ACTS
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 -
6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -
12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 -
18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 -
23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 -
28
TOC
Maps
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that
Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to
heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom
he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many
convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the
kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave
Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is
what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 So when they had come
together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the
kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or
periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he
had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out
of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven,
suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee,
why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up
from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near
Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they
went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James,
and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus,
and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All these were constantly
devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the
mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among
the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and
said, 16 "Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit
through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who
arrested Jesus-- 17 for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in
this ministry." 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his
wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels
gushed out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the
field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 "For
it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his homestead become desolate, and let
there be no one to live in it'; and 'Let another take his position of overseer.'
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord
Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the
day when he was taken up from us--one of these must become a witness with us to
his resurrection." 23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was
also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you
know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take
the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go
to his own place." 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias;
and he was added to the eleven apostles.
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When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one
place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent
wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues,
as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of
them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as
the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation
under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was
bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.
7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking
Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and
Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of
Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11
Cretans and Arabs--in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds
of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does
this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men
of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to
what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine
o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit
upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young
men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my
slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they
shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the
earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to
darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and
glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be
saved.' 22 "You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of
Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs
that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-- 23 this man, handed
over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you
crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 But God raised
him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be
held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always
before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; 26 therefore
my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience
corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full
of gladness with your presence.' 29 "Fellow Israelites, I may say to you
confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb
is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn
with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31
Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was
not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' 32 This Jesus
God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted
at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the
Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. 34 For David did
not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool."' 36
Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made
him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified." 37 Now when they
heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other
apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be
forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise
is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the
Lord our God calls to him." 40 And he testified with many other arguments and
exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 So
those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand
persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone,
because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who
believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their
possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at
home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and
having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their
number those who were being saved.
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One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of
prayer, at three o'clock in the afternoon. 2 And a man lame from birth was being
carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the
Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms.
4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." 5 And he
fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But
Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right
hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8
Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them,
walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and
praising God, 10 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for
alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and
amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he clung to Peter and John, all
the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's Portico, utterly
astonished. 12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why
do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or
piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you
handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to
release him. 14 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a
murderer given to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised
from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name, his name
itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is
through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
17 "And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your
rulers. 18 In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the
prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent therefore, and turn to God so
that your sins may be wiped out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from
the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you,
that is, Jesus, 21 who must remain in heaven until the time of universal
restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses
said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a prophet
like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. 23 And it will be that
everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the
people.' 24 And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those
after him, also predicted these days. 25 You are the descendants of the prophets
and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, 'And in
your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 When God
raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of
you from your wicked ways."
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While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the
captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, 2 much annoyed because
they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the
resurrection of the dead. 3 So they arrested them and put them in custody until
the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word
believed; and they numbered about five thousand. 5 The next day their rulers,
elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7
When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what
power or by what name did you do this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy
Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are questioned
today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this
man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of
Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 11 This
Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the
cornerstone.' 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name
under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." 13 Now when they
saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and
ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 14
When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing
to say in opposition. 15 So they ordered them to leave the council while they
discussed the matter with one another. 16 They said, "What will we do with them?
For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done
through them; we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep it from spreading further among
the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name." 18 So
they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of
Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in God's sight
to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20 for we cannot keep from
speaking about what we have seen and heard." 21 After threatening them again,
they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all
of them praised God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of
healing had been performed was more than forty years old. 23 After they were
released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the
elders had said to them. 24 When they heard it, they raised their voices
together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth,
the sea, and everything in them, 25 it is you who said by the Holy Spirit
through our ancestor David, your servant: 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the
peoples imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the
rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.' 27 For
in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the
peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you
anointed, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take
place. 29 And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to
speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant
Jesus." 31 When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together
was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of
God with boldness. 32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one
heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but
everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave
their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon
them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands
or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it
at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 There
was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name
Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"). 37 He sold a field that belonged
to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
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But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold
a piece of property; 2 with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the
proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3
"Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy
Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained
unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds
at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You
did not lie to us but to God!" 5 Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell
down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. 6 The young men came
and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him. 7 After an
interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8
Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such
and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price." 9 Then Peter said to
her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to
the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door,
and they will carry you out." 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died.
When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and
buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and all
who heard of these things. 12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the
people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13
None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14
Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men
and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid
them on cots and mats, in order that Peter's shadow might fall on some of them
as he came by. 16 A great number of people would also gather from the towns
around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and
they were all cured. 17 Then the high priest took action; he and all who were
with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, 18
arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night
an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20
"Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life."
21 When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with
their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called
together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the
prison to have them brought. 22 But when the temple police went there, they did
not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported, 23 "We found the
prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened
them, we found no one inside." 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the
chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what
might be going on. 25 Then someone arrived and announced, "Look, the men whom
you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" 26 Then
the captain went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence,
for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27 When they had brought
them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them,
28 saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you
have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this
man's blood on us." 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God
rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus,
whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right
hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy
Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." 33 When they heard this, they
were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named
Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and
ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 35 Then he said to them,
"Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36
For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men,
about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were
dispersed and disappeared. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time
of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who
followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I tell you, keep away
from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is
of human origin, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to
overthrow them--in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" They
were convinced by him, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they had
them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let
them go. 41 As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered
worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. 42 And every day in the
temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the
Messiah.
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Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being
neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 And the twelve called together
the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should
neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, friends, select
from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of
wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote
ourselves to prayer and to serving the word." 5 What they said pleased the whole
community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,
together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a
proselyte of Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed
and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread; the number
of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests
became obedient to the faith. 8 Stephen, full of grace and power, did great
wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the
synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and
others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. 10 But
they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then
they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous
words against Moses and God." 12 They stirred up the people as well as the
elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and
brought him before the council. 13 They set up false witnesses who said, "This
man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; 14 for we
have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will
change the customs that Moses handed on to us." 15 And all who sat in the
council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of
an angel.
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Then the high priest asked him, "Are these things so?" 2 And Stephen
replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our
ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and
said to him, 'Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I
will show you.' 4 Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in
Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in
which you are now living. 5 He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not
even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as his possession and to
his descendants after him, even though he had no child. 6 And God spoke in these
terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to
others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred years. 7
'But I will judge the nation that they serve,' said God, 'and after that they
shall come out and worship me in this place.' 8 Then he gave him the covenant of
circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on
the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve
patriarchs. 9 "The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God
was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to
win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who
appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a
famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could
find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our
ancestors there on their first visit. 13 On the second visit Joseph made himself
known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Then
Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him,
seventy-five in all; 15 so Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself died there as
well as our ancestors, 16 and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid
in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor
in Shechem. 17 "But as the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise
that God had made to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased and multiplied 18
until another king who had not known Joseph ruled over Egypt. 19 He dealt
craftily with our race and forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that
they would die. 20 At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful before God.
For three months he was brought up in his father's house; 21 and when he was
abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22
So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in
his words and deeds. 23 "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to
visit his relatives, the Israelites. 24 When he saw one of them being wronged,
he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25
He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing
them, but they did not understand. 26 The next day he came to some of them as
they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are
brothers; why do you wrong each other?' 27 But the man who was wronging his
neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 29 When he
heard this, Moses fled and became a resident alien in the land of Midian. There
he became the father of two sons. 30 "Now when forty years had passed, an angel
appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning
bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to
look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 'I am the God of your ancestors, the
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses began to tremble and did not dare to
look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for
the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the
mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I
have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.' 35 "It was
this Moses whom they rejected when they said, 'Who made you a ruler and a
judge?' and whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through the angel who
appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out, having performed wonders and
signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This
is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up a prophet for you
from your own people as he raised me up.' 38 He is the one who was in the
congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai,
and with our ancestors; and he received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our
ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside, and in
their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, 'Make gods for us
who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of
Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.' 41 At that time they made a
calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands.
42 But God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of
heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you offer to me slain
victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 No;
you took along the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, the images
that you made to worship; so I will remove you beyond Babylon.' 44 "Our
ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he
spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45
Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the
nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time
of David, 46 who found favor with God and asked that he might find a dwelling
place for the house of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the
prophet says, 49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind
of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?' 51 "You stiff-necked people,
uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just
as your ancestors used to do. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not
persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and
now you have become his betrayers and murderers. 53 You are the ones that
received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it." 54 When
they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen.
55 But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of
God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see the
heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" 57 But
they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him.
58 Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the
witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they
were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he
knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against
them." When he had said this, he died.
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And Saul approved of their killing him. That day a severe
persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles
were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men
buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the
church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he
committed them to prison. 4 Now those who were scattered went from place to
place, proclaiming the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and
proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to
what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7 for unclean
spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many
others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8 So there was great joy in that
city. 9 Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city
and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. 10 All of
them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, "This man
is the power of God that is called Great." 11 And they listened eagerly to him
because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they
believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and
the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon
himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was
amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place. 14 Now when the
apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent
Peter and John to them. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might
receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17 Then Peter and
John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when
Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles'
hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me also this power so that anyone
on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him,
"May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's
gift with money! 21 You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not
right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to
the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For
I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness." 24
Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may
happen to me." 25 Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of
the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages
of the Samaritans. 26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go
toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a
wilderness road.) 27 So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a
court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire
treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning home; seated
in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the Spirit said to
Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." 30 So Philip ran up to it and
heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are
reading?" 31 He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited
Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32 Now the passage of the scripture that he
was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb
silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation
justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken
away from the earth." 34 The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you,
does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" 35 Then Philip
began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good
news about Jesus. 36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water;
and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being
baptized?" 37 And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."
And he replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 He commanded
the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the
water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the
Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on
his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing
through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came
to Caesarea.
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Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the
disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to
the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men
or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was going along
and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He
fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?" 5 He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told
what you are to do." 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless
because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and
though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and
brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither
ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord
said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." 11 The Lord
said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of
Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and
he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so
that he might regain his sight." 13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard
from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem;
14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your
name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have
chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of
Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my
name." 17 So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and
said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has
sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was
restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he
regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus,
20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is
the Son of God." 21 All who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man
who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not
come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" 22
Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in
Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. 23 After some time had passed,
the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were
watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; 25 but his
disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall,
lowering him in a basket. 26 When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join
the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he
was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and
described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in
and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He
spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. 30
When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him
off to Tarsus. 31 Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of
the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. 32 Now as Peter went here and there
among all the believers, he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. 33
There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for
he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up
and make your bed!" And immediately he got up. 35 And all the residents of Lydda
and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple
whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works
and acts of charity. 37 At that time she became ill and died. When they had
washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the
disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request,
"Please come to us without delay." 39 So Peter got up and went with them; and
when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside
him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while
she was with them. 40 Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and
prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her
eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up.
Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. 42 This became
known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 Meanwhile he stayed in
Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
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In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the
Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2 He was a devout man who feared God with all
his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to
God. 3 One afternoon at about three o'clock he had a vision in which he clearly
saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius." 4 He stared at him
in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" He answered, "Your prayers and your alms
have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa for a certain
Simon who is called Peter; 6 he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is
by the seaside." 7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of
his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, 8 and
after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa. 9 About noon the next day,
as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the
roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was
being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the heaven opened and something
like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners.
12 In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the
air. 13 Then he heard a voice saying, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." 14 But
Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane
or unclean." 15 The voice said to him again, a second time, "What God has made
clean, you must not call profane." 16 This happened three times, and the thing
was suddenly taken up to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about
what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius
appeared. They were asking for Simon's house and were standing by the gate. 18
They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him,
"Look, three men are searching for you. 20 Now get up, go down, and go with them
without hesitation; for I have sent them." 21 So Peter went down to the men and
said, "I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?" 22
They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is
well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send
for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." 23 So Peter
invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with
them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 The following day
they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his
relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter's arrival Cornelius met him, and
falling at his feet, worshiped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, "Stand
up; I am only a mortal." 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found that
many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, "You yourselves know that it is
unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me
that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I
came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?" 30 Cornelius
replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, at three o'clock, I was praying in my
house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31 He said,
'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before
God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is
staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' 33 Therefore I sent for you
immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in
the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say." 34
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no
partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right
is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread
throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he
went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God
was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him
on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us
who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he
rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify
that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All
the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name." 44 While Peter was still speaking, the
Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who
had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been
poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and
extolling God. Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing
these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 So he
ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him
to stay for several days.
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Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the
Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to
Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, "Why did you go
to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" 4 Then Peter began to explain it to
them, step by step, saying, 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a
trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from
heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I
looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and
birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and
eat.' 8 But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has
ever entered my mouth.' 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven,
'What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' 10 This happened three
times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment
three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The
Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and
us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13
He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to
Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by
which you and your entire household will be saved.' 15 And as I began to speak,
the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I
remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water, but
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave them the same
gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I
could hinder God?" 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised
God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads
to life." 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took
place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they
spoke the word to no one except Jews. 20 But among them were some men of Cyprus
and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming
the Lord Jesus. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became
believers and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this came to the ears of the church
in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the
grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the
Lord with steadfast devotion; 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit
and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas
went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to
Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a
great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called
"Christians." 27 At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28
One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would
be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of
Claudius. 29 The disciples determined that according to their ability, each
would send relief to the believers living in Judea; 30 this they did, sending it
to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
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About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who
belonged to the church. 2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the
sword. 3 After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter
also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4 When he had seized
him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to
guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 While
Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him. 6 The very
night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was
sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping
watch over the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light
shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up
quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 The angel said to him, "Fasten
your belt and put on your sandals." He did so. Then he said to him, "Wrap your
cloak around you and follow me." 9 Peter went out and followed him; he did not
realize that what was happening with the angel's help was real; he thought he
was seeing a vision. 10 After they had passed the first and the second guard,
they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its
own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the
angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I am sure that the
Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that
the Jewish people were expecting." 12 As soon as he realized this, he went to
the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had
gathered and were praying. 13 When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named
Rhoda came to answer. 14 On recognizing Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed
that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was
standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she
insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel." 16 Meanwhile Peter
continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed.
17 He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how
the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, "Tell this to James
and to the believers." Then he left and went to another place. 18 When morning
came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of
Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined
the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then Peter went down from Judea
to Caesarea and stayed there. 20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and
Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king's
chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on
the king's country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal
robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22
The people kept shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!" 23 And
immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord
struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God
continued to advance and gain adherents. 25 Then after completing their mission
Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other
name was Mark.
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Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the
court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and
fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work
to which I have called them." 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their
hands on them and sent them off. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they
went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived
at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And
they had John also to assist them. 6 When they had gone through the whole island
as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named
Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who
summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But the
magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried
to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, also known as Paul,
filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, "You son of the
devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you
not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now listen--the
hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to
see the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about
groping for someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had
happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. 13
Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in
Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem; 14 but they went
on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went
into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the law and the
prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, "Brothers,
if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it." 16 So Paul stood
up and with a gesture began to speak: "You Israelites, and others who fear God,
listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people
great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them
out of it. 18 For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19
After he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their
land as an inheritance 20 for about four hundred fifty years. After that he gave
them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21 Then they asked for a king;
and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned
for forty years. 22 When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his
testimony about him he said, 'I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man
after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.' 23 Of this man's posterity
God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised; 24 before his coming
John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John was finishing his work, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am?
I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong
of the sandals on his feet." 26 "My brothers, you descendants of Abraham's
family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been
sent. 27 Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize
him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath, they
fulfilled those words by condemning him. 28 Even though they found no cause for
a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had
carried out everything that was written about him, they took him down from the
tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead; 31 and for
many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,
and they are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the good news
that what God promised to our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their
children, by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, 'You are
my Son; today I have begotten you.' 34 As to his raising him from the dead, no
more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, 'I will give you the
holy promises made to David.' 35 Therefore he has also said in another psalm,
'You will not let your Holy One experience corruption.' 36 For David, after he
had served the purpose of God in his own generation, died, was laid beside his
ancestors, and experienced corruption; 37 but he whom God raised up experienced
no corruption. 38 Let it be known to you therefore, my brothers, that through
this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you; 39 by this Jesus everyone who
believes is set free from all those sins from which you could not be freed by
the law of Moses. 40 Beware, therefore, that what the prophets said does not
happen to you: 41 'Look, you scoffers! Be amazed and perish, for in your days I
am doing a work, a work that you will never believe, even if someone tells
you.'" 42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak
about these things again the next sabbath. 43 When the meeting of the synagogue
broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas,
who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next
sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when
the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they
contradicted what was spoken by Paul. 46 Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out
boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to
you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we
are now turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I
have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to
the ends of the earth.'" 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and
praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life
became believers. 49 Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. 50
But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of
the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them
out of their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against
them, and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with
the Holy Spirit.
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The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went
into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both
Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the
Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a
long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace
by granting signs and wonders to be done through them. 4 But the residents of
the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5
And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to
mistreat them and to stone them, 6 the apostles learned of it and fled to Lystra
and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; 7 and there they
continued proclaiming the good news. 8 In Lystra there was a man sitting who
could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from
birth. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him
intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said in a loud voice,
"Stand upright on your feet." And the man sprang up and began to walk. 11 When
the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The
gods have come down to us in human form!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul
they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus,
whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates;
he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. 14 When the apostles Barnabas and
Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd,
shouting, 15 "Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and
we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the
living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in
them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own
ways; 17 yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good--giving you
rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your
hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium
and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up
and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 After
they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples, they
returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch. 22 There they strengthened
the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying,
"It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God." 23 And
after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting
they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. 24 Then they
passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 When they had spoken the word
in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed back to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had
completed. 27 When they arrived, they called the church together and related all
that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the
Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there with the disciples for some time.
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Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the
brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you
cannot be saved." 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go
up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. 3 So
they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both
Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought
great joy to all the believers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were
welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all
that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the sect of
the Pharisees stood up and said, "It is necessary for them to be circumcised and
ordered to keep the law of Moses." 6 The apostles and the elders met together to
consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and
said to them, "My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice
among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the
message of the good news and become believers. 8 And God, who knows the human
heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; 9
and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them
and us. 10 Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the
neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to
bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of
the Lord Jesus, just as they will." 12 The whole assembly kept silence, and
listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God
had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James
replied, "My brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first looked
favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. 15
This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 16 'After this I
will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from
its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, 17 so that all other peoples
may seek the Lord-- even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.
Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things 18 known from long ago.' 19
Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles
who are turning to God, 20 but we should write to them to abstain only from
things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been
strangled and from blood. 21 For in every city, for generations past, Moses has
had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the
synagogues." 22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole
church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to
Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas,
leaders among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: "The brothers, both
the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and
Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that certain persons who
have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to
disturb you and have unsettled your minds, 25 we have decided unanimously to
choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and
Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27
We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same
things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us
to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain
from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled
and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.
Farewell." 30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered
the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When its members read
it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. 32 Judas and Silas, who were themselves
prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After they had
been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those
who had sent them. 34 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there,
with many others, they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord. 36 After some
days Paul said to Barnabas, "Come, let us return and visit the believers in
every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."
37 Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul decided not
to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied
them in the work. 39 The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company;
Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas
and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went
through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a
disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his
father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and
Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him
circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that
his father was a Greek. 4 As they went from town to town, they delivered to them
for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders
who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and
increased in numbers daily. 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and
Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7
When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the
Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8 so, passing by Mysia, they went down to
Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia
pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 When he
had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being
convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. 11 We set
sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to
Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district
of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13 On
the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there
was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered
there. 14 A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us;
she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened
her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15 When she and her
household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be
faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us. 16
One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a
spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by
fortune-telling. 17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These
men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." 18
She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said
to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And
it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making
money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace
before the authorities. 20 When they had brought them before the magistrates,
they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 21 and are
advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe." 22
The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of
their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had given
them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to
keep them securely. 24 Following these instructions, he put them in the
innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and
Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to
them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of
the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's
chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide
open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that
the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm
yourself, for we are all here." 29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in,
he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside
and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They answered, "Believe on the
Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 They spoke the
word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 At the same hour of
the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family
were baptized without delay. 34 He brought them up into the house and set food
before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a
believer in God. 35 When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying,
"Let those men go." 36 And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, "The
magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace." 37
But Paul replied, "They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman
citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us
in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves." 38 The
police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they
heard that they were Roman citizens; 39 so they came and apologized to them. And
they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 After leaving the prison
they went to Lydia's home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers
and sisters there, they departed.
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After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia,
they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul
went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the
scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to
suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I
am proclaiming to you." 4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,
as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5
But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the
marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were
searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked
Jason's house. 6 When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some
believers before the city authorities, shouting, "These people who have been
turning the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has entertained
them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor,
saying that there is another king named Jesus." 8 The people and the city
officials were disturbed when they heard this, 9 and after they had taken bail
from Jason and the others, they let them go. 10 That very night the believers
sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the
Jewish synagogue. 11 These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica,
for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day
to see whether these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed,
including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. 13 But when the Jews
of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in
Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds. 14 Then
the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy
remained behind. 15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and
after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as
possible, they left him. 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was
deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he argued in the
synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace
every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic
philosophers debated with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to say?"
Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities." (This was
because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 19 So
they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, "May we know what
this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 It sounds rather strange to us,
so we would like to know what it means." 21 Now all the Athenians and the
foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing
something new. 22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said,
"Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23 For as I went
through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found
among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore
you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world
and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in
shrines made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he
needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all
things. 26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and
he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where
they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him
and find him--though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28 For 'In him we
live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said,
'For we too are his offspring.' 29 Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to
think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the
art and imagination of mortals. 30 While God has overlooked the times of human
ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has
fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man
whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him
from the dead." 32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
scoffed; but others said, "We will hear you again about this." 33 At that point
Paul left them. 34 But some of them joined him and became believers, including
Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
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After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a
Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his
wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went
to see them, 3 and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and
they worked together--by trade they were tentmakers. 4 Every sabbath he would
argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas
and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word,
testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. 6 When they opposed and
reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes and said to them,
"Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the
Gentiles." 7 Then he left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named
Titius Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. 8
Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together
with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became
believers and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, "Do
not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one
will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my
people." 11 He stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God
among them. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united
attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. 13 They said, "This man is
persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law." 14 Just
as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of
crime or serious villainy, I would be justified in accepting the complaint of
you Jews; 15 but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and
your own law, see to it yourselves; I do not wish to be a judge of these
matters." 16 And he dismissed them from the tribunal. 17 Then all of them seized
Sosthenes, the official of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal.
But Gallio paid no attention to any of these things. 18 After staying there for
a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria,
accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, for he
was under a vow. 19 When they reached Ephesus, he left them there, but first he
himself went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. 20 When they
asked him to stay longer, he declined; 21 but on taking leave of them, he said,
"I will return to you, if God wills." Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he
had landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and then
went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there he departed and went
from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all
the disciples. 24 Now there came to Ephesus a Jew named Apollos, a native of
Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, well-versed in the scriptures. 25 He had
been instructed in the Way of the Lord; and he spoke with burning enthusiasm and
taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism
of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and
Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more
accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross over to Achaia, the believers
encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. On his arrival he
greatly helped those who through grace had become believers, 28 for he
powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the
Messiah is Jesus.
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While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior
regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2 He said to them,
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They replied, "No,
we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 Then he said, "Into what
then were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said,
"John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in
the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on
them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied--
7 altogether there were about twelve of them. 8 He entered the synagogue and for
three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God.
9 When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the
congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in
the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the
residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. 11 God did
extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons
that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them,
and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists
tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying,
"I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high
priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit said to them in
reply, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 Then the man with
the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that
they fled out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to all
residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name
of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Also many of those who became believers
confessed and disclosed their practices. 19 A number of those who practiced
magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these
books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So
the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. 21 Now after these things had
been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and
Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have gone there, I
must also see Rome." 22 So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to
Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia. 23 About that
time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. 24 A man named
Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little
business to the artisans. 25 These he gathered together, with the workers of the
same trade, and said, "Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business.
26 You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of
Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by
saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only
that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the
great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty
that brought all Asia and the world to worship her." 28 When they heard this,
they were enraged and shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29 The city
was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theater,
dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's travel
companions. 30 Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let
him; 31 even some officials of the province of Asia, who were friendly to him,
sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Meanwhile,
some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion,
and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd
gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander
motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. 34 But when
they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in
unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 35 But when the town clerk had
quieted the crowd, he said, "Citizens of Ephesus, who is there that does not
know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Artemis
and of the statue that fell from heaven? 36 Since these things cannot be denied,
you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 You have brought these men here
who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore
Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts
are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one
another. 39 If there is anything further you want to know, it must be settled in
the regular assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting
today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion." 41
When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
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After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples; and after
encouraging them and saying farewell, he left for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone
through those regions and had given the believers much encouragement, he came to
Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months. He was about to set sail for Syria
when a plot was made against him by the Jews, and so he decided to return
through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea,
by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by
Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. 5 They went ahead and
were waiting for us in Troas; 6 but we sailed from Philippi after the days of
Unleavened Bread, and in five days we joined them in Troas, where we stayed for
seven days. 7 On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was
holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he
continued speaking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the room upstairs
where we were meeting. 9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the
window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer.
Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up
dead. 10 But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and
said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him." 11 Then Paul went upstairs,
and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them
until dawn; then he left. 12 Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and
were not a little comforted. 13 We went ahead to the ship and set sail for
Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for he had made this arrangement,
intending to go by land himself. 14 When he met us in Assos, we took him on
board and went to Mitylene. 15 We sailed from there, and on the following day we
arrived opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos, and the day after that
we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he
might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if
possible, on the day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus,
asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18 When they came to him, he said
to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the
first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and
with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.
20 I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you
and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 as I testified to both
Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. 22
And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing
what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in
every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. 24 But I do
not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the
ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of
God's grace. 25 "And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about
proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to
you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did
not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Keep watch over
yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his
own Son. 29 I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you,
not sparing the flock. 30 Some even from your own group will come distorting the
truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31 Therefore be alert,
remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone
with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a
message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all
who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You
know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my
companions. 35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must
support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said,
'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 36 When he had finished speaking,
he knelt down with them all and prayed. 37 There was much weeping among them
all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving especially because of what
he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the
ship.
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When we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight
course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 When we
found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail. 3 We came in
sight of Cyprus; and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at
Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 4 We looked up the
disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not
to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded
on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside
the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed 6 and said farewell to one
another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home. 7 When we had
finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the
believers and stayed with them for one day. 8 The next day we left and came to
Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven,
and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of
prophecy. 10 While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named
Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us and took Paul's belt, bound his
own feet and hands with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is the
way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him
over to the Gentiles.'" 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him
not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping
and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 Since he would not be persuaded,
we remained silent except to say, "The Lord's will be done." 15 After these days
we got ready and started to go up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from
Caesarea also came along and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an
early disciple, with whom we were to stay. 17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the
brothers welcomed us warmly. 18 The next day Paul went with us to visit James;
and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one
the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 When
they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, "You see, brother, how
many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous
for the law. 21 They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living
among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise
their children or observe the customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will
certainly hear that you have come. 23 So do what we tell you. We have four men
who are under a vow. 24 Join these men, go through the rite of purification with
them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is
nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself observe and
guard the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have
sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been
sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from
fornication." 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified
himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the
days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them. 27 When
the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in
the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him, 28 shouting, "Fellow
Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against
our people, our law, and this place; more than that, he has actually brought
Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." 29 For they had
previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed
that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was aroused, and
the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple,
and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, word
came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32
Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When they saw
the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune
came, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he inquired who
he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some
another; and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered
him to be brought into the barracks. 35 When Paul came to the steps, the
violence of the mob was so great that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36
The crowd that followed kept shouting, "Away with him!" 37 Just as Paul was
about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say
something to you?" The tribune replied, "Do you know Greek? 38 Then you are not
the Egyptian who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand
assassins out into the wilderness?" 39 Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in
Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; I beg you, let me speak to the people."
40 When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the
people for silence; and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the
Hebrew language, saying:
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"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before
you." 2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew, they became even more
quiet. Then he said: 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in
this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral
law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. 4 I persecuted this
Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in
prison, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about
me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went
there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem
for punishment. 6 "While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a
great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. 7 I fell to the ground and
heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 8 I
answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' Then he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth whom
you are persecuting.' 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not
hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 I asked, 'What am I to do,
Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told
everything that has been assigned to you to do.' 11 Since I could not see
because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and
led me to Damascus. 12 "A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the
law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, 13 came to me; and standing
beside me, he said, 'Brother Saul, regain your sight!' In that very hour I
regained my sight and saw him. 14 Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has
chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice;
15 for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed
away, calling on his name.' 17 "After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I
was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw Jesus saying to me,
'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your
testimony about me.' 19 And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in every
synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And while the
blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and
keeping the coats of those who killed him.' 21 Then he said to me, 'Go, for I
will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" 22 Up to this point they listened to
him, but then they shouted, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he
should not be allowed to live." 23 And while they were shouting, throwing off
their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, 24 the tribune directed that he was
to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to
find out the reason for this outcry against him. 25 But when they had tied him
up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for
you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?" 26 When the centurion heard
that, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? This
man is a Roman citizen." 27 The tribune came and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a
Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." 28 The tribune answered, "It cost me a large
sum of money to get my citizenship." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen." 29
Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him; and the
tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that
he had bound him. 30 Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of
by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the
entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
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While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, "Brothers,
up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God." 2 Then
the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the
mouth. 3 At this Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!
Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of
the law you order me to be struck?" 4 Those standing nearby said, "Do you dare
to insult God's high priest?" 5 And Paul said, "I did not realize, brothers,
that he was high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a
leader of your people.'" 6 When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others
were Pharisees, he called out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son
of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the
dead." 7 When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no
resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.) 9
Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees' group stood up
and contended, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an
angel has spoken to him?" 10 When the dissension became violent, the tribune,
fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down,
take him by force, and bring him into the barracks. 11 That night the Lord stood
near him and said, "Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me
in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome." 12 In the morning the Jews
joined in a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink
until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who joined in this
conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have
strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul.
15 Now then, you and the council must notify the tribune to bring him down to
you, on the pretext that you want to make a more thorough examination of his
case. And we are ready to do away with him before he arrives." 16 Now the son of
Paul's sister heard about the ambush; so he went and gained entrance to the
barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take
this young man to the tribune, for he has something to report to him." 18 So he
took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and
asked me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you." 19 The
tribune took him by the hand, drew him aside privately, and asked, "What is it
that you have to report to me?" 20 He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you
to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire
more thoroughly into his case. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than
forty of their men are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves by an
oath neither to eat nor drink until they kill him. They are ready now and are
waiting for your consent." 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, ordering
him, "Tell no one that you have informed me of this." 23 Then he summoned two of
the centurions and said, "Get ready to leave by nine o'clock tonight for
Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen.
24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Felix the
governor." 25 He wrote a letter to this effect: 26 "Claudius Lysias to his
Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and
was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman
citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him. 28 Since I wanted to know the
charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council. 29 I
found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was charged
with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed that there
would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his
accusers also to state before you what they have against him." 31 So the
soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the
night to Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while
they returned to the barracks. 33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the
letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the
letter, he asked what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was
from Cilicia, 35 he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive."
Then he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod's headquarters.
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Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders
and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul
to the governor. 2 When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him,
saying: "Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms
have been made for this people because of your foresight. 3 We welcome this in
every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude. 4 But, to detain you no further,
I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. 5 We have, in
fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews
throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even
tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him. 7 8 By examining him yourself
you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse
him." 9 The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true.
10 When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied: "I cheerfully make
my defense, knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation.
11 As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to
worship in Jerusalem. 12 They did not find me disputing with anyone in the
temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city.
13 Neither can they prove to you the charge that they now bring against me. 14
But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I
worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to
the law or written in the prophets. 15 I have a hope in God--a hope that they
themselves also accept--that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous
and the unrighteous. 16 Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience
toward God and all people. 17 Now after some years I came to bring alms to my
nation and to offer sacrifices. 18 While I was doing this, they found me in the
temple, completing the rite of purification, without any crowd or disturbance.
19 But there were some Jews from Asia--they ought to be here before you to make
an accusation, if they have anything against me. 20 Or let these men here tell
what crime they had found when I stood before the council, 21 unless it was this
one sentence that I called out while standing before them, 'It is about the
resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'" 22 But Felix,
who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the
comment, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case." 23 Then
he ordered the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some
liberty and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs. 24
Some days later when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent
for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And as he
discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became
frightened and said, "Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity, I
will send for you." 26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him
by Paul, and for that reason he used to send for him very often and converse
with him. 27 After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus;
and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
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Three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up
from Caesarea to Jerusalem 2 where the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews
gave him a report against Paul. They appealed to him 3 and requested, as a favor
to them against Paul, to have him transferred to Jerusalem. They were, in fact,
planning an ambush to kill him along the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was
being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5
"So," he said, "let those of you who have the authority come down with me, and
if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him." 6 After he had
stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; the
next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When
he arrived, the Jews who had gone down from Jerusalem surrounded him, bringing
many serious charges against him, which they could not prove. 8 Paul said in his
defense, "I have in no way committed an offense against the law of the Jews, or
against the temple, or against the emperor." 9 But Festus, wishing to do the
Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and be tried there
before me on these charges?" 10 Paul said, "I am appealing to the emperor's
tribunal; this is where I should be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as
you very well know. 11 Now if I am in the wrong and have committed something for
which I deserve to die, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing
to their charges against me, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to the
emperor." 12 Then Festus, after he had conferred with his council, replied, "You
have appealed to the emperor; to the emperor you will go." 13 After several days
had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14
Since they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the
king, saying, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix. 15 When I
was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about
him and asked for a sentence against him. 16 I told them that it was not the
custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met the accusers
face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the
charge. 17 So when they met here, I lost no time, but on the next day took my
seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers
stood up, they did not charge him with any of the crimes that I was expecting.
19 Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own
religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be
alive. 20 Since I was at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked
whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. 21 But
when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of his Imperial
Majesty, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to the emperor." 22
Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he
said, "you will hear him." 23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with
great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and
the prominent men of the city. Then Festus gave the order and Paul was brought
in. 24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all here present with us, you see this
man about whom the whole Jewish community petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and
here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had
done nothing deserving death; and when he appealed to his Imperial Majesty, I
decided to send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign
about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before
you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to
write-- 27 for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner without indicating
the charges against him."
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Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself."
Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself: 2 "I consider
myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense
today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 because you are especially
familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of
you to listen to me patiently. 4 "All the Jews know my way of life from my
youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5
They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have
belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. 6 And
now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to
our ancestors, 7 a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they
earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am
accused by Jews! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises
the dead? 9 "Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things
against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem;
with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the
saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being
condemned to death. 11 By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to
force them to blaspheme; and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued
them even to foreign cities. 12 "With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus
with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 when at midday along
the road, your Excellency, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun,
shining around me and my companions. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I
heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.' 15 I asked, 'Who are
you, Lord?' The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get
up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to
appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to
those in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from your people and
from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they
may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they
may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by
faith in me.' 19 "After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the
heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem
and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they
should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. 21 For
this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this
day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and
great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: 23
that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the
dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles." 24 While
he was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, "You are out of your mind, Paul!
Too much learning is driving you insane!" 25 But Paul said, "I am not out of my
mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26 Indeed the
king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that
none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." 28
Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?"
29 Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but
also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am--except for
these chains." 30 Then the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice
and those who had been seated with them; 31 and as they were leaving, they said
to one another, "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment." 32
Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not
appealed to the emperor."
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When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they
transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort,
named Julius. 2 Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to
the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a
Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius
treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4
Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the
winds were against us. 5 After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia
and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an
Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a
number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was
against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Sailing past it with
difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 9
Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the
Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10 saying, "Sirs, I can see that
the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and
the ship, but also of our lives." 11 But the centurion paid more attention to
the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12 Since the
harbor was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favor of
putting to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix,
where they could spend the winter. It was a harbor of Crete, facing southwest
and northwest. 13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they
could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past
Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster,
rushed down from Crete. 15 Since the ship was caught and could not be turned
head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16 By running under
the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship's
boat under control. 17 After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the
ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea
anchor and so were driven. 18 We were being pounded by the storm so violently
that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, 19 and on the
third day with their own hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard. 20 When
neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all
hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. 21 Since they had been without
food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, "Men, you should
have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this
damage and loss. 22 I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no
loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For last night there stood by
me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, 'Do
not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has
granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.' 25 So keep up your
courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been
told. 26 But we will have to run aground on some island." 27 When the fourteenth
night had come, as we were drifting across the sea of Adria, about midnight the
sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took soundings and
found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found
fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four
anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30 But when the sailors tried
to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, on the pretext of
putting out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the
soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." 32 Then the
soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift. 33 Just before
daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, "Today is the
fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having
eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you
survive; for none of you will lose a hair from your heads." 35 After he had said
this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke
it and began to eat. 36 Then all of them were encouraged and took food for
themselves. 37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six persons in the ship.) 38
After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the
wheat into the sea. 39 In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they
noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if
they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the
same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the
foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran
the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being
broken up by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the
prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion,
wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those
who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest to
follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all
were brought safely to land.
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After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was
called Malta. 2 The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to
rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it. 3 Paul
had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper,
driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the
creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man must be a
murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to
live." 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
6 They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a
long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their
minds and began to say that he was a god. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that
place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who
received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It so happened that
the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him
and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him. 9 After this happened,
the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
10 They bestowed many honors on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on
board all the provisions we needed. 11 Three months later we set sail on a ship
that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as
its figurehead. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; 13
then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind
sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found believers
and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15
The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of
Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took
courage. 16 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with
the soldier who was guarding him. 17 Three days later he called together the
local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers,
though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors,
yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 When they had
examined me, the Romans wanted to release me, because there was no reason for
the death penalty in my case. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to
appeal to the emperor--even though I had no charge to bring against my nation.
20 For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since
it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." 21
They replied, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the
brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we
would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know
that everywhere it is spoken against." 23 After they had set a day to meet with
him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until
evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and
trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the
prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to
believe. 25 So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul
made one further statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your
ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, 26 'Go to this people and say, You will
indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never
perceive. 27 For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of
hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their
eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn-- and
I would heal them.' 28 Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God
has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen." 29 30 He lived there two whole
years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the
kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and
without hindrance.
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