THE ACTS
[1] THE FIRST TREATISE I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and teach, [2] until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen: [3] to whom he also presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them for forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of :God: [4] and, being1 assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: [5] for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
[6] They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this :time restore the kingdom to :Israel? [7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set2 within his own :authority. [8] But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all :Judæa and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. [9] And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their :sight.3 [10] And while they were looking stedfastly into :heaven as he went, and lo, two men stood by them in white apparel; [11] who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into :heaven? this :Jesus, who was received up from you into :heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into :heaven.
[12] Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called :Olivet, which is nigh to Jerusalem, a sabbath's journey off.
[13] And when they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding: both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphæus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son4 of James. [14] These all with one accord continued stedfastly in :prayer, with the women, and Mariam the mother of :Jesus, and with his :brethren.
[15] AND IN THESE :DAYS Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said (and there was a crowd of persons5 gathered together, about a hundred and twenty),
[16] Men and Brethren, it was needful that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy :Spirit spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became guide to them that took Jesus.
[17] For he was numbered among us, and received his lot in this :ministry.
[18] (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his :iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his :bowels gushed out.
[19] And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that :field was called Hakeldamach, that is, Field of blood.)
[20] For it is written in the book of Psalms,
Let his habitation be made desolate,
And let no one dwell therein:
and,
His :overseership let another take.
[21] Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, [22] beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his :resurrection. [23] And they put forward two, Joseph called :Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. [24] And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these :two the one whom thou hast chosen, [25] to take the place in this :ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, to go to his :own :place. [26] And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
[1] And when the day of :Pentecost1 was being fulfilled, they were all together in :one place. [2] And suddenly a sound came from :heaven as of a mighty wind rushing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] And tongues appeared to them parting2 asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. [4] And all were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
[5] Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation, those under :heaven. [6] And when this :voice was heard; the multitude came together, and were confounded, because each heard them speaking in his own :language. [7] And they were amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilæans? [8] And how hear we, each in our own :language wherein we were born? [9] Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in :Mesopotamia, and Judæa and Cappadocia, Pontus and :Asia, [10] and Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of :Libya :about Cyrene, and :Roman sojourners, both Jews and proselytes, [11] Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speak in our :tongues the mighty works of :God. [12] And they were all amazed, and perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?3 [13] But others mocking said that they are filled with new wine.
[14] But :Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his :voice, and spake forth to them, saying, Ye men of Judæa, and all that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and give ear to my :words. [15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; for it is but the third hour of the day; [16] but this is what hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:
[17]And it shall be in the last days, saith :God,
I will pour forth of my :Spirit upon all flesh:
And your :sons and your :daughters shall prophesy,
And your young :men shall see visions,
And your :elders shall dream dreams:
[18]Yea and on my :bondmen and on my :bondmaids in those :days
Will I pour forth of my :Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
[19]And I will show4 wonders in :heaven above,
And signs on :earth beneath;
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
[20]The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the day of the Lord come,
The great and notable day:
[21]And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
[22] Men of Israel, hear these :words: Jesus the Nazorean, a man approved of :God unto you by mighty1 works and wonders and signs which :God did by him in your midst, even as ye yourselves know;
[23] him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of :God, ye by the hand of lawless men did fasten to a cross and slay:
[24] whom :God raised up, having loosed the pangs of :death: because it was not possible that he be holden of it.
[25] For David saith as to him,
I beheld the Lord always before my face;
For he is on my right hand, that I be not moved:
[26]Therefore my :heart was glad, and my :tongue rejoiced;
Moreover my :flesh also shall dwell2 in hope:
[27]Because thou wilt not leave my :soul unto Hades,
Neither wilt thou give thy :Holy One to see corruption.
[28]Thou madest known to me ways of life;
Thou shalt fill me with gladness from3 thy :countenance.
[29] Men and Brethren, I may say unto you boldly of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his :tomb is with us unto this :day.
[30] Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that :God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his :loin he4 would set one upon his :throne;
[31] he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his :flesh see corruption.
[32] This :Jesus did God raise, whereof5 we all are witnesses.
[33] Being therefore by6 the right hand of :God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy :Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye both see and hear.
[34] For David ascended not into the heavens: but himself saith,
The Lord said to my :Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
[35]Till I make thine :enemies the footstool of thy :feet.
[36] Let all7 the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that :God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this :Jesus whom ye crucified.
[37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto :Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto remission of your :sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For to you is the promise, and to your :children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our :God shall call unto him. [40] And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this :crooked :generation. [41] They then that received8 his :word were baptized: and there were added to them in that :day about three thousand souls. [42] And they were continuing stedfastly in the apostles' :teaching and :fellowship, the breaking of :bread and the prayers.
[43] And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. [44] And all that believed together had all things common; [45] and they sold their possessions and :goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need. [46] And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, [47] praising :God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added together day by day those being saved.
[1] Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of :prayer, the ninth hour. [2] And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple :called Beautiful, to ask an alms of them that entered into the temple; [3] who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms. [4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with :John, said, Look on us. [5] And he gave heed to them, expecting to receive something from them. [6] But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, walk. [7] And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his :feet and his :ankle-bones received strength. [8] And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising :God. [9] And all the people saw him walking and praising :God: [10] and they took knowledge of him, that it was he that sat for :alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
[11] And as he held :Peter and :John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch1 :called Solomon's, greatly wondering. [12] And when :Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by special power or godliness we had made him to walk? [13] The God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our :fathers, hath glorified his Servant2 Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. [14] But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a man a murderer to be granted to you, [15] and killed the Prince of :life; whom :God raised from the dead; whereof3 we are witnesses. [16] And by4 :faith in his :name hath his :name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know: yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect :soundness in the presence of you all. [17] And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your :rulers. [18] But the things which :God foreshowed through the mouth of all the prophets, that his :Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. [19] Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your :sins be blotted out, that so seasons of refreshing may come from the face of the Lord; [20] and he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus: [21] whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof :God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old.5 [22] Moses indeed said that A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your :brethren, like6 unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. [23] And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that :prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. [24] Yea and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed, as many as have spoken, they also told of these :days. [25] Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which :God covenanted with your :fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy :seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. [26] To you first :God, having raised up his :Servant,2 sent him to bless you, in turning each away from your :iniquities.
[1] And as they spake unto the people, the chief priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, [2] being sore troubled because they :taught the people, and proclaimed in :Jesus the resurrection :from the dead. [3] And they laid :hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now evening. [4] But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
[5] And it came to pass on the morrow, that their :rulers and :elders and :scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; [6] and Hannas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high priest's kindred. [7] And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By1 what power, or in what name, have ye done this? [8] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders, [9] if we to-day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by2 what means this man is made whole; [10] be it known to you all, and to all the people Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, whom ye crucified, whom :God raised from the dead, even in him3 doth this man stand here before you whole. [11] He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which became head of the corner. [12] And in none other is there :salvation: for neither is there any other name under :heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.
[13] Now when they beheld :Peter's and John's :boldness, and had apprehended that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with :Jesus. [14] And seeing the man that was healed standing with them, they had nothing to gainsay: [15] But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, [16] saying, What shall we do to these :men? for that indeed a notable sign hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. [17] But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this :name. [18] And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of :Jesus. [19] But :Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of :God to hearken to you rather than :God, judge ye: [20] for we cannot but speak what things we saw and heard. [21] And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing :how they might punish them, because of the people; for all glorified :God for what was done. [22] For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this :sign of :healing was done.
[23] And being let go, they came to their own, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.
[24] And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to :God with one accord, and said, O Master, thou1 that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:
[25] who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of David thy servant, didst say,
Why did nations rage,
And peoples meditate vanities?
[26]The kings of the earth arrayed themselves,
And the rulers were gathered together,
Against the Lord, and against his :Christ:
[27] for of a truth in this :city against thy holy :servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples of Israel, were gathered together, [28] to do whatsoever thy :hand and :counsel foreordained to come to pass. [29] And :now, Lord, look upon their :threatenings: and grant unto thy :bondmen to speak thy :word with all boldness, [30] while thou stretchest forth thy :hand to heal; and that signs and wonders be done through the name of thy holy :child Jesus. [31] And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered; and all were filled with the Holy Spirit, and spake the word of :God with boldness.
[32] And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. [33] And with great power gave the apostles their :witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. [34] For neither was there among them one that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things sold, [35] and laid them at the apostles' :feet: and distribution was made to each, according as any one had need.
[36] And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation2), a Levite, of Cyprus by :race, [37] having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the :apostles' :feet.
[1] But a certain man, Ananias1 by name, with Sappheira his :wife, sold a possession, [2] and kept back part of the price, his :wife also aware thereof, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' :feet. [3] But :Peter said, Ananias, why hath :Satan filled thy :heart to lie to the Holy :Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? [4] While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and when sold, was it not in thy :power? How is it that thou hast conceived this :thing in thy :heart? thou hast not lied to men, but to :God. [5] And, Ananias hearing these :words fell down and breathed his last: and great fear came upon all that heard it. [6] And the younger men arose and wrapped him round, and carried him out and buried him.
[7] And it was about after three hours' space, and his :wife, not knowing what was done, came in. [8] And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much. [9] But :Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed to try the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of them that have buried thy :husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. [10] And she fell down immediately at his :feet, and breathed her last: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her :husband. [11] And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.
[12] And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people: and they were all with one accord in Solomon's :porch.2 [13] But of the rest durst no one join them: howbeit, the people magnified them; [14] and there were the more added believing on the Lord, multitudes both of men and women: [15] insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches,3 that, as Peter came by, at least his :shadow might overshadow some one of them. [16] And there also came together the multitude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and those oppressed with unclean spirits: and they were all healed.
[17] But the high priest rose up, and all those with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, [18] and laid :hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward. [19] But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison :doors, and brought them out, and said, [20] Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this :Life. [21] And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about :daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those with him, and called the Sanhedrin together, and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought. [22] But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told, [23] saying that, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no one within. [24] Now when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these :words, they were perplexed concerning them whereunto this would come. [25] And there came one and told them that, Lo, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people. [26] Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. [27] And when they had brought them, they set them before the Sanhedrin. And the high priest asked them, [28] saying, With a charge, we had charged you not to teach in this :name: and lo, ye have filled :Jerusalem with your :teaching, and are minded to bring this :man's :blood upon us. [29] But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We1 must obey God rather than men. [30] The God of our :fathers raised :Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. [31] Him did :God exalt with2 his :right hand as Prince and Saviour, to :give repentance to :Israel, and remission of sins. [32] And we are witnesses of these :sayings; and so is the Holy :Spirit, whom3 :God hath given to them that obey him.
[33] But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them. [34] But a certain one stood up in the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee, Gamaliel by name, a teacher of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while. [35] And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these :men, what ye are about to do. [36] For before these :days rose up Theudas, saying he was somebody; whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought. [37] After this man rose up Judas the Galilæan in the days of the enrolment, and drew away a people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. [38] And :now I say to you, Desist from these :men, and let them go: (for if this :counsel or this :work be of men, it will be overthrown: [39] but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them); lest haply ye be found even to be fighters against God. [40] And to him they agreed:4 and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of :Jesus, and dismissed them. [41] They therefore departed from the presence5 of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. [42] And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach6 the Christ, Jesus.
[1] NOW IN THESE :DAYS, the disciples multiplying, a murmuring arose of the Hellenists1 against the Hebrews, because their :widows were neglected in the daily :ministration. [2] And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said, It is not fit2 that we should forsake the word of :God, and serve3 tables. [3] But brethren, look ye out from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint over this :business. [4] But we will continue stedfastly in :prayer, and in the ministry of the word. [5] And the saying pleased the whole :multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanōr, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos an Antioch proselyte; [6] whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.
[7] And the word of :God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great crowd of the priests were obedient to the faith.
[8] And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. [9] But there arose certain of those of the synagogue :called the synagogue of the Libertines,4 and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and those of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with :Stephen. [10] And they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake. [11] Then they suborned men, who said that, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and :God. [12] And they stirred up both the people and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the Sanhedrin, [13] and set up false witnesses, who said, This :man ceaseth not to speak words against this :holy :place, and the law: [14] for we have heard him say, that this :Jesus the Nazorean shall destroy this :place, and change the customs which Moses delivered to us. [15] And all that sat in the Sanhedrin, fastening their eyes on him, saw :his face as if an angel's face.
[1] And the high priest said, Whether these things are so?
[2] And he said,
Men, brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of :glory appeared to our :father Abraham when in :Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,1
[3] and said unto him, Come out of thy :land, and thy :kindred, and come hither into the land which I shall show thee.
[4] Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Haran: and thence, after his :father's death God removed him into this :land, wherein ye now dwell:
[5] and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised to give it to him in possession, and to his :seed after him, when yet he had no child.
[6] And :God spake thus, that his :seed should be sojourner in a strange land, and that they should bring it into bondage, and ill treat for four hundred years.
[7] And the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said :God: and after that shall they come forth and serve me in this :place.
[8] And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat :Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth :day; and Isaac begat :Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.
[9] And the patriarchs, jealous against :Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and :God was with him,
[10] and delivered him out of all his :tribulations, and gave him grace and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his :house.
[11] Now there came a famine, over all :Egypt and Canaan,2 and great tribulation: and our :fathers found no sustenance.
[12] But when Jacob heard there was grain3 in Egypt, he sent forth our :fathers the first time.
[13] And at the second, Joseph was made known to his :brethren; and Joseph's :race became manifest to :Pharaoh.
[14] And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his :father, and all his :kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
[15] And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, and our :fathers;
[16] and they were carried over unto Shechem,4 and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Emmōr in Shechem.
[17] But as the time of the promise drew nigh which :God vouchsafed to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
[18] till another king arose over Egypt, who knew not :Joseph.
[19] The same dealt craftily with our :race, and ill-treated our :fathers, as to make outcasts of their :babes to the end they might not live.5
[20] At which season Moses was born, and was fair unto :God; and he was nourished three months in his :father's :house:
[21] and when he was cast out, Pharaoh's :daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
[22] And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works. [23] But when he was wellnigh forty years old,1 it came into his :heart to visit his :brethren the sons of Israel. [24] And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended him, and avenged the one oppressed, smiting the Egyptian: [25] and he supposed that his :brethren understood that :God by his hand was giving them deliverance;2 but they understood not. [26] And the day following he appeared to them as they strove, and would have set them at one again,3 saying, Men, ye are brethren; why wrong ye one another? [27] But he who did his :neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge over us? [28] Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? [29] And Moses fled at this :saying, and became a sojourner in Midian4 land, where he begat two sons. [30] And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of :Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. [31] And when :Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he came near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, [32] I am the God of thy :fathers, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. And Moses became a trembling, and durst not behold. [33] And the Lord said to him, Loose the shoes from thy :feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. [34] I have seen5 the affliction of my :people that is in Egypt, and have heard its :groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come hither, I will send thee into Egypt. [35] This :Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him hath :God sent both as ruler and redeemer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. [36] This man led them forth, having done wonders and signs in :Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. [37] This is the Moses, who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall :God raise up for you from among your :brethren, like6 unto me. [38] This is who was in the church7 in the wilderness with the angel that8 spake to him in :Mount Sinai, and with our :fathers: who received living oracles to give to you: [39] to whom our :fathers would not become obedient, but thrust him away, and turned back in their :hearts unto Egypt, [40] saying to :Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for this :Moses, who led us forth out of Egypt land, we know not what is become of him.
[41] And they made a calf in those :days, and brought sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their :hands.
[42] But :God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of :heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets,
Did ye offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices
Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
[43]And ye took up the tabernacle of :Moloch,
And the constellation of the god Rompha,
The figures which ye made to worship them:
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
[44] Our :fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake to :Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen. [45] Which also our :fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua1 when they entered on the possession of the nations that God thrust out before the face of our :fathers, unto the days of David; [46] who found grace in the sight of :God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. [47] But Solomon built him a house. [48] Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,
[49]The heaven is my throne,
And the earth the footstool of my :feet:
What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord:
Or what is the place of my :rest?
[50]Did not my :hand make all these things?
[51] Ye, stiffnecked and uncircumcised in hearts and :ears, always resist the Holy Spirit: as your :fathers did, so do ye. [52] Which of the prophets did not your :fathers :persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; [53] ye who received the law unto ordinances of angels, and kept it not.
[54] Now when they heard these things, they were cut in their :hearts, and gnashed their teeth at him. [55] But being full of the Holy Spirit, he fastened his eyes on the heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of :God, [56] and he said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of :man standing on the right hand of :God. [57] But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their :ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; [58] and cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their :garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. [59] And they stoned :Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my :spirit. [60] And he kneeled, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this :sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
[1] And Saul was consenting to his :death.
And a great persecution arose on that :day against the church :in Jerusalem; and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of :Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
[2] And devout men buried :Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
[3] But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every :house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison.
[4] So those scattered abroad went about preaching the word. [5] But Philip went down to the city of :Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. [6] And the crowds gave heed with one accord to the things spoken by :Philip, when they heard them, and saw the signs which he did. [7] For many of those that had unclean spirits that cried with a loud voice, came out, and many that were paralytic, and lame, were healed. [8] And much joy was in that :city.
[9] But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the nation of :Samaria, saying he was some great one: [10] to whom all gave heed, from the small to the great, saying, This man is the power of :God which is called Great. [11] And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his :sorceries. [12] But when they believed :Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of :God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. [13] And :Simon himself also believed: and being baptized, he continued with :Philip; and beholding signs done and great miracles,1 he was amazed.
[14] Now when the apostles, those at Jerusalem, heard that :Samaria had received the word of :God, they sent unto them Peter and John: [15] who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they receive the Holy Spirit: [16] for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. [18] Now when :Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' :hands the Spirit was given, he offered them money, [19] saying, Give me also this :power, that on whomsoever I lay my :hands, he receive the Holy Spirit. [20] But Peter said unto him, Thy :silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of :God with money. [21] Thou hast neither part nor lot in this :word: for thy :heart is not right before :God. [22] Repent therefore of this thy :wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy :heart shall be forgiven thee. [23] For I see that thou art2 in the gall of bitterness and in bond of iniquity. [24] And :Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me unto the Lord, that none of the things ye have spoken come upon me.
[25] They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached1 the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
[26] But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward2 the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.
[27] And he arose and went: and lo, a man, an Ethiopian a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her :treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship;
[28] and he was returning and sitting in his :chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
[29] And the Spirit said to :Philip, Go near, and join this :chariot.
[30] And :Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Then thou understandest what thou readest?
[31] And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought :Philip to come up and sit with him.
[32] Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this,
He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before his :shearer is dumb,
So he openeth not his :mouth:
[33]In his :humiliation his :judgment was taken away:
His :generation who shall declare?
For his :life is taken from the earth.
[34] And the eunuch answered :Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? [35] And :Philip opened his :mouth, and beginning from this :scripture, preached3 to him :Jesus. [36] And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Lo, water; what hindereth me to be baptized? [37] -- Unused --. [38] And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. [39] And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away :Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his :way rejoicing. [40] But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached3 the gospel to all the cities, till he :came to Cæsarea.
[1] But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, [2] and asked of him letters to :Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
[3] And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto :Damascus: and suddenly a light out of :heaven shone round about him: [4] and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [5] And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I1 am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [6] but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. [7] And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no one. [8] And Saul arose from the earth; and when his :eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. [9] And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
[10] Now a certain disciple was at Damascus, Ananias2 by name; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Lo, I am here, Lord.
[11] And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street :called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one Saul by name, a man of Tarsus: for lo, he prayeth;
[12] and he hath seen in a vision a man Ananias by name, coming in, and laying :hands on him, that he might receive his sight.
[13] But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this :man, how much evil3 he did to thy :saints at Jerusalem:
[14] and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy :name.
[15] But the Lord said unto him, Go: for he is a chosen4 vessel to me, to bear my :name both before the Gentiles and kings, and the sons of Israel:
[16] for I1 will show him how many things he must suffer for my :name's sake.
[17] And Ananias went away, and went into the house; and laying his :hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
[18] And straightway as it were scales fell from his :eyes, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;
[19] and he took food and was strengthened.
And he was certain days with the disciples at Damascus.
[20] And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed :Jesus, that this is the Son of :God.
[21] And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this who in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this :name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests.
[22] But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
[23] And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: [24] but their :plot became known to :Saul. And they also watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him: [25] but his :disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
[26] And when he was come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples: and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. [27] But Barnabas took him, and brought him unto the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had done boldly in the name of Jesus. [28] And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, [29] doing boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the Hellenists; but they undertook to kill him. [30] And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
[31] SO THE CHURCH throughout all :Judæa and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified;1 and, walking in fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.
[32] And it came to pass, as Peter went throughout all parts, he came down also to the saints that dwelt at Lydda. [33] And there he found a certain man named Æneas, who had kept abed eight years; and he was paralyzed. [34] And Peter said to him, Æneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And straightway he arose. [35] And all that dwelt at Lydda and in :Sarōn saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
[36] Now a certain disciple was at Joppa, Tabitha by name, which by interpretation is called Dorcas:2 this woman was full of good works and alms which she did. [37] And it came to pass in those :days, that she sickened, and died: and when they had washed her they laid her in an upper chamber. [38] And as Lydda was nigh unto :Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on unto us. [39] And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which :Dorcas made, while she was with them. [40] But :Peter put them all forth, and knelt and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her :eyes; and when she saw :Peter, she sat up. [41] And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and :widows, he presented her alive. [42] And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord. [43] And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
[1] Now a certain man in Cæsarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band1 called the Italian, [2] (devout and fearing :God with all his :house, giving much alms to the people, and praying to :God alway); [3] saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of :God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius. [4] And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Thy :prayers and thine :alms are gone up for a memorial before :God. [5] And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: [6] he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. [7] And when the angel that spake to him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; [8] and having rehearsed all things to them, he sent them to :Joppa.
[9] Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour: [10] and he became hungry, and desired to eat:2 but while they made ready, he fell into a trance; [11] and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: [12] wherein were all manner of :fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. [13] And a voice came unto him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. [14] But :Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten aught :common and unclean. [15] And a voice came unto him again the second time, What :God hath cleansed, make not thou common. [16] And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.
[17] Now while :Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision be which he had seen, lo, the men :sent by :Cornelius, having made inquiry for :Simon's :house, stood before the gate,
[18] and called and asked whether Simon :surnamed Peter, were lodging there.
[19] And while :Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said, Lo, two men seek thee.
[20] But arise, and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I3 have sent them.
[21] And Peter went down unto the men, and said, Lo, I3 am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
[22] And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth :God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned by a holy angel to send for thee into his :house, and to hear words from thee.
[23] So he called them in and lodged them.
And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren :from Joppa went with him.
[24] And on the morrow he entered into :Cæsarea. And :Cornelius was awaiting them, having called together his :kinsmen and near :friends.
[25] And when it came to pass that :Peter entered, :Cornelius met him, and fell down at his :feet, and worshipped him.
[26] But :Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am man.
[27] And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together:
[28] and he said unto them, Ye know how unlawful it is for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet to me hath :God showed that I call not any man common or unclean:
[29] wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when sent for. I ask therefore for what reason ye sent for me.
[30] And :Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this :hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my :house; and lo, a man stood before me in bright apparel,
[31] and saith, Cornelius, thy :prayer is heard, and thine alms are remembered before :God.
[32] Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side.
[33] Forthwith therefore I sent unto thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present before :God, to hear all things commanded thee of the Lord.
[34] And :Peter opened his :mouth, and said,
Of a truth I apprehend that :God is no respecter of persons:1
[35] but in every nation who feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.
[36] He sent the word unto the sons of Israel, preaching good tidings2 of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)—
[37] that saying ye know, which was published throughout all :Judæa, beginning from :Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
[38] even Jesus :of Nazareth, how :God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for :God was with him.
[39] And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree.
[40] Him :God raised the third day, and gave him to be made manifest,
[41] not to all the people, but to witnesses :chosen before of :God, even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
[42] And he charged us to preach to the people, and to testify that this is he :ordained of :God as Judge even of living and dead.
[43] To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his :name every one that believeth on3 him receiveth remission of sins.
[44] While :Peter yet spake these :words, the Holy :Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. [45] And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, who came with :Peter, because that on the nations also was poured out the gift of the Holy :Spirit. [46] For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify :God. Then answered Peter, [47] Can any one forbid the water, that these should not be :baptized, who have received the Holy :Spirit as well as we? [48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then asked they him to tarry certain days.
[1] Now the apostles and the brethren that were in :Judæa heard that the nations also had received the word of :God. [2] And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision contended with him, [3] saying, that he went in unto men uncircumcised,1 and had eaten with them. [4] But Peter began, and expounded the matter to them in order, saying: [5] I was in Joppa city praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from :heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me: [6] upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the earth and :wild beasts and :creeping things and :birds of the heaven. [7] And I heard also a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. [8] But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my :mouth. [9] But a voice answered the second time out of :heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. [10] And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into :heaven. [11] And lo, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, sent from Cæsarea unto me. [12] And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. And these :six brethren also went with me; and we went in into the man's :house: [13] and he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his :house, and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; [14] who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, and all thy :house. [15] And as I :began to speak, the Holy :Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. [16] And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. [17] If then :God gave them the like gift as he did also to us, who had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand2 :God? [18] And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified :God, saying, Then to the nations also hath :God granted :repentance unto life.
[19] Those therefore scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phɶnicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews. [20] But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Hellenists also, preaching the gospel about the Lord Jesus. [21] And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. [22] And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch: [23] who, when he was come, and had seen the grace :of :God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, that they would cleave unto the purpose of their heart in the Lord: [24] for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith: and much people1 was added to the Lord. [25] And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; [26] and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together in the church, and taught much people,2 and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
[27] NOW IN THESE :DAYS prophets came down from Jerusalem unto Antioch. [28] And one of them Agabus by name stood up and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the inhabited earth: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. [29] And the disciples, every one of them according to his ability, determined to send relief2 unto the brethren that dwelt in :Judæa: [30] which also they did, sending it unto the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
[1] Now about that :season Herod the king put forth his :hands to harm certain :of the church. [2] And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. [3] And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of :unleavened loaves. [4] And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quarternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. [5] :Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto :God for him. [6] And when :Herod was about to bring him forth, on that :night :Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. [7] And, lo, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote :Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his :chains fell off from his :hands. [8] And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy :sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy :garment about thee, and follow me. [9] And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done through the angel, but thought he saw a vision. [10] And when they were past the first and second guard, they came unto the iron :gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and went on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. [11] And when :Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know truly, that the Lord hath sent forth his :angel and delivered me out of Herod's hand and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. [12] And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of :Mary the mother of John :surnamed Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying. [13] And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, Rhoda by name. [14] And when she recognized :Peter's :voice, she opened not the gate for :joy, but ran in, and told that :Peter stood before the gate. [15] And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, it is his :angel. [16] But :Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. [17] But he, beckoning to them with the hand to hold their peace, rehearsed to them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things to James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place. [18] Now when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers, What has become of :Peter! [19] And when Herod had sought for him and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they be led away to death. And he went down from :Judæa to Cæsarea, and tarried there.
[20] Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord unto him, and, having made a friend of1 Blastus the king's :chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their :country was fed from the royal country. [21] And upon a set day :Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne,2 and made an oration unto them. [22] And the people shouted, The voice of God, and not of man. [23] And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not :God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and he expired.
[24] But the word of the Lord grew and multiplied.
[25] And Barnabas and Saul returned when they had fulfilled their ministration Jerusalemward, taking with them John :surnamed Mark.
[1] Now in the church that was at Antioch were prophets and teachers, both :Barnabas and Symeon :called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. [2] And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy :Spirit said, Separate me :Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. [3] Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
[4] So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Selucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. [5] And when they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of :God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John as attendant.
[6] And having gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain man, a sorcerer,1 a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus; [7] who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of :God. [8] But Elymas the sorcerer1 (for so is his :name interpreted) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. [9] But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, [10] and said, O thou son of the devil, full of all guile and all villainy, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right :ways of the Lord? [11] And now, lo, the Lord's hand is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for2 a season. And immediately a mist fell on him and darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. [12] Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
[13] Now those with Paul set sail from :Paphos, and came to Perga in :Pamphylia: and John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.
[14] But they, passing through from :Perga, came to Antioch of :Pisidia; and they went into the synagogue on the sabbath :day, and sat down.
[15] And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
[16] And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the hand said,
Men of Israel, and ye that fear :God, hearken:
[17] The God of this :people Israel chose our :fathers, and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it.
[18] And for about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
[19] When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their :land for an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years:
[20] and after these things he gave judges until Samuel the prophet.
[21] And afterward they asked for a king: and :God gave them :Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin,3 for the space of forty years.
[22] And when he had removed him, he raised up :David to be their king; to whom also he witnessed and said, I have found David the son of :Jesse, a man after my :heart, who shall do all my :wills.
[23] Of this man's :seed hath :God according to promise brought to :Israel a Saviour, Jesus;
[24] when John had first preached before :his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
[25] And as John was fulfilling his :course, he said, What suppose ye that I am? I am not he. But lo, there cometh one after me the shoes of whose :feet I am not worthy to unloose.
[26] Men and brethren, sons of the stock1 of Abraham, and those among you that fear :God, to us is the word of this :salvation sent forth. [27] For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their :rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. [28] And though they found no cause of death in him, yet asked they of Pilate that he be slain. [29] And when they had finished all things :written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. [30] But :God raised him from the dead: [31] and he was seen for many2 days of them that came up with him from :Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses unto the people. [32] And we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers, [33] that :God hath fulfilled the same unto our :children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is written in the second :psalm, Thou3 art my Son, this day have I3 begotten thee. [34] And as concerning that he raised him from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he hath spoken thus, I will give you the holy, the sure blessings of David. [35] Because he saith also in another psalm, Thou wilt not give thy :Holy One to see corruption. [36] For David, after he had in4 his own generation served the counsel of :God, fell asleep, and was laid unto his :fathers, and saw corruption: [37] but he whom :God raised up saw no corruption. [38] Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: [39] and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. [40] Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken in the prophets:
[41]Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and vanish away;
For I3 work a work in your :days,
A work which ye shall in no wise believe, if one rehearse it to you.
[42] And as they went out, they besought that these :words might be spoken to them the next sabbath. [43] Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed :Paul and :Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of :God.
[44] And the coming sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of :God.
[45] But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.5
[46] And :Paul and :Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of :God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal :life, lo, we turn to the nations.
[47] For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying,
I have set thee for a light of nations,
That thou be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth.
[48] And as the nations heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of :God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. [49] And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the country. [50] But the Jews urged on the devout :women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against :Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their :borders. [51] But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. [52] And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
[1] And it came to pass in Iconium that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed. [2] But the Jews that were disobedient stirred up the souls of the nations, and made them evil affected against the brethren. [3] Long time therefore they tarried there being bold in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his :grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their :hands. [4] But the multitude of the city was divided; and some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles. [5] And when an onset was made both of the nations and of the Jews with their :rulers, to treat them shamefully and stone them, [6] they became aware of it, and fled unto the cities of :Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbē, and the region round about: [7] and there they were preaching the gospel.
[8] And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his :feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. [9] The same heard :Paul speaking: who, fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, [10] said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy :feet. And he leaped up and walked. [11] And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their :voice, saying in Lycaonish, The gods are come down unto us in likeness of men. [12] And they called :Barnabas, Jupiter;1 and :Paul, Mercury,2 because he was the chief :speaker. [13] And the priest of :Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the crowds. [14] But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their own :garments, and sprang forth among the crowd, crying out [15] and saying, Men, why do ye these things? We also are men3 of like passions4 with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye turn from these :vanities unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them are, [16] who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own :ways. [17] And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your :hearts with food and gladness. [18] And with these sayings they scarce restrained the crowds from doing sacrifice to them.
[19] But Jews came thither from Antioch and Iconium: and having persuaded the crowds, and stoned :Paul, they dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead. [20] But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and entered into the city: and on the morrow he went forth with :Barnabas to Derbe. [21] And when they had preached the gospel to that :city, and had made many disciples, they returned to :Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, [22] confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that, Through many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of :God. [23] And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord, on5 whom they had believed. [24] And they passed through :Pisidia, and came to :Pamphylia. [25] And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; [26] and thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been committed6 to the grace of :God for the work which they had fulfilled. [27] And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed what things :God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith unto the nations. [28] And they tarried no little time with the disciples.
[1] AND CERTAIN MEN came down from :Judæa and taught the brethren, that, Except ye be circumcised after the custom :of Moses, ye cannot be saved. [2] And when :Paul and :Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, to go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this :question.
[3] They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both :Phœnicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations: and they caused great joy to all the brethren. [4] And when they came to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed what things :God had done with them. [5] But certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, rose up saying, that it is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.
[6] And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this :matter.
[7] And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them,
Men and brethren, ye know that a1 good while ago :God made choice among you, that by my :mouth the nations should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
[8] And :God, who knoweth the heart, bare witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he gave to us;
[9] and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their :hearts by :faith.
[10] Now therefore why make ye trial of :God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our :fathers nor we were able to bear?
[11] But we believe we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.
[12] And all the multitude held their peace; and they hearkened to Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders :God had wrought among the nations through them.
[13] And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,
Men and brethren, hearken to me:
[14] Symeon hath rehearsed how first :God visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his :name.
[15] And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
[16]After these things I will return,
And I will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen;
And I will build again the ruins thereof,
And I will set it up:
[17]That the residue of :men may seek after the Lord,
And all the nations upon whom my :name is called upon them,
[18]Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.2
[19] Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the nations turn to :God; [20] but that we write3 them, to abstain from the pollutions of :idols, and from :fornication, and from what is strangled, and from :blood. [21] For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
[22] Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with :Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas :called Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: [23] and they wrote thus by them,1 The apostles and the elder brethren to the brethren who are of the nations in :Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: [24] Forasmuch as we have heard that certain from among us have troubled you with words, subverting your :souls; to whom we gave no commandment; [25] it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our :beloved Barnabas and Paul, [26] men that have hazarded2 their :lives for the name of our :Lord Jesus Christ. [27] We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. [28] For it seemed good to the Holy :Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these :necessary things: [29] that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare well.
[30] So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle. [31] And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.3 [32] And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted4 the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. [33] And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. [34] -- Unused --. [35] But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the gospel of the word of the Lord, with many others also.
[36] And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare. [37] And Barnabas was minded to take with them :John also, :called Mark. [38] But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. [39] And a sharp contention arose so that they parted from one another, and :Barnabas took :Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus: [40] but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended5 by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. [41] And he went through :Syria and :Cilicia, confirming the churches.
[1] And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and lo, a certain disciple was there, Timothy by name, son of a Jewish woman that believed; but his father was a Greek. [2] He was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. [3] Him would :Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those :parts: for all knew that his :father was a Greek. [4] And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been :ordained of the apostles and elders that were :at Jerusalem. [5] So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
[6] And they went through :Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in :Asia; [7] and when they came over against :Mysia, they attempted to go into :Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; [8] and passing by :Mysia, they came down to Troas. [9] And a vision appeared to :Paul in the night: There was a certain man of Macedonia standing and beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. [10] And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that :God had called us to preach the gospel unto them.
[11] Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothracē, and the day following to Neapolis;
[12] and thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony:
And we were in this :city tarrying certain days.
[13] And on the sabbath :day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake to the women that were come together.
[14] And a certain woman Lydia by name a seller of purple, of the city of Thyateira, one that worshipped :God, heard us: whose :heart the Lord opened to give heed to the things spoken by Paul.
[15] And when she was baptized, and her :household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my :house, and abide. And she constrained us.
[16] And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination1 met us, who brought her :masters2 much gain by soothsaying. [17] The same following after :Paul and us cried out, saying, These :men are bondmen of the Most High :God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation. [18] And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.
[19] But when her :masters saw that the hope of their :gain was gone,1 they laid hold on :Paul and :Silas, and dragged them into the market-place before the rulers, [20] and when they had brought them to the magistrates,2 they said, These :men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our :city, [21] and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. [22] And the crowd rose up together against them: and the magistrates2 rent their :garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. [23] And when they had laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: [24] who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their :feet fast in the stocks. [25] But about :midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto :God, and the prisoners were listening to them; [26] and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened; and every one's bands were loosed. [27] And the jailor being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison :doors open, drew his :sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. [29] And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before :Paul and Silas, [30] and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? [31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy :house.3 [32] And they spake the word of :God to him, with all those in his :house.3 [33] And he took them on that hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all :his, immediately. [34] And he brought them up into the house, and set food4 before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house,5 having6 believed in :God.
[35] But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants,7 saying, Let those :men go. [36] And the jailor reported the words to :Paul, that The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace. [37] But :Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out. [38] And the sergeants7 reported these :words to the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans; [39] and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city. [40] And they went out of the prison, and entered unto :Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted8 them, and departed.
[1] Now when they had passed through :Amphipolis and :Appollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: [2] and :Paul, as his :custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath1 days reasoned with them from the scriptures, [3] opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim to you, is the Christ. [4] And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with :Paul and :Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. [5] But the Jews, moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows2 of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people. [6] And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the city rulers, crying, that These that have turned the world3 upside down are come hither also; [7] whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. [8] And they troubled the crowd and the city rulers, when they heard these things. [9] And when they had taken :security from :Jason and the rest, they let them go.
[10] And the brethren immediately sent away both :Paul and :Silas by night unto Berea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. [11] Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. [12] Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek :women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few. [13] But when the Jews of :Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of :God was proclaimed of :Paul at :Berea also, they came thither also, stirring up and troubling the crowds. [14] And then immediately the brethren sent forth :Paul to go as far as to the sea: and :Silas and :Timothy abode there still. [15] But they that conducted :Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto :Silas and :Timothy that they come unto him with all speed, they departed.
[16] Now while :Paul waited for them at :Athens, his :spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.
[17] So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market-place every day with them that met him.
[18] And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this :babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange1 demons: because he preached the gospel of :Jesus and the resurrection.
[19] And they took hold of him, and brought him unto2 the3 Areopagus, saying, Can we know what this new :teaching is, which is spoken by thee?
[20] For thou bringest certain strange things to our hearing:4 we would know therefore what these things mean.
[21] (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent5 their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear something rather new.)
[22] And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said,
Men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are rather religious.6
[23] For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, To God Unknown. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth to you.
[24] The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples7 made with hands;
[25] neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all :things;
[26] and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their :habitation;
[27] that they should seek :God, if haply they might feel after 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,8 as certain even of your own :poets have said,
For we are also his offspring.
[29] Being then the offspring of :God, we ought not to think the Godhead9 is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. [30] The times of :ignorance therefore :God overlooked; but now he declareth to :men that they should all everywhere repent: [31] inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by10 a man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance11 unto all, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
[32] Now when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again. [33] Thus :Paul went out from among them. [34] But certain men clave to him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman Damaris, by name, and others with them.
[1] After these things he departed from :Athens, and came to Corinth. [2] And he found a certain Jew Aquila by name, a man of Pontus by :race, lately come from :Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from :Rome: and he came to them; [3] and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought; for by their trade they were tentmakers. [4] And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded1 Jews and Greeks.
[5] But when :Silas and :Timothy came down from :Macedonia, :Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. [6] And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed,2 he shook out his :raiment and said unto them, Your :blood be upon your :heads: I3 am clean: henceforth I will go unto the nations. [7] And he departed thence, and went into the house of a certain man Titius Justus by name, one that worshipped :God, whose :house joined hard to the synagogue. [8] And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his :house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. [9] And the Lord said to :Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace: [10] for I3 am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much people in this :city. [11] And he dwelt there a year and six months, teaching the word of :God among them.
[12] But when Galliō was proconsul of :Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against :Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat, [13] saying that, This man persuadeth :men to worship :God contrary to the law. [14] But when :Paul was about to open his :mouth, :Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were some wrong or a wicked villainy, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: [15] but if the questions are about words and names and your own :law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters. [16] And he drove them from the judgment-seat. [17] And they all laid hold on Sōsthenēs, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.
[18] And :Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, took leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for :Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila: having shorn his :head in Cenchreæ; for he had a vow. [19] And they came to Ephesus, and he left those there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. [20] And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not; [21] but taking leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you :God willing, he set sail from :Ephesus.
[22] And when he had landed at Cæsarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch. [23] And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
[24] Now a certain Jew Apollōs by name an Alexandrian by :race, an eloquent4 man, came to Ephesus; and being mighty in the scriptures. [25] This man had been instructed5 in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in :Spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning :Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John: [26] and he began to be bold in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of :God more accurately. [27] And when he was minded to pass over into :Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped6 them much that had believed through :grace; [28] for he powerfully confuted the Jews publicly showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
[1] And it came to pass, that, while :Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper regions came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: [2] and he said unto them, Whether ye received the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether there is a Holy Spirit. [3] And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's :baptism. [4] And Paul said, John baptized a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on1 him that should come after him, that is, on1 :Jesus. [5] And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when :Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy :Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. [7] And they were in :all about twelve men.
[8] And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly2 for the space of three months reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of :God. [9] But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. [10] And this continued for two years; so that all that dwelt in :Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
[11] And :God wrought special3 miracles4 by the hands of Paul: [12] insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his :body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil :spirits went out. [13] But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, undertook to name over those having the evil :spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by :Jesus whom Paul preacheth. [14] And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this. [15] And the evil :spirit answered and said to them, :Jesus I acknowledge, and :Paul I know; but who are ye? [16] And the man in whom the evil :spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that :house naked and wounded. [17] And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at :Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. [18] Many also of them that had believed came, confessing and declaring their :deeds. [19] And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the prices of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.
[21] NOW AFTER THESE THINGS were fulfilled, :Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through :Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying that, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. [22] And having sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in :Asia for a time.
[23] And about that :season no small stir arose concerning the Way. [24] For a certain Demētrius by name, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana,1 brought no little business unto the craftsmen; [25] whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs,2 ye know that by this :business we have our wealth. [26] And ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all :Asia, this :Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people,3 saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands: [27] and not only is there danger that this our :trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana1 be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her :magnificence whom all :Asia and the inhabited earth worshippeth. [28] And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is :Diana1 of the Ephesians. [29] And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel. [30] And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. [31] And certain also of the Asiarchs,4 being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to venture himself into the theatre. [32] Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly5 was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. [33] And6 they brought Alexander out of the crowd, the Jews putting him forward. And :Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defence unto the people. [34] But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for about two hours cried out, Great is :Diana1 of the Ephesians. [35] And when the townclerk7 had quieted the crowd, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana,1 and of the image fallen down from Jupiter?8 [36] Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. [37] For ye have brought hither these :men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our :goddess. [38] If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matter against any man, courts9 are open, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another. [39] But if ye seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. [40] For indeed we are in danger to be accused10 concerning this day's riot, there being no cause for it: and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this :concourse. [41] And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
[1] And after the uproar ceased, :Paul having sent for the disciples and exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia. [2] And when he had gone through those :parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into :Greece. [3] And when he had spent three months there, and a plot was laid against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for :Syria, he determined :to return through Macedonia. [4] And there accompanied him, Sōpatrus of Berea, son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. [5] But these went on, and were awaiting us at Troas. [6] And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of :unleavened loaves, and came unto them to :Troas in five days; where we tarried seven days.
[7] And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, :Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his :speech until midnight. [8] And there were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together. [9] And there sat in the window a certain young man Eutychus by name, borne down with deep sleep; and as :Paul discoursed yet longer, being borne down by his :sleep he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead. [10] And :Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Make ye no ado; for his :life is in him. [11] And when he was gone up, and had broken the bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. [12] And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted.
[13] But we, going before to the ship, set sail for :Assos, there intending to take in :Paul: for so had he appointed, intending himself to go by1 land. [14] And when he met us at :Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylēnē. [15] And sailing thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Milētus. [16] For :Paul had determined to sail past :Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in :Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of :Pentecost.
[17] And from :Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church. [18] And when they were come unto him, he said to them, Ye know, from the first day that I set foot in :Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time, [19] serving1 the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and tears, and trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews; [20] how I shrank not from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house,2 [21] testifying both to Jews and to Greeks :repentance toward God, and faith toward our :Lord Jesus. [22] And now, lo, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing what shall befall me there: [23] save that the Holy :Spirit testifieth to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. [24] But I hold not my :life of any account as dear unto myself, so3 that I may accomplish my :course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of :God. [25] And now, lo, I4 know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my :face no more. [26] Wherefore I testify to you this very :day,5 that I am pure from the blood of all men. [27] For I shrank not from declaring to you the whole counsel of :God. [28] Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy :Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of :God which he purchased6 with his :own :blood. [29] I4 know that after my :departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; [30] and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. [31] Wherefore watch ye, remembering that for three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. [32] And :now I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his :grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those sanctified. [33] I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or apparel. [34] Ye yourselves know that these :hands ministered unto my :necessities, and to them that were with me. [35] In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
[36] And when he had thus spoken, he knelt and prayed with them all. [37] And they all wept sore, and fell on :Paul's :neck and kissed him, [38] sorrowing most for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his :face no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.
[1] And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto :Cōs, and the next day unto :Rhodes, and thence unto Patara: [2] and having found a ship crossing over unto Phœnicia, we went aboard, and set sail. [3] And when we had sighted :Cyprus, and leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her :burden. [4] And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these told :Paul through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem. [5] And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on; they all, with wives and children, bringing us on the way till out of the city: and kneeling on the beach, we prayed, and bade each other farewell; [6] and we went on board :ship, but they returned :home.
[7] And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemaïs; and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. [8] And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Cæsarea: and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. [9] Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied. [10] And as we tarried there some days, a certain prophet came down from Judæa, Agabus by name. [11] And coming unto us, and taking :Paul's :girdle, he bound his own :feet and :hands, and said, These things saith the Holy :Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man whose this :girdle is, and shall deliver him into the hands of the nations. [12] And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. [13] Then :Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my :heart? for I1 am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. [14] And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
[15] And after these :days we took1 up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. [16] And there went with us also certain of the disciples from Cæsarea, bringing2 us to one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
[17] And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. [18] And the day following :Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. [19] And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things which :God had wrought among the nations through his :ministry. [20] And they, when they heard it, glorified :God; and they said to him, Thou beholdest, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and all are zealots for the law: [21] and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the nations to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. [22] What is it therefore? they will certainly hear that thou art come. [23] Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow from themselves; [24] these take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads: and all shall know that there is nothing in what they have been informed concerning thee; but that thyself also art firm keeping the law. [25] But as touching the nations that have believed, we sent, giving judgment that they keep themselves from both what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication. [26] Then :Paul took the men the next day purifying himself with them, and went into the temple, declaring the fulfilment of the days of :purification, until the offering was offered for each one of them.
[27] And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from :Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid :hands on him, [28] crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this :place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy :place. [29] For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that :Paul had brought into the temple. [30] And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and they laid hold on :Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway the doors were shut. [31] And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion. [32] Forthwith he took along soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating :Paul. [33] Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. [34] And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd: and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle. [35] And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd; [36] for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him.
[37] And as :Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith to the chief captain, Whether I may say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? [38] Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these :days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins? [39] But :Paul said, I3 am a4 Jew, of Tarsus in :Cilicia, citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people. [40] And when he had given him leave, :Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand to the people; and when there was perfect quiet,5 he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
[1] Men and brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.
[2] And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,
[3] I1 am a Jew,2 born in Tarsus of :Cilicia, but brought up in this :city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being a zealot for :God, even as ye all are to-day: [4] and I persecuted this :Way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. [5] As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. [6] And it came to pass, as I made my journey, and drew nigh to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone from the heaven round about me. [7] And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul,3 Saul, why persecutest thou me? [8] And I1 answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus the Nazorean, whom thou persecutest. [9] And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. [10] And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. [11] And when I could not look up for the glory of that :light, being led by the hand of those with me I came into Damascus. [12] And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, [13] came unto me, and standing by me said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And I, in that very hour looked4 upon him. [14] And he said, The God of our :fathers hath appointed thee to know his :will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his :mouth. [15] For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. [16] And what shall thou do now? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy :sins, calling on his :name. [17] And it came to pass, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, [18] and saw him saying unto me, Hasten, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. [19] And I1 said, Lord, they know that I1 was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them that believed on thee: [20] and when the blood of Stephen thy :witness was shed, I myself was also standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him. [21] And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto nations.
[22] And they gave him audience unto this :word; and they lifted up their :voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for he is not fit to live. [23] And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air, [24] the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him. [25] And when they had tied him up with5 the thongs, :Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Whether it is lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? [26] And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this :man is a Roman. [27] And the chief captain came and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea. [28] And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I1 this citizenship. And :Paul said, But I am a Roman born. [29] They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
[30] But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and brought :Paul down and set him before them.
[1] And :Paul, looking stedfastly on the Sanhedrin, said, Men and brethren, I1 have lived before :God in all good conscience until this :day. [2] And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. [3] Then said :Paul unto him, :God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? [4] And they that stood by said, Revilest thou :God's :high priest? [5] And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy :people. [6] But when :Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, Men and brethren, I1 am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.2 [7] And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the multitude was divided. [8] For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess :both. [9] And a great clamor arose and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' :part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this :man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel? [10] And when a great dissension arose, the chief captain, fearing lest :Paul be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
[11] And the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified :concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
[12] And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed :Paul. [13] And they were more than forty that made this :conspiracy. [14] And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse,3 to taste nothing until we kill :Paul. [15] Now therefore do ye with the Sanhedrin signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge :of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him. [16] But Paul's :sister's :son heard of their lying in wait, and4 he came and entered into the castle and told :Paul.
[17] And :Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young :man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him. [18] So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young :man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee. [19] And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me? [20] And he said that, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down :Paul to-morrow unto the Sanhedrin, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. [21] Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee. [22] So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no one that thou hast informed me of these things. [23] And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Cæsarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night: [24] and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set :Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Fēlix the governor. [25] And he wrote a letter after1 this :form:
[26] Claudius Lysias to the excellent governor Felix, greeting. [27] This :man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. [28] And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their :Sanhedrin: [29] whom I found to be accused about questions of their :law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. [30] And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging the accusers also to speak against him before thee.
[31] So the soldiers, as it was :commanded them, took :Paul and brought him by night to :Antipatris. [32] But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: [33] and they, when they came to :Cæsarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented :Paul also before him. [34] And when he had read it, he also asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, [35] I will hear thee fully, said he, when thine :accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in :Herod's :palace.2
[1] And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against :Paul.
[2] And when he was called, :Tertullus began to accuse him, saying,
Seeing that by thee we have much peace, and that by thy :providence evils are corrected for this :nation,
[3] we accept it both everyway and everywhere, excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
[4] But, that I weary thee no further, I entreat thee to hear us briefly in thy :clemency.
[5] For we have found this man a pestilence, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the inhabited earth, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazoreans:
[6] who moreover attempted to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold:
[7] -- Unused --.
[8] from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him.
[9] And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that these things were so.
[10] And when the governor had beckoned to him to speak, :Paul answered,
As I know that thou hast been of many years a judge to this :nation, I cheerfully make my defence:
[11] seeing thou canst take knowledge that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem:
[12] and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any one or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city.
[13] Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me.
[14] But this I confess to thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;
[15] having hope toward :God, which these also themselves look1 for, that there shall be a resurrection both of just and unjust.
[16] Herein2 I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward :God and :men always.
[17] Now after some years I came to bring alms to my :nation, and offerings:
[18] amidst3 which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but there were certain Jews from :Asia—
[19] who ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me.
[20] Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin,
[21] except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, that, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you to-day.
[22] But Felix, having more exact knowledge :concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your :matter. [23] And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his :friends to minister to him.
[24] But after certain days, :Felix came with Drusilla, his own :wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for :Paul, and heard him concerning the faith unto Christ Jesus. [25] And as he reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment :to come, :Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for :now; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me. [26] He hoped withal that money would be given him of :Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. [27] But when two years were fulfilled, :Felix was succeeded by Porcius Fēstus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, :Felix left :Paul in bonds.
[1] Festus therefore, having1 come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Cæsarea. [2] And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against :Paul; and they besought him, [3] asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way. [4] Howbeit :Festus answered, that :Paul was kept in charge at Cæsarea, and that he himself was about to depart thither shortly. [5] Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if anything is amiss in the man, let them accuse him.
[6] And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded :Paul to be brought. [7] And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove; [8] while :Paul said in his defence that, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cæsar, have I sinned at all. [9] But :Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered :Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? [10] But :Paul said, I am standing before Cæsar's :judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also quite well knowest. [11] If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is true whereof these accuse me, no one can give2 me up unto them. I appeal to Cæsar. [12] Then :Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Cæsar: unto Cæsar shalt thou go.
[13] Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the king and Bernicē arrived at Cæsarea, having saluted :Festus. [14] And as they tarried there many days, :Festus laid :Paul's :case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix; [15] about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for sentence against him. [16] To whom I answered, that it is not a custom of the Romans to give3 up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the accusation. [17] When therefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought. [18] Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed; [19] but had certain questions against him of their own religion,4 and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom :Paul affirmed to be alive. [20] And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked5 whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters. [21] But when :Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor,6 I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Cæsar. [22] And Agrippa said unto :Festus, I also was wishing to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him.
[23] So on the morrow, when :Agrippa was come and :Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing with the chief7 captains and the principal men of the city, at the command of :Festus :Paul was brought in. [24] And :Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. [25] But I found he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the6 emperor I determined to send him. [26] Of whom I have nothing certain to write unto the lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write. [27] For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.
[1] And Agrippa said unto :Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then :Paul stretched forth his :hand, and made his defence:
[2] I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee to-day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews: [3] specially1 because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. [4] My :manner of life then from youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own :nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; [5] having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our :religion I lived a Pharisee. [6] And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of :God unto our :fathers; [7] unto which promise our :twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O King! [8] Why is it judged incredible with you, if :God doth raise the dead? [9] I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazorean. [10] And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. [11] And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign :cities. [12] Whereupon2 as I journeyed to :Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, [13] at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.
[14] And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads. [15] And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. [16] But arise, and stand upon thy :feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee minister and witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear to thee; [17] delivering thee from the people, and from the nations, unto whom I1 send thee, [18] to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of :Satan unto :God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by :faith in me. [19] Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision: [20] but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of :Judæa, and also to the nations, that they should repent and turn to :God, doing works worthy of :repentance. [21] For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and attempted to kill me. [22] Having therefore obtained the help that is from :God, I stand unto this :day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come; [23] how2 that the Christ must3 suffer, how2 that he first by a resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the nations.
[24] And as he thus made his defence, :Festus saith with loud :voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much :learning turneth thee to madness. [25] But :Paul saith, I am not mad, excellent Festus; but I speak forth words of truth and soberness. [26] For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak boldly: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner. [27] King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. [28] And :Agrippa said unto Paul, With4 but little persuasion thou wouldest make me a Christian. [29] And Paul said, I would to :God, that whether5 with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me to-day, might become such as I am, except these :bonds.
[30] And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: [31] and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying that, This :man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. [32] And Agrippa said to :Festus, This man could have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cæsar.
[1] And when it was determined that we should sail for :Italy, they delivered both :Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion Julius by name, of the Augustan band. [2] And embarking in a ship of Adramyntium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. [3] And the next day we touched at Sidon: and :Julius treated :Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his :friends and refresh1 himself. [4] And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. [5] And when we had sailed across the sea which is off :Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, of :Lycia. [6] And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for :Italy; and he put us therein. [7] And when we had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against :Cnidus, the wind not further2 suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crētē, over against Salmōnē; [8] and with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was a city, Lasea.
[9] And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast also was now already gone by, :Paul admonished them, [10] and said to them, Sirs,3 I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our :lives. [11] But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to the things spoken by Paul. [12] And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea thence, if by any means they could reach Phɶnix, and winter there: a haven of :Crete, looking north-east4 and south-east. [13] And when the south wind blew softly, supposing they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along :Crete, close in shore. [14] But after no long time a tempestuous wind beat down from it, which is called Eurokludon, [15] and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven. [16] And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat: [17] and when they had hoisted it up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven. [18] And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard; [19] and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling5 of the ship. [20] And when neither sun nor stars shone upon us for many days, and no small storm lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away.
[21] And when they had been long without food, then :Paul stood forth in their midst, and said, Sirs,1 ye should have hearkened to me, and not have set sail from :Crete, and have gotten this :injury and :loss. [22] And :now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for no loss of life shall be among you, but only of the ship. [23] For there stood by me this :night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, [24] saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Cæsar: and lo, :God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee. [25] Wherefore, sirs,2 be of good cheer: for I believe :God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken to me. [26] But we must be cast upon a certain island.
[27] But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria,3 about :midnight the sailors surmised they were drawing near to some country:4 [28] and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. [29] And fearing lest haply we be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished5 for the day. [30] And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from the foreship, [31] :Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. [32] Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.6 [33] And while day was coming on, :Paul besought all to partake of some food, saying, To-day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. [34] Wherefore I beseech you to partake of food: for this is for your :safety: for not a hair shall perish from the head of any of you. [35] And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to :God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. [36] Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food. [37] And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen :souls. [38] And when they had eaten7 enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the grain into the sea. [39] And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could bring the ship safe to shore. [40] And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. [41] But lighting upon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the foreship struck and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves. [42] And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any one swim out, and escape. [43] But the centurion, desiring to save :Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land; [44] and the rest, some on planks, and others on some things :from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land.
[1] And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melitēnē. [2] And the barbarians showed us no common kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present :rain, and because of the cold. [3] But when :Paul had gathered a quantity1 of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by2 reason of the heat, and fastened on his :hand. [4] And when the barbarians saw the venomous creature3 hanging from his :hand, they said one to another, No doubt this :man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet :Justice hath not suffered to live. [5] Howbeit he shook off the creature3 into the fire, and took no harm. [6] But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but when they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss come to him, they changed their minds, and said he was a god.
[7] Now in the neighborhood of that :place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, Publius by name; who received us, and entertained us three days courteously. [8] And it was so, that the father of :Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom :Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his :hands on him healed him. [9] And when this was done, the rest also that had diseases in the island came, and were cured: [10] who also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board such things as we needed.
[11] And after three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was The4 Twin Brothers. [12] And touching at Syracuse, we tarried three days. [13] And from thence we made a circuit, and arrived at Rhēgium: and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli; [14] where we found brethren, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days: and so we came to :Rome. [15] And thence the brethren, when they heard about us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and the Three Taverns; whom when :Paul saw, he thanked :God, and took courage.
[16] And when we entered into Rome, :Paul was suffered to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him.
[17] And it came to pass, after three days he called together those5 that were the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, men and brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans: [18] who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me. [19] But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal to Cæsar; not that I had aught whereof to accuse my :nation. [20] For this cause therefore did I entreat6 you to see and to speak with me: for because of the hope of :Israel I am bound with this :chain. [21] And they said unto him, We neither received letters from :Judæa concerning thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any evil of thee. [22] But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this :sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.
[23] And when they had appointed him a day, they came unto him into his :lodging in great number; to whom he expounded the matter, testifying the kingdom of :God, and persuading them concerning :Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening.
[24] And some believed the things spoken, some however disbelieved.
[25] And when they agreed not among themselves, they were dismissed, :Paul making one remark7 that, Well spake the Holy :Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your :fathers,
[26] saying,
Go thou unto this :people, and say,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand;
And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:
[27]For this :people's :heart is waxed gross,
And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their :eyes they have closed;
Lest haply they perceive with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And turn again,
And I shall heal them.
[28] Be it known therefore to you, that this :salvation of :God is sent to the nations: and they will hear. [29] -- Unused --.
[30] And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him, [31] preaching the kingdom of :God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.