BWE - Acts

Chapter 1

1:1  Theophilus, in the first book I wrote to you, I wrote about all the things Jesus began to do and to teach.

1:2  He did those things until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he went up, he gave orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

1:3  In many ways he proved to them that he was living again after his terrible death. For forty days they often saw him. Then he told them things about God’s kingdom.

1:4  One day when he was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, ‘Wait here for what the Father promised you. I have told you about that promise already.

1:5  John baptised with water. But you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit when a few days have passed.’

1:6  When they had come together, the apostles asked Jesus, ‘Lord, are you now going to set up the kingdom of Israel?’

1:7  He answered them, ‘You will not know the days or the months which the Father has chosen.

1:8  But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power. You will speak of me in Jerusalem and all around in Judea and Samaria and everywhere in the world.’

1:9  When Jesus had said this, he went up. They watched him going. Then a cloud hid him, and they did not see him any more.

1:10  While they were looking at the sky as he went up, two men stood by them in white clothes.

1:11  They said, ‘You men from Galilee, why do you stand there looking at the sky? Jesus has gone up into heaven. In the same way that you saw him go up, he will come again.’

1:12  Then they left the hill called the Mount of Olives. They went back to Jerusalem which was not far away. (It was how far the law said people may walk on the Sabbath day.)

1:13  When they reached Jerusalem, they went to a room up in a house. Here lived Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon the freedom fighter, and Judas the son of James.

1:14  All of these people were talking to God. The women, Jesus’ mother Mary, and Jesus’ brothers were there talking to God also.

1:15  About one hundred and twenty people were gathered together. Peter stood up among them to speak to them.

1:16  He said, ‘My friends and brothers, Judas showed the people where Jesus was so they could take him. The Holy Spirit spoke through king David long ago about Judas before he did it. What was written about him has now happened.

1:17  Judas was one of us. He had his part of the work to do.’

1:18  (Judas received money for the wrong thing he did. He bought a field with the money and fell on his face. His belly burst open and all his insides came out.

1:19  All the people who live in Jerusalem know about this. In their language they named the field Akeldama, which means The Field of Blood.)

1:20  ‘The book of Psalms says, “His house must be empty. No one may live in it.” And it also says, “Someone else must do his work.”

1:21  ‘Here are men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus was with us.

1:22  They were with us from the time John baptised people until the day Jesus was taken up from us. One of these men must help us tell people that Jesus was raised from death.’

1:23  They took two men. One was Joseph, named Barsabbas, who had another name Justus. The other man was Matthias.

1:24  Then the people talked to God. They said, ‘Lord, you know what is in everybody’s heart. Show us which of these two men you have chosen to have a part in this work and to be an apostle. For Judas left this work and went to the place where he belonged.’

1:25  Then the people talked to God. They said, ‘Lord, you know what is in everybody’s heart. Show us which of these two men you have chosen to have a part in this work and to be an apostle. For Judas left this work and went to the place where he belonged.’

1:26  Then they picked out the name of Matthias. He was chosen to be with the eleven apostles.

Chapter 2

2:1  On the day of Pentecost these people were all in one place.

2:2  Then, suddenly, a sound came from heaven. It was like a very strong wind blowing. It went all through the house where they were sitting.

2:3  And then they saw tongues like fire. These were divided and came on each one of the people there.

2:4  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak the words of God in other languages as the Spirit spoke through them.

2:5  Crowds of Jews were staying in Jerusalem. They had come from every country in the world. They were good men who believed in God.

2:6  Many people came together when they heard the apostles speaking. They did not know what to think. Everyone heard someone speaking in his own language.

2:7  They were all very much surprised and said to each other, ‘These men who are speaking, are they not all from Galilee?

2:8  How is it then that each one of us hears the language of our own country?

2:9  We people from the countries of Parthia and Media and Elam all hear the wonderful things God has done. So also do the people who live in the countries of Mesopotamia, and in Judea in Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, in Phrygia, and Pamphylia, and in Egypt, and in some parts of Lybia around Cyrene, people from the city of Rome who are now living in Jerusalem, both Jews and those who joined themselves to the Jews, the people from Crete and Arabia. These men from Galilee are speaking in our own languages.’

2:10  We people from the countries of Parthia and Media and Elam all hear the wonderful things God has done. So also do the people who live in the countries of Mesopotamia, and in Judea in Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, in Phrygia, and Pamphylia, and in Egypt, and in some parts of Lybia around Cyrene, people from the city of Rome who are now living in Jerusalem, both Jews and those who joined themselves to the Jews, the people from Crete and Arabia. These men from Galilee are speaking in our own languages.’

2:11  We people from the countries of Parthia and Media and Elam all hear the wonderful things God has done. So also do the people who live in the countries of Mesopotamia, and in Judea in Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, in Phrygia, and Pamphylia, and in Egypt, and in some parts of Lybia around Cyrene, people from the city of Rome who are now living in Jerusalem, both Jews and those who joined themselves to the Jews, the people from Crete and Arabia. These men from Galilee are speaking in our own languages.’

2:12  They were all very much surprised and could hardly believe it. ‘What does this mean?’ they asked each other.

2:13  Other people laughed about it and said, ‘These men have been drinking too much new wine.’

2:14  Peter stood up with the eleven apostles. He shouted, ‘You men of Judea and all who stay in Jerusalem, listen to me! I will tell you the truth.

2:15  You think that these men are drunk. That is not so. It is only nine o’clock in the morning.

2:16  The thing that has happened is what the prophet Joel told about.

2:17  He said, “God says, ‘In the last days I will send my Spirit on all people. I will speak through your sons and daughters. Your young men will see visions and your old men will have dreams.

2:18  In those days I will send my Spirit on the men and women who serve me and I will speak through them.

2:19  In the sky above and on the earth below I will show wonderful signs with blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

2:20  The sun will be dark and the moon will be like blood. These things will happen before the day of the Lord comes. It will be a great day that will be remembered always.

2:21  And anyone who calls out to the Lord will be saved.’”

2:22  ‘You men of Israel, listen to this. God showed you that he was pleased with this man, Jesus of Nazareth. He proved it by the big works and the wonderful signs which he did by Jesus right here among you people. And you yourselves know it.

2:23  This same Jesus was given up. You let bad men take him. You let them nail him to a cross and kill him. This is just the way God had planned it. He knew how it would happen. But God raised him back to life. He set him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold him.

2:24  This same Jesus was given up. You let bad men take him. You let them nail him to a cross and kill him. This is just the way God had planned it. He knew how it would happen. But God raised him back to life. He set him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold him.

2:25  ‘King David spoke about Jesus long ago. He said, “I saw the Lord before me always. He is at my right hand so that I may not be shaken.

2:26  That made my heart very happy. It made my tongue sing for joy. And even my body also will rest in peace because you will not leave my body in the grave. You will not let your Holy One die and be spoiled.

2:27  That made my heart very happy. It made my tongue sing for joy. And even my body also will rest in peace because you will not leave my body in the grave. You will not let your Holy One die and be spoiled.

2:28  You have shown me the ways of life. You will make me very happy when I am with you.”

2:29  ‘My brothers, I can talk very plainly to you about your father, David. He died and was buried. His grave is still here today.

2:30  He was a prophet. He knew that God had promised him that someone born of his family would sit on his chair to rule. That one was Christ.

2:31  David knew what would happen. So he said that Christ would be raised from death. Christ was not left in the grave. His body was not spoiled. David said all this before it ever happened.

2:32  And now we all saw it. We are telling people that God raised this Jesus back to life.

2:33  ‘God made him great by making him sit at his right side. God gave him the Holy Spirit as he had promised. So he sent this which you now see and hear.

2:34  David himself has not gone up into the heavens. What he said was, “The Lord God said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand till I bring your enemies down and put your feet on them.’”

2:35  David himself has not gone up into the heavens. What he said was, “The Lord God said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand till I bring your enemies down and put your feet on them.’”

2:36  ‘So let all the people of Israel know this: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Christ. This is the same Jesus whom you nailed to the cross.’

2:37  What Peter said cut the people’s hearts when they heard it. They knew they had done wrong. They said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’

2:38  ‘Stop your wrong ways and turn back to God,’ answered Peter. ‘And then everyone of you can be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Your wrong ways will be forgiven you, and you will receive the Holy Spirit.

2:39  This promise is for you and your children and for all those whom the Lord our God calls, even though they are far away.’

2:40  Peter went on talking and teaching the people. ‘Do not follow the wrong ways of people today,’ he begged.

2:41  Then those who gladly received his words and believed were baptised. That same day about three thousand new believers joined them.

2:42  They kept on being taught by the apostles. And they kept on being with them. They ate bread together and talked with God.

2:43  All the people were very much surprised. Many wonderful things and signs were done by the apostles.

2:44  All the believers were together; and everything they had was for the use of all.

2:45  They sold their things and divided the money among the believers. They gave each person what he needed.

2:46  And every day the believers kept on gathering in the temple. They ate bread in each other’s homes. They ate their food gladly and with open hearts. They praised God. All the people respected them. Day by day, the Lord added to the church those who were saved.

2:47  And every day the believers kept on gathering in the temple. They ate bread in each other’s homes. They ate their food gladly and with open hearts. They praised God. All the people respected them. Day by day, the Lord added to the church those who were saved.

Chapter 3

3:1  One day at three o’clock, Peter and John went to the temple to talk with God.

3:2  There was a man who had been born lame. He was carried and was laid at the gate of the temple every day. The gate was called Beautiful. He was brought there to beg. He asked for money from the people who went into the temple.

3:3  This man saw Peter and John ready to go into the temple. He begged them to give him something.

3:4  Peter and John looked at him. Peter said, ‘Look at us.’

3:5  The man looked at them. He thought they would give him something.

3:6  Then Peter said, ‘I have no money. But I will give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!’

3:7  He took the man’s right hand and raised him up. Right away his feet and ankles became strong.

3:8  He jumped to his feet and walked into the temple with them. He was so happy he jumped around and praised God.

3:9  All the people saw him walking and praising God.

3:10  And they knew that this was the man who sat begging at the temple gate which was called Beautiful. They were very much surprised at what had happened to him. They could hardly believe it.

3:11  While the man still held on to Peter and John, all the people came running to them. It was in the part of the temple which is called Solomon’s porch. They were still very excited.

3:12  When Peter saw this, he talked to the people. He said, ‘Men of Israel, why are you so surprised at this? Do you think that we have power or are good enough to make this man walk? Why do you look at us that way?

3:13  The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and of our fathers, has made his Son Jesus great. You gave him up to Pilate. You did not want to believe who he was. You did not want him back when Pilate agreed to let him go free.

3:14  You would not receive the one who was holy and good. You asked for a bad man, who killed people, to be given to you.

3:15  You killed the one who gives life, the one whom God brought back from death. We saw it and are telling people about it.

3:16  This man whom you see and know, believed in the name of Jesus Christ. This man’s faith in that name has healed him. Yes, believing in Jesus Christ has made him well here in front of you all.

3:17  ‘My brothers, I know that you and your rulers killed Jesus because you did not understand what you were doing.

3:18  But in this way God did what he had told us would happen. Through all the prophets he had told us that Christ would suffer.

3:19  ‘Stop doing wrong things. Turn to God again. Then the wrong things you have done will be wiped away altogether. The Lord will give you a new start and make you very glad.

3:20  He will send you Jesus. He was the one God chose to be the Christ.

3:21  But he must wait in heaven until the time when all things will be made new again as they were at first. By his holy prophets God spoke of all this from the beginning.

3:22  Moses himself said, “The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet like me. He will be one of your brothers. You must listen to everything that the Prophet says to you.

3:23  And everyone who does not obey that Prophet will be cut off from his people altogether.”

3:24  ‘Prophets spoke at the time of Samuel, and prophets spoke after that time. They all have told about these days also.

3:25  You are the people who have received what the prophets promised. And you have received the agreement which God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, “Through your children all the nations of the earth will receive blessing.”

3:26  God raised up and sent his Son to you first to bless you. He blesses you when each one of you stops doing wrong things.’

Chapter 4

4:1  Peter and John were talking to the people. The priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them.

4:2  They were angry at Peter and John because they taught the people. They were angry because they told them that Jesus was brought back from death.

4:3  They caught them and put them in prison until the next day, because it was already evening.

4:4  But many of the people who heard them speak the word of God, believed what they said. The number of men who believed was about five thousand.

4:5  The next day their rulers, leaders, and scribes met in Jerusalem.

4:6  Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all of the high priest’s family were there also.

4:7  Peter and John were brought before them. They asked the apostles, ‘By what power or in what name have you done this?’

4:8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and leaders of Israel, have you brought us to court today because of the good thing that was done to the lame man? Do you want to find out how he was healed?

4:9  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and leaders of Israel, have you brought us to court today because of the good thing that was done to the lame man? Do you want to find out how he was healed?

4:10  Well, let it be known by all the people of Israel. This man standing before you is healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He has done this. You nailed him to a cross, but God raised him from death.

4:11  Jesus Christ is the stone which you, the builders, would not use. But he is now the chief corner stone.

4:12  No one else can save us. Of all the people in the world, God chose him to save us. It is by him we must be saved.’

4:13  They saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak out. They knew that they were like any other men. They did not have much training. So the people were very much surprised. They knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

4:14  They saw the man who had been healed standing beside them. So they could say nothing against them.

4:15  They told Peter and John to leave the court. Then they talked the matter over among themselves.

4:16  They said, ‘What shall we do to these men? All the people who live in Jerusalem know about this big work they have done. And we cannot say they did not do it.

4:17  But we do not want any more people to hear about it. So let us say to these men, “Take care! Never speak to anyone in this name again.”’

4:18  They called them in and said, ‘Never speak or teach in this name again.’

4:19  But Peter and John answered them, ‘How does God look at it? Is it right for us to obey you or to obey him? You judge that for yourselves.

4:20  As for us, we must tell the things we have seen and heard.’

4:21  So the high priest and those with him told them again. Then they let them go. They could not punish them because of the people. They all praised God for what had been done.

4:22  The man who had been healed was more than forty years old.

4:23  When they were free, Peter and John went back to their own friends. They told them all that the chief priests and leaders had said to them.

4:24  When they heard it, they talked to God together. They said, ‘Lord, you are God. You made the sky, and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

4:25  Our father David was your servant. Through him you said by the Holy Spirit, “Why are the people who are not Jews so angry? And why do the people plan things for nothing?

4:26  The kings of the earth joined their forces. And the rulers met together against the Lord and his Christ.”

4:27  ‘It is true that Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with Jews and those who were not Jews here in this city. They met to make secret plans against your holy Son Jesus, whom you made Christ.

4:28  But they only did what you had already planned should be done.

4:29  Lord, hear their words. Listen to the wrong things they say against us. We are your servants. Help us to speak your word without fear. And heal the sick by your own power. Let signs and wonderful things be done in the name of your holy Son Jesus.’

4:30  Lord, hear their words. Listen to the wrong things they say against us. We are your servants. Help us to speak your word without fear. And heal the sick by your own power. Let signs and wonderful things be done in the name of your holy Son Jesus.’

4:31  When they had talked to God, the room they were in shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word of God without fear.

4:32  All the believers were one in heart and mind. Not one of them said, ‘This is mine.’ But everything they had was for the use of all.

4:33  With much power the apostles told how the Lord Jesus was raised from death. And God blessed them all very much.

4:34  None of them was in need of anything. Those who owned fields and houses sold them. They brought the money to the apostles. Then the apostles gave each one what he needed.

4:35  None of them was in need of anything. Those who owned fields and houses sold them. They brought the money to the apostles. Then the apostles gave each one what he needed.

4:36  There was a man named Joseph, a Levite. He was born in the country of Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. That means “one who helps.”

4:37  He had a field and sold it. He brought the money to the apostles and gave it to them.

Chapter 5

5:1  A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold a field. He brought some of the money to the apostles. But he kept the rest of it. His wife knew what he had done.

5:2  A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold a field. He brought some of the money to the apostles. But he kept the rest of it. His wife knew what he had done.

5:3  Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? Why do you lie to the Holy Spirit? You have kept some of the money which you got for the field.

5:4  As long as you had the field, it belonged to you. When you had the money, you could do what you wanted to do with it. Why then did you plan to do a thing like this? You have not lied to men, but to God.’

5:5  As Ananias heard Peter’s words, he fell down and died. All who heard these things were very much afraid.

5:6  The young men came and wrapped him up. They carried him out and buried him.

5:7  About three hours later, his wife came in. She did not know what had happened.

5:8  Peter asked her, ‘Tell me, did you sell the field for so much money?’ and she answered, ‘Yes, that is how much it was.’

5:9  Then Peter said to her, ‘Why did you two agree together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, I hear the footsteps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out too.’

5:10  And she fell down at Peter’s feet and died. The young men came in and saw that she was dead. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

5:11  Then all the church people, and all the people who heard about this were very much afraid.

5:12  The apostles did many signs and wonderful things for the people who met together in the place called Solomon’s porch.

5:13  Other people feared to join them, but they spoke well of them.

5:14  Many more men and women believed and came to the Lord.

5:15  They brought sick people out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter’s shadow would touch them as he passed by.

5:16  Many people also came from the cities around Jerusalem. They brought others who were sick and those who were controlled by bad spirits. Every one of them was healed.

5:17  Some Sadducees were with the high priest. They all became very jealous.

5:18  They caught the apostles and put them in prison.

5:19  But that night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out.

5:20  ‘Go,’ said the angel. ‘Stand in the temple and tell the people all about this new life.’

5:21  When the apostles heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught the people there. The high priest and his men came. They called a meeting of the court and all the leaders of the Jews. Then they sent men to the prison to bring the apostles out.

5:22  When the men came to the prison, they did not find the apostles there. Then they went back and told the high priest and those with him.

5:23  They said, ‘The prison was locked very well. And the police were guarding the doors. But when we opened the doors, no one was inside.’

5:24  When the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard this, they did not know what to think. ‘We wonder what will come from all this,’ they thought.

5:25  Just then someone came and told them, ‘The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people.’

5:26  Then the captain went with the men and brought the apostles quietly. They did not bring them by force because they were afraid the people would kill them with stones.

5:27  So they brought them in and put them before the court. The high priest asked them, ‘Did we not tell you that you must never teach again in this name? But here you are, teaching people all over Jerusalem in this name. You are trying to put on us the blame for this man’s death.’

5:28  So they brought them in and put them before the court. The high priest asked them, ‘Did we not tell you that you must never teach again in this name? But here you are, teaching people all over Jerusalem in this name. You are trying to put on us the blame for this man’s death.’

5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered them, ‘We must obey God rather than men.

5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, the one you killed by hanging on a dead tree.

5:31  God has made him great at his right side. He has made him leader and Saviour. He has done this so that the people of Israel may stop doing wrong things and be forgiven.

5:32  We know these things are true. So does the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’

5:33  When the judges heard this, they were very, very angry and wanted to kill them.

5:34  Then a lawyer named Gamaliel stood up in the court. He was a Pharisee and all the people respected him. He asked that the apostles be taken out for a while.

5:35  Then he said, ‘Men of Israel, you had better take care what you plan to do to these men.

5:36  Before this time, there was a man named Theudas. He tried to make people believe that he was a great man. He had about four hundred followers. He was killed, and all of his followers were scattered, and the whole thing ended.

5:37  Then after that, at tax time, another man named Judas from Galilee made trouble. Many people followed him. He also was killed and all of his followers were scattered.

5:38  So now, I say, do nothing to these men. Leave them alone. If this is the teaching or work of men, it will come to an end. But if it is of God, you cannot stop these men. You might even be fighting against God!’

5:39  So now, I say, do nothing to these men. Leave them alone. If this is the teaching or work of men, it will come to an end. But if it is of God, you cannot stop these men. You might even be fighting against God!’

5:40  They agreed to do what he said. They called in the apostles and had them beaten. They told them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go.

5:41  The apostles left the court. They were very glad to think that God let them be punished for the name of Jesus.

5:42  Every day, in the temple and in homes, they kept on teaching and talking about Jesus Christ.

Chapter 6

6:1  At that time more and more people joined the disciples. Then there was trouble about a certain matter. The Jews who spoke the Greek language complained against the other Jews. They said that each day when the food was being divided, their women whose husbands were dead did not get their part.

6:2  Then the twelve apostles called all of the disciples together. They said, ‘It is not right for us to stop preaching God’s word to divide the food.

6:3  So then, brothers, you choose seven men who you know are good men. Choose men who are full of the Holy Spirit and are wise. We will give them the work to divide the food.

6:4  But we ourselves will keep on talking with God and telling his word.’

6:5  This pleased all the people. The men they chose were Stephen, a man who believed God and was full of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch who had joined the Jews.

6:6  These men were brought before the apostles. When the apostles had talked with God, they put their hands on their heads.

6:7  The word of God spread further and further, and many people in Jerusalem believed. Many of the priests also believed.

6:8  Stephen received much blessing and power from God. He did many wonderful things and signs among the people.

6:9  But some of the Jews argued with Stephen, and said he was wrong. (They belonged to the meeting place of the Free Men. They were Jews who came from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia Minor.) They did not agree with Stephen.

6:10  But they could not say anything against his wise words and the Spirit by whom he spoke.

6:11  So they paid some people to say, ‘We have heard him say wrong things about Moses and God.’

6:12  They talked to the people, the leaders, and the scribes, and made them angry. They went quickly and caught Stephen and took him into the court.

6:13  They brought in the men who told lies about him. They said, ‘This man is always saying wrong things about this holy place and the laws.

6:14  We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will break down this place and that he will change the law which Moses gave us.’

6:15  Then all the judges who sat in the court looked at him and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Chapter 7

7:1  Then the high priest asked, ‘Is this true?’

7:2  Stephen replied, ‘Men, brothers and fathers, listen to me. When our father Abraham was in the country of Mesopotamia, before he lived in the country of Haran, the God who is great and wonderful came to him.

7:3  God said, “Leave your country and your family and come to the country that I will show you.”

7:4  Then Abraham came out of the country of the Chaldeans and lived for a while in the country of Haran. After his father died, God led him from there to this country where you are living now.

7:5  But God did not give any of the land to Abraham, not even a small part. But he promised that the land would belong to him. After him it would belong to his children, even though he did not have a child then.

7:6  This is what God told Abraham. He told him that his children would travel and live in another land. They would be slaves to the people there. They would have a hard time for four hundred years.

7:7  And God said, “I will judge the people who make them slaves. After that, they will come out of that land and serve me here.”

7:8  God made the agreement of circumcision with Abraham. Abraham had a son Isaac. He made the mark of circumcision on the child’s body and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac had a son Jacob, and Jacob had twelve sons who were our fathers.

7:9  ‘Because they were jealous, they sold Joseph to be a slave in the country of Egypt. But God was with Joseph.

7:10  He took him out of all his troubles. He blessed him and made him wise in the eyes of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh made him president in Egypt and a ruler over all the people of his house.

7:11  For a long, long time there was no rain in Egypt and Canaan. And so there was very little food. This caused much trouble. Our fathers had nothing to eat.

7:12  Then Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt. He sent his sons on their first trip to buy some. They were our fathers of long ago.

7:13  The second time they went, Joseph told his brothers who he was. And Pharaoh found out who Joseph’s family was.

7:14  Then Joseph sent for Jacob his father and all the family to come. There were seventy-five people.

7:15  So Jacob went to Egypt. There he and our fathers died.

7:16  They were taken back to the place called Shechem and buried. Abraham had bought a grave from the family of Hamor in Shechem. He had paid money for it.

7:17  ‘Then it was almost time for God to do what he had promised to Abraham. The family of Jacob had become very large in Egypt.

7:18  Then a new king who did not know Joseph ruled over Egypt.

7:19  This king was not kind to our fathers but he gave them a hard time. They had to put their babies outside to die.

7:20  ‘Moses was born during that time. He was a very fine baby. For three months he was raised in his own father’s home.

7:21  When he was put outside to die, Pharaoh’s daughter took him. She raised him as her own son.

7:22  Moses was taught all the things the Egyptians knew. He knew how to talk and could do great things.

7:23  ‘When he was forty years old he decided to visit his own family, the people of Israel.

7:24  There he saw one of them being hurt by an Egyptian. So he helped him. He fought for him and knocked down the Egyptian.

7:25  He thought his people would know that God wanted him to make them free. But they did not understand.

7:26  The next day he saw two of his own people fighting and he wanted to make peace. “You are brothers,” he said. “Why are you fighting?”

7:27  But the one who was fighting his neighbour pushed Moses away. He said, “Who made you our ruler and our judge?

7:28  Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?”

7:29  When Moses heard these words, he left Egypt at once. He lived as a stranger in the country of Midian. While he was there, two sons were born to him.

7:30  ‘When forty years had passed, he was in the wilderness near the hill called Sinai. There he saw fire in a small tree. An angel of the Lord was in the fire.

7:31  Moses looked at it. He was very much surprised. He came closer to look at it better. Then he heard the Lord speak to him.

7:32  The Lord said, “I am the God of your fathers. I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.” Moses began to shake. He was afraid to look.

7:33  Then the Lord said, “Take off your shoes. You are standing on holy ground.

7:34  I have looked and seen the trouble my people have in Egypt. I have heard them crying and I have come to make them free. Now come, I will send you to Egypt.”

7:35  ‘This is the same Moses the people would not accept when they said, “Who made you our ruler and our judge?” This is the one God sent to be their ruler and to make them free when he spoke through the angel in the small tree.

7:36  It was Moses who led the people out of Egypt. He had done wonderful things and signs there, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, for forty years.

7:37  ‘This is the same Moses who said, “God will raise up one of your brothers to be a prophet, as he did me. Listen to him.”

7:38  This is the same Moses who was with God’s people in the wilderness at the hill called Mount Sinai. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers of long ago. It was he who received the words of life to give to us.

7:39  ‘Our fathers would not obey Moses. They did not want him to lead them. They wished they were back in Egypt.

7:40  They said to Aaron, “Make gods to lead us. We do not know what has happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt.”

7:41  They made a young cow at that time and gave sacrifices to this god which was not the true God. They were very happy. What they had made pleased them.

7:42  ‘Then God turned away from them. He let them worship the sun, moon, and the many stars in the sky. The prophets of God wrote about it long ago. They said, “You people of Israel, did you sacrifice animals to me forty years in the wilderness?

7:43  You carried the house of the god called Moloch and the star of the god called Rephan. You made gods of them to worship. I will carry you away to the other side of Babylon.”

7:44  ‘Our fathers had the tent for the laws of God in the wilderness. It was built the way God showed Moses to make it.

7:45  Our fathers brought that tent with them when they came to this country. Joshua was their leader. God put aside the people who lived here first. Our fathers kept that tent with them until the time of David.

7:46  God blessed David who asked God to let him make a better house for Jacob’s God.

7:47  But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

7:48  But even so, God is above all. He does not live in houses that people make with their hands. The prophet says,

7:49  “The Lord said, ‘The sky is the big chair from which I rule. I put my feet on the earth. So then, what kind of house will you build for me? Or where will I rest myself?

7:50  I have made all these things myself.’’

7:51  ‘You hard-hearted people! You have hearts and ears like the people who are not Jews. You always fight against the Holy Spirit just as your fathers did long ago.

7:52  What did your fathers do to the prophets of God? They made a lot of trouble for every one of them. They killed the ones who told that the Right and True One would come. He is the One you gave up to be killed. You are the killers.

7:53  You received the law given by angels, but you have not kept it.’

7:54  When the men heard what Stephen said, they were very angry. They made noises with their teeth to show they hated him.

7:55  But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked at the sky and saw the greatness of God. He saw Jesus standing at God’s right side.

7:56  ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the sky open. I see the Son of man standing at God’s right hand side.’

7:57  Then the men shouted. They put their fingers in their ears. All together they ran at Stephen.

7:58  They put him out of the city and threw stones at him. (Those who had talked against him laid their clothes down by the feet of a young man named Saul.)

7:59  They kept on throwing stones at Stephen. He spoke to God and said, ‘Oh, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

7:60  Then he kneeled down and said in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not punish them for this wrong thing they are doing,’ After he said this, he died.

Chapter 8

8:1  Saul agreed to Stephen being killed. At that time the church people at Jerusalem had much trouble. The church people all went into Judea and Samaria. Only the apostles stayed on at Jerusalem.

8:2  Good men buried Stephen. They were very sad because he died.

8:3  Saul made much trouble for the church people. He went into every house, pulled out men and women, and put them into prison.

8:4  The people who left Jerusalem went all around telling the good news about Jesus.

8:5  Then Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about Christ.

8:6  And all the people together listened to what Philip said because they heard and saw the big works which he did.

8:7  Many people who were held by bad spirits were made free from them. The spirits came out of them crying loudly. Many other sick people were healed too. People who could not stand, and others who were lame, were healed.

8:8  The people all over the city were very glad.

8:9  But there was one man named Simon, a witch-doctor, who fooled the people of Samaria. He tried to make people believe that he could do big things.

8:10  And all the people, young and old, listened to him. They said, ‘This man is a big power of God.’

8:11  He had fooled them for a long time with his work as a witch. That is why they listened to him.

8:12  But Philip came and told them about God’s kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. The people believed him. Then both men and women were baptised.

8:13  Simon believed also. When he was baptised, he went with Philip. He was very much surprised when he saw the signs and the big works which were done.

8:14  Then the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria believed God’s word. So they sent Peter and John to them.

8:15  When they came to them, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.

8:16  Until that time, none of the people there had received the Holy Spirit. They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

8:17  Then the apostles put their hands on the people and they received the Holy Spirit.

8:18  Simon saw that the people received the Holy Spirit when the apostles put their hands on them. Then he brought money to the apostles.

8:19  He said, ‘Give me this power, too, so that anyone on whom I put my hands will receive the Holy Spirit.’

8:20  Peter said, ‘May you and your money be destroyed! You thought that you could buy the gift of God with money.

8:21  You have no part in this matter. You cannot have any of this because God sees that your heart is not right.

8:22  Stop your wrong ways. Ask the Lord. Perhaps God will forgive you for the wrong things you wanted to do.

8:23  I see that you are very bitter. Your wrong ways control you all together.’

8:24  Simon said, ‘Ask the Lord for me, so that none of the things you have talked about will happen to me.’

8:25  The apostles told the people the word of the Lord. Then they went back to Jerusalem. On the way they told the good news in many villages in Samaria.

8:26  The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. ‘Get up,’ said the angel. ‘Go south to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. It is desert there.’

8:27  So Philip went. He saw a man from the country of Ethiopia. This man was a servant of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopian people. She gave this servant much power. He took care of her money. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship.

8:28  Now he was on his way back. He sat in his carriage reading from the book which was written long ago by Isaiah, the prophet of God.

8:29  The Spirit of the Lord said to Stephen, ‘Go over to that man in the carriage.’

8:30  So Philip went running to him. He heard him reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked.

8:31  ‘How can I? I have no man to teach me,’ he answered. He asked Philip to get into the carriage and ride with him.

8:32  This is what he was reading: ‘He was led as a sheep to be killed. A lamb says nothing while its wool is being cut, so he also says nothing.

8:33  He was put down very low. He was not allowed to have a proper trial. He had no children to follow after him. For his life is taken from the earth.’

8:34  Then the man from Ethiopia asked Philip, ‘Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about, himself or some other man?’

8:35  Then Philip told him about Jesus. He began with what the man read in the book.

8:36  While they were going along, they came to some water by the road. The man said, ‘See, here is water. What is there to stop me from being baptised?’

8:37  Philip answered, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptised.’ The man said, ‘I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’

8:38  The man told the driver to stop. Then both he and Philip went down into the water, and Philip baptised him.

8:39  When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The man did not see him again, but he went on his way and was very happy.

8:40  Next, Philip came to the town of Azotus. He told the good news in all the cities through which he passed. Then he came to Caesarea.

Chapter 9

9:1  Saul was still very angry with the Lord’s disciples. He said he would kill them. He went to the high priest.

9:2  He asked him for letters to take to the meeting places at Damascus. In this way he was given the power to catch any men or women disciples. He could tie them and bring them back to Jerusalem.

9:3  He went on his way. All at once, near the city of Damascus, a light from the sky shone around him.

9:4  He fell to the ground and heard someone say, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you troubling me?’

9:5  Saul said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord said, ‘I am Jesus. You are troubling me.

9:6  But get up and go to the city. There you will be told what you must do.’

9:7  The men who had come with Saul stood there. They did not say a word. They heard a voice but did not see anyone.

9:8  Saul got up off the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was blind. They took his hand and led him to Damascus.

9:9  For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink.

9:10  A disciple named Ananias lived in Damascus. The Lord came to him in a vision and said. ‘Ananias.’ He replied, ‘Here I am, Lord.’

9:11  The Lord said, ‘Go into the street which is called Straight. At the house of Judas, ask for a man named Saul, from the city of Tarsus. He is there, talking with God.

9:12  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming to him. He has seen him put his hands on him so that he may see again.’

9:13  Then Ananias replied, ‘Lord, often I have heard of this man. He has brought much trouble to your people at Jerusalem.

9:14  The chief priests have given him power in this city to put into prison all those who call on your name.’

9:15  The Lord said, ‘Go, I have chosen him to take my name to the people who are not Jews, to kings, and to the people of Israel also.

9:16  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.’

9:17  Then Ananias went. He went into the house and put his hands on Saul. He said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus came to you on the road while you were coming here. He has sent me to you so that you may see again, and that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit.’

9:18  At once some kind of skin which had covered Saul’s eyes came off. He was able to see again from then on. He got up and was baptised.

9:19  And when he had eaten food, he was strong again. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples at Damascus.

9:20  Right away he went to the Jewish meeting places and told the people that Jesus is the Son of God.

9:21  All the people who heard him were surprised. They said, ‘This man killed the people who called on Jesus’ name in Jerusalem. He came here to catch them and tie them and take them to the chief priests!’

9:22  But Saul became stronger and stronger. He proved that Jesus is the Christ and made it so plain that the Jews at Damascus did not know what to say.

9:23  Then some time after that, the leaders of the Jews planned to kill Saul.

9:24  But he found out that they were waiting for him. The Jewish leaders watched the gates of the city night and day. They were waiting for a chance to kill him.

9:25  Then one night the disciples put him in a basket and let him down outside the city wall.

9:26  When Saul came to Jerusalem, he wanted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe that he was a disciple.

9:27  But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them, ‘Saul has seen the Lord on the road. The Lord has talked to him. After that he told God’s word in the name of Jesus, without fear at Damascus.’

9:28  So Saul stayed with the apostles and went around in Jerusalem. He told God’s word in the name of the Lord Jesus without fear.

9:29  He talked to the Jews who spoke the Greek language. But they did not agree with Saul, and so they made plans to kill him.

9:30  When the Christian brothers knew that, they took him to Caesarea. Then they sent him to Tarsus.

9:31  After that, the churches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria were not troubled any more and they believed more strongly. The people obeyed the Lord, and the Holy Spirit helped them to believe. And many more people joined them.

9:32  While Peter was travelling through all the towns, he came to visit God’s people who lived in the city of Lydda.

9:33  There he saw a man named Aeneas who was sick. He could not stand up. He had been on his bed for eight years.

9:34  Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!’ The man got up at once.

9:35  All the people who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

9:36  In the city of Joppa there was a disciple. Her name was Tabitha. That means Dorcas or Gazelle. She did much good work and she gave many things to the poor people.

9:37  She became sick and died. They bathed her body and put her in a room upstairs.

9:38  Lydda was near Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda, they sent two men and asked for him to come quickly.

9:39  Peter got up and went with them. When he got there, they took him to the room upstairs. Women whose husbands were dead stood there crying. They showed Peter the clothes and coats that Dorcas had made for them while she was with them.

9:40  Peter put them all out. He kneeled down and talked to God. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.

9:41  He took her hand and helped her get up. Then he called in God’s people and the women, and he gave her back to them alive.

9:42  All over Joppa people heard about this. Many people believed on the Lord.

9:43  Peter stayed in Joppa for many days. He was with a man named Simon, who made skins into leather.

Chapter 10

10:1  In Caesarea lived a man named Cornelius. He was a big captain in the army. His soldiers were called the Italian Group.

10:2  He was a good man. He and all the people of his house obeyed God. He gave many gifts to the poor. He always talked with God.

10:3  About three o’clock one afternoon, he clearly saw an angel from God coming to him in a vision. ‘Cornelius,’ said the angel.

10:4  Cornelius looked at him. He was afraid and asked, ‘What is it, Sir?’ The angel answered him, ‘God has heard what you said to him. He has remembered your gifts to the poor.

10:5  Send men to Joppa to call Simon, whose other name is Peter.

10:6  He is staying with Simon, the man who makes skins into leather. His house is by the sea. Peter will tell you what you should do.’

10:7  When the angel which spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his house servants. He also called one of the soldiers who believed in God and who always helped him.

10:8  He told them carefully all about his vision. Then he sent them to Joppa.

10:9  They went the next day. They were coming near to the city. About midday, Peter went up on the flat roof of the house to talk with God.

10:10  He became very hungry and wanted to eat. While food was being made ready, something like a dream came over him.

10:11  He saw the sky open. A bundle like a big blanket was tied by the corners. It was let down to earth.

10:12  In the bundle were all kinds of animals and snakes and birds.

10:13  Then Peter heard a voice saying to him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill some and eat.’

10:14  But Peter said, ‘No, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is not holy or not clean.’

10:15  Then the voice spoke to him again, saying, ‘What God has made clean you must not call unholy.’

10:16  This happened three times. Then the thing was taken up right away into the sky.

10:17  ‘I have seen a strange thing,’ Peter said to himself. ‘I wonder what it all means.’ He was thinking about all this. And the men whom Cornelius sent had asked the way to Simon’s house. Now they stood at the gate.

10:18  ‘Is this where Simon Peter is staying?’ they called.

10:19  Peter was still thinking about what he had seen. Then the Spirit of God said to him, ‘Three men are looking for you.

10:20  Get up. Go down and go with them. Do not fear to go, because I have sent them.’

10:21  Then Peter went down to the men whom Cornelius had sent to him. He said, ‘Here I am. You are looking for me. Why have you come?’

10:22  They answered, ‘God sent a holy angel to Cornelius. He told him to call you to his house and hear what you have to say. Cornelius is a captain in the army. He is a good man. He does what is right and obeys God. All the Jews speak well of him.’

10:23  Peter said, ‘Come in.’ He had them stay as his guests. The next day he and some of the Christian brothers from Joppa went with the men.

10:24  The day after that, they reached Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had called his family and close friends together.

10:25  Peter was about to enter the house. Cornelius met him. He kneeled down at his feet and worshipped him.

10:26  But Peter raised him up and said, ‘Please stand up. I too am only a man.

10:27  Peter talked to him and went in with him. He saw many people who had come together.

10:28  He began to talk with them. He said, ‘You yourselves know it is against our law for a Jew to visit and be friends with someone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

10:29  So when you sent for me, I did not say “No”. Now I ask, why did you send for me?’

10:30  Cornelius answered, ‘Four days ago, it was just at this time, three o’clock. I was in my house talking with God. I had not eaten any food. A man stood in front of me wearing shining clothes.

10:31  He said to me, “Cornelius, God has heard what you said to him. He has remembered your gifts to the poor.

10:32  Send men to Joppa to call for Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, the man who makes skins into leather. His house is by the sea.”

10:33  So I sent for you right away. You have done well to come. Now we are all here before God to hear all that the Lord has told you to tell me.’

10:34  Then Peter began to speak, ‘I really understand now. God does not love some people more than others.

10:35  But he takes anyone who obeys him. He takes anyone who does what is right. It does not matter to what nation they belong.

10:36  To the people of Israel God has sent the good news. He gives peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all!

10:37  You yourselves know the story of what happened all through Judea. It started in Galilee after the baptism which John talked about.

10:38  God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went about doing good deeds. He healed all those who were held by the devil. God was with him.

10:39  We saw all the things which he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they hung him on a piece of wood and killed him.

10:40  On the third day, God raised him up to let people see him.

10:41  Not all the people saw him. But God had chosen us to see and to talk about him. We saw him. We ate and drank with him after he rose from death.

10:42  He told us to tell the people that God chose him to judge both the living people and the dead people.

10:43  All the prophets tell about him. They say, “Everyone who believes in him will have his wrong ways forgiven through his name.”’

10:44  While Peter was saying this, the Holy Spirit came on all those who heard the message.

10:45  The believers who came with Peter were Jews. They were very much surprised that the Holy Spirit was also sent to those who were not Jews.

10:46  They heard them speak in tongues of other languages and praise God. Then Peter said, ‘These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Can anyone say they may not be baptised in water?’

10:47  They heard them speak in tongues of other languages and praise God. Then Peter said, ‘These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Can anyone say they may not be baptised in water?’

10:48  So he said they were to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. They begged him to stay with them for a while.

Chapter 11

11:1  The apostles and other Christian brothers were in Judea. They heard that some people who were not Jews had also believed God’s message.

11:2  When Peter went back to Jerusalem, the leaders of the Jews found fault with him.

11:3  They asked, ‘Why did you visit people who are not Jews? Why did you eat with them?’

11:4  Peter explained to them all that had happened from the beginning.

11:5  ‘I was in the city of Joppa talking with God,’ he said. ‘Something like a dream came over me. I saw a vision. I saw a bundle like a big blanket tied by the corners. It was let down from the sky. It came down to me.

11:6  When I looked at it, I wondered about it. I saw different kinds of tame animals, wild animals, snakes, and birds.

11:7  And I heard a voice say to me, “Get up, Peter. Kill some and eat.”

11:8  But I said, “No, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is not holy or clean.”

11:9  Then the voice spoke from the sky a second time, saying, “What God has made clean, you must not call unholy.”

11:10  This happened three times. Then everything was taken up into the sky again.

11:11  Right then three men came to the house where we were. They had come from Caesarea for me.

11:12  The Spirit told me to go with them and not to fear. These six brothers went with me too. We went into the man’s house.

11:13  He told us that he had seen God’s angel standing in his house. The angel said to him, “Send men to Joppa to call Simon whose other name is Peter.

11:14  He will tell you and all your family how to be saved.”

11:15  And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he had come on us at the beginning.

11:16  Then I remembered that the Lord said, “John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”

11:17  God gave then the same gift as he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. If God gave them this gift, how could I stop him? I am only a man.’

11:18  When the people heard this, they were satisfied. They praised God saying, ‘God has allowed the people who are not Jews to turn to him and live.’

11:19  Some of the people had gone to other countries because of the big trouble when Stephen was killed. They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They told God’s word to the Jews only.

11:20  Some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene. They went to Antioch. They also spoke to those who were not Jews, and they told them about the Lord Jesus.

11:21  The Lord was with them. Many believed and turned to the Lord.

11:22  The people in the Jerusalem church heard this news. They sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.

11:23  When he reached there, he saw what had been done by the power of God. He was very glad. He talked to them. He begged them all to keep on following the Lord with all their heart.

11:24  Barnabas was a good man. He believed in God and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many people came to the Lord.

11:25  Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to get Saul.

11:26  When he found him, he took him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with all who believed in Jesus Christ. They taught many people. Antioch was the first place where the disciples were called Christians.

11:27  At that time, prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.

11:28  One of them named Agabus stood up. He told them the Spirit had shown him that much trouble would come to all the world. There would not be much food for the people. (This trouble came when Claudius Caesar was ruler.)

11:29  Then the disciples decided to help the Christian brothers who lived in Judea. They would each one send what he could.

11:30  They did so. They sent Barnabas and Saul to carry it to the church leaders.

Chapter 12

12:1  At that time Herod the king caught some of the church people and troubled them.

12:2  He killed James the brother of John with a long knife or sword.

12:3  He saw that this pleased the leaders of the Jews, so he caught Peter also. This happened at the Jewish feast which they had each year to remember leaving Egypt. (It was called the Passover Feast.)

12:4  After Herod had caught Peter, he put him in prison. He told four groups of soldiers to guard him. There were four soldiers in each group. He planned to bring him out for trial before the people. But he would do it after the Passover Feast.

12:5  So Peter was kept in prison. And the church people asked God to help him.

12:6  The night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was tied to them with two chains. Guards were at the door of the prison.

12:7  An angel from the Lord came to him and a light shone in the prison. He hit Peter’s side and woke him up. ‘Be quick,’ he said. ‘Get up!’ His chains fell off his hands.

12:8  ‘Put on your belt and your shoes,’ said the angel. Peter did so. ‘And now,’ said the angel, ‘put on your coat and follow me.’

12:9  Peter followed him out. He did not know that what the angel had done was true. He thought he was dreaming.

12:10  They passed the first and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate out to the city. It opened for them by itself. So they went all the way down a street. Then the angel left him.

12:11  When Peter came to himself, he said, ‘Now I know truly that the Lord has sent his angel. He has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish leaders are hoping will happen to me.’

12:12  And when he thought about this, he went to Mary’s house. Mary was John Mark’s mother. Many people were meeting there, talking to God.

12:13  Peter knocked at the outside door. A young servant woman named Rhoda went to answer.

12:14  When she knew it was Peter’s voice, she was very glad. She did not open the door. But she ran in and told the people that Peter was at the door.

12:15  They said, ‘You are crazy.’ But she kept on saying that Peter was really there. Then they said, ‘It must be his angel.’

12:16  Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were very much surprised.

12:17  He put out his hand for them to be quiet. Then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, ‘Tell James and the brothers about this.’ Then he went away to another place.

12:18  In the morning the soldiers tried hard to find Peter.

12:19  Herod had looked for him and had not found him. So he questioned the guards and ordered them to be taken away and killed. And then Peter went from Judea to Caesarea to live for a while.

12:20  Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But they got Blastus to speak to the king for them. Blastus was one of the men who worked in the king’s house. They came to Herod together. They wanted to make peace with him because their country got its food from his country.

12:21  On a certain day Herod put on his king’s robes and sat on his chair and made a speech.

12:22  The people shouted, ‘A god is talking to us. He is not a man.’

12:23  At once an angel from God put a bad sickness on Herod because he did not give God the praise. Worms ate him and he died.

12:24  The word of God spread further and further and more people believed.

12:25  Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had finished their work. They brought John Mark with them.

Chapter 13

13:1  In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen who grew up with Herod the ruler, and Saul.

13:2  They were worshipping the Lord and fasting. The Holy Spirit said, ‘Give me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them.’

13:3  The men fasted and talked to God. Then they laid their hands on Barnabas and Paul and sent them on their way.

13:4  Barnabas and Saul left Antioch. The Holy Spirit sent them to the town of Seleucia. From there they went in a boat to the island of Cyprus.

13:5  When they reached the town of Salamis, they told God’s word in the meeting places of the Jews. John was with them to help.

13:6  They went through all the island to the town of Paphos. There they met a witch doctor. He was a Jew named Bar-Jesus. He was not a true prophet.

13:7  This witch-doctor was with Sergius Paulus, the ruler of the country. Sergius Paulus was a wise man. He wanted to hear God’s word, so he called for Barnabas and Saul.

13:8  The witch-doctor was also called Elymas. He tried to stop them. He did not want the ruler to believe the truth.

13:9  Then Saul, who is also called Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at him.

13:10  ‘You son of the devil!’ he said. ‘You do nothing but tell lies and make much trouble. You hate everything that is right. The Lord’s way is right. Will you not stop spoiling his way?

13:11  See now, the Lord’s hand is upon you. You will be blind and will not be able to see the sun for a while.’ And right then something like a dark cloud came over Elymas’ eyes. He went around begging someone to take his hand and lead him.

13:12  The ruler saw what had happened. And he was very much surprised at the teaching about the Lord. He believed it.

13:13  Paul and his friends left Paphos in a boat. They went to the town of Perga in the district of Pamphylia. There John left them and went back to Jerusalem.

13:14  The others went on from Perga. They came to Antioch in the district of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the meeting house and sat down.

13:15  First, someone read from the books of the law and the prophets. Then the rulers of the meeting house called Paul and Barnabas and said, ‘Men and brothers, have you something to say that will help us? Please say it.’

13:16  Then Paul stood up and put out his hand. He said, ‘Men of Israel and you who worship and fear God, please listen to me.

13:17  The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made the people into a large tribe when they were strangers in the land of Egypt. God brought them out of Egypt by his power.

13:18  For forty years in the wilderness God cared for them like a father.

13:19  God took seven tribes out of the land of Canaan. Then he divided the land among our people.

13:20  God gave judges to rule over them until Samuel the prophet came. About four hundred and fifty years had passed.

13:21  Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul. He was the son of Kish, a man from Benjamin’s family. Saul was their king for forty years.

13:22  Then God took him away. He made David king over them. This is what God said about him, “David, Jesse’s son, is the kind of man I love. He will do all that I want him to do.”

13:23  God has given Israel a Saviour from David’s family, as he promised to do. His name is Jesus.

13:24  Before he came, John talked to all the people of Israel. He said they should stop doing wrong things and be baptised.

13:25  When John was finishing his work, he said, “Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But wait, someone else will come after me. I am not good enough to untie his shoe strings.”

13:26  ‘Men and brothers, sons of Abraham, and all of you who worship God, the news of this way to be saved has been sent to us.

13:27  The people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not know who this Jesus really was. They did not understand the words of the prophets of God long ago which were read every Sabbath day. But even so, they did what the prophets had said they would do. They judged him.

13:28  They could not prove that he did anything wrong for which he should die. Yet they begged Pilate to kill him.

13:29  They did all the things that the prophets had written about him. Then they took him down from the cross made from a tree. They laid him in a grave cut from the rock.

13:30  But God raised him from death.

13:31  People had come with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem. They saw him many days. Now they tell people what they saw.

13:32  And we are bringing you this good news. God made a promise to our fathers long ago. Now he has made his promise come true.

13:33  We, their children, have now received the promise. He sent Jesus just as it was written in the second psalm, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.”

13:34  ‘God raised Jesus from death. His body did not go back to the grave to be spoiled. Here is what God said about it. “I will give to you the blessings which I promised David.”

13:35  ‘In another psalm it says, “You will not let the body of your Holy One be spoiled.”

13:36  ‘As for David, he did the work God wanted him to do for the people in his time. Then, after that, he died. He was buried with his fathers. His body spoiled.

13:37  But God has raised one from death. His body did not spoil.

13:38  ‘Men and brothers, understand this. It is because of this Jesus that we tell you your wrong ways will be forgiven you.

13:39  The law of Moses could not make you free. But this man makes you free. You will not be judged if you believe in him.

13:40  Be careful then, so that what the prophets said will not happen to you.

13:41  They said, “Look, you people who despise everything. You will look in wonder before you die. I will do something in your time. I will do something that you will not believe even if someone told you what it is.”’

13:42  As Paul and Barnabas left the meeting house the people said, ‘Tell us these things again next Sabbath day.’

13:43  The meeting was finished. There were many Jews, also those who were not Jews but worshipped God. They followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabus kept talking to the people and told them to keep on living in the way that will bring God’s blessing.

13:44  The next Sabbath day almost all of the people in that city gathered to hear God’s word.

13:45  The leaders of the Jews saw that many people came. They were very jealous. They talked back to Paul and said he was not telling the truth. They also said wrong things about him.

13:46  But Paul and Barnabas did not fear the Jewish leaders. They said, ‘We had to tell God’s word to you first but you will not listen to it. By that you are saying you Jews are not good enough to live for ever. So we will go to the people who are not Jews.

13:47  That is what the Lord told us to do. He said, “I have made you to be a light to the people who are not Jews. You will tell people everywhere in the world how to be saved.”’

13:48  Those who were not Jews heard this. They were glad and they thanked God for his message. All those who had been chosen to live for ever believed.

13:49  The word of the Lord was told through all that part of the country.

13:50  But the leaders of the Jews talked to the leading women who worshipped God and to the chief men of Antioch. They made plenty of trouble for Paul and Barnabas. They made them leave that part of the country.

13:51  So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and left them. They went on to Iconium.

13:52  And the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 14

14:1  In Iconium Paul and Barnabas did as they had done before in other places. They went into the Jews’ meeting place and spoke. Many of the Jews and the other people believed.

14:2  But the Jews who did not believe said wrong things about them. They spoiled the minds of those who were not Jews so that they hated the Christians.

14:3  Paul and Barnabas stayed there a long time anyway. They did not fear to talk about the Lord. The Lord proved that the message about his blessing was true. He worked through Paul and Barnabas. They did signs and wonderful things.

14:4  The people of the city were divided. Some of them agreed with the Jewish leaders. Some of them agreed with the apostles.

14:5  Then some of those people who were not Jews joined together with the Jews and their leaders. They made a plan to give the apostles much trouble and to kill them with stones.

14:6  Paul and Barnabas found out about this. So they left quickly. They went to Lystra and Derbe in the district of Lycaonia and the country around.

14:7  There they told people the good news.

14:8  At Lystra a man was sitting. He was not able to walk because he had no strength in his feet. He had never walked since he was born.

14:9  This man heard Paul speak. Paul looked at the man. He saw that the man believed he would be healed.

14:10  Paul said, ‘Stand up on your feet!’ The man jumped up and walked.

14:11  When the people saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their own language, ‘The gods have become like men! They have come down to visit us.’

14:12  They named Barnabas, Jupiter. And they named Paul, Mercury, because he was the one who talked.

14:13  There was a temple of Jupiter in front of the city. The priest of the temple brought animals and flowers to the gates to make a sacrifice. All the people were with him.

14:14  But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and ran in among the people shouting.

14:15  They said, ‘Why are you people doing this? We are only men like you. You should leave these gods which cannot help you. You should turn to the living God. He made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

14:16  In the time that is past, God allowed all people to do what they wanted to do.

14:17  But even then he had some ways to make himself known. He did things that were good. He gave us rain from the sky and good harvests. And he gives you all the food you need and makes you very happy. Surely these things speak for him.’

14:18  By saying these things they stopped the people from making sacrifices to them.

14:19  Some of the Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra and won the people to their side. They threw stones at Paul. Then they carried him out of the city because they thought he was dead.

14:20  But as the disciples gathered around him, he got up and they went back into the city. The next day Paul and Barnabas left and went to Derbe.

14:21  They told the good news to the people in Derbe. Many people believed what they taught. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch.

14:22  They talked to the disciples to help them. They told them to keep on believing. They said, ‘We must go through much trouble to get into God’s kingdom.’

14:23  They chose leaders for them in every church. They talked with God and fasted. When they were finished, they gave the leaders over to the Lord’s care, because they believed in him.

14:24  They went through the district of Pisidia to Pamphylia.

14:25  They told the good news to the people in Perga. Then they went to the town of Attalia.

14:26  From there they went in a boat to Antioch. It was there that the people had given them over to God’s care. They had asked him to bless them in this work. Now they had finished the work.

14:27  When they reached the city, they called all the church people together. They told them all that God had done for them. They said, ‘Now God has opened the way to believe for those who are not Jews.’

14:28  Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time with the disciples at Antioch.

Chapter 15

15:1  Some men came from Judea and taught the Christian brothers. They said, ‘You must be circumcised with the mark made on your body in the way Moses taught us. If you are not circumcised you cannot be saved.’

15:2  Paul and Barnabas did not agree with them. There was much talking about it. Then they decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the other men should go to Jerusalem. They would ask the apostles and church leaders there about it.

15:3  So the church people sent them on their way. They passed through the districts of Phoenicia and Samaria. They told them that some who were not Jews were believing in God. This news made all the Christian brothers very happy.

15:4  When they reached Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church people, the apostles, and the church leaders. They told all that God had done as he worked with them.

15:5  But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group stood up and said, ‘They must be circumcised. We must tell them to keep all the laws of Moses.’

15:6  The apostles and the church leaders met together to talk the matter over.

15:7  After much talking about it, Peter stood up. He said, ‘Men and brothers, you know what happened in the first days. God chose me to tell the good news to those who are not Jews. They believed.

15:8  God knows what is in a person’s heart. He proved that they believed. He gave them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.

15:9  God made no difference between them and us. He made their hearts clean when they believed.

15:10  So now why are you doing what God did not do? You give the disciples a hard thing to do. Our fathers could not do it. And we cannot do it.

15:11  We believe that the Lord Jesus saves us because he is kind. And that is why he saves them.’

15:12  Then all the people stopped talking. They listened to what Paul and Barnabas had to say. They told them about all the signs and wonderful things that God had helped them to do among the people who were not Jews.

15:13  When they had finished talking, James said, ‘Men and brothers, listen to me.

15:14  Simeon has told us how God came the first time to the people who are not Jews. God chose some of them to belong to him and be his people.

15:15  This is what the prophets of God said long ago.

15:16  They said, “After this, I will come back and build up again the house of David which has fallen down. I will take the broken pieces and build a house again.

15:17  Then all the other people will find God, even those who are not Jews but who belong to me. So says the Lord, who is doing all these things.”

15:18  ‘He told us these things long ago.

15:19  So now, this is what I think. We should not trouble those who are not Jews but who have turned to God.

15:20  We should write them a letter and tell them what they must not do. They must not eat food that has been given to idols. They must not have sex with someone who is not their husband or wife. They must not eat the meat of animals that are killed by choking. They must not taste blood.

15:21  Since the times of long ago there have been men who told about Moses in every city. They read his laws in the meeting places every Sabbath day.’

15:22  Then the apostles, and the leaders, and all the church people chose men from among themselves. They sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, whose other name was Barsabbas, and Silas. They were leaders among the Christian brothers.

15:23  They sent a letter with them. It said, ‘The apostles, the church leaders, and the Christian brothers send greetings to the Christians who are not Jews in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

15:24  We have heard that some of our people visited you and talked to you. They taught things that troubled you and made you believe wrong things. They said, “You must be circumcised like the Jews and keep the law.” We did not tell them to teach you this.

15:25  All of us gathered here have chosen some men. We are sending them with our dear brothers, Barnabas and Paul.

15:26  Barnabas and Paul have been willing to die for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15:27  We are sending Judas and Silas. They will tell you the same things that we have written in the letter.

15:28  The Holy Spirit and we thought it was not good to give you a hard thing to do. But here is what you must not do.

15:29  You must not eat food that has been given to idols. You must not eat the meat of animals that are killed by choking. You must not taste blood. You must not commit adultery. If you keep away from these things, you will do well. Goodbye.’

15:30  So the men left and went to Antioch. There they called the people together and gave them the letter.

15:31  When the people read the letter, they were very glad. It helped them to become stronger in what they believed.

15:32  Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to the Christian brothers and helped them to believe more strongly.

15:33  They stayed there for a while. Then the brothers sent them back to those who had sent them. They sent a greeting of peace with them.

15:34  But Silas thought it was good to stay at Antioch.

15:35  Paul and Barnabas stayed there too. They taught the people and told them the Lord’s message. Many other men did this also.

15:36  Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us go back and visit the brothers in every city where we have told the Lord’s message. Let us see how they are doing.’

15:37  Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them.

15:38  But Paul did not think that they should take him. John Mark had left them when they were at Pamphylia. He had not gone along with them to do the work.

15:39  The feeling about this matter was very strong between Barnabas and Paul, so they did not go together. Barnabas took Mark and went in a boat to Cyprus.

15:40  Paul chose Silas. The Christian brothers asked the Lord to bless Paul. Then he went on his way.

15:41  Paul travelled through Syria and Cilicia. He helped the church people to believe more strongly.

Chapter 16

16:1  Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there. His mother was a Jew, a believer, and his father was a Greek.

16:2  The Christian brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke very well of Timothy.

16:3  Paul wanted him to go with him. He circumcised him because all the Jews in those places knew that his father was a Greek.

16:4  They went from town to town and talked to the people. They told them what the apostles and church leaders at Jerusalem had said should be done. So the church people became stronger in what they believed. Every day more people joined the church.

16:5  They went from town to town and talked to the people. They told them what the apostles and church leaders at Jerusalem had said should be done. So the church people became stronger in what they believed. Every day more people joined the church.

16:6  Paul and Silas went through the district of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit said they should not tell God’s word in the country of Asia Minor.

16:7  After they came to the district of Mysia, they wanted to go to the country of Bithynia but the Holy Spirit did not allow them.

16:8  So they went by Mysia and came to the city of Troas.

16:9  In the night Paul had a vision: he saw a picture like a dream. He saw a man of Macedonia standing and calling to him, ‘Come over into Macedonia and help us.’

16:10  After Paul had seen the vision, we tried to leave for Macedonia right away. We believed that the Lord had called us to tell the people there the good news.

16:11  So we left Troas in a boat and went straight across the water to the town of Samothrace. The next day we went to Neapolis.

16:12  From there we went to Philippi. This was the big city of the district of Macedonia. It was a free city. We stayed there for some time.

16:13  On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the river. We thought this was a place where people met to talk with God. So we sat down and talked to the women who had come there.

16:14  One woman named Lydia listened to us. She was from the city of Thyatira, and she sold red cloth. She worshipped God. He worked in her heart and she believed what Paul said.

16:15  She and all the people in her house were baptised. Then she begged us and said, ‘If you really feel that I believe in the Lord, come and stay at my house.’ And she would not allow us to say no.

16:16  One day we were going to the meeting place where people talked with God. We met a girl who had a bad spirit. She used to tell people what was going to happen. Her masters received much money when she did this.

16:17  This girl kept on following Paul and us. She was shouting, ‘These men are servants of the High God. They are telling us how to be saved.’

16:18  She did this for many days. This troubled Paul. He turned and said to the spirit in her, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I say to you, come out of her!’ And the spirit came out at once.

16:19  Her masters saw that they had lost this way of getting money. They caught Paul and Silas and took them by force to the rulers in the court.

16:20  When they had brought them before the judges, they said, ‘These men are Jews. And they are making much trouble in our city.

16:21  They are teaching people laws which we may not obey because we are Roman people.’

16:22  All the people standing around were against Paul and Silas. The judges tore off the clothes of Paul and Silas. They gave orders that they should be beaten.

16:23  They beat them very hard. Then they put them in prison. ‘Take care,’ they said to the prison guard. ‘Be sure that these prisoners do not run away.’

16:24  And so the guard put them in the back room in the prison. They locked their feet in holes cut in heavy pieces of wood.

16:25  At midnight, Paul and Silas were talking with God. They were singing and praising God. The other prisoners were listening to them.

16:26  Then all of a sudden the earth shook very much. Even the floor of the prison was shaking. All the doors came wide open. The things that held the prisoners all came off.

16:27  The prison guard woke up. He saw all the prison doors open. So he took a long knife and was going to kill himself. He thought that all the prisoners had run away.

16:28  Paul shouted, ‘Stop! Do not hurt yourself. We are all here!’

16:29  The guard called for a light and went in quickly. He kneeled down before Paul and Silas, trembling with fear.

16:30  He brought them out of the prison and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

16:31  They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. All the people in your house must do the same.’

16:32  They talked to him and all the people in the house. They told them the word of the Lord.

16:33  Paul and Silas had sores from the beating in prison. So that same hour of the night the guard washed them. Then he and all the people of his house were baptised.

16:34  He took Paul and Silas to his home and gave them food to eat. He and all the people in his house were very happy. They now believed in God.

16:35  In the morning the judges sent soldiers to the guard with a message. ‘Let those men go free,’ they said.

16:36  The guard told Paul. He said, ‘The judges have sent a message that you may go free. So now, come out and go on your way. You will have no more trouble.’

16:37  But Paul said, ‘We are Romans. And they have beaten us outside where people can see. They have put us in prison without proving we have done wrong. Now, are they going to take us out of prison secretly? No, they themselves must come and take us out.’

16:38  The soldiers told this to the judges. They were very much afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Romans.

16:39  So they came to Paul and Silas. They said they were sorry for what they had done. They brought them out of prison and asked them to leave the city.

16:40  When Paul and Silas came out of prison, they went back to Lydia’s house. They saw their Christian brothers and talked to them. This helped the Christians to believe more strongly. Then Paul and Silas went on their way.

Chapter 17

17:1  Paul and Silas went through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia. Then they reached the town of Thessalonica. Here the Jews had a meeting place.

17:2  As he had done in other places, Paul went into it. On three Sabbath days he explained what was written in the holy writings.

17:3  He proved these things from the writings. He said. ‘It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise again from death. And this Jesus, whom I am talking about, is the Christ.’

17:4  Some of the people believed him and they followed Paul and Silas. Some of them were Greek people who worshipped God. And some were leading women.

17:5  But some Jews did not believe, and they were jealous. So they called some of the bad men together and made a crowd. They started to fight and to make plenty of trouble and noise in the city. At Jason’s house they went in by force to find Paul and Silas. They wanted to bring them outside to the people.

17:6  But they did not find them. So they took Jason and some of the Christian brothers to the rulers of the city. They shouted, ‘These men have turned the world upside down. Now they have come here also.

17:7  Jason has taken them into his house. None of them obeys the laws of Caesar. They say there is another king named Jesus.’

17:8  All the people and the rulers of the city became angry when they heard this.

17:9  They made Jason and the other Christians pay much money. Then they let them go.

17:10  That night the Christian brothers sent Paul and Silas to the town of Berea. When they reached there, they went into the Jews’ meeting place.

17:11  The people in Berea were better than the people of Thessalonica. They were glad to listen to Paul’s words. Every day they studied the holy writings to see if what Paul said was right.

17:12  Through this, many of them believed. Some of the leading women of the Greek people and some of the men also believed.

17:13  The leaders of the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul told the word of God to the people at Berea. They came to Berea and talked to the people. They said things that made the people very angry against Paul.

17:14  The Christian brothers sent Paul to the seaside right away. But Silas and Timothy stayed on at Berea.

17:15  The men took Paul to the city of Athens. Paul told them to tell Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as they could.

17:16  Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy at Athens. He saw that the city was full of idols. His spirit was troubled about this.

17:17  In the meeting place he talked with the Jews and those who believed in the true God. In the market every day, he talked to people he met there.

17:18  There were some wise men who believed the teachings of Epicurius. They believed the teaching of other wise men called Stoics. Some of them began to talk with Paul. And some said, ‘What does this talker have to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be talking about new gods.’ This was because he was telling them about Jesus and how he was raised from death.

17:19  So they took Paul and brought him to a meeting at the hill called Areopagus. They said, ‘We want to know what this new teaching is that you are talking about.

17:20  You are telling us things we never heard before. We want to understand them.’

17:21  All the people of Athens and the strangers who lived there passed their time in one way. They liked to tell and to hear some new thing.

17:22  Then Paul stood up in the court and said, ‘You men of Athens, I see that you are very religious and worship many gods.

17:23  As I walked about, I looked at the things you worship. I saw one place where you make sacrifices. You have written on it, “To the God we do not know.” You are worshipping that God, but you do not know him. I will tell you about him.

17:24  He made the world and everything in it. He is the Lord of the sky and the earth. He does not live in houses that people make with their hands.

17:25  Men cannot worship him by things they make with their hands because he does not need anything. He is the one who gives life and breath and everything else to all people.

17:26  God made one man. From that one man he has made all the nations of men to live on the whole earth. He has given to each nation a certain time and a certain place to live.

17:27  He did this so they would look for him. He wanted them to reach out and find him. But he is not far from each one of us.

17:28  In him we live, and move, and are alive. Some of your own writers have said, “We have come from him”.

17:29  ‘Therefore we have all come from God. So we should not think that God is something made of gold, or silver, or stone. He is not made by men’s hands.

17:30  In times past God did not look at what people did. They did not know any better then. But now he is calling all people to stop doing those things.

17:31  God has set a day when he will judge the whole world in the right way. He has chosen a man to do this. He has proved to all people who the man is. He has raised him from death.’

17:32  When the people of Athens heard that someone had been raised from death, some of them laughed. Others said, ‘We want to hear you talk about this matter again some time.’

17:33  So then Paul left them.

17:34  But some men followed him and believed. Among those who believed was Dionysius. He was a judge in the Areopagus court. And a woman named Damaris believed. There were others also.

Chapter 18

18:1  After this Paul left Athens and went to the city of Corinth.

18:2  There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus. A short time before this he and his wife Priscilla had come from the country of Italy. They left Italy because Claudius the ruler had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. This was the big city in Italy. Paul went to the house of Aquila and Priscilla.

18:3  Paul’s work had been the making of tents, and that is what they did. So he stayed with them. They worked together.

18:4  Every Sabbath day he talked with the people in the meeting place for the Jews. He tried to talk so that the Jews and the Greeks would believe.

18:5  When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul felt in his heart that he must prove to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

18:6  But the people talked back to Paul. And they said wrong things about him. Paul shook his clothes and said to them, ‘If you are lost, it is your own fault, not mine! From now on I will go to those who are not Jews.’

18:7  So he left. He went to the house of a man named Justus who worshipped God. His house was next to the meeting place.

18:8  Crispus was the head ruler of the meeting house. He and his whole family believed in the Lord. Many of the people in Corinth heard and believed. And they were baptised.

18:9  The Lord said to Paul in a vision in the night, ‘Do not fear. Keep on speaking. Do not stop.

18:10  I am with you. Nobody will hurt you. I have many people in this city.’

18:11  So Paul stayed there for one year and six months. He taught the people God’s word.

18:12  When Gallio was the ruler of the province of Achaia, the Jews got together to stop Paul. They took him to court.

18:13  They said, ‘This man is talking to the people. He is trying to make them worship God in a way that is against our law.’

18:14  Paul wanted to speak. Then Gallio said to the Jews, ‘You Jews, if it were a matter of wrong or of doing something very bad, I would listen to you.

18:15  But this is a matter about words and names and about your own law. So you must go and take care of it yourselves! I will not judge such things.’

18:16  And he drove them out of the court.

18:17  They caught a man. His name was Sosthenes. He was the head ruler of the meeting house. They beat him in front of the judge, but Gallio did nothing about it.

18:18  Paul stayed there for many days. Then he said goodbye to the Christian brothers and went in a boat to the country of Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. In the town of Cenchrea he cut his hair off. This was because he had made a promise to God.

18:19  When they reached the city of Ephesus, Paul left the others there. He himself went to the meeting place and talked with the Jews.

18:20  The Jews begged him to stay longer but he would not stay.

18:21  ‘Goodbye,’ he said. ‘I will come back to you again if it is God’s will.’ Then he got in a boat and left Ephesus.

18:22  When he reached Caesarea, he went to greet the church people. Then he went on to Antioch.

18:23  He stayed there for a while. Then he left and went through all the countries of Galatia and Phrygia. He helped the disciples to believe more strongly.

18:24  A Jew came to Ephesus. His name was Apollos. He was born in Alexandria. He spoke with power and was able to explain the holy writings well.

18:25  This man had been taught the way of the Lord. He was strong in spirit as he talked to people. What he taught them about the Lord was true. But he knew only about the baptism of John.

18:26  He began to speak without fear in the meeting place. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him to their house. They explained the way of God so that he knew more about it.

18:27  Apollos decided to go into Achaia. The Christian brothers wrote to the disciples there and asked them to receive him. When he reached Achaia, he helped very much those who believed. They believed because God was kind to them.

18:28  He talked strongly with the Jews before the people. He proved to them from the holy writings that Jesus is the Christ.

Chapter 19

19:1  While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul went over land and came to the city of Ephesus. There he met some disciples.

19:2  Paul asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ They said, ‘No. We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’

19:3  Paul asked them, ‘How were you baptised?’ They said, ‘We were baptised in John’s way.’

19:4  Then Paul said, ‘John baptised people when they stopped their wrong ways. He told people that they should believe on the one who would follow him. That one is Jesus.’

19:5  When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

19:6  Paul put his hands on them. Then the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues of other lang-uages and spoke words from God.

19:7  In all, there were about twelve men.

19:8  Paul went into the meeting place. For three months he talked without fear to the people there. He tried to talk so that people would obey God.

19:9  Some of them were fixed in their minds and would not believe. They said, ‘The Christian way is not good’ They said this in front of all the people. So Paul left them and took the disciples away. He talked and answered the questions of the people every day in the school of a man named Tyrannus.

19:10  This went on for two years, and all the people who lived in the province of Asia, both the Jews and the Greeks, heard the Lord’s word.

19:11  God did big works through Paul. Even some pieces of cloth he had touched were carried to sick people and they were healed. Also, people who had bad spirits in them were made free.

19:12  God did big works through Paul. Even some pieces of cloth he had touched were carried to sick people and they were healed. Also, people who had bad spirits in them were made free.

19:13  Some Jews were there who travelled about from place to place. They had power over bad spirits like witch-doctors. They tried to make people free from bad spirits by using the name of the Lord Jesus. They said to the spirits, ‘I tell you, in the name of Jesus, the one Paul talks about, come out!’

19:14  There was a Jew named Sceva. He was a chief priest. He had seven sons who did this.

19:15  But the bad spirit answered, ‘I know Jesus and I know Paul. But who are you?’

19:16  And the man who had the bad spirit in him jumped on them. He beat them all because he was stronger than they were. Their bodies were bleeding and their clothes were torn. They ran out of the house.

19:17  When all the Jews and the Greeks at Ephesus knew about this, they all feared. And they had great respect for the name of the Lord Jesus.

19:18  Many of the people who believed, told God all the bad things they used to do.

19:19  Many had been witch-doctors. They brought their books and burned them in front of all the people. All the books together had cost about 50,000 silver coins.

19:20  God’s word spread with power. It reached more and more people.

19:21  After this, Paul decided he would go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to Jerusalem. ‘After I have been there,’ he said, ‘l must go to see the city of Rome also.’

19:22  He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, into Macedonia. But he himself stayed in Asia Minor for a while.

19:23  About that time there was much trouble because of the Christian way.

19:24  A man named Demetrius made things from silver. He made little silver houses like the big house of the idol-god Diana. He and other men got much money from this work.

19:25  Demetrius called them all together. He said, ‘Men, you know that we get our money from this work.

19:26  Now you see and hear how this man Paul has talked. He has turned away many people in Ephesus. Not only that, but he has turned away the hearts of many people in almost all of Asia Minor. He says that things made by men’s hands are not really gods.

19:27  This will spoil our work. Not only that, but people will not respect the house of the great idol goddess Diana any more. All the people in Asia and in the whole world worship her now. But they will despise her!’

19:28  When they heard this, the men were very angry and shouted, ‘Great is Diana of Ephesus!’

19:29  All the people in the city were excited. They caught two men from Macedonia. Their names were Gaius and Aristarchus. They had travelled with Paul. Then they all rushed to the big meeting place with them.

19:30  Paul wanted to go in and talk to the people, but the disciples would not let him.

19:31  Some of the leaders in Asia Minor liked Paul. They sent word to him and begged him not to go into the meeting place.

19:32  Some of the people were shouting one thing and some another. They were all stirred up. Most of the people did not know why they had come together.

19:33  The Jews pushed Alexander forward. Some of the people put him in front. He put up his hand and wanted to talk to the people.

19:34  But when they saw that he was a Jew, they all shouted together for two hours, ‘Great is Diana of Ephesus!’

19:35  At last the city chief stopped the shouting. He said, ‘Men of Ephesus, everyone knows that all the people of Ephesus take care of the house of the great Diana. And they take care of the stone which fell from the sky.

19:36  No person can say it is not true. So you should be quiet and not do anything foolish.

19:37  The men whom you have brought here have not taken anything from the house. They have not even said anything wrong about our goddess.

19:38  Now then, if Demetrius and the men who work with him have any complaint, let them take it to law. We have a court and we have judges.

19:39  If you want anything more than that, it must be done in a meeting which has been called by law.

19:40  We may have trouble because of what has happened today. There is not one good reason for it.’

19:41  When he had said this, he closed the meeting.

Chapter 20

20:1  When everything was quiet, Paul called the disciples. He talked to them so they would not be afraid. Then he said goodbye and left. He went to Macedonia.

20:2  He went through that country and talked to the people. He helped them to believe more strongly. Then he went to Greece.

20:3  He stayed there for three months. When he was ready to go to Syria by boat, he heard that the Jewish leaders were planning to catch him. So he said, ‘I will go back through Macedonia.’

20:4  Some men went with him as far as Asia Minor. They were Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, and also Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia Minor.

20:5  These went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.

20:6  After the days of the Passover Feast, we left Philippi by boat. Five days later we met them in Troas. We stayed there for seven days.

20:7  On the first day of the week the disciples met together to break bread. Paul was ready to leave the next day. He talked a long time to the people at the meeting until long into the night. They were gathered in an upstairs room with many lights.

20:8  On the first day of the week the disciples met together to break bread. Paul was ready to leave the next day. He talked a long time to the people at the meeting until long into the night. They were gathered in an upstairs room with many lights.

20:9  A young man named Eutychus sat in the window. He became very sleepy. When Paul kept talking so long, Eutychus was very deep in sleep and fell down from the third floor. When the people picked him up he was dead.

20:10  Paul went down stairs. He lay on him and put his arms around him. ‘Do not fear,’ he said. ‘He is alive.’

20:11  Then Paul went upstairs again. He broke bread and ate some food. He talked for a long time, until daybreak. After that, he left.

20:12  The people took the young man. They were very glad because he was alive.

20:13  We went by boat to the town of Assos. We were going to meet Paul there and take him on the boat. He told us to do that because he wanted to walk.

20:14  We met him at Assos, took him on the boat, and went to Mitylene.

20:15  Then we went by boat the next day and came to Chios. The next day we passed the town of Samos. We reached Miletus on the third day.

20:16  Paul decided not to stop at Ephesus. He did not want to spend time in Asia Minor. He kept going as fast as he could, because he hoped to be at the feast in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

20:17  He sent a message from Miletus to Ephesus to call the leaders of the church to come to him.

20:18  When they came, he said, ‘You know how I have lived all the time that I have been with you. I lived that way from the first day I came into Asia.

20:19  You know how I have served the Lord without being proud. And I have even cried for you. I served the Lord when I had troubles and when the leaders of the Jews tried to catch me.

20:20  I have not feared to tell you everything that would help you. I have taught you in meetings and in your homes.

20:21  I have told both the Jews and the Greeks to stop doing wrong things. I have told them to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

20:22  ‘And now I feel in my spirit that I must go to Jerusalem. I do not know what will happen to me there.

20:23  But in every city the Holy Spirit tells me I will be put in prison. I will have much trouble.

20:24  But none of these things trouble me. I do not try to save my life. All I want is to finish what I must do with joy. The work which the Lord Jesus gave me is to tell the good news that God is kind.

20:25  I know that you all will never see me again. I have told you about God’s kingdom.

20:26  So I tell you today that if any one is lost, it is not my fault.

20:27  I have not feared to tell you all that God wants you to know.

20:28  ‘The Holy Spirit has made you leaders over his people. Watch yourselves. Like one who takes care of his sheep, so you must take care of the church people. They are the Lord’s people. He gave his blood for them.

20:29  I know this, that there are people as bad as wild animals. After I leave you, they will come to you. They will trouble God’s people.

20:30  Also, some men will come from among you. They will teach things that are not true. They want people to follow them.

20:31  So then, watch and remember this. For three years, through the night and in the day, I told every one of you to be careful. I even cried as I told you.

20:32  ‘And now, my brothers, I give you to God. I leave with you his word which brings blessing. That word is able to make you strong. It will give you your share in the good things of God promised by him. He gives these good things to people who are pure and holy.

20:33  I did not want anyone to give me money or clothes.

20:34  You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to pay for the things that I and my friends needed.

20:35  I have always shown you that you must work hard, as I have. You must help those who cannot work. By so doing you are remembering the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, “It makes you more happy to give something than to get something.”’

20:36  When Paul had said this, he kneeled down and talked to God with them all.

20:37  They all cried much. They put their arms around his neck and kissed him.

20:38  They were sad most of all because he had said they would not see him again. And they went with him to the boat.

Chapter 21

21:1  When we had said goodbye to them, we left them. We went straight across the water to the island of Cos. The next day we came to the island of Rhodes. Then we went to the city of Patara.

21:2  There we found a boat going to the country of Phoenicia, so we went there.

21:3  When we saw the island of Cyprus, we went on the right side of it to Syria. We landed at Tyre because they unloaded the boat there.

21:4  We found some Christians and stayed for seven days. The Holy Spirit spoke through them to Paul, ‘Do not go on to Jerusalem.’

21:5  When the seven days had passed, we left and went on our way. All of the men, women, and children went with us out of the city. There by the sea we kneeled down and talked to God.

21:6  We said goodbye to each other. Then we got on the boat and they went back to their homes.

21:7  From Tyre we went to Ptolemais. There we greeted the Christian brothers and stayed with them one day.

21:8  The next day we left and came to Caesarea. We went into the house of Philip. He was a man who went out telling the good news. He was one of the seven helpers in the church.

21:9  He had four daughters who spoke words from God. They were not married.

21:10  While we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came from Judea.

21:11  When he came to us, he took Paul’s belt. He tied his own hands and feet with it. Then he said, ‘The Holy Spirit has told me that in the same way the leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem will tie the man who owns this belt. They will give him over to the people who are not Jews.’

21:12  When we heard this, both we and the people there talked to Paul and begged him not to go to Jerusalem.

21:13  Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you crying and making me sad like this? I am ready to be tied and also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’

21:14  So when we saw that he would not change his mind, we stopped begging him. We said, ‘May the Lord do what he wants to be done.’

21:15  After that, we took our things and went to Jerusalem.

21:16  Some of the Christians from Caesarea went with us. One of them was Mnason, a man born in Cyprus. He was one of the first Christian believers. We stayed in his house.

21:17  When we reached Jerusalem, the Christian brothers were glad to see us.

21:18  The next day Paul went with us to see James. All the church leaders were there.

21:19  First, Paul greeted them. Then he told them one by one the things God had done as he worked among the people who were not Jews.

21:20  When they heard it, they praised the Lord. They said to Paul, ‘Brother, there are many thousands of Jews who believe. They all say we must obey the law of Moses.

21:21  They have heard that you teach all the Jews who live in other lands. They heard that you tell them not to obey Moses’ law: that they need not circumcise their children like the Jews do; and they can leave the Jewish ways of living.

21:22  What should we do about it? Many people will gather together because they will surely hear that you have come.

21:23  Now then, do the thing we tell you. We have four men who have made a promise.

21:24  Take them with you. Make yourself clean with them, the way the law says to do. Pay the cost for having their hair cut. Then all the people will know that all the things they heard about you are not true. They will know that you live the way the law says you should live.

21:25  We sent a letter to those who are not Jews and have believed. Here is what we told them they must not do. They must not touch things that have been given to idols. They must not taste blood. They must not eat the meat of animals that were killed by choking. And they must not take part in any kind of wrong sexual behaviour between men and women.’

21:26  Then Paul took the men with him. The next day he made himself clean with them the way the law says to do. Then he went into the temple. He told the priests which day they would finish making themselves clean. On that day a sacrifice would be made for each one of them.

21:27  The seven days were almost over. The Jewish leaders from Asia Minor saw Paul in the temple. They got all the people there excited. They caught hold of him.

21:28  They shouted, ‘All you men of Israel, come and help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere not to respect our people. He says we need not obey the law or respect this temple. And what is more, he has brought Greek people into the temple. He has made this holy place unclean.’

21:29  They said this because they had seen a man from Ephesus named Trophimus. He was in the city with Paul. And they thought that Paul had brought him into the temple.

21:30  So all the people in the city were excited. They came running. They caught Paul and took him out of the temple by force. Then the doors were shut behind them.

21:31  They were trying to kill him. The officer in charge of the soldiers heard that all the people of Jerusalem were making trouble.

21:32  Right away he took some soldiers and officers with him and ran down to the people. When the people saw them they stopped beating Paul.

21:33  Then the officer came up and took Paul. He had him tied with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

21:34  Some of the crowd shouted one thing and some of them shouted something else. The captain could not find out what was true. The people were shouting too much. So he told his soldiers to take Paul into their army house.

21:35  When Paul came to the steps, the soldiers carried him because the people were fighting to get him.

21:36  They were all following, shouting, ‘Kill him!’

21:37  Just as the soldiers were going to take Paul into their army house, he said to the officer, ‘May I tell you something?’ ‘So, you speak the Greek language!’ said the officer. ‘I thought you were the man from the country of Egypt who made trouble a while ago. I thought you were the one who led four thousand bad men into the desert.’

21:38  Just as the soldiers were going to take Paul into their army house, he said to the officer, ‘May I tell you something?’ ‘So, you speak the Greek language!’ said the officer. ‘I thought you were the man from the country of Egypt who made trouble a while ago. I thought you were the one who led four thousand bad men into the desert.’

21:39  Paul said, ‘I am a Jew. I was born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. I belong to a great city. Please let me talk to these people.’

21:40  So the officer let him talk. Paul stood on the steps and put up his hand. Then all the people were very quiet. He talked to them in the Jews’ language.

Chapter 22

22:1  Paul said, ‘Men, brothers, and fathers, listen while I tell you my side of this matter.’

22:2  When the people heard him speak in the Jews’ language, they were even more quiet. Then Paul said, ‘I am a Jew. I was born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. But I was raised here in this city. Gamaliel was my teacher. He taught me very well in the law of our fathers. I was trying hard to obey God, just as you all are today.

22:3  When the people heard him speak in the Jews’ language, they were even more quiet. Then Paul said, ‘I am a Jew. I was born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. But I was raised here in this city. Gamaliel was my teacher. He taught me very well in the law of our fathers. I was trying hard to obey God, just as you all are today.

22:4  I troubled very much the people who believed this Way. I even killed them. I had men and women tied and put into prison.

22:5  The high priest and all the leaders know that this is true about me. They wrote letters for me to carry to the leaders of the Jews in the city of Damascus. I went to have the Christians there tied and brought to Jerusalem to be punished.’

22:6  ‘I was on my way and was near Damascus. It was about midday. All at once a very bright light from the sky shone all around me.

22:7  I fell to the ground and heard someone say to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you troubling me?”

22:8  I said, “Who are you, Lord?” He answered, “I am Jesus of Nazareth. You are troubling me.”

22:9  The men who were with me saw the light. They were afraid. But they did not hear the one who spoke to me.

22:10  Then I said, “Lord, what shall I do?” And the Lord said to me, “Get up and go to Damascus. There someone will tell you all you must do.”

22:11  I could not see because the light was so bright. My friends led me by the hand to Damascus.

22:12  ‘A man named Ananias was there. He obeyed the law of Moses, and all the Jews who lived there spoke well of him.

22:13  He came to see me. He stood by my side and said to me, “Brother Saul, you can see again!” And right then I was able to see him.

22:14  He said, “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will. He chose you to see the One who is right and to hear him speak.

22:15  You will speak for him. You will tell all the people what you have seen and heard.

22:16  Now, why do you wait? Get up and be baptised. Wash away your wrong ways by calling on the name of the Lord!”’

22:17  ‘After I went back to Jerusalem, I was talking to God in the temple one day. Something like a dream came over me.

22:18  I heard the Lord say to me, “Leave Jerusalem quickly, right away. The people will not listen to the things you say about me.”

22:19  And I said, “Lord, they know that I put in prison those who believed in you. I beat them in all the meeting houses.

22:20  And I stood by and let people kill Stephen. He was one who talked for you. I looked after the clothes of the men who killed him.”

22:21  But the Lord said to me, “Go! I will send you far away to the people who are not Jews.”’

22:22  The people listened to Paul until he said that. Then they shouted, ‘Kill him and get him off the earth. A man like that should not live!’

22:23  The people shouted. They waved their clothes about and threw dust in the air.

22:24  The man in charge of the soldiers ordered Paul to be brought into the army house. He said that he should be beaten hard to make him tell why the people shouted so much at him.

22:25  When they had tied him with ropes, Paul said to the captain who was standing by, ‘Is it right for you to beat a man who belongs to Rome without judging his case?’

22:26  When the captain heard this, he told the commanding officer. He said, ‘What are you going to do? This man is a Roman!’

22:27  Then the commanding officer came to Paul and said, ‘Tell me, are you a Roman?’ ‘Yes, I am,’ replied Paul.

22:28  Then the officer said, ‘I paid much money to become a Roman.’ Paul said, ‘I was born a Roman.’

22:29  Then the men who were going to beat him left him. The officer was afraid when he knew Paul was a Roman, because he had tied him up.

22:30  The officer wanted to know the real reason why the Jewish leaders were angry with Paul. So the next day he had Paul untied. He called the chief priests and the leaders to hold a court meeting. Then he took Paul down and brought him in before them.

Chapter 23

23:1  Paul looked at the members of the court and said, ‘My brothers, I have done what I thought God wanted me to do, right up to this day.’

23:2  Ananias, the high priest, said to those who were standing near Paul, ‘Hit his mouth!’

23:3  Paul said, ‘God will hit you down, you dirty wall painted white! You sit there to judge me by the law and you break the law by telling them to hit me.’

23:4  The people who stood near Paul said, ‘Do you say a wrong thing like that to God’s high priest?’

23:5  Paul said, ‘I did not know that he is a high priest. The holy writings say, “You shall not say anything wrong about a ruler of your people.”’

23:6  Paul knew that some of the men were from the Sadducee group and some of them were from the Pharisee group. So he called out in the court, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee. My fathers were Pharisees. I am being judged because I believe that the dead will be raised to life again.’

23:7  When he had said that, the Pharisees and the Sadducees began to talk back and forth. The men in the court were divided.

23:8  The Sadducees say the dead will not be raised again. They say there is no angel or spirit. But the Pharisees believe in all these three things.

23:9  There was much shouting. Some of the clever men who were Pharisees got up. They said, ‘We do not think this man has done wrong. Perhaps some angel or spirit really did speak to him.’

23:10  The people started fighting. The commanding officer was afraid they would tear Paul into pieces. So he told the soldiers to take Paul and bring him into the army house.

23:11  The next night the Lord stood beside Paul. He said, ‘Be glad, Paul. You have told people about me in Jerusalem. You must also talk about me in Rome.’

23:12  In the morning, some of the Jewish leaders planned together. They made a promise that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

23:13  There were more than forty Jews who made this secret plan together.

23:14  They came to the chief priests and leaders and said, ‘We have made a promise for ourselves. We will not eat anything until we have killed Paul.

23:15  So now, you and the members of the court send word to the commanding officer. Tell him to bring Paul down to you. Make him think you want to find out more about Paul. We will be ready to kill him before he gets there.’

23:16  The son of Paul’s sister heard about their secret plan. So he went into the army house and told Paul.

23:17  Paul called one of the officers and said to him, ‘Take this young man to the commanding officer. He has something to tell him!’

23:18  So the officer took him to the commanding officer. He said, ‘Paul, the prisoner, called me. He asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.’

23:19  The officer took the young man by the arm. He went to one side so they could be alone. He asked, ‘What do you want to tell me?’

23:20  The young man said, ‘The leaders of the Jews have made a plan. They will ask you to bring Paul down to court tomorrow. They will say that they wish to find out more about him.

23:21  But you must not do this. More than forty Jews are waiting for him. They have made a promise to themselves. They will not eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now and waiting for your agreement.’

23:22  So the commanding officer sent the young man away. He said, ‘You must not tell anyone that you have told me about these things.’

23:23  The commanding officer called two officers to him. He said, ‘Get two hundred soldiers ready by nine o’clock tonight to go to Caesarea. Send seventy men with them who will ride on horses and two hundred men who will carry spears.

23:24  Also have horses ready for Paul to ride. Take him safely to Felix, the ruler.’

23:25  The officer wrote a letter to Felix like this:

23:26  ‘Claudius Lysias sends greetings to you, great ruler Felix.

23:27  This man was caught by the Jews. They were ready to kill him. But I came with my soldiers and took him away, because I found out that he is a Roman.

23:28  I wanted to find out what complaint they had against him, so I brought him into their court.

23:29  I found out that their complaints were to do with their law. But he had not done anything wrong enough to die or to be put into prison.

23:30  When I heard that the Jewish leaders were planning to catch him, I sent him to you at once. I told those who are making complaints against him that they must bring the matter to you.’

23:31  So the soldiers took Paul as they had been told to do. They went with him that night as far as the town of Antipatris.

23:32  The next day the soldiers went back to the barracks. Only the men who were riding horses went with Paul.

23:33  When they reached Caesarea, they gave the letter to the ruler and brought Paul to him.

23:34  He read the letter. Then he asked Paul what country he came from. He heard that Paul was from Cilicia. Then he said, ‘I will hear all you have to say when the men who have made the complaint come here.’ He ordered Paul to be kept in the house which is called Herod’s palace.

23:35  He read the letter. Then he asked Paul what country he came from. He heard that Paul was from Cilicia. Then he said, ‘I will hear all you have to say when the men who have made the complaint come here.’ He ordered Paul to be kept in the house which is called Herod’s palace.

Chapter 24

24:1  Five days later, Ananias the high priest came from Jerusalem. He brought with him some of the leaders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They told the ruler their complaint against Paul.

24:2  Paul was called in. Tertullus began to bring the complaints. ‘Great ruler Felix,’ he said, ‘we have peace because of what you have done. These people have a better life because of you.

24:3  We are always very glad for this everywhere we go.

24:4  I do not want to take much of your time. But please be kind and listen to a few words from us.

24:5  We have found this man to be a real trouble-maker. He talks to the Jews all over the world and causes them to disobey the laws. He is the leading trouble-maker of the Nazarene group.

24:6  He even tried to make the temple unclean. But we caught him and were going to judge him by our law.

24:7  But Lysias the commanding officer came. He took Paul away from us by force.

24:8  He told those who have complaints against him to come to you. Ask him yourself and you will find out from him about all these complaints we have brought against him.’

24:9  The Jews agreed with what Tertullus the lawyer said. They said, ‘Yes, yes, he is telling the truth.’

24:10  The ruler made a sign for Paul to speak. So Paul said, ‘I know that for many years you have judged matters for this people.

24:11  So I am happy to speak for myself. Not more than twelve days ago I went to Jerusalem to worship. If you ask the people, you will find this out.

24:12  They did not find me quarrelling with anyone in the temple. I was not making trouble among the people in the meeting houses or in the city.

24:13  They cannot prove the things they have said against me here.

24:14  But I myself tell you this. I worship the God of my fathers in the Christian way. They say this is not the right way. I believe everything that the law teaches. I believe everything that the prophets have written.

24:15  I believe that God will raise from death both the good people and the bad people. These people here believe the same thing.

24:16  I always try to do what is right to God and to men.

24:17  ‘I was away for a few years and I had come to Jerusalem to bring gifts to my people, and to give offerings.

24:18  While I was doing this, they found me in the temple. I had made myself clean the way the law says to do. I did not have many people around me. I was not making trouble.

24:19  Some Jews were there from Asia Minor. They should be here before you and talk against me if they have anything to say.

24:20  Or let these men here tell if they found anything wrong with me when I stood in their court.

24:21  I did this one thing. I shouted while I was standing among them, “I am being judged today because I believe that the dead will be raised again.”’

24:22  Felix sent them away because he knew many things about the Christian way. He said, ‘When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will know everything about this matter.’

24:23  He said to the officer, ‘Keep Paul in prison but let him have some freedom. Let his friends come to visit him and to do things for him.’

24:24  Some days after that, Felix came with his wife Drusilla. She was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to what Paul said about believing in Christ Jesus.

24:25  Paul talked about what is right, about living the right way, and about the time when all people will be judged. Felix was very much afraid when he heard these things. He said to Paul, ‘You may go now. When I have time, I will call you again.’

24:26  He hoped that Paul would give him money to free him. And so he often sent for Paul and talked with him.

24:27  After two years, a man named Porcius Festus came to rule in Felix’s place. Felix had wanted to please the Jewish leaders, so he left Paul in prison.

Chapter 25

25:1  Three days after Festus came to the country, he went to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

25:2  Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews told him what they had against Paul.

25:3  ‘Please do something for us,’ they begged. ‘Send for Paul to come to Jerusalem.’ They had made a secret plan to kill him on the road.

25:4  Festus said, ‘Paul is being kept in prison in Caesarea. I myself am going there soon.

25:5  Let the men among you who are able come with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, then they can talk against him.’

25:6  Festus stayed only eight or ten days more among them. Then he went to Caesarea. The next day he sat on his chair in the court and had Paul brought in.

25:7  When Paul came in, the Jewish leaders who had come from Jerusalem stood around Paul. They talked much against him. But they could not prove that the things they said were true.

25:8  Paul spoke for himself. He said, ‘I have done no wrong to the law, or to the temple, or against Caesar the ruler of the Romans.’

25:9  Festus wanted to please the Jewish leaders, so he said to Paul, ‘Will you go to Jerusalem and let me judge you there about these things?’

25:10  Paul said, ‘I am standing in Caesar’s court. That is where I should be judged. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews. You yourself know that well.

25:11  If I have done wrong things, or any wrong thing for which I should die, then I do not ask to live. But if the things these people say are not true, then no one has power to give me up to the leaders of the Jews. I ask to go to Caesar.’

25:12  So Festus talked the matter over with the court. Then he said to Paul, ‘You have asked to go to Caesar. All right, you will go to Caesar!’

25:13  Some time after that, king Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

25:14  They stayed for many days. Festus brought Paul’s matter to the king. He said, ‘Felix left a man in prison here.

25:15  When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priest and leaders of the Jews came to me. They talked against him, and they asked me to punish him.

25:16  I told them that the Romans do not do it that way. They do not punish a man until he has met those who talk against him. Then he has a chance to speak for himself.

25:17  So they came here with me. I did not wait. The very next day I sat on my chair in the court and had the man brought in.

25:18  When they stood up, they did not say the wrong things against him that I thought they would.

25:19  But instead, they had a quarrel with him about the things they believe in. The quarrel is about a man named Jesus who died. Paul said he is alive.

25:20  I did not know how to judge such things. So I asked if he would go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these matters.

25:21  But Paul asked to wait and let Caesar judge his case. So I had him put in prison to be kept there until I can send him to Caesar.’

25:22  Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I should like to hear the man myself.’ Festus said, ‘Tomorrow you shall hear him.’

25:23  So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came, making a big show of themselves. They went into the room to hear Paul talk. Officers and the leading men of the city also went in. When Festus called for Paul, he was brought in.

25:24  Then Festus said, ‘King Agrippa and all you men here with us, you see this man. All the Jewish leaders, both in Jerusalem and here, came together and talked about him. They shouted, “He must die!”

25:25  But I found out that he had not done anything wrong for which he should die. He himself asked to go to Caesar, so I decided to send him.

25:26  But I have no real complaint about him to write to my ruler. So I have brought this man before you all, and most of all before you, king Agrippa. When you have heard him, I hope I will have something to write about him.

25:27  I think that it does not make sense to send a prisoner and not say what wrong he has done.’

Chapter 26

26:1  Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You may speak for yourself.’ So Paul put out his hand and began to speak.

26:2  ‘King Agrippa, I am happy to speak for myself before you today. I will talk about all the things the leaders of the Jews have said against me.

26:3  You know all the ways of the Jews. You know what they believe. So please take time to listen to me.

26:4  ‘All the Jews know the way I lived from the time I was young. From the beginning I lived with my own people at Jerusalem.

26:5  They have known me for a long time. They know, if they would tell it, that I lived like the Pharisee group. They obey the law better than any others who worship God the way we do.

26:6  I believe that God will keep the promise that he made to our fathers long ago. That is why I am standing here being judged today.

26:7  All the people of our twelve tribes serve God faithfully day and night. They do this because they believe they will receive what he has promised. Because I believe this, king Agrippa, the Jewish leaders are talking against me.

26:8  Why is it so hard for any of you to believe that God should raise the dead?

26:9  ‘I used to think that I must do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

26:10  I did this in Jerusalem. The chief priests gave me power. I put many of God’s people in prison. And when they were killed, I agreed to it.

26:11  Often I punished them in all the meeting places. I tried to make them say wrong things about Christ. I was very, very angry. I even went to other cities to trouble them.’

26:12  ‘And so I was on my way to the city of Damascus. The chief priests had given me power and a letter.

26:13  I was on the road at midday, king Agrippa, and I saw a bright light. It came from the sky and was brighter than the light of the sun. It shone all around me and the men who were travelling with me.

26:14  We all fell to the ground. I heard someone say to me in the Jews’ language, “Saul, Saul, why are you troubling me? You hurt yourself when you kick against the sticks which guide you.”

26:15  ‘I said, “Who are you, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus, the one you are troubling.

26:16  But get up. Stand on your feet. Here is why I have shown myself to you. I have chosen you to work for me. I have chosen you to tell people what you saw when you saw me today. You are to tell them also about the other times when I will show myself to you.

26:17  I will keep you safe from your own people, the Jews. And I will keep you safe from those who are not Jews. I am sending you to them.

26:18  I send you to them to open their eyes. Then they will turn from darkness to light. You are to take them out of Satan’s power and turn them to God, to be forgiven of their wrong ways. Then they will be among those who are made clean and pure by believing in me.”’

26:19  ‘So, king Agrippa, I obeyed what the one from heaven told me to do.

26:20  I told the good news to the people of Damascus and Jerusalem. Then I told it all over Judea. I went to those who are not Jews. I told everyone that they must stop doing wrong things and turn to God. I told them they must show by the way they live that they have stopped doing wrong things.

26:21  That is why the leaders of the Jews caught me in the temple and tried to kill me.

26:22  God has always helped me up to today. I have stood and talked to both small people and great people. I have said nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would happen.

26:23  They said Christ must suffer. They said he would be the first person to rise from death. He would be the first person to bring news of light to the Jews and those who are not Jews.’

26:24  While Paul was saying these things Festus shouted, ‘Paul, you are crazy! All your book learning is making you crazy.’

26:25  Paul said, ‘No, great ruler Festus, I am not crazy. But what I say is true. It makes good sense.

26:26  The king knows about these things. I am not afraid to talk to him about them. I am sure that not one of these things happened without his knowing about it. This did not happen in secret.

26:27  King Agrippa do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them.’

26:28  Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You are trying to make me a Christian right away.’

26:29  ‘Right away or later,’ said Paul. ‘I wish that all who hear me today might be what I am. That is, what I am without these chains.’

26:30  Then king Agrippa stood up. Festus and Bernice and those who were sitting there with them stood up also.

26:31  They left the room and talked the matter over. They said, ‘This man is not doing anything wrong for which he ought to be in prison or die.’

26:32  Agrippa said to Festus, ‘We could let this man go free if he had not asked to go to Caesar.’

Chapter 27

27:1  It was planned that we would go by boat to Italy. An officer named Julius was put in charge of Paul and some other prisoners. Julius was an army captain in the Augustan group.

27:2  We got on a boat which was from the city of Adramyttium. This boat was going along the coast of Asia Minor. And so we went out to sea. A man named Aristarchus from the city of Thessalonica in Macedonia came with us also.

27:3  The next day we stopped at the city of Sidon. Julius was kind to Paul. He allowed him to go to see his friends so they could care for him.

27:4  Then we started out to sea again. We went near the island of Cyprus, because the wind was blowing against us.

27:5  We crossed the sea by the countries of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Then we reached the city of Myra in Lycia.

27:6  There the officer found a boat from the city of Alexandria going to the country of Italy. So he put us on that boat.

27:7  We went slowly for many days. And after much trouble, we reached the city of Cnidus. The wind was blowing hard against us. We could not go on. So we went around the south side of the island of Crete, past Cape Salmone.

27:8  We had trouble going along near the coast, but at last we came to a place called Fair Havens. This was near the town of Lasea.

27:9  It was now so late in the year that it was a bad time to go by boat. So Paul spoke to them about it.

27:10  He said, ‘Sirs, I see that if we go on by boat, we will have much trouble. Something bad will happen to the things on the boat and to the boat itself, and also to us.’

27:11  The officer did not listen to what Paul said. But he listened to the captain and the owner of the boat.

27:12  This place was not a good place for the boat to stay through the winter months of the year. So most of the men wanted to go on. They thought they might be able to reach Phoenicia and stay there for the winter. Phoenicia is a good place on the island of Crete. Boats can stay there. The winds do not blow against them.

27:13  When the south wind began to blow a little, they thought they had what they wanted. So they started off. They went along very close to the land of Crete.

27:14  But soon a very strong north-east wind blew from Crete.

27:15  The wind blew against the boat and it could not go into the wind. So they let the boat go where the wind took it.

27:16  We came close to a small island called Clauda. There we had a hard time to pull up the small boat.

27:17  However, at last they got it up. Then they put ropes around the boat to make it strong. They were also afraid they would get stuck in a bad place in the sand. So they took down the big sail cloth that was up to catch the wind. Then they let the boat go where the wind took it.

27:18  The next day the storm was very bad. They threw out the things that were in the boat.

27:19  And the third day they threw off the things they used on the boat, with their own hands.

27:20  For many days we could not see the sun or the stars. The bad storm kept on. We did not think that we would be saved.

27:21  The men of the boat had not eaten anything for a long time. Then Paul stood up and said, ‘Sirs, you should have listened to me and not left Crete. But you did leave. So you have had much trouble and have lost all these things.

27:22  Now I tell you to be glad. Not one of you will die. Only the boat will break and be lost.

27:23  I belong to God and worship him. Last night his angel stood before me.

27:24  He said, “Paul, do not be afraid. You must stand before Caesar. And see, God has given you the lives of all these men who are travelling with you.”

27:25  So be glad, sirs. I believe God. It will be just the way he told me.

27:26  However, we will have to go on an island.’

27:27  On the fourteenth night we were being blown across the Adrian Sea. About midnight the boatmen thought that we must be near some land.

27:28  So they tested how deep the water was there. They found that the line went down twenty arm lengths. A little later they tested and found that it was only fifteen arm lengths deep.

27:29  Then they were afraid that we would hit the rocks. There were four heavy iron hooks called anchors. They let them down into the water at the back end of the boat. Then they wished that morning would come.

27:30  The boatmen wanted to get off and leave the boat. They even put down the small boat into the water. They said they were going to put more anchors out from the front of the big boat.

27:31  But Paul said to the officer and soldiers, ‘If these men do not stay on the boat, you cannot be saved.’

27:32  Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the small boat and let the water carry it away.

27:33  When it was almost morning, Paul begged them all to eat. He said, ‘Today is the fourteenth day that you have been watching and have not eaten anything.

27:34  So now, I beg you, eat something. You need it to make you strong so you can save yourselves. Not one of you will lose even one hair from your head.’

27:35  When he had said this, he stood in front of them all. He took some bread and thanked God for it. Then he broke it and began to eat it.

27:36  Then they all were glad and ate some food themselves.

27:37  In all, we were 276 people on the boat.

27:38  They ate all they wanted. Then they threw the grain into the water, so that the boat would not be so heavy.

27:39  In the morning they saw land. But they did not know what country it was. They saw a sandy place. So they talked it over and thought they would try to get the boat on it.

27:40  They cut off the anchors and left them in the water. At the same time, they untied the wood that guided the boat. They put up the big sail to catch the wind and tried to get the boat onto that sandy place.

27:41  But they came to a place where there was sand under the water. The boat stuck in it. The front end stuck so badly that they could not make it go. The back end began to break up because the water beat it so hard.

27:42  The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners so that none of them would swim to land and run away.

27:43  But the officer wanted to save Paul, so he stopped the soldiers. He told the people, ‘Those of you who can swim, jump into the water first and get to the land.

27:44  Then the rest of you jump in and go on planks and other pieces of the boat.’ So in this way they all got to the land safely.

Chapter 28

28:1  When we were safe on land, we found that the island we were on was called Malta.

28:2  The people there were very kind to us. They made a fire for us and took care of us. It was cold and raining.

28:3  Paul gathered some sticks of wood. He put them on the fire. A bad snake came out of the heat and hung onto his hand.

28:4  The people of Malta saw the snake hanging on his hand. ‘Oh,’ they said to each other. ‘This man has no doubt killed someone. He did not die in the water, but it is not right for him to live.’

28:5  Paul shook the snake off into the fire. It did not hurt him.

28:6  The people thought surely he would swell up or would drop down dead at once. They waited a long time and saw that nothing bad happened to him. Then they said, ‘We were wrong. He must be a god.’

28:7  The ruler of the island was a man named Publius. He owned some of the land there. He took us to his house for three days and was very kind to us.

28:8  The father of Publius was sick with fever, and blood was coming from his body. Paul went to see him. He talked to God and put his hands on the man. He healed him.

28:9  After this, other sick people on the island came to Paul. And they too were healed.

28:10  They gave us many things. When we went away, they put on the boat for us the things that we would need.

28:11  A boat from the town of Alexandria was at the island all through the winter time. It was marked with a sign of the Twin Brothers. After we had been on the island for three months, we went on that boat.

28:12  Then we went to the city of Syracuse and stayed for three days.

28:13  After that we turned the boat along the coast. We reached the town of Rhegium. When we had been there for a day, a south wind began to blow. On the second day we came to the city of Puteoli.

28:14  There we found some Christian brothers. They asked us to stay with them for seven days. Then we went to Rome. Some of the Christians at Rome had heard about us. They came to places called the Market Place of Appius and the Three Hotels. There they met us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God. It made him strong and glad to see these brothers.

28:15  There we found some Christian brothers. They asked us to stay with them for seven days. Then we went to Rome. Some of the Christians at Rome had heard about us. They came to places called the Market Place of Appius and the Three Hotels. There they met us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God. It made him strong and glad to see these brothers.

28:16  When we came to Rome, Paul was allowed to stay in a house by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

28:17  After three days, Paul called for the leaders of the Jews at Rome. When they had come, he said to them, ‘My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have obeyed the laws of our fathers. And yet I was made a prisoner at Jerusalem and was given over to the Romans.

28:18  When the Romans judged my case in court, they wanted to let me go free. They said there was no reason to kill me.

28:19  But the Jewish leaders did not agree to let me go free, so I had to ask to be brought before Caesar. I did not have anything to say against my people.

28:20  Now, here is why I have asked to see you and to talk to you. I am a prisoner tied with chains because I believe the same promise the Jews believe.’

28:21  They said to him, ‘The people of Judea have not written us any letter about you. When our brother Jews have come here, not one of them has told or said anything wrong about you.

28:22  But we want to hear from you what you think. We know that people everywhere are talking against this Christian group.’

28:23  So they chose a certain day. On that day many of them came to the house where Paul was staying. He told them about God’s kingdom. He tried to make them understand about Jesus by the things that were written in the law of Moses and in the books of the prophets. He talked from morning until evening.

28:24  Some of the people were ready to believe what he said, but others did not believe.

28:25  They did not agree among themselves. So they started to go away. But before they left, Paul said one more thing. ‘What the Holy Spirit said was right. He spoke to your fathers long ago through Isaiah, the prophet of God.

28:26  He said, “Go to these people and say, ‘You will hear but never understand. You will look but never see.

28:27  The hearts of these people have become hard. They do not hear with their ears. They have shut their eyes. They do not want to see with their eyes. They do not want to hear with their ears. They do not want to understand with their hearts. If they did, they would turn back to me and I would forgive them.’”’

28:28  Paul said, ‘Therefore know this. The message that God will save them has been sent to those who were not Jews. They will listen to it.’

28:29  When Paul had said these words, the Jewish leaders went away. They were talking amongst themselves about these things.

28:30  Paul stayed in Rome for two whole years in a house he paid money to live in. He was glad to see all who came to him.

28:31  He told them about God’s kingdom and taught them about the Lord Jesus Christ. He did this freely without fear. No one stopped him.