Montgomery - Acts

Chapter 1

1:1  My first account, O Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus began doing and teaching from the beginning down to the day when,

1:2  after giving instructions through the Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up to heaven.

1:3  After his sufferings he had also shown himself alive to them in many convincing manifestations, revealing himself to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God.

1:4  And once when he was eating with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. "Of this," he said, "you have heard from me.

1:5  "For John indeed baptized in water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence."

1:6  So, when they came together, they began to ask him, "Master, are you at this time about to restore the kingdom of Israel?"

1:7  He answered. "It is not for you to know times and occasions which the Father has fixed in his own authority;

1:8  "yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you are to be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth."

1:9  When he had said this, and while they were looking at him, he was lifted up, and a cloud received him up out of their sight.

1:10  While they were gazing into the sky as he was going up, suddenly there were two men in white garments standing by them,

1:11  and they said. "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into the sky will come back in just the same way as you have seen him going into the sky."

1:12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, about a Sabbath Day’s journey distant.

1:13  On entering the city they went to the upper room where they were accustomed to meet. They were Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

1:14  These all with one mind gave their constant attention to prayer, together with some women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

1:15  It was during these days that Peter stood up among the brothers - the whole number of persons present was about one hundred and twenty - and said.

1:16  "Men and brothers, it was necessary for the Scripture to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit uttered beforehand by the lips of David in regard to Judas who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

1:17  "For he was numbered among us, and he did get his allotted share of this ministry.

1:18  "Now this man bought a plot of ground with the price of his treachery, and falling there headlong he burst asunder and all his bowels gushed out.

1:19  "This fact became known to the people of Jerusalem so that the place was called in their language, Acheldamach, The Field of Blood.

1:20  "For it is written in the Book of Psalms, Let his dwelling-place be desolate; Let no man dwell there, also, Let another take his work.

1:21  "It is necessary then that, of the men who have been associated with us during the whole time in which the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

1:22  from his baptism by John down to the day on which he was taken up from us, one should join us a witness to his resurrection."

1:23  So they placed two in nomination, Joseph called Bar-Sabbas (surnamed Justas) and Matthias;

1:24  and they prayed, saying. "Thou, O Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show clearly which of these two men thou hast chosen to fill the place

1:25  "in this ministry of this apostles from which Judas went out to go to his own place."

1:26  Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Chapter 2

2:1  When the day of Pentecost was fully come, and they were all together in the same place,

2:2  there came suddenly from the sky a sound like the onrush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

2:3  There appeared to them tongues, like flame, distributing themselves, one resting upon the head of each one,

2:4  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

2:5  Now there were, staying in Jerusalem. devout Jews from many and distant lands.

2:6  So when this noise was heard, the crowd gathered in bewilderment because each man heard them speaking in his own language.

2:7  The were beside themselves with wonder. "Are not these Galileans who are speaking?" they exclaimed.

2:8  "Then how is it that each one of us hears them speak his own mother tongue?

2:9  Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,

2:10  in Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the district of Lybia around Cretans and Arabians,

2:11  we all hear these men telling in our own tongue what great things God has done."

2:12  All were astonished and bewildered and kept saying to one another, "What can this mean?"

2:13  But others were saying with jeer, "These men are full of sweet wine."

2:14  Then Peter, with the Eleven, stood up and addresses them in a loud voice. "Men of Judea and dwellers in Jerusalem, have no doubt about this matter, but listen to what I say.

2:15  "These men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only nine o’clock in the morning.

2:16  "No, this is what the prophet Joel predicted.

2:17  "In the last days, God says, it shall come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit upon all mankind; "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams;

2:18  upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days, will I pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

2:19  In the sky above I will show marvels, And signs in the earth beneath; Blood and fire, and vapor of smoke.

2:20  Into darkness shall the sun be turned, And into blood the moon, Ere the day of the Lord come, that great and terrible day.

2:21  And every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

2:22  "Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus the Nazarene, a man accredited to you by God, through mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, as you yourselves know;

2:23  him, delivered up by the settled purpose and fore-knowledge of God, you crucified and killed at the hands of lawless men;

2:24  but God has raised him to life, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for death to hold him.

2:25  For David says of him. "I beheld the Lord always before my face; For he is at my right hand lest I be shaken.

2:26  "Therefore my heart is glad, my tongue exults, my very body also shall pitch its tent in hope.

2:27  "For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, Nor give up thy Holy One to see corruption.

2:28  "Thou hast made known to me the paths of life, Thou wilt fill me with gladness in thy presence.

2:29  "Men and brothers, I can speak plainly to you concerning the patriarch David, because he not only died and was buried, but his tomb is among us even to this very day.

2:30  "Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that of the fruit of his loins he would set one on his throne,

2:31  "he, foreseeing this, spoke of the resurrection of Christ that neither was he left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

2:32  This Jesus God has raised up, of this we are all witnesses.

2:33  Since he is by the mighty hand of God exalted, and has received from his Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this which you now see and hear.

2:34  For David did not ascend into heaven; but he himself said, "The Lord said to my Lord Sit thou on my right hand

2:35  "Until I make thine enemies A footstool under thy feet.

2:36  "Therefore let the whole House of Israel know assuredly that Gods has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you have crucified."

2:37  When they heard these words they were stung to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles. "Men and brothers, what shall we do?"

2:38  "Repent," answered Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2:39  "For the promise belongs to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, whomever the Lord may call."

2:40  With many other words he continued to bear testimony, and kept entreating them, saying, "Save yourselves from this perverse generation."

2:41  Then those who welcomed his message were baptized, and in that day about three thousand souls were added to them;

2:42  and they stedfastly continued in the teaching of the apostles, and in the fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers.

2:43  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were wrought by the apostles.

2:44  And all the believers were together, and had all things in common.

2:45  They would sell their lands and other property, and distribute the proceeds among all, just as any one from time had need.

2:46  Day after day they continued stedfastly with one accord in the Temple; and breaking bread together in their own homes, they continued to eat their food with gladness and an undivided heart,

2:47  praising God, and looked on with favor by all the people. Meanwhile the Lord kept adding to them daily those that were being saved.

Chapter 3

3:1  One day Peter and John were going up together for the hour of prayer, at three in the afternoon,

3:2  when a man lame from his birth was carried along, who was wont to be laid each day near the gate of the Temple called the Beautiful Gate, to ask alms of those who were going into the Temple.

3:3  When he saw Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he kept asking them for alms;

3:4  Peter fixed his eyes upon him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

3:5  So he waited, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said.

3:6  "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have, this I am going to give to you; in the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, walk!"

3:7  Then taking his right hand he lifted him up. Instantly his feet and ankle-bones were strengthened;

3:8  and leaping forth he stood on his feet, and began to walk, and went with them into the Temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

3:9  When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

3:10  and recognized that this was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened to him.

3:11  While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people crowded awe- struck around them, in what was known as Solomon’s Portico.

3:12  When he saw this, Peter said to the people. "Men of Israel, why are you wondering at this? Why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made this man to walk?

3:13  "The God of Abram, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you betrayed and disowned before Pilate, when he had decided to let him go;

3:14  "but you disowned the holy and righteous One, and asked as a favor the release of a murderer.

3:15  "The Pioneer of Life you put to death. But God has raised him from the dead, and we are witnesses of that fact.

3:16  "And his name, on the ground of faith in his name, has made strong this man, whom you now see and know; yes, the faith that is through him has made this man sound and strong again, in the presence of you all.

3:17  "And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

3:18  "But God has thus fulfilled what he foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer.

3:19  "Repent then! and reform, from the blotting out of your sins, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;

3:20  "and that he may send Jesus, your appointed Messiah,

3:21  "whom the heavens must receive until the time of restoration of all things. "God spoke of this ages ago, through the mouth of his holy prophets.

3:22  "Moses, for example, said. "The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet for you from among your brothers, as he raised up me; you must listen to whatever he may tell you;

3:23  "and it shall be that every soul who will not listen to that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.

3:24  "Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and his successors, all that have spoken, have also told of those days.

3:25  "You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, "And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

3:26  "It was for you first that God raised up his Servant, and sent him to bless you in turning every one of you away from your wicked ways."

Chapter 4

4:1  While they were addressing the people the priests, the commander of the Temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,

4:2  incensed at their teaching the people, and proclaiming, in the case of Jesus, the resurrection from the dead.

4:3  They arrested them, and put them in prison till the next day, for it was already evening.

4:4  But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

4:5  There was held in Jerusalem, next morning, a meeting of their rulers, the elders and scribes,

4:6  and Annas, the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high priests family were present.

4:7  Then they made the men stand before them and demanded, "By what power, or in what name, have you fellows done this?"

4:8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them.

4:9  "Rulers and elders of the people, if we are being examined today concerning a benefit conferred upon a cripple, as to how has this man been cured,

4:10  "be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand before you strong and well.

4:11  "For he is the Stone, cast aside by you builders, which has become the head stone of the corner.

4:12  "There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, in which we must be saved."

4:13  Now when they beheld the glad fearlessness of Peter and John and had perceived that they were amazed; and they began to recognize them, that they were companions of Jesus.

4:14  But since they saw the man standing with them who had been healed, they had nothing to answer.

4:15  So they bade them withdraw from the Sanhedrin, while they conferred together.

4:16  "What," said they, "shall we do with these men? For it is well known throughout Jerusalem that a notable miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it.

4:17  "But that the matter may spread no further among the people, let us threaten them not to speak to any one hereafter about this name."

4:18  So they summoned them, and ordered them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jesus.

4:19  But Peter and John said in reply. "Do you decide whether in the sight of God it is right to obey you rather than God;

4:20  but for our part, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

4:21  So when they had further threatened them they let the apostles go, being quite unable to find any way of punishing them because of the people, for everybody was glorifying God over what had happened.

4:22  For the man on whom this miracle of healing had been wrought was over forty years old.

4:23  As soon as the apostles were released, they went to their friends, and told what the high priests and elders had said.

4:24  And when they heard it they all lifted up their voices in prayer to God, saying. "O Sovereign Lord, who madest heaven and earth and sea, and all that in them is,

4:25  "who saidest through the Holy Spirit, by the lips of thy servant David, our forefather. "Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples form futile plans?

4:26  "The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against his Christ.

4:27  "In this very city they did gather together against thy holy Servant, Jesus whom thou hast anointed - Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel -

4:28  "to do all that thy power and thy will had predetermined should be done.

4:29  "And now Lord, listen to their threats, and grant to thy slaves to proclaim thy message with all boldness,

4:30  "whilst thou stretchest forth thy hand to heal; grant too, that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant, Jesus."

4:31  When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the message of the Lord with boldness.

4:32  Now the multitude of the believers was of one heart and one soul, nor did any one of them say that any of his possessions was his own; but they had all things common.

4:33  And the apostles continued with great power to give their witness concerning the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

4:34  Nor was there any one of them in want, for all who owned houses or lands would sell them and bring the price of the things that were sold, and lay it at the apostles’ feet;

4:35  and distribution would be made to each according to his need.

4:36  In this way Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas ("Son of Encouragement" is what it means), who was a native Cyprus,

4:37  sold a farm which he had, and brought the price, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Chapter 5

5:1  But a man named Ananias who, with his wife Sapphira, sold a farm of his,

5:2  kept back some of the purchase price, with the connivance of his wife. He brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

5:3  "Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan so filled your heart that you are lying to the Holy Spirit, and keeping back part of the price of the land?

5:4  "While it remained unsold, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was not the price at your own disposal? How could you conceive this act in your heart? You have not lied unto men, but unto God."

5:5  As Ananias heard these words he fell down and expired, and all who heard were awe-struck.

5:6  But the younger men rose, wrapped the body up, and carried it out to bury it.

5:7  About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened;

5:8  and Peter said to her, "Tell me if you got so much for the land." "Yes," she said, "so much."

5:9  "Why was it," said Peter, "that you both agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out."

5:10  Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired, and when the young men came in they found her dead, and carried her out and buried her husband.

5:11  And great fear fell on all the church and upon all who had heard it.

5:12  Many signs and wonders continued to be wrought among the people by the hands of the apostles, and by common consent they all would meet in Solomon’s Porch,

5:13  but none of the rest dared to associate with them.

5:14  Yet the people continued to hold them in high honor, and more and more believers in the Lord were joining them, both men and women.

5:15  In consequence people would even bring out their sick into the streets, and place them upon beds and pallets as Peter was passing, that at least his shadow might fall upon some of them.

5:16  The people of the towns near Jerusalem also continued to come in crowds, bringing their sick and those who were harried by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

5:17  This aroused bitter indignation among the high priest and his followers who were of the sect of the Sadducees,

5:18  and they apprehended the apostles, and threw them into the public prison.

5:19  But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors during the night, and let them out.

5:20  He said to them, "Go take your stand in the Temple, and continue to tell the people all the words of this Life."

5:21  When they heard this they went at early dawn to the Temple, and began to teach. Meantime when the high priest and his followers arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin and all the Council of the Elders of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to fetch the apostles.

5:22  But the officers who went did not find them in the prison; so they came back and reported,

5:23  "The prison we found locked fast, with the guards stationed at the doors, but when they were opened we found no one inside."

5:24  When the officer in charge of the Temple and the high priest heard these words, they were perplexed concerning them, wondering what would come of it.

5:25  And some one came and told them that the very men whom they had put in prison were standing in the Temple, and teaching to the people.

5:26  On this the officer went off with his men and fetched them, not, however, by force, for they were afraid that the people would stone them.

5:27  So they brought them, and stood them before the Sanhedrin. Then the high priest questioned them.

5:28  "We strictly forbade you, did we not, to teach about this Name, and here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us."

5:29  But Peter and the apostles said in reply.

5:30  "We must obey God rather than man. The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom you slew by hanging him on a tree.

5:31  "Him God has exalted at his right hand as Prince and Saviour, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

5:32  "And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

5:33  When they heard this they were infuriated, and were minded to kill the apostles;

5:34  but Gamaliel, a Pharisee, a teacher of the law, and held in honor by all the people, rose from his seat, and ordered the apostles to be put outside for a little while.

5:35  He said. "Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.

5:36  "Years ago Theudas arose, claiming to be somebody, and was joined by about four hundred men. He was killed, and all of his followers dispersed and annihilated.

5:37  "After him Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some of the people after him. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered.

5:38  "And now, I say to you, hold aloof from these men. Let them alone; for if this scheme or work be of human origin it will come to nothing;

5:39  "but if it is from God, you cannot put it down; you may even find yourselves fighting against God."

5:40  They gave in to him; and called the apostles in, and after flogging them, released them, with instructions not to speak about the name of Jesus.

5:41  So they left Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of the Name;

5:42  but not for a single day did they desist from teaching and preaching in the Temple, and in private houses, the Gospel of Jesus, the Messiah.

Chapter 6

6:1  Now in these days while the number of the disciples was multiplying, the Grecian Jews began to murmur against the Hebrews, because their widows were habitually overlooked in the distribution of alms.

6:2  Then the Twelve called the general body of the disciples together, and said to them. "It is not fitting for us to leave off preaching the Word of God, and minister at tables.

6:3  "So, brothers, find from among your own number seven men of good reputation who are full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will appoint them over this business.

6:4  "But we will give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word."

6:5  This plan commended itself to the whole body, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

6:6  These men they presented to the apostles who, when they had prayed, laid their hands upon them.

6:7  And the word of the Lord continued to spread; and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was increasing exceedingly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

6:8  Meanwhile Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

6:9  But certain men from the so-called "Synagogue of the Freedmen" and certain Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, Cilicians, and men from Roman Asia, started to dispute with Stephen,

6:10  but were unable to withstand the wisdom and spirit with which he used to speak.

6:11  Then they instigated some to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God;" and in this way they excited the people.

6:12  The elders and the scribes rushed upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the Sanhedrin.

6:13  They also set up false witnesses who testified. "This fellow is continually talking against the Holy Place and against the law.

6:14  "For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which were handed down to us by Moses."

6:15  Then all who were sitting in the council at once fixed their eyes upon him, and saw his face like the face of an angel.

Chapter 7

7:1  And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"

7:2  Stephen answered. "Listen, brothers and fathers. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

7:3  and said to him, "Leave your country and your kindred, and come to whatever land I will show you.

7:4  "So he left Chaldea and settled in Haran, and from there, after his father’s death, God moved him to this land which you inhabit.

7:5  "But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground; yet he promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity - he at that time being childless.

7:6  "What God said was this. "‘His offspring will sojourn in a foreign land where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

7:7  "‘And the nation, whichever it is, that enslaves them I will judge, said God, ‘and after ward they shall come out, and they shall worship me in this place.

7:8  "Then he gave him a covenant of circumcision, and under this covenant he became the father of Isaac, whom he circumcised on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve Patriarchs.

7:9  "The patriarchs out of jealousy sold Joseph into Egypt.

7:10  "But God was with him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him grace and wisdom, when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him Governor over Egypt, and over all the royal household.

7:11  "Then there came a famine over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, so that our ancestors could not find food.

7:12  "But Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt, and sent our ancestors there on their first visit.

7:13  "On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Pharaoh was informed of Joseph’s parentage.

7:14  "Then Joseph sent and invited Jacob his father and all his family, numbering seventy-five souls, to come to him;

7:15  "and Jacob went down into Egypt.

7:16  "There he died, and our ancestors also, and they were carried across to Shechem, and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

7:17  "but as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise which God made to Abraham, the people multiplied and increased in Egypt;

7:18  "until there arose a king who knew not Joseph.

7:19  "He dealt craftily with our race, and oppressed our forefathers, by making them expose their infants so that they should not live.

7:20  "In this time Moses was born, a divinely beautiful child, who was brought up for three months in his father’s house.

7:21  "When he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and brought him up as her own son.

7:22  "So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in his words and works.

7:23  "And when he was forty years old it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel;

7:24  "and when he saw one of them wronged he wrought redress for the one overpowered, by striking down the Egyptian.

7:25  "(Now he supposed that his brothers would understand how God by his hand was bringing them deliverance; but they did not.)

7:26  "Next day he came upon two of them fighting, and tried to make peace between them. "‘Sirs,’ he said, ‘you are brothers. Why are you wronging each other?’

7:27  "But the man who was ill-treating his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, "‘Who made you a magistrate and ruler over us?

7:28  "‘Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

7:29  "Alarmed at this question, Moses fled from the land, and went to live in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.

7:30  "But at the end of forty years there appeared to him, in the desert of Mt. Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire, in a bush.

7:31  "When Moses saw it he was astonished at the sight. But when he drew near to look, the voice of the Lord said,

7:32  "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. "And Moses trembled and dared not gaze.

7:33  "And the Lord said. "Take off your sandals, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

7:34  "Truly I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groans, and am come down to rescue them; and now, come, I will send you into Egypt.

7:35  "This Moses whom they refused when they said, Who made you to be a ruler and a judge? that same Moses we find God sending as a ruler and a redeemer by the hand in the bush.

7:36  "This was he who brought them out, after he had shown signs and wonders in the wilderness, for forty years.

7:37  "It was this Moses who said to the Children of Israel, "God will raise up a Prophet for you from among your brothers, as he did me.

7:38  "This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness along with the angel who spoke to him in Mt. Sinai, and with our ancestors to whom he gave living words to hand down to us.

7:39  "To him our ancestors would not be obedient, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts turned back into Egypt.

7:40  "Said they to Aaron. "Make Gods for us who shall march in front of us! As for this Moses who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him.

7:41  "And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to this idol, and began to rejoice over what they had made with their hands.

7:42  "So God turned from them, and gave them up to the worship of the heavenly host, as it is written in the book of the Prophets. "Did you offer unto me slain beasts as sacrifices during the forty years in the wilderness, O House of Israel?

7:43  No, it was the Tabernacle of Moloch and the star-symbol of the god Rempha that you lifted up - the images which you made in order to worship them; so I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

7:44  "In the wilderness our ancestors had the Tabernacle of Testimony built, as he appointed who told Moses to make it according to the pattern he had seen.

7:45  "That tabernacle was brought in by our ancestors, in their turn, when they under Joshua entered on the possession of the nations whom God thrust out before them, until the days of David.

7:46  "David obtained favor with God, and asked permission to find a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.

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

7:48  "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; as said the prophet.

7:49  "The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet; What kind of house will you build for me? saith the Lord. Or what resting-place shall I have?

7:50  Did not my hand make this universe?

7:51  "Stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Ghost! As your fathers did, so do you.

7:52  "Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become -

7:53  "you who received the law, given through angels, and obeyed it not."

7:54  As they heard these words they became furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

7:55  But he, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

7:56  "Look, I see heaven open," he said, "And the Son of man standing at the right hand of God."

7:57  With a loud outcry they stopped their ears, and rushed upon Stephen in a body,

7:58  dragged him outside the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

7:59  So they stoned Stephen while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

7:60  Then he knelt down and cried aloud, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."

Chapter 8

8:1  With these words he fell asleep. And Saul fully approved of his murder. On this very day there broke out a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostle were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

8:2  Devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentations over him.

8:3  But Saul was laying waste the church. He was wont to enter into every house, and to drag off men and women, and to commit them to prison.

8:4  So those who were scattered abroad were going everywhere preaching the word.

8:5  Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and began to preach Christ there.

8:6  The crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.

8:7  For with a loud cry unclean spirits would come out of many possessed by them, and many that were palsied and lame were healed.

8:8  There began to be great joy in that city.

8:9  Now for some time a man named Simon had been practising sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.

8:10  Many from all classes would give heed to him, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the Great Power."

8:11  They were giving heed to him because, for a long time, he had amazed them with his sorceries.

8:12  But when they believed Philip, who was preaching glad tidings about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

8:13  And Simon himself also believed, and after his baptism he remained with Philip, and was full of amazement as he beheld the signs and striking miracles which were performed.

8:14  The apostle at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, sent to them Peter and John.

8:15  Who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

8:16  For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

8:17  Then the apostles laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

8:18  But when Simon perceived that, by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,

8:19  "Give me, too, this power, so that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit."

8:20  But Peter said to him. "Your money perish with you, because you have supposed that with money you can obtain God’s free gift!"

8:21  "You have no part or lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.

8:22  Repent then of this your wickedness, and beseech the Lord to forgive you this purpose of your heart.

8:23  "For I perceive that you still stand in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness."

8:24  And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which you have said may happen to me."

8:25  So the apostles, after bearing solemn witness, and declaring the message of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, evangelizing many Samaritan villages as they went.

8:26  And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go on your way south, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert way."

8:27  So he arose and went. And behold an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, who was a high official (a chief treasurer) of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia, who had come to Jerusalem to worship

8:28  Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.

8:29  And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that chariot."

8:30  So Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you understand what you are reading?"

8:31  The eunuch answered, "Why, how can I unless someone shall show me the way?" And he begged Philip to get up and sit with him.

8:32  Now the portion of Scripture which he was reading was as follows. He was led a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, So he opened not his mouth.

8:33  In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will declare his posterity? For his life is cut off from the earth.

8:34  "Pray," asked the eunuch of Philip, "of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"

8:35  Then Philip opened his lips, and beginning from that same scripture, he preached the gospel of Jesus to him.

8:36  And as they were going on their way they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said. "See, here is water! What hinders my being baptized?"

8:37  And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

8:38  And he ordered the chariot to stop; and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

8:39  And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.

8:40  Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town, he kept preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.

Chapter 9

9:1  Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

9:2  and begged of him letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any that were of the Way, either men or women, he could bind them and bring them to Jerusalem.

9:3  And as he journeyed, when he was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed round him.

9:4  He fell to the ground, and heard a voice which said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

9:5  And he said, "Who are you Lord?"

9:6  "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he said. "Stand up and go into the city, and there you shall be told what you must do."

9:7  Meanwhile the men who were his fellow travelers stood speechless, hearing indeed the voice, but beholding no one.

9:8  And Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he continued to perceive nothing; so they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

9:9  And he remained there three days, seeing nothing, and without eating or drinking.

9:10  Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, "Ananias!" And he answered, "Lo, I am here, Lord."

9:11  And the Lord said to him. "Arise, go into the street named ‘Straight,’ and make inquiries in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus, one Saul.

9:12  He is now praying, and has seen a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him to restore his sight."

9:13  "But, Lord," said Ananias, "I have heard from many about that man, and how much evil he did to the saints at Jerusalem!

9:14  "In this city, too, he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all those who call upon thy name."

9:15  "Go," answered the Lord, "this man is chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the nations and their kings, and before the Children of Israel also;

9:16  "for I am going to show him all he has to suffer for the sake of my name."

9:17  And so Ananias went and entered into the house, and laying his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to you on your journey, has sent me that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

9:18  Instantly something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

9:19  Afterward he took food and was strengthened. And he remained for some time with the disciples at Damascus.

9:20  And he began at once to proclaim in the synagogues Jesus as the Son of God.

9:21  His hearers were all astonished, and began to say. "Is not this the very man who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called upon the Name? Did he not come hither for the express purpose of carrying them all in chains to the high priests?"

9:22  But Saul gained more and more influence, and kept putting the Jews who lived in Damascus to confusion by his proof that Jesus was the Christ.

9:23  And when many days were fulfilled the Jews made a plot to kill Saul;

9:24  but information of their plot was given Saul, and although they kept watch day and night on the gates, in order to make away with him,

9:25  his disciples took him by night, and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

9:26  So he came to Jerusalem, and attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.

9:27  But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and told them how Saul had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him; and also how he had preached the Name of the Lord Jesus boldly at Damascus.

9:28  Henceforth Saul was one of them, going in and out of the city, and speaking fearlessly in the Name of the Lord.

9:29  He also used to hold conversations and debates with the Grecian Jews, but they kept trying to kill him.

9:30  When they learned this the brothers took him down to Caesarea, and then sent him forth to Tarsus.

9:31  Now throughout the whole of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria the Church continued to enjoy peace and to be spiritually built up. It was increasing in members also, as it kept walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

9:32  Now Peter, as he was going from town to town, came down also to the saints who lived in Lydda.

9:33  Here he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, a paralytic.

9:34  Peter said to him. "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you! Rise and make your own bed!"

9:35  At once he rose to his feet. All the people of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

9:36  Among the disciples at Joppa was a woman named Tabitha - which may be translated Dorcas or "Gazelle" - a woman whose life was full of good works and almsgiving, which she was doing continually.

9:37  She, as it happened, was taken ill just at that time, and died. After washing her body, they laid it in an upper room.

9:38  And as Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, when they heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the entreaty, "Delay not to come to us."

9:39  So Peter arose and went with them. On his arrival they took him up- stairs, and all the widows stood near him, weeping, and showing him the cloaks and garments which Dorcas used to make, while she was still with them.

9:40  But Peter put them all out, and kneeled down, and prayed; and then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, rise!" She opened her eyes, and on seeing Peter she sat up.

9:41  Then he gave her his hand and raised her up, and after calling the saints and the widows, he gave her back to them alive.

9:42  This incident became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

9:43  Peter stayed for some time in Joppa, lodging in the house of Simon, the tanner.

Chapter 10

10:1  Now there was at Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a captain in the Italian regiment.

10:2  He was a devout man and God-fearing, and so were all his household. He gave many alms to the people, and constantly prayed to God.

10:3  About three o’clock one afternoon he had a vision, and distinctly saw an angel of God enter his house and say to him, "Cornelius."

10:4  He stared at him in terror, and said, "What is it, Lord?" "Your prayers and your alms have risen for a memorial before God," answered the angel;

10:5  "and now send men to Joppa and fetch one Simon, who is called Peter.

10:6  "He is staying as a guest with Simon, a tanner, whose house is near the sea."

10:7  And after the angel who was speaking to him was gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier who was in constant attendance upon him,

10:8  and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9  The next day, while they were still on their way and were approaching the town, about noon, Peter went up to the housetop to pray.

10:10  He had become very hungry and longed for food; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance.

10:11  He beheld the sky opened, and a vessel descending like an enormous sail let down to earth by four corners.

10:12  In it were all kinds of quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth, and wild birds.

10:13  A voice came to him, saying, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat."

10:14  "Not so, my Lord," answered Peter, "for I have never yet eaten anything common and unclean."

10:15  And again a second time came to him a voice, saying, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."

10:16  This happened three times; and immediately the sail was drawn up into the sky.

10:17  Now while Peter was greatly perplexed to know what the vision which he had been sent by Cornelius, and had made inquiries for the house of Simon, stood at the gate,

10:18  and called and asked whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.

10:19  So the Spirit said to Peter, who was still pondering over the vision.

10:20  "Three men are now looking for you. Rise, go down and go with them, nothing doubting; for it is I who have sent them."

10:21  So Peter went down to the men and said. "I am the man you are looking for. What is the reason of your coming?"

10:22  "Cornelius," they answered, "a captain, a devout man, and God- fearing, of whom the whole, Jewish nation speaks well, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to listen to your message."

10:23  So he invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he rose, and went off with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied them;

10:24  and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius was waiting for them, and had brought together all his relatives and intimate friends.

10:25  When Peter entered the house Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him;

10:26  but Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man, myself."

10:27  And as he talked with him, he went in and found a large company assembled.

10:28  To them he said. "You know, yourselves, that it is illegal for a Jew to associate with or to visit one of another nation; but God has taught me that I should not call any man common or unclean. For this reason, when sent for, I came without demur.

10:29  "I ask therefore why you sent for me."

10:30  Cornelius answered. "Three days ago, at this very hour, I was praying in my house at three o’clock in the afternoon, when suddenly a man in a shining robe stood by me,

10:31  and said. "‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

10:32  "‘So send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is lodging with Simon the tanner, in a house by the seaside.’

10:33  "So I sent for you without delay, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to speak."

10:34  Then Peter began to speak. "Of a truth I begin to see quite plainly that God is no respecter of persons;

10:35  "but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

10:36  "You cannot but know the message which he sent to the descendants of Israel, when he preached the gospel of peace by Jesus Christ who is Lord of all;

10:37  "you know the message spread throughout all Judea, beginning in Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

10:38  "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about everywhere doing good, and curing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.

10:39  "And we were witnesses of all that he did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him, hanging him on a tree.

10:40  "But him God raised up on the third day, and permitted him to be made manifest,

10:41  "not to all the people, but to witnesses - men previously chosen by God - that is, to us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead;

10:42  "when he charged us to preach to the people, and to testify that this was he whom God ordained to be the judge of the living and of the dead.

10:43  "To him all the prophets bear witness, testifying that through his name every one that believes on him will receive remission of sins."

10:44  While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message.

10:45  And all the Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Gentiles also.

10:46  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

10:47  Then Peter said, "Can any one refuse water for the baptism of these men who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?"

10:48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

Chapter 11

11:1  Now the apostles and the brothers that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God;

11:2  so, when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party disputed with him,

11:3  saying, "You went into the houses of the uncircumcised and ate with them!"

11:4  Then Peter began and explained the whole matter to them in order, saying.

11:5  "I was in the city of Joppa, praying, and while in a trance I saw a vision; a certain vessel descending, what seemed to be an enormous sail let down to me,

11:6  and while I gazed at it, I examined it carefully, and saw the quadrupeds of the earth and the wild beasts and creeping things and the wild birds.

11:7  I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat.’

11:8  "‘Not so, my Lord’ said I, ‘for nothing common or unclean has ever gone into my mouth.’

11:9  "But for the second time a voice spoke from the sky, ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call common.’

11:10  "This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.

11:11  "And lo! at that very moment, three men who had been sent for me from Caesarea stood before the house in which I was.

11:12  "And the Spirit bade me accompany them without misgiving. There also accompanied me these six brothers, and we went into the man’s house.

11:13  "Then he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying. "‘Send to Joppa and fetch Simon who is also called Peter.

11:14  "‘He will speak words to you by which you and all your family will be saved.’

11:15  "And," said Peter, "as soon as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as he fell upon us at the beginning.

11:16  "Then I remembered the words of the Lord, how he used to say, "John indeed baptized in water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’

11:17  "So if God gave them the same gift as he gave to us, when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"

11:18  On hearing this they held their peace and glorified God, saying, "Forsooth then, to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life."

11:19  Then those who had been scattered by the trouble that arose over Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch; but they preached the word to none except Jews.

11:20  Some of them, however, were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on reaching Antioch, began to tell the Greeks also the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus.

11:21  The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

11:22  When news of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

11:23  When he arrived, and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord, with full purpose of heart;

11:24  for he was a good man, and full of faith and the Holy Spirit. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.

11:25  Then Barnabas visited Tarsus, to try to find Saul,

11:26  and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch, where for a whole year they were guests of the church, and taught many people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of "Christians."

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

11:28  One of them, who was Agabus, rose up, and being instructed by the Spirit, predicted that a great famine was about to come upon the whole inhabited earth. (It came in the reign of Claudius.)

11:29  So the disciples decided to send relief, every man according to his means, to the brothers in Judea.

11:30  This they did, forwarding their contributions to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Chapter 12

12:1  Now, at about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands to ill- treat certain members of the church;

12:2  and beheaded James, the brother of John, with the sword.

12:3  And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. (This was during the days of unleavened bread.)

12:4  He had him arrested and thrown in prison, and put under guard of sixteen soldiers. He intended, after the Passover, to bring him forth to the people.

12:5  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God was made by the church for him.

12:6  Now when Herod was about to bring him forth, on that very night, while Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison,

12:7  suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him saying, "Rise up quickly." At once the chains dropped from his hands.

12:8  "Gird yourself," said the angel, "and put on your sandals." He did so. Then he said unto him, "Throw your cloak about you, and follow me."

12:9  So Peter went out, following him, but did not realize that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he was seeing a vision.

12:10  And when they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that led to the city. This opened to them of its own accord; and they went out passed on through one street; and suddenly the angel left him.

12:11  Peter, coming to himself, said, "Now I know for a certainty that the Lord has sent his angel and released me from the hand of Herod, and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."

12:12  So, after he had thought things over, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, surnamed Mark, where a large number of people were assembled, praying.

12:13  When he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid servant named Rhoda came to answer.

12:14  And when she recognized Peter’s voice, for very joy she did not open the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

12:15  "You are mad," they said. But she confidently insisted that it was so. "It is his angel," they said.

12:16  Meanwhile Peter continued to knock, until at last they opened the door, and were amazed to see that it was really he.

12:17  He motioned to them to keep quiet, and told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell all this to James," he said, "and to the brothers," and away he went to another place.

12:18  When morning came there was no small stir among the soldiers as to what could possibly have become of Peter.

12:19  Then Herod had search made for him, and could not find him. After sharply questioning the guards, he ordered them off to execution. He then went down from Judea to Caesarea, where he stayed for some time.

12:20  Now Herod was violently displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him, with one accord, and after conciliating Blastus, the royal chamberlain, they begged for peace because their country depended upon the king’s country for its food supply.

12:21  So on the appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes, and after taking his seat upon the throne, began to harangue them.

12:22  "The voice of a god, and not of a man," the people kept shouting.

12:23  Instantly an angel of the Lord smote him, because he had not given God the glory, and being eaten up by worms, he died.

12:24  But the word of God grew and multiplied;

12:25  and after discharging their mission, Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, bringing with them John, surnamed Mark.

Chapter 13

13:1  Now there were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers; Barnabas and Symeon, surnamed "the Black," Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

13:2  And as they were worshiping the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

13:3  So after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them, and let them go.

13:4  So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

13:5  And while they were in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

13:6  They had John Mark as an assistant; and after going through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain Jewish sorcerer and false prophet, named Bar-Jesus,

13:7  who belonged to the suite of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. He summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.

13:8  But Elymas, "the sorcerer," for that is the translation of his name, opposed them, and tried to divert the proconsul from the faith.

13:9  So Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily at him, and said.

13:10  "O full of all craft and cunning, you son of the devil! You enemy of all goodness! Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?

13:11  "The Lord’s hand is now upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season." Instantly there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and groping about, he sought some one to lead him by the hand.

13:12  Then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed. He was astounded at the teaching of the Lord.

13:13  From Paphos Paul and his party set sail for Perga in Pamphylia; but John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem.

13:14  Then they themselves, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day and sat down.

13:15  And, after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the wardens of the synagogue sent word to them. "Brothers," they said, "if you have any word of encouragement to the people, say it."

13:16  So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, said. "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

13:17  "The God of this people of Israel chose our forefathers and made this people great, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt. And with an uplifted arm he led them out of it.

13:18  "For about forty years he bore with them in the desert,

13:19  "and when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years.

13:20  "And afterwards he gave them Judges, until Samuel, the prophet.

13:21  "Then they asked for a king, and he gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite for forty years.

13:22  After deposing him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also bore witness, when he said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, and who will obey all my will.

13:23  "Of this man’s descendants God has brought unto Israel, according to his promise, a Savior, Jesus;

13:24  "before whose coming John had already preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

13:25  "And John, when he was finishing his race, repeatedly asked the people. "‘Who do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold there comes One after me, whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten.’

13:26  "Brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all among you who reverence God, to us has the word of this salvation been sent.

13:27  "For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

13:28  "Though they found no cause of death in him, yet they asked Pilate to put him to death.

13:29  "And when they had fulfilled everything which had been written concerning him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

13:30  "But God raised him from the dead.

13:31  "For many days he was seen by those that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and are now his witnesses to the people.

13:32  "And we bring you glad tidings of the promise made to our forefathers,

13:33  "how that God fulfilled it for us their children in raising up Jesus; as it is also written in the second Psalm, "Thou art my son, today have I become thy Father.

13:34  "And as to his having raised him from among the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has said this, "I will give thee the holy and sure blessings of David.

13:35  "Because in another psalm he says, "Thou wilt not give thy Holy One to see corruption.

13:36  "For David, after he had served his own generation according to the will of God, fell on sleep, and was gathered to his forefathers, and did see corruption;

13:37  but he whom God raised up saw no corruption.

13:38  "Be it known unto you therefore, brothers, that remission of sins is proclaimed to you through this man;

13:39  "and that by him every one that believes is justified from all things from which you could never be justified by the law of Moses.

13:40  "Beware, then, lest that spoken of in the prophets come upon you.

13:41  "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish, For in your days I will do a deed, A deed which you will never believe, Though one should declare it unto you."

13:42  As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue, the people earnestly begged that these words might be repeated to them on the following Sabbath.

13:43  When the congregation broke up, many of the Jews, and of the devout proselytes, followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked to them, and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

13:44  On the next Sabbath almost the entire city was gathered together to know the word of God.

13:45  When they saw the crowds, the Jews were filled with jealousy, and began to contradict Paul’s statements, and to abuse him.

13:46  So Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. "It was necessary," they said, "first to proclaim the word of God to you. But since you push it away from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

13:47  "For such is God’s command to us, saying, "I have set thee for a light to the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth."

13:48  When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who had been ordained to eternal life, believed.

13:49  So the Lord’s message went far and wide, through the whole district.

13:50  But the Jews urged on the devout women of high rank, and the leading citizens, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of the district,

13:51  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

13:52  As for the disciples, they were continually filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 14

14:1  In Iconium it happened that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great number both of Jews and of Gentiles believed.

14:2  But the disobedient Jews stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and embittered them against them against the brothers.

14:3  Long time, therefore, they tarried there, speaking fearlessly in the Lord, who attested the word of his grace by permitting signs and wonders to be performed by their hands.

14:4  But the mass of the city’s people was divided; part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

14:5  And when both the Gentiles and the Jews with their ruler made a hostile move to maltreat and to stone them,

14:6  the apostles got wind of it, and made their escape to the Lycaonian towns of Derbe and Lystra and the neighboring country.

14:7  And there they continued to proclaim the gospel.

14:8  Now at Lystra there used to sit a certain man, lame in his feet, a cripple from birth, who had never walked.

14:9  He was listening while Paul was preaching, and Paul, looking intently at him, and perceiving that he had faith to be made whole,

14:10  said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!"

14:11  And he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, when they saw what Paul had done, shouted in the Lycaonian tongue, saying, "The gods are come down to us in human form."

14:12  And they began to call Barnabas "Zeus," and Paul, since he was the principal speaker, "Hermes";

14:13  and the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and along with the crowds was about to offer sacrifices.

14:14  But when the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, heard of it, they rent their garments and rushed out among the crowd, shouting and crying.

14:15  "Men, why are you doing all this? We also are men, with natures like your own! We are bringing you good tidings, that you are to turn from these empty things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is.

14:16  In bygone generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways,

14:17  and yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."

14:18  Even with saying this they with difficulty restrained the crowds from sacrificing to them.

14:19  And now a party of Jews came down form Antioch and Iconium, and after persuading the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

14:20  But as the disciples collected around him, he rose and went back into the city. The next day he went off with Barnabas into Derbe;

14:21  and after preaching the gospel to that town, and winning many converts, they went back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch,

14:22  Everywhere they strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to hold to the faith. "It is through many tribulations," they said, "that we must enter into the kingdom of God."

14:23  They chose elders for them in every church, after prayer and fasting, and commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

14:24  Then passing through Pisidia they came to Pamphylia and,

14:25  after preaching the word in Perga, they came down to Attaleia.

14:26  Thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been commended to the grace of God, for the work which they had now completed.

14:27  On their arrival they assembled the church and reported all things that God had done through them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

14:28  And they tarried no little time with the disciples.

Chapter 15

15:1  But some men came down from Judea and attempted to teach the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised according to Moses’ custom, you cannot be saved."

15:2  Now when dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, the brethren appointed Paul and Barnabas, and certain others, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

15:3  So the church saw them off on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria. Here they set forth the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.

15:4  Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were received by the church and the apostles and elders, and they told them all things that God had done with them.

15:5  But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, but were now believers, stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise Gentile, and to order them to keep the Law of Moses."

15:6  The apostles and elders met to consider the matter;

15:7  and after there had been a long discussion, Peter rose and said. "Brothers, you know how a good while ago God made choice among you, that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the message of the gospel and believe.

15:8  "And God, who knows the hearts of all, gave this testimony in their behalf, by bestowing upon them the Holy Spirit just as he did upon us;

15:9  "and he made no distinction between us and them, in cleansing their hearts by faith.

15:10  "Now then, why are you tempting God by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?

15:11  "On the contrary we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that we and they shall be saved."

15:12  Then the whole assembly remained silent, and listened to Barnabas and Saul as they told the signs and wonders which God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.

15:13  When they had finished speaking, James said.

15:14  "Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told how God first looked graciously upon the Gentiles, to take out from among them a people to be called by his name.

15:15  "And this is in harmony with the language of the prophets, which says.

15:16  "After these things I will return, And I will rebuild David’s fallen tent; And I will build again its ruins, And I will set it up;

15:17  "So that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, Even all the Gentiles, who are called by my name,

15:18  "Says the Lord, who has been making this known from the beginning of the world.

15:19  "My judgment therefore, is against troubling those who turn to God from among the Gentiles;

15:20  "but that we should write to them to abstain from the pollution of idols and from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from blood.

15:21  "For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers in every town where he is read aloud, Sabbath after Sabbath, in the synagogues."

15:22  Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to select some of their number, and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The men chosen were Judas called Bar- Sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

15:23  They took with them the following letter. "The apostles and older brothers send greeting to the Gentile Brotherhood throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia;

15:24  "as we have heard that some of your number who went out from us have troubled you with words and upset your souls, without having received any such instruction from us;

15:25  "we have unanimously decided to select certain men, and to send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul;

15:26  "men who have risked their very lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15:27  "So we have sent Judas and Silas to tell you the same things by word of mouth.

15:28  "For it has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

15:29  "that you abstain from food that has been sacrificed to idols, and from tasting blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear from these things and it will be well with you. Farewell."

15:30  So they, when they had been despatched, went down to Antioch, and after gathering the whole multitude together, they handed them the letter,

15:31  and when they had read it they rejoiced at the comfort it brought.

15:32  And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many a good counsel.

15:33  After spending some time there the brothers let them go with a greeting of peace to those who had sent them.

15:34  Silas, however, stayed with them.

15:35  Paul and Barnabas also stayed in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord, in company with others.

15:36  And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let is go back and visit the brothers in every city in which we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they fare."

15:37  Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John, who was called Mark.

15:38  But Paul thought it unwise to take with them one who had deserted them to the Pamphylia, and had not gone on with them to the work.

15:39  So there arose a sharp irritation, so that they parted company; Barnabas taking Mark with him, sailed away to Cyprus;

15:40  while Paul chose Silas, and set forth commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

15:41  He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Chapter 16

16:1  And he came also to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a certain disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewess, and of a Greek father.

16:2  He was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconiun.

16:3  Now Paul, wishing that this man should accompany him on his journey, took him and circumcised him because of the local Jews, who all knew that his father was a Greek.

16:4  And as they went on their way through the cities they handed them the resolutions which the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem had ordained for them to keep.

16:5  So the churches were strengthened in the faith and continued to increase in number daily.

16:6  Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.

16:7  When they got as far as Mysia, they attempted to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit it;

16:8  and so they passed by Mysia and went on down to Troas.

16:9  Here a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia, entreating him and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us!"

16:10  So when he had seen the vision, we sought at once to go forth into Macedonia, because we concluded that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

16:11  So we set sail from Troas and ran a straight course to Samothrace. The next day we arrived in Neapolis,

16:12  and thence came to Philippi, a city of Macedonia, the fore most in its district, a Roman colony. There we stayed for some time.

16:13  On the Sabbath Day we went outside the city gate, to a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and talked to the women who had gathered there.

16:14  Among them was a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who belonged to the town of Thyatira. She, since she was a worshiper of God, listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to attend to what Paul said.

16:15  When she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, "If in your judgment I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she compelled us to come.

16:16  Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain slave girl met us, who had a spirit of divination, and who brought her masters great gain by fortune-telling.

16:17  She used to follow after Paul and us, crying out again and again, "These men are servants of the most high God, who proclaimed to you the way of salvation."

16:18  She persisted in this for many days, until Paul, worn out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I charge you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her." In that very hour it came out of her.

16:19  But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them before the magistrates, into the market-place.

16:20  Then they brought them before the praetors, saying. "These fellows are Jews, who are making a great disturbance in our city.

16:21  "They are teaching customs which it is not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or practise."

16:22  The crowd, too, rose up together against them, and the praetors, after having them stripped, and after ordering them to be flogged,

16:23  had many lashes inflicted upon them, and put them in prison, with a charge to the jailer to keep them safe.

16:24  On receiving so strict an order he cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

16:25  But at midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

16:26  suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison-house were shaken; and instantly all the doors were opened, and every one’s chains fell off.

16:27  The jailer, roused from sleep, and seeing the doors wide open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he thought that the prisoners had escaped.

16:28  But Paul shouted loudly to him. "Do yourself no harm; for we are all here!"

16:29  So he called for lights, and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,

16:30  and brought them out, saying, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

16:31  "Believe on the Lord Jesus," they answered, "and you will be saved, you and all your household."

16:32  Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him, as well as to all who were in his house.

16:33  And he took them, the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, he and all his.

16:34  And after bringing them up into his house, he set food before them, overjoyed with all his household in having believed in God.

16:35  But in the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "Let these men go."

16:36  The jailer reported the words to Paul, saying. "The praetors have sent to release you; so come out, and go in peace."

16:37  But Paul said. "They have flogged us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Roman citizens; and have thrown us into prison. Are they now going to get rid of us secretly? No, indeed! Let them come here, themselves and take us out."

16:38  The lictors reported these words to the praetors, who were frightened when they heard that they were Romans.

16:39  So they came and conciliated them, and after taking them out of prison, begged them to leave the town.

16:40  So Paul and Silas came out of the prison, and went to Lydia’s house; and after they had seen the brethren and encouraged them, they left Philippi.

Chapter 17

17:1  Now when they had gone through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica. Here there was a Jewish synagogue,

17:2  and Paul, according to his usual custom, went in to them and, for three Sabbath Days, he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,

17:3  explaining and quoting passages to prove that the Messiah had to suffer and to rise again from the dead and that "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming unto you is the Messiah."

17:4  Some were persuaded and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, including a number of devout Greeks, and a large number of the leading women.

17:5  But the Jews, moved with jealousy, called to their aid certain ill- favored and idle fellows, formed a mob, and began to set the town in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

17:6  And when they had failed to find Paul and Silas, they began to drag Jason and some of the brethren before the politarchs, shouting. "These fellows who have upset the habitable earth are come hither also.

17:7  "Jason has received them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus."

17:8  Both the crowd and the politarchs were disturbed when they heard this,

17:9  but when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

17:10  Now the brothers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they got there they betook themselves to the Jewish synagogue.

17:11  The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.

17:12  So many of them became believers, and so did not a few Greeks, women of honorable estate, and men.

17:13  As soon as the Jews in Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea also, they came there, and stirred up and troubled the crowds.

17:14  Then the brothers at once sent Paul down to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.

17:15  Those who were caring for Paul brought him as far as Athens, and there left him, with instructions to Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed.

17:16  While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he noticed that the city was full of idols.

17:17  He argued in the synagogues with the Jews and the devout proselytes, and also daily in the market-place with those that met him there.

17:18  A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him again and again. Some were saying, "What has this beggarly fellow to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

17:19  Then they laid hold of him and brought him up to Mars Hill, saying. "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?

17:20  "For you are bringing certain strange things to our ears. We want to know, therefore, what these things mean."

17:21  (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but to tell or to hear some new thing.)

17:22  So Paul stood up in the center of Mars Hill, and said. "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all respects you are remarkably religious.

17:23  "For as I was passing along and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What you are worshiping in ignorance, this I am proclaiming to you.

17:24  "The God who made the universe and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,

17:25  "neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

17:26  "He has made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons and the bounds of their habitation,

17:27  "so that they might seek God, if perhaps they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from every on of us;

17:28  "for in him we live and move and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, "‘For we also are his offspring.’

17:29  "Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to imagine that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.

17:30  "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but he now commands all men that they should all, everywhere, repent;

17:31  inasmuch as he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world justly, by the Man whom he has ordained, and he has given proof of all this by raising him from the dead."

17:32  But on hearing of the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock; but others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

17:33  So Paul withdrew from them.

17:34  A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed, among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and some others.

Chapter 18

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

18:2  Here he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife, Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.

18:3  Paul came to them, and because he was of the same trade with them, he lodged with them, and worked with them - for by trade they were tentmakers.

18:4  Every Sabbath he used to preach in the synagogue, and tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

18:5  And when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed in his message, earnestly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

18:6  But as they opposed him and abused him, he shook out his garments in protest, and said. "Your blood be upon your own hands. I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

18:7  So he left the place, and went into the house of a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house adjoined the synagogue.

18:8  And Crispus, the warden of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his household; and many of the Corinthians from time to time listened, believed, and were baptized.

18:9  And the Lord said to Paul in a vision, by night. "Have no fear; go on speaking, and do not keep silent;

18:10  "for I am with you, and no one shall set upon you to injure you; for I have very many people in this city."

18:11  So he lived there a year and six months and continued to teach them the word of God.

18:12  But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose against Paul, and brought him before the tribunal.

18:13  "This fellow," they said, "is persuading men to offer unlawful worship to God."

18:14  Paul was about to open his mouth, when Gallio said to the Jews. "If it had been some misdemeanor or wicked villainy, it would have been within reason for me to listen to you Jews;

18:15  but as these are merely questions about words and names and your own law, you yourselves must see to it. I am not willing to be a judge of these matters."

18:16  And he drove them from the tribunal.

18:17  Then they all laid hold of Sosthenes, the warden of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio took no notice.

18:18  And Paul after remaining in Corinth some time longer, took leave of the brothers, and sailed away to Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. As Paul was under a vow, he had his head shaved at Cenchrea.

18:19  When they came to Ephesus he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

18:20  When they begged him to stay longer, he would not consent,

18:21  but said, as he took leave of them, "I will return again to you, if God will."

18:22  Then, setting sail from Ephesus, he landed at Caesarea; he went up to Jerusalem and saluted the church, and came down to Antioch.

18:23  After spending some time there, he set out and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, and strengthened all the disciples.

18:24  Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, a learned man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.

18:25  He had been instructed in the ways of the Lord, and being full of zeal, he used to speak and to teach accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

18:26  He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; and when Priscilla and Aquila heard him they took him home and explained to him more accurately the way of God.

18:27  When he wished to cross over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples in Corinth to receive him. On his arrival he mightily helped those who through grace had believed,

18:28  for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public argument, proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

Chapter 19

19:1  Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, after passing through the hinterland, came to Ephesus, where he found a few disciples.

19:2  "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No" said they, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

19:3  "Into what, then, were you baptized?" he asked. And they said, "Into the baptism of John."

19:4  "John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance," answered Paul, "telling the people to believe on One who was coming after him, namely, on Jesus."

19:5  When they heard this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;

19:6  and after Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak with tongues, and to prophesy.

19:7  They were in all about twelve men.

19:8  Then Paul went into the synagogue, and there continued to preach fearlessly for about three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

19:9  But when some grew hardened and disobedient, and spoke evil of the Way before the crowd, he left them, withdrew the disciples, and continued to hold discussions daily in the lecture-hall of Tyrannus.

19:10  This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Lord’s message, Jews as well as Greeks.

19:11  God also wrought extraordinary miracles by the hand of Paul;

19:12  so much so, that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick; and their diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

19:13  But there were also some strolling Jewish exorcists, who took it upon them to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."

19:14  There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish high priest who used to do this.

19:15  But the evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I have heard of, but who are you?"

19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was sprang on two of them, overpowered them and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded.

19:17  And this became known to all the people of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. Awe fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in honor.

19:18  Many also of those who became believers used to come to confess and to declare their deeds.

19:19  And some of them who had practised magic arts, collected their books, and burned them in the presence of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand silver coins.

19:20  So mightily the word of the Lord continued to grow and to prevail.

19:21  Now after these things were ended, Paul resolved in his spirit to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. "After I get there," he said, "I must see Rome, too."

19:22  So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, while he himself kept back for a time on his way into Asia.

19:23  Now just at this time, there arose no small commotion concerning the Way.

19:24  There was a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, and brought rich profit to his workmen.

19:25  He gathered them together with others of like occupation, and said. "Men, you know that by this business we make our money.

19:26  "And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands.

19:27  "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."

19:28  After listening to this they were filled with rage, and cried out again and again, saying,

19:29  The city was filled with commotion. They rushed like one man into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s companions in travel.

19:30  When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not let him,

19:31  and some of the Asiarchs, too, who were his friends, sent word to him repeatedly, entreating him not to venture into the theater.

19:32  Now some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in an uproar, and the majority had no idea why they were come together.

19:33  And they brought Alexander out of the crowd, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, would have made a defense to the people,

19:34  but when they saw that he was a Jew they all, with one voice, for about two hours, shouted,

19:35  At length the recorder got them quiet. "Men of Ephesus," he said, "who here does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple- guardian of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

19:36  "Since these facts cannot be gainsaid, you ought to be calm and do nothing reckless.

19:37  "For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

19:38  If then Demetrius and his craftsmen have a grievance against any one, the courts are open and there are the proconsuls; let them accuse one another.

19:39  But if you desire anything further, it must be settled in the regular assembly.

19:40  For indeed we are in danger of being accused in regard to this day’s riot, since there is no cause for it, nor shall we be able to give account for this disorderly gathering."

19:41  With these words he dismissed the assembly.

Chapter 20

20:1  After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and, after embracing them, bade them farewell, and started for Macedonia.

20:2  And when he had passed through those districts and encouraged the disciples in many addresses, he came into Greece where he spent three months.

20:3  Just as he was about to set sail for Syria, the Jews laid a plot against him, and he determined to return through Macedonia.

20:4  There accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.

20:5  Now these had gone on, and were awaiting us at Troas;

20:6  but we ourselves set sail from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and joined them five days later at Troas. There we remained for a week.

20:7  On the first day of the week we met for the breaking of bread, and Paul, who was going away the next morning, began preaching to them, and prolonged his discourse until midnight.

20:8  Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were assembled,

20:9  and a young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window, overborne by deep sleep, while Paul continued to preach at length. Overcome at last by sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.

20:10  Then Paul went down, threw himself upon him, and embracing him, said. "Do not lament; his life is still in him."

20:11  Then he went upstairs again, broke bread and took some food, and after talking with them a long time, even until daybreak, he left them.

20:12  They had taken the lad home alive, and were not a little comforted.

20:13  The rest of us going before to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for so he had appointed, because he intended to go by land.

20:14  And when he met us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

20:15  We sailed from thence, and arrived next day off Chios; and the day after we touched at Samos; and the following day we came to Mitylene.

20:16  For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if it were possible, by the day of Pentecost.

20:17  From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church to come to him;

20:18  and when they arrived, he said to them. "You yourselves know quite well, how I lived among you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia,

20:19  "serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and amid trials that befell me through the plots of the Jews.

20:20  "You know that I never shrank from declaring to you anything that was profitable, nor from teaching you publicity and in your homes,

20:21  testifying both to Jews and Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

20:22  And now I am going to Jerusalem, bound in the Spirit, not knowing what will befall me there,

20:23  except that in city after city the Holy Spirit is warning me that bonds and afflictions are awaiting me.

20:24  But I hold not my life of any account, as dear unto myself, if only I may run my race, and accomplish the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to attest the gospel of the grace of God.

20:25  And now I know that not one of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see my face again.

20:26  So I testify to you this day that I am clear from the blood of all men;

20:27  I never shrank from telling you the whole counsel of God.

20:28  Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, and be shepherds of the church of God which he has purchased with his own blood.

20:29  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock;

20:30  and that from among your own number, men will arise, perverting the truth, to draw away the disciples after them.

20:31  So be on guard; and remember that for three years I ceased not to admonish you all, night and day, even with tears.

20:32  "And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace. He is able to build you up, and to give you your inheritance among all those who are consecrated.

20:33  "No man’s silver or gold of clothing did I ever covet.

20:34  "You yourselves know how these hands of mine provided for my needs, and those of my companions.

20:35  "In all things I have set you an example, how that so toiling, you ought to help the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

20:36  When he had so said, Paul kneeled down, and prayed with them.

20:37  And they all began, with loud lamentations, to throw their arms about his neck, and to kiss him lovingly, again and again,

20:38  sorrowing most of all for the words that he had spoken, that after that day they should look upon his face no more. And they began to escort him to the ship.

Chapter 21

21:1  When at least we had torn ourselves away, and had set sail, we ran a straight course to Cos, and next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

21:2  And when we had found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

21:3  After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on the left hand, we sailed for Syria, and put in at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

21:4  We looked up the local disciples and remained there seven days; and these disciples kept telling Paul, through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.

21:5  When, however, our time was up, we left and started on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, were escorting us on our way until we were out of the city; then, kneeling down on the beach, we prayed,

21:6  and said good-bye, and went on board the ship, while they returned home again.

21:7  And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we reached Ptolemais, and greeted the brothers and stayed with them one day.

21:8  On the morrow we started for Caesarea, where we went into the house of Philip, the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

21:9  Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied,

21:10  and while we remained there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

21:11  He came to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, saying, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘so will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the owner of this girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’"

21:12  As soon as we heard these words, both we and those who were standing near entreated Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

21:13  "What do you mean by thus breaking my heart with your grief?" answered Paul. "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

21:14  And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

21:15  A few days after this we took up our luggage and went up to Jerusalem.

21:16  And some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us. They led us to the house of Mnason, a Cypriote, a disciple of long standing, with whom we were to lodge.

21:17  At length we reached Jerusalem, and the brothers there received us gladly.

21:18  On the following day we went with Paul to call on James, and all the elders were present.

21:19  After saluting them Paul rehearsed, one by one, the things that God had done among the Gentiles by his ministry.

21:20  And they, when they heard it, glorified God, and said to him. "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews, of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.

21:21  "Now what they have been told about you, again and again, is that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs.

21:22  "What then ought to be done? They will certainly hear that you are come.

21:23  "So do this that we tell you.

21:24  "We have four men here under a vow; associate yourself with them, purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses so that they may have their heads shaved; then every one will know that there is no truth in the rumors that they have heard about you; but that you yourself walk orderly obeying the law.

21:25  "As for the Gentile believers, we wrote giving judgment that they should abstain from anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood, from what is strangled, and from fornication."

21:26  Then Paul took the men, and after purifying himself with them next day, went into the temple to declare the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

21:27  But when the seven days were almost over, the Asiatic Jews caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up all the crowd, and laid hands on him, shouting.

21:28  "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who goes everywhere preaching to everybody against the people, and the Law, and this place. And he has actually brought Gentiles even into the temple, and has desecrated the holy place."

21:29  (For they had formerly seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

21:30  The whole city was thrown into uproar. The mob surged together, seized Paul, and began to drag him outside the temple. Whereupon the doors were at once shut.

21:31  While they were attempting to kill him, news came to the tribune commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

21:32  At once he took soldiers and centurions, and rushed down upon them. When they saw the tribune and the troops, they left off beating Paul.

21:33  Then the tribune came up and seized him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. "Who is he?" he began asking, "and what has he done?"

21:34  Some among the crowd kept shouting one thing, some another; and when the tribune could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered Paul into the barracks.

21:35  When was going up the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers, because of the violence of the mob,

21:36  for the whole mass of the people were following him, shouting, "Away with him!"

21:37  Just as he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the tribune, "May I speak to you?"

21:38  "Do you know Greek?" said the tribune; "Are you not, then, the Egyptian who in days gone by stirred up to sedition, and let into the wilderness the four thousand cutthroats?"

21:39  "I am a Jew," answered Paul, "a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. And I pray you, give me permission to speak to the people."

21:40  So when he had given leave, Paul stood on the stairs, beckoning with his hands to the people. There came a great hush, and he spoke to them as follows, in Hebrew.

Chapter 22

22:1  "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence."

22:2  When they heard him speaking in Hebrew they became the more quiet.

22:3  "I am a Jew," he said, "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict manner of the Law of our forefathers, ardent for God, even as you all are this day.

22:4  "I persecuted to the death this way, continually binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.

22:5  "To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.

22:6  "But when, on my journey, I was nearing Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about me.

22:7  "I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, "‘Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting me?’

22:8  "‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. "‘I am Jesus, the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting,’ he answered me.

22:9  "Now my companions, though they beheld the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.

22:10  "And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that you are destined to do.’

22:11  "And as I was seeing nothing for the glory of the light, I was led by the hand of my companions, and so came into Damascus.

22:12  "And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, well thought of by all the Jews who lived there,

22:13  "came to me, and standing by me, said to me, "‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’ "In that very hour I regained my sight and looked up at him.

22:14  "Then he said. "‘The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know his will; and to see the righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

22:15  "‘For before the face of all men you will be a witness for him of what you have seen and heard.

22:16  "‘And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon his name.’

22:17  "After my return to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple,

22:18  "I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, "‘Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’

22:19  "‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘they themselves well know that I was beating and imprisoning in synagogue after synagogue those who believed in you,

22:20  "‘and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting, and holding the garments of his murders.’

22:21  "‘Depart,’ he said to me, ‘for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.’"

22:22  Until they heard this last statement, the people were listening to Paul, but now they roared out. "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!"

22:23  When they continued to shout, throwing their clothes into the air, and flinging dust around,

22:24  the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and examined under the lash, to learn for what reason the people were thus crying out against him.

22:25  But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near, "If a man is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned, is it lawful for you to scourge him?"

22:26  When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him. "What are you intending to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

22:27  So the tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

22:28  "I paid a large sum to get this citizenship," said the tribune. "But I was citizen-born," said Paul.

22:29  Then those who were about to scourge him, immediately left him. And the tribune too, was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.

22:30  The next day, as he wished to learn the real reason why the Jews accused Paul, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and brought Paul down, and placed him before them.

Chapter 23

23:1  With a stedfast gaze at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived with a good conscience before God to this day."

23:2  Then the High Priest Ananias ordered those who stood near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

23:3  "You whited sepulcher," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you! You are sitting there to judge me according to the law, are you? And do you command me to be struck, contrary to the Law?"

23:4  "Do you rail at God’s high priest?" said the bystanders.

23:5  "Brothers, I did not know that he was the high priest," exclaimed Paul, "for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of my people."

23:6  Then perceiving that half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisee, he cried out in the Sanhedrin. "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!"

23:7  When he said this, there arose a quarrel between the Pharisees and Sadducees; the meeting was divided.

23:8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; the Pharisees affirm them all.

23:9  Then a great clamor arose; some of the scribes who belonged to the Pharisaic party stood up, and contended. "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?"

23:10  But when the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul in pieces, ordered the troops to march down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

23:11  And the following night the Lord stood by him and said. "Be of good courage; for as you have borne faithful witness concerning me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome also."

23:12  When day dawned the Jews made a conspiracy, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

23:13  And there were more than forty who had sworn this oath.

23:14  They went to the high priests and elders, and said to them. "We have bound ourselves by a solemn oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

23:15  "Now do you and the Sanhedrin ask the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you would judge his case more exactly; and we are ready to kill him, before he comes near the place."

23:16  But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their intended attack, and he went and got into the barracks, and told Paul.

23:17  And Paul called one of the centurions, and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him."

23:18  So he took him, and brought his to the tribune, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me to him, and begged me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you."

23:19  And the tribune took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

23:20  "The Jews," he answered, "have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, as though they wish to examine his case in detail.

23:21  "Now do not let them persuade, for more than forty men are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse, not to eat nor drink until they have killed him; even now they are all ready, awaiting your consent."

23:22  So the tribune sent the young man home with the injunction, "Tell no man that you have given me this information."

23:23  Then he called two centurions to him and said. "Get ready by nine o’clock tonight two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, and also seventy troopers and two hundred spearmen."

23:24  He further ordered them to provide horses on which to mount Paul, so as to bring him safely to Felix, the governor.

23:25  He also wrote a letter in the following terms.

23:26  "Claudius Lysais unto the Most Excellent Governor Felix, greeting.

23:27  "This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops, and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

23:28  "Anxious to find out why they had accused him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

23:29  "Here I learned that he was accused about questions of their law, but was not charged with anything worthy of death or imprisonment.

23:30  "Now when I received information that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him at once to you, charging his accusers also to speak against him before you."

23:31  So the soldiers took Paul, as they were bid, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

23:32  Next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the troopers to ride on with him.

23:33  They reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, and also presented Paul before him.

23:34  After reading the letter, he asked to what province he belonged, and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he said,

23:35  "I will hear your case when your accusers also are come." And he ordered him to be kept in custody in Herod’s palace.

Chapter 24

24:1  Five days later, Ananias the high priest came down to Caesarea with some of the elders, and with an orator, named Tertullus. They laid information before the governor against Paul.

24:2  So Paul was sent for, and then Tertullus began to accuse him, saying. "As it is owing to your excellency that we enjoy profound peace, and that the state of this nation,

24:3  "owing to your wise care, has been improved in every respect and in every place, we accept it with profound thankfulness.

24:4  "But not to weary you too much, I beg of your Excellency to listen to a few words from us.

24:5  "For we have found this fellow a pest, an inciter of insurrection among all the Jews of the empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.

24:6  "He even tried to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.

24:7  "Then the chief captain, Lysias came and violently took him from us.

24:8  From him you will be able, by examining Paul yourself, to learn the truth of all these charges we are bringing against him."

24:9  The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were the facts.

24:10  Then at a nod from the governor, Paul spoke. "Because I know that for many years you have been a judge in this nation, I feel encouraged to make my defense.

24:11  "For you have it in your power to know that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship;

24:12  "and that neither in the Temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city, did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd.

24:13  "Nor can they prove the charges which they are now bringing against me.

24:14  "But this I confess to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors, according to the Way which they call a heresy, believing everything that is according to the Law, or is written in the Prophets,

24:15  "and having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust.

24:16  "Hence I too endeavor to have a conscience void of offense toward God and men alway.

24:17  "Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.

24:18  "While I was thus engaged, they found me in the temple, purified, with no crowd and no uproar. But there were certain Asiatic Jews

24:19  "who ought to have been here before you, and to have made accusations if they had anything against me.

24:20  "Or let these men themselves say what fault they found, when I appeared before the Sanhedrin!

24:21  "Unless it was for this one sentence which I uttered when I stood and cried, ‘It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial today before you.’"

24:22  At this point Felix, who had a pretty accurate knowledge of the Way, adjourned the case, saying to the Jews, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will go carefully into the matter."

24:23  And he gave orders to the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, but treated with indulgence, and that his personal friends were not to be forbidden to minister to him.

24:24  Some days later Felix came, with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess; he sent for Paul, and listened to him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

24:25  And as he reasoned about morality, self-control, and the future judgment, Felix was terrified, and said, "For the present go on your way, and when I find a convenient season, I will send for you."

24:26  He was hoping that Paul would give him money, and for this reason he used to send for him often to converse with him.

24:27  But after two full years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and because he wished to curry favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.

Chapter 25

25:1  Three days after Festus entered his province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

25:2  The high priest and the Jewish leaders laid charges against Paul before him.

25:3  They urged him, asking it as a favor, to send for him to Jerusalem. They meant to lay in wait for him and kill him on the way.

25:4  But Festus answered that Paul was in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

25:5  "Let those then," he said, "who are in authority among you, go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him."

25:6  After staying not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day, after taking his seat upon the tribunal, he ordered Paul to be brought.

25:7  When he came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought a number of serious charges against him, which they could not prove.

25:8  Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no crime against the Law of the Jews, against the Temple, or against Caesar."

25:9  But Festus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, answered Paul and said, "Will you go up to Jerusalem and be tried there by me upon these charges?"

25:10  "I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal," answered Paul, "where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.

25:11  "If I am a criminal and have done anything for which I ought to die, I do not object to die. But if none of their charges is true, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."

25:12  Then Festus, after conferring with the council, answered. "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go."

25:13  A short time after this King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

25:14  And while they tarried many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix left a prisoner.

25:15  "The chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, when I was at Jerusalem, demanding a sentence against him.

25:16  I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give any man up for punishment, before the accused had his accusers face to face, and had opportunity of defending himself against the charges that had been brought against him.

25:17  "So when a number of them came together here, I made no delay, but the next day took my seat in the tribunal, and commanded the man to be brought.

25:18  "But when his accusers stood up, they did not begin charging him with any of the crimes that I was expecting,

25:19  but they kept quarreling with him about certain matters connected with their own religion, and about one Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed over and over was alive.

25:20  I was perplexed how to investigate such questions, and asked Paul whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

25:21  But when Paul appealed to have his case reviewed for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered him to be detained until I could send him up to Caesar."

25:22  "I should like to hear the man, myself," said Agrippa to Festus. Festus answered, "You shall hear him tomorrow."

25:23  So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and took their places in the hall of audience, accompanied by the tribunes and men of high rank in the city. At the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

25:24  "King Agrippa," said Festus, "and all men who are present with us, you see here the man about whom the entire body of the Jews at Jerusalem, and here also, sent to me, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25:25  "I could not find that he had done anything for which he ought to die; but as he himself has appealed to the Emperor, I have determined to send him.

25:26  "Now I have nothing very definite to tell our sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, in order that, after examination, I may have something to write.

25:27  "For it does seem to me unreasonable to send a person without signifying the charges against him."

Chapter 26

26:1  Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched forth his hand and began to make his defense.

26:2  "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day, in regard to all the accusations brought against me by the Jews;

26:3  "especially since you are an export in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, expert in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, hear me with patience.

26:4  "The kind of life I have lived from my youth upward among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all that early life of mine, is well known to all the Jews.

26:5  "They know me of old, if they are willing to testify, how that according to the strict sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

26:6  "Today I am standing trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors,

26:7  "a promise which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is concerning this hope, King Agrippa, that I am accused by the Jews.

26:8  "Why is it deemed incredible by you all, if God raises the dead?

26:9  "I indeed once thought with myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

26:10  "And this also I did in Jerusalem. Armed with authority from the chief priests, I shut up many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death I gave my vote against them.

26:11  "In all the synagogues also I punished them oftentimes, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my mad fury I was pursuing them even to foreign cities.

26:12  "On this errand I was traveling to Damascus one day, armed with authority and commission of the chief priests,

26:13  "when at noon, as I journeyed, O King, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and around those who journeyed with me.

26:14  "We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew. "‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’

26:15  "‘Who are you, Lord?’ I said. "And the Lord said. ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

26:16  "‘But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you my minister and my witness both of what you have already seen and of those things in which I will appear to you.

26:17  "‘I will deliver you from the Jewish people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes

26:18  "‘so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order to receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

26:19  "So then, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;

26:20  "but I proceeded to preach, first to those in Damascus, and then in Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God and do deeds worthy of repentance.

26:21  "For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

26:22  "But having obtained the help that comes from God, I stand even to this day witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said should come;

26:23  "how that the Christ must suffer, and how he should be the first to rise from the dead, and should bring a message of light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

26:24  As Paul thus made his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice. "Paul, you are raving mad; your great learning is driving you mad."

26:25  "I am not mad, most noble Festus," said Paul,

26:26  "I am speaking words of sober truth. For the King, to whom I am speaking freely, knows of these matters. I am persuaded that not one of these things has escaped his notice; for these things were not done in a corner.

26:27  "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."

26:28  Agrippa answered, "In short, you are doing your best to persuade me to become a Christian."

26:29  "Long or short," answered Paul, "my prayer to God is that not only you but all who are my hearers this day might become such as I am, save for these chains."

26:30  Then the king rose, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with him.

26:31  When they had withdrawn they continued talking to one another. "This man is doing nothing," they said, "for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

26:32  And Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free."

Chapter 27

27:1  When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they proceeded to hand over Paul and a few other prisoners to the custody of Julius, a centurion of the Imperial Regiment.

27:2  We embarked in a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, and put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, accompanied us.

27:3  The next day we touched at Sidon. There Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to visit his friends and refresh himself.

27:4  Putting to sea from thence we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us;

27:5  and after sailing across the Cilician and Pamphylian waters, we came to Myra, in Lycia.

27:6  And there the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her.

27:7  For many days we sailed slowly, and then arrived with difficulty over against Cnidus; from this point, as the wind did not further favor us, we ran under the lee of Crete, off Cape Salmone;

27:8  and coasting along with difficulty we reached a place called Fair Havens, not far from the town of Lasea.

27:9  By this time the season was far advanced, and sailing had become dangerous (for the Autumn Fast was past); so Paul began to warn them.

27:10  "Sirs," he said to them, "I perceive that the voyage will be attended with injury and serious loss, not only to the cargo and to the ship, but also to our own lives."

27:11  But the centurion paid greater heed to the master and to the owner than to anything that was spoken by Paul;

27:12  and as the harbor was ill adapted for winter quarters, the majority advised putting out to sea from thence, to see whether they could get to Phoenix and winter there, a harbor on the coast of Crete facing northeast and southeast.

27:13  And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.

27:14  But it was not long before a furious wind, called Euroclydon, rushed down from the island;

27:15  when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and let her drive.

27:16  Then we ran under the lee of a little island named Claudia, where with great difficulty we were able to secure the ship’s boat.

27:17  After hauling it aboard, they used ropes to undergird the ship, and since they were fearful lest they should be driven upon the Syrtes, they lowered the gear and lay to.

27:18  And as we were being terribly battered by the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard,

27:19  and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackling overboard.

27:20  Then when for many days neither sun nor stars were seen, and a great tempest still beat upon us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away from us.

27:21  When for a long time they had been without food, Paul stood among them and said. "Men, you ought to have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and so have spared yourselves this injury and loss.

27:22  "But now take courage. There will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship,

27:23  "for last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve, stood by me and said.

27:24  "‘Fear not, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you the lives of all who are sailing with you.’

27:25  "So take courage, men! I believe God, I believe that things will turn out exactly as it has been told me.

27:26  "But we must be cast upon a certain island."

27:27  It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Adriatic Sea when, about midnight, the sailors began to suspect that they were drawing near to some land.

27:28  So they sounded and found twenty fathoms; and after a little they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.

27:29  Then, fearing lest we should run ashore on the rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern, and longed for day to come.

27:30  And when the sailors were trying to flee from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea under pretext of laying anchors from the bow,

27:31  Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these men remain on the ship, you cannot be saved."

27:32  Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship’s boat and let her fall off.

27:33  And while day was dawning, Paul kept urging them all to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been on the watch, fasting, having eaten nothing.

27:34  "So I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety. For there shall not a hair perish from the head of any one of you."

27:35  When he had so said and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God before them all, and broke it and began to eat.

27:36  Then they all cheered up and themselves took food.

27:37  There were in the ship two hundred and seventy-six souls, all told.

27:38  After eating a hearty meal, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat overboard.

27:39  When it was day they tried in vain to recognize the land, but they spied an inlet with a sandy beach, and they began conferring to see whether they could drive the ship into it.

27:40  They cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, and unloosing at the same time the ropes that tied the rudders, they hoisted the foresail to the breeze, and headed for the beach.

27:41  But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; the bow struck and remained fixed, but the stern began to break up under the violence of the waves.

27:42  Now the soldiers were planning to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim off and so escape.

27:43  But the centurion kept them from their purpose, because he wished to save Paul. He gave orders that those who could swim should first jump overboard and get to land;

27:44  and that the rest should follow, some on planks and some on other bits of wreckage. And so it came to pass that all escaped safe to the land.

Chapter 28

28:1  And when we were escaped, we ascertained that the island was called Malta.

28:2  The foreign-speaking people showed us uncommon kindness, for they lighted a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain and because of the cold.

28:3  Now when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and thrown them on the fire, a viper crawled out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

28:4  When the natives saw the reptile hanging on his hand, they began saying to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet justice does not allow him to live."

28:5  However, he shook off the reptile into the fire and received no harm.

28:6  But they kept expecting him to swell up or fall down dead suddenly. But after waiting a long time, and seeing no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said over and over that he was a god.

28:7  Now in the neighborhood there were estates belonging to the governor of the island, whose name was Publius. He received us and entertained us for three days courteously.

28:8  It happened however that the father of Publius was lying ill of fever and dysentery. So Paul went to see him and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him.

28:9  After this all the other sick people on the island came, and continued to be restored to health.

28:10  These loaded us with many honors and, when at last we set sail, they put on board such things as we needed.

28:11  Three months passed before we set sail an Alexandrian ship which had wintered in the island. Its name was "The Twin Brothers."

28:12  And touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

28:13  From thence, tacking round, we reached Rhegium. Next day a south wind sprang up, which brought us in a day to Puteoli.

28:14  There we found brothers who invited us to stay a week with them. Then we reached Rome.

28:15  From there the brothers, when they heard about us, came out to meet us as far as the Appian Forum and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them he thanked God and took courage.

28:16  When we finally entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier to guard him.

28:17  Now three days later he called the leading Jews together, and when they were come together he said to them. "Brothers, I was delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of your fathers.

28:18  "Then when they had examined me they wanted to set me at liberty because there was no cause of death in me.

28:19  "But when the Jews objected I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything to accuse my nation of.

28:20  This is the reason why I begged you to see and speak with me. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."

28:21  They said to him. "We neither received any letters about you from Judea nor has any brother come hither to report or speak any harm of you.

28:22  "But we are eager to hear from you what it is that you believe; for we all know that as for this sect it is everywhere spoken against."

28:23  So they arranged a day with him and came to him in his lodgings in great numbers. He expounded the matter to them; testifying to the Kingdom of God, and persuading them about Jesus, from morning till evening, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

28:24  Some began to believe what he said, but some were unbelieving.

28:25  Unable to agree among themselves, they began to go, but not before Paul had spoken a word to them, saying. "Right well did the Holy Spirit say to your ancestors, through the prophet Isaiah.

28:26  "Go to the people and tell them, You will hear and hear, and by no means understand; And will look, and by no means see.

28:27  For this people’s heart is grown obtuse, Their ears are heavy of hearing, Their eyes have they closed, Lest they should see with their eyes And hear with their ears, Lest they understand with their heart, And turn again, and heal them.

28:28  "Be fully assured, therefore, that this salvation of God is now sent unto the Gentiles. They will listen to it."

28:29  When he finished speaking, the Jews departed, and reasoned among themselves.

28:30  After this Paul lived for two whole years in his own rented house, and used to receive all who came to see him.

28:31  He continued to preach the kingdom of God, and to teach about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, quite unmolested.