The Book Of ActsOf The Vivid English Translation Of The New Testament
|
| ||
Note: This web version of the Book Of Acts does not contain the many footnotes. The footnotes are included in the PDF version for downloading.
An Overview Of The Book Of Acts
Historical Background Material For The Book Of Acts:
For information about the writer, occasion and purpose, date and place, of the Book of Acts, see An Overview Of The Gospel Of Luke, which is located at the beginning of the Gospel According to Luke.
Outstanding Elements Of The Book Of Acts:
1. The persons and ministries of Peter and Paul and their respective centers of Jerusalem and Antioch, Syria, from which they worked.
2. Jesus’ ascension, Pentecost which marked the birth of the Christian Church, the church’s calling its first deacons or lay leaders to assist with the ministry, the conversion of Saul (Paul), the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles of Cornelius’ household, the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church.
3. The Word of the Lord Jesus Christ spread and the church grew from Jerusalem in the Middle East, which was the Jewish capital, to Rome in Europe, which was the Gentile capital and would become the center of the western church.
4. The Word of the Lord Jesus Christ spread and the church grew in the face of opposition from without; namely the persecution by Jews and by Gentiles, and the arrests and imprisonments by the ruling authorities.
5. The Word of the Lord Jesus Christ and the church grew in the face of opposition from within; namely from the Judaizers who insisted the Law of Moses must be kept to be saved. The gospel of salvation by God’s grace alone through faith alone was preserved and Jewish and Gentile believers were joyfully united in the freedom of this gospel.
6. The power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word brought men and women to faith and gathered the church together into one body in Jesus Christ.
7 Addresses, or speeches, are prominent, which were given by Peter, Stephen, Paul, and James.
Theme Of The Book Of Acts:
The Book of Acts has been called The Acts of the Apostles. This title was not given by the author Luke and is less than appropriate, for the book speaks of only a few of the apostles and their ministries--Peter, John (briefly), James (only in that Herod killed him) and Paul. None of the other apostles are mentioned. The Book of Acts is clearly not about the acts of the apostles, for if it were, it has the wrong ending. It ends without revealing how Paul’s trial before Caesar’s tribunal turned out, a certain necessity if the theme of the book were about the apostles, their ministries, and what happened to them.
The Book of Acts is more properly a continuation of the Gospel of Luke and could be considered volume 2 of that gospel. Compare the opening verses of Luke’s gospel to the opening verses of the Book of Acts.
Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have attempted to draw up an account of the deeds that have been fulfilled among us,
Luke 1:2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and servants of the word handed them down to us,
Luke 1:3 it also seemed best to me, after having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it in order for you, most excellent Theophilus,
Luke 1:4 in order that you may know exactly the certainty of the matters that you have been taught.
Acts 1:1 To be sure, the earlier written account I made, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach
Acts 1:2 until that day he was taken up to heaven after giving orders by means of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.
In comparing the opening verses of the Gospel of Luke to the opening verses of the Book of Acts, note that Luke wrote the Book of Acts originally for the same man, a Greek named Theophilus, for whom he had also written his gospel. Note also that Luke referred to his gospel as his former book. The Book of Acts, then, is his second book. Thus we might consider Luke’s gospel Volume 1 and his Book of Acts Volume 2. The Book of Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke left off with the account of Jesus and continues the account of Jesus from that point. Note, too, that Luke wrote in Acts 1:1 that in his gospel he had written about all that Jesus “began” to do. The word “began” implies that there is still more to be reported about what Jesus was then continuing to do.
The theme of Luke’s gospel is this: Jesus Is Christ the Lord, the Savior Who Came to Seek and to Save All People. The Book of Acts continues this theme. It has been said that as the gospels present Jesus going about preaching the gospel and calling people to repent, so the Book of Acts presents Jesus continuing his preaching ministry through his witnesses whom he sent out into the world. The Book of Acts reports how the gospel of Jesus through his witnesses was spread in ever widening circles to Jews and Gentiles alike. Thus the theme of the Book of Acts can well be stated as: The Word of Jesus progressed from Jerusalem to Rome and the Christian church, grew.
The Book of Acts could also be considered a documentation on the work of the Holy Spirit to gather the Christian church through the spreading of the gospel of Jesus. There are 57 verses in the Book of Acts that speak of the Holy Spirit and his work and activities.
Structure:
The book is structured around 2 key figures or apostles. Acts 1 to Acts 12:24 key on the person and ministry of the apostle Peter in and around Jerusalem. Acts 12:25 to Acts 28:31 key on the person and ministry of the apostle Paul, whose missionary work was based from Antioch, Syria. These 2 figures divide the book.
Luke indicated the structure of the Book of Acts at six points, all of which proclaim the Word of the Lord or the church grew. See Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31 below. Thus, as stated above, the theme and purpose of the book could be stated as tracing the progress of the Word of Jesus and the growth of the church from Jerusalem to Rome.
Acts 6:7 And the Word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem continued to increase greatly, and a large number of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (This notes the preaching and the growth of the church in Jerusalem.)
Acts 9:31 Consequently the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria continued to have peace. While being built up and proceeding in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the church kept increasing. living in the fear of the Lord. (This notes the preaching and the growth of the church throughout Judea and Samaria.)
Acts 12:24 And the word of God continued to increase and be multiplied.
Acts 16:5 So, to be sure, the churches were being strengthened in the faith and kept growing in number every day.
Acts 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow mightily and prevail.
Acts 28:31 . . . preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered. (This notes the preaching of the word by Paul had reached the ends of the earth, namely to Rome, the capital of the Gentile world in Europe.)
The structure of the Book of Acts is organized around Jesus’ commission and mission strategy stated in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even as far as the end of the earth.” Accordingly the book is structured as follows:
Part 1: Jesus’ witnesses spread his gospel in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jews, Acts 1:1-6:7.
Part 2: Jesus’ witnesses spread his gospel throughout Judea and Samaria, Acts 6:8-12:24.
Part 3: Jesus’ witnesses carry his gospel to the ends of the earth, to Rome, the capital of the Gentiles, Acts 12:25-28-31.
For information about the writer, occasion and purpose, date and place, of the Book of Acts, see An Overview Of The Gospel Of Luke, which is located at the beginning of the Gospel According to Luke.
Outstanding Elements Of The Book Of Acts:
1. The persons and ministries of Peter and Paul and their respective centers of Jerusalem and Antioch, Syria, from which they worked.
2. Jesus’ ascension, Pentecost which marked the birth of the Christian Church, the church’s calling its first deacons or lay leaders to assist with the ministry, the conversion of Saul (Paul), the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles of Cornelius’ household, the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church.
3. The Word of the Lord Jesus Christ spread and the church grew from Jerusalem in the Middle East, which was the Jewish capital, to Rome in Europe, which was the Gentile capital and would become the center of the western church.
4. The Word of the Lord Jesus Christ spread and the church grew in the face of opposition from without; namely the persecution by Jews and by Gentiles, and the arrests and imprisonments by the ruling authorities.
5. The Word of the Lord Jesus Christ and the church grew in the face of opposition from within; namely from the Judaizers who insisted the Law of Moses must be kept to be saved. The gospel of salvation by God’s grace alone through faith alone was preserved and Jewish and Gentile believers were joyfully united in the freedom of this gospel.
6. The power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word brought men and women to faith and gathered the church together into one body in Jesus Christ.
7 Addresses, or speeches, are prominent, which were given by Peter, Stephen, Paul, and James.
Theme Of The Book Of Acts:
The Book of Acts has been called The Acts of the Apostles. This title was not given by the author Luke and is less than appropriate, for the book speaks of only a few of the apostles and their ministries--Peter, John (briefly), James (only in that Herod killed him) and Paul. None of the other apostles are mentioned. The Book of Acts is clearly not about the acts of the apostles, for if it were, it has the wrong ending. It ends without revealing how Paul’s trial before Caesar’s tribunal turned out, a certain necessity if the theme of the book were about the apostles, their ministries, and what happened to them.
The Book of Acts is more properly a continuation of the Gospel of Luke and could be considered volume 2 of that gospel. Compare the opening verses of Luke’s gospel to the opening verses of the Book of Acts.
Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have attempted to draw up an account of the deeds that have been fulfilled among us,
Luke 1:2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and servants of the word handed them down to us,
Luke 1:3 it also seemed best to me, after having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it in order for you, most excellent Theophilus,
Luke 1:4 in order that you may know exactly the certainty of the matters that you have been taught.
Acts 1:1 To be sure, the earlier written account I made, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach
Acts 1:2 until that day he was taken up to heaven after giving orders by means of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.
In comparing the opening verses of the Gospel of Luke to the opening verses of the Book of Acts, note that Luke wrote the Book of Acts originally for the same man, a Greek named Theophilus, for whom he had also written his gospel. Note also that Luke referred to his gospel as his former book. The Book of Acts, then, is his second book. Thus we might consider Luke’s gospel Volume 1 and his Book of Acts Volume 2. The Book of Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke left off with the account of Jesus and continues the account of Jesus from that point. Note, too, that Luke wrote in Acts 1:1 that in his gospel he had written about all that Jesus “began” to do. The word “began” implies that there is still more to be reported about what Jesus was then continuing to do.
The theme of Luke’s gospel is this: Jesus Is Christ the Lord, the Savior Who Came to Seek and to Save All People. The Book of Acts continues this theme. It has been said that as the gospels present Jesus going about preaching the gospel and calling people to repent, so the Book of Acts presents Jesus continuing his preaching ministry through his witnesses whom he sent out into the world. The Book of Acts reports how the gospel of Jesus through his witnesses was spread in ever widening circles to Jews and Gentiles alike. Thus the theme of the Book of Acts can well be stated as: The Word of Jesus progressed from Jerusalem to Rome and the Christian church, grew.
The Book of Acts could also be considered a documentation on the work of the Holy Spirit to gather the Christian church through the spreading of the gospel of Jesus. There are 57 verses in the Book of Acts that speak of the Holy Spirit and his work and activities.
Structure:
The book is structured around 2 key figures or apostles. Acts 1 to Acts 12:24 key on the person and ministry of the apostle Peter in and around Jerusalem. Acts 12:25 to Acts 28:31 key on the person and ministry of the apostle Paul, whose missionary work was based from Antioch, Syria. These 2 figures divide the book.
Luke indicated the structure of the Book of Acts at six points, all of which proclaim the Word of the Lord or the church grew. See Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31 below. Thus, as stated above, the theme and purpose of the book could be stated as tracing the progress of the Word of Jesus and the growth of the church from Jerusalem to Rome.
Acts 6:7 And the Word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem continued to increase greatly, and a large number of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (This notes the preaching and the growth of the church in Jerusalem.)
Acts 9:31 Consequently the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria continued to have peace. While being built up and proceeding in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the church kept increasing. living in the fear of the Lord. (This notes the preaching and the growth of the church throughout Judea and Samaria.)
Acts 12:24 And the word of God continued to increase and be multiplied.
Acts 16:5 So, to be sure, the churches were being strengthened in the faith and kept growing in number every day.
Acts 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow mightily and prevail.
Acts 28:31 . . . preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered. (This notes the preaching of the word by Paul had reached the ends of the earth, namely to Rome, the capital of the Gentile world in Europe.)
The structure of the Book of Acts is organized around Jesus’ commission and mission strategy stated in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even as far as the end of the earth.” Accordingly the book is structured as follows:
Part 1: Jesus’ witnesses spread his gospel in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jews, Acts 1:1-6:7.
Part 2: Jesus’ witnesses spread his gospel throughout Judea and Samaria, Acts 6:8-12:24.
Part 3: Jesus’ witnesses carry his gospel to the ends of the earth, to Rome, the capital of the Gentiles, Acts 12:25-28-31.
Headings throughout The Following Book of Acts:
The headings are not merely section headings. The headings and subheadings make up an outline of the book. They are included in the body of the text so the reader can see them as he reads the book without having to page over to a separate outline.
The headings are not merely section headings. The headings and subheadings make up an outline of the book. They are included in the body of the text so the reader can see them as he reads the book without having to page over to a separate outline.
The Book Of Acts
Part 1: Jesus’ Witnesses Spread His Gospel in Jerusalem Acts 1:1-6:7
Jesus’ Ascension and Commissioning of His Apostles to be His Witnesses Acts 1:1-11
1
1 To be sure, the earlier written account I made, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach
2 until that day he was taken up to heaven after giving orders by means of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.
3 To them, after he suffered death, he also presented himself alive by means of many convincing proofs, appearing to them at intervals during forty days and telling them things about the kingdom of God.
4 And gathering them together, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but “to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Father, which you heard from me;
5 “for John, to be sure, baptized with water, but you yourselves will be baptized in the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
¶ 6 So when they had come together, they began questioning him, saying, “Lord, at this time are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 But he said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods of time which the Father has set in his own authority.
8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even as far as the end of the earth.”
9 And after he said these things, while they were looking on, he was taken up, and a cloud took him away from their eyes.
10 And as they were looking intently into the sky while he was going up, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, in this same way will come just as you have seen him going into heaven.”
The Election of an Apostle to Succeed Judas Acts 1:12-26
¶ 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from a mount called Olive Orchard, which is near Jerusalem, situated a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 And when they had entered Jerusalem, they went up to the upper room where they were continuing to stay, both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
14 All these apostles with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
¶ 15 And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers, (and a large number of about one hundred and twenty persons were there together), and he said,
16 “Men, brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
17 “For he was numbered among us and received his share of this ministry.
18 “Now this man, to be sure, procured for himself a field with the wages for his wickedness, and when he fell head first, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
19 “And it became known to all who are living in Jerusalem, so that that field was called (in their own language) ‘Akeldama,’(that is ‘Field of Blood.’)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
‘LET HIS DWELLING-PLACE BE MADE DESOLATE,
AND LET THERE BE NO ONE WHO DWELLS IN IT,’
And,
‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS POSITION OF OVERSEER.’
21 “Therefore it is necessary of the men who traveled with us during all the time the Lord Jesus went in and went out from us –
22 “beginning from the baptism of John until the day that he was taken up from us – one of these men must become a witness of his resurrection with us.”
23 And they proposed two men: Joseph, the one who is called Barsabbas, (who was surnamed Justus), and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who knows all hearts, show clearly which one out of these two you have chosen
25 to take the place of this ministry and office of apostle, from which Judas turned aside to go into his own place.”
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was assigned a place with the eleven apostles.
The Day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-41
2
1 And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in the same place.
2 And suddenly a sound came out of heaven just as when a violent wind blows, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 And tongues like fire appeared, dividing between them, and they rested upon each one of them,
4 and they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages just as the Spirit kept granting them to speak out in a stately manner.
¶ 5 Now there were Jews dwelling in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the populace gathered together, and it was bewildered, because each one kept hearing them speaking in his own language.
7 And they continued to be amazed and kept being astonished, saying, “Behold! Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8 “And so how is it we are hearing each one in our own language in which we were born?
9 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, not only Judea but also Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 “not only Phrygia but also Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya towards Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,
11 “(not only Jews but also converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs – we are hearing them speaking the mighty deeds of God in our languages!”
12 And they all continued to be amazed and kept being greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What does this mean?”
13 But others were mocking and said again and again, “They are ones who have been filled with sweet wine!”
¶ 14 Then when Peter stood up with the eleven, he raised his voice and spoke out to them in a stately manner, “Jewish men and all who dwell in Jerusalem! Let this be known to you and give ear to my words.
15 “For these men are not drunk, as you indeed suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning!
16 “On the contrary, this is what had been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ GOD SAYS,
‘I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND,
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS;
18 ‘AND EVEN UPON MY MALE SERVANTS AND UPON MY FEMALE SERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS,
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘AND I WILL CAUSE WONDERS IN THE HEAVEN ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD AND FIRE AND PILLARS OF SMOKE
20 ‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.
21 ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.’
¶ 22 “Israelite men, listen to these words; Jesus the Nazarene, a man validated by God to you by means of deeds of power and wonders and miraculous signs which God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know,
23 “this man, delivered up by the fixed will and foreknowledge of God, you murdered by means of the hands of godless men who nailed him to the cross,
24 “whom God raised up by bringing the pains of death to an end, because it was not possible he be held permanently by death.
25 “For David says about him,
‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME,
BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, I SHALL NOT BE SHAKEN.
26 “ ‘FOR THIS REASON MY HEART IS GLAD AND MY TONGUE REJOICES,
AND MOREOVER MY FLESH WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
27 “ ‘BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL DOWN IN HELL,
NOR WILL YOU PERMIT YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE DECAY.
28 “ ‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE,
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF JOY WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’
¶ 29 “Men, brothers, permit me to say confidently to you concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried and his tomb is with us until this day.
30 “So because he was a prophet, and knew that with an oath God HAD SWORN TO HIM TO SIT ONE OF THE OFFSPRING OF HIS LOINS UPON HIS THRONE,
31 “he saw in advance and spoke about the resurrection of Christ that
‘HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED IN HELL
NOR DID his flesh SEE DECAY.’
32 “This Jesus God raised up, of whom we ourselves are all witnesses.
33 “Then when he had been lifted up to the right hand of God and had received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured this out which you are seeing and hearing.
34 “For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND
35 “UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET. ” ’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel come to know beyond a doubt that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you, yes you, crucified!”
¶ 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced down to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What shall we do, men, brothers?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 And with many other words he solemnly testified, and urged them again and again, saying, “Be saved from this wicked generation!”
41 Then those who believed his message were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added to their number on that day.
Life in the Model Christian Church Acts 2:42-47
¶ 42 And they kept devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and to prayer.
43 Then fear kept coming on every person, and not only many wonders but also miraculous signs kept occurring by means of the apostles.
44 But all the believers kept together and kept having all things in common,
45 and from time to time they sold their possessions and property and distributed them to everyone, to the degree that anyone had need.
46 Day by day with one mind they were both spending much time in the temple and breaking bread house by house, continuing to receive their food with extreme joy and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And everyday the Lord kept adding together those who were being saved.
Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar Acts 3:1-10
3
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer at three o’clock in the afternoon.
2 And a man who was crippled from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they customarily placed every day at the gate of the temple that was called Beautiful to beg for alms from those going into the temple.
3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began begging to receive alms.
4 But after Peter, together with John, fixed his eyes on him, he said, “Look at us!”
5 Then he began fixing his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, this I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and start walking around!”
7 And taking hold of his right hand, he raised him up. And at once his feet and ankles were made strong,
8 and leaping up, he stood and began walking around, and he went with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking around and praising God,
10 and they began to recognize him clearly, that he himself was the man who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple begging for alms, and they became filled with amazement and astonishment because of what had happened to him.
Peter Preaches His Second Sermon Acts 3:11-26
¶ 11 And while he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, being utterly amazed, ran together toward them at the Portico of Solomon.
12 Then when Peter saw them, he began to speak to the people, “Israelite men! Why are you being astonished by this? Or why do you gaze upon us, as though by our own power or piety we have caused him to walk?
13 “The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our Fathers, he glorified his servant Jesus, whom you yourselves delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he decided to release him.
14 “But you, you denied the holy and righteous One, and you asked for a murderer to be given to you!
15 “Then you killed the Prince of life, whom God raised up from the dead, of which we ourselves are witnesses!
16 “And on the basis of faith in his name, his name made this man, whom you see and know, strong, and the faith that comes through Jesus gave this soundness of body to him in the sight of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted according to ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
18 “But in this manner God fulfilled the things that he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ would suffer.
19 “Therefore repent and be converted so that your sins may be wiped away,
20 “in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ who is appointed for you, Jesus,
21 “whom heaven must surely receive until the times of restoration of all things, of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from ages long past.
22 “On the one hand Moses said,
‘THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP A PROPHET LIKE ME FOR YOU FROM AMONG YOUR BROTHERS; LISTEN TO EVERYTHING HE SAYS to you.
23 “ ‘MOREOVER, IT WILL BE THAT WHATEVER PERSON DOES NOT LISTEN TO THAT PROPHET SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.’
24 “And on the other hand all the prophets from Samuel and those that followed after, as many as have spoken, also proclaimed these days.
25 “You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant, which God decreed to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR DESCENDANT ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’
26 “For you first God raised up his servant and sent him for the purpose of blessing you by turning each one away from your wicked ways.”
Jesus’ Ascension and Commissioning of His Apostles to be His Witnesses Acts 1:1-11
1
1 To be sure, the earlier written account I made, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach
2 until that day he was taken up to heaven after giving orders by means of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.
3 To them, after he suffered death, he also presented himself alive by means of many convincing proofs, appearing to them at intervals during forty days and telling them things about the kingdom of God.
4 And gathering them together, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but “to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Father, which you heard from me;
5 “for John, to be sure, baptized with water, but you yourselves will be baptized in the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
¶ 6 So when they had come together, they began questioning him, saying, “Lord, at this time are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 But he said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods of time which the Father has set in his own authority.
8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even as far as the end of the earth.”
9 And after he said these things, while they were looking on, he was taken up, and a cloud took him away from their eyes.
10 And as they were looking intently into the sky while he was going up, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, in this same way will come just as you have seen him going into heaven.”
The Election of an Apostle to Succeed Judas Acts 1:12-26
¶ 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from a mount called Olive Orchard, which is near Jerusalem, situated a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 And when they had entered Jerusalem, they went up to the upper room where they were continuing to stay, both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
14 All these apostles with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
¶ 15 And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers, (and a large number of about one hundred and twenty persons were there together), and he said,
16 “Men, brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
17 “For he was numbered among us and received his share of this ministry.
18 “Now this man, to be sure, procured for himself a field with the wages for his wickedness, and when he fell head first, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
19 “And it became known to all who are living in Jerusalem, so that that field was called (in their own language) ‘Akeldama,’(that is ‘Field of Blood.’)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
‘LET HIS DWELLING-PLACE BE MADE DESOLATE,
AND LET THERE BE NO ONE WHO DWELLS IN IT,’
And,
‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS POSITION OF OVERSEER.’
21 “Therefore it is necessary of the men who traveled with us during all the time the Lord Jesus went in and went out from us –
22 “beginning from the baptism of John until the day that he was taken up from us – one of these men must become a witness of his resurrection with us.”
23 And they proposed two men: Joseph, the one who is called Barsabbas, (who was surnamed Justus), and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who knows all hearts, show clearly which one out of these two you have chosen
25 to take the place of this ministry and office of apostle, from which Judas turned aside to go into his own place.”
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was assigned a place with the eleven apostles.
The Day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-41
2
1 And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in the same place.
2 And suddenly a sound came out of heaven just as when a violent wind blows, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 And tongues like fire appeared, dividing between them, and they rested upon each one of them,
4 and they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages just as the Spirit kept granting them to speak out in a stately manner.
¶ 5 Now there were Jews dwelling in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the populace gathered together, and it was bewildered, because each one kept hearing them speaking in his own language.
7 And they continued to be amazed and kept being astonished, saying, “Behold! Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8 “And so how is it we are hearing each one in our own language in which we were born?
9 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, not only Judea but also Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 “not only Phrygia but also Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya towards Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,
11 “(not only Jews but also converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs – we are hearing them speaking the mighty deeds of God in our languages!”
12 And they all continued to be amazed and kept being greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What does this mean?”
13 But others were mocking and said again and again, “They are ones who have been filled with sweet wine!”
¶ 14 Then when Peter stood up with the eleven, he raised his voice and spoke out to them in a stately manner, “Jewish men and all who dwell in Jerusalem! Let this be known to you and give ear to my words.
15 “For these men are not drunk, as you indeed suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning!
16 “On the contrary, this is what had been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ GOD SAYS,
‘I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND,
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS;
18 ‘AND EVEN UPON MY MALE SERVANTS AND UPON MY FEMALE SERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS,
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘AND I WILL CAUSE WONDERS IN THE HEAVEN ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD AND FIRE AND PILLARS OF SMOKE
20 ‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.
21 ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.’
¶ 22 “Israelite men, listen to these words; Jesus the Nazarene, a man validated by God to you by means of deeds of power and wonders and miraculous signs which God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know,
23 “this man, delivered up by the fixed will and foreknowledge of God, you murdered by means of the hands of godless men who nailed him to the cross,
24 “whom God raised up by bringing the pains of death to an end, because it was not possible he be held permanently by death.
25 “For David says about him,
‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME,
BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, I SHALL NOT BE SHAKEN.
26 “ ‘FOR THIS REASON MY HEART IS GLAD AND MY TONGUE REJOICES,
AND MOREOVER MY FLESH WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
27 “ ‘BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL DOWN IN HELL,
NOR WILL YOU PERMIT YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE DECAY.
28 “ ‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE,
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF JOY WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’
¶ 29 “Men, brothers, permit me to say confidently to you concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried and his tomb is with us until this day.
30 “So because he was a prophet, and knew that with an oath God HAD SWORN TO HIM TO SIT ONE OF THE OFFSPRING OF HIS LOINS UPON HIS THRONE,
31 “he saw in advance and spoke about the resurrection of Christ that
‘HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED IN HELL
NOR DID his flesh SEE DECAY.’
32 “This Jesus God raised up, of whom we ourselves are all witnesses.
33 “Then when he had been lifted up to the right hand of God and had received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured this out which you are seeing and hearing.
34 “For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND
35 “UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET. ” ’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel come to know beyond a doubt that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you, yes you, crucified!”
¶ 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced down to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What shall we do, men, brothers?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 And with many other words he solemnly testified, and urged them again and again, saying, “Be saved from this wicked generation!”
41 Then those who believed his message were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added to their number on that day.
Life in the Model Christian Church Acts 2:42-47
¶ 42 And they kept devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and to prayer.
43 Then fear kept coming on every person, and not only many wonders but also miraculous signs kept occurring by means of the apostles.
44 But all the believers kept together and kept having all things in common,
45 and from time to time they sold their possessions and property and distributed them to everyone, to the degree that anyone had need.
46 Day by day with one mind they were both spending much time in the temple and breaking bread house by house, continuing to receive their food with extreme joy and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And everyday the Lord kept adding together those who were being saved.
Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar Acts 3:1-10
3
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer at three o’clock in the afternoon.
2 And a man who was crippled from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they customarily placed every day at the gate of the temple that was called Beautiful to beg for alms from those going into the temple.
3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began begging to receive alms.
4 But after Peter, together with John, fixed his eyes on him, he said, “Look at us!”
5 Then he began fixing his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, this I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and start walking around!”
7 And taking hold of his right hand, he raised him up. And at once his feet and ankles were made strong,
8 and leaping up, he stood and began walking around, and he went with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking around and praising God,
10 and they began to recognize him clearly, that he himself was the man who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple begging for alms, and they became filled with amazement and astonishment because of what had happened to him.
Peter Preaches His Second Sermon Acts 3:11-26
¶ 11 And while he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, being utterly amazed, ran together toward them at the Portico of Solomon.
12 Then when Peter saw them, he began to speak to the people, “Israelite men! Why are you being astonished by this? Or why do you gaze upon us, as though by our own power or piety we have caused him to walk?
13 “The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our Fathers, he glorified his servant Jesus, whom you yourselves delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he decided to release him.
14 “But you, you denied the holy and righteous One, and you asked for a murderer to be given to you!
15 “Then you killed the Prince of life, whom God raised up from the dead, of which we ourselves are witnesses!
16 “And on the basis of faith in his name, his name made this man, whom you see and know, strong, and the faith that comes through Jesus gave this soundness of body to him in the sight of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted according to ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
18 “But in this manner God fulfilled the things that he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ would suffer.
19 “Therefore repent and be converted so that your sins may be wiped away,
20 “in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ who is appointed for you, Jesus,
21 “whom heaven must surely receive until the times of restoration of all things, of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from ages long past.
22 “On the one hand Moses said,
‘THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP A PROPHET LIKE ME FOR YOU FROM AMONG YOUR BROTHERS; LISTEN TO EVERYTHING HE SAYS to you.
23 “ ‘MOREOVER, IT WILL BE THAT WHATEVER PERSON DOES NOT LISTEN TO THAT PROPHET SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.’
24 “And on the other hand all the prophets from Samuel and those that followed after, as many as have spoken, also proclaimed these days.
25 “You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant, which God decreed to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR DESCENDANT ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’
26 “For you first God raised up his servant and sent him for the purpose of blessing you by turning each one away from your wicked ways.”
Peter and John Arrested for Preaching Jesus’ Gospel Acts 4:1-22
4
1 While they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees approached them,
2 being annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead,
3 and they laid their hands on them and put them in prison until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of men became about five thousand.
¶ 5 And it happened on the next day their rulers and elders and experts in the law assembled in Jerusalem
6 (and Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and as many men as were of the family of the high priest).
7 And after they stood them in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name did you yourselves accomplish this?”
8 Then Peter, having just been filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel.
9 “As for us, if we are being investigated today because of a good deed for a weak man, by which this man had been freed from being crippled,
10 “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name this man stands before you sound in body.
11 “This Jesus is ‘THE STONE WHICH HAS BEEN REJECTED BY you THE BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CORNER-STONE.’
12 “And salvation is in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
¶ 13 Now observing the fearlessness of Peter and John, and after they grasped that the men are uneducated and laymen, they began to be astonished, and not only began to recognize them, that they had been with Jesus,
14 but also looking at the man who had been restored standing with them – they were having nothing to say against them.
15 Then after they ordered them to go out from the Sanhedrin, they began conferring with one another
16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For indeed it is plainly known to all who live in Jerusalem that a miraculous sign has been done through them, and we are unable to deny it.
17 “But so that it cannot spread even more among the people, we must warn them to no longer speak to any of the people in this name.”
18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “If it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you decide.
20 “For as for us, we cannot help but speak of the things that we have seen and heard.”
21 But after threatening them further, they sent them away, since they found nothing as to how they might punish them on account of the people, because they all were continuing to praise God for what had happened.
22 For the man, upon whom this miraculous sign of healing had been done, was more than forty years old.
The Apostles Pray to Speak God’s Word Boldly Acts 4:23-31
¶ 23 Now when they had been sent away, they came to their own people and reported to them everything that the chief priests and the elders had said.
24 And after they heard this, with one mind they raised up a voice to God and said, “Master, you are the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
25 “who by means of the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said,
‘WHY DO THE NATIONS RAGE
AND THE PEOPLES PLOT IN VAIN?
26 “ ‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TAKE A STAND
AND THE RULERS GATHER TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS ANOINTED ONE.’
27 “For truly they gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, not only Herod but also Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 “to do everything that your hand and your plan predestined to occur.
29 “And as for the present situation is concerned, Lord, concern yourself with their threats, and enable your bondservants to speak your word with all fearlessness,
30 “while you stretch out your hand to perform healing and miraculous signs and wonders by means of the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 And after they prayed, the place in which they were assembled together was shaken, and they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking the word of God with fearlessness.
The Believers Share Their Possessions Acts 4:32-37
¶ 32 The whole multitude of those who believed was one in heart and soul, and not even one person was saying any of his possessions was his own, but all things were common property to them.
33 And with great power the apostles kept giving testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and a great measure of grace was upon them all.
34 For not anyone was impoverished among them, for as many as were owners of fields or houses would from time to time sell them and bring the sale prices of the properties that were being sold,
35 and they would place them at the feet of the apostles. Then it would be distributed to each one to the degree that anyone had need.
¶ 36 Now Joseph, a Levite, and a Cyprian by nationality, who was called Barnabas by the apostles, (which when translated means “Son of Encouragement,”),
37 who owned a field, sold it and brought the money and placed it at the feet of the apostles.
Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5:1-11
5
1 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property
2 and he set aside some money out of the sale price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and when he brought the rest of it, he laid it at the feet of the apostles.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and set aside some money out of the sale price for the piece of property?
4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, did it not continue to be in your power? Why is it that you contrived this deed in your mind? You have not lied to men but to God!”
5 While Ananias was hearing these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard this.
6 Then the young men got up and wrapped him up, and after they carried him out, they buried him.
¶ 7 Now there was an interval of about three hours, and his wife entered, not knowing what had happened.
8 Then Peter began to speak to her, “Tell me, did you sell the piece of property for this amount?” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why was it agreed between you to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well!”
10 And at once she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. Then when the young men entered, they found her dead. And after they carried her out, they buried her with her husband.
11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things.
The Apostles Perform Many Miraculous Signs and Wonders Acts 5:12-16
¶ 12 Now many miraculous signs and wonders kept being performed among the people by means of the hands of the apostles. And they were all of one mind in the Portico of Solomon.
13 And no one of the rest of the people was daring to join them, but the people did continue to regard them highly.
14 Now more than ever believers kept being added to the Lord, crowds of not only men but also women,
15 so that people even carried the sick out into the streets and placed them upon cots and mats, in order that when Peter came along at least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
16 Then even the populace of the cities all around kept gathering in Jerusalem, carrying their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, who all continued to be healed.
The Apostles Are Persecuted for Preaching Jesus’ Gospel Acts 5:17-42
¶ 17 Now the chief priest rose up and all his associates, (who were the religious sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,
18 and they laid their hands upon the apostles and put them in a public prison.
19 But an angel of the Lord during the night, after he opened the doors of the prison, brought them out and said,
20 “Go, and stand in the temple. Keep speaking to the people all the words of this divine life.”
21 And after hearing this, they went into the temple about dawn and began teaching. Then the chief priest and those with him arrived and summoned the Sanhedrin – namely all the Council of Elders of the sons of Israel, and they sent orders to the prison for them to be brought.
22 But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison. And after they returned, they reported, saying, “We found the prison had been locked most securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found nothing inside.”
24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they began to be greatly perplexed about them as to what might come of this.
25 Then someone arrived and reported to them, “Behold, the men whom you put in the prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
26 At that time the captain went with the officers and began bringing them, without the use of force, for they were afraid of the people, lest they be stoned.
27 After they brought them, they stood them in the Sanhedrin, and the chief priest questioned them, saying,
28 “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to bring the blood of this man upon us!”
29 Then Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you yourselves murdered by hanging him on a cross!
31 “God exalted this man to his right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32 “And as for us, we are witnesses of these events, and the Holy Spirit, whom God gave to those who obey him.”
¶ 33 Then those who heard this became infuriated and wanted to kill them.
34 But a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was held in honor by all the people, after he stood up in the Sanhedrin, ordered to take the men outside for a little while.
35 And he said to them, “Israelite men, be careful as to what you are about to do with these men.
36 “Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone in particular himself. A number of men, about four hundred, joined up with him. He was killed, and all who were following him were broken up and came to nothing.
37 “After this man Judas the Galilean arose during the days of the registration, and he drew people away after him; he also perished, and all who were following him scattered.
38 “And as for the present situation, I say to you, stay away from these men! And let them go! For if this plan or this movement is from men, it will be overthrown;
39 “but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them – lest you indeed be found fighting against God!” And they were persuaded by him,
40 and when they had summoned the apostles, they beat them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
41 Consequently they began going from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing, because they had been considered worthy to be treated shamefully for the sake of the name.
42 And every day, not only in the temple but also in every house, they never stopped teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus.
The Church Elects Its First Seven Deacons Acts 6:1-7
6
1 During these days while the disciples were increasing, a complaint of the Greek-speaking Jews arose against the Aramaic-speaking Jews, because their widows kept being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
2 Then the Twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God to wait on tables.
3 “Therefore, brothers, select seven men from among you who are well spoken of, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this duty.
4 “Then as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”
5 And this proposal was pleasing in the judgment of the multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolaus, a convert to Judaism from Antioch,
6 whom they stood before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
¶ 7 And the Word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem continued to increase greatly, and a large number of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Part 2: Jesus’ Witnesses Spread His Gospel Throughout Judea and Samaria Acts 6:8-12-24
Part 2.A: Jesus’ Witnesses Spread His Gospel in Judea and Samaria Acts 6:8-9:31
The Persecution, Trial, and Murder of Stephen Acts 6:8-7:60
¶ 8 Now Stephan, full of grace and power, kept performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
9 But some of those out of the synagogue called that of Freedmen and of Cyrenians and of Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia rose up, arguing with Stephan.
10 But they continued to be unable to oppose his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he kept speaking.
11 At that time they secretly instigated men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!”
12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the experts in the law, and they assaulted him and violently seized him and brought him into the Sanhedrin.
13 And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This fellow does not cease speaking words against this holy place and the law!
14 “For we have heard him saying, “This Jesus the Nazarene will demolish this place and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
15 And fixing their eyes on him, all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.
4
1 While they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees approached them,
2 being annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead,
3 and they laid their hands on them and put them in prison until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of men became about five thousand.
¶ 5 And it happened on the next day their rulers and elders and experts in the law assembled in Jerusalem
6 (and Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and as many men as were of the family of the high priest).
7 And after they stood them in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name did you yourselves accomplish this?”
8 Then Peter, having just been filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel.
9 “As for us, if we are being investigated today because of a good deed for a weak man, by which this man had been freed from being crippled,
10 “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name this man stands before you sound in body.
11 “This Jesus is ‘THE STONE WHICH HAS BEEN REJECTED BY you THE BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CORNER-STONE.’
12 “And salvation is in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
¶ 13 Now observing the fearlessness of Peter and John, and after they grasped that the men are uneducated and laymen, they began to be astonished, and not only began to recognize them, that they had been with Jesus,
14 but also looking at the man who had been restored standing with them – they were having nothing to say against them.
15 Then after they ordered them to go out from the Sanhedrin, they began conferring with one another
16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For indeed it is plainly known to all who live in Jerusalem that a miraculous sign has been done through them, and we are unable to deny it.
17 “But so that it cannot spread even more among the people, we must warn them to no longer speak to any of the people in this name.”
18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “If it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you decide.
20 “For as for us, we cannot help but speak of the things that we have seen and heard.”
21 But after threatening them further, they sent them away, since they found nothing as to how they might punish them on account of the people, because they all were continuing to praise God for what had happened.
22 For the man, upon whom this miraculous sign of healing had been done, was more than forty years old.
The Apostles Pray to Speak God’s Word Boldly Acts 4:23-31
¶ 23 Now when they had been sent away, they came to their own people and reported to them everything that the chief priests and the elders had said.
24 And after they heard this, with one mind they raised up a voice to God and said, “Master, you are the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
25 “who by means of the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said,
‘WHY DO THE NATIONS RAGE
AND THE PEOPLES PLOT IN VAIN?
26 “ ‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TAKE A STAND
AND THE RULERS GATHER TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS ANOINTED ONE.’
27 “For truly they gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, not only Herod but also Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 “to do everything that your hand and your plan predestined to occur.
29 “And as for the present situation is concerned, Lord, concern yourself with their threats, and enable your bondservants to speak your word with all fearlessness,
30 “while you stretch out your hand to perform healing and miraculous signs and wonders by means of the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 And after they prayed, the place in which they were assembled together was shaken, and they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking the word of God with fearlessness.
The Believers Share Their Possessions Acts 4:32-37
¶ 32 The whole multitude of those who believed was one in heart and soul, and not even one person was saying any of his possessions was his own, but all things were common property to them.
33 And with great power the apostles kept giving testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and a great measure of grace was upon them all.
34 For not anyone was impoverished among them, for as many as were owners of fields or houses would from time to time sell them and bring the sale prices of the properties that were being sold,
35 and they would place them at the feet of the apostles. Then it would be distributed to each one to the degree that anyone had need.
¶ 36 Now Joseph, a Levite, and a Cyprian by nationality, who was called Barnabas by the apostles, (which when translated means “Son of Encouragement,”),
37 who owned a field, sold it and brought the money and placed it at the feet of the apostles.
Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5:1-11
5
1 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property
2 and he set aside some money out of the sale price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and when he brought the rest of it, he laid it at the feet of the apostles.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and set aside some money out of the sale price for the piece of property?
4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, did it not continue to be in your power? Why is it that you contrived this deed in your mind? You have not lied to men but to God!”
5 While Ananias was hearing these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard this.
6 Then the young men got up and wrapped him up, and after they carried him out, they buried him.
¶ 7 Now there was an interval of about three hours, and his wife entered, not knowing what had happened.
8 Then Peter began to speak to her, “Tell me, did you sell the piece of property for this amount?” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why was it agreed between you to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well!”
10 And at once she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. Then when the young men entered, they found her dead. And after they carried her out, they buried her with her husband.
11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things.
The Apostles Perform Many Miraculous Signs and Wonders Acts 5:12-16
¶ 12 Now many miraculous signs and wonders kept being performed among the people by means of the hands of the apostles. And they were all of one mind in the Portico of Solomon.
13 And no one of the rest of the people was daring to join them, but the people did continue to regard them highly.
14 Now more than ever believers kept being added to the Lord, crowds of not only men but also women,
15 so that people even carried the sick out into the streets and placed them upon cots and mats, in order that when Peter came along at least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
16 Then even the populace of the cities all around kept gathering in Jerusalem, carrying their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, who all continued to be healed.
The Apostles Are Persecuted for Preaching Jesus’ Gospel Acts 5:17-42
¶ 17 Now the chief priest rose up and all his associates, (who were the religious sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,
18 and they laid their hands upon the apostles and put them in a public prison.
19 But an angel of the Lord during the night, after he opened the doors of the prison, brought them out and said,
20 “Go, and stand in the temple. Keep speaking to the people all the words of this divine life.”
21 And after hearing this, they went into the temple about dawn and began teaching. Then the chief priest and those with him arrived and summoned the Sanhedrin – namely all the Council of Elders of the sons of Israel, and they sent orders to the prison for them to be brought.
22 But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison. And after they returned, they reported, saying, “We found the prison had been locked most securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found nothing inside.”
24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they began to be greatly perplexed about them as to what might come of this.
25 Then someone arrived and reported to them, “Behold, the men whom you put in the prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
26 At that time the captain went with the officers and began bringing them, without the use of force, for they were afraid of the people, lest they be stoned.
27 After they brought them, they stood them in the Sanhedrin, and the chief priest questioned them, saying,
28 “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to bring the blood of this man upon us!”
29 Then Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you yourselves murdered by hanging him on a cross!
31 “God exalted this man to his right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32 “And as for us, we are witnesses of these events, and the Holy Spirit, whom God gave to those who obey him.”
¶ 33 Then those who heard this became infuriated and wanted to kill them.
34 But a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was held in honor by all the people, after he stood up in the Sanhedrin, ordered to take the men outside for a little while.
35 And he said to them, “Israelite men, be careful as to what you are about to do with these men.
36 “Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone in particular himself. A number of men, about four hundred, joined up with him. He was killed, and all who were following him were broken up and came to nothing.
37 “After this man Judas the Galilean arose during the days of the registration, and he drew people away after him; he also perished, and all who were following him scattered.
38 “And as for the present situation, I say to you, stay away from these men! And let them go! For if this plan or this movement is from men, it will be overthrown;
39 “but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them – lest you indeed be found fighting against God!” And they were persuaded by him,
40 and when they had summoned the apostles, they beat them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
41 Consequently they began going from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing, because they had been considered worthy to be treated shamefully for the sake of the name.
42 And every day, not only in the temple but also in every house, they never stopped teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus.
The Church Elects Its First Seven Deacons Acts 6:1-7
6
1 During these days while the disciples were increasing, a complaint of the Greek-speaking Jews arose against the Aramaic-speaking Jews, because their widows kept being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
2 Then the Twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God to wait on tables.
3 “Therefore, brothers, select seven men from among you who are well spoken of, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this duty.
4 “Then as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”
5 And this proposal was pleasing in the judgment of the multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolaus, a convert to Judaism from Antioch,
6 whom they stood before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
¶ 7 And the Word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem continued to increase greatly, and a large number of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Part 2: Jesus’ Witnesses Spread His Gospel Throughout Judea and Samaria Acts 6:8-12-24
Part 2.A: Jesus’ Witnesses Spread His Gospel in Judea and Samaria Acts 6:8-9:31
The Persecution, Trial, and Murder of Stephen Acts 6:8-7:60
¶ 8 Now Stephan, full of grace and power, kept performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
9 But some of those out of the synagogue called that of Freedmen and of Cyrenians and of Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia rose up, arguing with Stephan.
10 But they continued to be unable to oppose his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he kept speaking.
11 At that time they secretly instigated men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!”
12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the experts in the law, and they assaulted him and violently seized him and brought him into the Sanhedrin.
13 And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This fellow does not cease speaking words against this holy place and the law!
14 “For we have heard him saying, “This Jesus the Nazarene will demolish this place and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
15 And fixing their eyes on him, all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.
7
1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2 And he replied, “Men, brothers and fathers. Listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,
3 “AND HE SAID TO HIM, ‘GO OUT FROM YOUR COUNTRY AND FROM YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND WHICH I WILL SHOW YOU.’
4 “Then after he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, he settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, God made him move into this land in which you are now living.
5 “And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, but he promised TO GIVE IT TO HIM FOR A POSSESSION AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM, even though he had no child.
6 “But God spoke in this way that HIS DESCENDANTS WOULD BE FOREIGNERS IN A STRANGE LAND, AND THEY WOULD ENSLAVE THEM AND MISTREAT THEM FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS;
7 “AND THE NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE SLAVES, I MYSELF WILL PUNISH, God said, AND AFTER THESE THINGS THEY WILL COME OUT AND WILL WORSHIP ME IN THIS PLACE.
8 “And he gave the covenant of circumcision to him; and so Abraham fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered the twelve patriarchs.
9 “And the patriarchs, because they were filled with jealousy toward Joseph, sold him into Egypt; and yet God continued to be with him,
10 “and rescued him out of all of his oppressions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the judgment of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and Pharaoh appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household.
11 “Then a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and bitter affliction with it, and our fathers kept failing to find food.
12 “Then when Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers away to Egypt the first time.
13 “And during the second visit Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh.
14 “Then Joseph sent and summoned his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five persons in number,
15 “and Jacob came down into Egypt. And there he and our fathers died,
16 “and they brought him back to Shechem and laid him in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a price of silver money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.”
¶ 17 “Then when the time of the promise which God had pledged to Abraham drew near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
18 “until the time when ANOTHER KING AROSE OVER EGYPT WHO DID NOT KNOW JOSEPH.
19 “This king took advantage of our people by craftiness and mistreated our fathers by making their newborn babies be thrown out in order that they may die.
20 “At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God. He was cared for for three months in his father’s house.
21 “And after he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself and raised him as her own son.
22 “And Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he continued to be a powerful man in his words and deeds.”
¶ 23 “Then when he was nearly forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 “And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and carried out vengeance for the man being oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.
25 “Now he was supposing his brothers were understanding that God was giving salvation to them through his hand, but they did not understand.
26 “On the next day he appeared to them while they were fighting and he tried to reconcile them into peace by saying, ‘Men! You are brothers! Why are you hurting one another?’
27 “But the one who was hurting his fellow Israelite pushed him away, saying, ‘WHO APPOINTED YOU RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?
28 “ ‘YOU INDEED DO NOT WISH TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?’
29 “At this remark Moses fled, and became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons.”
¶ 30 And after forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT SINAI IN A FIERY FLAME OF A THORN-BUSH.
31 “When Moses saw this, he began to marvel at the spectacle; as he was approaching to look at it closely the voice of the Lord arose,
32 “ ‘I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.” Then because Moses was made to tremble with fear, he lost the courage to look.
33 “AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE UPON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND.
34 “ ‘I HAVE SURELY SEEN THE MISTREATMENT OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT, AND I HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANING, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO SET THEM FREE. NOW COME, I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.’
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ this man God has sent to be ruler and redeemer together with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn-bush.
36 “This man brought them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 ”This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM AMONG YOUR BROTHERS.’
38 “This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke with him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living sayings to deliver to us.
39 “However, our fathers were unwilling to obey him, but they rejected him and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
40 “saying to Aaron, ‘MAKE GODS FOR US WHO WILL GO ON BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES, WHO BROUGHT US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT – WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM.’
41 “And they made a calf at that time and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and they were delighting in the works of their hands.
42 “But God turned away and gave them over to worshipping the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets:
‘YOU DID NOT PRESENT SACRIFICIAL VICTIMS AND OFFERINGS TO ME
IN THE WILDERNESS for FORTY YEARS, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, DID YOU?
43 “ ‘AND YET YOU TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH
AND THE STAR OF YOUR GOD REMPHAN,
THE IMAGES THAT YOU MADE to fall down on your knees before them.
AND SO I WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.’ ”
¶ 44 “Our fathers had the Tabernacle of the Testimony in the wilderness, just as the One who spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the pattern which he had seen,
45 “which also having received it in turn, our fathers brought it with Joshua into the land possessed by the nations, whom God drove out before our fathers until the days of David,
46 “who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.
47 “But Solomon built a house for him.
48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 “ ‘HEAVEN IS MY THRONE,
AND THE EARTH IS A FOOTSTOOL FOR MY FEET;
‘ “WHAT KIND OF A HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?” SAYS THE LORD,
“OR WHAT PLACE FOR MY REST?”
50 “ ‘ “DID NOT MY HAND MAKE ALL THESE THINGS?” ’
¶ 51 “O stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! Indeed you are like your fathers!
52 “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murders you now have become,
53 “who, to be sure, received the law by directions of angels, and yet you have not followed it.”
¶ 54 Now when they heard these things, they became infuriated in their hearts, and began gnashing their teeth at him.
55 But being filled with the Holy Spirit, when he looked intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 But screaming in a deafening voice, they stopped up their ears, and with one purpose they rushed headlong upon him,
58 and after they drove him outside of the city, they began stoning him. And the witnesses took off their cloaks and laid them beside the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And they kept stoning Stephen while he was calling upon the Lord, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Then when he had fallen on his knees, he called out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he said this, he fell asleep.
8
1 And Saul was giving his approval to his murder.
The Persecution of the Church in Jerusalem Acts 8:1-4
¶ Now on that day a violent persecution erupted against the church in Jerusalem. And they all were scattered throughout the country of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.
2 And devout men buried Stephen and mourned loudly over him.
3 Then Saul began to destroy the church. Going into house after house and dragging away both men and women, he kept locking them up in prison.
4 Now those who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word.
Jesus’ Witness Philip Spreads the Gospel in Samaria Acts 8:5-40
¶ 5 Then Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
6 And the crowds, while they were hearing the things being said by Philip and seeing the miraculous signs he kept performing, began with one mind to pay attention.
7 For many of those who had unclean spirits were having the spirits come out as they shrieked in a loud voice. And many who had been paralyzed and were crippled were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
¶ 9 Now a man by the name of Simon was already practicing magic in the city and astounding the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great,
10 to whom everyone from the small to the great kept following, saying, “This man is the Power of God, the one called Great!”
11 And they continued to follow him because he had astounded them for a long time with his magic.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized, he remained at Philip’s side constantly. And because he was seeing both miraculous signs and great powers being performed, he kept being astounded.
¶ 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 who, after they went down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because he had not yet come upon any of them, but they only had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they began receiving the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles the Spirit was being given, he offered them money
19 saying, “Give this power to me also, in order that on whomever I might lay my hands, he might receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver go with you into eternal destruction, because you thought to acquire the gift of God for yourself by means of money!
21 “You have no part or place in this word, because your heart is not upright in the judgment of God.
22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if the intent of your heart will be forgiven you.
23 “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of wickedness.”
24 But answering, Simon said, “You apostles pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me!”
25 Consequently, after solemnly bearing witness and speaking the word of the Lord, they began returning to Jerusalem, and were preaching the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
¶ 26 Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go south upon the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is the desert road.”
27 And so he got up and went. And here was a man, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all of her royal treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and he was returning and sitting on his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go to this chariot and join it.”
30 And when Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and he said, “Do you truly understand what you are reading?”
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone instructs me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“HE WAS LED LIKE A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER,
AND LIKE A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
33 IN HIS HUMILIATION HE WAS DEPRIVED OF JUSTICE;
WHO WILL DESCRIBE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH.”
34 Then the eunuch began to speak and said to Philip, “About whom, I beg you, does the prophet say this? About himself, or about someone else?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, proclaimed the gospel of Jesus to him.
36 And as they continued going down the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
38 And he commanded the chariot to stop; and both Philip and the eunuch, they both went down into the water, and he baptized him.
39 Now when they went up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, but began to go on his way rejoicing.
40 And Philip found himself in Azotus, and while passing through he kept preaching the good news to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Saul Is Converted and Spreads Jesus’ Gospel in Damascus and in Jerusalem Acts 9:1-31
9
1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that if he found anyone who belonged to the Way, not only men but also women, after he had bound them in chains, he might take them along to Jerusalem.
3 And it happened while he was going and was drawing near to Damascus –suddenly a light out of heaven flashed around him!
4 And when he fell to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “As for me, I am Jesus, whom you, yes you, are persecuting!
6 “But get up and go into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”
7 Now the men who were traveling with him had been standing speechless, because they were hearing the voice, to be sure, but they were seeing no one.
8 Then Saul was helped up from the ground, and although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was blind for three days, and he neither ate nor drank anything.
¶ 10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, ”Ananias!” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up! Go to the narrow street that is called Straight and in the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For behold he is praying,
12 “and he saw a man in a vision named Ananias come in and place his hands on him in order that he might regain his sight.”
13 And Ananias replied, “Lord! I have heard from many persons about this man, how many harmful things he has done to your saints in Jerusalem;
14 “and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind in chains all who call upon your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before both Gentiles and kings, and the sons of Israel.
16 “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
17 Then Ananias departed and entered into the house, and after he placed his hands upon him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming – has sent me, in order that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized,
19 and after he received food, he regained his strength.
¶ Then he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days.
20 And at once he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, that this man is the Son of God.
21 And all who heard him kept being astounded and were saying, “Is this man not the man who destroyed those who called upon this name in Jerusalem, and who had come here for this, that after he had bound them in chains, he might take them along to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul continued to receive more power and to confound the Jews who were living in Damascus, proving that this man is the Christ.
¶ 23 Now after many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
24 but their plot became known to Saul. And they even kept watching the gates, not only by day but also by night, in order that they might kill him.
25 Then his disciples took him at night and let him down through a window in the city wall by lowering him in a reed basket.
¶ 26 Now when Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he began to try to associate with the disciples, but they all continued to be afraid of him, because they did believe that he was a disciple.
27 Then Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them, going in and out among them in Jerusalem, while speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord.
29 And he not only kept speaking but also kept debating with the Greek-speaking Jews. Then they began attempting to kill him.
30 But when the brothers learned of this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
¶ 31 Consequently the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria continued to have peace. While being built up and proceeding in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the church kept increasing.
Part 2.B: Jesus’ Witness Peter Spreads His Gospel in Judea and Samaria Acts 9:32-12:24
Peter Heals Aeneas in Lydda and Raises Dorcas in Joppa Acts 9:32-43
¶ 32 Now it happened while Peter was going through all of those areas, he also came down to the saints who were living in Lydda.
33 And he found there a man named Aeneas, who was a paralytic lying upon a bed for eight years.
34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your own bed.” And immediately he stood up.
35 And all those who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, which people, to be sure, turned to the Lord!
¶ 36 Now in Joppa there was a female disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. She continued to be full of good deeds and donations for the poor, which she always did.
37 Now it happened in those days that when she became sick, she died. And after they washed her, they placed her in an upstairs room.
38 Then, since Lydda was near to Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was in it, they sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay to come to us.”
39 Then Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him up to the upstairs room, and all the widows stood near him, weeping and showing him all the shirts and garments Dorcas continued to make while she was with them.
40 And when Peter had sent them all outside and had kneeled down, he prayed. And he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 And when he gave his hand to her, he stood her up. Then when he had summoned the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
42 Now this became known throughout all of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 And it happened that Peter remained many days in Joppa with a certain tanner named Simon.
Peter Proclaims the Gospel to Cornelius’ Household in Caesarea of Samaria Acts 10:1-48
10
1 Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort,
2 a devout and God - fearing man together with his entire household, who made many donations for the poor to the people and was always praying to God.
3 About three o’clock in the afternoon he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming toward him and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he had fixed his eyes on him and became afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your donations for the poor have ascended as a memorial offering in the sight of God.
5 “And now send men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is also called Peter.
6 “This man is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
7 And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed, after he had summoned two of his house servants and a devout soldier who was one of those who waited on him,
8 he reported everything to them and sent them to Joppa.
¶ 9 On the next day while they were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up on the rooftop about the noon hour to pray.
10 Then he became hungry and wished to eat; and while they were preparing the meal, a trance came upon him,
11 and he beholds the heaven opened and an object coming down, something like a great sheet being let down towards the ground by its four corners,
12 in which are all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and the birds of the sky.
13 And a voice spoke to him, “Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!”
14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For I have never eaten anything unclean and impure.”
15 And again a voice spoke to him for a second time, “What God has made clean, you stop making unclean!”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
¶ 17 Now while Peter continued to be greatly perplexed within himself as to what the vision he had seen might mean, behold the men who had been sent by Cornelius stood at the gates, after finding the house of Simon by asking others.
18 And when they called out, they began inquiring if Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there.
19 And while Peter is pondering about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
20 “Now then, get up and go down, and go with them without hesitating, for I myself have sent them.”
21 Then when Peter went down to the men, he said, “Behold, I indeed am the man whom you are looking for. What is the reason for which you have come?”
22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, and being well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was given a divine command by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you.”
23 Therefore he invited them in and received them as his guests.
¶ Then on the next day he got up and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.
24 And on the next day he arrived in Caesarea. And Cornelius was expecting them, having called together his relatives and close friends.
25 Then when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter helped him to rise, saying, “Stand up. I myself am only a man.”
27 And he entered while talking with him, and he discovers many persons had assembled,
28 and he said to them, “As for you, you understand that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate closely with, or to approach one of, another nation. And yet God has explained to me to say no person is unclean or impure.
29 “For this reason I also came when I was sent for without raising any objection. So I ask you, for what reason have you sent for me?”
30 And Cornelius replied, “Four days ago until this hour of three o’clock in the afternoon I was continuing to pray in my house, and behold a man stood before me in radiant clothing
31 “and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your donations for the poor have been remembered in the sight of God.
32 “ ‘Now send men to Joppa and summon Simon who is also called Peter. This man is staying in the house of a tanner named Simon by the sea.’
33 “So I sent for you at once, and you indeed did well coming. So now we all are present in the sight of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”
¶ 34 Then opening his mouth, Peter said, “I certainly understand that God is not one who shows partiality.
35 “On the contrary, in every nation the person who fears him and practices righteousness is acceptable to him.
36 “You people know the word that he sent to the sons of Israel proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ – this man is Lord of all –
37 “you know what took place throughout all of Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached,
38 “how God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God continued to be with him.
39 “And we are witnesses of all the things that he did both in the countryside of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed by hanging him upon a cross.
40 “This man God raised on the third day and caused him to become visible,
41 “not to all the people but to the witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 “And he commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that this man is the One who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.
43 “All the prophets bear witness about this man, that all who believe in him receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
¶ 44 While Peter is still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard the message.
45 And the circumcised believers, as many as came with Peter, became amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out upon the Gentiles.
46 For they began hearing them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. At that time Peter spoke up,
47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, can he, since indeed they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain several days.
1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2 And he replied, “Men, brothers and fathers. Listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,
3 “AND HE SAID TO HIM, ‘GO OUT FROM YOUR COUNTRY AND FROM YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND WHICH I WILL SHOW YOU.’
4 “Then after he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, he settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, God made him move into this land in which you are now living.
5 “And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, but he promised TO GIVE IT TO HIM FOR A POSSESSION AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM, even though he had no child.
6 “But God spoke in this way that HIS DESCENDANTS WOULD BE FOREIGNERS IN A STRANGE LAND, AND THEY WOULD ENSLAVE THEM AND MISTREAT THEM FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS;
7 “AND THE NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE SLAVES, I MYSELF WILL PUNISH, God said, AND AFTER THESE THINGS THEY WILL COME OUT AND WILL WORSHIP ME IN THIS PLACE.
8 “And he gave the covenant of circumcision to him; and so Abraham fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered the twelve patriarchs.
9 “And the patriarchs, because they were filled with jealousy toward Joseph, sold him into Egypt; and yet God continued to be with him,
10 “and rescued him out of all of his oppressions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the judgment of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and Pharaoh appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household.
11 “Then a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and bitter affliction with it, and our fathers kept failing to find food.
12 “Then when Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers away to Egypt the first time.
13 “And during the second visit Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh.
14 “Then Joseph sent and summoned his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five persons in number,
15 “and Jacob came down into Egypt. And there he and our fathers died,
16 “and they brought him back to Shechem and laid him in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a price of silver money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.”
¶ 17 “Then when the time of the promise which God had pledged to Abraham drew near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
18 “until the time when ANOTHER KING AROSE OVER EGYPT WHO DID NOT KNOW JOSEPH.
19 “This king took advantage of our people by craftiness and mistreated our fathers by making their newborn babies be thrown out in order that they may die.
20 “At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God. He was cared for for three months in his father’s house.
21 “And after he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself and raised him as her own son.
22 “And Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he continued to be a powerful man in his words and deeds.”
¶ 23 “Then when he was nearly forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 “And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and carried out vengeance for the man being oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.
25 “Now he was supposing his brothers were understanding that God was giving salvation to them through his hand, but they did not understand.
26 “On the next day he appeared to them while they were fighting and he tried to reconcile them into peace by saying, ‘Men! You are brothers! Why are you hurting one another?’
27 “But the one who was hurting his fellow Israelite pushed him away, saying, ‘WHO APPOINTED YOU RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?
28 “ ‘YOU INDEED DO NOT WISH TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?’
29 “At this remark Moses fled, and became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons.”
¶ 30 And after forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT SINAI IN A FIERY FLAME OF A THORN-BUSH.
31 “When Moses saw this, he began to marvel at the spectacle; as he was approaching to look at it closely the voice of the Lord arose,
32 “ ‘I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.” Then because Moses was made to tremble with fear, he lost the courage to look.
33 “AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE UPON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND.
34 “ ‘I HAVE SURELY SEEN THE MISTREATMENT OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT, AND I HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANING, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO SET THEM FREE. NOW COME, I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.’
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ this man God has sent to be ruler and redeemer together with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn-bush.
36 “This man brought them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 ”This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM AMONG YOUR BROTHERS.’
38 “This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke with him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living sayings to deliver to us.
39 “However, our fathers were unwilling to obey him, but they rejected him and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
40 “saying to Aaron, ‘MAKE GODS FOR US WHO WILL GO ON BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES, WHO BROUGHT US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT – WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM.’
41 “And they made a calf at that time and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and they were delighting in the works of their hands.
42 “But God turned away and gave them over to worshipping the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets:
‘YOU DID NOT PRESENT SACRIFICIAL VICTIMS AND OFFERINGS TO ME
IN THE WILDERNESS for FORTY YEARS, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, DID YOU?
43 “ ‘AND YET YOU TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH
AND THE STAR OF YOUR GOD REMPHAN,
THE IMAGES THAT YOU MADE to fall down on your knees before them.
AND SO I WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.’ ”
¶ 44 “Our fathers had the Tabernacle of the Testimony in the wilderness, just as the One who spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the pattern which he had seen,
45 “which also having received it in turn, our fathers brought it with Joshua into the land possessed by the nations, whom God drove out before our fathers until the days of David,
46 “who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.
47 “But Solomon built a house for him.
48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 “ ‘HEAVEN IS MY THRONE,
AND THE EARTH IS A FOOTSTOOL FOR MY FEET;
‘ “WHAT KIND OF A HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?” SAYS THE LORD,
“OR WHAT PLACE FOR MY REST?”
50 “ ‘ “DID NOT MY HAND MAKE ALL THESE THINGS?” ’
¶ 51 “O stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! Indeed you are like your fathers!
52 “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murders you now have become,
53 “who, to be sure, received the law by directions of angels, and yet you have not followed it.”
¶ 54 Now when they heard these things, they became infuriated in their hearts, and began gnashing their teeth at him.
55 But being filled with the Holy Spirit, when he looked intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 But screaming in a deafening voice, they stopped up their ears, and with one purpose they rushed headlong upon him,
58 and after they drove him outside of the city, they began stoning him. And the witnesses took off their cloaks and laid them beside the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And they kept stoning Stephen while he was calling upon the Lord, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Then when he had fallen on his knees, he called out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he said this, he fell asleep.
8
1 And Saul was giving his approval to his murder.
The Persecution of the Church in Jerusalem Acts 8:1-4
¶ Now on that day a violent persecution erupted against the church in Jerusalem. And they all were scattered throughout the country of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.
2 And devout men buried Stephen and mourned loudly over him.
3 Then Saul began to destroy the church. Going into house after house and dragging away both men and women, he kept locking them up in prison.
4 Now those who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word.
Jesus’ Witness Philip Spreads the Gospel in Samaria Acts 8:5-40
¶ 5 Then Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
6 And the crowds, while they were hearing the things being said by Philip and seeing the miraculous signs he kept performing, began with one mind to pay attention.
7 For many of those who had unclean spirits were having the spirits come out as they shrieked in a loud voice. And many who had been paralyzed and were crippled were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
¶ 9 Now a man by the name of Simon was already practicing magic in the city and astounding the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great,
10 to whom everyone from the small to the great kept following, saying, “This man is the Power of God, the one called Great!”
11 And they continued to follow him because he had astounded them for a long time with his magic.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized, he remained at Philip’s side constantly. And because he was seeing both miraculous signs and great powers being performed, he kept being astounded.
¶ 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 who, after they went down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because he had not yet come upon any of them, but they only had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they began receiving the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles the Spirit was being given, he offered them money
19 saying, “Give this power to me also, in order that on whomever I might lay my hands, he might receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver go with you into eternal destruction, because you thought to acquire the gift of God for yourself by means of money!
21 “You have no part or place in this word, because your heart is not upright in the judgment of God.
22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if the intent of your heart will be forgiven you.
23 “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of wickedness.”
24 But answering, Simon said, “You apostles pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me!”
25 Consequently, after solemnly bearing witness and speaking the word of the Lord, they began returning to Jerusalem, and were preaching the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
¶ 26 Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go south upon the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is the desert road.”
27 And so he got up and went. And here was a man, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all of her royal treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and he was returning and sitting on his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go to this chariot and join it.”
30 And when Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and he said, “Do you truly understand what you are reading?”
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone instructs me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“HE WAS LED LIKE A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER,
AND LIKE A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
33 IN HIS HUMILIATION HE WAS DEPRIVED OF JUSTICE;
WHO WILL DESCRIBE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH.”
34 Then the eunuch began to speak and said to Philip, “About whom, I beg you, does the prophet say this? About himself, or about someone else?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, proclaimed the gospel of Jesus to him.
36 And as they continued going down the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
38 And he commanded the chariot to stop; and both Philip and the eunuch, they both went down into the water, and he baptized him.
39 Now when they went up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, but began to go on his way rejoicing.
40 And Philip found himself in Azotus, and while passing through he kept preaching the good news to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Saul Is Converted and Spreads Jesus’ Gospel in Damascus and in Jerusalem Acts 9:1-31
9
1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that if he found anyone who belonged to the Way, not only men but also women, after he had bound them in chains, he might take them along to Jerusalem.
3 And it happened while he was going and was drawing near to Damascus –suddenly a light out of heaven flashed around him!
4 And when he fell to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “As for me, I am Jesus, whom you, yes you, are persecuting!
6 “But get up and go into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”
7 Now the men who were traveling with him had been standing speechless, because they were hearing the voice, to be sure, but they were seeing no one.
8 Then Saul was helped up from the ground, and although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was blind for three days, and he neither ate nor drank anything.
¶ 10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, ”Ananias!” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up! Go to the narrow street that is called Straight and in the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For behold he is praying,
12 “and he saw a man in a vision named Ananias come in and place his hands on him in order that he might regain his sight.”
13 And Ananias replied, “Lord! I have heard from many persons about this man, how many harmful things he has done to your saints in Jerusalem;
14 “and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind in chains all who call upon your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before both Gentiles and kings, and the sons of Israel.
16 “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
17 Then Ananias departed and entered into the house, and after he placed his hands upon him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming – has sent me, in order that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized,
19 and after he received food, he regained his strength.
¶ Then he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days.
20 And at once he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, that this man is the Son of God.
21 And all who heard him kept being astounded and were saying, “Is this man not the man who destroyed those who called upon this name in Jerusalem, and who had come here for this, that after he had bound them in chains, he might take them along to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul continued to receive more power and to confound the Jews who were living in Damascus, proving that this man is the Christ.
¶ 23 Now after many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
24 but their plot became known to Saul. And they even kept watching the gates, not only by day but also by night, in order that they might kill him.
25 Then his disciples took him at night and let him down through a window in the city wall by lowering him in a reed basket.
¶ 26 Now when Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he began to try to associate with the disciples, but they all continued to be afraid of him, because they did believe that he was a disciple.
27 Then Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them, going in and out among them in Jerusalem, while speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord.
29 And he not only kept speaking but also kept debating with the Greek-speaking Jews. Then they began attempting to kill him.
30 But when the brothers learned of this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
¶ 31 Consequently the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria continued to have peace. While being built up and proceeding in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the church kept increasing.
Part 2.B: Jesus’ Witness Peter Spreads His Gospel in Judea and Samaria Acts 9:32-12:24
Peter Heals Aeneas in Lydda and Raises Dorcas in Joppa Acts 9:32-43
¶ 32 Now it happened while Peter was going through all of those areas, he also came down to the saints who were living in Lydda.
33 And he found there a man named Aeneas, who was a paralytic lying upon a bed for eight years.
34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your own bed.” And immediately he stood up.
35 And all those who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, which people, to be sure, turned to the Lord!
¶ 36 Now in Joppa there was a female disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. She continued to be full of good deeds and donations for the poor, which she always did.
37 Now it happened in those days that when she became sick, she died. And after they washed her, they placed her in an upstairs room.
38 Then, since Lydda was near to Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was in it, they sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay to come to us.”
39 Then Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him up to the upstairs room, and all the widows stood near him, weeping and showing him all the shirts and garments Dorcas continued to make while she was with them.
40 And when Peter had sent them all outside and had kneeled down, he prayed. And he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 And when he gave his hand to her, he stood her up. Then when he had summoned the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
42 Now this became known throughout all of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 And it happened that Peter remained many days in Joppa with a certain tanner named Simon.
Peter Proclaims the Gospel to Cornelius’ Household in Caesarea of Samaria Acts 10:1-48
10
1 Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort,
2 a devout and God - fearing man together with his entire household, who made many donations for the poor to the people and was always praying to God.
3 About three o’clock in the afternoon he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming toward him and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he had fixed his eyes on him and became afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your donations for the poor have ascended as a memorial offering in the sight of God.
5 “And now send men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is also called Peter.
6 “This man is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
7 And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed, after he had summoned two of his house servants and a devout soldier who was one of those who waited on him,
8 he reported everything to them and sent them to Joppa.
¶ 9 On the next day while they were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up on the rooftop about the noon hour to pray.
10 Then he became hungry and wished to eat; and while they were preparing the meal, a trance came upon him,
11 and he beholds the heaven opened and an object coming down, something like a great sheet being let down towards the ground by its four corners,
12 in which are all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and the birds of the sky.
13 And a voice spoke to him, “Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!”
14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For I have never eaten anything unclean and impure.”
15 And again a voice spoke to him for a second time, “What God has made clean, you stop making unclean!”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
¶ 17 Now while Peter continued to be greatly perplexed within himself as to what the vision he had seen might mean, behold the men who had been sent by Cornelius stood at the gates, after finding the house of Simon by asking others.
18 And when they called out, they began inquiring if Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there.
19 And while Peter is pondering about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
20 “Now then, get up and go down, and go with them without hesitating, for I myself have sent them.”
21 Then when Peter went down to the men, he said, “Behold, I indeed am the man whom you are looking for. What is the reason for which you have come?”
22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, and being well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was given a divine command by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you.”
23 Therefore he invited them in and received them as his guests.
¶ Then on the next day he got up and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.
24 And on the next day he arrived in Caesarea. And Cornelius was expecting them, having called together his relatives and close friends.
25 Then when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter helped him to rise, saying, “Stand up. I myself am only a man.”
27 And he entered while talking with him, and he discovers many persons had assembled,
28 and he said to them, “As for you, you understand that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate closely with, or to approach one of, another nation. And yet God has explained to me to say no person is unclean or impure.
29 “For this reason I also came when I was sent for without raising any objection. So I ask you, for what reason have you sent for me?”
30 And Cornelius replied, “Four days ago until this hour of three o’clock in the afternoon I was continuing to pray in my house, and behold a man stood before me in radiant clothing
31 “and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your donations for the poor have been remembered in the sight of God.
32 “ ‘Now send men to Joppa and summon Simon who is also called Peter. This man is staying in the house of a tanner named Simon by the sea.’
33 “So I sent for you at once, and you indeed did well coming. So now we all are present in the sight of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”
¶ 34 Then opening his mouth, Peter said, “I certainly understand that God is not one who shows partiality.
35 “On the contrary, in every nation the person who fears him and practices righteousness is acceptable to him.
36 “You people know the word that he sent to the sons of Israel proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ – this man is Lord of all –
37 “you know what took place throughout all of Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached,
38 “how God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God continued to be with him.
39 “And we are witnesses of all the things that he did both in the countryside of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed by hanging him upon a cross.
40 “This man God raised on the third day and caused him to become visible,
41 “not to all the people but to the witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 “And he commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that this man is the One who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.
43 “All the prophets bear witness about this man, that all who believe in him receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
¶ 44 While Peter is still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard the message.
45 And the circumcised believers, as many as came with Peter, became amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out upon the Gentiles.
46 For they began hearing them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. At that time Peter spoke up,
47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, can he, since indeed they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain several days.
Peter Defends His Ministry to the Gentiles in Caesarea Acts 11:1-18
11
1 Then the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2 And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those on the side of circumcision began to take issue with him
3 saying, “You went in with men who are uncircumcised and ate with them!”
4 Then when Peter began, he explained things to them in the order that they had occurred, saying,
5 “As for me, I was in the city of Joppa praying, when in a trance I saw a vision of an object coming down from heaven, something like a great sheet being let down by its four corners, and it came down to me;
6 “When I gazed into it, I began noticing and saw the four-footed animals and the wild beasts and the reptiles of the earth and the birds of the sky.
7 “Then I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’
8 “But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord! For never has an unclean or impure thing come into my mouth.’
9 “Then a voice from heaven began to speak for a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you stop making unclean!’
10 “This happened three times, and everything was pulled up again into heaven.
11 “And behold, three men, who had been sent to me from Caesarea, immediately approached the house in which I was staying.
12 “Then the Spirit said to me to go with them without hesitating. And these six brothers also came with me, and we went into the man’s house.
13 “And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send men to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
14 “ ‘who will speak words to you by which you yourself and all your household will be saved.’
15 “And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came upon them just as he came upon us in the beginning.
16 “Then I remembered the word of the Lord that he said, ‘To be sure, John baptized with water, but you yourselves will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’
17 “Therefore if God gave the same gift to them like he also gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder God?”
18 Then after those on the side of circumcision heard these things, they became silent and began to glorify God, saying, “So then, God also gave to the Gentiles the repentance resulting in eternal life.”
Disciples Take The Gospel to Phoenicia, the Island of Cyprus, and to Antioch in Syria Acts 11:19
¶ 19 Consequently those who were scattered by the oppression that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.
Disciples Proclaim Jesus’ Gospel in Antioch, Syria Acts 11:20-30
¶ 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who when they came to Antioch began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord continued to be with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 And this news about them was heard by the church that was in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas out from Jerusalem to travel as far as Antioch.
23 When Barnabas arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to urge everyone to continue in the Lord with all their heart,
24 because he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large crowd was added to the Lord.
25 Then he went out to Tarsus to search for Saul,
26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. Then it happened for them that for a whole year they gathered together with the church and taught a large crowd. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
¶ 27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 And one of them named Agabus got up and foretold by means of the Spirit that a great famine was about to come upon the whole inhabited earth; it would come during the reign of Claudius.
29 Then the disciples, each one according to his financial ability, determined to send aid to the brothers living in Judea,
30 which they also did by sending their gift to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Herod Kills John’s Brother James and Persecutes Peter Acts 12:1-24
12
1 Now about that time Herod the king laid his hands upon some of those belonging to the church in order to persecute them.
2 Then he had James the brother of John put do death with a sword.
3 And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. (Now this was done during the days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
4 And after he arrested him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, and planning to bring him before the people after the Passover.
5 So, to be sure, Peter continued to be kept under guard in the prison, but a prayer was constantly being made by the church to God for him.
¶ 6. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, that night before Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, and there were guards in front of the door keeping watch over the prison.
7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood nearby, and light shone in the cell. And when he struck Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off of his hands.
8 Then the angel said to him, “Bind your shirt around your waist and put on your sandals!” And he did so. And the angel says to him, “Throw your robe around you and follow me!”
9 And when he went out, he followed him, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was really happening, rather he kept thinking he was seeing a vision.
10 And when they had passed by the first and second guard, they came to the iron-gate leading into the city, which opened for them by itself. And after they went out, they proceeded up one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord sent forth his angel and rescued me out of the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12 And when he became aware of this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is also called Mark, where many had been brought together and were praying.
13 Then when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.
14 And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate; rather she ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15 But they said to her, “You are out of your mind! But she kept insisting it was so. Then they began to say, “It is his angel!”
16 But Peter continued to remain in front of the gate knocking at the door. And when they opened it, they saw him and became astounded.
17 And after he signaled to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, and he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers.” And when he went out, he proceeded to another place.
¶ 18 Then when it became day, there was no small mental agitation among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be led away to their execution. And when he went down from Judea to Caesarea, he continued to stay there.
¶ 20 Now he continued to be extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. And with one purpose they had come to him, and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they repeatedly asked for peace, because their country was being supplied with food from the king’s country.
21 Then on the appointed day Herod, having dressed in royal clothing and having sat down on his speaker’s platform, began to deliver an address to them.
22 Then the crowd started crying out loudly, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
23 And at once an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he breathed his last and was eaten by worms.
¶ 24 And the word of God continued to increase and be multiplied.
Part 3: Jesus’ Witnesses Carry His Gospel to the Ends of the Earth – to Rome, the Capital of the Gentiles
Acts 12:25-28:31
Part 3.A: Jesus’ Witness Paul Makes His First Missionary Journey To Cyprus, Pamphylia and Galatia Acts 12:25-14:28
Paul and Barnabas Commissioned at Antioch, Syria Acts 12:25-13:3
¶ 25 Now Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem after having completed their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.
13
¶ Now throughout the present church in Antioch there were prophets and teachers: not only Barnabas and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, but also Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
2 And while they were performing a religious service to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “By all means set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then after fasting and praying and laying their hands upon them, they sent them away.
Paul’s Ministry on Cyprus Acts 13:4-12
¶ 4 So, to be sure, having been sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed away to Cyprus.
5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.
6 And they traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos. There they found a Jewish magician and false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus,
7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. When this man summoned Barnabas and Saul, he wished to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the magician, for so his name is translated, opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, having just been filled with the Holy Spirit, glared at him
10 and said, “O you son of the devil! Full of every kind of treachery and wickedness! You enemy of all righteousness! Will you never stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
11 “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is against you! And you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a period of time.” And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him. And while going around blindly, he kept searching for individuals to lead him by the hand.
12 Then, when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, being struck with astonishment at the teaching of the Lord.
Paul’s Ministry in Pamphylia Acts 13:13
¶ 13 Now when Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga, a city of Pamphylia. Then John deserted them and returned to Jerusalem.
Paul’s Ministry in Pisidian Antioch of Galatia Acts 13:14-52
¶ 14 But they went on from Perga and came to Pisidian Antioch, and after they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down.
15 Then after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent an invitation to them, saying, “Men, brothers, if you have some message of encouragement for the people, you may speak.”
16 Then, after Paul got up and signaled with his hand, he said,
¶ “Israelite men and those of you who fear God, listen.
17 “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and he made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm he led them out of it.
18 “And for a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness,
19 “and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave the land over to them as an inheritance.
20 “These things took place over a period of about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things he gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
21 “And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man out of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22 “And after he removed him, he raised up David for them as king, about whom he also testified favorably and said ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART, who will do all the things that are my will.’
23 “From the descendants of this man, according to his promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,
24 “after John had been proclaiming before his coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 “And while John was finishing his course of work, he customarily said, ‘What do you suppose I am? I myself am not the Christ! Rather, behold, One is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
¶ 26 “Men, brothers, sons descended from Abraham, and those among you who fear God: to us the message of this salvation has been sent out.
27 “For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know this Jesus, indeed fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning him.
28 “And although they did not even find one charge for a death sentence, they demanded Pilate to have him put to death.
29 “And when they carried out everything that had been written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.
30 “But God raised him up from the dead.
31 “He appeared over a period of many days to those who went up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who, to be sure, are now his witnesses to the people.
32 “And as for us, we are proclaiming the good news of the promise that had been made to the fathers,
33 “that God has completely fulfilled this promise for us, their descendants, by raising up Jesus, as it had also been written in the second Psalm,
‘YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’
34 “Moreover, that he raised him up from the dead no longer destined to return to corruption has been spoken of in this manner,
‘I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY AND TRUSTWORTHY BLESSINGS PROMISED TO DAVID.’
35 “Therefore he also says in another Psalm,
‘YOU WILL NOT PERMIT YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION.’
36 “For David, to be sure, after he served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was added to his fathers and saw corruption,
37 “but the man whom God raised up did not see corruption.
38 “Therefore let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being preached to you,
39 “By this man everyone who believes is justified from all the things which you were not able to be acquitted by the law of Moses.
40 “So be careful that what has been spoken in the prophets does not come upon you:
41 ‘LOOK, YOU SCOFFERS,
AND MARVEL AND PERISH.
FOR I MYSELF AM CARRYING OUT A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,
a work WHICH YOU SHALL ABSOLUTELY NOT BELIEVE EVEN IF SOMEONE SHOULD TELL YOU IN DETAIL.’ ”
42 Now when Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept inviting them to speak to them about these things on the next Sabbath.
43 And after the synagogue service had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking with them, kept appealing to them to continue in the grace of God.
¶ 44 Now when the Sabbath came, nearly all the city had gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they became filled with jealousy and began to speak against the things being spoken by Paul, blaspheming.
46 Both Paul and Barnabas spoke fearlessly and said, “It was necessary the word of God be spoken to you first. Since then you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles!
47 “For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I HAVE MADE YOU TO BE A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES
IN ORDER THAT YOU BRING SALVATION AS FAR AS THE END OF THE EARTH.’ ”
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
¶49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.
50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing, prominent women and the ranking men of the city and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they threw them out of their district.
51 Then after they shook off the dust of their feet against them, they went to Iconium.
52 And the disciples continued to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Ministry in Iconium, Galatia Acts 14:1-7
14
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and spoke in this manner, with the result that a great multitude of not only Jews but also Greeks began to believe.
2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up and embittered the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers.
3 Therefore they spent a long time speaking boldly for the Lord, who was testifying to the word of his grace by granting miraculous signs and wonders be performed by their hands.
4 But the people of the city were divided; there were those on the one hand with the Jews, but there were those on the other hand with the apostles.
5 Now when a hostile movement of both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers arose to mistreat and to stone them to death,
6 and when they became aware of it, they fled down to the cities of Lystra and Derbe of Lycaonia and the surrounding region,
7 and there they continued preaching the gospel.
Paul’s Ministry in Lystra and Derbe of Lycaonia Acts 14:8-20
¶ 8 In Lystra a man was sitting, who had no strength in his feet, having been crippled from his mother’s womb, who never walked.
9 This man listened to Paul while he was speaking. When Paul fixed his eyes on him and saw that he had faith for being healed,
10 he said in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped up and began walking around.
11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods, who have become like men, have come down to us!”
12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, since he himself was the chief speaker.
13 And when the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside of the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates, he together with the crowds wanted to sacrifice them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We ourselves are also men who suffer the same misfortunes as you, preaching the gospel to you to turn completely away from these worthless idols to the living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them;
16 “who during the generations gone by permitted all the nations to go their own ways;
17 “and yet he did not leave himself without witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
18 And by saying these things, they hardly restrained the crowds from making a sacrifice to them.
¶ 19 And Jews came along from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and had stoned Paul, they were dragging him outside of the city, believing he was dead.
20 But after the disciples encircled him, he got up and went into the city. And on the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
Paul Returns to Antioch, Syria, and Ends His First Missionary Journey Acts 14:21-28
¶ 21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.”
23 Then after electing by a show of hands elders for them in every church, and when they had prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24 And when they had passed through Pisidian, they came into Pamphylia,
25 and after they spoke the word in Perga, they went down to Attaleia.
26 And from there they sailed away to Antioch, from where they had been commended to the grace of God into the work that they had just completed.
27 Then when they arrived and gathered together the church, they began reporting all the things that God had done with them and that he opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
28 Then they continued to spend a long time with the disciples.
Part 3.B: The First Ecumenical Council of the Church Acts 15:1-35
15
1 And when some came down from Judea, they began teaching the brothers, “Unless you become circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 Then when a great deal of strife and debate were raised by Paul and Barnabas against them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this controversial issue.
3 Consequently those who were sent on their way by the church were traveling through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they continued to cause great joy among all the brothers.
4 Now when they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders. And they reported all the things God had done with them.
5 Then some of those from the religious sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “They must be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses.”
¶ 6 And the apostles and elders gathered together to look into this question.
7 Then after there had been much debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Men, brothers, you yourselves understand that some time ago God made a choice for himself among you, that the Gentiles hear by my mouth the word of the gospel and believe.
8 “And God, the knower of hearts, bore witness by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he also gave him to us.
9 “And he did not differentiate between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
10 “So why are you putting God on trial now, to place a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we ourselves were strong enough to bear.
11 “On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus according to which manner they are also.”
¶ 12 Then the whole assembly became quiet, and they began listening to Barnabas and Paul describing all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13 And after they became silent, James began to speak, saying, “Men, brothers, listen to me! Simon has just described how God was first concerned about taking from the Gentiles a people for his name.
15 “And the words of the prophets agree with this, just as it is written,
16 ‘AFTER THESE THINGS I WILL RETURN
AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID THAT HAS FALLEN,
AND ITS PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN RAzED TO THE GROUND I WILL REBUILD
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
17 “ ’IN ORDER THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK OUT THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED BY MY NAME,
18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS known from ages long past.’
19 “Therefore, as for me, I judge that we do not make it difficult for those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
20 “but that we write to them to abstain from food polluted by idols and from fornication and from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
21 “For Moses from ancient times has those who preach him in every city, and he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
¶ 22 At that time it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to select men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas – Judas who is called Barsabbas and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers.
23 And they sent the following letter by their hand:
The apostles and the elders, your brothers;
To the brothers who are from the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Because we have heard that some have gone out from us, to whom we had not given any orders, and they troubled you with words, upsetting your souls,
25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul
26 -- men who have risked their lives in behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they can report the same things by word of mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden upon you except these necessary prohibitions,
29 to abstain from meat offered to idols and from blood and from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell.
¶30 So when they were sent away, they came down to Antioch, and when they had gathered the church together, they delivered the letter.
31 And after they read it, they began to rejoice because of its encouragement.
32 Both Judas and Silas, who also were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers by means of a lengthy message.
33 Then after they had spent time there, they were dismissed with peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.
35 But Paul and Barnabas continued to stay in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also.
Part 3.C: Jesus’ Witness Paul Makes His Second Missionary Journey To Macedonia and Achaia in Greece Acts 15:36-18:22
Paul and Barnabas Go Their Separate Ways Acts 15:36-15:41
¶ 36 Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “By all means, let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we had proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
37 And Barnabas was also wanting to take along with them John, who is called Mark.
38 But Paul continued to consider it fitting that John, who had deserted them in Pamphylia and did not go with them into the work, should not be taken along with them.
39 And a sharp disagreement arose, to the extent that they became separated from one another, and Barnabas sailed away to Cyprus, taking Mark along.
40 But after selecting Silas, Paul went out, having been commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas Acts 16:1-5
16
1 Now Paul also came to Derbe and then to Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, a son of a Jewish woman, who was a believer, and of a Greek father,
2 who continued to be well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted this man to go out with him, and he took him and circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those areas, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 Then as they continued going through the cities, they delivered the decrees for them to follow that had been decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
5 So, to be sure, the churches were being strengthened in the faith and kept growing in number every day.
The Holy Spirit Directs Paul to Macedonia, Greece Acts 16:6-10
¶ 6 Then they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7 And they went down along Mysia, continuing to attempt to proceed into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.
8 Then after they passed through Mysia, they went down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul during the night – a man of Macedonia was standing and summoning him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us!”
10 And after he saw the vision, we immediately desired to go out into Macedonia, concluding that God had summoned us to preach the gospel to them.
Paul’s Ministry in Philippi of Macedonia Acts 16:11-40
¶ 11 Then when we put out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis,
12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a most prominent city in the district of Macedonia. And we were spending some days in this city.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the gate to the riverbank, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer, and after we sat down, we began speaking to the women who had come together.
14 And a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, continued listening, whose heart the Lord opened to heed the things being spoken by Paul.
15 Then when she was baptized, and her household, she invited Paul, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house;” and she urged us strongly.
¶ 16 Now it happened while we were going to the place of prayer that a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination met us. She kept bringing much profit to her masters by fortune telling.
17 While she was following after Paul and us, she kept calling out, “These men are servants of the most high God, who are proclaiming to us the way of salvation!”
18 She kept doing this for many days. And when Paul had become thoroughly annoyed and had turned around, he said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out that very moment!
19 Then when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities.
20 And when they had brought them forward to the chief magistrates they said, “These men, who are Jews, are agitating our city,
21 “and are proclaiming customs which are not lawful for us who are Romans to accept or to do.”
22 And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates began ordering their policemen to tear off their clothes and to beat them with rods.
23 And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they cast them into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely,
24 who, because he had received such a command as this, threw them into the inner part of the prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
¶ 25 Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and kept singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners continued to listen to them.
26 Then suddenly there was a violent earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken, and at once all the doors flew open, and all the chains became unfastened.
27 Now when the jailer was awakened, and after he saw the doors of the prison had been opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself! For we are all here!”
29 And after he asked for a light, he rushed in, and fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas trembling,
30 and when he had brought them outside, he said, “Sirs! What must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household!”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all those in his household.
33 And he took them along in that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he himself was baptized, and all those of his household.
34 And when he had led them into his house, he set a meal before them, and he rejoiced because he had believed in God – he with his whole household.
¶ 35 When day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men!”
36 Then the jailer reported these words to Paul, “The chief magistrates have sent word that the two of you are to be released. So now come out and proceed in peace.”
37 But Paul said to the policemen, “After they beat us in public without a proper trial, men who are Romans, they cast us into prison! And now are they throwing us out in secret? No! On the contrary, let them come themselves and lead us out!”
38 Then the policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. And when they heard, “They are Romans,” they became frightened.
39 And when they came, they appealed to them, and while they were leading them out of the prison, they kept pleading with them to depart from the city.
40 And after they came out of the prison, they went to the house of Lydia. And when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and went away.
11
1 Then the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2 And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those on the side of circumcision began to take issue with him
3 saying, “You went in with men who are uncircumcised and ate with them!”
4 Then when Peter began, he explained things to them in the order that they had occurred, saying,
5 “As for me, I was in the city of Joppa praying, when in a trance I saw a vision of an object coming down from heaven, something like a great sheet being let down by its four corners, and it came down to me;
6 “When I gazed into it, I began noticing and saw the four-footed animals and the wild beasts and the reptiles of the earth and the birds of the sky.
7 “Then I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’
8 “But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord! For never has an unclean or impure thing come into my mouth.’
9 “Then a voice from heaven began to speak for a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you stop making unclean!’
10 “This happened three times, and everything was pulled up again into heaven.
11 “And behold, three men, who had been sent to me from Caesarea, immediately approached the house in which I was staying.
12 “Then the Spirit said to me to go with them without hesitating. And these six brothers also came with me, and we went into the man’s house.
13 “And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send men to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
14 “ ‘who will speak words to you by which you yourself and all your household will be saved.’
15 “And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came upon them just as he came upon us in the beginning.
16 “Then I remembered the word of the Lord that he said, ‘To be sure, John baptized with water, but you yourselves will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’
17 “Therefore if God gave the same gift to them like he also gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder God?”
18 Then after those on the side of circumcision heard these things, they became silent and began to glorify God, saying, “So then, God also gave to the Gentiles the repentance resulting in eternal life.”
Disciples Take The Gospel to Phoenicia, the Island of Cyprus, and to Antioch in Syria Acts 11:19
¶ 19 Consequently those who were scattered by the oppression that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.
Disciples Proclaim Jesus’ Gospel in Antioch, Syria Acts 11:20-30
¶ 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who when they came to Antioch began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord continued to be with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 And this news about them was heard by the church that was in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas out from Jerusalem to travel as far as Antioch.
23 When Barnabas arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to urge everyone to continue in the Lord with all their heart,
24 because he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large crowd was added to the Lord.
25 Then he went out to Tarsus to search for Saul,
26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. Then it happened for them that for a whole year they gathered together with the church and taught a large crowd. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
¶ 27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 And one of them named Agabus got up and foretold by means of the Spirit that a great famine was about to come upon the whole inhabited earth; it would come during the reign of Claudius.
29 Then the disciples, each one according to his financial ability, determined to send aid to the brothers living in Judea,
30 which they also did by sending their gift to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Herod Kills John’s Brother James and Persecutes Peter Acts 12:1-24
12
1 Now about that time Herod the king laid his hands upon some of those belonging to the church in order to persecute them.
2 Then he had James the brother of John put do death with a sword.
3 And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. (Now this was done during the days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
4 And after he arrested him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, and planning to bring him before the people after the Passover.
5 So, to be sure, Peter continued to be kept under guard in the prison, but a prayer was constantly being made by the church to God for him.
¶ 6. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, that night before Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, and there were guards in front of the door keeping watch over the prison.
7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood nearby, and light shone in the cell. And when he struck Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off of his hands.
8 Then the angel said to him, “Bind your shirt around your waist and put on your sandals!” And he did so. And the angel says to him, “Throw your robe around you and follow me!”
9 And when he went out, he followed him, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was really happening, rather he kept thinking he was seeing a vision.
10 And when they had passed by the first and second guard, they came to the iron-gate leading into the city, which opened for them by itself. And after they went out, they proceeded up one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord sent forth his angel and rescued me out of the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12 And when he became aware of this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is also called Mark, where many had been brought together and were praying.
13 Then when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.
14 And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate; rather she ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15 But they said to her, “You are out of your mind! But she kept insisting it was so. Then they began to say, “It is his angel!”
16 But Peter continued to remain in front of the gate knocking at the door. And when they opened it, they saw him and became astounded.
17 And after he signaled to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, and he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers.” And when he went out, he proceeded to another place.
¶ 18 Then when it became day, there was no small mental agitation among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be led away to their execution. And when he went down from Judea to Caesarea, he continued to stay there.
¶ 20 Now he continued to be extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. And with one purpose they had come to him, and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they repeatedly asked for peace, because their country was being supplied with food from the king’s country.
21 Then on the appointed day Herod, having dressed in royal clothing and having sat down on his speaker’s platform, began to deliver an address to them.
22 Then the crowd started crying out loudly, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
23 And at once an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he breathed his last and was eaten by worms.
¶ 24 And the word of God continued to increase and be multiplied.
Part 3: Jesus’ Witnesses Carry His Gospel to the Ends of the Earth – to Rome, the Capital of the Gentiles
Acts 12:25-28:31
Part 3.A: Jesus’ Witness Paul Makes His First Missionary Journey To Cyprus, Pamphylia and Galatia Acts 12:25-14:28
Paul and Barnabas Commissioned at Antioch, Syria Acts 12:25-13:3
¶ 25 Now Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem after having completed their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.
13
¶ Now throughout the present church in Antioch there were prophets and teachers: not only Barnabas and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, but also Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
2 And while they were performing a religious service to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “By all means set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then after fasting and praying and laying their hands upon them, they sent them away.
Paul’s Ministry on Cyprus Acts 13:4-12
¶ 4 So, to be sure, having been sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed away to Cyprus.
5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.
6 And they traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos. There they found a Jewish magician and false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus,
7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. When this man summoned Barnabas and Saul, he wished to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the magician, for so his name is translated, opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, having just been filled with the Holy Spirit, glared at him
10 and said, “O you son of the devil! Full of every kind of treachery and wickedness! You enemy of all righteousness! Will you never stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
11 “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is against you! And you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a period of time.” And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him. And while going around blindly, he kept searching for individuals to lead him by the hand.
12 Then, when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, being struck with astonishment at the teaching of the Lord.
Paul’s Ministry in Pamphylia Acts 13:13
¶ 13 Now when Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga, a city of Pamphylia. Then John deserted them and returned to Jerusalem.
Paul’s Ministry in Pisidian Antioch of Galatia Acts 13:14-52
¶ 14 But they went on from Perga and came to Pisidian Antioch, and after they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down.
15 Then after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent an invitation to them, saying, “Men, brothers, if you have some message of encouragement for the people, you may speak.”
16 Then, after Paul got up and signaled with his hand, he said,
¶ “Israelite men and those of you who fear God, listen.
17 “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and he made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm he led them out of it.
18 “And for a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness,
19 “and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave the land over to them as an inheritance.
20 “These things took place over a period of about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things he gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
21 “And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man out of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22 “And after he removed him, he raised up David for them as king, about whom he also testified favorably and said ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART, who will do all the things that are my will.’
23 “From the descendants of this man, according to his promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,
24 “after John had been proclaiming before his coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 “And while John was finishing his course of work, he customarily said, ‘What do you suppose I am? I myself am not the Christ! Rather, behold, One is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
¶ 26 “Men, brothers, sons descended from Abraham, and those among you who fear God: to us the message of this salvation has been sent out.
27 “For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know this Jesus, indeed fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning him.
28 “And although they did not even find one charge for a death sentence, they demanded Pilate to have him put to death.
29 “And when they carried out everything that had been written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.
30 “But God raised him up from the dead.
31 “He appeared over a period of many days to those who went up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who, to be sure, are now his witnesses to the people.
32 “And as for us, we are proclaiming the good news of the promise that had been made to the fathers,
33 “that God has completely fulfilled this promise for us, their descendants, by raising up Jesus, as it had also been written in the second Psalm,
‘YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’
34 “Moreover, that he raised him up from the dead no longer destined to return to corruption has been spoken of in this manner,
‘I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY AND TRUSTWORTHY BLESSINGS PROMISED TO DAVID.’
35 “Therefore he also says in another Psalm,
‘YOU WILL NOT PERMIT YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION.’
36 “For David, to be sure, after he served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was added to his fathers and saw corruption,
37 “but the man whom God raised up did not see corruption.
38 “Therefore let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being preached to you,
39 “By this man everyone who believes is justified from all the things which you were not able to be acquitted by the law of Moses.
40 “So be careful that what has been spoken in the prophets does not come upon you:
41 ‘LOOK, YOU SCOFFERS,
AND MARVEL AND PERISH.
FOR I MYSELF AM CARRYING OUT A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,
a work WHICH YOU SHALL ABSOLUTELY NOT BELIEVE EVEN IF SOMEONE SHOULD TELL YOU IN DETAIL.’ ”
42 Now when Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept inviting them to speak to them about these things on the next Sabbath.
43 And after the synagogue service had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking with them, kept appealing to them to continue in the grace of God.
¶ 44 Now when the Sabbath came, nearly all the city had gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they became filled with jealousy and began to speak against the things being spoken by Paul, blaspheming.
46 Both Paul and Barnabas spoke fearlessly and said, “It was necessary the word of God be spoken to you first. Since then you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles!
47 “For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I HAVE MADE YOU TO BE A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES
IN ORDER THAT YOU BRING SALVATION AS FAR AS THE END OF THE EARTH.’ ”
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
¶49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.
50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing, prominent women and the ranking men of the city and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they threw them out of their district.
51 Then after they shook off the dust of their feet against them, they went to Iconium.
52 And the disciples continued to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Ministry in Iconium, Galatia Acts 14:1-7
14
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and spoke in this manner, with the result that a great multitude of not only Jews but also Greeks began to believe.
2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up and embittered the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers.
3 Therefore they spent a long time speaking boldly for the Lord, who was testifying to the word of his grace by granting miraculous signs and wonders be performed by their hands.
4 But the people of the city were divided; there were those on the one hand with the Jews, but there were those on the other hand with the apostles.
5 Now when a hostile movement of both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers arose to mistreat and to stone them to death,
6 and when they became aware of it, they fled down to the cities of Lystra and Derbe of Lycaonia and the surrounding region,
7 and there they continued preaching the gospel.
Paul’s Ministry in Lystra and Derbe of Lycaonia Acts 14:8-20
¶ 8 In Lystra a man was sitting, who had no strength in his feet, having been crippled from his mother’s womb, who never walked.
9 This man listened to Paul while he was speaking. When Paul fixed his eyes on him and saw that he had faith for being healed,
10 he said in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped up and began walking around.
11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods, who have become like men, have come down to us!”
12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, since he himself was the chief speaker.
13 And when the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside of the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates, he together with the crowds wanted to sacrifice them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We ourselves are also men who suffer the same misfortunes as you, preaching the gospel to you to turn completely away from these worthless idols to the living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them;
16 “who during the generations gone by permitted all the nations to go their own ways;
17 “and yet he did not leave himself without witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
18 And by saying these things, they hardly restrained the crowds from making a sacrifice to them.
¶ 19 And Jews came along from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and had stoned Paul, they were dragging him outside of the city, believing he was dead.
20 But after the disciples encircled him, he got up and went into the city. And on the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
Paul Returns to Antioch, Syria, and Ends His First Missionary Journey Acts 14:21-28
¶ 21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.”
23 Then after electing by a show of hands elders for them in every church, and when they had prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24 And when they had passed through Pisidian, they came into Pamphylia,
25 and after they spoke the word in Perga, they went down to Attaleia.
26 And from there they sailed away to Antioch, from where they had been commended to the grace of God into the work that they had just completed.
27 Then when they arrived and gathered together the church, they began reporting all the things that God had done with them and that he opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
28 Then they continued to spend a long time with the disciples.
Part 3.B: The First Ecumenical Council of the Church Acts 15:1-35
15
1 And when some came down from Judea, they began teaching the brothers, “Unless you become circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 Then when a great deal of strife and debate were raised by Paul and Barnabas against them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this controversial issue.
3 Consequently those who were sent on their way by the church were traveling through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they continued to cause great joy among all the brothers.
4 Now when they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders. And they reported all the things God had done with them.
5 Then some of those from the religious sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “They must be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses.”
¶ 6 And the apostles and elders gathered together to look into this question.
7 Then after there had been much debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Men, brothers, you yourselves understand that some time ago God made a choice for himself among you, that the Gentiles hear by my mouth the word of the gospel and believe.
8 “And God, the knower of hearts, bore witness by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he also gave him to us.
9 “And he did not differentiate between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
10 “So why are you putting God on trial now, to place a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we ourselves were strong enough to bear.
11 “On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus according to which manner they are also.”
¶ 12 Then the whole assembly became quiet, and they began listening to Barnabas and Paul describing all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13 And after they became silent, James began to speak, saying, “Men, brothers, listen to me! Simon has just described how God was first concerned about taking from the Gentiles a people for his name.
15 “And the words of the prophets agree with this, just as it is written,
16 ‘AFTER THESE THINGS I WILL RETURN
AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID THAT HAS FALLEN,
AND ITS PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN RAzED TO THE GROUND I WILL REBUILD
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
17 “ ’IN ORDER THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK OUT THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED BY MY NAME,
18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS known from ages long past.’
19 “Therefore, as for me, I judge that we do not make it difficult for those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
20 “but that we write to them to abstain from food polluted by idols and from fornication and from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
21 “For Moses from ancient times has those who preach him in every city, and he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
¶ 22 At that time it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to select men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas – Judas who is called Barsabbas and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers.
23 And they sent the following letter by their hand:
The apostles and the elders, your brothers;
To the brothers who are from the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Because we have heard that some have gone out from us, to whom we had not given any orders, and they troubled you with words, upsetting your souls,
25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul
26 -- men who have risked their lives in behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they can report the same things by word of mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden upon you except these necessary prohibitions,
29 to abstain from meat offered to idols and from blood and from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell.
¶30 So when they were sent away, they came down to Antioch, and when they had gathered the church together, they delivered the letter.
31 And after they read it, they began to rejoice because of its encouragement.
32 Both Judas and Silas, who also were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers by means of a lengthy message.
33 Then after they had spent time there, they were dismissed with peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.
35 But Paul and Barnabas continued to stay in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also.
Part 3.C: Jesus’ Witness Paul Makes His Second Missionary Journey To Macedonia and Achaia in Greece Acts 15:36-18:22
Paul and Barnabas Go Their Separate Ways Acts 15:36-15:41
¶ 36 Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “By all means, let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we had proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
37 And Barnabas was also wanting to take along with them John, who is called Mark.
38 But Paul continued to consider it fitting that John, who had deserted them in Pamphylia and did not go with them into the work, should not be taken along with them.
39 And a sharp disagreement arose, to the extent that they became separated from one another, and Barnabas sailed away to Cyprus, taking Mark along.
40 But after selecting Silas, Paul went out, having been commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas Acts 16:1-5
16
1 Now Paul also came to Derbe and then to Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, a son of a Jewish woman, who was a believer, and of a Greek father,
2 who continued to be well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted this man to go out with him, and he took him and circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those areas, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 Then as they continued going through the cities, they delivered the decrees for them to follow that had been decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
5 So, to be sure, the churches were being strengthened in the faith and kept growing in number every day.
The Holy Spirit Directs Paul to Macedonia, Greece Acts 16:6-10
¶ 6 Then they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7 And they went down along Mysia, continuing to attempt to proceed into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.
8 Then after they passed through Mysia, they went down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul during the night – a man of Macedonia was standing and summoning him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us!”
10 And after he saw the vision, we immediately desired to go out into Macedonia, concluding that God had summoned us to preach the gospel to them.
Paul’s Ministry in Philippi of Macedonia Acts 16:11-40
¶ 11 Then when we put out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis,
12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a most prominent city in the district of Macedonia. And we were spending some days in this city.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the gate to the riverbank, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer, and after we sat down, we began speaking to the women who had come together.
14 And a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, continued listening, whose heart the Lord opened to heed the things being spoken by Paul.
15 Then when she was baptized, and her household, she invited Paul, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house;” and she urged us strongly.
¶ 16 Now it happened while we were going to the place of prayer that a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination met us. She kept bringing much profit to her masters by fortune telling.
17 While she was following after Paul and us, she kept calling out, “These men are servants of the most high God, who are proclaiming to us the way of salvation!”
18 She kept doing this for many days. And when Paul had become thoroughly annoyed and had turned around, he said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out that very moment!
19 Then when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities.
20 And when they had brought them forward to the chief magistrates they said, “These men, who are Jews, are agitating our city,
21 “and are proclaiming customs which are not lawful for us who are Romans to accept or to do.”
22 And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates began ordering their policemen to tear off their clothes and to beat them with rods.
23 And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they cast them into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely,
24 who, because he had received such a command as this, threw them into the inner part of the prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
¶ 25 Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and kept singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners continued to listen to them.
26 Then suddenly there was a violent earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken, and at once all the doors flew open, and all the chains became unfastened.
27 Now when the jailer was awakened, and after he saw the doors of the prison had been opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself! For we are all here!”
29 And after he asked for a light, he rushed in, and fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas trembling,
30 and when he had brought them outside, he said, “Sirs! What must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household!”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all those in his household.
33 And he took them along in that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he himself was baptized, and all those of his household.
34 And when he had led them into his house, he set a meal before them, and he rejoiced because he had believed in God – he with his whole household.
¶ 35 When day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men!”
36 Then the jailer reported these words to Paul, “The chief magistrates have sent word that the two of you are to be released. So now come out and proceed in peace.”
37 But Paul said to the policemen, “After they beat us in public without a proper trial, men who are Romans, they cast us into prison! And now are they throwing us out in secret? No! On the contrary, let them come themselves and lead us out!”
38 Then the policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. And when they heard, “They are Romans,” they became frightened.
39 And when they came, they appealed to them, and while they were leading them out of the prison, they kept pleading with them to depart from the city.
40 And after they came out of the prison, they went to the house of Lydia. And when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and went away.
Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica and Berea of Macedonia Acts 17:1-13
17
1 And after they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of Jews.
2 Then according to Paul’s custom he went into them, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and that, “This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ.”
4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did not only a large number of God-fearing Greeks but also a number of the most prominent women.
5 But the Jews, because they were filled with jealousy, took along some vicious men of the market rabble, and when they had formed a mob, they began a riot in the city. And when they attacked the house of Jason, they began searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out into the Citizens' Assembly.
6 But because they could not find them, they began to drag away Jason and some brothers to the city magistrates, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have also come here,
7 “whom Jason has welcomed as guests. And all these men are acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!”
8 And they stirred up the crowd and the city magistrates who heard these things.
9 And when they had received a security bond from Jason and the rest, they released them.
¶ 10 Now the brothers immediately sent both Paul and Silas out during the night to Berea, who, after they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews again and again.
11 And these Jews continued to be more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures every day to see if these things were so.
12 So many of them, to be sure, believed, and a number of prominent Greek women and men.
13 And when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God had also been proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came there agitating and stirring up the crowds.
Paul’s Ministry in Athens of Achaia, Greece Acts 17:14-34
¶ 14 Then immediately the brothers sent Paul out from there to travel as far as to the sea; And both Silas and Timothy stayed behind there.
15 Then those who were escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens, and when they had received an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.
¶ 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit kept being irritated within him because he was noticing the city was full of idols.
17 Then, to be sure, he began reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who feared God and everyday in the marketplace with those who happened to be there.
18 Then some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began conversing with him, and some started to say, “What might this babbler be trying to say?" And others, “He seems to be a preacher of strange deities” – because he kept preaching the gospel about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that is being spoken by you?
20 “For you are bringing some surprising things into our ears. Therefore we desire to know what these things mean.”
21 Now all Athenians and the strangers staying in the city continue to spend their time in nothing other than saying or hearing something brand new.
¶ 22 Now when Paul stood up in the midst of the Areopagus, he said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious people in all respects.
23 “For while I was passing through and examining carefully the objects of your worship, I also found an altar on which the words had been inscribed ‘To the Unknown God.’ So what you Athenians worship without knowing, this I myself am proclaiming to you now.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it, this God who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by human hands,
25 “nor is he served by human hands as though he needed something, because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.
26 “And he made from one blood every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the appointed times and the fixed boundaries of their habitations,
27 “for them to seek God, so at least they might grope after him and find him, and yet indeed he is not far from each one of us.
28 “For in him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your poets have said, ”For we also are his offspring.”
29 “Therefore, because we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image of a craft and thought of man.
30 “So, to be sure, after having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now gives orders to men for all people everywhere to repent,
31 “because he has set a day on which he intends to judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, having given proof of this to all people by raising him from the dead.”
¶ 32 Now when they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We will listen to you again about this.”
33 Without further ado Paul went out of their midst.
34 But some men became followers of Paul and believed, among whom were both Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Paul’s Ministry in Corinth of Achaia, Greece Acts 18:1-17
18
1 After these things when Paul had made his departure from Athens, he came to Corinth.
2 And when he found a Jew named Aquila, from Pontus by nationality, having come recently from Italy, and his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome, he went to them.
3 And because he practiced the same trade, he began to stay with them and work; for they were tent-makers by trade.
4 Then he continued to reason in the synagogue every Sabbath, and he was trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks.
¶ 5 Now when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul became absorbed in preaching the word, testifying solemnly to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6 But when they opposed and ridiculed him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!”
7 And he went over from there and went into the house of a man by the name of Titius Justus who feared God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the synagogue ruler, believed in the Lord together with his whole household, and many of the Corinthians who heard the word from him began to believe and were being baptized.
9 Then the Lord said to Paul during the night through a vision, “Stop being afraid! On the contrary, keep speaking and do not be silent!
10 Because I myself am with you, and no one will attack you for the purpose of harming you, because I have many people in this city.”
11 Then he settled in for a year and six months, while teaching the word of God among them.
¶ 12 Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia; the Jews with one mind rose up against Paul and brought him before the judicial bench,
13 saying, “This fellow incites people to worship God contrary to the law!”
14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If, to be sure, it were in fact some misdeed or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to accept a complaint from you!
15 “But if it is a controversial question concerning a teaching and names and your own law – take care of it yourselves! I myself do not desire to be a judge of these matters.”
16 And he drove them away from the judicial bench.
17 Then when they all had seized Sosthenes, the synagogue ruler, they began to beat him in front of the judicial bench. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.
Paul Returns to Antioch and Ends His Second Missionary Journey Acts 18:18-22
¶ 18 Then after Paul had remained with the brothers a considerable number of days longer and had said farewell, he sailed away to Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila with him, having had his head of hair cut short in Cenchreae, because he was keeping a vow.
19 Then they arrived at Ephesus, and he left them here. But he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20 And although they were asking him to remain for a longer time, he did not give a nod of approval.
21 On the contrary, when he said his farewell, he also said, “I will return to you again if God wills it,” and put out to sea from Ephesus.
22 And when he had put in at Caesarea, after he went up and greeted the church, he came down to Antioch.
Part 3.D: Jesus’ Witness Paul Makes His Third Missionary Journey Acts 18:23-21:14
¶23 And after he spent some time there, he went out, passing through the region of Galatia and Phrygia one after the other, strengthening all the disciples.
¶ 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by nationality, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, being mighty in the Scriptures.
25 This man had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and he kept speaking with a burning zeal and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, although being acquainted with only the baptism of John.
26 And this man began to speak fearlessly in the synagogue. And when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and set forth the Way of God more accurately.
27 Then when he wanted to travel to Achaia, after the brothers encouraged him, they wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he began to be a great help to those who had believed by grace.
28 For he vigorously and completely continued to refute the Jews publicly by demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
17
1 And after they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of Jews.
2 Then according to Paul’s custom he went into them, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and that, “This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ.”
4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did not only a large number of God-fearing Greeks but also a number of the most prominent women.
5 But the Jews, because they were filled with jealousy, took along some vicious men of the market rabble, and when they had formed a mob, they began a riot in the city. And when they attacked the house of Jason, they began searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out into the Citizens' Assembly.
6 But because they could not find them, they began to drag away Jason and some brothers to the city magistrates, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have also come here,
7 “whom Jason has welcomed as guests. And all these men are acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!”
8 And they stirred up the crowd and the city magistrates who heard these things.
9 And when they had received a security bond from Jason and the rest, they released them.
¶ 10 Now the brothers immediately sent both Paul and Silas out during the night to Berea, who, after they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews again and again.
11 And these Jews continued to be more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures every day to see if these things were so.
12 So many of them, to be sure, believed, and a number of prominent Greek women and men.
13 And when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God had also been proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came there agitating and stirring up the crowds.
Paul’s Ministry in Athens of Achaia, Greece Acts 17:14-34
¶ 14 Then immediately the brothers sent Paul out from there to travel as far as to the sea; And both Silas and Timothy stayed behind there.
15 Then those who were escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens, and when they had received an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.
¶ 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit kept being irritated within him because he was noticing the city was full of idols.
17 Then, to be sure, he began reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who feared God and everyday in the marketplace with those who happened to be there.
18 Then some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began conversing with him, and some started to say, “What might this babbler be trying to say?" And others, “He seems to be a preacher of strange deities” – because he kept preaching the gospel about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that is being spoken by you?
20 “For you are bringing some surprising things into our ears. Therefore we desire to know what these things mean.”
21 Now all Athenians and the strangers staying in the city continue to spend their time in nothing other than saying or hearing something brand new.
¶ 22 Now when Paul stood up in the midst of the Areopagus, he said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious people in all respects.
23 “For while I was passing through and examining carefully the objects of your worship, I also found an altar on which the words had been inscribed ‘To the Unknown God.’ So what you Athenians worship without knowing, this I myself am proclaiming to you now.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it, this God who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by human hands,
25 “nor is he served by human hands as though he needed something, because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.
26 “And he made from one blood every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the appointed times and the fixed boundaries of their habitations,
27 “for them to seek God, so at least they might grope after him and find him, and yet indeed he is not far from each one of us.
28 “For in him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your poets have said, ”For we also are his offspring.”
29 “Therefore, because we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image of a craft and thought of man.
30 “So, to be sure, after having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now gives orders to men for all people everywhere to repent,
31 “because he has set a day on which he intends to judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, having given proof of this to all people by raising him from the dead.”
¶ 32 Now when they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We will listen to you again about this.”
33 Without further ado Paul went out of their midst.
34 But some men became followers of Paul and believed, among whom were both Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Paul’s Ministry in Corinth of Achaia, Greece Acts 18:1-17
18
1 After these things when Paul had made his departure from Athens, he came to Corinth.
2 And when he found a Jew named Aquila, from Pontus by nationality, having come recently from Italy, and his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome, he went to them.
3 And because he practiced the same trade, he began to stay with them and work; for they were tent-makers by trade.
4 Then he continued to reason in the synagogue every Sabbath, and he was trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks.
¶ 5 Now when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul became absorbed in preaching the word, testifying solemnly to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6 But when they opposed and ridiculed him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!”
7 And he went over from there and went into the house of a man by the name of Titius Justus who feared God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the synagogue ruler, believed in the Lord together with his whole household, and many of the Corinthians who heard the word from him began to believe and were being baptized.
9 Then the Lord said to Paul during the night through a vision, “Stop being afraid! On the contrary, keep speaking and do not be silent!
10 Because I myself am with you, and no one will attack you for the purpose of harming you, because I have many people in this city.”
11 Then he settled in for a year and six months, while teaching the word of God among them.
¶ 12 Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia; the Jews with one mind rose up against Paul and brought him before the judicial bench,
13 saying, “This fellow incites people to worship God contrary to the law!”
14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If, to be sure, it were in fact some misdeed or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to accept a complaint from you!
15 “But if it is a controversial question concerning a teaching and names and your own law – take care of it yourselves! I myself do not desire to be a judge of these matters.”
16 And he drove them away from the judicial bench.
17 Then when they all had seized Sosthenes, the synagogue ruler, they began to beat him in front of the judicial bench. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.
Paul Returns to Antioch and Ends His Second Missionary Journey Acts 18:18-22
¶ 18 Then after Paul had remained with the brothers a considerable number of days longer and had said farewell, he sailed away to Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila with him, having had his head of hair cut short in Cenchreae, because he was keeping a vow.
19 Then they arrived at Ephesus, and he left them here. But he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20 And although they were asking him to remain for a longer time, he did not give a nod of approval.
21 On the contrary, when he said his farewell, he also said, “I will return to you again if God wills it,” and put out to sea from Ephesus.
22 And when he had put in at Caesarea, after he went up and greeted the church, he came down to Antioch.
Part 3.D: Jesus’ Witness Paul Makes His Third Missionary Journey Acts 18:23-21:14
¶23 And after he spent some time there, he went out, passing through the region of Galatia and Phrygia one after the other, strengthening all the disciples.
¶ 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by nationality, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, being mighty in the Scriptures.
25 This man had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and he kept speaking with a burning zeal and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, although being acquainted with only the baptism of John.
26 And this man began to speak fearlessly in the synagogue. And when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and set forth the Way of God more accurately.
27 Then when he wanted to travel to Achaia, after the brothers encouraged him, they wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he began to be a great help to those who had believed by grace.
28 For he vigorously and completely continued to refute the Jews publicly by demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
Paul’s Ministry in Ephesus of Asia Minor Acts 19:1-20
19
1 Now it happened while Apollos was in Corinth, after Paul had passed through the upper parts of Galatia and Phrygia, he came down into Ephesus and found some disciples.
2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Then they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit!”
3 And he said, “Into what, then, were you baptized?” And they said, “Into the baptism of John.”
4 Then Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
5 Then after they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
7 Now all the men were about twelve in number.
¶ 8 And when he went into the synagogue, again and again he spoke fearlessly for three months, reasoning and convincing them about the kingdom of God.
9 Then when some became hardened and disbelieving, speaking evil of the Way before the crowds, he took away the disciples and withdrew from them, reasoning every day in the school of Tyrannus.
10 He continued to do this for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
¶ 11 And God kept performing extraordinary miracles through Paul’s hands,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons from his body were carried to the sick and the diseases departed from them, and evil spirits went out of them.
13 And also some of the Jewish exorcists who went from place to place attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you to come out by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Now there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who were doing this.
15 But the evil spirit replied to them, “To be sure, I know Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but as for you, who are you?”
16 And the man who had the evil spirit leaped upon them, and subdued and overpowered them all, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this became known to all, both to Jews and to Greeks, who lived in Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being highly praised.
18 And many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and making known their evil deeds.
19 And many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and began burning them in the presence of everyone. And they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow mightily and prevail.
Paul Is Endangered by the Riot of the Silversmiths in Ephesus Acts 19:21-41
¶ 21 Now after these things were brought to an end, Paul resolved in his spirit to proceed to Jerusalem after passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I go there, I must also see Rome.”
22 And after he sent two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself stayed for a while in Asia.
¶ 23 Now about that time a great disturbance arose about the Way.
24 For a certain silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, continued to bring about a great deal of business for the craftsmen.
25 After he gathered together these craftsmen, and the workmen of related occupations, he said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is from this business,
26 “and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in nearly all of Asia this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away a large multitude of people, saying that those that are made by hands are not gods!
27 “And not only is our trade in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis is in danger of being looked upon as worthless, and is at the point of also suffering the loss of her majesty, whom all of Asia and the world worship.”
¶ 28 Now when they heard this and became full of rage, they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 And the city was filled with the uproar, and they rushed out with one purpose into the theater, dragging Gaius and Aristarchus, of Macedonia, a traveling companion of Paul.
30 And because Paul kept wanting to enter into the crowd, the disciples kept preventing him from doing so.
31 Then some of the officials of the province of Asia, who were Paul’s friends, sent word to him, urging him not to venture into the theater himself.
32 So, to be sure, some kept shouting one thing and some another thing, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know why they had come together.
33 And some of the crowd began to advise Alexander, after the Jews pushed him forward. Then Alexander signaled with his hand that he wanted to speak in his own defense to the crowd.
34 But because they knew for sure that he was a Jew, one voice arose from them all, shouting for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 Now when the city secretary had quieted down the crowd, he says, “Men of Ephesus! Who indeed is there among men who does not know the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell down from heaven?
36 “Therefore, since these things are undeniable facts, you must be restrained men and commit nothing rash.
37 “For you brought these men here who have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our god.
38 “So, on the one hand, if Demetrius and those craftsmen with him have a legal complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and there are the proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.
39 “On the other hand, if you want to know anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the legal assembly.
40 “For indeed we are running the risk of being accused of a riot concerning what happened today, since it was caused for nothing, for which we will not be able to give an account for this disorderly gathering.”
41 And after he said these things, he sent the assembly away.
Paul Revisits the Churches in Macedonia, Greece Acts 20:1-6
20
1 Then after the uproar stopped, when Paul had sent for the disciples and had encouraged them, he said farewell and went out to proceed into Macedonia.
2 And after he had passed through those parts and had encouraged them with a long speech, he came into Greece,
3 where he spent three months. Because a plot arose against him by the Jews when he was about to set sail for Syria, he made the decision to return through Macedonia.
4 And Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him, as well as Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, and Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.
5 But these men went before us and continued to wait for us in Troas.
6 Then we ourselves sailed out from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and we came to them in Troas within five days, where we stayed seven days.
Enroute to Jerusalem Paul Speaks to the Pastors and Elders in Miletus of Asia Minor Acts 20:7-38
¶ 7 Now on the first day of the week, when we had gathered to break bread, Paul began conducting a discussion with them, although we were intending to leave the next day, and he continued to prolong his message until midnight.
8 But there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we had gathered.
9 And a young man named Eutyhus was sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep while Paul was speaking even longer. When he became completely overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 Then Paul went down and fell upon him, and after he threw his arms around him, he said, “Stop being distressed! For his life is in him!”
11 Then after he had gone upstairs again and broke the bread and eaten as much as he wanted, he conversed until dawn, and without further ado he went out.
12 Then they brought the young man along alive, and they were comforted greatly.
¶ 13 And we went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, and from there we were intending to take Paul onboard, for so he had arranged it, because he himself was intending to go there on foot.
14 And when he met us in Assos, after we had taken him onboard, we came to Mitylene,
15 and from there we sailed on the next day and arrived opposite of Chios, and on the following day we came near to Samos, and the day after we came to Miletus.
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, for the purpose of not having to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying that it might be possible for him to come to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost.
¶ 17 And from Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.
18 And when they came to him, he said to them, “You yourselves understand from the first day when I set foot into Asia how I was with you the whole time,
19 “serving the Lord with all humility and tears and trials that came to me on account of the plots of the Jews;
20 “how I did not shrink from preaching to you and teaching you, publicly and from house to house, anything of what was profitable,
21 “testifying solemnly not only to the Jews but also to the Greeks the repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now behold, as for me, being determined in my spirit, I am proceeding to Jerusalem, not knowing what things will happen to me there,
23 “except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me from city to city, saying that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
24 “but I do not consider my life of great worth to myself on any account in order to finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to solemnly testify of the gospel of the grace of God.”
¶ 25 “And now, behold, I myself know that as for you all, among whom I passed through preaching the kingdom, you will no longer see my face.
26 “Therefore, I am bearing witness to you on this very day that I am innocent of the blood of all people,
27 “for I did not shrink from preaching the whole counsel of God to you.
28 “Guard yourselves and all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased for himself by means of his own blood.
29 “I myself know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,
30 “even from among you yourselves men will rise up, speaking depraved things in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 “For this reason, remain on the alert, remembering that for three years night and day I did not cease admonishing with tears each one.
32 “And as far as the present situation is now, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance of eternal blessedness among all those who have been sanctified.
33 “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or garments.
34 “You yourselves know from experience that these hands ministered to my needs and to the needs of those men who were with me.
35 “In everything I taught you by example that by working hard it is necessary to come to the aid of those who are weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 And after he said these things, he kneeled down and prayed with them all.
37 Then there was considerable weeping among them all, and they were embracing Paul and kept kissing him again and again,
38 because they were especially distressed by the word that he spoke, that they would no longer see his face. Then they escorted him to the ship.
19
1 Now it happened while Apollos was in Corinth, after Paul had passed through the upper parts of Galatia and Phrygia, he came down into Ephesus and found some disciples.
2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Then they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit!”
3 And he said, “Into what, then, were you baptized?” And they said, “Into the baptism of John.”
4 Then Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
5 Then after they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
7 Now all the men were about twelve in number.
¶ 8 And when he went into the synagogue, again and again he spoke fearlessly for three months, reasoning and convincing them about the kingdom of God.
9 Then when some became hardened and disbelieving, speaking evil of the Way before the crowds, he took away the disciples and withdrew from them, reasoning every day in the school of Tyrannus.
10 He continued to do this for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
¶ 11 And God kept performing extraordinary miracles through Paul’s hands,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons from his body were carried to the sick and the diseases departed from them, and evil spirits went out of them.
13 And also some of the Jewish exorcists who went from place to place attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you to come out by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Now there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who were doing this.
15 But the evil spirit replied to them, “To be sure, I know Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but as for you, who are you?”
16 And the man who had the evil spirit leaped upon them, and subdued and overpowered them all, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this became known to all, both to Jews and to Greeks, who lived in Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being highly praised.
18 And many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and making known their evil deeds.
19 And many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and began burning them in the presence of everyone. And they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow mightily and prevail.
Paul Is Endangered by the Riot of the Silversmiths in Ephesus Acts 19:21-41
¶ 21 Now after these things were brought to an end, Paul resolved in his spirit to proceed to Jerusalem after passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I go there, I must also see Rome.”
22 And after he sent two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself stayed for a while in Asia.
¶ 23 Now about that time a great disturbance arose about the Way.
24 For a certain silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, continued to bring about a great deal of business for the craftsmen.
25 After he gathered together these craftsmen, and the workmen of related occupations, he said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is from this business,
26 “and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in nearly all of Asia this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away a large multitude of people, saying that those that are made by hands are not gods!
27 “And not only is our trade in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis is in danger of being looked upon as worthless, and is at the point of also suffering the loss of her majesty, whom all of Asia and the world worship.”
¶ 28 Now when they heard this and became full of rage, they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 And the city was filled with the uproar, and they rushed out with one purpose into the theater, dragging Gaius and Aristarchus, of Macedonia, a traveling companion of Paul.
30 And because Paul kept wanting to enter into the crowd, the disciples kept preventing him from doing so.
31 Then some of the officials of the province of Asia, who were Paul’s friends, sent word to him, urging him not to venture into the theater himself.
32 So, to be sure, some kept shouting one thing and some another thing, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know why they had come together.
33 And some of the crowd began to advise Alexander, after the Jews pushed him forward. Then Alexander signaled with his hand that he wanted to speak in his own defense to the crowd.
34 But because they knew for sure that he was a Jew, one voice arose from them all, shouting for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 Now when the city secretary had quieted down the crowd, he says, “Men of Ephesus! Who indeed is there among men who does not know the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell down from heaven?
36 “Therefore, since these things are undeniable facts, you must be restrained men and commit nothing rash.
37 “For you brought these men here who have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our god.
38 “So, on the one hand, if Demetrius and those craftsmen with him have a legal complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and there are the proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.
39 “On the other hand, if you want to know anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the legal assembly.
40 “For indeed we are running the risk of being accused of a riot concerning what happened today, since it was caused for nothing, for which we will not be able to give an account for this disorderly gathering.”
41 And after he said these things, he sent the assembly away.
Paul Revisits the Churches in Macedonia, Greece Acts 20:1-6
20
1 Then after the uproar stopped, when Paul had sent for the disciples and had encouraged them, he said farewell and went out to proceed into Macedonia.
2 And after he had passed through those parts and had encouraged them with a long speech, he came into Greece,
3 where he spent three months. Because a plot arose against him by the Jews when he was about to set sail for Syria, he made the decision to return through Macedonia.
4 And Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him, as well as Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, and Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.
5 But these men went before us and continued to wait for us in Troas.
6 Then we ourselves sailed out from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and we came to them in Troas within five days, where we stayed seven days.
Enroute to Jerusalem Paul Speaks to the Pastors and Elders in Miletus of Asia Minor Acts 20:7-38
¶ 7 Now on the first day of the week, when we had gathered to break bread, Paul began conducting a discussion with them, although we were intending to leave the next day, and he continued to prolong his message until midnight.
8 But there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we had gathered.
9 And a young man named Eutyhus was sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep while Paul was speaking even longer. When he became completely overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 Then Paul went down and fell upon him, and after he threw his arms around him, he said, “Stop being distressed! For his life is in him!”
11 Then after he had gone upstairs again and broke the bread and eaten as much as he wanted, he conversed until dawn, and without further ado he went out.
12 Then they brought the young man along alive, and they were comforted greatly.
¶ 13 And we went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, and from there we were intending to take Paul onboard, for so he had arranged it, because he himself was intending to go there on foot.
14 And when he met us in Assos, after we had taken him onboard, we came to Mitylene,
15 and from there we sailed on the next day and arrived opposite of Chios, and on the following day we came near to Samos, and the day after we came to Miletus.
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, for the purpose of not having to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying that it might be possible for him to come to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost.
¶ 17 And from Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church.
18 And when they came to him, he said to them, “You yourselves understand from the first day when I set foot into Asia how I was with you the whole time,
19 “serving the Lord with all humility and tears and trials that came to me on account of the plots of the Jews;
20 “how I did not shrink from preaching to you and teaching you, publicly and from house to house, anything of what was profitable,
21 “testifying solemnly not only to the Jews but also to the Greeks the repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now behold, as for me, being determined in my spirit, I am proceeding to Jerusalem, not knowing what things will happen to me there,
23 “except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me from city to city, saying that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
24 “but I do not consider my life of great worth to myself on any account in order to finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to solemnly testify of the gospel of the grace of God.”
¶ 25 “And now, behold, I myself know that as for you all, among whom I passed through preaching the kingdom, you will no longer see my face.
26 “Therefore, I am bearing witness to you on this very day that I am innocent of the blood of all people,
27 “for I did not shrink from preaching the whole counsel of God to you.
28 “Guard yourselves and all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased for himself by means of his own blood.
29 “I myself know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,
30 “even from among you yourselves men will rise up, speaking depraved things in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 “For this reason, remain on the alert, remembering that for three years night and day I did not cease admonishing with tears each one.
32 “And as far as the present situation is now, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance of eternal blessedness among all those who have been sanctified.
33 “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or garments.
34 “You yourselves know from experience that these hands ministered to my needs and to the needs of those men who were with me.
35 “In everything I taught you by example that by working hard it is necessary to come to the aid of those who are weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 And after he said these things, he kneeled down and prayed with them all.
37 Then there was considerable weeping among them all, and they were embracing Paul and kept kissing him again and again,
38 because they were especially distressed by the word that he spoke, that they would no longer see his face. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Paul Returns to Caesarea, Samaria, and Ends His Third Missionary Journey Acts 21:1-14
21
1 Now it happened after we had parted from them and set sail, we ran a straight course and came to Cos. And the next day we sailed to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2 And when we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and put out to sea.
3 Then when we had come within sight of Cyprus and left it behind on the left, we continued sailing to Syria, and came down to Tyre, for there the ship customarily unloaded its cargo.
4 And when we found the disciples after searching for them, we remained there for seven days. They kept telling Paul by means of the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 And when we completed the days there, we departed and began going our way, while they all with their wives and children were escorting us until we were outside of the city, And after we kneeled down on the beach and prayed,
6 we said farewell to one another. And we went up into the ship, and they returned to their homes.
¶ 7 Now when we completed the voyage from Tyre, we arrived in Ptolemais. And we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them.
8 Then on the next day after we departed, we came to Caesarea and entered into the house of Philip, the evangelist, who is one of the Seven. And we remained with him.
9 And this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10 And while we were staying more days than had been intended, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 And when he came to us and removed Paul’s belt and tied his own feet and hands, he said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘The man whose belt this is the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up in the same way, and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”
12 And after we heard these things, not only we ourselves but also the residents there began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul responded, “What are you doing, sobbing and breaking my heart? For as for me, I am prepared not only to be tied up but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!”
14 Then, because he was not being persuaded, we became silent, saying, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
Part 3.E: Jesus’ Witness Paul Takes His Gospel to Rome, the Gentile Capital of the World Acts 21:15-28:31
Paul Reports to the Church and Enters the Temple Acts 21:15-26
¶ 15 After these days when we had made our preparations, we went up to Jerusalem.
16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, who brought us to Mnason, a Cyprian, who was a disciple for a long time, with whom we were to lodge.
¶ 17 Now when we came into Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
18 And on the next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
19 And after he greeted them, he began to describe one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard this, they began praising God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are who have believed among the Jews, and all are zealous for the law.
21 “And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to live by their customs.
22 “So what is to be done? Undoubtedly they will hear that you have come.
23 “Therefore do what we tell you. There are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.
24 “Take these men along and be purified with them and pay their expenses for them, in order that they may have their heads shaved, and everyone will know that there is nothing to the reports they had been told about you, but that you yourself also live so as to keep the law.
25 “And concerning those Gentiles who have believed, after we reached a decision, we wrote them to guard themselves against not only meat that was offered to an idol but also blood and the meat of strangled animals and fornication.”
26 Then after Paul took the men along, on the next day he had himself purified with them, and went into the temple, giving notice of the completion of the days of purification until the sacrifice was offered in behalf of each one of them.
Paul Is Arrested in the Temple Acts 21:27-36
¶ 27 Now when the seven days were about to come to an end, when the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, they began to stir up the whole crowd and lay their hands on him,
28 shouting, “Men of Israel! Help! This is the man who is teaching all people everywhere against our people and the law and this place! What is more, he brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place!”
29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they were assuming Paul had brought into the temple.
30 And the whole city became aroused and a mob of people came running, and after they seized Paul, they began dragging him outside of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.
31 And while they were striving to kill him, a report came up to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was stirred up.
32 He immediately took soldiers and a centurion along and ran down upon them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the tribune approached and took hold of him and ordered him to be bound with two chains, and began inquiring about whom he was and what he had done.
34 Then some in the crowd cried out one thing loudly and some another thing. And when he was unable to find out the truth because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the castle barracks.
35 And when he came to the flight of stairs, it came about that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
36 for the multitude of people kept following, shouting, “Do away with him!”
Paul Defends Himself Acts 21:37-22:21
¶ 37 And when Paul was about to be taken into the castle barracks, he says to the tribune, “Is it possible for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you understand Greek?
38 “So you are not the Egyptian who in the past stirred up a revolt and led those four thousand men of the Assassins out into the desert?”
39 And Paul said, “I am indeed a Jewish man of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. And I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
40 And when he had given his permission, Paul stood upon the flight of stairs and signaled with his hand to the people. Then a great silence came over them, and he addressed them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,
22
1 “Men, brothers, and fathers! Listen now to my defense to you!”
2 Then, when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they grew even more silent. And he said,
3 “I myself am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, then brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel strictly according to the law of our forefathers, being a man zealous for God just as all of you yourselves are today,
4 “who persecuted this Way even to the point of putting them to death, binding not only men but also women and delivering them into prison,
5 “as also the high priest and all the elders can bear witness about me. And after I received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, I began traveling to also bring those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem, in order that they might be punished.
6 “Then it happened to me about noontime while I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus that suddenly a very bright light out of heaven flashed around me,
7 and I fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’
8 “Then I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘As for me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you, yes you, are persecuting!’
9 “And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but they did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
10 “Then I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up! Go into Damascus, and there it will be told to you concerning all the things that have been determined for you to do.’
11 “And since I was unable to see because of the brightness of that light, while being lead by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
¶ 12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man in accordance with the law, favorably spoken of by all the Jews who were living there,
13 “when he came to me and stood near me, he said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very moment I became able to look up to him.
14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has selected you to come to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear a solemn declaration from his mouth,
15 “ ‘because you will be a witness to him to all mankind of the things that you have seen and heard.
16 “‘And now why do you delay? Get up, get yourself baptized and get your sins washed away, calling on his name.’
¶ 17 “Now it happened to me when I returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple that I fell into a trance
18 “and I saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and come out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me!’
19 “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I indeed used to imprison and beat those who were believing in you.
20 “ ‘And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, indeed I myself was standing by and giving my approval and guarding the garments of those who were killing him.’
21 “And he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
Paul Taken into Roman Custody Acts 22:22-29
¶ 22 Now they continued listening to him up to this statement and they lifted up their voice saying, “Rid the earth of such a fellow! For he is not fit to live!”
23 And while they were shouting and throwing off their garments and throwing dust into the air,
24 the tribune ordered him to be taken into the castle barracks, directing him to be examined by scourging, in order that he may learn for what reason they kept crying out loudly against him.
25 But when they stretched him out with leather straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you soldiers to scourge a man who is a Roman and without a proper trial?”
26 And when the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and reported this, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman!”
27 Then the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And Paul replied, “Yes indeed!”
28 “As for me,” the tribune answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” Then Paul said, “But as for me, I was indeed born a citizen.”
29 Therefore at once those who were about to examine him by scourging withdrew from him. And then the tribune became frightened, because he knew for sure that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him with chains.
Paul before the Jewish Sanhedrin Acts 22:30-23:11
¶ 30 Then on the next day, because the tribune wished to come to know the truth as to why Paul was accused by the Jews, he set him free, and he ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. And when he brought Paul down, he stood him before them.
23
And when Paul had looked steadily at the Sanhedrin, he said, “Men, brothers, I have led my life in all good consciousness before God until this day."
2 And the high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside him to strike his mouth.
3 At that time Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And do you sit judging me according to the law, and yet acting contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”
4 But those standing beside him said, “Do you dare to berate God’s high priest?”
5 And Paul replied, “I did not know, brothers, that he is the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evilly about a ruler of your people.’ ”
¶ 6 Now because Paul perceived that the one party was Sadducees and the other was Pharisees, he started to shout out in the Sanhedrin, “Men! Brothers! I myself am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being condemned because of the hope and resurrection of the dead!”
7 And when he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was split.
8 For the Sadducees, to be sure, say there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 Then much shouting arose, and some of the experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and began arguing fiercely, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man! And if a spirit or an angel did speak to him –?”
10 And because the dispute became violent, the tribune became afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the detachment to come down to snatch him away from them by force, and to bring him into the castle barracks.
¶ 11 Then on the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Continue to be courageous! For as you testified these things about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The Plot to Kill Paul Acts 23:12-22
¶ 12 Now when it became day, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse, declaring they would neither eat nor drink until they should kill Paul.
13 And there were more than forty who made this plot,
14 who, when they came to the chief priests and the elders, said, “We have bound ourselves with a curse to partake of nothing until we kill Paul.
15 “So now as for you, you together with the Sanhedrin inform the tribune that he should bring him down to you, as though you intend to determine by a thorough investigation the things concerning him. But as for us, we are prepared to kill him before he comes near this place.”
16 Now after the son of Paul’s sister heard their plot, he came and went into the castle barracks and reported it to Paul.
17 Then after Paul summoned one of the centurions, he said, “Take this adolescent boy to the tribune, for he has something to report to him.”
18 So the centurion, to be sure, when he took him along, brought him to the tribune and said, “When the prisoner Paul summoned me, he asked that this adolescent boy be brought to you, because he has something to say to you.”
19 Then after the tribune took hold of his hand and withdrew to a private place, he asked, “What is it that you have to report to me?”
20 And he said, “The Jews have decided to ask you that you bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they intend to investigate something more exactly about him.
21 So do not be persuaded by them; for more than forty of their men are waiting in ambush for him. These men have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they kill him, and now they are prepared, waiting for the promise from you to bring him.
22 So the tribune, to be sure, sent the adolescent boy away after ordering him, “Do not tell anyone that you revealed these things to me.”
Paul Moved to Caesarea Acts 23:23-35
¶ 23 And after summoning two of the centurions, he said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready, by nine o’clock tonight that they may march as far as Caesarea, and seventy cavalrymen and two hundred spearmen.
24 “And you are to provide mounts, in order that when they have Paul mounted, they may bring him safely through to Felix, the governor.”
25 And he wrote a letter having this content:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To the Most Excellent Governor Felix,
Greetings.
27 I have rescued this man who had been seized by the Jews and who was about to be killed by them when I approached with the detachment, having learned he is a Roman.
28 And when I wanted to learn the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin.
29 I discovered he was being accused with regard to controversial questions about their law, but having no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
30 Now when a plot was revealed to me that would be against this man, I immediately sent him to you, also instructing the accusers to bring the charges against him before you.
¶ 31 So the soldiers, to be sure, in accordance with their orders took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris.
32 Then on the next day after permitting the cavalrymen to depart with him, they returned to the castle barracks.
33 When the cavalrymen came into Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 Then after Felix read the letter and asked from what province he was and learned that he was from Cilicia,
35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered him to be guarded in the residential palace of Herod.
21
1 Now it happened after we had parted from them and set sail, we ran a straight course and came to Cos. And the next day we sailed to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2 And when we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and put out to sea.
3 Then when we had come within sight of Cyprus and left it behind on the left, we continued sailing to Syria, and came down to Tyre, for there the ship customarily unloaded its cargo.
4 And when we found the disciples after searching for them, we remained there for seven days. They kept telling Paul by means of the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 And when we completed the days there, we departed and began going our way, while they all with their wives and children were escorting us until we were outside of the city, And after we kneeled down on the beach and prayed,
6 we said farewell to one another. And we went up into the ship, and they returned to their homes.
¶ 7 Now when we completed the voyage from Tyre, we arrived in Ptolemais. And we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them.
8 Then on the next day after we departed, we came to Caesarea and entered into the house of Philip, the evangelist, who is one of the Seven. And we remained with him.
9 And this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10 And while we were staying more days than had been intended, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 And when he came to us and removed Paul’s belt and tied his own feet and hands, he said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘The man whose belt this is the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up in the same way, and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”
12 And after we heard these things, not only we ourselves but also the residents there began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul responded, “What are you doing, sobbing and breaking my heart? For as for me, I am prepared not only to be tied up but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!”
14 Then, because he was not being persuaded, we became silent, saying, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
Part 3.E: Jesus’ Witness Paul Takes His Gospel to Rome, the Gentile Capital of the World Acts 21:15-28:31
Paul Reports to the Church and Enters the Temple Acts 21:15-26
¶ 15 After these days when we had made our preparations, we went up to Jerusalem.
16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, who brought us to Mnason, a Cyprian, who was a disciple for a long time, with whom we were to lodge.
¶ 17 Now when we came into Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
18 And on the next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
19 And after he greeted them, he began to describe one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard this, they began praising God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are who have believed among the Jews, and all are zealous for the law.
21 “And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to live by their customs.
22 “So what is to be done? Undoubtedly they will hear that you have come.
23 “Therefore do what we tell you. There are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.
24 “Take these men along and be purified with them and pay their expenses for them, in order that they may have their heads shaved, and everyone will know that there is nothing to the reports they had been told about you, but that you yourself also live so as to keep the law.
25 “And concerning those Gentiles who have believed, after we reached a decision, we wrote them to guard themselves against not only meat that was offered to an idol but also blood and the meat of strangled animals and fornication.”
26 Then after Paul took the men along, on the next day he had himself purified with them, and went into the temple, giving notice of the completion of the days of purification until the sacrifice was offered in behalf of each one of them.
Paul Is Arrested in the Temple Acts 21:27-36
¶ 27 Now when the seven days were about to come to an end, when the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, they began to stir up the whole crowd and lay their hands on him,
28 shouting, “Men of Israel! Help! This is the man who is teaching all people everywhere against our people and the law and this place! What is more, he brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place!”
29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they were assuming Paul had brought into the temple.
30 And the whole city became aroused and a mob of people came running, and after they seized Paul, they began dragging him outside of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.
31 And while they were striving to kill him, a report came up to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was stirred up.
32 He immediately took soldiers and a centurion along and ran down upon them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the tribune approached and took hold of him and ordered him to be bound with two chains, and began inquiring about whom he was and what he had done.
34 Then some in the crowd cried out one thing loudly and some another thing. And when he was unable to find out the truth because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the castle barracks.
35 And when he came to the flight of stairs, it came about that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
36 for the multitude of people kept following, shouting, “Do away with him!”
Paul Defends Himself Acts 21:37-22:21
¶ 37 And when Paul was about to be taken into the castle barracks, he says to the tribune, “Is it possible for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you understand Greek?
38 “So you are not the Egyptian who in the past stirred up a revolt and led those four thousand men of the Assassins out into the desert?”
39 And Paul said, “I am indeed a Jewish man of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. And I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
40 And when he had given his permission, Paul stood upon the flight of stairs and signaled with his hand to the people. Then a great silence came over them, and he addressed them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,
22
1 “Men, brothers, and fathers! Listen now to my defense to you!”
2 Then, when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they grew even more silent. And he said,
3 “I myself am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, then brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel strictly according to the law of our forefathers, being a man zealous for God just as all of you yourselves are today,
4 “who persecuted this Way even to the point of putting them to death, binding not only men but also women and delivering them into prison,
5 “as also the high priest and all the elders can bear witness about me. And after I received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, I began traveling to also bring those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem, in order that they might be punished.
6 “Then it happened to me about noontime while I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus that suddenly a very bright light out of heaven flashed around me,
7 and I fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’
8 “Then I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘As for me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you, yes you, are persecuting!’
9 “And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but they did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
10 “Then I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up! Go into Damascus, and there it will be told to you concerning all the things that have been determined for you to do.’
11 “And since I was unable to see because of the brightness of that light, while being lead by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
¶ 12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man in accordance with the law, favorably spoken of by all the Jews who were living there,
13 “when he came to me and stood near me, he said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very moment I became able to look up to him.
14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has selected you to come to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear a solemn declaration from his mouth,
15 “ ‘because you will be a witness to him to all mankind of the things that you have seen and heard.
16 “‘And now why do you delay? Get up, get yourself baptized and get your sins washed away, calling on his name.’
¶ 17 “Now it happened to me when I returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple that I fell into a trance
18 “and I saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and come out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me!’
19 “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I indeed used to imprison and beat those who were believing in you.
20 “ ‘And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, indeed I myself was standing by and giving my approval and guarding the garments of those who were killing him.’
21 “And he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
Paul Taken into Roman Custody Acts 22:22-29
¶ 22 Now they continued listening to him up to this statement and they lifted up their voice saying, “Rid the earth of such a fellow! For he is not fit to live!”
23 And while they were shouting and throwing off their garments and throwing dust into the air,
24 the tribune ordered him to be taken into the castle barracks, directing him to be examined by scourging, in order that he may learn for what reason they kept crying out loudly against him.
25 But when they stretched him out with leather straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you soldiers to scourge a man who is a Roman and without a proper trial?”
26 And when the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and reported this, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman!”
27 Then the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And Paul replied, “Yes indeed!”
28 “As for me,” the tribune answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” Then Paul said, “But as for me, I was indeed born a citizen.”
29 Therefore at once those who were about to examine him by scourging withdrew from him. And then the tribune became frightened, because he knew for sure that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him with chains.
Paul before the Jewish Sanhedrin Acts 22:30-23:11
¶ 30 Then on the next day, because the tribune wished to come to know the truth as to why Paul was accused by the Jews, he set him free, and he ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. And when he brought Paul down, he stood him before them.
23
And when Paul had looked steadily at the Sanhedrin, he said, “Men, brothers, I have led my life in all good consciousness before God until this day."
2 And the high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside him to strike his mouth.
3 At that time Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And do you sit judging me according to the law, and yet acting contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”
4 But those standing beside him said, “Do you dare to berate God’s high priest?”
5 And Paul replied, “I did not know, brothers, that he is the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evilly about a ruler of your people.’ ”
¶ 6 Now because Paul perceived that the one party was Sadducees and the other was Pharisees, he started to shout out in the Sanhedrin, “Men! Brothers! I myself am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being condemned because of the hope and resurrection of the dead!”
7 And when he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was split.
8 For the Sadducees, to be sure, say there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 Then much shouting arose, and some of the experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and began arguing fiercely, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man! And if a spirit or an angel did speak to him –?”
10 And because the dispute became violent, the tribune became afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the detachment to come down to snatch him away from them by force, and to bring him into the castle barracks.
¶ 11 Then on the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Continue to be courageous! For as you testified these things about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The Plot to Kill Paul Acts 23:12-22
¶ 12 Now when it became day, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse, declaring they would neither eat nor drink until they should kill Paul.
13 And there were more than forty who made this plot,
14 who, when they came to the chief priests and the elders, said, “We have bound ourselves with a curse to partake of nothing until we kill Paul.
15 “So now as for you, you together with the Sanhedrin inform the tribune that he should bring him down to you, as though you intend to determine by a thorough investigation the things concerning him. But as for us, we are prepared to kill him before he comes near this place.”
16 Now after the son of Paul’s sister heard their plot, he came and went into the castle barracks and reported it to Paul.
17 Then after Paul summoned one of the centurions, he said, “Take this adolescent boy to the tribune, for he has something to report to him.”
18 So the centurion, to be sure, when he took him along, brought him to the tribune and said, “When the prisoner Paul summoned me, he asked that this adolescent boy be brought to you, because he has something to say to you.”
19 Then after the tribune took hold of his hand and withdrew to a private place, he asked, “What is it that you have to report to me?”
20 And he said, “The Jews have decided to ask you that you bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they intend to investigate something more exactly about him.
21 So do not be persuaded by them; for more than forty of their men are waiting in ambush for him. These men have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they kill him, and now they are prepared, waiting for the promise from you to bring him.
22 So the tribune, to be sure, sent the adolescent boy away after ordering him, “Do not tell anyone that you revealed these things to me.”
Paul Moved to Caesarea Acts 23:23-35
¶ 23 And after summoning two of the centurions, he said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready, by nine o’clock tonight that they may march as far as Caesarea, and seventy cavalrymen and two hundred spearmen.
24 “And you are to provide mounts, in order that when they have Paul mounted, they may bring him safely through to Felix, the governor.”
25 And he wrote a letter having this content:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To the Most Excellent Governor Felix,
Greetings.
27 I have rescued this man who had been seized by the Jews and who was about to be killed by them when I approached with the detachment, having learned he is a Roman.
28 And when I wanted to learn the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin.
29 I discovered he was being accused with regard to controversial questions about their law, but having no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
30 Now when a plot was revealed to me that would be against this man, I immediately sent him to you, also instructing the accusers to bring the charges against him before you.
¶ 31 So the soldiers, to be sure, in accordance with their orders took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris.
32 Then on the next day after permitting the cavalrymen to depart with him, they returned to the castle barracks.
33 When the cavalrymen came into Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 Then after Felix read the letter and asked from what province he was and learned that he was from Cilicia,
35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered him to be guarded in the residential palace of Herod.
Paul Tried before Governor Felix Acts 24:1-27
24
1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and a certain attorney named Tertullus, all of whom brought formal charges against Paul to the governor.
2 And after Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, “Because much peace has been gained through you, and through your foresight reforms are taking place for this nation,
3 “and with all gratitude we acknowledge them in every way and everywhere, Most Excellent Felix.
4 “Now in order that I do not detain you any longer, I implore you to be so kind as to hear us briefly.
5 “For we have found this man a pest and a fellow who excites uprisings among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the heretical sect of the Nazarenes,
6 “who also attempted to desecrate the temple, whom we also arrested,
8 “from whom, by examining him yourself, you will be able to know exactly all these matters for which we are accusing him.”
9 Then the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so.
¶ 10 And after the governor nodded to him to speak, Paul spoke up: “Knowing that for many years you are the judge for this nation, I cheerfully speak in defense of the things concerning myself.
11 “You are able to ascertain that not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem for the purpose of praying,
12 “and neither in the temple nor in the synagogues nor from city to city did they find me arguing with anyone or stirring up a crowd into a riot,
13 “nor are they able to prove to you the charges of which they are now accusing me.
14 “But I do confess this to you, that I serve the God of my forefathers according to the Way, which they call a heretical sect, believing everything that is according to the Law and has been written in the Prophets,
15 “having a hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there shall be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
16 “As a result I myself also take pains to always keep a clear conscience before God and men.
17 “Now after several years I came for the purpose of making charitable donations to my people and presenting offerings,
18 “in connection with which they found me in the temple having been ceremonially purified, without a crowd or an uproar.
19 But some Jews from Asia, who should be here before you and make an accusation if they might have something against me –
20 “or let these Jewish elders themselves say what wrong they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin
21 “other than for this one exclamation which I had shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I myself am being condemned before you today.’ ”
¶ 22 Now Felix, having a more accurate knowledge of the things concerning the Way, postponed their trail, saying, “When the tribune Lysias comes down, I will decide your case,”
23 and he directed the centurion to keep him under guard, and to let him have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.
¶ 24 Some days later when Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
25 But while Paul was discussing righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and spoke up, “For the present, go away! And when I find time, I will call for you.”
26 At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul; for this reason he also sent for him rather frequently and talked with him.
¶ 27 Now after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wished to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul imprisoned.
Paul Tried before Festus Acts 25:1-22
25
1 Therefore, when Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,
2 And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought to him formal charges against Paul, and they began urging Festus,
3 requesting a favor against Paul, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the road.
4 Then Festus, to be sure, replied Paul was being kept under guard in Caesarea, and he was about to go there shortly himself.
5 “Therefore let the empowered officers among you,” he said, “come down along with me, and if there is something improper in the man, let them bring charges against him there.”
¶ 6 Now after he spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day when he sat down on the judgment seat, he ordered Paul to be brought in.
7 Then when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and weighty charges, which they continued to be unable to prove,
8 while Paul continued speaking in his own defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I done anything wrong!”
9 But Festus, wishing to grant a favor to the Jews, replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me there concerning these charges?”
10 And Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself also very well know for certain!
11 “Therefore, on the one hand, if I am in the wrong and have committed something worthy of death, I am not refusing to die; but on the other hand, if there is nothing to the charges of which these Jews are accusing me, no one is able to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Then Festus, after talking with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed, to Caesar you will go!”
¶ 13 Now after some days had passed King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.
14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid the matters with respect to Paul before the king, saying, “There is a certain man who has been left behind by Felix as a prisoner.
15 “When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, demanding a death sentence against him,
16 to whom I answered that it is not a habit of Romans to hand any man over before the man being accused may meet his accusers face to face and receive a chance for a defense concerning the charge against him.
17 “So when they assembled here, I did not delay. On the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought in.
18 “When the accusers had taken a stand around him, they began bringing not even one charge of such crimes as I was suspecting,
19 “but rather certain controversial questions about their own religion that they have against him and about a certain Jesus who had died, whom Paul kept asserting was living.
20 “And because I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to stand trial there for these matters.
21 “But when Paul appealed to be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I would send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I myself was also just wishing to hear the man.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
Paul Tried before Agrippa Acts 25:23-26:32
¶ 23 So on the next day after Agrippa and Bernice came with much pageantry and entered the auditorium with not only tribunes but also the most prominent men of the city, Festus gave the order, and Paul was brought in.
24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all the men who are present with us. Behold this man about whom the whole community of the Jews has appealed to me, not only those in Jerusalem but also here, shouting he ought not to live any longer.
25 “But as for me, I have found nothing he has committed worthy of death, and because this man himself has appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I have decided to send him.
26 “I do not have anything definite to write about him to His Majesty; for this reason I have brought him before you, and above all before you, King Agrippa, in order that after this preliminary investigation has taken place, I may have something I can write.
27 “For it seems absurd to me to send a prisoner and not to report the charges against him.”
26
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, by extending his hand, began to speak in his own defense:
2 “Concerning all the matters of which I am being accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to speak in my own defense before you today,
3 “especially since you are an expert in all of the customs and controversial questions among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “Now all Jews, to be sure, have known my manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my nation and at Jerusalem,
5 “since they have known me for a long time, if they wish to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.
6 “And now I stand being condemned because of the hope for the promise which was made by God to our fathers,
7 “which promise our twelve tribes hope to attain, while serving earnestly night and day; for which hope I am being accused by the Jews, O King.
8 “Why is it considered unbelievable with you people if God raises the dead?
9 “So, to be sure, as for me, I thought within myself that it was necessary to commit many hostile acts against the name of Jesus the Nazarene;
10 “which I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I myself even locked up in prisons, because I had received this authority from the chief priests, and when they were being put to death, I cast a vote against them.
11 “And when I was punishing them throughout all the synagogues, I kept forcing them to blaspheme; and because I was extremely enraged at them, I kept persecuting them even as far as foreign cities.”
¶ 12 “When doing these things I was proceeding to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests.
13 “At midday, while going down along the road, I saw, O King, a light that shown around me from heaven much brighter than the brightness of the sun, and so did those who were traveling with me.
14 “And after we all fell down to the ground, I heard a voice say to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is dangerous for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “Then I myself said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘As for me, I am Jesus, whom you, yes you, are persecuting!
16 “ ’But get up and stand on your feet. For this reason I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will show to you,
17 “ ’rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you
18 “ ’to open their eyes, to turn them back from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.’ ”
¶ 19 “For which reason, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 “but I continued to proclaim first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21 “On account of these things when the Jews seized me while I was in the temple, they began attempting to kill me.
22 “However, having gotten help from God, until this day I stand testifying to both small and to great, saying nothing except the things which both the prophets and Moses said were destined to happen,
23 “that the Christ would suffer, that as the first of the resurrection from the dead he would proclaim light not only to the Jewish people but also to the Gentiles.”
¶ 24 Then while Paul was saying these things in his own defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!”
25 “I am not out of my mind, Most Excellent Festus!” Paul said. “On the contrary, I am declaring utterances of truth and mental soundness!
26 “For the king knows about these things, to whom I also am speaking freely; for I am convinced none of these things escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 “Do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? I know that you do believe.”
28 Then Agrippa replied to Paul, “In short order you are persuading me to become a Christian!”
29 But Paul said, “I pray to God that both in short order and in great measure not only you but even all those who hear me today would become such as even I myself am, except for these chains!”
¶ 30 And the king stood up and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them,
31 and after they withdrew, they began saying to one another, “This man is committing nothing worthy of death or of chains.”
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
24
1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and a certain attorney named Tertullus, all of whom brought formal charges against Paul to the governor.
2 And after Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, “Because much peace has been gained through you, and through your foresight reforms are taking place for this nation,
3 “and with all gratitude we acknowledge them in every way and everywhere, Most Excellent Felix.
4 “Now in order that I do not detain you any longer, I implore you to be so kind as to hear us briefly.
5 “For we have found this man a pest and a fellow who excites uprisings among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the heretical sect of the Nazarenes,
6 “who also attempted to desecrate the temple, whom we also arrested,
8 “from whom, by examining him yourself, you will be able to know exactly all these matters for which we are accusing him.”
9 Then the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so.
¶ 10 And after the governor nodded to him to speak, Paul spoke up: “Knowing that for many years you are the judge for this nation, I cheerfully speak in defense of the things concerning myself.
11 “You are able to ascertain that not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem for the purpose of praying,
12 “and neither in the temple nor in the synagogues nor from city to city did they find me arguing with anyone or stirring up a crowd into a riot,
13 “nor are they able to prove to you the charges of which they are now accusing me.
14 “But I do confess this to you, that I serve the God of my forefathers according to the Way, which they call a heretical sect, believing everything that is according to the Law and has been written in the Prophets,
15 “having a hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there shall be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
16 “As a result I myself also take pains to always keep a clear conscience before God and men.
17 “Now after several years I came for the purpose of making charitable donations to my people and presenting offerings,
18 “in connection with which they found me in the temple having been ceremonially purified, without a crowd or an uproar.
19 But some Jews from Asia, who should be here before you and make an accusation if they might have something against me –
20 “or let these Jewish elders themselves say what wrong they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin
21 “other than for this one exclamation which I had shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I myself am being condemned before you today.’ ”
¶ 22 Now Felix, having a more accurate knowledge of the things concerning the Way, postponed their trail, saying, “When the tribune Lysias comes down, I will decide your case,”
23 and he directed the centurion to keep him under guard, and to let him have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.
¶ 24 Some days later when Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
25 But while Paul was discussing righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and spoke up, “For the present, go away! And when I find time, I will call for you.”
26 At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul; for this reason he also sent for him rather frequently and talked with him.
¶ 27 Now after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wished to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul imprisoned.
Paul Tried before Festus Acts 25:1-22
25
1 Therefore, when Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,
2 And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought to him formal charges against Paul, and they began urging Festus,
3 requesting a favor against Paul, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the road.
4 Then Festus, to be sure, replied Paul was being kept under guard in Caesarea, and he was about to go there shortly himself.
5 “Therefore let the empowered officers among you,” he said, “come down along with me, and if there is something improper in the man, let them bring charges against him there.”
¶ 6 Now after he spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day when he sat down on the judgment seat, he ordered Paul to be brought in.
7 Then when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and weighty charges, which they continued to be unable to prove,
8 while Paul continued speaking in his own defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I done anything wrong!”
9 But Festus, wishing to grant a favor to the Jews, replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me there concerning these charges?”
10 And Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself also very well know for certain!
11 “Therefore, on the one hand, if I am in the wrong and have committed something worthy of death, I am not refusing to die; but on the other hand, if there is nothing to the charges of which these Jews are accusing me, no one is able to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Then Festus, after talking with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed, to Caesar you will go!”
¶ 13 Now after some days had passed King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.
14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid the matters with respect to Paul before the king, saying, “There is a certain man who has been left behind by Felix as a prisoner.
15 “When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, demanding a death sentence against him,
16 to whom I answered that it is not a habit of Romans to hand any man over before the man being accused may meet his accusers face to face and receive a chance for a defense concerning the charge against him.
17 “So when they assembled here, I did not delay. On the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought in.
18 “When the accusers had taken a stand around him, they began bringing not even one charge of such crimes as I was suspecting,
19 “but rather certain controversial questions about their own religion that they have against him and about a certain Jesus who had died, whom Paul kept asserting was living.
20 “And because I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to stand trial there for these matters.
21 “But when Paul appealed to be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I would send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I myself was also just wishing to hear the man.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
Paul Tried before Agrippa Acts 25:23-26:32
¶ 23 So on the next day after Agrippa and Bernice came with much pageantry and entered the auditorium with not only tribunes but also the most prominent men of the city, Festus gave the order, and Paul was brought in.
24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all the men who are present with us. Behold this man about whom the whole community of the Jews has appealed to me, not only those in Jerusalem but also here, shouting he ought not to live any longer.
25 “But as for me, I have found nothing he has committed worthy of death, and because this man himself has appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I have decided to send him.
26 “I do not have anything definite to write about him to His Majesty; for this reason I have brought him before you, and above all before you, King Agrippa, in order that after this preliminary investigation has taken place, I may have something I can write.
27 “For it seems absurd to me to send a prisoner and not to report the charges against him.”
26
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, by extending his hand, began to speak in his own defense:
2 “Concerning all the matters of which I am being accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to speak in my own defense before you today,
3 “especially since you are an expert in all of the customs and controversial questions among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “Now all Jews, to be sure, have known my manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my nation and at Jerusalem,
5 “since they have known me for a long time, if they wish to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.
6 “And now I stand being condemned because of the hope for the promise which was made by God to our fathers,
7 “which promise our twelve tribes hope to attain, while serving earnestly night and day; for which hope I am being accused by the Jews, O King.
8 “Why is it considered unbelievable with you people if God raises the dead?
9 “So, to be sure, as for me, I thought within myself that it was necessary to commit many hostile acts against the name of Jesus the Nazarene;
10 “which I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I myself even locked up in prisons, because I had received this authority from the chief priests, and when they were being put to death, I cast a vote against them.
11 “And when I was punishing them throughout all the synagogues, I kept forcing them to blaspheme; and because I was extremely enraged at them, I kept persecuting them even as far as foreign cities.”
¶ 12 “When doing these things I was proceeding to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests.
13 “At midday, while going down along the road, I saw, O King, a light that shown around me from heaven much brighter than the brightness of the sun, and so did those who were traveling with me.
14 “And after we all fell down to the ground, I heard a voice say to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is dangerous for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “Then I myself said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘As for me, I am Jesus, whom you, yes you, are persecuting!
16 “ ’But get up and stand on your feet. For this reason I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will show to you,
17 “ ’rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you
18 “ ’to open their eyes, to turn them back from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.’ ”
¶ 19 “For which reason, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 “but I continued to proclaim first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21 “On account of these things when the Jews seized me while I was in the temple, they began attempting to kill me.
22 “However, having gotten help from God, until this day I stand testifying to both small and to great, saying nothing except the things which both the prophets and Moses said were destined to happen,
23 “that the Christ would suffer, that as the first of the resurrection from the dead he would proclaim light not only to the Jewish people but also to the Gentiles.”
¶ 24 Then while Paul was saying these things in his own defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!”
25 “I am not out of my mind, Most Excellent Festus!” Paul said. “On the contrary, I am declaring utterances of truth and mental soundness!
26 “For the king knows about these things, to whom I also am speaking freely; for I am convinced none of these things escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 “Do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? I know that you do believe.”
28 Then Agrippa replied to Paul, “In short order you are persuading me to become a Christian!”
29 But Paul said, “I pray to God that both in short order and in great measure not only you but even all those who hear me today would become such as even I myself am, except for these chains!”
¶ 30 And the king stood up and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them,
31 and after they withdrew, they began saying to one another, “This man is committing nothing worthy of death or of chains.”
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Paul is Sent to Rome and is Shipwrecked on Malta Acts 27:1-28:15
27
1 Now when it was decided for us to set sail for Italy, they proceeded to hand over not only Paul but also some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius of the Imperial Cohort.
2 Then when we boarded a Adramyttium ship that was about to sail to the regions down along Asia, we put out to sea, and Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
3 And on the next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul in a kind manner and permitted him to go to his friends to get care.
4 And from there we put out to sea and sailed under the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us,
5 and after we sailed through the open sea down along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we put in to Myra of Lycia.
6 And there the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy and put us on board it.
7 Now sailing slowly for many days and having come with difficulty down along Cnidus, because the wind was not permitting us to go further, we sailed under the lee of Crete down along Salmone,
8 and sailing past it with difficulty we came to a certain place called Fair Haven, near which was the city of Lasaea.
¶ 9 Now when considerable time had elapsed and the voyage was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already past, Paul began to advise
10 them by saying, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with disaster and much loss not only for the cargo and the ship but even for our lives.”
11 But the centurion continued to be persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship more than by the things being stated by Paul.
12 And because the harbor was unfavorably situated for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there; if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete looking toward the southwest and northwest, they could spend the winter there.
¶ 13 Now when a gentle south wind started blowing, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began coasting along near the shore of Crete.
14 Not long after, however, a hurricane-force wind rushed down from it, which was called “The Northeaster.”
15 Then when the ship was seized by force and carried away and was not able to face the wind, we gave way to it and kept being driven along.
16 And when we ran under the lee of a certain small island called Clauda, we were hardly able to secure the ship’s skiff,
17 which after they hoisted it, they began to use strong ropes to brace the bottom of the ship to hold it together. And because they were afraid that they might run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they let down the mainsail; in this manner they continued to be driven along.
18 Because we were being violently tossed about in the storm, the next day they began throwing the ship’s cargo overboard,
19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s furniture overboard.
20 And when neither the sun nor the stars made an appearance for many days, and no little storm kept pressing upon us, all hope of our being saved was finally being abandoned.
¶ 21 And after they had gone without food for a long time, at that time Paul stood in their midst and said, “Men, to be sure, you should have followed my advice and not to have put to sea from Crete, and to have brought on this damage and loss.
22 “And as far as the present situation I advise you to keep up your courage, for there will not be even one loss of life from among you, except the ship will be lost.
23 “For this very night an angel, of the God whose I am and whom I serve, stood before me
24 saying, ‘Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has graciously given to you all those who are sailing with you.’
25 “For this reason continue to keep up your courage, men! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been told to me.
26 “But we must run aground on some island.”
¶ 27 Now when it was the fourteenth night, while we were being driven through in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect they were approaching some land.
28 And when they took soundings, they found the water was one hundred and twenty feet deep; and when they had sailed a short distance further and again took soundings, they found it was ninety feet deep;
29 and because they were afraid that we might be driven somewhere down along the rocks, they threw four anchors from the stern of the ship and were just wishing for day to come.
30 But while the sailors were attempting to flee from the ship and had let down the skiff into the sea on a pretext that they were intending to run out anchors from the prow of the ship,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved!”
32 At that time the soldiers cut loose the ropes of the skiff and let it fall away.
¶ 33 Now until the time when day was about to dawn Paul urged them all to eat some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you are continuously waiting without food, having eaten nothing.
34 “Therefore I urge you to eat some food, for this is in the interest of your own preservation; for not one of you will lose a hair from your head!”
35 Then having said these things and taken bread, he gave thanks to God before them all, and he broke it and began to eat.
36 Then all became encouraged and they themselves ate some food.
37 And we – that is all the persons on the ship – were two hundred and seventy six.
38 Then when they had eaten enough food, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.
¶ 39 Now when it became day, they were failing to recognize the land, but they began noticing a kind of bay having a beach onto which they began planning to propel the ship, if they could.
40 And when they cast off the anchors, they were letting them go into the sea; at the same time having unfastened the crossbar of the double paddle-rudders and having raised the foresail to the blowing wind, they began steering toward the beach.
41 But when they encountered a place between two seas, they ran the ship aground, and because the prow, to be sure, was jammed fast, it continued to be immovable, but the stern, on the other hand, began to be broken up by the force of the waves.
42 Then the resolution of the soldiers was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them escape by swimming away.
43 But because the centurion wanted to save Paul, he kept them from their intention, and ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get out upon the dry land,
44 and the rest should get there, some on planks and others on pieces from the ship. And so it happened that all were brought safely to dry land.
28
1 And after everyone had been brought through safely, then we learned the island was called Malta.
2 And the islanders, speaking their own foreign language, showed us extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and received us all as their friends because of the present rain and the cold.
3 Now when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and placed it upon the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand.
4 And when the islanders saw the little beast hanging from his hand, they began to say to one another, “Certainly this man is a murderer! Though he was brought safely out of the sea, the goddess Justice has not permitted him to live!”
5 Then, to be sure, after he shook off the little beast into the fire, he suffered no harm;
6 but they continued to expect him to swell up or to suddenly fall down dead. But while they were waiting for a period of time and observing nothing unusual was happening to him, they began to change their mind and say he was a god.
7 Now in the neighborhood around that place were lands belonging to the Governor of the island by the name of Publius, who welcomed us and received us in a friendly manner as his guests for three days.
8 And it happened the father of Publius was lying down, suffering from recurring fevers and dysentery, to whom after Paul went in and prayed, cured him by laying his hands on him.
9 Now after this had happened, indeed the rest of the people on the island who had illnesses began to come and were being healed.
10 They also heaped many honors on us, and when we were going to put to sea, they provided the things for our needs.
¶ 11 Now after three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. It had spent the winter at the island.
12 And after we put in to the harbor of Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.
13 From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium. And the next day a south wind came up and on the second day we came to Puteoli,
14 where we found some brothers and were invited to remain with them for seven days; and in this way we came to Rome.
15 And from there the brothers who had heard the news concerning us came as far as Appii Forum and Three Taverns, to meet with us, whom when Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and took courage.
Paul Arrives at Rome Acts 28:16-31
¶ 16 Now when we entered into Rome, permission was given to Paul to live by himself with the soldier who was guarding him.
¶ 17 Now it happened after three days he summoned those who were the most important men of the Jews. Then when they had assembled he proceeded to say to them, “As for me, men, brothers, although I have done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18 “who, after they judicially examined me, wanted to release me because there was not even one charge for the death sentence in me.
19 “But because the Jews kept objecting, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything for which to accuse my nation.
20 “For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for on account of the hope of Israel I have on this chain.”
21 But they said to him, “We have neither received from the Jews a letter concerning you, nor have any of the brothers come and reported or said anything bad about you.
22 “But we desire to hear from you what you think, for, to be sure, with regard to this heretical sect it is known to us, that it is spoken against everywhere.”
¶ 23 Now when they had appointed a day for him, even more came to him at his living quarters, to whom he set forth and bore testimony to the kingdom of God, and persuading them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and the prophets from early morning until evening.
24 And some were coming to believe by the things being spoken, but others kept refusing to believe;
25 and while they were disagreeing with one another, they began to leave after Paul spoke one final statement, “Rightly did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers
26 “saying,
‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing, but never understanding,
You will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.”
27 “ ‘For the heart of this people has become dull,
And with their ears they hardly hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Lest, perhaps, they might see with their eyes
And hear with their ears
And understand with their hearts and return,
And I heal them.’
28 “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent out to the Gentiles; as for them, they will indeed listen.”
30 Now he lived for two whole years in his own rented house, and he continued to welcome all who came to him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered.
27
1 Now when it was decided for us to set sail for Italy, they proceeded to hand over not only Paul but also some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius of the Imperial Cohort.
2 Then when we boarded a Adramyttium ship that was about to sail to the regions down along Asia, we put out to sea, and Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
3 And on the next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul in a kind manner and permitted him to go to his friends to get care.
4 And from there we put out to sea and sailed under the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us,
5 and after we sailed through the open sea down along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we put in to Myra of Lycia.
6 And there the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy and put us on board it.
7 Now sailing slowly for many days and having come with difficulty down along Cnidus, because the wind was not permitting us to go further, we sailed under the lee of Crete down along Salmone,
8 and sailing past it with difficulty we came to a certain place called Fair Haven, near which was the city of Lasaea.
¶ 9 Now when considerable time had elapsed and the voyage was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already past, Paul began to advise
10 them by saying, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with disaster and much loss not only for the cargo and the ship but even for our lives.”
11 But the centurion continued to be persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship more than by the things being stated by Paul.
12 And because the harbor was unfavorably situated for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there; if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete looking toward the southwest and northwest, they could spend the winter there.
¶ 13 Now when a gentle south wind started blowing, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began coasting along near the shore of Crete.
14 Not long after, however, a hurricane-force wind rushed down from it, which was called “The Northeaster.”
15 Then when the ship was seized by force and carried away and was not able to face the wind, we gave way to it and kept being driven along.
16 And when we ran under the lee of a certain small island called Clauda, we were hardly able to secure the ship’s skiff,
17 which after they hoisted it, they began to use strong ropes to brace the bottom of the ship to hold it together. And because they were afraid that they might run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they let down the mainsail; in this manner they continued to be driven along.
18 Because we were being violently tossed about in the storm, the next day they began throwing the ship’s cargo overboard,
19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s furniture overboard.
20 And when neither the sun nor the stars made an appearance for many days, and no little storm kept pressing upon us, all hope of our being saved was finally being abandoned.
¶ 21 And after they had gone without food for a long time, at that time Paul stood in their midst and said, “Men, to be sure, you should have followed my advice and not to have put to sea from Crete, and to have brought on this damage and loss.
22 “And as far as the present situation I advise you to keep up your courage, for there will not be even one loss of life from among you, except the ship will be lost.
23 “For this very night an angel, of the God whose I am and whom I serve, stood before me
24 saying, ‘Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has graciously given to you all those who are sailing with you.’
25 “For this reason continue to keep up your courage, men! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been told to me.
26 “But we must run aground on some island.”
¶ 27 Now when it was the fourteenth night, while we were being driven through in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect they were approaching some land.
28 And when they took soundings, they found the water was one hundred and twenty feet deep; and when they had sailed a short distance further and again took soundings, they found it was ninety feet deep;
29 and because they were afraid that we might be driven somewhere down along the rocks, they threw four anchors from the stern of the ship and were just wishing for day to come.
30 But while the sailors were attempting to flee from the ship and had let down the skiff into the sea on a pretext that they were intending to run out anchors from the prow of the ship,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved!”
32 At that time the soldiers cut loose the ropes of the skiff and let it fall away.
¶ 33 Now until the time when day was about to dawn Paul urged them all to eat some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you are continuously waiting without food, having eaten nothing.
34 “Therefore I urge you to eat some food, for this is in the interest of your own preservation; for not one of you will lose a hair from your head!”
35 Then having said these things and taken bread, he gave thanks to God before them all, and he broke it and began to eat.
36 Then all became encouraged and they themselves ate some food.
37 And we – that is all the persons on the ship – were two hundred and seventy six.
38 Then when they had eaten enough food, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.
¶ 39 Now when it became day, they were failing to recognize the land, but they began noticing a kind of bay having a beach onto which they began planning to propel the ship, if they could.
40 And when they cast off the anchors, they were letting them go into the sea; at the same time having unfastened the crossbar of the double paddle-rudders and having raised the foresail to the blowing wind, they began steering toward the beach.
41 But when they encountered a place between two seas, they ran the ship aground, and because the prow, to be sure, was jammed fast, it continued to be immovable, but the stern, on the other hand, began to be broken up by the force of the waves.
42 Then the resolution of the soldiers was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them escape by swimming away.
43 But because the centurion wanted to save Paul, he kept them from their intention, and ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get out upon the dry land,
44 and the rest should get there, some on planks and others on pieces from the ship. And so it happened that all were brought safely to dry land.
28
1 And after everyone had been brought through safely, then we learned the island was called Malta.
2 And the islanders, speaking their own foreign language, showed us extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and received us all as their friends because of the present rain and the cold.
3 Now when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and placed it upon the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand.
4 And when the islanders saw the little beast hanging from his hand, they began to say to one another, “Certainly this man is a murderer! Though he was brought safely out of the sea, the goddess Justice has not permitted him to live!”
5 Then, to be sure, after he shook off the little beast into the fire, he suffered no harm;
6 but they continued to expect him to swell up or to suddenly fall down dead. But while they were waiting for a period of time and observing nothing unusual was happening to him, they began to change their mind and say he was a god.
7 Now in the neighborhood around that place were lands belonging to the Governor of the island by the name of Publius, who welcomed us and received us in a friendly manner as his guests for three days.
8 And it happened the father of Publius was lying down, suffering from recurring fevers and dysentery, to whom after Paul went in and prayed, cured him by laying his hands on him.
9 Now after this had happened, indeed the rest of the people on the island who had illnesses began to come and were being healed.
10 They also heaped many honors on us, and when we were going to put to sea, they provided the things for our needs.
¶ 11 Now after three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. It had spent the winter at the island.
12 And after we put in to the harbor of Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.
13 From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium. And the next day a south wind came up and on the second day we came to Puteoli,
14 where we found some brothers and were invited to remain with them for seven days; and in this way we came to Rome.
15 And from there the brothers who had heard the news concerning us came as far as Appii Forum and Three Taverns, to meet with us, whom when Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and took courage.
Paul Arrives at Rome Acts 28:16-31
¶ 16 Now when we entered into Rome, permission was given to Paul to live by himself with the soldier who was guarding him.
¶ 17 Now it happened after three days he summoned those who were the most important men of the Jews. Then when they had assembled he proceeded to say to them, “As for me, men, brothers, although I have done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18 “who, after they judicially examined me, wanted to release me because there was not even one charge for the death sentence in me.
19 “But because the Jews kept objecting, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything for which to accuse my nation.
20 “For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for on account of the hope of Israel I have on this chain.”
21 But they said to him, “We have neither received from the Jews a letter concerning you, nor have any of the brothers come and reported or said anything bad about you.
22 “But we desire to hear from you what you think, for, to be sure, with regard to this heretical sect it is known to us, that it is spoken against everywhere.”
¶ 23 Now when they had appointed a day for him, even more came to him at his living quarters, to whom he set forth and bore testimony to the kingdom of God, and persuading them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and the prophets from early morning until evening.
24 And some were coming to believe by the things being spoken, but others kept refusing to believe;
25 and while they were disagreeing with one another, they began to leave after Paul spoke one final statement, “Rightly did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers
26 “saying,
‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing, but never understanding,
You will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.”
27 “ ‘For the heart of this people has become dull,
And with their ears they hardly hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Lest, perhaps, they might see with their eyes
And hear with their ears
And understand with their hearts and return,
And I heal them.’
28 “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent out to the Gentiles; as for them, they will indeed listen.”
30 Now he lived for two whole years in his own rented house, and he continued to welcome all who came to him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered.
Return to The Vivid English Translation Of The New Testament page
