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Acts
1 |
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In my
former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to
teach {2} until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving
instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
{3} After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave
many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a
period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. {4} On
one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift
my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. {5}
For John baptised with water, but in a few
days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit." {6} So
when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time
going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" {7} He said to them:
"It is not for you to know the times or dates
the Father has set by his own authority. {8}
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." {9}
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud
hid him from their sight. {10} They were looking intently up into
the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood
beside them. {11} "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand
here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you
into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into
heaven." {12} Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill
called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. {13}
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were
staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and
Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the
Zealot, and Judas son of James. {14} They all joined together
constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus,
and with his brothers. {15} In those days Peter stood up among
the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) {16}
and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy
Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who
served as guide for those who arrested Jesus-- {17} he was one of
our number and shared in this ministry." {18} (With the reward he
got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong,
his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. {19}
Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in
their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) {20} "For,"
said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, "'May his place be
deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and, "'May another take
his place of leadership.' {21} Therefore it is necessary to
choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord
Jesus went in and out among us, {22} beginning from John's
baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these
must become a witness with us of his resurrection." {23} So they
proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and
Matthias. {24} Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's
heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen {25} to take
over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."
{26} Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was
added to the eleven apostles. |
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Acts
2 |
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When
the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. {2}
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven
and filled the whole house where they were sitting. {3} They saw
what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on
each of them. {4} All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. {5}
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every
nation under heaven. {6} When they heard this sound, a crowd came
together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his
own language. {7} Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these
men who are speaking Galileans? {8} Then how is it that each of
us hears them in his own native language? {9} Parthians, Medes
and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and
Asia, {10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya
near Cyrene; visitors from Rome {11} (both Jews and converts to
Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God
in our own tongues!" {12} Amazed and perplexed, they asked one
another, "What does this mean?" {13} Some, however, made fun of
them and said, "They have had too much wine." {14} Then Peter
stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
"Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this
to you; listen carefully to what I say. {15} These men are not
drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! {16} No,
this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: {17} "'In the last
days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and
daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men
will dream dreams. {18} Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. {19}
I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth
below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {20} The sun will be
turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great
and glorious day of the Lord. {21} And everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.' {22} "Men of Israel, listen to
this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles,
wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you
yourselves know. {23} This man was handed over to you by God's
set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put
him to death by nailing him to the cross. {24} But God raised him
from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was
impossible for death to keep its hold on him. {25} David said
about him: "'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right
hand, I will not be shaken. {26} Therefore my heart is glad and
my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, {27} because
you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see
decay. {28} You have made known to me the paths of life; you will
fill me with joy in your presence.' {29} "Brothers, I can tell
you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his
tomb is here to this day. {30} But he was a prophet and knew that
God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants
on his throne. {31} Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the
resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor
did his body see decay. {32} God has raised this Jesus to life,
and we are all witnesses of the fact. {33} Exalted to the right
hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit
and has poured out what you now see and hear. {34} For David did
not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit
at my right hand {35} until I make your enemies a footstool for
your feet."' {36} "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this:
God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
{37} When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said
to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" {38}
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the
name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {39} The promise is for you
and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our
God will call." {40} With many other words he warned them; and he
pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
{41} Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three
thousand were added to their number that day. {42} They devoted
themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. {43} Everyone was filled with
awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
{44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.
{45} Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he
had need. {46} Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with
glad and sincere hearts, {47} praising God and enjoying the favor
of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who
were being saved. |
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Acts 3 |
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One
day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at
three in the afternoon. {2} Now a man crippled from birth was
being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put
every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. {3}
When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.
{4} Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said,
"Look at us!" {5} So the man gave them his attention, expecting
to get something from them. {6} Then Peter said, "Silver or gold
I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, walk." {7} Taking him by the right hand, he helped
him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. {8}
He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into
the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. {9}
When all the people saw him walking and praising God, {10} they
recognised him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple
gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at
what had happened to him. {11} While the beggar held on to Peter
and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the
place called Solomon's Colonnade. {12} When Peter saw this, he
said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you
stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man
walk? {13} The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our
fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be
killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let
him go. {14} You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked
that a murderer be released to you. {15} You killed the author of
life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
{16} By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know
was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him
that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. {17}
"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your
leaders. {18} But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold
through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. {19}
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,
that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, {20} and that he
may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. {21}
He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore
everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. {22}
For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet
like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he
tells you. {23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be
completely cut off from among his people.' {24} "Indeed, all the
prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these
days. {25} And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant
God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring
all peoples on earth will be blessed.' {26} When God raised up
his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of
you from your wicked ways." |
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Acts 4 |
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The
priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to
Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. {2} They
were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and
proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. {3} They
seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail
until the next day. {4} But many who heard the message believed,
and the number of men grew to about five thousand. {5} The next
day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. {6}
Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John,
Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. {7} They
had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By
what power or what name did you do this?" {8} Then Peter, filled
with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people!
{9} If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness
shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, {10} then
know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the
dead, that this man stands before you healed. {11} He is "'the
stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' {12}
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given to men by which we must be saved." {13} When they
saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were
unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that
these men had been with Jesus. {14} But since they could see the
man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they
could say. {15} So they ordered them to withdraw from the
Sanhedrin and then conferred together. {16} "What are we going to
do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows
they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. {17}
But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people,
we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
{18} Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak
or teach at all in the name of Jesus. {19} But Peter and John
replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to
obey you rather than God. {20} For we cannot help speaking about
what we have seen and heard." {21} After further threats they let
them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the
people were praising God for what had happened. {22} For the man
who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. {23} On
their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported
all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. {24} When
they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.
"Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the
sea, and everything in them. {25} You spoke by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the
nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? {26} The kings of the
earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.' {27} Indeed Herod and Pontius
Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this
city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
{28} They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should
happen. {29} Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your
servants to speak your word with great boldness. {30} Stretch out
your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the
name of your holy servant Jesus." {31} After they prayed, the
place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. {32} All the
believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his
possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. {33}
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
{34} There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time
those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the
sales {35} and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was
distributed to anyone as he had need. {36} Joseph, a Levite from
Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of
Encouragement), {37} sold a field he owned and brought the money
and put it at the apostles' feet. |
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Acts
5 |
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Now a
man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of
property. {2} With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of
the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles'
feet. {3} Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so
filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept
for yourself some of the money you received for the land? {4}
Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold,
wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a
thing? You have not lied to men but to God." {5} When Ananias
heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard
what had happened. {6} Then the young men came forward, wrapped
up his body, and carried him out and buried him. {7} About three
hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. {8}
Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the
land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." {9} Peter said to
her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet
of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry
you out also." {10} At that moment she fell down at his feet and
died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out
and buried her beside her husband. {11} Great fear seized the
whole church and all who heard about these events. {12} The
apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.
And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.
{13} No one else dared join them, even though they were highly
regarded by the people. {14} Nevertheless, more and more men and
women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. {15}
As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on
beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them
as he passed by. {16} Crowds gathered also from the towns around
Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and
all of them were healed. {17} Then the high priest and all his
associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled
with jealousy. {18} They arrested the apostles and put them in
the public jail. {19} But during the night an angel of the Lord
opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. {20} "Go,
stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full
message of this new life." {21} At daybreak they entered the
temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together
the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to
the jail for the apostles. {22} But on arriving at the jail, the
officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,
{23} "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at
the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." {24}
On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief
priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. {25}
Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing
in the temple courts teaching the people." {26} At that, the
captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not
use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. {27}
Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the
Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. {28} "We gave you
strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of
this man's blood." {29} Peter and the other apostles replied: "We
must obey God rather than men! {30} The God of our fathers raised
Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
{31} God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that
he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. {32}
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God
has given to those who obey him." {33} When they heard this, they
were furious and wanted to put them to death. {34} But a Pharisee
named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people,
stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a
little while. {35} Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel,
consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. {36} Some
time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four
hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were
dispersed, and it all came to nothing. {37} After him, Judas the
Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in
revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. {38}
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!
Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it
will fail. {39} But if it is from God, you will not be able to
stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
{40} His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had
them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus,
and let them go. {41} The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing
because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
{42} Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house,
they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is
the Christ. |
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Acts 6 |
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In
those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews
among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were
being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. {2} So the
Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be
right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait
on tables. {3} Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are
known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this
responsibility over to them {4} and will give our attention to
prayer and the ministry of the word." {5} This proposal pleased
the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas
from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. {6} They presented these men
to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. {7} So
the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased
rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
{8} Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great
wonders and miraculous signs among the people. {9} Opposition
arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was
called)--Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of
Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, {10} but
they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he
spoke. {11} Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We
have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against
God." {12} So they stirred up the people and the elders and the
teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the
Sanhedrin. {13} They produced false witnesses, who testified,
"This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against
the law. {14} For we have heard him say that this Jesus of
Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed
down to us." {15} All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked
intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an
angel. |
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Acts 7 |
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Then
the high priest asked him, "Are these charges true?" {2} To this
he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory
appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before
he lived in Haran. {3} 'Leave your country and your people,' God
said, 'and go to the land I will show you.' {4} "So he left the
land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his
father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. {5}
He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God
promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the
land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. {6} God
spoke to him in this way: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a
country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four
hundred years. {7} But I will punish the nation they serve as
slaves,' God said, 'and afterward they will come out of that country and
worship me in this place.' {8} Then he gave Abraham the covenant
of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised
him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob,
and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs. {9}
"Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave
into Egypt. But God was with him {10} and rescued him from all
his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill
of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his
palace. {11} "Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing
great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. {12} When
Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their
first visit. {13} On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers
who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family. {14} After
this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family,
seventy-five in all. {15} Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he
and our fathers died. {16} Their bodies were brought back to
Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of
Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money. {17} "As the time
drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our
people in Egypt greatly increased. {18} Then another king, who
knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. {19} He dealt
treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing
them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. {20}
"At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For
three months he was cared for in his father's house. {21} When he
was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as
her own son. {22} Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. {23} "When Moses
was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. {24}
He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to
his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. {25} Moses
thought that his own people would realise that God was using him to
rescue them, but they did not. {26} The next day Moses came upon
two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying,
'Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?' {27}
"But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said,
'Who made you ruler and judge over us? {28} Do you want to kill
me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' {29} When Moses heard
this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two
sons. {30} "After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to
Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
{31} When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over
to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice: {32} 'I am the
God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses
trembled with fear and did not dare to look. {33} "Then the Lord
said to him, 'Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is
holy ground. {34} I have indeed seen the oppression of my people
in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them
free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.' {35} "This is the
same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler
and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself,
through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. {36} He led
them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the
Red Sea and for forty years in the desert. {37} "This is that
Moses who told the Israelites, 'God will send you a prophet like me from
your own people.' {38} He was in the assembly in the desert, with
the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he
received living words to pass on to us. {39} "But our fathers
refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts
turned back to Egypt. {40} They told Aaron, 'Make us gods who
will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt--we
don't know what has happened to him!' {41} That was the time they
made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and
held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made. {42}
But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly
bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:
"'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O
house of Israel? {43} You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and
the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I
will send you into exile' beyond Babylon. {44} "Our forefathers
had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been
made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
{45} Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua
brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove
out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,
{46} who enjoyed God's favor and asked that he might provide a
dwelling place for the God of Jacob. {47} But it was Solomon who
built the house for him. {48} "However, the Most High does not
live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: {49} "'Heaven is
my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you
build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? {50}
Has not my hand made all these things?' {51} "You
stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just
like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! {52} Was
there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed
those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have
betrayed and murdered him-- {53} you who have received the law
that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." {54}
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at
him. {55} But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to
heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of
God. {56} "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God." {57} At this they covered
their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at
him, {58} dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.
Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man
named Saul. {59} While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed,
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." {60} Then he fell on his knees
and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had
said this, he fell asleep. |
|
Acts 8 |
|
And
Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great
persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except
the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. {2}
Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. {3} But Saul
began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off
men and women and put them in prison. {4} Those who had been
scattered preached the word wherever they went. {5} Philip went
down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. {6}
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they
all paid close attention to what he said. {7} With shrieks, evil
spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.
{8} So there was great joy in that city. {9} Now for some
time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all
the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, {10}
and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and
exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power."
{11} They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time
with his magic. {12} But when they believed Philip as he preached
the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they
were baptised, both men and women. {13} Simon himself believed
and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the
great signs and miracles he saw. {14} When the apostles in
Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent
Peter and John to them. {15} When they arrived, they prayed for
them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, {16} because the
Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been
baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. {17} Then Peter and
John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
{18} When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of
the apostles' hands, he offered them money {19} and said, "Give
me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive
the Holy Spirit." {20} Peter answered: "May your money perish
with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
{21} You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart
is not right before God. {22} Repent of this wickedness and pray
to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in
your heart. {23} For I see that you are full of bitterness and
captive to sin." {24} Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for
me so that nothing you have said may happen to me." {25} When
they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John
returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
{26} Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the
road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." {27}
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an
important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of
the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, {28}
and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of
Isaiah the prophet. {29} The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that
chariot and stay near it." {30} Then Philip ran up to the chariot
and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what
you are reading?" Philip asked. {31} "How can I," he said,
"unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and
sit with him. {32} The eunuch was reading this passage of
Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb
before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. {33}
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his
descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." {34} The
eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about,
himself or someone else?" {35} Then Philip began with that very
passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. {36}
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch
said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptised?" {37} {38}
And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him. {39}
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took
Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way
rejoicing. {40} Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled
about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. |
|
Acts 9 |
|
Meanwhile, Saul
was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples.
He went to the high priest {2} and asked him for letters to the
synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to
the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to
Jerusalem. {3} As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light
from heaven flashed around him. {4} He fell to the ground and heard a
voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" {5} "Who are
you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he
replied. {6} "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what
you must do." {7} The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless;
they heard the sound but did not see anyone. {8} Saul got up from the
ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led
him by the hand into Damascus. {9} For three days he was blind, and did
not eat or drink anything. {10} In Damascus there was a disciple named
Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he
answered. {11} The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight
Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. {12}
In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on
him to restore his sight." {13} "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard
many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints
in Jerusalem. {14} And he has come here with authority from the chief
priests to arrest all who call on your name." {15} But the Lord said to
Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before
the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. {16} I
will show him how much he must suffer for my name." {17} Then Ananias
went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said,
"Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you
were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled
with the Holy Spirit." {18} Immediately, something like scales fell from
Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptised, {19}
and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several
days with the disciples in Damascus. {20} At once he began to preach in
the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. {21} All those who heard
him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in
Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to
take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" {22} Yet Saul grew more
and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving
that Jesus is the Christ. {23} After many days had gone by, the Jews
conspired to kill him, {24} but Saul learned of their plan. Day and
night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. {25}
But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through
an opening in the wall. {26} When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join
the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he
really was a disciple. {27} But Barnabas took him and brought him to the
apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and
that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached
fearlessly in the name of Jesus. {28} So Saul stayed with them and moved
about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. {29}
He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
{30} When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him off to Tarsus. {31} Then the church throughout Judea,
Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and
encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of
the Lord. {32} As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the
saints in Lydda. {33} There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who
had been bedridden for eight years. {34} "Aeneas," Peter said to him,
"Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately
Aeneas got up. {35} All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and
turned to the Lord. {36} In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and
helping the poor. {37} About that time she became sick and died, and her
body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. {38} Lydda was near
Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent
two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" {39} Peter went
with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All
the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other
clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. {40} Peter
sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed.
Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened
her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. {41} He took her by the hand and
helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and
presented her to them alive. {42} This became known all over Joppa, and
many people believed in the Lord. {43} Peter stayed in Joppa for some
time with a tanner named Simon. |
|
Acts 10 |
|
At Caesarea there
was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian
Regiment. {2} He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave
generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. {3} One day at
about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel
of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" {4} Cornelius stared at
him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your
prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before
God. {5} Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is
called Peter. {6} He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by
the sea." {7} When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called
two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.
{8} He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
{9} About noon the following day as they were on their journey and
approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. {10} He became
hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being
prepared, he fell into a trance. {11} He saw heaven opened and something
like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. {12} It
contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the
earth and birds of the air. {13} Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter.
Kill and eat." {14} "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never
eaten anything impure or unclean." {15} The voice spoke to him a second
time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." {16} This
happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to
heaven. {17} While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision,
the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped
at the gate. {18} They called out, asking if Simon who was known as
Peter was staying there. {19} While Peter was still thinking about the
vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.
{20} So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I
have sent them." {21} Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one
you're looking for. Why have you come?" {22} The men replied, "We have
come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing
man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to
have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."
{23} Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The
next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from
Joppa went along. {24} The following day he arrived in Caesarea.
Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and
close friends. {25} As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and
fell at his feet in reverence. {26} But Peter made him get up. "Stand
up," he said, "I am only a man myself." {27} Talking with him, Peter
went inside and found a large gathering of people. {28} He said to them:
"You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate
with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call
any man impure or unclean. {29} So when I was sent for, I came without
raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?" {30} Cornelius
answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at
three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before
me {31} and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered
your gifts to the poor. {32} Send to Joppa for Simon who is called
Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the
sea.' {33} So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to
come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything
the Lord has commanded you to tell us." {34} Then Peter began to speak:
"I now realise how true it is that God does not show favoritism {35} but
accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. {36}
You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good
news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. {37} You know
what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the
baptism that John preached-- {38} how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and
healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with
him. {39} "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the
Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, {40}
but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be
seen. {41} He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God
had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from
the dead. {42} He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify
that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the
dead. {43} All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes
in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." {44} While Peter
was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard
the message. {45} The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were
astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on
the Gentiles. {46} For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising
God. Then Peter said, {47} "Can anyone keep these people from being
baptised with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we
have." {48} So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus
Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. |
|
Acts 11 |
|
The apostles and the
brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the
word of God. {2} So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised
believers criticised him {3} and said, "You went into the house of
uncircumcised men and ate with them." {4} Peter began and explained
everything to them precisely as it had happened: {5} "I was in the city
of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a
large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came
down to where I was. {6} I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of
the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. {7} Then I heard
a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' {8} "I replied,
'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
{9} "The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything
impure that God has made clean.' {10} This happened three times, and
then it was all pulled up to heaven again. {11} "Right then three men
who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was
staying. {12} The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with
them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's
house. {13} He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and
say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. {14} He will bring
you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'
{15} "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come
on us at the beginning. {16} Then I remembered what the Lord had said:
'John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy
Spirit.' {17} So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could
oppose God?" {18} When they heard this, they had no further objections
and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles
repentance unto life." {19} Now those who had been scattered by the
persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia,
Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. {20} Some of them,
however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak
to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. {21}
The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and
turned to the Lord. {22} News of this reached the ears of the church at
Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. {23} When he arrived and
saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them
all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. {24} He was a good
man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people
were brought to the Lord. {25} Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for
Saul, {26} and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a
whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great
numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at
Antioch. {27} During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to
Antioch. {28} One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit
predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world.
(This happened during the reign of Claudius.) {29} The disciples, each
according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers
living in Judea. {30} This they did, sending their gift to the elders by
Barnabas and Saul. |
|
Acts 12 |
|
It was about this
time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending
to persecute them. {2} He had James, the brother of John, put to death
with the sword. {3} When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded
to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
{4} After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be
guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring
him out for public trial after the Passover. {5} So Peter was kept in
prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. {6} The
night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between
two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the
entrance. {7} Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone
in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get
up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. {8} Then the angel
said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap
your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. {9} Peter
followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel
was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. {10}
They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate
leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through
it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel
left him. {11} Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without
a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's
clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." {12}
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of
John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
{13} Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda
came to answer the door. {14} When she recognised Peter's voice, she was
so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at
the door!" {15} "You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept
insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel." {16} But
Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they
were astonished. {17} Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet
and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James
and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another
place. {18} In the morning, there was no small commotion among the
soldiers as to what had become of Peter. {19} After Herod had a thorough
search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards
and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to
Caesarea and stayed there a while. {20} He had been quarreling with the
people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an
audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted
personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they
depended on the king's country for their food supply. {21} On the
appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and
delivered a public address to the people. {22} They shouted, "This is
the voice of a god, not of a man." {23} Immediately, because Herod did
not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was
eaten by worms and died. {24} But the word of God continued to increase
and spread. {25} When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they
returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. |
|
Acts 13 |
|
In the church at
Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch) and Saul. {2} While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting,
the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work
to which I have called them." {3} So after they had fasted and prayed,
they placed their hands on them and sent them off. {4} The two of them,
sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed
from there to Cyprus. {5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed
the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their
helper. {6} They traveled through the whole island until they came to
Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named
Bar-Jesus, {7} who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus.
The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he
wanted to hear the word of God. {8} But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is
what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from
the faith. {9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy
Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, {10} "You are a child of the
devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all
kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right
ways of the Lord? {11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are
going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of
the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped
about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. {12} When the proconsul
saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching
about the Lord. {13} From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to
Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. {14}
From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered
the synagogue and sat down. {15} After the reading from the Law and the
Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if
you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak." {16}
Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Men of Israel and
you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! {17} The God of the people
of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their
stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, {18}
he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, {19} he
overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as
their inheritance. {20} All this took about 450 years. "After this, God
gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. {21} Then the
people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe
of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. {22} After removing Saul, he made
David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son
of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to
do.' {23} "From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the
Savior Jesus, as he promised. {24} Before the coming of Jesus, John
preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. {25} As
John was completing his work, he said: 'Who do you think I am? I am not
that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy
to untie.' {26} "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing
Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. {27}
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise Jesus, yet in
condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read
every Sabbath. {28} Though they found no proper ground for a death
sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. {29} When they had
carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the
tree and laid him in a tomb. {30} But God raised him from the dead, {31}
and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from
Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. {32} "We
tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers {33} he has
fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written
in the second Psalm: "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'
{34} The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is
stated in these words: "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings
promised to David.' {35} So it is stated elsewhere: "'You will not let
your Holy One see decay.' {36} "For when David had served God's purpose
in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers
and his body decayed. {37} But the one whom God raised from the dead did
not see decay. {38} "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that
through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. {39} Through
him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be
justified from by the law of Moses. {40} Take care that what the
prophets have said does not happen to you: {41} "'Look, you scoffers,
wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you
would never believe, even if someone told you.'" {42} As Paul and
Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak
further about these things on the next Sabbath. {43} When the
congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to
Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them
to continue in the grace of God. {44} On the next Sabbath almost the
whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. {45} When the Jews saw
the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against
what Paul was saying. {46} Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly:
"We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and
do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the
Gentiles. {47} For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made
you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends
of the earth.'" {48} When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and
honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal
life believed. {49} The word of the Lord spread through the whole
region. {50} But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing
and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against
Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. {51} So they
shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to
Iconium. {52} And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy
Spirit. |
|
Acts 14 |
|
At Iconium Paul
and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke
so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. {2}
But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned
their minds against the brothers. {3} So Paul and Barnabas spent
considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the
message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and
wonders. {4} The people of the city were divided; some sided with the
Jews, others with the apostles. {5} There was a plot afoot among the
Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and
stone them. {6} But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian
cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, {7} where
they continued to preach the good news. {8} In Lystra there sat a man
crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. {9}
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw
that he had faith to be healed {10} and called out, "Stand up on your
feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. {11} When the crowd
saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The
gods have come down to us in human form!" {12} Barnabas they called
Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. {13}
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought
bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to
offer sacrifices to them. {14} But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul
heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd,
shouting: {15} "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human
like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these
worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea
and everything in them. {16} In the past, he let all nations go their
own way. {17} Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has
shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their
seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with
joy." {18} Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd
from sacrificing to them. {19} Then some Jews came from Antioch and
Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside
the city, thinking he was dead. {20} But after the disciples had
gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day
he and Barnabas left for Derbe. {21} They preached the good news in that
city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra,
Iconium and Antioch, {22} strengthening the disciples and encouraging
them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to
enter the kingdom of God," they said. {23} Paul and Barnabas appointed
elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed
them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. {24} After going
through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, {25} and when they had
preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. {26} From Attalia
they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace
of God for the work they had now completed. {27} On arriving there, they
gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through
them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. {28} And
they stayed there a long time with the disciples. |
|
Acts 15 |
|
Some men came down
from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are
circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be
saved." {2} This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate
with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other
believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about
this question. {3} The church sent them on their way, and as they
traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had
been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. {4} When they
came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and
elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. {5}
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees
stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to
obey the law of Moses." {6} The apostles and elders met to consider this
question. {7} After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them:
"Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that
the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and
believe. {8} God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by
giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. {9} He made no
distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
{10} Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the
disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
{11} No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we
are saved, just as they are." {12} The whole assembly became silent as
they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs
and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. {13} When they
finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. {14} Simon has
described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the
Gentiles a people for himself. {15} The words of the prophets are in
agreement with this, as it is written: {16} "'After this I will return
and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will
restore it, {17} that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the
Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' {18}
that have been known for ages. {19} "It is my judgment, therefore, that
we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
{20} Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food
polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled
animals and from blood. {21} For Moses has been preached in every city
from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
{22} Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to
choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and
Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who
were leaders among the brothers. {23} With them they sent the following
letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers
in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. {24} We have heard that some
went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling
your minds by what they said. {25} So we all agreed to choose some men
and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-- {26} men
who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. {27}
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth
what we are writing. {28} It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us
not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: {29}
You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the
meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well
to avoid these things. Farewell. {30} The men were sent off and went
down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered
the letter. {31} The people read it and were glad for its encouraging
message. {32} Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much
to encourage and strengthen the brothers. {33} After spending some time
there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to
return to those who had sent them. {34} {35} But Paul and Barnabas
remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the
word of the Lord. {36} Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go
back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word
of the Lord and see how they are doing." {37} Barnabas wanted to take
John, also called Mark, with them, {38} but Paul did not think it wise
to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not
continued with them in the work. {39} They had such a sharp disagreement
that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, {40}
but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of
the Lord. {41} He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the
churches. |
|
Acts 16 |
|
He came to Derbe and
then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a
Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. {2} The brothers at
Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. {3} Paul wanted to take him along
on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in
that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. {4} As they
traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the
apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. {5} So the
churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. {6}
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and
Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in
the province of Asia. {7} When they came to the border of Mysia, they
tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them
to. {8} So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. {9} During the
night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us." {10} After Paul had seen the
vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God
had called us to preach the gospel to them. {11} From Troas we put out
to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to
Neapolis. {12} From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and
the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there
several days. {13} On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the
river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and
began to speak to the women who had gathered there. {14} One of those
listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the
city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart
to respond to Paul's message. {15} When she and the members of her
household were baptised, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me
a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she
persuaded us. {16} Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we
were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the
future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by
fortune-telling. {17} This girl followed Paul and the rest of us,
shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling
you the way to be saved." {18} She kept this up for many days. Finally
Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit,
"In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that
moment the spirit left her. {19} When the owners of the slave girl
realised that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and
Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.
{20} They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are
Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar {21} by advocating
customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice." {22} The crowd
joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered
them to be stripped and beaten. {23} After they had been severely
flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to
guard them carefully. {24} Upon receiving such orders, he put them in
the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. {25} About
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the
other prisoners were listening to them. {26} Suddenly there was such a
violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At
once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.
{27} The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew
his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners
had escaped. {28} But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all
here!" {29} The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling
before Paul and Silas. {30} He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?" {31} They replied, "Believe in the Lord
Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." {32} Then they
spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
{33} At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their
wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptised. {34} The
jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was
filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole
family. {35} When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers
to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." {36} The jailer told
Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now
you can leave. Go in peace." {37} But Paul said to the officers: "They
beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and
threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No!
Let them come themselves and escort us out." {38} The officers reported
this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were
Roman citizens, they were alarmed. {39} They came to appease them and
escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. {40}
After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house,
where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left. |
|
Acts 17 |
|
When they had passed
through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there
was a Jewish synagogue. {2} As his custom was, Paul went into the
synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the
Scriptures, {3} explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and
rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, "
he said. {4} Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,
as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent
women. {5} But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad
characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the
city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order
to bring them out to the crowd. {6} But when they did not find them,
they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials,
shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now
come here, {7} and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all
defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called
Jesus." {8} When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were
thrown into turmoil. {9} Then they made Jason and the others post bond
and let them go. {10} As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul
and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish
synagogue. {11} Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the
Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and
examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
{12} Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek
women and many Greek men. {13} When the Jews in Thessalonica learned
that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too,
agitating the crowds and stirring them up. {14} The brothers immediately
sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. {15} The
men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with
instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. {16}
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to
see that the city was full of idols. {17} So he reasoned in the
synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the
marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. {18} A group
of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of
them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He
seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was
preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. {19} Then they
took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said
to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
{20} You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to
know what they mean." {21} (All the Athenians and the foreigners who
lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and
listening to the latest ideas.) {22} Paul then stood up in the meeting
of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you
are very religious. {23} For as I walked around and looked carefully at
your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO
AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to
proclaim to you. {24} "The God who made the world and everything in it
is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by
hands. {25} And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed
anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and
everything else. {26} From one man he made every nation of men, that
they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for
them and the exact places where they should live. {27} God did this so
that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him,
though he is not far from each one of us. {28} 'For in him we live and
move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are
his offspring.' {29} "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should
not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an
image made by man's design and skill. {30} In the past God overlooked
such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
{31} For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by
the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by
raising him from the dead." {32} When they heard about the resurrection
of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you
again on this subject." {33} At that, Paul left the Council. {34} A few
men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a
member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of
others. |
|
Acts 18 |
|
After this, Paul
left Athens and went to Corinth. {2} There he met a Jew named Aquila, a
native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife
Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul
went to see them, {3} and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he
stayed and worked with them. {4} Every Sabbath he reasoned in the
synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. {5} When Silas and
Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to
preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. {6} But
when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes
in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am
clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." {7}
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius
Justus, a worshiper of God. {8} Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his
entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who
heard him believed and were baptised. {9} One night the Lord spoke to
Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
{10} For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you,
because I have many people in this city." {11} So Paul stayed for a year
and a half, teaching them the word of God. {12} While Gallio was
proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought
him into court. {13} "This man," they charged, "is persuading the people
to worship God in ways contrary to the law." {14} Just as Paul was about
to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If you Jews were making a complaint
about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me
to listen to you. {15} But since it involves questions about words and
names and your own law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a
judge of such things." {16} So he had them ejected from the court. {17}
Then they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in
front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever. {18} Paul
stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed
for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had
his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. {19} They
arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself
went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. {20} When they asked
him to spend more time with them, he declined. {21} But as he left, he
promised, "I will come back if it is God's will." Then he set sail from
Ephesus. {22} When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the
church and then went down to Antioch. {23} After spending some time in
Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place
throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the
disciples. {24} Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,
came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the
Scriptures. {25} He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he
spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he
knew only the baptism of John. {26} He began to speak boldly in the
synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to
their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. {27}
When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and
wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great
help to those who by grace had believed. {28} For he vigorously refuted
the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was
the Christ. |
|
Acts 19 |
|
While Apollos was
at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at
Ephesus. There he found some disciples {2} and asked them, "Did you
receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have
not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." {3} So Paul asked, "Then
what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. {4} Paul
said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to
believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." {5} On hearing
this, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. {6} When Paul
placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke
in tongues and prophesied. {7} There were about twelve men in all. {8}
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months,
arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. {9} But some of them
became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.
So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions
daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. {10} This went on for two years,
so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard
the word of the Lord. {11} God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,
{12} so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were
taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits
left them. {13} Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried
to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were
demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul
preaches, I command you to come out." {14} Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish
chief priest, were doing this. {15} One day the evil spirit answered
them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" {16} Then
the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all.
He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and
bleeding. {17} When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in
Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus
was held in high honor. {18} Many of those who believed now came and
openly confessed their evil deeds. {19} A number who had practiced
sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When
they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty
thousand drachmas. {20} In this way the word of the Lord spread widely
and grew in power. {21} After all this had happened, Paul decided to go
to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been
there," he said, "I must visit Rome also." {22} He sent two of his
helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the
province of Asia a little longer. {23} About that time there arose a
great disturbance about the Way. {24} A silversmith named Demetrius, who
made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the
craftsmen. {25} He called them together, along with the workmen in
related trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from
this business. {26} And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has
convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in
practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are
no gods at all. {27} There is danger not only that our trade will lose
its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis
will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped
throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her
divine majesty." {28} When they heard this, they were furious and began
shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" {29} Soon the whole city
was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's
traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the
theater. {30} Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples
would not let him. {31} Even some of the officials of the province,
friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the
theater. {32} The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one
thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were
there. {33} The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the
crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to
make a defense before the people. {34} But when they realised he was a
Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis
of the Ephesians!" {35} The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Men
of Ephesus, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the
guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell
from heaven? {36} Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought
to be quiet and not do anything rash. {37} You have brought these men
here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our
goddess. {38} If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a
grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.
They can press charges. {39} If there is anything further you want to
bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. {40} As it is, we are
in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In
that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since
there is no reason for it." {41} After he had said this, he dismissed
the assembly. |
|
Acts 20 |
|
When
the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging
them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia. {2} He traveled
through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people,
and finally arrived in Greece, {3} where he stayed three months.
Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail
for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. {4} He was
accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and
Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus
and Trophimus from the province of Asia. {5} These men went on
ahead and waited for us at Troas. {6} But we sailed from Philippi
after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the
others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. {7} On the first day
of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people
and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until
midnight. {8} There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we
were meeting. {9} Seated in a window was a young man named
Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on.
When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and
was picked up dead. {10} Paul went down, threw himself on the
young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said.
"He's alive!" {11} Then he went upstairs again and broke bread
and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. {12} The people
took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. {13} We
went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to
take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going
there on foot. {14} When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard
and went on to Mitylene. {15} The next day we set sail from there
and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and
on the following day arrived at Miletus. {16} Paul had decided to
sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he
was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
{17} From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the
church. {18} When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I
lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the
province of Asia. {19} I served the Lord with great humility and
with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.
{20} You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that
would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to
house. {21} I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they
must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. {22}
"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not
knowing what will happen to me there. {23} I only know that in
every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing
me. {24} However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only
I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given
me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. {25}
"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the
kingdom will ever see me again. {26} Therefore, I declare to you
today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. {27} For I have
not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. {28} Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has
made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought
with his own blood. {29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves
will come in among you and will not spare the flock. {30} Even
from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to
draw away disciples after them. {31} So be on your guard!
Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night
and day with tears. {32} "Now I commit you to God and to the word
of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among
all those who are sanctified. {33} I have not coveted anyone's
silver or gold or clothing. {34} You yourselves know that these
hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
{35} In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard
work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself
said: 'It is more blessed to give than to
receive.'" {36} When he had said this, he knelt down with
all of them and prayed. {37} They all wept as they embraced him
and kissed him. {38} What grieved them most was his statement
that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to
the ship. |
|
Acts 21 |
|
After
we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed
straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara.
{2} We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and
set sail. {3} After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of
it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to
unload its cargo. {4} Finding the disciples there, we stayed with
them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to
Jerusalem. {5} But when our time was up, we left and continued on
our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us
out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. {6}
After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they
returned home. {7} We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed
at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a
day. {8} Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at
the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. {9} He had
four unmarried daughters who prophesied. {10} After we had been
there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
{11} Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and
feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of
Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the
Gentiles.'" {12} When we heard this, we and the people there
pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. {13} Then Paul
answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not
only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
Jesus." {14} When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said,
"The Lord's will be done." {15} After this, we got ready and went
up to Jerusalem. {16} Some of the disciples from Caesarea
accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to
stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. {17}
When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly.
{18} The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all
the elders were present. {19} Paul greeted them and reported in
detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
{20} When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul:
"You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of
them are zealous for the law. {21} They have been informed that
you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from
Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according
to our customs. {22} What shall we do? They will certainly hear
that you have come, {23} so do what we tell you. There are four
men with us who have made a vow. {24} Take these men, join in
their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have
their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these
reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the
law. {25} As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them
our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual
immorality." {26} The next day Paul took the men and purified
himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of
the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would
be made for each of them. {27} When the seven days were nearly
over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They
stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, {28} shouting, "Men of
Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against
our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought
Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place." {29}
(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul
and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.) {30}
The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all
directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and
immediately the gates were shut. {31} While they were trying to
kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole
city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. {32} He at once took some
officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw
the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. {33}
The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with
two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. {34}
Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the
commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered
that Paul be taken into the barracks. {35} When Paul reached the
steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the
soldiers. {36} The crowd that followed kept shouting, "Away with
him!" {37} As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the
barracks, he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" "Do you
speak Greek?" he replied. {38} "Aren't you the Egyptian who
started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert
some time ago?" {39} Paul answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in
Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the
people." {40} Having received the commander's permission, Paul
stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent,
he said to them in Aramaic : |
|
Acts 22 |
|
"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." {2} When they
heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul
said: {3} "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up
in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our
fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. {4}
I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting
both men and women and throwing them into prison, {5} as also the
high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters
from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these
people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. {6} "About noon
as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed
around me. {7} I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,
'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
{8} "'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. "'I am
Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. {9}
My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice
of him who was speaking to me. {10} "'What shall I do, Lord?' I
asked. "'Get up,' the Lord said,
'and go into Damascus. There you will be told
all that you have been assigned to do.' {11} My companions
led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light
had blinded me. {12} "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was
a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living
there. {13} He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive
your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him. {14}
"Then he said: 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will
and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. {15}
You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
{16} And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash
your sins away, calling on his name.' {17} "When I returned to
Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance {18}
and saw the Lord speaking. 'Quick!'
he said to me. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately,
because they will not accept your testimony about me.' {19}
"'Lord,' I replied, 'these men know that I went from one synagogue
to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. {20}
And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving
my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'
{21} "Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will
send you far away to the Gentiles.'" {22} The crowd
listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and
shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" {23} As
they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into
the air, {24} the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the
barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find
out why the people were shouting at him like this. {25} As they
stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing
there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been
found guilty?" {26} When the centurion heard this, he went to the
commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This
man is a Roman citizen." {27} The commander went to Paul and
asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered.
{28} Then the commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my
citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied. {29}
Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander
himself was alarmed when he realised that he had put Paul, a Roman
citizen, in chains. {30} The next day, since the commander wanted
to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released
him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble.
Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them. |
|
Acts 23 |
|
Paul
looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have
fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." {2}
At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to
strike him on the mouth. {3} Then Paul said to him, "God will
strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to
the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be
struck!" {4} Those who were standing near Paul said, "You dare to
insult God's high priest?" {5} Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not
realise that he was the high priest; for it is written: 'Do not speak
evil about the ruler of your people.'" {6} Then Paul, knowing
that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in
the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I
stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead."
{7} When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and
the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. {8} (The Sadducees
say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor
spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) {9} There was a
great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees
stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this man,"
they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" {10}
The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would
be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him
away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. {11} The
following night the Lord stood near Paul and said,
"Take courage! As you have testified about me in
Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." {12} The
next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an
oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. {13} More
than forty men were involved in this plot. {14} They went to the
chief priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to
eat anything until we have killed Paul. {15} Now then, you and
the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the
pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are
ready to kill him before he gets here." {16} But when the son of
Paul's sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told
Paul. {17} Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take
this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him." {18}
So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, "Paul, the
prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you
because he has something to tell you." {19} The commander took
the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, "What is it you
want to tell me?" {20} He said: "The Jews have agreed to ask you
to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting
more accurate information about him. {21} Don't give in to them,
because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have
taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are
ready now, waiting for your consent to their request." {22} The
commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, "Don't tell anyone
that you have reported this to me." {23} Then he called two of
his centurions and ordered them, "Get ready a detachment of two hundred
soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at
nine tonight. {24} Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be
taken safely to Governor Felix." {25} He wrote a letter as
follows: {26} Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix:
Greetings. {27} This man was seized by the Jews and they were
about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had
learned that he is a Roman citizen. {28} I wanted to know why
they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. {29}
I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law,
but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment.
{30} When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the
man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present
to you their case against him. {31} So the soldiers, carrying out
their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as
far as Antipatris. {32} The next day they let the cavalry go on
with him, while they returned to the barracks. {33} When the
cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor
and handed Paul over to him. {34} The governor read the letter
and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
{35} he said, "I will hear your case when your accusers get here."
Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace. |
|
Acts 24 |
|
Five
days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of
the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges
against Paul before the governor. {2} When Paul was called in,
Tertullus presented his case before Felix: "We have enjoyed a long
period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms
in this nation. {3} Everywhere and in every way, most excellent
Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. {4} But in
order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough
to hear us briefly. {5} "We have found this man to be a
troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is
a ringleader of the Nazarene sect {6} and even tried to desecrate
the temple; so we seized him. {7} {8} By examining him yourself
you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are
bringing against him." {9} The Jews joined in the accusation,
asserting that these things were true. {10} When the governor
motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of
years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my
defense. {11} You can easily verify that no more than twelve days
ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. {12} My accusers did not
find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the
synagogues or anywhere else in the city. {13} And they cannot
prove to you the charges they are now making against me. {14}
However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of
the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with
the Law and that is written in the Prophets, {15} and I have the
same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both
the righteous and the wicked. {16} So I strive always to keep my
conscience clear before God and man. {17} "After an absence of
several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor
and to present offerings. {18} I was ceremonially clean when they
found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me,
nor was I involved in any disturbance. {19} But there are some
Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and
bring charges if they have anything against me. {20} Or these who
are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before
the Sanhedrin-- {21} unless it was this one thing I shouted as I
stood in their presence: 'It is concerning the resurrection of the dead
that I am on trial before you today.'" {22} Then Felix, who was
well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias
the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." {23} He
ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some
freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. {24}
Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess.
He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ
Jesus. {25} As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and
the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now!
You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." {26}
At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so
he sent for him frequently and talked with him. {27} When two
years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because
Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison. |
|
Acts 25 |
|
Three
days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to
Jerusalem, {2} where the chief priests and Jewish leaders
appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. {3}
They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul
transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him
along the way. {4} Festus answered, "Paul is being held at
Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. {5} Let some of your
leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has
done anything wrong." {6} After spending eight or ten days with
them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court
and ordered that Paul be brought before him. {7} When Paul
appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him,
bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.
{8} Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against
the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." {9}
Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing
to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?"
{10} Paul answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where
I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you
yourself know very well. {11} If, however, I am guilty of doing
anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges
brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to
hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" {12} After Festus had
conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to Caesar.
To Caesar you will go!" {13} A few days later King Agrippa and
Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. {14}
Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case
with the king. He said: "There is a man here whom Felix left as a
prisoner. {15} When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and
elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be
condemned. {16} "I told them that it is not the Roman custom to
hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an
opportunity to defend himself against their charges. {17} When
they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court
the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. {18} When his
accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes
I had expected. {19} Instead, they had some points of dispute
with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who
Paul claimed was alive. {20} I was at a loss how to investigate
such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and
stand trial there on these charges. {21} When Paul made his
appeal to be held over for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held
until I could send him to Caesar." {22} Then Agrippa said to
Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." He replied, "Tomorrow
you will hear him." {23} The next day Agrippa and Bernice came
with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking
officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul
was brought in. {24} Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all who are
present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has
petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that
he ought not to live any longer. {25} I found he had done nothing
deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I
decided to send him to Rome. {26} But I have nothing definite to
write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all
of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of
this investigation I may have something to write. {27} For I
think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the
charges against him. |
|
Acts 26 |
|
Then
Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So
Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: {2} "King
Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make
my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, {3} and
especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish
customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me
patiently. {4} "The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since
I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also
in Jerusalem. {5} They have known me for a long time and can
testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of
our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. {6} And now it is because of
my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.
{7} This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see
fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is
because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. {8} Why
should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
{9} "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to
oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. {10} And that is just what
I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of
the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote
against them. {11} Many a time I went from one synagogue to
another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme.
In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute
them. {12} "On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with
the authority and commission of the chief priests. {13} About
noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter
than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. {14} We all
fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,
'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard
for you to kick against the goads.' {15} "Then I asked,
'Who are you, Lord?' "'I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting,' the Lord replied. {16}
'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have
appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you
have seen of me and what I will show you. {17}
I will rescue you from your own people and from
the Gentiles. I am sending you to them {18}
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness
to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith
in me.' {19} "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient
to the vision from heaven. {20} First to those in Damascus, then
to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I
preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their
repentance by their deeds. {21} That is why the Jews seized me in
the temple courts and tried to kill me. {22} But I have had God's
help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and
great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said
would happen-- {23} that the Christ would suffer and, as the
first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and
to the Gentiles." {24} At this point Festus interrupted Paul's
defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great
learning is driving you insane." {25} "I am not insane, most
excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and
reasonable. {26} The king is familiar with these things, and I
can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped
his notice, because it was not done in a corner. {27} King
Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." {28} Then
Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can
persuade me to be a Christian?" {29} Paul replied, "Short time or
long--I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today
may become what I am, except for these chains." {30} The king
rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them.
{31} They left the room, and while talking with one another, they
said, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or
imprisonment." {32} Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have
been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." |
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Acts 27 |
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When it
was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners
were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the
Imperial Regiment. {2} We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about
to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put
out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
{3} The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to
Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his
needs. {4} From there we put out to sea again and passed to the
lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. {5} When we had
sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we
landed at Myra in Lycia. {6} There the centurion found an
Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. {7} We
made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus.
When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee
of Crete, opposite Salmone. {8} We moved along the coast with
difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of
Lasea. {9} Much time had been lost, and sailing had already
become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned
them, {10} "Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be
disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives
also." {11} But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul
said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
{12} Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority
decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter
there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
{13} When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had
obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the
shore of Crete. {14} Before very long, a wind of hurricane force,
called the "northeaster," swept down from the island. {15} The
ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we
gave way to it and were driven along. {16} As we passed to the
lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the
lifeboat secure. {17} When the men had hoisted it aboard, they
passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that
they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea
anchor and let the ship be driven along. {18} We took such a
violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw
the cargo overboard. {19} On the third day, they threw the ship's
tackle overboard with their own hands. {20} When neither sun nor
stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally
gave up all hope of being saved. {21} After the men had gone a
long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you
should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have
spared yourselves this damage and loss. {22} But now I urge you
to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the
ship will be destroyed. {23} Last night an angel of the God whose
I am and whom I serve stood beside me {24} and said, 'Do not be
afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously
given you the lives of all who sail with you.' {25} So keep up
your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as
he told me. {26} Nevertheless, we must run aground on some
island." {27} On the fourteenth night we were still being driven
across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they
were approaching land. {28} They took soundings and found that
the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they
took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. {29}
Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four
anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. {30} In an
attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into
the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow.
{31} Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these
men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." {32} So the
soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away.
{33} Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last
fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have
gone without food--you haven't eaten anything. {34} Now I urge
you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose
a single hair from his head." {35} After he said this, he took
some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it
and began to eat. {36} They were all encouraged and ate some food
themselves. {37} Altogether there were 276 of us on board.
{38} When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the
ship by throwing the grain into the sea. {39} When daylight came,
they did not recognise the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach,
where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. {40}
Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same
time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the
foresail to the wind and made for the beach. {41} But the ship
struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move,
and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. {42}
The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them
from swimming away and escaping. {43} But the centurion wanted to
spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered
those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. {44}
The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In
this way everyone reached land in safety. |
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Acts 28 |
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Once
safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. {2}
The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and
welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. {3} Paul
gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper,
driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. {4} When the
islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other,
"This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea,
Justice has not allowed him to live." {5} But Paul shook the
snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. {6} The
people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting
a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their
minds and said he was a god. {7} There was an estate nearby that
belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to
his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. {8} His
father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in
to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.
{9} When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came
and were cured. {10} They honored us in many ways and when we
were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
{11} After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had
wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead
of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. {12} We put in at Syracuse
and stayed there three days. {13} From there we set sail and
arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the
following day we reached Puteoli. {14} There we found some
brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to
Rome. {15} The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and
they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to
meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.
{16} When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with
a soldier to guard him. {17} Three days later he called together
the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My
brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the
customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to
the Romans. {18} They examined me and wanted to release me,
because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. {19} But
when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar--not that I
had any charge to bring against my own people. {20} For this
reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the
hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." {21} They
replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you,
and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported or said
anything bad about you. {22} But we want to hear what your views
are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."
{23} They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even
larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till
evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried
to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the
Prophets. {24} Some were convinced by what he said, but others
would not believe. {25} They disagreed among themselves and began
to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit
spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the
prophet: {26} "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever
hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never
perceiving." {27} For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' {28}
"Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to
the Gentiles, and they will listen!" {29} {30} For two whole
years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who
came to see him. {31} Boldly and without hindrance he preached
the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. |
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