Acts…
1:1The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and
to teach, 1:2until
the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through
the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 1:3To these he also showed himself alive
after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty
days, and speaking about God's Kingdom. 1:4Being assembled together with them, he
charged them, "Don't depart from Jerusalem, but
wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 1:5For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized
in the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 1:6Therefore, when they had come together,
they asked him, "Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to
Israel?" 1:7He said to them, "It
isn't for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within His
own authority. 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the uttermost parts of the earth." 1:9When he had said these things, as they
were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 1:10While they were
looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in
white clothing, 1:11who
also said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?
This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the
same way as you saw him going into the sky." 1:12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the
mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey
away. 1:13When
they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying;
that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James
the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas
the son of James. 1:14All
these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along
with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 1:15In these days, Peter stood up in the
midst of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred
twenty), and said, 1:16"Brothers,
it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy
Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to
those who took Jesus. 1:17For
he was numbered with us, and received his portion in this ministry. 1:18Now this man
obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong,
his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out. 1:19It became known to everyone who lived
in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called 'Akeldama,' that is, 'The field of blood.' 1:20For it is written in the book of
Psalms, 'Let his habitation be
made desolate, and, 'Let another take his
office.' 1:21Of the men therefore who have accompanied
us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 1:22beginning from the baptism of John,
to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a
witness with us of his resurrection." 1:23They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 1:24They prayed,
and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of
these two you have chosen 1:25to
take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that
he might go to his own place." 1:26They drew lots for them, and the lot
fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 2:1Now when the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all with one accord in one place. 2:2Suddenly there came from the sky a
sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where
they were sitting. 2:3Tongues
like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.
2:4They were all
filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the
Spirit gave them the ability to speak. 2:5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem
Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 2:6When this sound was heard, the
multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them
speaking in his own language. 2:7They
were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all
these who speak Galileans? 2:8How
do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 2:9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people
from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 2:10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts
of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 2:11Cretans and
Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of
God!" 2:12They
were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, "What does
this mean?" 2:13Others,
mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine." 2:14But Peter, standing up with the eleven,
lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, "You men of Judea, and all
you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
2:15For these
aren't drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the
day. 2:16But
this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 2:17'It will be in the last days, says God, Your sons and your
daughters will prophesy. 2:18Yes, and on my servants and on my
handmaidens in those days, 2:19I will show wonders in the sky above, 2:20The sun will be turned into darkness, 2:22"Men of Israel, hear these words!
Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders
and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves
know, 2:23him,
being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you
have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 2:24whom God raised up, having freed him
from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held
by it. 2:25For
David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always
before my face, 2:26Therefore my heart was glad, and my
tongue rejoiced. 2:27Because you will not leave my soul in
Hades, 2:28You made known to me the ways of
life. 2:29"Brothers, I may tell you freely of
the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with
us to this day. 2:30Therefore,
being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of
the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ
to sit on his throne, 2:31he
foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was
his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay. 2:32This Jesus God raised up, to which we
all are witnesses. 2:33Being
therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the
Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now
see and hear. 2:34For
David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit by my right hand, 2:36"Let all the house of Israel
therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this
Jesus whom you crucified." 2:37Now when they heard this, they were cut
to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers,
what shall we do?" 2:38Peter said to them, "Repent, and be
baptized, everyone of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. 2:39For
to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even
as many as the Lord our God will call to himself." 2:40With many other words he testified,
and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked
generation!" 2:41Then those who gladly received his word
were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. 2:42They continued
steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of
bread, and prayer. 2:43Fear
came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the
apostles. 2:44All
who believed were together, and had all things in common. 2:45They sold their possessions and goods,
and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 2:46Day by day, continuing steadfastly
with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their
food with gladness and singleness of heart, 2:47praising God, and having favor with
all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were
being saved. 3:1Peter and John were going up into the
temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 3:2A certain man who
was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at
the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy
of those who entered into the temple. 3:3Seeing Peter and John about to go into
the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy. 3:4Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with
John, said, "Look at us." 3:5He listened to them, expecting to receive something
from them. 3:6But
Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" 3:7He took him by the right hand, and
raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. 3:8Leaping up, he
stood, and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking,
leaping, and praising God. 3:9All
the people saw him walking and praising God. 3:10They recognized him,
that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the
Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at
what had happened to him. 3:11As
the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran
together to them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. 3:12When Peter saw it, he responded to the
people, "You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you
fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made
him walk? 3:13The
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his
Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate,
when he had determined to release him. 3:14But you denied the Holy and Righteous
One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 3:15and killed the Prince of life, whom
God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses. 3:16By faith in his name has his name
made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through
him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 3:17"Now, brothers, I know
that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 3:18But the things which God announced by
the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. 3:19"Repent therefore, and turn again,
that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing
from the presence of the Lord, 3:20and
that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before, 3:21whom heaven
must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke
long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets. 3:22For Moses indeed said to the fathers,
'The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like
me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. 3:23It will be,
that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly
destroyed from among the people.' 3:24Yes,
and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as
have spoken, they also told of these days. 3:25You are the children of the prophets,
and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'In
your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.' 3:26God, having raised up his servant,
Jesus, sent him to you first, to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from your
wickedness." 4:1As they spoke to the people, the priests
and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them, 4:2being upset because they taught the
people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 4:3They laid hands on them, and put them
in custody until the next day, for it was now evening. 4:4But many of those who heard the word
believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 4:5It happened in the morning,
that their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in
Jerusalem. 4:6Annas
the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as
were relatives of the high priest. 4:7When
they had stood them in the middle of them, they inquired, "By what
power, or in what name, have you done this?" 4:8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,
said to them, "You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 4:9if we are
examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means
this man has been healed, 4:10be
it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead,
in him does this man stand here before you whole. 4:11He is 'the stone which was regarded
as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.' 4:12There is
salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be
saved!" 4:13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter
and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they
marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus. 4:14Seeing the man who was healed
standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 4:15But when they had commanded them to
go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 4:16saying, "What shall we do to
these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as
can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can't deny it. 4:17But so that
this spreads no further among the people, let's threaten them,
that from now on they don't speak to anyone in this name." 4:18They called
them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 4:19But Peter and John answered them,
"Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to
God, judge for yourselves, 4:20for
we can't help telling the things which we saw and heard." 4:21When they had further threatened them,
they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for
everyone glorified God for that which was done. 4:22For the man on whom this miracle of
healing was performed was more than forty years old. 4:23Being let go, they came to their own
company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to
them. 4:24When
they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,
"O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all
that is in them; 4:25who
by the mouth of your servant, David, said, 'Why do the nations rage, 4:26The kings of the earth take a stand, 4:27For truly, in this city against your holy
servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the
Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 4:28to do whatever your hand and your
council foreordained to happen. 4:29Now,
Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, 4:30while
you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done
through the name of your holy Servant Jesus." 4:31When they had prayed, the place was
shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy
Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 4:32The multitude of those who believed
were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the
things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 4:33With great
power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus. Great grace was on them all. 4:34For neither was there among them any
who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and
brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 4:35and laid them at the apostles' feet,
and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need. 4:36Joses, who by
the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of
Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, 4:37having
a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 5:1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, 5:2and kept back part of the price, his
wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the
apostles' feet. 5:3But
Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy
Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 5:4While you kept it, didn't it remain
your own? After it was sold, wasn't it in your power? How is it that you have
conceived this thing in your heart? You haven't lied to men, but to
God." 5:5Ananias, hearing these words, fell down
and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things. 5:6The young men arose and wrapped him
up, and they carried him out and buried him. 5:7About three hours later, his wife, not
knowing what had happened, came in. 5:8Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold
the land for so much." She said, "Yes, for so
much." 5:9But Peter asked her, "How is it that
you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of
those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you
out." 5:10She fell down immediately at his feet,
and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out
and buried her by her husband. 5:11Great
fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things. 5:12By the hands of
the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all
with one accord in Solomon's porch. 5:13None of the rest dared to join them,
however the people honored them. 5:14More
believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women. 5:15They even
carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses,
so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of
them. 5:16Multitudes
also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people,
and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed. 5:17But the high priest rose up, and all
those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were
filled with jealousy, 5:18and
laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody. 5:19But an angel of the Lord opened the
prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said, 5:20"Go stand and speak in the
temple to the people all the words of this life." 5:21When they heard this, they entered into
the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those
who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the
children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 5:22But the
officers who came didn't find them in the prison. They returned and reported,
5:23"We
found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors,
but when we opened them, we found no one inside!" 5:24Now when the high priest, the captain of
the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed
about them and what might become of this. 5:25One came and told them, "Behold,
the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the
people." 5:26Then
the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for
they were afraid that the people might stone them. 5:27When they had brought them, they set them
before the council. The high priest questioned them, 5:28saying, "Didn't we strictly
charge you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with
your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood on us." 5:29But Peter and the apostles answered,
"We must obey God rather than men. 5:30The God of our fathers raised up
Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree. 5:31God exalted him with his right hand
to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of
sins. 5:32We are
His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has
given to those who obey him." 5:33But they, when they heard this, were cut
to the heart, and determined to kill them. 5:34But one stood up in the council, a
Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and
commanded to put the apostles out for a little while. 5:35He said to them, "You men of
Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do. 5:36For before
these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to
be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves:
who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to
nothing. 5:37After
this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew
away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him,
were scattered abroad. 5:38Now
I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown. 5:39But if it is of
God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be
fighting against God!" 5:40They agreed with him. Summoning the
apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus,
and let them go. 5:41They
therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name. 5:42Every day, in the temple and at home,
they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ. 6:1Now in those days, when the number of the
disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against
the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. 6:2The twelve
summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not appropriate
for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. 6:3Therefore select from among you,
brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this business. 6:4But we will continue steadfastly in
prayer and in the ministry of the word." 6:5These words pleased the whole multitude.
They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus,
a proselyte of Antioch; 6:6whom
they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on
them. 6:7The word
of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem
exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 6:8Stephen, full of faith and power,
performed great wonders and signs among the people. 6:9But some of those who were of the
synagogue called "The Libertines," and of the Cyrenians,
of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with
Stephen. 6:10They
weren't able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 6:11Then they
secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words
against Moses and God." 6:12They
stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and
seized him, and brought him in to the council, 6:13and set up false witnesses who said,
"This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place
and the law. 6:14For
we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place,
and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us." 6:15All who sat in the council, fastening
their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel. 7:1The high priest said, "Are these
things so?" 7:2He said, "Brothers and fathers,
listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in
Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 7:3and said to him, 'Get out of your
land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.' 7:4Then he came out
of the land of the Chaldaeans, and lived in Haran.
From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you
are now living. 7:5He
gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He
promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after
him, when he still had no child. 7:6God
spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and
that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. 7:7'I will judge the
nation to which they will be in bondage,' said God, 'and after that will they
come out, and serve me in this place.' 7:8He gave him the covenant of
circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the
eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of
the twelve patriarchs. 7:9"The patriarchs, moved with jealousy
against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him, 7:10and delivered him out of all his afflictions,
and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him
governor over Egypt and all his house. 7:11Now a famine came over all the land
of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food. 7:12But when Jacob
heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time. 7:13On the second
time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's race was revealed to
Pharaoh. 7:14Joseph
sent, and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five
souls. 7:15Jacob
went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers, 7:16and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a
price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem. 7:17"But as the time of the promise came
close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in
Egypt, 7:18until
there arose a different king, who didn't know Joseph. 7:19The same took advantage of our race,
and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so
that they wouldn't stay alive. 7:20At
that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome. He was nourished
three months in his father's house. 7:21When he was thrown out, Pharaoh's
daughter took him up, and reared him as her own son. 7:22Moses was instructed in all the
wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works. 7:23But when he was forty years old, it
came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children
of Israel. 7:24Seeing
one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed,
striking the Egyptian. 7:25He
supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them
deliverance; but they didn't understand. 7:26"The day following, he appeared to
them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, 'Sirs, you
are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?' 7:27But he who did his neighbor wrong
pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 7:28Do you want to
kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 7:29Moses fled at this saying, and became
a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 7:30"When forty years were fulfilled, an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a
flame of fire in a bush. 7:31When
Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of
the Lord came to him, 7:32'I
am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob.' Moses trembled, and dared not look. 7:33The Lord said to him, 'Take your
sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 7:34I have surely
seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their
groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into
Egypt.' 7:35"This Moses, whom they refused,
saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?'--God has sent him as both a ruler
and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 7:36This man led
them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in
the wilderness for forty years. 7:37This
is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord our God will
raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.*'
7:38This is he
who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on
Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us,
7:39to whom our
fathers wouldn't be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their
hearts to Egypt, 7:40saying
to Aaron, 'Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses, who
led us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.' 7:41They made a
calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the
works of their hands. 7:42But
God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of the sky, as it is written
in the book of the prophets, 'Did you offer to me slain
animals and sacrifices 7:43You took up the tent of Moloch, The figures which you made
to worship. 7:44"Our fathers had the tent of the
testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to
make it according to the pattern that he had seen; 7:45which also our fathers, in their
turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the
nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of
David, 7:46who
found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God
of Jacob. 7:47But
Solomon built him a house. 7:48However,
the Most High doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says, 7:49'heaven is my throne, What kind of house will
you build me?' says the Lord; 7:50Didn't my hand make all these
things?' 7:51"You stiff-necked and uncircumcised
in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so
you do. 7:52Which
of the prophets didn't your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold
the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and
murderers. 7:53You
received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn't keep it!" 7:54Now when they heard these things, they
were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 7:55But he, being
full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory
of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 7:56and said, "Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" 7:57But they cried out with a loud voice, and
stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. 7:58They threw him out of the city, and
stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man
named Saul. 7:59They
stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my
Spirit!" 7:60He
kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin
against them!" When he had said this, he fell asleep. 8:1Saul was consenting to his death. A great
persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day.
They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,
except for the apostles. 8:2Devout
men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him. 8:3But Saul ravaged the assembly,
entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison. 8:4Therefore those
who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word. 8:5Philip went down to the city of
Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. 8:6The multitudes listened with one
accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the
signs which he did. 8:7For
unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying
with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8:8There was great
joy in that city. 8:9But there was a certain man, Simon by
name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of
Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, 8:10to whom they all listened, from the
least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that great power of
God." 8:11They
listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his
sorceries. 8:12But
when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning the Kingdom of God
and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 8:13Simon himself
also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and
great miracles occuring, he was amazed. 8:14Now when the apostles who were at
Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter
and John to them, 8:15who,
when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy
Spirit; 8:16for
as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name
of Christ Jesus. 8:17Then
they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 8:18Now when Simon
saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles'
hands, he offered them money, 8:19saying,
"Give me also this power, that whoever I lay my hands on may receive the
Holy Spirit." 8:20But
Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought
you could obtain the gift of God with money! 8:21You have neither part nor lot in this
matter, for your heart isn't right before God. 8:22Repent therefore of this, your
wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven
you. 8:23For I
see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of
iniquity." 8:24Simon answered, "Pray for me to the
Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me." 8:25They therefore, when they had testified
and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the
Gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. 8:26But an angel of the Lord spoke to
Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes
down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert." 8:27He arose and went; and behold, there was
a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the
Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to
worship. 8:28He
was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
8:29The Spirit said to Philip, "Go near,
and join yourself to this chariot." 8:30Philip ran to him, and heard him reading
Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are
reading?" 8:31He said, "How can I, unless someone
explains it to me?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32Now the passage
of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led as a
sheep to the slaughter. 8:33In his humiliation, his judgment was
taken away. 8:34The eunuch answered Philip, "Who is
the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?" 8:35Philip opened his mouth, and beginning
from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus. 8:36As they went on the way, they came to
some water, and the eunuch said, "Behold, here is water. What is keeping
me from being baptized?" 8:37* 8:38He commanded the chariot to stand still,
and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he
baptized him. 8:39When they came up out of the water, the
Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn't see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing. 8:40But Philip was
found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the
Gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea. 9:1But Saul, still breathing threats and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 9:2and asked for
letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were
of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 9:3As he traveled,
it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky
shone around him. 9:4He
fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute me?" 9:5He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.* 9:6But
rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must
do." 9:7The men who traveled with him stood
speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. 9:8Saul arose from the ground, and when his
eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him
into Damascus. 9:9He
was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank. 9:10Now there was a certain disciple at
Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" He said, "Behold, it's me,
Lord." 9:11The Lord said to him, "Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight,
and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For
behold, he is praying, 9:12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in,
and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight." 9:13But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have
heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at
Jerusalem. 9:14Here
he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your
name." 9:15But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my
name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. 9:16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my
name's sake." 9:17Ananias departed, and entered into the
house. Laying his hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, who
appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me,
that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
9:18Immediately
something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose
and was baptized. 9:19He
took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples
who were at Damascus. 9:20Immediately
in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. 9:21All who heard
him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of
those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them
bound before the chief priests!" 9:22But Saul increased more in strength, and
confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. 9:23When many days
were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 9:24but their plot became known to Saul.
They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 9:25but his
disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him
in a basket. 9:26When
Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but
they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 9:27But Barnabas
took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had
seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus
he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 9:28He was with them entering into
Jerusalem, 9:29preaching
boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but
they were seeking to kill him. 9:30When
the brothers
knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. 9:31So the
assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were
built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the
comfort of the Holy Spirit. 9:32It happened, as Peter went throughout all
those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
9:33There he
found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years,
because he was paralyzed. 9:34Peter
said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your
bed!" Immediately he arose. 9:35All
who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they
turned to the Lord. 9:36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple
named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was
full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. 9:37It happened in those days that she
fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper
chamber. 9:38As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter
was there, sent two
men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 9:39Peter got up and went with them. When
he had come, they brought him into the upper chamber. All the widows stood by
him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while
she was with them. 9:40Peter
put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said,
"Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she
sat up. 9:41He
gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he
presented her alive. 9:42And
it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 9:43It happened,
that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner. 10:1Now there was a certain man in Caesarea,
Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 10:2a devout man,
and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy
generously to the people, and always prayed to God. 10:3At about the ninth hour of the
day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying
to him, "Cornelius!" 10:4He, fastening his eyes on him, and being
frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your
prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God. 10:5Now send men to
Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter. 10:6He lodges with one Simon, a tanner,
whose house is by the seaside.*"
10:7When the angel who spoke to him had
departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier
of those who waited on him continually. 10:8Having explained everything to them,
he sent them to Joppa. 10:9Now
on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city,
Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. 10:10He became hungry and desired to eat,
but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. 10:11He saw heaven opened and a certain
container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on
the earth, 10:12in
which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals,
reptiles, and birds of the sky. 10:13A
voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and
eat!" 10:14But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I
have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." 10:15A voice came to him again the second
time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call
unclean." 10:16This
was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
10:17Now while
Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might
mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for
Simon's house, stood before the gate, 10:18and called and asked whether Simon,
who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there. 10:19While Peter was pondering the
vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.
10:20But arise,
get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." 10:21Peter went down to the men, and said,
"Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?" 10:22They said, "Cornelius, a centurion,
a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken
of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you
to his house, and to listen to what you say." 10:23So he called them in and lodged
them. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the
brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 10:24On the next day they entered into
Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his
relatives and his near friends. 10:25When
it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and
worshiped him. 10:26But
Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! I myself am also a man." 10:27As he talked
with him, he went in and found many gathered together. 10:28He said to them, "You
yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join
himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I
shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean. 10:29Therefore also I came without
complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?"
10:30Cornelius said, "Four days ago, I
was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I
prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 10:31and said, 'Cornelius,
your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight
of God. 10:32Send
therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He lodges in the
house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to
you.' 10:33Therefore
I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are
all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been
commanded you by God." 10:34Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly
I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism; 10:35but in every nation he who fears him
and works righteousness is acceptable to him. 10:36The word which he sent to the
children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord
of all--10:37that
spoken word you yourselves know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea,
beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 10:38even Jesus of
Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went
about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was
with him. 10:39We
are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in
Jerusalem; whom they also
killed, hanging him on a tree. 10:40God
raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed, 10:41not to all the people, but to
witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him
after he rose from the dead. 10:42He
charged us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is
appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. 10:43All the prophets testify about him,
that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of
sins." 10:44While Peter was still speaking these
words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 10:45They of the circumcision who
believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the
Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. 10:46For they heard them speaking in
other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, 10:47"Can any
man forbid the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as
we should not be baptized?" 10:48He
commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked
him to stay some days. 11:1Now the apostles and the brothers who were
in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 11:2When Peter had
come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, 11:3saying,
"You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!" 11:4But Peter began, and explained to them in
order, saying, 11:5"I
was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain
container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four
corners. It came as far as me. 11:6When
I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of
the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. 11:7I also heard a
voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter, kill and eat!'
11:8But I said,
'Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.'
11:9But a voice
answered me the second time out of heaven, 'What God
has cleansed, don't you call unclean.' 11:10This was done three times, and all
were drawn up again into heaven. 11:11Behold,
immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent
from Caesarea to me. 11:12The
Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers
also accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. 11:13He told us how he had seen the angel
standing in his house, and saying to him, 'Send to Joppa, and get Simon,
whose surname is Peter, 11:14who
will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.' 11:15As I began to
speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 11:16I remembered
the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John indeed
baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.' 11:17If then God
gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I, that I could withstand God?" 11:18When they heard these things, they held
their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to
the Gentiles repentance to life!" 11:19They therefore who were scattered abroad
by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia,
Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. 11:20But there
were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to
Antioch, spoke to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus. 11:21The hand of the Lord was with them,
and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 11:22The report concerning them came to
the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go
as far as Antioch, 11:23who,
when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them
all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. 11:24For he was a
good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were
added to the Lord. 11:25Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for
Saul. 11:26When
he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that for a whole
year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people.
The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 11:27Now in these days, prophets came down
from Jerusalem to Antioch. 11:28One
of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the
Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also
happened in the days of Claudius. 11:29As any of the disciples had plenty, each
determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; 11:30which they also did, sending it to
the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 12:1Now about that time, Herod the king
stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 12:2He killed James, the brother of John,
with the sword. 12:3When
he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was
during the days of unleavened bread. 12:4When he had arrested him, he put him
in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard
him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 12:5Peter therefore
was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God
for him. 12:6The
same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between
two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the
prison. 12:7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by
him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him
up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands.
12:8The angel
said to him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." He did so. He
said to him, "Put on your cloak, and follow me." 12:9And he went out and followed him. He
didn't know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he
saw a vision. 12:10When
they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate
that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and
went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 12:11When Peter had come to himself, he said,
"Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me
out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were
expecting." 12:12Thinking
about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname
was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 12:13When Peter knocked at the door of
the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 12:14When she recognized Peter's voice,
she didn't open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was
standing in front of the gate. 12:15They said to her, "You are
crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his
angel." 12:16But
Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were
amazed. 12:17But
he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the
Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell these things to
James, and to the brothers." Then he departed, and went to another
place. 12:18Now as soon as it was day, there was no small
stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 12:19When Herod had sought for him, and
didn't find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be
put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. 12:20Now Herod was
very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They
came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus,
the king's chamberlain, their friend, they asked for peace, because their
country depended on the king's country for food. 12:21On an appointed day, Herod dressed
himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them. 12:22The people
shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" 12:23Immediately an angel of the Lord
struck him, because he didn't give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms
and died. 12:24But the word of God grew and multiplied. 12:25Barnabas and
Saul returned to
Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John
whose surname was Mark. 13:1Now in the assembly that was at Antioch
there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster-brother of
Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 13:2As
they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate
Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them." 13:3Then, when they had fasted and prayed and
laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 13:4So, being sent out by the Holy
Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 13:5When they were
at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.
They had also John as their attendant. 13:6When they had gone through the island
to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false
prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus, 13:7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned
Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 13:8But Elymas
the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking
to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. 13:9But Saul, who is also called Paul,
filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, 13:10and said, "Full of all deceit
and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will
you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 13:11Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is
on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!" Immediately there fell on him a
mist and darkness. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 13:12Then the
proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the
teaching of the Lord. 13:13Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in
Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 13:14But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. 13:15After the reading of the law and the
prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brothers,
if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak." 13:16Paul stood up, and beckoning with his
hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 13:17The God of this people*
chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the
land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 13:18For a period
of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 13:19When he had destroyed seven nations
in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about
four hundred fifty years. 13:20After
these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 13:21Afterward they asked for a king, and
God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for
forty years. 13:22When
he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also
testified, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who
will do all my will.' 13:23From
this man's seed, God has brought salvation to Israel
according to his promise, 13:24before
his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel. 13:25As John was
fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
But behold, one comes after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to
untie.' 13:26Brothers,
children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word
of this salvation is sent out to you. 13:27For those who dwell in Jerusalem,
and their rulers, because they didn't know him, nor the voices of the
prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 13:28Though they
found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 13:29When they had
fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the
tree, and laid him in a tomb. 13:30But
God raised him from the dead, 13:31and
he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to
Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 13:32We bring you good news of the
promise made to the fathers, 13:33that
God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus.
As it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son. 13:34"Concerning that he raised him up
from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: 'I
will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' 13:35Therefore he says also in another
psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see
decay.' 13:36For
David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep,
and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. 13:37But he whom God raised up saw no
decay. 13:38Be
it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of
sins, 13:39and
by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you
could not be justified by the law of Moses. 13:40Beware therefore, lest that come on
you which is spoken in the prophets: 13:41'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder,
and perish; 13:42So when the Jews went out of the
synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the
next Sabbath. 13:43Now
when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes
followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in
the grace of God. 13:44The
next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of
God. 13:45But
when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and
contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed. 13:46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and
said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first.
Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal
life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 13:47For so has the Lord commanded us,
saying, 'I have set you as a light
for the Gentiles, 13:48As the Gentiles heard this, they were
glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal
life believed. 13:49The
Lord's word was spread abroad throughout all the region. 13:50But the Jews stirred up the devout
and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a
persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders. 13:51But they
shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 13:52The
disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit. 14:1It happened in Iconium
that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that
a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed. 14:2But the disbelieving Jews
stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. 14:3Therefore they
stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the
word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 14:4But the
multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews, and part with
the apostles. 14:5When
some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent
attempt to mistreat and stone them, 14:6they became aware of it, and fled to
the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe,
and the surrounding region. 14:7There
they preached the Gospel. 14:8At Lystra a
certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who
never had walked. 14:9He
was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that
he had faith to be made whole, 14:10said
with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!" He leaped up and
walked. 14:11When
the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in
the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness
of men!" 14:12They
called Barnabas "Jupiter," and Paul "Mercury," because he
was the chief speaker. 14:13The
priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and
garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the
multitudes. 14:14But
when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes,
and sprang into the multitude, crying out, 14:15"Men, why are you doing these
things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news,
that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the
sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them; 14:16who in the generations gone by
allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 14:17Yet he didn't leave himself without
witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the
sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." 14:18Even saying these things, they hardly
stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them. 14:19But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes,
they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was
dead. 14:20But as the disciples stood around him, he
rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas
to Derbe. 14:21When they had preached the Gospel to
that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra,
Iconium, and Antioch, 14:22confirming the souls of the
disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many
afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God. 14:23When they had appointed elders for
them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to
the Lord, on whom they had believed. 14:24They passed through Pisidia, and came to
Pamphylia. 14:25When
they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down
to Attalia. 14:26From there they sailed to Antioch,
from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which
they had fulfilled. 14:27When
they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all
the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of
faith to the Gentiles. 14:28They
stayed there with the disciples for a long time. 15:1Some men came down from Judea and taught
the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you
can't be saved." 15:2Therefore
when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they
appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem
to the apostles and elders about this question. 15:3They, being sent on their way by the
assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion
of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers. 15:4When they had
come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and
the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. 15:5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who
believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to
charge them to keep the law of Moses." 15:6The apostles and the elders were gathered
together to see about this matter. 15:7When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up
and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made
choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the
Gospel, and believe. 15:8God,
who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just
like he did to us. 15:9He
made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 15:10Now therefore
why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples
which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 15:11But we believe that we are saved
through the grace of the Lord Jesus,* just
as they are." 15:12All the multitude kept silence, and they
listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done
among the Gentiles through them. 15:13After
they were silent, James answered, "Brothers, listen to me. 15:14Simeon has
reported how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for
his name. 15:15This
agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 15:16'After these things I will return. I will set it up, Says the Lord, who does
all these things. 15:19"Therefore my judgment is that we
don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 15:20but that we write to them that they
abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is
strangled, and from blood. 15:21For
Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being
read in the synagogues every Sabbath." 15:22Then it seemed good to the apostles and
the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and
send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas,
and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 15:23They wrote
these things by their hand: "The apostles, the elders,
and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria,
and Cilicia: greetings. 15:24Because
we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words,
unsettling your souls, saying, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law,' to
whom we gave no commandment; 15:25it
seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them
to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 15:26men who have risked their lives for
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15:27We have sent therefore Judas and
Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 15:28For it seemed
good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than
these necessary things: 15:29that
you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things
strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it
will be well with you. Farewell." 15:30So, when they were sent off, they came to
Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 15:31When they had
read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. 15:32Judas and Silas, also being prophets
themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them. 15:33After they
had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the
brothers to the apostles. 15:34*
15:35But Paul
and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord,
with many others also. 15:36After some days Paul said to Barnabas,
"Let's return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we
proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing." 15:37Barnabas
planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also. 15:38But Paul didn't think that it was a
good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia,
and didn't go with them to do the work. 15:39Then the contention grew so sharp
that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed
away to Cyprus, 15:40but
Paul chose Silas, and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace
of God. 15:41He
went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies. 16:1He came to Derbe
and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was
there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a
Greek. 16:2The
brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium
gave a good testimony about him. 16:3Paul
wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because
of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a
Greek. 16:4As
they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them
to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at
Jerusalem. 16:5So
the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
16:6When they had gone through the region of
Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word
in Asia. 16:7When
they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into
Bithynia, but the Spirit didn't allow them. 16:8Passing by Mysia,
they came down to Troas. 16:9A
vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing,
begging him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." 16:10When he had
seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding
that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel to them. 16:11Setting sail therefore from Troas,
we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; 16:12and
from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the
district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city. 16:13On the Sabbath day we went forth outside
of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer,
and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together. 16:14A certain
woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who
worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened
to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. 16:15When she and her household were
baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come into my house, and stay." So she persuaded us. 16:16It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination
met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 16:17Following Paul and us, she cried
out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us
the way of salvation!" 16:18She
was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly
annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her!" It came out that very hour. 16:19But when her masters saw that the
hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them
into the marketplace before the rulers. 16:20When they had brought them to the
magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are agitating our city, 16:21and set forth
customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being
Romans." 16:22The multitude rose up together against
them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them
to be beaten with rods. 16:23When
they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the
jailer to keep them safely, 16:24who,
having received such a charge, threw them into the inner prison, and secured
their feet in the stocks. 16:25But about midnight Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 16:26Suddenly
there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were
shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were
loosened. 16:27The
jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his
sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had
escaped. 16:28But
Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Don't
harm yourself, for we are all here!" 16:29He called for lights and sprang in, and,
fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, 16:30and brought them out and said,
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 16:31They said, "Believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 16:32They spoke
the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. 16:33He took them the same hour of the night,
and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his
household. 16:34He
brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced
greatly, with all his household, having believed in God. 16:35But when it was day, the magistrates sent
the sergeants, saying, "Let those men go." 16:36The jailer reported these words to Paul,
saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you
go; now therefore come out, and go in peace." 16:37But Paul said to them, "They have
beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us
into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most assuredly, but let
them come themselves and bring us out!" 16:38The sergeants reported these words to the
magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 16:39and they came
and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart
from the city. 16:40They
went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia's house. When they had seen
the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed. 17:1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,
where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 17:2Paul, as was his custom, went in to
them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 17:3explaining and
demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and
saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ." 17:4Some of them were persuaded, and joined
Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the
chief women. 17:5But the unpersuaded
Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a
crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought
to bring them out to the people. 17:6When
they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the
rulers of the city, crying, "These who have turned the world upside down
have come here also, 17:7whom
Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying
that there is another king, Jesus!" 17:8The multitude and the rulers of the
city were troubled when they heard these things. 17:9When they had taken security from
Jason and the rest, they let them go. 17:10The brothers immediately sent Paul
and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they
arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 17:11Now these were more
noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with
all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether
these things were so. 17:12Many
of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few
men. 17:13But
when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was
proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there
likewise, agitating the multitudes. 17:14Then the brothers immediately sent
out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed
there. 17:15But
those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment
to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they
departed. 17:16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,
his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols. 17:17So he reasoned
in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace
every day with those who met him. 17:18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were
conversing with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to
say?" Others said, "He seems to
be advocating foreign deities," because he preached Jesus and the
resurrection. 17:19They took hold of him, and brought him to
the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, which is
spoken by you? 17:20For
you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what
these things mean." 17:21Now
all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing
else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing. 17:22Paul stood in the middle of the
Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very
religious in all things. 17:23For
as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an
altar with this inscription: 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship
in ignorance, this I announce to you. 17:24The God who made the world and all
things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't dwell in temples
made with hands, 17:25neither
is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself
gives to all life and breath, and all things. 17:26He made from one blood every nation
of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed
seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, 17:27that they should seek the Lord, if
perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from
each one of us. 17:28'For
in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have
said, 'For we are also his offspring.' 17:29Being then the offspring of God, we
ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone,
engraved by art and design of man. 17:30The times of ignorance therefore God
overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, 17:31because he
has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the
man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that
he has raised him from the dead." 17:32Now when they heard of the resurrection
of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We want to hear you again
concerning this." 17:33Thus Paul went out from among them. 17:34But certain
men joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the
Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 18:1After these things Paul departed from
Athens, and came to Corinth. 18:2He
found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently
come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all
the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them, 18:3and because he practiced the same
trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers. 18:4He reasoned in
the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks. 18:5But when Silas and Timothy came down
from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that
Jesus was the Christ. 18:6When
they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them,
"Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to
the Gentiles!" 18:7He departed there, and went into the
house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was
next door to the synagogue. 18:8Crispus,
the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of
the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized. 18:9The Lord said to Paul in the night by
a vision, "Don't be afraid, but speak and don't
be silent; 18:10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you,
for I have many people in this city." 18:11He lived there a year and six months,
teaching the word of God among them. 18:12But when Gallio
was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and
brought him before the judgment seat, 18:13saying, "This man persuades men
to worship God contrary to the law." 18:14But when Paul was about to open his
mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If indeed it
were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable
that I should bear with you; 18:15but
if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it
yourselves. For I don't want to be a judge of these matters." 18:16He drove them
from the judgment seat. 18:17Then all the Greeks laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him
before the judgment seat. Gallio didn't care about
any of these things. 18:18Paul, having stayed after this many more
days, took his leave of the brothers, and
sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved
his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow. 18:19He came to
Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue,
and reasoned with the Jews. 18:20When
they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined; 18:21but taking his leave of them, and
saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will
return again to you if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus. 18:22When he had landed at Caesarea, he went
up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch. 18:23Having spent some time there, he
departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order,
establishing all the disciples. 18:24Now
a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to
Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures. 18:25This man had been instructed in the
way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately
the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 18:26He began to
speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they
took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 18:27When he had determined to pass over into
Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive
him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through
grace; 18:28for
he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus
was the Christ. 19:1It happened that, while Apollos was at
Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and
found certain disciples. 19:2He
said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They said to him, "No, we
haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 19:3He said, "Into what then were you
baptized?" They said, "Into John's
baptism." 19:4Paul said, "John indeed baptized
with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe
in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus." 19:5When they heard this, they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. 19:6When
Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke
with other languages and prophesied. 19:7They were about twelve men in all. 19:8He entered into
the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and
persuading about the things concerning the Kingdom of God. 19:9But when some were hardened and
disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from
them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 19:10This
continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word
of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 19:11God worked special miracles by the hands
of Paul, 19:12so
that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the
sick, and the evil spirits went out. 19:13But some of the itinerant Jews,
exorcists, took on themselves to name over those who had the evil spirits the
name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul
preaches." 19:14There
were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief
priest, who did this. 19:15The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I
know, and Paul I know, but who are you?" 19:16The man in whom the evil spirit was
leaped on them, and overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that
they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 19:17This became known to all, both Jews
and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the
Lord Jesus was magnified. 19:18Many
also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds. 19:19Many of those
who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in
the sight of all. They counted the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces
of silver. 19:20So
the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty. 19:21Now after these things had ended, Paul
determined in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to
go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see
Rome." 19:22Having sent into Macedonia two of those
who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a
while. 19:23About
that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way. 19:24For a certain man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business
to the craftsmen, 19:25whom
he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said,
"Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. 19:26You see and
hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul
has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands. 19:27Not only is there danger that this
our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess
Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia
and the world worships." 19:28When they heard this they were filled
with anger, and cried out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the
Ephesians!" 19:29The
whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into
the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's
companions in travel. 19:30When
Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn't allow him. 19:31Certain also
of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and
begged him not to venture into the theater. 19:32Some therefore cried one thing, and
some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn't know why
they had come together. 19:33They
brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward.
Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the
people. 19:34But
when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about
two hours cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 19:35When the town clerk had quieted the
multitude, he said, "You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn't
know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great goddess Artemis,
and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 19:36Seeing then that these things can't
be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. 19:37For you have brought these men here,
who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 19:38If therefore
Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone,
the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against
one another. 19:39But
if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular
assembly. 19:40For
indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day's riot, there
being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn't be able to give an account of this
commotion." 19:41When
he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly. 20:1After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent
for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia. 20:2When he had
gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came
into Greece. 20:3When
he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as
he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through
Macedonia. 20:4These
accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus
of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
20:5But these
had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas. 20:6We sailed away from Philippi after
the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where
we stayed seven days. 20:7On the first day of the week, when the
disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them,
intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.
20:8There were
many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered
together. 20:9A
certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window,
weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down
by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead. 20:10Paul went
down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, "Don't be troubled, for
his life is in him." 20:11When he had gone up, and had broken
bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of
day, he departed. 20:12They
brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted. 20:13But we who went ahead to the ship set
sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard
there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land. 20:14When he met us
at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene. 20:15Sailing
from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched
at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day
after we came to Miletus. 20:16For
Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he
might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were
possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. 20:17From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and
called to himself the elders of the assembly. 20:18When they had come to him, he said
to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in
Asia, how I was with you all the time, 20:19serving the Lord with all humility,
with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the
Jews; 20:20how
I didn't shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching
you publicly and from house to house, 20:21testifying both to Jews and to
Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.*
20:22Now,
behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen
to me there; 20:23except
that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and
afflictions wait for me. 20:24But
these things don't count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may
finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord
Jesus, to fully testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. 20:25Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom
I went about preaching the Kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 20:26Therefore I
testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men, 20:27for I didn't
shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 20:28Take heed, therefore, to yourselves,
and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to
shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God
which he purchased with his own blood. 20:29For I know that after my departure,
vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30Men will
arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the
disciples after them. 20:31Therefore
watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn't cease to
admonish everyone night and day with tears. 20:32Now, brothers, I entrust
you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to
give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 20:33I coveted no one's silver, or gold,
or clothing. 20:34You
yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those
who were with me. 20:35In
all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the
weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 20:36When he had spoken these things, he knelt
down and prayed with them all. 20:37They
all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, 20:38sorrowing most of all because of the
word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they
accompanied him to the ship. 21:1When it happened that we had parted from
them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next
day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 21:2Having found a
ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. 21:3When we had come in sight of Cyprus,
leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to
unload her cargo. 21:4Having
found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the
Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 21:5When it happened that we had
accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with
wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city.
Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed. 21:6After saying goodbye to each other,
we went on board the ship, and they returned home again. 21:7When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers,
and stayed with them one day. 21:8On
the next day, we, who were Paul's companions, departed, and came to Caesarea.
We entered into the house of
Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 21:9Now this man
had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 21:10As we stayed there some days, a
certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 21:11Coming to us,
and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus
says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns
this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" 21:12When we heard these things, both we and
they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13Then Paul answered, "What are
you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be
bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 21:14When he would not be persuaded, we
ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done." 21:15After these days we took up our baggage
and went up to Jerusalem. 21:16Some
of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would
stay. 21:17When we had come to Jerusalem, the
brothers received us gladly. 21:18The
day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were
present. 21:19When
he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked
among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20They, when they heard it, glorified
God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are
among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the
law. 21:21They
have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the
Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children
neither to walk after the customs. 21:22What then? The assembly must
certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 21:23Therefore do what we tell you. We
have four men who have taken a vow. 21:24Take them, and purify yourself with
them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then
all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been
informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law. 21:25But
concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they
should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from
food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual
immorality." 21:26Then Paul took the men, and the next day,
purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the
fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for
every one of them. 21:27When
the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him
in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him, 21:28crying out,
"Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere
against the people, and the law, and this place. Moreover, he also brought
Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" 21:29For they had
seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city,
and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 21:30All the city was moved, and the people
ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately
the doors were shut. 21:31As
they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the
regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 21:32Immediately he took soldiers and
centurions, and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and
the soldiers, stopped beating Paul. 21:33Then the commanding officer came
near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired
who he was and what he had done. 21:34Some
shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he couldn't find
out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.
21:35When he came to the stairs, it happened
that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; 21:36for the
multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with
him!" 21:37As
Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding
officer, "May I speak to you?" He said, "Do you know
Greek? 21:38Aren't
you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led
out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" 21:39But Paul said, "I am a Jew, from
Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to
speak to the people." 21:40When he had given him permission, Paul,
standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a
great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, 22:1"Brothers and fathers, listen to the
defense which I now make to you." 22:2When they heard that he spoke to them in
the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He
said, 22:3"I
am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at
the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of
our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day. 22:4I persecuted
this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and
women. 22:5As
also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom
also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring
them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. 22:6It happened that, as I made my
journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from
the sky a great light around me. 22:7I
fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 22:8I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He
said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you
persecute.' 22:9"Those who were with me indeed saw
the light and were afraid, but they didn't understand the voice of him who
spoke to me. 22:10I
said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise,
and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are
appointed for you to do.' 22:11When
I couldn't see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those
who were with me, I came into Damascus. 22:12One Ananias, a devout man according
to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus, 22:13came to me,
and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' In that
very hour I looked up at him. 22:14He
said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see
the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 22:15For you will be a witness for him to
all men of what you have seen and heard. 22:16Now why do you wait? Arise, be
baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' 22:17"It happened that, when I had
returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a
trance, 22:18and
saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem
quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'
22:19I said,
'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue
those who believed in you. 22:20When
the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting
to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.' 22:21"He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the
Gentiles.'" 22:22They listened to him until he said that;
then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this
fellow, for he isn't fit to live!" 22:23As they cried out, and threw off their
cloaks, and threw dust into the air, 22:24the commanding officer commanded him
to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging,
that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that. 22:25When they had
tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it
lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?" 22:26When the centurion heard it, he went to
the commanding officer and told him, "Watch what you are about to do,
for this man is a Roman!" 22:27The commanding officer came and asked
him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes." 22:28The commanding officer answered, "I bought
my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born
a Roman." 22:29Immediately those who were about to
examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid
when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him. 22:30But on the
next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he
freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council
to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them. 23:1Paul, looking steadfastly at the council,
said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until
this day." 23:2The high priest, Ananias, commanded those
who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 23:3Then Paul said to him, "God will
strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the
law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?" 23:4Those who stood by said, "Do you
malign God's high priest?" 23:5Paul said, "I didn't know, brothers,
that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a
ruler of your people.'" 23:6But
when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees,
he cried out in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son
of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being
judged!" 23:7When he had said this, an argument arose
between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8For the
Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the
Pharisees confess all of these. 23:9A
great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up,
and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or
angel has spoken to him, let's not fight against God!" 23:10When a great argument arose, the
commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them,
commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and
bring him into the barracks. 23:11The following night, the Lord stood by
him, and said, "Cheer up, Paul, for as you have
testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."
23:12When it was day, some of the Jews banded
together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither
eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 23:13There were more than forty people
who had made this conspiracy. 23:14They
came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound
ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 23:15Now
therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should
bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case
more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near." 23:16But Paul's sister's son heard of their
lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. 23:17Paul summoned
one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding
officer, for he has something to tell him." 23:18So he took him, and brought him to the
commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked
me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you." 23:19The commanding officer took him by the
hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to
tell me?" 23:20He said, "The Jews have agreed to
ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to
inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. 23:21Therefore don't yield to them, for
more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a
curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are
ready, looking for the promise from you." 23:22So the commanding officer let the young
man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things
to me." 23:23He
called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred
soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men
armed with spears, at the
third hour of the night." 23:24He asked them to provide animals,
that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 23:25He wrote a
letter like this: 23:26"Claudius Lysias
to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. 23:27"This man was seized by the Jews,
and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued
him, having learned that he was a Roman. 23:28Desiring to know the cause why they
accused him, I brought him down to their council. 23:29I found him to be accused about
questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of
death or of bonds. 23:30When
I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you
immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against
him before you. Farewell." 23:31So the soldiers, carrying out their
orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
23:32But on the
next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
23:33When they
came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also
presented Paul to him. 23:34When
the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he
understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, 23:35"I will hear you fully when
your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's
palace. 24:1After five days, the high priest,
Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus.
They informed the governor against Paul. 24:2When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Seeing that
by you we enjoy much peace, and that excellent measures are coming to this
nation, 24:3we
accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all
thankfulness. 24:4But,
that I don't delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words. 24:5For we have
found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the
Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 24:6He even tried
to profane the temple, and we arrested him.* 24:7*
24:8*By
examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse
him." 24:9The Jews also joined in the attack,
affirming that these things were so. 24:10When the governor had beckoned to
him to speak, Paul answered, "Because I know that you have been a judge
of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, 24:11seeing that you can recognize that
it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 24:12In the temple
they didn't find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in
the synagogues, or in the city. 24:13Nor
can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. 24:14But this I confess to you, that
after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers,
believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in
the prophets; 24:15having
hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 24:16Herein I also practice always having
a conscience void of offense toward God and men. 24:17Now after some years, I came to
bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; 24:18amid which certain Jews from Asia
found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. 24:19They ought to
have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything
against me. 24:20Or
else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I
stood before the council, 24:21unless
it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, 'Concerning the
resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'" 24:22But Felix, having more exact knowledge
concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, "When Lysias,
the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case." 24:23He ordered
the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some
privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit
him. 24:24But
after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and
sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. 24:25As he
reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix
was terrified, and answered, "Go your way for this time, and when it is
convenient for me, I will summon you." 24:26Meanwhile, he also hoped that money
would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he
sent for him more often, and talked with him. 24:27But when two years were fulfilled,
Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring
to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds. 25:1Festus therefore, having come into the
province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 25:2Then the high priest and the
principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 25:3asking a favor
against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on
the way. 25:4However
Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he
himself was about to depart shortly. 25:5"Let them therefore," said
he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is
anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him." 25:6When he had stayed among them more than
ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the
judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 25:7When he had come, the Jews who had
come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and
grievous charges which they could not prove, 25:8while he said in his defense,
"Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor
against Caesar, have I sinned at all." 25:9But Festus, desiring to gain favor with
the Jews, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to
Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?" 25:10But Paul said, "I am standing before
Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to
the Jews, as you also know very well. 25:11For if I have done wrong, and have
committed anything worthy of death, I don't refuse to die; but if none of those
things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I
appeal to Caesar!" 25:12Then Festus, when he had conferred with
the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall
go." 25:13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa
the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus. 25:14As he stayed there many days, Festus
laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a certain man left a
prisoner by Felix; 25:15about
whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
informed me, asking for a sentence against him. 25:16To whom I answered that it is not
the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the
accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make
his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 25:17When therefore they had come
together here, I didn't delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat,
and commanded the man to be brought. 25:18Concerning whom, when the accusers
stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed; 25:19but had
certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus,
who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 25:20Being perplexed how to inquire
concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem
and there be judged concerning these matters. 25:21But when Paul had appealed to be
kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I
could send him to Caesar." 25:22Agrippa said to Festus, "I also
would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said,
"you shall hear him." 25:23So on the next day, when Agrippa and
Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of
hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the
command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 25:24Festus said, "King Agrippa, and
all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the
multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that
he ought not to live any longer. 25:25But
when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself
appealed to the emperor I determined to send him. 25:26Of whom I have no certain thing to
write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and
especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have
something to write. 25:27For
it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the
charges against him." 26:1Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak
for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his
hand, and made his defense. 26:2"I
think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you
this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, 26:3especially
because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews.
Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. 26:4"Indeed, all the Jews know my way of
life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and
at Jerusalem; 26:5having
known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the
strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 26:6Now I stand here to be judged for the
hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 26:7which our twelve tribes, earnestly
serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by
the Jews, King Agrippa! 26:8Why
is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead? 26:9"I myself most assuredly thought
that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 26:10This I also
did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having
received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I
gave my vote against them. 26:11Punishing
them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being
exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 26:12"Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus
with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 26:13at noon, O King, I saw on the way a
light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who
traveled with me. 26:14When
we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew
language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It
is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 26:15"I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 26:16But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you
for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things
which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; 26:17delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to
whom I send you, 26:18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to
light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of
sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
26:19"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not
disobedient to the heavenly vision, 26:20but declared first to them of
Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to
the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of
repentance. 26:21For
this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. 26:22Having
therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying
both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said
would happen, 26:23how
the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be
first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles." 26:24As he thus made his defense, Festus said
with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving
you insane!" 26:25But he said, "I am not crazy, most
excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. 26:26For the king
knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that
none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a
corner. 26:27King
Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." 26:28Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little
persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?" 26:29Paul said, "I pray to God, that
whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me
this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds." 26:30The king rose up with the governor, and
Bernice, and those who sat with them. 26:31When they had withdrawn, they spoke
one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of
bonds." 26:32Agrippa
said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not
appealed to Caesar." 27:1When it was determined that we should
sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion
named Julius, of the Augustan band. 27:2Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the
coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica,
being with us. 27:3The
next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him
permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. 27:4Putting to sea from there, we sailed
under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 27:5When we had sailed across the sea
which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 27:6There the
centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on
board. 27:7When
we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus,
the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 27:8With
difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens,
near the city of Lasea. 27:9When much time had passed and the voyage
was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished
them, 27:10and
said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and
much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives." 27:11But the
centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to
those things which were spoken by Paul. 27:12Because the haven was not suitable
to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means
they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking
northeast and southeast. 27:13When the south wind blew softly,
supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and
sailed along Crete, close to shore. 27:14But before long, a tempestuous wind
beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon.
27:15When the
ship was caught, and couldn't face the wind, we gave way to it, and were
driven along. 27:16Running
under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we
were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat. 27:17After they had hoisted it up, they
used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground
on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea
anchor, and so were driven along. 27:18As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the
next day they began to throw things overboard. 27:19On the third day, they threw out the
ship's tackle with their own hands. 27:20When neither sun nor stars shone on
us for many days, and no small tempest pressed on us, all hope that we would
be saved was now taken away. 27:21When they had been long without food,
Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, "Sirs, you should have
listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury
and loss. 27:22Now
I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but
only of the ship. 27:23For
there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and
whom I serve, 27:24saying,
'Don't be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted
you all those who sail with you.' 27:25Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God,
that it will be just as it has been spoken to me. 27:26But we must run aground on a certain
island." 27:27But when the fourteenth night had come,
as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the
sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land. 27:28They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After
a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.. 27:29Fearing that
we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the
stern, and wished for daylight. 27:30As
the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat
into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow, 27:31Paul said to
the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you
can't be saved." 27:32Then
the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off. 27:33While the day was coming on, Paul begged
them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that
you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. 27:34Therefore I beg you to take some
food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of
your heads." 27:35When
he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence
of all, and he broke it, and began to eat. 27:36Then they all cheered up, and they
also took food. 27:37In
all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship. 27:38When they had eaten enough, they
lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 27:39When it was day, they didn't recognize
the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to
try to drive the ship onto it. 27:40Casting
off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the
rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 27:41But coming to
a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and
remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the
waves. 27:42The soldiers' counsel was to kill the
prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape. 27:43But the centurion, desiring to save
Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could
swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land; 27:44and the rest
should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it
happened that they all escaped safely to the land. 28:1When we had escaped, then they learned that
the island was called Malta. 28:2The
natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us
all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 28:3But when Paul had gathered a bundle
of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat,
and fastened on his hand. 28:4When
the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another,
"No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the
sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live." 28:5However he shook off the creature
into the fire, and wasn't harmed. 28:6But
they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but
when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they
changed their minds, and said that he was a god. 28:7Now in the neighborhood of that place
were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us
for three days. 28:8It
happened that the father of Publius lay sick of
fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on
him, healed him. 28:9Then
when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and
were cured. 28:10They
also honored us with many honors, and when we sailed, they put on board the
things that we needed. 28:11After three months, we set sail in a ship
of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was "The Twin
Brothers." 28:12Touching
at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. 28:13From there we circled around and
arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind
sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,
28:14where we
found brothers,
and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome. 28:15From there
the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of
Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took
courage. 28:16When
we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of
the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who
guarded him. 28:17It happened that after three days Paul
called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come
together, he said to them, "I, brothers, though I had done nothing
against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered
prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 28:18who, when they had examined me,
desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me. 28:19But when the
Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had
anything about which to accuse my nation. 28:20For this cause therefore I asked to
see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound
with this chain." 28:21They said to him, "We neither
received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come
here and report or speak any evil of you. 28:22But we desire to hear from you what you
think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is
spoken against." 28:23When they had appointed him a day, many
people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about the
Kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of
Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening. 28:24Some believed the things which were
spoken, and some disbelieved. 28:25When
they didn't agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word,
"The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our
fathers, 28:26saying,
'Go to this people, and
say, In hearing, you will hear, In seeing, you will see, 28:27For this people's heart has grown
callous. Lest they should see with
their eyes, 28:28"Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles.
They will also listen." 28:29When he had said these words, the Jews
departed, having a great dispute among themselves. 28:30Paul stayed two whole years in his own
rented house, and received all who were coming to him, 28:31preaching the Kingdom of God, and
teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness,
without hinderance. Notes: [1] back to 2:15
about 9:00 AM [2] back to 3:1 3:00
PM [3] back
to 3:17 The word for "brothers" here may be also correctly
translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings." [4] back
to 4:26 Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean Anointed One.
(Compare Psalm 2) [5] back
to 6:1 The Hellenists used Greek language and culture, even though they
were also of Hebrew descent. [6] back
to 7:23 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [7] back
to 7:37 TR adds "You shall listen to him." [8] back
to 8:37 TR adds "Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart,
you may.' He answered, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'" [9] back
to 9:5 TR adds "It's hard for you to kick against the goads." [10] back to 9:6 TR
omits "But" [11] back to 9:28 TR
and NU add "and going out" [12] back
to 9:29 The Hellenists were Hebrews who used Greek language and culture. [13] back
to 9:30 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [14] back
to 9:36 "Dorcas" is Greek for "Gazelle." [15] back to 9:38 Reading
from NU, TR; MT omits "two men" [16] back to 10:3 3:00
PM [17] back
to 10:6 TR adds "This one will tell you what it is necessary for you
to do." [18] back to 10:19
Reading from TR and NU. MT omits "three" [19] back
to 10:30 3:00 P. M. [20] back to 10:39 TR
omits "also" [21] back
to 11:1 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows
may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [22] back to 12:25 TR
reads "from" instead of "to" [23] back to 13:17
TR, NU add "Israel" [24] back to 13:23
TR, NU read "a Savior, Jesus" instead of "salvation" [25] back to 13:24
TR, NU read "to all the people of Israel" instead of "to
Israel" [26] back
to 13:38 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [27] back to 14:2 or,
disobedient [28] back to 14:17 TR
reads "us" instead of "you" [29] back
to 15:3 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [30] back to 15:11 TR
adds "Christ" [31] back
to 15:22 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [32] back
to 15:34 Some manuscripts add: But it seemed good to Silas to stay there. [33] back to 17:5 TR
reads "And the Jews who were unpersuaded, becoming envious and taking
along" instead of "But the unpersuaded Jews took along" [34] back to 17:6 The word for
"brothers" here and where the context allows may be also correctly
translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings." [35] back to 17:18 TR
omits "also" [36] back
to 18:18 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [37] back
to 19:19 The 50,000 pieces of silver here probably referred to 50,000
drachmas. If so, the value of the burned books was equivalent to about 160
man-years of wages for agricultural laborers [38] back to 20:8 TR
reads "they" instead of "we" [39] back to 20:21 TR
adds "Christ" [40] back to 20:28
TR, NU omit "the Lord and" [41] back
to 20:32 The word for "brothers" here and where the context
allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." [42] back to 23:23
about 9:00 PM [43] back to 24:6 TR
adds "We wanted to judge him according to our law," [44] back to 24:7 TR
adds "but the commanding officer, Lysias, came
by and with great violence took him out of our hands," [45] back
to 24:8 TR adds "commanding his accusers to come to you." [46] back
to 27:14 Or, "a northeaster." [47] back to 27:28 20
fathoms = 120 feet = 36.6 meters [48] back to 27:28 15
fathoms = 90 feet = 27.4 meters [49] back to 28:1 NU
reads "we" [50] back
to 28:14 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows
may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings." To
the To
the To
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