1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, [was] about all that Jesus began, both to do and to teach,
2 until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given orders to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 He also showed himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them for forty days and speaking about the things about the Kingdom of God.
4 When they were are together, he commanded them that they should not leave Jerusalem and "to wait for the promise of the Father which you heard about from me.
5 "For John truly baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6 Therefore when they were together, they asked him, "Lord, will you now restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has placed in his own authority.
8 "But you will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be witnesses for me both in Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth."
9 When he had spoken these things, while they were watching, he was taken up, and a cloud carried him up out of their sight.
10 While they stared intensely toward heaven as he went up, look, two men stood next to them in white clothes,
11 who said, "Men of Galilee, why are you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven will come in this way as you have seen him go into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from Mount Olivet, which is a Sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem
13 When they had come in, they went up into an upper room where Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James--the son of Alphaeus, Simon Zelotes, and Judas--James' son were staying.
14 All of them continued with complete agreement in prayer and supplication with the women, Mary--the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said (the total number of names was about 120),
16 "Men and brothers, this scripture has to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit through David spoke beforehand concerning Judas, who was the guide to those who seized Jesus.
17 "For he was numbered with us and obtained part of this ministry.
18 "Now this man bought a field with the reward of his evil deed and falling head first, he split open, and all his intestines pouted out.
19 "It was known to all those who lived in Jerusalem, so much so that the field is named in their proper language, Aceldama, which means, «The field of blood.»
20 "Now it is written in the book of Psalms, «Let his house be empty, and let no man live there,» and «Let another take his position of authority.»
21 "Therefore from these men who have gone with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 "beginning from the baptism of John until that very day that he was up from us, one must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection."
23 They appointed two--Joseph, named Barsabas, who was also known as Justus, and [secondly] Matthias.
24 They prayed, saying, "You, Lord, who knows the hearts of all, which of these two you have chosen,
25 so that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas lost by sinning, that he might go to his own place."
26 They cast their lots and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
1 On the day of Pentecost, they were all in one place in agreement.
2 Suddenly a sound came from heaven sounding like a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared dividing, fire-like tongues to them, and it sat on each one of them.
4 They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began talking with other languages as the Spirit gave them clear utterance.
5 Now there were Jews living at Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this sound was heard, the crowd came together and was confused, because every one heard them speaking in their own language.
7 They were amazed and wondering, saying to one another, "Look, aren't all these which speak Galileans?
8 "So how are we hearing--every one of us--our own mother tongue?
9 "Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and those of us living in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia...
10 "Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and in areas of Libya, Cyrene, and strangers in Rome, Jews and proselytes,...
11 "Cretes and Arabians? We are hearing them speak in our language the wonderful works of God."
12 They were all amazed and baffled, saying to one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Others mockingly said, "These men are full of new wine."
14 But Peter standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all living in Jerusalem let it be known to you and listen to my words.
15 "For these are not drunk as you are thinking, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
16 "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 «And it will come about in the last days,» says God, «I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see vision, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 «And on my servants and my maid servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19 «And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood, fire, and smoky vapor.
20 "The sun will be changed, darkened, and the moon bloody red, before that great and memorable Day of the Lord comes,
21 and it will come about that whosoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
22 "Men on Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man among you proven by God by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you, yourselves, know.
23 "Him, being given over by God's preplanned counsel and foreknowledge, you have taken and through wicked hands have crucified and slain.
24 "Whom God has raised up, having loosened the pains of death, because it was impossible that he should be held by it.
25 "For David says this about him, «I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26 «Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was happy, and even more my flesh will rest in hope, too,
27 because you will not leave my soul in hell, nor will you allow my Holy One to see fleshly corruption.
28 «You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of joy with your presence.»
29 "Men and brothers, let me freely speak to you about the patriarch David, that he is both death and buried, and his sepulcher is here with us even today.
30 "Therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that from the fruit of his loins--according to the flesh--he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.
31 "Seeing this beforehand, he spoke about the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh experience corruption.
32 "This Jesus has God raised up, we are all witnesses of this.
33 "Therefore being on the right hand of God exalted and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you now see and hear.
34 "For David hasn't ascended into the heavens, but he himself said, «The Lord said to my Lord, You sit at my right hand.
35 «Until I make your enemies your footstool.»
36 "Therefore let the whole house of Israel confidently know that God has made this same Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Christ."
37 Now when they heard [this], they were very disturbed in the heart and said to Peter and to the other Apostles, "Men and brothers, what should we do?"
38 Then Peter said to them, "Each one of you repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 "For the promise is to you, to your children, and to all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will invite."
40 With many other words he earnestly bore witness and exhorted them saying, "Save yourselves for this troublesome, perverse generation."
41 Then those, who gladly received his message, were baptized, and that very day about 3,000 souls were added.
42 They diligently continued in the Apostles' Teaching, fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Great fear fell on every soul, and many signs and wonders were done by the Apostles.
44 All who believed were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold their possessions and goods and distributed to all as they had need.
46 They kept on [meeting] every day in harmony and broke bread from house to house eating their food with joy and without any attitudes of Boastful self-importance,
47 praising God, and being in the good graces of all the people. The Lord added daily to the church those who were being saved.
1 Then Peter and John went together into the Temple at the time of prayer--about the ninth hour,
2 and a certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple which is named Beautiful, to ask for gifts of charity [alms] from those who entered the temple.
3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he started asking for alms.
4 Then, Peter along with John, looking straight at him said, "Look at us,"
5 so he paid attention to them expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk."
7 He took him by the right hand and lifted [him] up and immediately his feet and ankle bones became strong,
8 and leaping up stood, walked, and entered into the temple walking, leaping, and praising God.
9 All the people saw him walking and praising God.
10 They knew that it was he who sits for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and astonishment at what had happened to him.
11 As the lame man, who was healed, held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them into Solomon's porch dumbfounded.
12 When Peter saw [this], he spoke to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you so shocked at this, or why do you look at us this way, as if by our own power we had made this man to walk?
13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified His Son, Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in Pilate's presence, when he was determined to let him go.
14 "You rejected the Holy One and the Just and desired that a murderer be given to you.
15 "You killed the Prince of Life, whom God has raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this.
16 "In His name through faith in His name [is what] has made this man strong whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is in Him has given him this physical health in the presence of you all.
17 "Now, brothers, I know that you did this through ignorance, just as your leaders did.
18 "Those things that God had revealed before through the mouth of all his prophets, that Messiah should suffer; he has fulfilled this.
19 "Therefore repent and be converted, so that you sins may be blotted out, so that the times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and he will send Jesus Messiah, who was preached to you before he came.
21 "Heaven had to receive until the Times of Restitution of all things which God has spoken through the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
22 "For Moses truly said to the forefathers, «The Lord your God will raise up a prophet for you from your brethren like me; you must listen to everything he will say to you,
23 and so it will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be destroyed from among the people.'
24 "Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those afterwards have spoken the same way foretold these days.
25 "You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our forefathers, telling Abraham, "In your seed will all the groups of people of the earth be blessed.
26 "God raised up His Son, Jesus, and sent him to bless you first, to turn every one of you away from his sins."
1 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple [guard], and the Sadducees came to them
2 being greatly annoyed that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3 They laid their hands on them and put them in jail unto the next day, for now it was evening.
4 Nonetheless many of those who heard the word believed; the number of the men was about 5,000.
5 Then on the next day their rulers, elders, scribes,
6 Annas, the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many of the high priest's relatives were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 When they had put them in the middle, they asked, "By what kind of power or in what name have you done this?"
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "You rulers of the people and elders of Israel--
9 if we are being examined because of the good deed done to the crippled man as in what way he is healed,
10 then let it be known to all of you and by all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. [It is] by him that this man standing here before you [is] well.
11 "This is the stone which was considered worthless has become the cornerstone,
12 neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved."
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they were shocked, and recognized them that they had been with Jesus.
14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it,
15 but when they had commanded them to go out of the council, they talked among themselves, and
16 said, "What should we do to these men, for truly a notable miracle has been done by them openly [known] by all those who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it? Act 4:17 But so that is spreads no further among the people, let us seriously threaten them that they will not speak any more to anyone in this name."
17
18 Then they called them in and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus,
19 but Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen obediently to you more then God, you judge,
20 for we cannot but speak about the things which we have seen and heard."
21 So when they had threatened them further, they let them go, not finding any way how they could punish them, because all the people praised God for what had been done.
22 This man was over 40 years old when this healing miracle happened.
23 Having been let go, they went to their own group and told everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 After they heard that, they lifted up their voices all together to God and said, "Lord, you are God, who has made heaven, earth, the sea, and everything in them.
25 "By the mouth of your servant David you have said, «Why did the heathen rage and the people imagine impossible things?
26 «The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.»
27 "For truly against your holy child, Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together
28 to do whatever your hand and counsel had determined before hand to be done,
29 and now Lord, see their threatenings and grant to your servants that with complete boldness we may speak your word,
30 by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done in the name of your holy child Jesus."
31 After they had prayed, the place where they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
32 The multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul, neither did any of them say that the things they owned were their own, but they had everything in common.
33 The apostles gave witness about the resurrection of the Lord with great power, and great grace was upon all of them,
34 neither was any of them lacking, for as many as were property or home owners sold them and brought the money from what was sold
35 and laid it down at the apostle's feet, and it was distributed to every person according to their need.
1 A certain man named Ananias along with his wife, Sapphire, sold some property
2 but kept some of the money; his wife also know about this. He brought part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit to keep some of the money from the land?
4 "While it remained [with you], wasn't it your own, and after it was sold, wasn't it in your own power? Why have you thought this up in your heart? You haven't lied to men but to God.
5 [When] Ananias heard those words, he fell down and gave up his spirit. Great fear came on all those who heard these things.
6 Then the young men got up, wound him up [in burial clothes], carried him out, and buried him.
7 It was about three hours later when his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
8 Peter started to talk to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for this much?" She said, "Yes, for that much."
9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look see the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and will carry you out."
10 Then she immediately fell down [dead] at his feet and gave up her soul, then the young men came in and found her dead. Then carrying her out, they buried [her] by her husband.
11 Great fear came on all the church and on as many as heard about these things.
12 Through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders happened among the people, and they all were in agreement at Solomon's porch.
13 Concerning the others, no one dared join with them, but the people thought well of them.
14 More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.
15 Therefore they brought the sick into the streets and laid [them] on cots and mats, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might cast a shadow on some of them.
16 There also came a large crowd out of the cities around Jerusalem bringing sick people and those vexed by unclean spirits, and every one of them was healed.
17 Then the high priest stood up and all those who were with him--those of the sect of the Sadducees--and were full of wrath.
18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison,
19 but the Lord's angel opened the prison doors at night and brought them out. He said to them,
20 "Go, stand, and speak in the temple to all the people all the words of this life."
21 So when they heard that, they went into the temple in the early morning and taught. Meanwhile the high priest and those with him came and called the council together with the Sanhedrin of the children of Israel. They sent to the prison to have them brought [to them].
22 But when the officers came and didn't find them in the prison, they returned and told [them],
23 saying, "Truly we found the prison secured and the guards standing outside the door, but when we opened it up, we found no one in there."
24 Now when the high priest, the temple captain, and the chief priests heard these things, they were perplexed about it wondering what this would grow into.
25 Then someone came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people.
26 So the captain and the officers went and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they would be stoned [to death].
27 After they had brought them, the set [them] in front of the council, then the high priest asked them, saying,
28 "Didn't we straightly command you not to teach in this name? Now look you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood on us."
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, "We must obey God, rather than men.
30 "The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus whom you killed and hanged on a tree.
31 "God has exalted him with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 "We are his witnesses of these things, and [so is] the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
33 When they heard this, they became enraged and took counsel to kill them.
34 Then one of the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, stood up. He was very honored among all the people and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.
35 He said to them, "You men of Israel, be very careful for yourselves in what you intend to do about these men,
36 for before these days Theudas rose up bragging to be a somebody with whom a number of men--about 400--joined themselves. These were killed and all those who obeyed him were scattered and brought to nothing.
37 "After him Judas of Galilee, rose up in the days of taxing and drew away many people after him. He also perished and all those who obeyed him were scattered.
38 "So now I say to you, «Keep away from these men and leave them alone, for if this counsel or this work is from men it will come to nothing,
39 but if it is from God, you cannot overthrow it, for fear that you will be found to fight against God."
40 They agreed with him, and when they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, then let them go.
41 They left from the council's presence, rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 Daily in the temple and in every house, they did not stop teaching and preaching Jesus Christ.
1 At that time, when the number of the disciples was growing rapidly, there arose a complaint by the Greeks against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily charitable aid.
2 Then the twelve called the group of the disciples and said, "It is not fitting that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables.
3 "Therefore brothers, look among you for seven men with a honest testimony, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint over this matter.
4 "But we will give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word."
5 This answer pleased the whole group, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicholas--a proselyte of Antioch.
6 [These] they set before the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid [their] hands on them.
7 The Word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a large number of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then certain of the synagogue, named "The Libertines", along with Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and from Cilician and Asia got up and started arguing with Stephen,
10 but they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
11 So they sneakingly got men who said, "We have heard him say blasphemous words against Moses and God."
12 They stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and came up to him, caught him, and brought him before the council.
13 Then they set up false witnesses, who said, "This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law,
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the traditions which Moses gave to us."
15 Then all those who sat in the council, looking closely at him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
1 Then the high priest said, "Are these things so?"
2 He [Stephen] said, "Men, brothers, and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran, Act 7:3 and said to him, «Get out of your country and from your kinfolk and come to the land that I show you.»
3
4 "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. From there, after his father had died, he moved him into this land where you now live.
5 "He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not even enough to set his foot on, yet he promised that he would give it to him as a possession and to his descendants after him even though he still had no child.
6 "God said it in this way so that his descendants would live in a foreign land and that they would be brought into bondage and vexed for 400 years.
7 "The nation to whom they would be vexed by, «I will punish,» God said, «and after that they will come out of there and serve me in this place.»
8 "He gave him the covenant of circumcision, then he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered the twelve Patriarchs.
9 "The Patriarchs motivated by envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him,
10 delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in Pharaoh's, king of Egypt's, eyes. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 "Then a famine passed over all the land of Egypt and Haran [causing] great affliction, for our fathers found no food.
12 "When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers first,
13 and the second time Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's kinfolk was made known to Pharaoh.
14 "Then Joseph sent and called for his father, Jacob, to [come] to him as well as all his kinfolk--a total of 75 souls.
15 "So Jacob went down to Egypt and died as did our fathers
16 then they crossed over to Shechem and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Emmor, the [father] of Shechem.
17 "When the time for the promise drew close--that God had sworn to Abraham--the number of the people grew rapidly in Egypt,
18 until another king arose who didn't know Joseph.
19 "He dealt deceitfully with our countrymen and treated our fathers badly, so that they threw out their young children, so they wouldn't live.
20 "At this time Moses was born; he was a very lovely child reared at his father's house for three months.
21 "After he was put out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up and reared him as her own son.
22 "So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds.
23 "When he was a full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.
24 "Seeing one of them suffer, he defended [him], avenged him who was harassed and fatally hit the Egyptian.
25 "He supposed his brethren would have understood how God through him would deliver them, but they didn't understand.
26 "The next day, he again showed himself as they were arguing and was trying to reconcile them saying, «Sirs, you are brethren; why do this wrong thing to each other?»
27 "But he who was doing the wrong to his neighbor pushed him away saying, «Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
28 Are you going to kill me, like you did the Egyptian yesterday?»
29 "Then Moses fled at this saying and was a foreigner in the land of Midian where he fathered two sons.
30 "After [another] forty years had gone by, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire of a bush in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.
31 "When Moses saw [this], he wondered at this vision, and as he drew near to look, the Lord's voice came to him,
32 saying, «I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.» Then Moses started shaking and didn't dare look.
33 "Then the Lord said to him, «Take off your shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
34 I truly have seen the affliction of my people, which are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now, come here; I will send you to Egypt.»
35 "This Moses whom they rejected saying, «Who made you to be a ruler and judge?» This one God did sent to be a ruler and deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him at the bush.
36 "He brought them out, after he had showed them wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, the Red sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
37 "This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, «A prophet will the Lord your God raise up for you from your brethren like me; you must listen to him.»
38 "This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel, who spoke to him at mount Sinai and our fathers; he received the living words to give to us.
39 "To whom our fathers would not obey but pushed him away from them and in their hearts turned back to Egypt
40 telling Aaron, «Make us gods to go before us, as for this Moses who brought us our of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.»
41 "They made a calf at that time and offered sacrifices to this idol and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 "So God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven just like it is written in the book of the prophets, «O house of Israel, have you offered to me killed animals and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness?
43 Yes, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god, Remphan, objects which you made to worship, so I will carry you away beyond Babylon.»
44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, just as he had told him to, telling Moses that he should make it just like the one he had seen.
45 "Our fathers, which came afterward, were brought by Joshua into the possession of the gentiles whom God drove out before the presence of our fathers up to the days of David,
46 who found favor before God and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob,
47 but Solomon built the house to him.
48 "Nonetheless the most High doesn't live in temples made by hands as the prophet says,
49 «Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool, so what kind of house will you build for me,» says the Lord, «or where is the place for me to rest?
50 Hasn't my hand made all these things?»
51 "You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears; you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
52 "Which of the prophets didn't your fathers persecute? They have killed those who told about the coming of the Just One, whom you have now betrayed and killed.
53 "You who have received the law delivered by angels and have not obeyed it."
54 After they heard these things, they were enraged deeply into their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him.
55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 He said, "Look, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and all rushed at him together.
58 They threw him out of the city and stoned him; the witnesses laid down their garments at a young man named Saul.
59 They stoned Stephen, who was calling out to God and saying, "Lord Jesus received my spirit."
60 He fell down and shouted with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." After saying that he fell asleep.
1 Saul was in full agreement for his death. At that time great persecution arose against the church which is at Jerusalem, and they were scattered about throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except for the apostles.
2 Some devout men carried Stephen [to be buried] and had great mourning over him.
3 But as for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house and hauling off men and women and put them in prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
5 Then Philip went to the city of Samaria and was preaching Christ to them,
6 and the people in agreement listened to those things which Philip spoke about and heard and saw the miracles which he did.
7 Unclean spirits shouting with a loud voice came out of many who were possessed, and many sick with paralysis and lame were healed,
8 and there was great joy in that city.
9 Now a certain man named Simon was there, who formerly in that same city practiced sorcery amazing the people of Samaria and boasting that he was some great man.
10 They all gave high regard to him from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God."
11 They had such high regard of him, because for a long time he had astonished them with sorceries,
12 but when they believed Philip preaching things about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
13 Then Simon himself also believed, and after he was baptized, he continuing with Philip was astonished seeing the miracles and signs which were being done.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15 After they had come, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 for as of yet he had fallen on none of them; they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that after laying the Apostles hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19 saying, "Give this power to me, too, so that on whomever I lay hands, he will receive the Holy Spirit."
20 But Peter said to him, "May your money perish along with you, because you thought that the God's gift could be bought with money.
21 "You have no part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight.
22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and pray to God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven,
23 for I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.
24 Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things which you have spoken about come upon me."
25 After testifying and preaching the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.
26 Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go southward to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert."
27 So he got up and left. Now behold a man from Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had responsibility for her whole treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 and was returning. He was sitting in his chariot reading from Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and stay close to the chariot."
30 Philip ran to it and heard him read from the Prophet Isaiah and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 He said, "How can I unless some one would guide me?" He asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 The place in the Scripture where he was reading was this, "He was lead like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is quiet before his shearer, so he didn't open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation, his justice was taken away and who will tell his generation, for his life is taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch asked Philip and said, "Please tell me who is the prophet talking about--himself or some other man?"
35 Then Philip opened his mouth and started at the very scripture and preached about Jesus to him.
36 As they went on their way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, water [is here]; what stops me from being baptized?"
37 Philip answered, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." Then he replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38 He ordered the chariot to stop, and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he was baptized by him.
39 After they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, so that the eunuch never saw him again, and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he preached in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
1 Then Saul, still breathing out threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2 and wanted letters from him to the Damascus' synagogues, so that if he found any of this way, whether men or women, he might bring them tied up to Jerusalem.
3 As he was on his journey, he came near Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell down on the earth and a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
5 He replied, "Who are you Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you persecute. Is it hard for you to be obstinately disobedient against the goad?"
6 He trembling and stunned said, "Lord, What do you want me to do?" The Lord [said] to him, "Stand up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7 The men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 So Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he saw no one, so they led him by the hand and brought [him] into Damascus.
9 He was there three days without sight and didn't eat or drink.
10 There was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision ,"Ananias." "Behold, here I am Lord."
11 The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street named «Straight» to the house of Judas and ask for one named Saul of Tarsus, for look he is praying,
12 and he has seen in vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight."
13 Ananias then answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your holy people at Jerusalem,
14 and here he has been authorized by the chief priests to tie up all who call on your name."
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is a chosen vessel for me to bring my name to the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel,
16 for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake."
17 So Ananias went on his way and entered the house, then putting his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you might receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 Immediately something fell from his eyes as if it had been scales, and he received sight, got up, and was baptized.
19 After he had taken some food, he was strengthened, then Saul stayed for awhile with the disciples which were at Damascus.
20 Without delay he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God,
21 but all who heard [him] were amazed and said, "Isn't this he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem and came here for the purpose that he might bring them tied up to the chief priests?"
22 But Saul increased more in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus proving that this is the very Christ.
23 So after many days had gone by, the Jews took counsel to kill him,
24 but their laying in ambush became known by Saul. They watched the gates closely day and night so to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night and let [him] down through the wall in a basket.
26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and didn't believe that he was a disciple,
27 but Barnabas took him and brought [him] to the Apostles and told them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28 So he was with them entering and leaving Jerusalem.
29 He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and reasonably discussed with the Greeks, but they all went about to kill him.
30 When the brethren knew this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus.
31 Then the congregations had rest throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. They were built up walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit and growing.
32 Then it happened as Peter passed throughout all areas, he came down also to God's holy people which lived in Lydda,
33 and found a certain man there named Aeneas who had laid sick in his bed for eight years paralyzed.
34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes you well; get up and make your bed." So he got up immediately.
35 All who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was a Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which interpreted is called Dorcas. This woman was overflowing with good works and compassionate deeds which she did.
37 Then it happened in time that she became sick and died, and after they had washed [her body], they laid her in an upper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa and that the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men for him asking if he would not delay to come with them.
39 Then Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping and showing the coats and clothes that Dorcas made while she was with them.
40 Peter sent them all out, kneeled down, prayed, and turning to the body said, "Tabitha, get up," and she opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 He offered her his hand, helped her up, and when he had called God's people and widows, presented her alive.
42 This was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 It happened then that he stayed there many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.
1 There was at Caesarea a certain man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian band,
2 who was devout and feared God along with his whole family who, also, gave much alms to the people and always prayed to God.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour [about 3 PM] of the day an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, "Cornelius."
4 When he looked at him, he was afraid and said, "What is it, Lord?" He [the angel] said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have gone up for a memorial before God.
5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter.
6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea side; he will tell you what you need to do."
7 After the angel who spoke to Cornelius left, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who continually attended him,
8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 On the next day, as they were on their journey and were getting close to the city, Peter went up to the housetop to pray, [it was] about the sixth hour [noon].
10 He became very hungry and would have eaten, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance,
11 and saw heaven open, then a some kind of container coming down to him, like a great sheet tied at all four corners; [it was] let down to the earth.
12 In it were all kinds of four footed animals of the earth as well as wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the air.
13 A voice then came to him, "Get up Peter, kill and eat,"
14 but Peter said, "No way, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."
15 Again the voice came to him, the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call it common."
16 This was done three times, then the container went up into heaven again.
17 Now Peter was in a quandary what this vision that he had seen would mean, behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius had been asking for Simon's house and stood in front of the gate
18 and called out and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter was staying there.
19 While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, three men are looking for you.
20 Get up therefore and go down there and go with them. Do not withdraw in any way, for I have sent them."
21 So Peter went down to the men who were sent for him from Cornelius and said, "Look, I am the one whom you are looking for. What is the reason therefore you have come?"
22 They said, "Cornelius, the centurion, a just man, one who fears God, and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews was warned from God by a holy angel to sent for you [to come] to his house and hear your message.
23 Then he invited them in and hosted them. The next day Peter went away with them along with certain brothers from Joppa who accompanied him.
24 On the day after that, they entered Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them having invited his relatives and close friends.
25 As Peter was coming in Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him,
26 but Peter helped him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man."
27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many that had come together.
28 He said to them, "You know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to keep company or to come into one of another nationality, but God has showed me that I should not call any one common or unclean.
29 Therefore, I came without disputing as soon as I was sent for. Therefore, I ask, for what reason have you sent for me?"
30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour [3 PM] I was praying in my house and behold, a man stood before me in shining clothing,
31 and said, "Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are remembered in God's sight.
32 Therefore send to Joppa and call Simon, who surname is Peter, here. He is staying in the house of Simon, a tanner by the sea side, who when he comes will talk to you.
33 Immediately therefore I sent for you, and you have done well that you have come. Now therefore we are all here before God to hear everything that is commanded you from God."
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,
35 but in every nation the one who fears Him and does righteousness is accepted by Him.
36 The word which [God] sent to the children of Israel preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--
37 that word, you know, which was introduced throughout all Judea and began at Galilee after the baptism that John preached.
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He traveled around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 We are witnesses of everything that he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, who killed and hung on a tree.
40 God raised Him up on the third day and showed him openly,
41 not to all the people but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God, us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 He ordered us to preach to the people and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify that through His name whosoever believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all of those who heard the word.
45 Those of the circumcision who believed and had come with Peter were shocked--all of them,
46 because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles, Act 10:47 for they heard them speak with languages and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
47 "Is there any one who would forbid water that these shouldn't be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just like we [did].
48 He directed them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, then they asked him to stay there for a few days.
1 The Apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God.
2 When Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision opposed him,
3 saying, "You went into uncircumcised men and ate with them."
4 But Peter recounted everything from the beginning and explained in an orderly sequence to them, saying,
5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying and in a trance I saw a vision. A certain kind of container came down as if it were a great sheet, let down from heaven by the four corners, and it came down to me.
6 On it I looked closely and saw four footed animals of the earth and wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the air.
7 Then I heard a voice speaking to me, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat,"
8 but I said, "No Lord, for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.
9 The voice answered me again from heaven, "What God has cleansed, you must not considered unclean.
10 this was done three times, then everything was drawn back up into heaven."
11 "Then immediately there were three men who had already come into the house where I was [who had been] sent from Caesarea to me.
12 "The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house.
13 "He described for us how he had seen an angel in his house who stood and said to him, «Send men to Joppa and ask for Simon whose surname is Peter.
14 «He will tell you the message in which you and all your family will be saved.»
15 "As I started speaking the Holy Spirit fell on them as on us at the beginning.
16 "Then I remembered the word of the Lord; when he said, "John truly baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
17 "If then God gave them the same gift as [he did] to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could forbid God?"
18 When they heard these things, they were quiet and glorified God saying, "Then God has also granted repentance into life to the Gentiles."
19 Now those who were scattered around because of the persecution that started with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch preaching The Word to none except the Jews only,
20 but there some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene who after coming to Antioch also preached the Lord Jesus to the Greeks.
21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
22 Then the news about these things came to the hearing of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was happy and encouraged them all that with dedicated intent they should stick closely to the Lord.
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a large number of people were added to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch, and so it was that they gathered together for a whole year with the church and taught many people. Here in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
27 In those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch,
28 and one of them named Agabus stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there would be a great famine through out the whole world, which happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.
29 Then the disciples, every person, according to his financial state determined to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea.
30 They sent this to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hands to vex certain people in the church
2 and killed James, John's brother, with the sword.
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he went ahead and took Peter also--those were the days of unleavened bread.
4 After arresting him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four quaternions of soldiers [16 soldiers] to guard him, intending after Passover to bring him out to the people.
5 Therefore Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer to God was made by the church for him.
6 When Herod would have brought him out, that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened by two chains, and the guards in front of the door guarding the prison.
7 Then, look, the angel of the Lord came to him and a light shown in the prison, and he tapped Peter on his side and got him up, saying, "Get up quickly," then his chains fell off his hands.
8 Then the angel said to him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals," and so he did. Then he said to him, "Throw your cloak around you and follow me."
9 So he went out and followed him, but he didn't know that what was done by the angel was real, but he thought he saw a vision.
10 After they were beyond the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. This opened for them all by itself, and they went through it to one street, and then the angel left him.
11 When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now, I truly know that the Lord has sent his angel and delivered me out of Herod's hand and all the evil hopes of the Jewish people."
12 After thinking about this, he came to Mary's (the mother of John whose last name was Mark) house. Many people were there praying.
13 Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid servant, named Rhoda, came to answer it.
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she didn't open the gate because of joy but ran in and told how Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15 They said to her, "You're crazy," but she insisted that it was as [she said it was]. Then they said, "It is his angel."
16 Peter continued knocking, and after they opened it, they saw him and were in shock.
17 But he motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. He then said, "Go tell these things to James and the brethren," then he left for another place.
18 Now as soon as it was daylight, there was no small turmoil among the soldiers of what had happened to Peter.
19 After Herod had looked for him and didn't find him, he examined the guards and commanded they should die, then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
20 Now Herod was very displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon, so they came together to him and having made Blastus, the King's chief of his bedroom their friend; they wanted peace, because their country was supplied by the King.
21 Herod, on a scheduled day, was dressed in royal gowns and sitting on his throne made a speech to them.
22 The people shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."
23 Immediately the angel of the Lord fatally struck him, because he didn't give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.
24 But the Word of God grew and multiplied.
25 Then Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem after they had completely fulfilled their ministry and took with them John whose last name was Mark.
1 Now in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been raised with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them [to do]."
3 After they had fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them away.
4 So since they were sent out by the Holy Spirit, they left for Seleucia and then sailed to Cyprus from there.
5 When they were at Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the Jewish synagogues, and they also had John for their assistant.
6 After going through the island of Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus,
7 who was with Sergius Paulus, a prudent man, the proconsul, who invited Barnabas and Saul having desired to hear the Word of God,
8 but Elymas, the sorcerer (that's what his translated name means) resisted us trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 Then Saul (also called Paul) filled with the Holy Spirit looked intently at him,
10 and said, "O you who is full of deceit and evil intent, you child of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, won't you not stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
11 "Now, see, the Lord's hand is on you, and you will be blind, not even seeing the sun for awhile." Immediately something like a mist of darkness fell on him, and he walked around seeking for someone to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the proconsul, after seeing what happened, believed, stunned at the teaching of the Lord.
13 After sailing away from Paphos, Paul and those with him came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
14 After parting ways the rest left Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the synagogue on a certain Sabbath day and sat down.
15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent for them saying, "Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, go ahead and speak."
16 Then Paul stood up and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen closely.
17 "The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers and exalted the people when they were living as foreigners in the land of Egypt, and with superior strength he brought them out of there.
18 "For around forty years he put up with their bad manners in the wilderness.
19 "After destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he split up their land for them by lots.
20 "Then later he gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years up to Samuel the prophet.
21 "After this they wanted a king, so God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for about forty years.
22 "After removing him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified and said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, [to be] a man who wants to do what I want him to do [literally: after my own heart], who will fulfill my will completely.
23 "From this man's descendants God has--according to His promise-- raised for Israel a Savior--Jesus.
24 "When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel
25 and John fulfilled his mission, he said, «Who do you think I am? I am not he, but, look, there is one coming after me whose sandals of his feet, I am not worthy to loosen.'
26 "Men and brethren, the children of the stock of Abraham, and also whosoever among you fears God, to you this word of Salvation is sent,
27 for those who live in Jerusalem along with their rulers--because they did not know him nor the messages of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath--fulfilled [them] by condemning [him].
28 "And though they did not find any reason for him to die, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
29 "After fulfilling all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb, [30] but God raised him from the dead.
30
31 "He was seen for many days by those who had come up with from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are [now] his witnesses to the people.
32 "We tell you this good news, how the promise made to our forefathers,
33 God has now fulfilled it to us their children in that he has raised up Jesus again, just as it is also written in the second Psalm, «You are my Son, this day I have begotten you.»
34 "Now considering that he raised him up from the dead, to never more return to corruption, he said it in this way, «I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 "Therefore he also says in another place, «You will not allow your Holy One to experience decay,'
36 because David, after serving his own generation by God's will fell asleep [died], was laid with his forefathers, and did experience decay,
37 but the one whom God raised again, did not experience decay.
38 "Let it be known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.
39 "Through him all who believed are justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses.
40 "Beware therefore lest what is spoken by the Prophets happen to you,
41 «Look you despisers, be amazed and die, for I work a work in your time, a work which you will never believe even though a man tells it to you.''
42 After the Jews had left the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that this message might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 So after the congregation was dispensed, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them convincing them to continue in the grace of God.
44 But the next Sabbath nearly the whole city gathered to hear the Word of God.
45 When the Jews saws the large crowds, they were filled with envy and started speaking against--contradicting and blaspheming--those things which Paul had talked about.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you first, but seeing that you reject it, condemning yourselves to be unworthy of everlasting life, we now turn to the Gentiles,
47 because the Lord has commanded us, "I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should be [bring] salvation to the ends of the earth."
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were happy and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 So the Word of the Lord was spread widely through the whole area,
50 but after the Jews incited the high ranking and honorable women and the chief men of the city, started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their area.
51 But they shook the dust off their feet against them and came to Iconium.
52 The disciples, however, were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
1 Soon after in Iconium, they both went together into the Jew's synagogue and spake the same thing, so that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed.
2 But the unbelieving Jews incited the Gentiles and made their minds to be very angry against the brethren.
3 So for a long time they stayed there speaking boldly about the Lord, who evidenced the word of his grace and allowed signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4 But the multitude of the city was divided, some where with the Jews and some with the Apostles.
5 So when both the Gentiles and Jews together with their leaders lashed out to abuse and to stone them,
6 and they realized it, they fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, and areas around them
7 and preached the gospel there.
8 At Lystra there was a certain man, crippled from his mother's womb, who had no strength in his feet and who had never walked.
9 He heard Paul speak, and he was watching him closely and perceiving that he had faith to be healed.
10 [Paul] said with a loud voice, "Stand up on your feet." So he jumped up and walked.
11 After the people saw what Paul had done, they shouted with their voices saying in the Lycaonia language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men."
12 They called Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the spokesman.
13 Then the priest of Zeus (whose [temple] was in front of the city) brought oxen and religious wreathes to the gates and would have sacrificed along with the people.
14 When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran among the people, shouting,
15 "Sirs, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same human nature as you. We preach to you that you should turn from these empty idols and [turn] to the living God who made heaven, earth, sea, and everything in them. Act 14:16 In former times he left all nations alone to live in their own ways.
16
17 "Nevertheless, he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and bountiful harvests filling our hearts with food and joy."
18 Even after saying these things, they scarcely were able to restrain the people, so that they wouldn't sacrifice to them.
19 Then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came and persuaded the crowd, and after stoning Paul, dragged him out of the city thinking that he was dead.
20 However, as the disciples stood around him, he got up and came into the city, and left the next day with Barnabas to [go to] Derbe.
21 After preaching the gospel to that city and having taught many, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith and that we must through much hardships enter the Kingdom of God.
23 After they had chosen elders in every church and after praying with fasting, they committed them to the Lord on whom they had believed.
24 After passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
25 When they had preached in the Word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, Act 14:26 and from there sailed to Antioch from where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work, which they fulfilled.
26
27 After they had come and the church was gathered together, they reported everything that God had done through them, and how he had opened the door of faith for the Gentiles.
28 Then they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
1 Certain men came down from Judea teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
2 Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small disagreement and strong debate with them, they decided that Paul, Barnabas, and certain others should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and elders about this question.
3 While being sent on the way by the church, they went through Phoenicia and Samaria telling about the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy in all the brethren.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed in by the church and by the Apostles and elders, and they told them everything that God had done through them.
5 Then certain of the Pharisees group, who believed, got up saying that it was necessary to circumcise them and command them to obey the Law of Moses.
6 The Apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 After much debate, Peter got up and said to them, "Men and brethren, you know how for a long time God made a choice among us that the Gentiles from my mouth should hear the Word of the Gospel and believe.
8 "God who knows the hearts bore witness for them by giving them the Holy Spirit just like he did us.
9 "He put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith.
10 "So then why do you tempt God to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our forefathers nor us were able to bear?
11 "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved just as they."
12 Then all the multitude was quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told the miracles and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13 After they were quiet, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren listen to me."
14 "Simeon has explained how God at first went to see the Gentiles to take from among them a people for his name.
15 "This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written,
16 «After this I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up,
17 so that the remainder of people may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom my name is called,' says the Lord, who does all these things.»
18 "Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19 "Therefore my decision is that we are not to trouble them who from among the Gentiles have turned to God.
20 "We need to write to them that they stay away from the pollutions of idols, from fornication, from strangled [choked, not bled], and from [eating] blood.
21 For Moses from long ago has those who in every city preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day."
22 So it pleased the Apostles and elders as well as the whole church to send chosen men from their group to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas--Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren.
23 They wrote to them in this way: The Apostles, elders, and brothers. Greetings to the brethren who are Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
24 When we heard that certain went out from us troubled you with a message, upsetting your souls, telling you that you must be circumcised and obey the Law. We gave no such command to them.
25 It seemed good to us, gathered together in agreement, to send chosen men to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.
26 Men who have risked their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas who will also tell you these same things in person.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us to place on you no greater burden than these necessary things:
29 that you avoid foods that have been offered to idols, from [eating] blood, from meats [killed by] strangling, and fornication. If you keep away from things, you will do well. Goodbye.
30 So after being dismissed, they came to Antioch. After gathering the group together, they handed them the letter.
31 After they read this, they rejoiced for this encouragement.
32 Judas and Silas, who were prophets, too, encouraged the brothers with many words and supported them.
33 After staying with them for awhile, they left the brothers in peace to go to the Apostles.
34 But it pleased Silas to remain there.
35 Paul and Barnabas also strayed in Antioch teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord along with many others, too.
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord and see they are doing."
37 Barnabas was determined to take John, surnamed Mark, with them,
38 but Paul thought it wasn't good to take him with them, since he deserted them from Pamphylia and didn't go with them to the work.
39 The disagreement was so sharp between them, they parted ways. So Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.
40 Paul chose Silas and left entrusted by the brethren to the grace of God.
41 He went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the congregations.
1 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra, and look, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman, who believed, but his father [was] a Greek.
2 [Timothy] had a good report from the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted him to go out with him, so he took him and circumcised him, because of the Jews who lived in that area, for all knew that his father was Greek.
4 As they traveled through the cities, they handed over the decisions to obey which we decided on by the Apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.
5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased numerically every day.
6 Now after they had went throughout Phrygia and the area around Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia.
7 After coming to Mysia, they wanted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not allow them,
8 so they bypassed Mysia and came to Troas.
9 Paul had a vision there at night. A man from Macedonia stood there and plead with him, saying, "Come over here to Macedonia and help us."
10 After he had seen the vision, he immediately sought to go into Macedonia concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11 So then they left Troas and sailed straight to Samothracia and the next day to Neapolis.
12 From there to Philippi which is the foremost city in that area of Macedonia and a Roman colony. While we were staying in that city for a number of days,
13 on the Sabbath we went out of the city to the river side, where prayer was often made, and sat down to talk to the women who came there.
14 Then a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira and who worshipped God, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart, so that she paid attention to the things Paul was talking about.
15 After she was baptized, along with her household, she asked us, saying, "If you have considered me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay there." She really urged us.
16 Later as we went to prayer a certain slave woman, who was possessed with a spirit of divination, met us, who brought her masters a lot of profit by soothsaying.
17 This slave woman followed Paul and us and shouted saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, who shows us the was of salvation."
18 She did this for many days, but Paul, being displeased, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her," and he came out that very hour.
19 When her masters saw that their chance for profit was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the local rulers
20 and brought them to these rulers, saying, "These men, Jews, really cause trouble for our city,
21 and teach practices that are unlawful for us, Romans, to accept or observe."
22 Then the crowd rose up together against them, and the local rulers tore away their clothes and commanded to beat [them].
23 After inflicting many lashes on them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to guard them safely.
24 After receiving these orders, he shoved them into the inner prison room and made sure their feet were secured in the stocks.
25 At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God, and the prisoners heard them.
26 Suddenly there was a large earthquake, so that even the prison foundation was shaken, and instantly all the [jail cell] doors opened and every one's shackles became loose.
27 The jail keeper was awakened from his sleep, and when he saw the jail cell doors open, he drew out his sword. He would have killed himself since he though the prisoners had escaped,
28 but Paul shouted with a loud voice, saying, "Don't hurt yourself, for we are all here."
29 Then he called for a lamp. He rushed in, shaking from fear, and fell down in front of Paul,
30 then brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved and your household."
32 They talked to him and all who were in his house, about the Word of the Lord.
33 That very hour of the night he took them and washed their lash wounds, and he and all his were baptized right then.
34 After bringing them into his house, he put food in front of them and rejoiced, believing in God as well as all his household.
35 When it was daytime, the local rulers sent the police, saying, "Let those men go."
36 The jail keeper told this to Paul, "The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore now leave and go in peace."
37 Paul, however, said to them, "They have openly beat us, Romans, [even though we are] without a trial and have thrown us into prison. Now they drive us out privately; no way, let them come themselves and lead us out."
38 The police told these words to the magistrates who were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.
39 So they came and plead with them and lead them out; they desired for them to leave the city.
40 They went out of the prison and entered Lydia's house. After seeing the brethren, they comforted them and left.
1 Now after they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 Then Paul, as was his habit, went in to them and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
3 explaining and proving that Christ must have had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and that this Jesus whom I preach to you is Christ.
4 Some of them believed and joined Paul and Silas. There was also a large group of devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
5 But the Jews who didn't believed, motivated by jealousy, took certain thugs, rallied a crowd, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's house and tired to bring them out to the people.
6 When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren to the rulers of the city, shouting, "These who have been causing trouble everywhere are now here also.
7 "Jason has welcomed them. These do everything opposite to Caesar's laws, claiming that there is another king, Jesus."
8 They troubled the people and rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 After they had taken bond from Jason and the others, they let them go.
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away at night to Berea. When they got there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11 These were more noble that those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with a willingness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily.
12 Therefore many of them believed, even the women--the nobility--who were Greeks and quite a few men.
13 Now when the Thessalonian Jews knew that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there too, and agitated up the people.
14 Immediately the brethren sent Paul away as if he were going by sea, but Silas and Timothy still stayed there.
15 Those who went with Paul brought him to Athens, and after Silas and Timothy received a command to come to him as fast as possible; they left.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was worked up in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 Therefore he discussed with the Jews in the synagogue, with the devout converts, and in the market daily with those who met with him.
18 Then some of the philosophers, the Epicureans and Stoics, came across him, and some said, "What will this hick talk about?" Others [said], "He seemed to promoting strange gods," because he preached Jesus to them and the resurrection.
19 So they took him and brought him to Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you talk about?
20 "For you bring certain strange things to our ears, so we want to know what these things mean."
21 For all Athenians and strangers who were there spent their time in nothing else except either to tell or hear something new.
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in everything you are too religious,
23 for as I passed by and saw your religious things, I found an altar with this written on it--TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom you ignorantly worship, I will tell you about him plainly.
24 "God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth and doesn't live in temples made by human hands.
25 "Neither is served with people's hands as if he needed anything, for he gives life, breath, and everything to all.
26 "He has all nations of people from one blood to dwell on the whole face of the earth and has determined the times and appointed the boundaries of their dwelling places,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, hoping that might search for him and find him though he is not far from anyone of us.
28 "For because of him we can live and move and exist, as a certain one of your poets have said, «We too are his offspring,»
29 so then, since we are the offspring of God, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is something like gold, silver, or stone graven in art by man's skill.
30 The time for this ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
31 because he has appointed a time when he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has appointed. He has given proof to all in that he has raised him from the dead."
32 When they heard about the resurrection from the dead, some mocked, but others said, "We will listen to you about this later."
33 So Paul left them.
34 Nevertheless certain men joined him and believed, among them was Dionysius, the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris.
1 After these things Paul left Athens and came to Corinth,
2 and found a certain Jew name Aquila born in Pontus, who recently came from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them,
3 because he had the same occupation as they, he stayed and worked with them, for they were tent makers.
4 He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
5 After Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed in [his] spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Messiah.
6 When they resisted together and blasphemed, he shook his clothes and said to them, "May your blood be on your own heads; I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles."
7 So he left there and entered a certain man's house. His name was Justus, and he worshipped God. His house abutted the synagogue.
8 Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized.
9 Then the Lord told Paul at night in a vision, "Don't be afraid, but go on speaking, and don't be silent,
10 for I am with you. No one will attack or hurt you, for I have many people in this city."
11 So he stayed there for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God to them.
12 But when Gallio was the proconsul of Achaia, the Jews unanimously attacked Paul and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 saying, "This [man] works to convince people to worship God contrary to the law."
14 When Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were due to doing something wrong or wicked crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable that I should put up with you,
15 but if it is about a question about words, names, or from your law, deal with it yourselves, for I will not be a judge of such things."
16 Then he forcible dismissed them from the judgment seat.
17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue and beat him up in front of the judgment seat, but Gallio didn't pay attention to any of it.
18 Paul stay there for quit a while, then left the brethren and sailed from there to Syria along with Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his head shaved, for he had made a vow.
19 Then he came to Ephesus and left them there, but he went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they wanted him to stay there longer, he didn't agree to it.
21 Instead he said goodbye to them, saying, "I have to in any way possible keep the feast that is coming up in Jerusalem, but I will return to you if God wills." Then he sailed away from Ephesus.
22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to the congregation and greeted them then went down to Antioch.
23 After sending some time there, he left and went around the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order to strengthen all the disciples.
24 Now a certain Jew, named Apollos, who was born in Alexandria, an eloquent man and knowledgeable about the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in spirit spoke and diligently taught the things of the Lord, but only knowing about John's baptism.
26 He started speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla had heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more perfectly.
27 Then when he wanted to travel over to Achaia, the brethren wrote encouraging the disciples to welcome him. When he had come to them, he helped them a lot who had believed through grace.
28 For he mightily convinced the Jews publicly showing them by the Scriptures that Jesus was Messiah.
1 Then while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul had passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus finding some disciples.
2 He said to them, "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" They said, "We haven't even heard that there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit."
3 Then he [Paul] said to them, "Into what were you baptized?" They said to him, "John's baptism."
4 Paul then told them "John truly baptized with the Baptism of Repentance telling the people that they should believe in him who should come after him, that is, Jesus Christ."
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 When Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with different languages and prophesied.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
8 Then he went into the synagogue and boldly spoke for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the things concerning the Kingdom of God.
9 But when some grew stubborn and wouldn't believe, and starting speaking evil about The Way to the crowd, he left them and withdrew with the disciples continuing his arguments in the school of Tyrannus.
10 This continued for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the message about the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 God did some spectacular miracles through Paul's hands.
12 Even handkerchiefs and work aprons that had touched his body caused diseases to leave them and evil spirits to go out of them.
13 Then certain itinerant Jewish exorcists took upon themselves to use the name of the Lord Jesus over people who had evil spirits saying, "We command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."
14 There were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this,
15 but the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?"
16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped, overcame, and overpowered them, so that they bolted out of that house naked and wounded.
17 This was known to all the Jews and Greeks living at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in great honor.
18 Many who believed came, confessed, and told about their practices.
19 Also many who practiced these magic rituals brought their books together and burned them in full view of all. They added up the price of these [books] and found it was 50,000 pieces of silver.
20 In these ways God's message grew and prevailed mightily.
21 After these things finished, Paul resolved in the Spirit that when he would travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have been there, I also must visit Rome."
22 So he sent two of those who helped him, Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, but he stayed in Asia for a while.
23 About that time a great disturbance arose about the Way,
24 for a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing no small profit for the craftsmen.
25 He called those of the same trade together and said, "Men, you know that by our trade we have our wealth.
26 "You also can see and hear that at not only Ephesus but almost everywhere in Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a lot of people telling them that these are not gods which are made with hands.
27 "So not only is our trade in danger to be nothing but also the temple of the great god Artemis will be despised and her magnificence will be destroyed, she whom all Asia, even the world, worships."
28 When they heard those things they were extremely angry and shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."
29 So the whole city was filled with confusion and after grabbing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians and Paul's traveling companions, they rushed into the theater.
30 When Paul wanted to enter in among the people, the disciples wouldn't let him.
31 Certain ones among the Asiarchs [a type of high ranking officer in the Asian province] who were his friends sent to him that he wouldn't show himself in the theater.
32 Therefore some were shouting one thing and some another, for the crowd was confused and the majority didn't even know why they had come together.
33 Then they forced Alexander out of the crowd--the Jews pushing him to the front. Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make a defense before the public assembly.
34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all of them with one voice for about 2 hours, shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."
35 Finally the town clerk quieted the people, then he said, "Men of Ephesus, where is the man who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is the custodian of the great goddess Artemis and the image which fell down from the sky.
36 "Knowing then that these things cannot be argued, you should be quiet and do nothing rashly.
37 "For you have brought these men here who are neither guilty of sacrilege or blasphemers of your goddess.
38 "Therefore if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have any complaint against any one, the courts are open and there are proconsuls were they can bring charges.
39 "If you are seeking anything else, it must be decided in a lawful assembly.
40 "For we are in danger of being questioned about today's riot, for there is no answer that we can give to account for this mass gathering."
41 After speaking this, he dismissed the assembly.
1 After the uproar had stopped, Paul called the disciples, embraced them, and left to go to Macedonia.
2 When he had gone over those areas and given them a lot of encouragement, he came to Greece.
3 He stayed there for three months. When the Jews plotted against him as he was ready to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Sopater from Berea, from the Thessalonians were Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and from Asia Tychicus and Trophimus all went with him into Asia.
5 They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.
6 We sailed away from Philippi in the Days of Unleavened Bread and came to them at Troas in five days and stayed there for seven days.
7 On the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them. He was ready to leave on the next day and so continued his message until midnight.
8 There were many lights in the upper room, where they gathered together,
9 and a certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window was going into a deep sleep as Paul was preaching for a long time. [Eutychus] finally being overcome by sleep, fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 Paul then went down, bent over, and taking him in his arms said, "Don't be troubled, for his life in still in him."
11 After he went upstairs again, had broken bread, eaten and talked until daybreak, then he left,
12 and they brought up the young man and were very comforted.
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos with the intent of taking Paul [on board], for he had planned on walking there.
14 When he met us at Assos, we took him in and went to Mitylene.
15 We sailed from there coming the next day to be opposite Chios. Then on the following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus.
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, because he wouldn't have the time to spend in Asia, since he was in a hurry if were possible for him to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
17 At Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
18 When they had come to him, he said to them, "You know from the first day that I came into Asia the way I was with you at all times.
19 "Serving the Lord with complete humility, many tears, and temptations which happened to me by the plots of the Jews.
20 "I never held anything back that which was best for you, having showed you and taught you publicly and from house to house,
21 testifying both to the Jews and Greeks the repentance which is due to God and faith which is due to our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 "Now, look, I am going bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,
23 except that the Holy Spirit bears witness in every city saying that shackles and persecution are waiting for me.
24 "But none of these things bother me, not do I consider my life precious to me, so that I can finish my life's race with joy, and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus to bear witness for the gospel of God's grace.
25 "Now I know that all of you whom I have been going around and preaching the Kingdom of God to will not see my face anymore.
26 "Therefore I have you for a witness this very day, that I am pure from the blood of all.
27 "For I haven't held back to tell you the full purpose of God.
28 "Take heed therefore for yourselves and to the whole flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the congregation of God which he has purchased with his own blood.
29 "For I know that after I leave, grievous wolves will enter among you who will not spare the flock.
30 "Also from your own selves, men will rise up, speaking perversions to draw away the disciples after them.
31 "Therefore pay close attention and remember that over the space of three years, I didn't stop warning every one day and night with tears.
32 "And now brethren, I surrender you to the safekeeping of God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified.
33 "I have not coveted any one's silver, gold, or clothes.
34 "You yourselves know that these hands have served for my necessary things and for those who were with me.
35 "I have showed you everything, so that by working you must support the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus when he said, «It is more blessed to give, than to receive.»
36 After he had spoken these things, he kneeled down and prayed with all of them.
37 They all wept deeply and embraced Paul and kissed him,
38 being very sad most of all for the words which he said that they wouldn't see his face anymore. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
1 And so it happened that after we had torn ourselves from them, we set sail. We came with a straight run to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2 Then finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we got abroad and sailed out.
3 Now after spotting Cyprus, we left on the left side, sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre, because the ship had to unload her cargo.
4 Finding disciples there, we stayed for seven days. They said to Paul by the Spirit that he was not to go up to Jerusalem.
5 After we had finished our time there, we left and went on our journey. All of them with wives and children accompanied us on our journey until we were out of the city, then we kneeled down on the shore and prayed.
6 After we said goodbye to one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home again.
7 After we had finished this journey from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed there with them for one day.
8 The next day those of us who were with Paul left and went to Caesarea and entered the house of Philip, the evangelist, who was one of the seven [deacons] and stayed with him.
9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 While we were staying there for many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came there from Judea.
11 After coming to us, he took Paul's belt and tied up his own hands and feet, then he said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit «In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.»
12 When we heard that, both we and the people there, begged him to not go to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, "Why do to cry so and break my heart? For I am read to not only be tied up but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
14 Not being able to persuade him, we stopped and said, "The will of the Lord be done."
15 Then after the time there, we packed up and went to Jerusalem.
16 Certain disciples of Caesarea went with us, and they brought with them Mnason from Cyprus, an old disciple with whom we were going to stay.
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren gladly welcomed us.
18 Then on the next day Paul went with us to James; all the elders were present.
19 After greeting them, he told them in detail all the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 After hearing this, they praised the Lord and said to him, "Do you see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and all are zealous for the Law.
21 "They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses telling them that they don't need to circumcise their children not have to live by the customs.
22 "Therefore what is to be done, for the multitude will surely hear that you have come.
23 "Now do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.
24 "Take them, purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads, then all will know that the things of which they heard about you are nothing, and that you, yourself, also live orderly and obey the Law.
25 "Concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and came to the conclusion that they don't have to observe these things, except that they must keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, from [eating] blood, from [eating] things [killed] by strangling, and from fornication."
26 So Paul took the men. The next day after purifying himself with them, he entered the temple to give notice when the days of purification would be completed, that is, the time that an offering needs to be made for each one of them.
27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, after seeing him in the Temple, stirred up all of the people and grabbed him with their hands, Act 21:28 shouting, "Men of Israel help [us]. This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against the people, the Law, and this place, and if that isn't enough, he has brought Greeks into the Temple and has polluted this holy place."
28
29 Earlier they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the Temple.
30 This stirred up the whole city, and all the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the Temple and immediately the doors were shut.
31 They were wanting to kill him, but news came to the chief captain that all of Jerusalem was in a confused uproar.
32 He immediately took solders and centurions and ran down to them. When the spotted the chief captain and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the chief captain came close, took him, and commanded him to be tied up with two chains. Then he demanded who he was, and what he had done.
34 Some of the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. When he couldn't know for sure what the commotion was about, he commanded for him to be carried into the barracks.
35 After he had come to the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
36 for the crowd of people followed shouting, "Away with him."
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the chief captain, "May I speak to you?" [The chief captain] said, "Can you speak Greek?
38 "Aren't you the Egyptian who recently stirred up a rebellion and led four thousand assassins into the wilderness?"
39 Paul replied, "I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen from no unknown city, and I plead with you to allow me to speak to the people."
40 After giving him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. When everything was quiet, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
1 "Men, brethren, and fathers listen to my defense which I now make to you."
2 When they heard him speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they grew even more quiet, then he said,
3 "I am truly a Jewish man born in Tarsus in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the exact teachings of the Law of our ancestors, and was zealous for God as all of you are today.
4 "I persecuted this way even to death, chaining and imprisoning both men and women
5 as the High Priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. I also got letters from them to the brethren and left for Damascus to bring those who were there back to Jerusalem chained to be punished.
6 "Now it happened that as I went on my journey I was getting close to Damascus about noon time. Suddenly a bright light shone from heaven all around me.
7 "I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, «Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?»
8 "I answered, «Who are you Lord?' Then he said to me, «I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.»
9 "Those who were me really did see the light and were afraid, but they didn't understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
10 "I said, «What shall I do, Lord?» The Lord said to me, Get up and go into Damascus, and there everything that is appointed for you to do will be told to you.»
11 "Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and I came into Damascus.
12 "One, Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who has a good testimony from all the Jews who lived there,
13 came to me, stood there, and said to me, «Brother Saul, receive you sight.» That very hour I saw him.
14 "He said, «The God of our fathers has chosen you, so that you should know His will, to see the Just One, and that you should hear the voice of his mouth.
15 «For you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.
16 «Now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, wash away your sin, calling on the name of the Lord.»
17 "And it came about that when I had returned to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the Temple, I was in a semiconscious state,
18 and saw him saying to me, «Go fast and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept your testimony about me.»
19 "I said, «Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat up in every synagogue every one of them who believed in you,
20 and the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I was standing alongside also, consenting for his death, and kept the clothes of those who killed him.»
21 "He said to me, «Get out of here, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.»
22 They paid attention to him until he said this word, then raised their voices and said, "Away with such a [person] from the earth, for it is not fit for him to live."
23 As they shouted, throwing their cloaks up, and throwing dust into the air,
24 the chief captain commanded that he be brought into the barracks and said that he should be examined by flogging so that he might know why they shouted at him like this.
25 As they were tying him up with leather straps, Paul said to the centurion that stood there, "Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman and uncondemned even?"
26 When the centurion heard this, he went and told the chief captain saying, "Be careful what you do, for this man is a Roman."
27 Then the chief captain came and said to him, "Tell me. Are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes."
28 The chief captain replied, "I obtained this freedom by paying a lot of money." Paul said, "But I was freeborn."
29 Then they immediately left him alone who was to be examined, and the chief captain also was afraid, after he found out that he was a Roman and because he had tied him up.
30 Because he wanted to know for certain what he was accused of by the Jews, he loosened him from his shackles and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to come [before him], then he brought Paul down and set him before them.
1 Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Men and brethren, I have lived with a good conscience before God even to this day."
2 Then the high priest, Ananias, gave an order to those who stood near him to hit him in his mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, "God is about to hit you, you whitewashed wall, for you sit to judge me according to the Law and yet give an order against me to be hit even though it is against the Law."
4 Those standing there said, "Do you so severely talk to God's high priest?"
5 Then Paul said, "I didn't know, brethren, that he was the high priest, for it is written, «You must not speak evil of the ruler of your people.»
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted to the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. Because of the hope and the resurrection from the dead, I am judged."
7 After he had said this, a disagreement arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The assembly was divided,
8 because the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees confess both.
9 Then loud shouting started, and the scribes who were Pharisees got up and said sternly, "We find nothing evil in this man, now maybe a spirit or an angel did speak to him, so let us not fight against God."
10 Then after a loud disagreement, the chief captain fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from them and bring him into the barracks.
11 That next night the Lord stood near him and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul, as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome."
12 When it was day, certain Jews bound themselves together and under a curse saying that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 There were more than forty in this secret plan.
14 They came to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have placed ourselves under a severe curse that we will not eat nothing until we have killed Paul.
15 "Now therefore you along with the council inform the chief captain, so that he will bring him down to you tomorrow, as if you wanted to understand some things about him more perfectly, and we--before he comes close--are ready to kill him."
16 But when Paul's sister's son heard about their ambush, he went, entered the barracks, and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Bring this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him."
18 So he took him, brought him to the chief captain, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called for me and asked me to bring this young man to you, and he has something to tell you."
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him to a private place and asked, "What do you have to tell me?"
20 He said, "The Jews have agreed together to ask you if you would bring Paul down to the council tomorrow as if they wanted to learn more exactly about him,
21 but don't give in to them, for lying in ambush are more than forty men who have bound themselves to an oath that they will not eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for a promise from you."
22 So the chief captain then let the young man leave and commanded him, "Do not tell any one that you have revealed these things to me."
23 Then he called for two centurions, saying, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea along with 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen at nine PM,
24 and provide animals so that Paul may sit and bring him safely to Felix, the governor."
25 Next he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 "Claudius Lysias to his Excellent Felix: Greeting.
27 "This man was seized by the Jews and would have been killed by them, but I came with an army and rescued him, because I understood that he was a Roman.
28 "When I wanted to know the reason why they accused him, I brought him out to their council,
29 whom I perceived to be accused about questions about their law, but I have nothing to charge him for deserving death or of prison.
30 "After it was told me how the Jews were laying ambush for the man, I immediately sent him to you and gave orders to his accusers also to speak to you what they had against him. Farewell."
31 Then the soldiers following orders took Paul and brought him at night to Antipatris.
32 On the next day they let the horsemen go on with him and returned to the barracks.
33 After [the horsemen] came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 After the governor had read [the letter], he asked from which province he came from and finding that he was from Cilicia.
35 "I will hear you," he said, "when your accusers arrive." He then commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.
1 Five days later Ananias, the high priest, came down with the elders and a certain orator by the name of Tertullus, who told him things against Paul.
2 After being summoned, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, "Seeing it is by you that we enjoy great peace and that wonderful things are done to this nation by your caring concern.
3 "All of us everywhere always gladly accept this most noble Felix with all thankfulness.
4 "Nevertheless so that I won't be taking up your time, I desire that you would hear a few words in your fairness.
5 "For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up sedition among all the Jews through out the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
6 "He has also tried to profane the Temple, whom we seized and would have judged according to our law,
7 but the chief captain, Lysias came and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you can see for yourself about these things that we are accusing him."
9 The Jews also agreed saying that these things were so.
10 Then after the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul answered, "Knowing that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I do more cheerfully answer for myself,
11 so that you may know that there are not even twelve days since I went to worship.
12 "Neither have they found me in the Temple arguing with any one nor stirring up the people in the synagogues or the city.
13 "Neither can they prove any of the things that they now accuse me.
14 "But I do confess to you that I worship the God of my fathers according to the way which they call heresy. I believe everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets,
15 and having hope in God which they, themselves, also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust.
16 "In this I always keep doing: to have a clear conscience toward God and man.
17 "Now many years later I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation.
18 "And there certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the Temple without a crowd or disturbance,
19 who should be here before you and accuse me if they had something against me,
20 or else let these same [people] say if they have found any wicked acts in me while I stood before the Council,
21 except for this one thing I shouted out when standing among them: [It is] because of the resurrection from the dead that I am on trial by you today."
22 After Felix heard these things, having a better understanding of the Way, he put them off and said, "When Lysias, the chief captain, comes down, I will know more and decide your case."
23 Then he commanded a centurion to guard Paul, but to let him have some liberty and not forbid any of his friends to come to him and provide for his needs.
24 A number of days later when Felix along with Drusilla, who was a Jewess, his wife, came, sent for Paul, and listened to him about faith in Christ.
25 As he reasoned with him about righteousness, self control, and the judgment to come, Felix trembled and said, "You can leave now; when I have a convenient time, I will call for you."
26 He also hoped that some money would be given to him by Paul, so that he could free him, for that reason he sent for him often and talked with him.
27 After two years Porcius succeeded Felix's office, Felix wanting to show the Jews a favor, left Paul in prison.
1 Now three days after Festus had come into the province, he came up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the high priest and the Jewish leaders laid out their case against Paul, and encouraged
3 and begged him [to do] a favor against [Paul} that he [Festus] would send him to Jerusalem--for they had an ambush to kill him on the way.
4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea and that he, himself, would be leaving [for there] shortly.
5 "Therefore let them who are able among you," he said, "come down with me and accuse this man, if there is any wickedness in him."
6 After he stayed among them for more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea and on the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought in.
7 After he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges against Paul, which they could not prove.
8 But Paul made his own defense, "Nothing against the Law of the Jews, against the Temple, or even against Caesar have I committed any thing wrong."
9 But Festus wanting to do a favor for the Jews answered Paul, "Will you go up with me to Jerusalem and be tried of these charges before me?"
10 Then Paul answered, "I ought to be tried at Caesar's judgment seat. I have done no wrong to the Jews as you know very well.
11 "For if I am an wrongdoer or have committed anything worthy of death, I don't refuse to die, but if there are none of these things that they accuse me of, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."
12 Then Festus after talking it over with the council, answered, "Have you appealed to Caesar? Then to Caesar you will go."
13 Some time later King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to welcome Festus.
14 After they had been there a few days, Festus informed Paul's situation to the king, saying, "There is a certain man left a prisoner here by Felix,
15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders told me about him, requesting that I would condemn him.
16 "I answered them, «It is not the Roman's way to hand over any one to die before he who is accused have the accusers face to face [with him] and have permission to defend himself about the crime laid against him.»
17 "Therefore when they came here, I sat the next day on the judgment seat without delay and commanded that the man be brought in.
18 "When the accusers stood up against him, they didn't bring evil crimes like I thought [they would],
19 but had certain arguments against him about their own superstitions and one about a Jesus who was dead, but Paul claimed to be alive.
20 "Because I was at a loss of such questions, I asked him if he would go to Jerusalem and be tried there about these things.
21 "But after Paul had appealed to be kept under guard for the decision of the Emperor, I commanded him to be kept under guard until I could sent him to Caesar."
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like also hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him."
23 On the next day after Agrippa and Bernice had come with pomp and entered in the audience hall along with the chief captains and the prominent men of the city, Paul was brought out at Festus' commandment.
24 Festus said, "King Agrippa and all men who are here with us, you are seeing the man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have been dealing with me both at Jerusalem and here shouting that he should not live any longer.
25 "But after I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death and that he had appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
26 "I have nothing definite to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out to you and especially to you King Agrippa, so that after your examination, I might have something to write.
27 "For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not specify the crimes against him."
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and so he began his defense,
2 "I consider myself happy, King Agrippa, because I will be answering for myself this day before you concerning everything that I am accused of by the Jews.
3 "Especially so because I know that you are an expert in all the customs and controversies among the Jews. Therefore I ask you to patiently hear me.
4 "My way of life from my youth beginning in my own nation at Jerusalem, the Jews all know.
5 "[They] who knew me from the beginning--if they would testify--have known that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.
6 "Now I stand here and am judged for the promised hope made by God to our forefathers.
7 [It is] for that promise our twelve tribes--earnestly serving God day and night--hope to attain that I am accused of by the Jews.
8 "Why should it be something hard for you to believe, that God raises the dead.
9 "I, my self, truly thought that I needed to do many things antagonistic to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 "I did the same in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison having been given authority from the chief priests, and when they were killed, I gave my vote against them.
11 "I punished them frequently in every synagogue and tried to force them to blaspheme. Being extremely angry against them, I persecuted them even into foreign cities.
12 "And for that as I went to Damascus with authority and appointed for this purpose by the chief priests,
13 I saw O king at midday, on the road a light from heaven, greater than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 "After we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, talking to me in the Hebrew language, «Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Is it hard for you to kick against the goads?»
15 "I said, «Who are you Lord?» He said, «I am Jesus whom you persecute.
16 «Now get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to be a minister and witness both of these things which you have seen and of those things which I will show to you,
17 delivering you from the People and from the Gentiles--to whom I now sent you
18 to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19 "And so, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 but first told them in Damascus, then Jerusalem and through out all Judea, then to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and to do deeds appropriate for repentance.
21 "For these reasons the Jews grabbed me in the Temple and tried to kill me.
22 "Surely I have got help from God; I continue to this day witnessing both to small and great saying nothing but those things that the prophets and Moses said would happen,
23 that Christ would suffer and that he should be the first who would rise from the dead and show light to the People and to the Gentiles."
24 As he was making his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are a raving idiot; too much study is making you crazy."
25 But [Paul] said, "I am not crazy, most noble Festus but speak the words of truth and a sound mind.
26 "For the king knows all these things, before whom I speak so freely, for I am persuaded that none of these things escape your notice, for this was not done in a corner.
27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you trying to convince me to be a Christian?"
29 Then Paul said, "I wish to God that not only you but also all who hear me today that whether with little or with much were just as I am, except for these bonds."
30 After he had so this, the king got up along with the governor, Bernice, and those who sat with them,
31 and after going out they talked among themselves saying, "This man is doing nothing worthy of death or bonds."
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have set free, if he hadn't appealed to Caesar."
1 After it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they handed Paul and certain other prisoner over to Julius, a centurion of the Emperor's Regiment.
2 Entering a ship of Adramyttium, we set sail with intention to sail near the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, Macedonian from Thessalonica was with us.
3 The next day we landed at Sidon. Julius treated Paul humanely and gave him freedom to go to his friends so he could have what he needed.
4 After launching from there we sailed under the sheltered side of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary [to us].
5 After we had sailed over the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.
6 There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing to Italy, and he put us on it.
7 After we had sailed slowly for many days and with difficulty had arrived of Cnidus, the wind was not allowing us [to go on], so we sailed under the sheltered side of Crete passing by Salmone.
8 With difficulty we passed it and came to a place which is called Safe Havens. Close by there was the city of Lasea.
9 Since it had taken a long time and now that sailing was dangerous--since the fast had already past--Paul advised them,
10 and said, "Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be hazardous and with much damage, not only to the cargo and ship but also to our lives."
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the captain and ship's owner more than the things that Paul said.
12 Also the harbor was not suitable to winter in so the majority decided to leave as well, if by any means they might reach Phoenix, which is a Cretin harbor that faces south west and north west, to winter there.
13 When the south wind blew softly, they thought they had obtained their purpose, lifted the anchor and sailed close to Crete.
14 Not long after a tempestuous wind called a "Northeaster" came up against it.
15 After the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we let [her] be driven along [by the wind].
16 Running under the sheltered side of a certain island named Clauda, we had a lot of work to secure the boat.
17 After lifting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship, and fearing that they would end up on sandbanks of the Syrtis, they lowered the sail, and thus they let the ship be carried along [by the wind].
18 We were being tossed about violently by the storm, so the next day they lightened the ship.
19 On the third day we threw out the ship's tackle with our own hands.
20 After sun nor stars were seen for many days and no small storm laid on us, all hope was gone that we should be saved.
21 After a long time without food Paul stood in front of them and said, "Sirs you should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete and to have been spared this injury and loss.
22 "Now let me encourage you to be cheerful, for there will be no loss of anyone's life among you only [the loss] of the ship.
23 "For last night an angel of the God, to whom I belong, and whom I serve, stood beside me,
24 saying «Don't be afraid, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar, and look, God has given all those who sail with you.»
25 "Therefore, sirs, be cheerful, for I believe God, that it will happen even as it was said to me.
26 "Nevertheless we must run aground on some island."
27 When the fourteenth day arrived, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea around midnight, the sailors suspected that they were getting close to some land.
28 They measured the depth and found it [to be] twenty fathoms [about 120 feet], and after going a little farther, they measured it again and found [it was] 15 fathoms [90 feet].
29 Then fearing that the ship would run aground on some rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and wished for daylight.
30 As the sailors were about to abandon ship--after letting down the life boat into the sea under the pretense of letting down anchors from the prow.
31 Paul, said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."
32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes off the boat, and let her fall away.
33 While day was getting closer, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have waited and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
34 "Therefore I urge you to take some food, for you need it for your health, for not one hair of your head will fall off of any of you."
35 After he had said this, he took bread, gave thanks to God in view of them all, and when he had broken [it], he began to eat.
36 Then they all were happy, and they took some food also.
37 All of us in the ship were 276 souls.
38 After they had eaten enough, they made the ship lighter and threw out the grain into the sea.
39 When it was daylight, they didn't recognize the land but noticed a certain bay with a beach into which they intended, if possible, to drive the ship.
40 After taking up the anchors, left them in the sea, loosed the rudder ropes, hoisted up the main sail to the wind, and made for the shore.
41 Falling into a place where two currents met, they ran the ship aground. The front part was unmovable, and the back part was broken up from the violence of the waves.
42 The soldier's advice was to kill the prisoners, fearing that any of them would swim away and escape,
43 but the centurion wanting to save Paul kept them from doing that, and commanded that those who could swim should jump out first and get to land
44 and the rest [to use] boards or other pieces of the ship. So it happened that all escaped safely to the land.
1 When they were safe, they found out that the island was named Malta.
2 The natives showed us the type of kindness not seen every day, for they lit a fire and welcomed everyone of us, because it was raining and cold.
3 Paul had gathered a bunch of sticks and laid them on the fire, then a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and clamped down on his hand.
4 When the natives saw the poisonous snake hanging on his hand, they said among themselves, "No doubt, this man is a murderer, and even though he has escaped the sea, justice will not allow him to live."
5 Then he shook off the creature into the fire and was not harmed at all.
6 Nevertheless they were waiting when he should swell up or suddenly fall down dead, but after they had watched for a long time and saw no harm happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 In that same area were the lands of Publius, the chief of the island, who welcomed us and kindly lodged us for three days.
8 It then happened that Publius' father was lying sick from a fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed, laid hands on him, and healed him.
9 So after this was done, others who also were sick on the island came and were healed.
10 Who also honored us with many types of gifts, and when we left, they gave us all what we needed.
11 After three months, we left in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered at the island, whose sign was "The Twin Gods,"
12 and landing at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.
13 From there we sailed along and came to Rhegium, and after one day the south wind blew, and we arrived the day following at Puteoli.
14 Where we found brethren and were invited to stay with them for seven days. After that we moved toward Rome.
15 From there when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as the market of Appii and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
16 When we came to Rome, the centurion handed the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier that guarded him.
17 Then it came about that three days later Paul called for the chief of the Jews to come together, and when they were together, he said to them, "Men and brethren, though I have done nothing wrong against the People or the customs of our forefathers, yet I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18 "Who when they had examined me would have let me go, because there was no crime in me [deserving] the death penalty.
19 "But when the Jews spoke against it, it was necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though I had nothing for which to accuse my nation.
20 "For this reason, therefore, I have called for you, to see you and to speak with you, because for the hope of Israel, I am bound with these chains."
21 They said to him, "We have not received letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brethren that came reported or told us of any evil about you.
22 "But we want to hear from you, what you think, for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."
23 When they had appointed a time for him, many came to him where he was staying. He talked in detail to them and testified about the Kingdom of God, persuading them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and the Prophets from morning to night.
24 Some believed the things that he talked about, but others did not believe.
25 When they could not agree among themselves, they left after Paul spoke one more thing, "The Holy Spirit said it well through Isaiah the prophet to our forefathers,
26 saying, «Go to this people and say, "You will hear it and hear it but not understand, and you will look at it and look at it but not comprehend it.
27 «For the heart of this people is calloused, and their ears are dull of hearing. They have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart, and then be converted, and I would heal them.»
28 "Be it known, therefore, by you that the salvation of God is sent out to the Gentiles, and they will hear it."
29 After saying these words, the Jews left and had a great discussion [about this] among themselves.
30 Paul lived for two whole years in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to him,
31 preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ boldly, no one stopping him.