
that
we
arrived
off
Cnidus.
As
the
wind
was
still unfavorable
when
we
came
off Cape
Salmone,
we
sailed
under
the lee
of
Crete,
\VS{8}and
with
difficulty,
by
keeping
close
in
shore,
we
reached
a
place
called ‘Fair Havens,’
near
which
was
the
town
of
Lasea.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}This
had
taken
a
considerable
time,
and
sailing
was
already
dangerous,
for
the
Fast
was
already
over;
and
so
Paul
gave
this
warning.
\VS{10}“My
friends,”
he
said, “I
see
that
this
voyage
will
be
attended
with
injury
and
much
damage,
not
only
to
the
cargo
and
the
ship,
but
to
our
own
lives
also.”
\par }{\PP \VS{11}The Roman
officer,
however,
was
more
influenced
by
the
captain
and
the
owner
than
by
what
was
said
by
Paul.
\VS{12}And,
as
the
harbor
was
not
a
suitable
one
to
winter
in,
the
majority
were
in
favor
of
continuing
the voyage,
in
hope
of
being
able
to
reach
Phoenix,
and
winter
there.
Phoenix
was
a Cretan
harbor,
open
to
the north-east
and south-east.
\VS{13}So,
when
a
light
wind
sprang
up
from
the
south,
thinking
that
they
had
found
their opportunity,
they
weighed anchor
and
kept
along
the
coast
of
Crete,
close
in
shore.
\VS{14}But
shortly
afterward
a hurricane
came
down
on
us
off
the
land –
a north-easter,
as
it
is
called.
\VS{15}The
ship
was
caught
by
it
and
was
unable
to
keep
her
head
to
the
wind,
so
we
had
to
give
way
and
let
her
drive
before
it.
\VS{16}Running
under
the lee
of
a
small
island
called
Cauda,
we
only
just
managed
to
secure
the ship’s
boat,
\VS{17}and,
after hoisting
it
on
board,
the
men frapped
the
ship.
But,
afraid
of
being
driven
on
to
the
Syrtis Sands,
they
lowered
the yard,
and
then drifted.
\VS{18}So
violently
were
we
tossed
about
by
the
storm,
that
the
next
day
they
began
throwing
the
cargo
overboard,
\VS{19}and,
on
the
following
day,
threw
out
the
ship’s
tackle
with
their
own
hands.
\VS{20}As
neither
sun
nor
stars
were
visible
for
several
days,
and,
as
the
gale
still
continued
severe,
all
hope
of
our
being
saved
was
at
last
abandoned.
\par }{\PP \VS{21}It
was
then,
when
they
had
gone
a
long
time
without
food,
that
Paul
came
forward,
and
said, “My
friends,
you
should
have
listened
to
me,
and
not
have
sailed
from
Crete
and
so
incurred
this
injury
and
damage.
\VS{22}Yet,
even
as
things
are,
I
beg
you
not
to
lose
courage,
for
there
will
not
be
a
single
life
lost
among
you –
only
the
ship.
\VS{23}For
last
night
an
angel
of
the
God
to
whom
I
belong,
and
whom
I
serve,
stood
by
me,
and
said –
\VS{24}‘Have
no
fear,
Paul;
you
must
appear
before
the Emperor,
and
God
himself
has
given
you
the
lives
of
all
your
fellow voyagers.’
\VS{25}Therefore,
courage,
my
friends!
For
I
believe
God,
that
everything
will
happen
exactly
as
I
have
been
told.
\VS{26}We
will,
however,
have
to
be
driven
on
some
island.”
\par }{\PP \VS{27}It
was
now
the
fourteenth
night
of
the
storm,
and
we
were
drifting
about
in
the Adriatic
Sea,
when,
about
midnight,
the
sailors
began
to suspect
that
they
were
drawing
near
land.
\VS{28}So
they
took
soundings,
and
found
twenty
fathoms
of
water.
After
waiting
a
little,
they
took
soundings
again,
and
found
fifteen
fathoms.
\VS{29}Then,
as
they
were
afraid
of
our
being
driven
on
some
rocky
coast,
they
let
go
four anchors
from
the
stern,
and
longed
for
daylight.
\VS{30}The
sailors
wanted
to
leave
the
ship,
and
had
lowered
the
boat,
on
pretense
of
running
out anchors
from
the
bows,
\VS{31}when
Paul
said
to
the Roman
officer
and
his
men, “Unless
the
sailors
remain
on
board,
you
cannot
be
saved.”
\VS{32}So
the
soldiers
cut
the
ropes
which
held
the
boat,
and
let
her drift
away.
\VS{33}In
the
interval
before
daybreak
Paul
kept
urging
them
all
to
take
something
to
eat.
\par }{\PP “It
is
a fortnight
today,”
he
said, “that, owing
to
your
anxiety,
you
have
gone
without
food,
taking
nothing.
\VS{34}So
I
beg
you
to
take
something
to
eat;
your
safety
depends
on
it,
for
not
one
of
you
will
lose
even
a
hair
of
his
head.”
\VS{35}With
these
words
he
took
some
bread,
and,
after
saying
the
thanksgiving
to
God
before
them
all,
broke
it
in
pieces,
and
began
to
eat;
\VS{36}and
the
men
all
felt cheered
and
had
something
to
eat
themselves.
\VS{37}There
were
about
seventy-six
of
us
on
board,
all
told.
\VS{38}After
satisfying
their
hunger,
they
further
lightened
the
ship
by
throwing
the
grain
into
the
sea.
\VS{39}When
daylight
came,
they
could
not
make
out
what
land
it
was,
but,
observing
a
creek
in
which
there
was
a beach,
they
consulted
as
to
whether
they
could
run
the
ship
safely
into
it.
\VS{40}Then
they
cast
off,
and
abandoned
the anchors,
and
at
the
same
time unlashed
the
gear
of
the steering
oars, hoisted
the foresail
to
the
wind,
and
made
for
the beach.
\VS{41}They
got,
however,
into
a
kind
of
channel,
and
there
ran
the
ship
aground.
The
bows
stuck
fast
and
could
not
be
moved,
while
the
stern
began
breaking
up
under
the strain.
\VS{42}The
advice
of
the
soldiers
was
that
the
prisoners
should
be
killed,
so
that
none
of
them
could
swim
away
and
make
their
escape.
\VS{43}But
the Roman
officer,
anxious
to
save
Paul,
prevented
their
carrying
out
their
intention,
and
ordered
that
those
who
could
swim
should
be
the
first
to
jump
into
the
sea
and
try
to
reach
the
shore;
\VS{44}and
that
the
rest
should
follow,
some
on
planks,
and
others
on
different
pieces
of
the
ship.
In
these
various
ways
everyone
managed
to
get
safely
ashore.

\par }{\BB \par }\Chap{28}{\PP \VerseOne{1}When
we
were
all
safe,
we
found
that
the
island
was
called
Malta.
\VS{2}The island’s
people
showed
us
marked
kindness,
for
they
lit
a
fire
and
took
us
all
under
shelter,
because
it
had
come
on
to
rain
and
was
cold.
\VS{3}Paul
had
gathered
a
quantity
of
dry
sticks
and
laid
them
on
the
fire,
when
a
poisonous
snake,
driven
out
by
the
heat,
fastened
on
his
hand.
\VS{4}When
the islanders
saw
the
creature
hanging
from
his
hand,
they
said
to
one
another, “Evidently
this
man
is
a
murderer,
for
though
he
has
been
saved
from
the
sea,
Justice
has
not
allowed
him
to
live.”
\VS{5}However,
Paul
shook
the
creature
off
into
the
fire
and
took
no
harm.
\VS{6}The islanders
were
expecting
inflammation
to
set
in,
or
that
he
would
suddenly
fall
dead;
but,
after
waiting
for
a
long
time,
and
seeing
that
there
was
nothing
amiss
with
him,
they
changed
their
minds
and
said
that
he
was
a
God.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}In
that
region
there
was
an
estate
belonging
to
the
Governor
of
the
island,
whose
name
was
Publius.
He
took
us
up
to
his
house,
and
for
three
days
entertained
us
most
courteously.
\VS{8}It
happened
that
the
father
of
Publius
was
lying
ill
of
fever
and
dysentery.
So
Paul
went
to
see
him;
and,
after
praying,
he
placed
his
hands
on
him
and
cured
him.
\VS{9}After
this,
all
the
people
in
the
island
who
had
any
illness
came
to
Paul,
and
were
cured.
\VS{10}They
also
presented
us
with
many
gifts,
and
when
we
set
sail
they
put
supplies
of necessaries
on
board.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{11}After
three
months,
we
set
sail
in
a
ship
that
had
wintered
in
the
island.
She
was
an Alexandrian
vessel,
and
had
the
Twin
sons
of Zeus
for
her figure-head.
\VS{12}We
put
in
at
Syracuse
and
stayed
there
three
days,
\VS{13}and
from
there
we
worked
to windward
and
so
got
to
Rhegium.
A
day
later
a
south
wind
sprang
up
and
took
us
to
Puteoli
in
two
days.
\VS{14}There
we
found
some
of
the
Lord’s
followers,
and
were
urged
to
stay
a
week
with
them;
after
which
we
went
on
to
Rome.
\VS{15}The
followers
there
had
heard
about
us,
and
came
out
as
far
as
the
Market
of Appius
and
the
Three
Taverns
to
meet
us.
At
sight
of
them
Paul
thanked
God
and
was
much cheered.
\VS{16}On
our
reaching
Rome,
Paul
was
allowed
to
live
by
himself,
except
for
the
soldier
who
was
in
charge
of
him.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{17}Three
days
after
our
arrival,
Paul
invited
the
leading
Jews
to
meet
him;
and,
when
they
came,
he
said, “Brothers,
although
I
had
done
nothing
hostile
to
the interests
of
our
nation
or
to
our
ancestral
customs,
yet
I
was
sent
from
Jerusalem
as
a
prisoner,
and
handed
over
to
the
Romans.
\VS{18}The Romans,
when
they
had
examined
me,
were
ready
to
release
me,
because
there
was
nothing
in
my
conduct
deserving
death.
\VS{19}But,
as
the
Jewish
leaders
opposed
my
release,
I
was
compelled
to
appeal
to
the Emperor –
not,
indeed,
that
I
had
any
charge
to
make
against
my
own
nation.
\VS{20}This,
then,
is
my
reason
for
urging
you
to
come
to
see
me
and
talk
with
me;
because
it
is
for
the
sake
of
the
hope
of
Israel
that
I
am
here
in
chains.”
\par }{\PP \VS{21}“We,”
was
their
reply, “have
not
had
any
letter
about
you
from
Judea,
nor
have
any
of
our
fellow
Jews
come
and
reported
or
said
anything
bad
about
you.
\VS{22}But
we
will
be
glad
to
hear
from
you
what
your
views
are,
for,
with
regard
to
this sect,
we
are
well
aware
that
it
is
spoken
against
on
all
sides.”
\par }{\PP \VS{23}They
then
fixed
a
day
with
him,
and
came
to
the
place
where
he
was
staying,
in
even
larger
numbers,
when
Paul
proceeded
to
lay
the
subject
before
them.
He
bore
his
testimony
to
the
kingdom
of
God,
and
tried
to convince
them
about
Jesus,
by
arguments
drawn
from
the
Law
of
Moses
and
from
the
prophets –
speaking
from
morning
until
evening.
\VS{24}Some
were
inclined
to
accept
what
he
said;
others,
however,
rejected
it.
\VS{25}So,
as
they disagreed
among
themselves,
they
began
to
disperse,
Paul
adding
only –
\par }{\PP “True,
indeed,
was
the
declaration
made
by
the
Holy
Spirit,
through
the
prophet
Isaiah
to
your
ancestors –
\par }{\Q \VS{26}Go
to
this
nation
and
say:
\par }{\QB You
will
hear
with
your
ears
without
ever
understanding,
\par }{\QC and,
though
you
have
eyes,
you
will
see
without
ever perceiving.
\par }{\QB \VS{27}For
the
mind
of
this
nation
has
grown
dense,
\par }{\QC and
their
ears
are
dull
of
hearing,
\par }{\QC their
eyes
also
have
they
closed;
\par }{\QB otherwise
some
day
they
might
see
with
their
eyes,
\par }{\QB and
with
their
ears
they
might
hear,
\par }{\QB and
in
their
mind
they
might
understand,
and
might
turn –
\par }{\QC and
I
might
heal
them.
\par }{\MM \VS{28}Understand,
then,
that
this
salvation
of
God
was
sent
for
the
Gentiles;
and
they
will
listen.”
\VS{29}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 28:29 }
Some later manuscripts add: After he said these things the Jews left, all the while engaging in a heated debate among themselves.}
\par }{\PP \VS{30}For
two
whole
years
Paul
stayed
in
a
house
which
he
rented
for
himself, welcoming
all
who
came
to
see
him,
\VS{31}proclaiming
the
kingdom
of
God,
and
teaching
about
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
with
perfect fearlessness, unhindered.\par }