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Title: Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Acts

Author: Richard Francis Weymouth

Release date: September 1, 2005 [eBook #8832]

Most recently updated: March 14, 2015

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Martin Ward

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WEYMOUTH NEW TESTAMENT IN MODERN SPEECH, ACTS ***

Produced by Martin Ward

Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Acts

Third Edition 1913

R. F. Weymouth

Book 44 Acts

001:001 My former narrative, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus

did and taught as a beginning, down to the day on which,

001:002 after giving instruction through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles

whom He had chosen, He was taken up to Heaven.

001:003 He had also, after He suffered, shown Himself alive to them

with many sure proofs, appearing to them at intervals during

forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God.

001:004 And while in their company He charged them not to leave

Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promised gift.

"This you have heard of," He said, "from me.

001:005 For John indeed baptized with water, but before many days

have passed you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

001:006 Once when they were with Him, they asked Him, "Master, is this

the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?"

001:007 "It is not for you," He replied, "to know times or epochs

which the Father has reserved within His own authority;

001:008 and yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come

upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all

Judaea and Samaria and to the remotest parts of the earth."

001:009 When He had said this, and while they were looking

at Him, He was carried up, and a cloud closing beneath Him

hid Him from their sight.

001:010 But, while they stood intently gazing into the sky as He went, suddenly there were two men in white garments standing by them,

001:011 who said, "Galilaeans, why stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven will come in just the same way as you have seen Him going into Heaven."

001:012 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Oliveyard, which is near Jerusalem, about a mile off.

001:013 They entered the city, and they went up to the upper room which was now their fixed place for meeting. Their names were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.

001:014 All of these with one mind continued earnest in prayer,

together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus,

and His brothers.

001:015 It was on one of these days that Peter stood up in the midst

of the brethren—the entire number of persons present being

about 120—and said,

001:016 "Brethren, it was necessary that the Scripture should be fulfilled— the prediction, I mean, which the Holy Spirit uttered by the lips of David, about Judas, who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

001:017 For Judas was reckoned as one of our number, and a share in this ministry was allotted to him."

001:018 (Now having bought a piece of ground with the money paid for his

wickedness he fell there with his face downwards, and, his body

bursting open, he became disembowelled.

001:019 This fact became widely known to the people of Jerusalem,

so that the place received the name, in their language,

of Achel-damach, which means `The Field of Blood.')

001:020 "For it is written in the Book of Psalms, "`Let his encampment

be desolate: let there be no one to dwell there'; and "`His

work let another take up.'

001:021 "It is necessary, therefore, that of the men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—

001:022 beginning from His baptism by John down to the day on which He was taken up again from us into Heaven—one should be appointed to become a witness with us as to His resurrection."

001:023 So two names were proposed, Joseph called Bar-sabbas—

and surnamed Justus—and Matthias.

001:024 And the brethren prayed, saying, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts

of all, show clearly which of these two Thou hast chosen

001:025 to occupy the place in this ministry and Apostleship from which Judas through transgression fell, in order to go to his own place."

001:026 Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on Matthias,

and a place among the eleven Apostles was voted to him.

002:001 At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met

in one place;

002:002 when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong

rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where

they were sitting;

002:003 and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing

themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person

a tongue alighted.

002:004 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak

in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them

words to utter.

002:005 Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every

part of the world.

002:006 So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together,

and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken.

002:007 They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed,

"Are not all these speakers Galilaeans?

002:008 How then does each of us hear his own native language

spoken by them?

002:009 Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are inhabitants

of Mesopotamia, of Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the

Asian Province, of Phrygia or Pamphylia,

002:010 of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards Cyrene.

Others are visitors from Rome—being either Jews or converts

from heathenism—and others are Cretans or Arabians.

002:011 Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own

language about the wonderful things which God has done."

002:012 They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another,

"What can this mean?"

002:013 But others, scornfully jeering, said, "They are brim-full

of sweet wine."

002:014 Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. "Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," he said, "be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say.

002:015 For this is not intoxication, as you suppose, it being only the third hour of the day.

002:016 But that which was predicted through the Prophet Joel has happened:

002:017 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, God says, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall have dreams;

002:018 and even upon My bondservants, both men and women, at that time,

I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

002:019 I will display marvels in the sky above, and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.

002:020 The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood,

to usher in the day of the Lord—that great and illustrious day;

002:021 and every one who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

002:022 "Listen, Israelites, to what I say. Jesus, the Nazarene, a man accredited to you from God by miracles and marvels and signs which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know, Him—

002:023 delivered up through God's settled purpose and foreknowledge—

you by the hands of Gentiles have nailed to a cross and have

put to death.

002:024 But God has raised Him to life, having terminated the throes

of death, for in fact it was not possible for Him to be held

fast by death.

002:025 For David says in reference to Him, "`I constantly fixed my

eyes upon the Lord, because He is at my right hand in order

that I may continue unshaken.

002:026 For this reason my heart is glad and my tongue exults.

My body also shall rest in hope.

002:027 For Thou wilt not leave me in the Unseen World forsaken,

nor give up Thy holy One to undergo decay.

002:028 Thou hast made known to me the ways of Life: Thou wilt fill

me with gladness in Thy presence.'

002:029 "As to the patriarch David, I need hardly remind you, brethren, that he died and was buried, and that we still have his tomb among us.

002:030 Being a Prophet, however, and knowing that God had solemnly sworn to him to seat a descendant of his upon his throne,

002:031 with prophetic foresight he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, to the effect that He was not left forsaken in the Unseen World, nor did His body undergo decay.

002:032 This Jesus, God has raised to life—a fact to which all of us testify.

002:033 "Being therefore lifted high by the mighty hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out this which you see and hear.

002:034 For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says himself, "`The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand

002:035 until I make thy foes a footstool under thy feet.'

002:036 "Therefore let the whole House of Israel know beyond all doubt that God has made Him both LORD and CHRIST— this Jesus whom you crucified."

002:037 Stung to the heart by these words, they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Brethren, what are we to do?"

002:038 "Repent," replied Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

002:039 For to you belongs the promise, and to your children,

and to all who are far off, whoever the Lord our God may call."

002:040 And with many more appeals he solemnly warned and entreated them,

saying, "Escape from this crooked generation."

002:041 Those, therefore, who joyfully welcomed his Message were baptized;

and on that one day about three thousand persons were

added to them;

002:042 and they were constant in listening to the teaching of the

Apostles and in their attendance at the Communion, that is,

the Breaking of the Bread, and at prayer.

002:043 Fear came upon every one, and many marvels and signs were done by the Apostles.

002:044 And all the believers kept together, and had everything in common.

002:045 They sold their lands and other property, and distributed the proceeds among all, according to every one's necessities.

002:046 And, day by day, attending constantly in the Temple with one accord,

and breaking bread in private houses, they took their meals

with great happiness and single-heartedness,

002:047 praising God and being regarded with favour by all the people.

Also, day by day, the Lord added to their number those whom

He was saving.

003:001 One day Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the hour of prayer—the ninth hour—and, just then,

003:002 some men were carrying there one who had been lame from birth, whom they were wont to place every day close to the Beautiful Gate (as it was called) of the Temple, for him to beg from the people as they went in.

003:003 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he asked them for alms.

003:004 Peter fixing his eyes on him, as John did also, said, "Look at us."

003:005 So he looked and waited, expecting to receive something from them.

003:006 "I have no silver or gold," Peter said, "but what I have, I give you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene—walk!"

003:007 Then taking his hand Peter lifted him up, and immediately

his feet and ankles were strengthened.

003:008 Leaping up, he stood upright and began to walk, and went into

the Temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God.

003:009 All the people saw him walking and praising God;

003:010 and recognizing him as the man who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple asking for alms, they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened to him.

003:011 While he still clung to Peter and John, the people, awe-struck, ran up crowding round them in what was known as Solomon's Portico.

003:012 Peter, seeing this, spoke to the people. "Israelites," he said, "why do you wonder at this man? Or why gaze at us, as though by any power or piety of our own we had enabled him to walk?

003:013 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has conferred this honour on His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to let Him go.

003:014 Yes, you disowned the holy and righteous One, and asked

as a favour the release of a murderer.

003:015 The Prince of Life you put to death; but God has raised Him

from the dead, and we are witnesses as to that.

003:016 It is His name—faith in that name being the condition— which has strengthened this man whom you behold and know; and the faith which He has given has made this man sound and strong again, as you can all see.

003:017 "And now, brethren, I know that it was in ignorance that you

did it, as was the case with your rulers also.

003:018 But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He made

through all the Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.

003:019 Repent, therefore, and reform your lives, so that the record of your sins may be cancelled, and that there may come seasons of revival from the Lord,

003:020 and that He may send the Christ appointed beforehand for you—even Jesus.

003:021 Heaven must receive Him until those times of which God has spoken

from the earliest ages through the lips of His holy Prophets—

the times of the reconstitution of all things.

003:022 Moses declared, "`The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet

for you from among your brethren as He has raised me.

In all that He says to you, you must listen to Him.

003:023 And every one, without exception, who refuses to listen to that

Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the People.'

003:024 Yes, and all the Prophets, from Samuel onwards—all who have spoken—

have also announced the coming of this present time.

003:025 "You are the heirs of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God

made with your forefathers when He said to Abraham, `And through

your posterity all the families of the world shall be blessed.'

003:026 It is to you first that God, after raising His Servant from

the grave, has sent Him to bless you, by causing every one

of you to turn from your wickedness."

004:001 While they were saying this to the people, the Priests,

the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees

came upon them,

004:002 highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming

in the case of Jesus the Resurrection from among the dead.

004:003 They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till

the next day; for it was already evening.

004:004 But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed;

and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000.

004:005 The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their

Rulers, Elders, and Scribes,

004:006 with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the

other members of the high-priestly family.

004:007 So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and demanded

of them, "By what power or in what name have you done this?"

004:008 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied,

"Rulers and Elders of the people,

004:009 if we to-day are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame, as to how this man has been cured;

004:010 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom *you* crucified, but whom *God* has raised from among the dead—through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.

004:011 This Jesus is the Stone treated with contempt by you the builders, but it has been made the Cornerstone.

004:012 And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in fact, there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved."

004:013 As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken— and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools—they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus.

004:014 And seeing the man standing with them—the man who had been cured—

they had no reply to make.

004:015 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while they

conferred among themselves.

004:016 "What are we to do with these men?" they asked one another; for the fact that a remarkable miracle has been performed by them is well known to every one in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

004:017 But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people, let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever."

004:018 So they recalled the Apostles, and ordered them altogether

to give up speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus.

004:019 But Peter and John replied, "Judge whether it is right in God's

sight to listen to you instead of listening to God.

004:020 As for us, what we have seen and heard we cannot

help speaking about."

004:021 The Court added further threats and then let them go, being quite unable to find any way of punishing them on account of the people, because all gave God the glory for the thing that had happened.

004:022 For the man was over forty years of age on whom this miracle

of restoration to health had been performed.

004:023 After their release the two Apostles went to their friends,

and told them all that the High Priests and Elders had said.

004:024 And they, upon hearing the story, all lifted up their voices

to God and said, "O Sovereign Lord, it is Thou who didst make

Heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them,

004:025 and didst say through the Holy Spirit by the lips of our forefather

David Thy servant, "`Why have the nations stamped and raged,

and the peoples formed futile plans?

004:026 The kings of the earth came near, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against His Anointed.'"

004:027 "They did indeed assemble in this city in hostility to Thy holy Servant Jesus whom Thou hadst anointed—Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel—

004:028 to do all that Thy power and Thy will had predetermined

should be done.

004:029 And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants

to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage,

004:030 whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men, and to give

signs and marvels through the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus."

004:031 When they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled shook,

and they were, one and all, filled with the Holy Spirit,

and proceeded to tell God's Message with boldness.

004:032 Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but one heart

and soul, so that none of them claimed any of his possessions

as his own, but everything they had was common property;

004:033 while the Apostles with great force of conviction delivered

their testimony as to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus;

and great grace was upon them all.

004:034 And, in fact, there was not a needy man among them,

for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them,

and brought the money which they realised,

004:035 and gave it to the Apostles, and distribution was made to every

one according to his wants.

004:036 In this way Joseph, whom the Apostles gave the name of Bar-nabas—

signifying `Son of Encouragement'—a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

004:037 sold a farm which he had, and brought the money and gave it

to the Apostles.

005:001 There was a man of the name of Ananias who, with his wife Sapphira,

sold some property but,

005:002 with her full knowledge and consent, dishonestly kept back

part of the price which he received for it, though he brought

the rest and gave it to the Apostles.

005:003 "Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan taken possession of your heart,

that you should try to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly

keep back part of the price paid you for this land?

005:004 While it remained unsold, was not the land your own?

And when sold, was it not at your own disposal?

How is it that you have cherished this design in your heart?

It is not to men you have told this lie, but to God."

005:005 Upon hearing these words Ananias fell down dead, and all who

heard the words were awe-struck.

005:006 The younger men, however, rose, and wrapping the body up,

carried it out and buried it.

005:007 About three hours had passed, when his wife came in,

knowing nothing of what had happened.

005:008 Peter at once questioned her. "Tell me," he said, "whether you sold the land for so much." "Yes," she replied, "for so much."

005:009 "How was it," replied Peter, "that you two agreed to try an experiment upon the Spirit of the Lord? The men who have buried your husband are already at the door, and they will carry you out."

005:010 Instantly she fell down dead at his feet, and the young men came in and found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her by her husband's side.

005:011 This incident struck terror into the whole Church, and into the hearts of all who heard of it.

005:012 Many signs and marvels continued to be done among the people by the Apostles; and by common consent they all met in Solomon's Portico.

005:013 But none of the others dared to attach themselves to them.

Yet the people held them in high honour—

005:014 and more and more believers in the Lord joined them,

including great numbers both of men and women—

005:015 so that they would even bring out their sick friends into

the streets and lay them on light couches or mats, in order

that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall

on one or other of them.

005:016 The inhabitants, too, of the towns in the neighbourhood

of Jerusalem came in crowds, bringing sick persons and some

who were harassed by foul spirits, and they were cured,

one and all.

005:017 This roused the High Priest. He and all his party—the sect of the Sadducees—were filled with angry jealousy

005:018 and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail.

005:019 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison

doors and brought them out, and said,

005:020 "Go and stand in the Temple, and go on proclaiming to the people

all this Message of Life."

005:021 Having received that command they went into the Temple, just before daybreak, and began to teach: So when the High Priest and his party came, and had called together the Sanhedrin as well as all the Elders of the descendants of Israel, they sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles.

005:022 But the officers went and could not find them in the prison. So they came back and brought word,

005:023 saying, "The jail we found quite safely locked, and the warders

were on guard at the doors, but upon going in we found

no one there."

005:024 When the Commander of the Temple Guards and the High Priests heard

this statement, they were utterly at a loss with regard to it,

wondering what would happen next.

005:025 And some one came and brought them word, saying, "The men you

put in prison are actually in the Temple, standing there,

teaching the people."

005:026 Upon this the Commander went with the officers, and brought

the Apostles; but without using violence; for they were afraid

of being stoned by the people.

005:027 So they brought them and made them stand in front of the Sanhedrin.

And then the High Priest questioned them.

005:028 "We strictly forbad you to teach in that name—did we not?" he said. "And see, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and are trying to make us responsible for that man's death!"

005:029 Peter and the other Apostles replied, "We must obey God

rather than man.

005:030 The God of our forefathers has raised Jesus to life, whom you

crucified and put to death.

005:031 God has exalted Him to His right hand as Chief Leader and as Saviour,

to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

005:032 And we—and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him—

are witnesses as to these things."

005:033 Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed to

kill the Apostles.

005:034 But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes.

005:035 "Israelites," he said, "be careful what you are about to do in dealing with these men.

005:036 Years ago Theudas appeared, professing to be a person of importance,

and a body of men, some four hundred in number, joined him.

He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and annihilated.

005:037 After him, at the time of the Census, came Judas, the Galilaean,

and was the leader in a revolt. He too perished, and all

his followers were scattered.

005:038 And now I tell you to hold aloof from these men and leave

them alone—for if this scheme or work is of human origin,

it will come to nothing.

005:039 But if it is really from God, you will be powerless to put

them down—lest perhaps you find yourselves to be actually

fighting against God."

005:040 His advice carried conviction. So they called the Apostles in, and—

after flogging them—ordered them not to speak in the name

of Jesus, and then let them go.

005:041 They, therefore, left the Sanhedrin and went their way,

rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace

on behalf of the NAME.

005:042 But they did not desist from teaching every day,

in the Temple or in private houses, and telling the Good News

about Jesus, the Christ.

006:001 About this time, as the number of disciples was increasing, complaints were made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrews because their widows were habitually overlooked in the daily ministration.

006:002 So the Twelve called together the general body of the disciples

and said, "It does not seem fitting that we Apostles should

neglect the delivery of God's Message and minister at tables.

006:003 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among yourselves seven

men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom,

and we will appoint them to undertake this duty.

006:004 But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."

006:005 The suggestion met with general approval, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

006:006 These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after prayer, they laid their hands upon them.

006:007 Meanwhile God's Message continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem very greatly increased, and very many priests obeyed the faith.

006:008 And Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great marvels and signs among the people.

006:009 But some members of the so-called `Synagogue of the Freed-men,' together with some Cyrenaeans, Alexandrians, Cilicians and men from Roman Asia, were roused to encounter Stephen in debate.

006:010 They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom and

the Spirit with which he spoke.

006:011 Then they privately put forward men who declared, "We have heard

him speak blasphemous things against Moses and against God."

006:012 In this way they excited the people, the Elders, and the Scribes.

At length they came upon him, seized him with violence,

and took him before the Sanhedrin.

006:013 Here they brought forward false witnesses who declared,

"This fellow is incessantly speaking against the Holy Place

and the Law.

006:014 For we have heard him say that Jesus, the Nazarene, will pull

this place down to the ground and will change the customs

which Moses handed down to us."

006:015 At once the eyes of all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin

were fastened on him, and they saw his face looking just

like the face of an angel.

007:001 Then the High Priest asked him, "Are these statements true?"

007:002 The reply of Stephen was, "Sirs—brethren and fathers—listen to me. God Most Glorious appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was living in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,

007:003 and said to him, "`Leave your country and your relatives, and go into whatever land I point out to you.'

007:004 "Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till after the death of his father, when God caused him to remove into this country where you now live.

007:005 But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity after him— and promised this at a time when Abraham was childless.

007:006 And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four

hundred years make their home in a country not their own,

and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.

007:007 "`And the nation, whichever it is, that enslaves them,

I will judge,' said God; `and afterwards they shall come out,

and they shall worship Me in this place.'

007:008 "Then He gave him the Covenant of circumcision, and under this Covenant he became the father of Isaac—whom he circumcised on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve Patriarchs.

007:009 "The Patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him

007:010 and delivered him from all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him governor over Egypt and all the royal household.

007:011 But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan—

and great distress—so that our forefathers could find no food.

007:012 When, however, Jacob heard that there was wheat to be had,

he sent our forefathers into Egypt; that was the first time.

007:013 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers,

and Pharaoh was informed of Joseph's parentage.

007:014 Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his family,

numbering seventy-five persons, to come to him,

007:015 and Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and so

did our forefathers,

007:016 and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the tomb

which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem

for a sum of money paid in silver.

007:017 "But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise

which God had made to Abraham, the people became many times

more numerous in Egypt,

007:018 until there arose a foreign king over Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph.

007:019 He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and oppressed our forefathers, making them cast out their infants so that they might not be permitted to live.

007:020 At this time Moses was born—a wonderfully beautiful child;

and for three months he was cared for in his father's house.

007:021 At length he was cast out, but Pharaoh's daughter adopted him,

and brought him up as her own son.

007:022 So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and possessed great influence through his eloquence and his achievements.

007:023 "And when he was just forty years old, it occurred to him to visit his brethren the descendants of Israel.

007:024 Seeing one of them wrongfully treated he took his part, and secured justice for the ill-treated man by striking down the Egyptian.

007:025 He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was sending them deliverance; this, however, they did not understand.

007:026 The next day, also, he came and found two of them fighting, and he endeavoured to make peace between them. "`Sirs,' he said, `you are brothers. Why are you wronging one another?'

007:027 "But the man who was doing the wrong resented his interference, and asked, "`Who appointed you magistrate and judge over us?

007:028 Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'

007:029 "Alarmed at this question, Moses fled from the country and went

to live in the land of Midian. There he became the father

of two sons.

007:030 "But at the end of forty years there appeared to him in the Desert

of Mount Sinai an angel in the middle of a flame of fire

in a bush.

007:031 When Moses saw this he wondered at the sight; but on his going

up to look further, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying,

007:032 "`I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac,

and of Jacob.' "Quaking with fear Moses did not dare gaze.

007:033 "`Take off your shoes,' said the Lord, `for the spot on which you

are standing is holy ground.

007:034 I have seen, yes, I have seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. And now I will send you to Egypt.'

007:035 "The Moses whom they rejected, asking him, `Who appointed you magistrate and judge?'—that same Moses we find God sending as a magistrate and a deliverer by the help of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

007:036 This was he who brought them out, after performing marvels

and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and in the Desert

for forty years.

007:037 This is the Moses who said to the descendants of Israel, "`God

will raise up a Prophet for you, from among your brethren,

just as He raised me up.'

007:038 `This is he who was among the Congregation in the Desert, together with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our forefathers, who received ever-living utterances to hand on to us.

007:039 "Our forefathers, however, would not submit to him, but spurned his authority and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

007:040 They said to Aaron, "`Make gods for us, to march in front of us;

for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt,

we do not know what has become of him.'

007:041 "Moreover they made a calf at that time, and offered a sacrifice

to the idol and kept rejoicing in the gods which their own

hands had made.

007:042 So God turned from them and gave them up to the worship of the Host of Heaven, as it is written in the Book of the Prophets, "'Were they victims and sacrifices which you offered Me, forty years in the Desert, O House of Israel?

007:043 Yes, you lifted up Moloch's tent and the Star of the God Rephan—

the images which you made in order to worship them;

and I will remove you beyond Babylon.'

007:044 "Our forefathers had the Tent of the Testimony in the Desert,

built as He who spoke to Moses had instructed him to make it

in imitation of the model which he had seen.

007:045 That Tent was bequeathed to the next generation of our forefathers. Under Joshua they brought it with them when they were taking possession of the land of the Gentile nations, whom God drove out before them. So it continued till David's time.

007:046 David obtained favour with God, and asked leave to provide a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.

007:047 But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.

007:048 Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by men's hands. But, as the Prophet declares,

007:049 "`The sky is My throne, and earth is the footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what resting place shall I have?

007:050 Did not My hand form this universe.'

007:051 "O stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you also are continually at strife with the Holy Spirit— just as your forefathers were.

007:052 Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become—

007:053 you who received the Law given through angels, and yet have

not obeyed it."

007:054 As they listened to these words, they became infuriated

and gnashed their teeth at him.

007:055 But, full of the Holy Spirit and looking up to Heaven, Stephen saw

the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

007:056 "I can see Heaven wide open," he said, "and the Son of Man

standing at God's right hand."

007:057 Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears,

rushed upon Stephen in a body,

007:058 dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.

007:059 So they stoned Stephen, while he prayed, "Lord Jesus,

receive my spirit."

007:060 Then, rising on his knees, he cried aloud, "Lord, do not reckon

this sin against them." And with these words he fell asleep.

008:001 And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.

008:002 A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

008:003 But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into prison.

008:004 Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place

to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;

008:005 while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed

Christ there.

008:006 Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did.

008:007 For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health.

008:008 And there was great joy in that city.

008:009 Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human.

008:010 To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man

is the Power of God, known as the great Power."

008:011 His influence over them arose from their having been,

for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.

008:012 But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom

of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced

the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike.

008:013 Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained

in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement

at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed.

008:014 When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had

accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.

008:015 They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might

receive the Holy Spirit:

008:016 for He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. They had only

been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

008:017 Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they

received the Holy Spirit.

008:018 When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money.

008:019 "Give me too," he said, "that power, so that every one on whom

I place my hands will receive the Holy Spirit."

008:020 "Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you

have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money!

008:021 No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not

right in God's sight.

008:022 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, in the hope that the purpose which is in your heart may perhaps be forgiven you.

008:023 For I perceive that you have fallen into the bitterest

bondage of unrighteousness."

008:024 "Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me," answered Simon,

"that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

008:025 So the Apostles, after giving a solemn charge and delivering

the Lord's Message, travelled back to Jerusalem, making known

the Good News also in many of the Samaritan villages.

008:026 And an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and proceed

south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza,

crossing the Desert."

008:027 Upon this he rose and went. Now, as it happened, an Ethiopian eunuch who was in a position of high authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, as her treasurer, had visited Jerusalem to worship there,

008:028 and was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the Prophet Isaiah.

008:029 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and enter that chariot."

008:030 So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.

008:031 "Why, how can I," replied the eunuch, "unless some one explains

it to me?" And he earnestly invited Philip to come up

and sit with him.

008:032 The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

"Like a sheep He was led to slaughter, and just as a lamb

before its shearer is dumb so He opened not His mouth.

008:033 In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will make

known His posterity? For He is destroyed from among men."

008:034 "Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?" inquired the eunuch;

"of himself or of some one else?"

008:035 Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same

portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.

008:036 So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?"

008:037 []

008:038 So he stopped the chariot; and both of them—Philip and the eunuch— went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

008:039 But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of

the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again.

With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

008:040 but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town

after town he everywhere made known the Good News until

he reached Caesarea.

009:001 Now Saul, whose every breath was a threat of destruction for the disciples of the Lord,

009:002 went to the High Priest and begged from him letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that if he found any believers there, either men or women, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem.

009:003 But on the journey, as he was getting near Damascus,

suddenly there flashed round him a light from Heaven;

009:004 and falling to the ground he heard a voice which said to him,

"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

009:005 "Who art thou, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you

are persecuting," was the reply.

009:006 "But rise and go to the city, and you will be told what you

are to do.

009:007 Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing dumb

with amazement, hearing a sound, but seeing no one.

009:008 Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes, he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought him to Damascus.

009:009 And for two days he remained without sight, and did not eat or drink anything.

009:010 Now in Damascus there was a disciple of the name of Ananias.

The Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, "Ananias!" "I am

here, Lord," he answered.

009:011 "Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire

at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus,

for he is actually praying.

009:012 He has seen a man called Ananias come and lay his hands upon him so that he may recover his sight."

009:013 "Lord," answered Ananias, "I have heard about that man from many, and I have heard of the great mischief he has done to Thy people in Jerusalem;

009:014 and here he is authorized by the High Priests to arrest all who call upon Thy name."

009:015 "Go," replied the Lord; "he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name to the Gentiles and to kings and to the descendants of Israel.

009:016 For I will let him know the great sufferings which he must pass through for My sake."

009:017 So Ananias went and entered the house; and, laying his two hands upon Saul, said, "Saul, brother, the Lord—even Jesus who appeared to you on your journey—has sent me, that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

009:018 Instantly there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be scales,

and he could see once more. Upon this he rose and received baptism;

009:019 after which he took food and regained his strength.

Then he remained some little time with the disciples in Damascus.

009:020 And in the synagogues he began at once to proclaim Jesus

as the Son of God;

009:021 and his hearers were all amazed, and began to ask one another, "Is not this the man who in Jerusalem tried to exterminate those who called upon that Name, and came here on purpose to carry them off in chains to the High Priests?"

009:022 Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as for the Jews living in Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs that Jesus is the Christ.

009:023 At length the Jews plotted to kill Saul;

009:024 but information of their intention was given to him. They even watched the gates, day and night, in order to murder him;

009:025 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a hamper.

009:026 So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.

009:027 Barnabas, however, came to his assistance. He brought Saul to the Apostles, and related to them how, on his journey, he had seen the Lord, and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had fearlessly taught in the name of Jesus.

009:028 Henceforth Saul was one of them, going in and out of the city,

009:029 and speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord. And he often talked with the Hellenists and had discussions with them.

009:030 But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him by sea to Tarsus.

009:031 The Church, however, throughout the whole of Judaea, Galilee and Samaria, had peace and was spiritually built up; and grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and receiving encouragement from the Holy Spirit.

009:032 Now Peter, as he went to town after town, came down also to God's

people at Lud.

009:033 There he found a man of the name of Aeneas, who for eight

years had kept his bed, through being paralysed.

009:034 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you.

Rise and make your own bed." He at once rose to his feet.

009:035 And all the people of Lud and Sharon saw him; and they turned

to the Lord.

009:036 Among the disciples at Jaffa was a woman called Tabitha, or, as the name may be translated, `Dorcas.' Her life was wholly devoted to the good and charitable actions which she was constantly doing.

009:037 But, as it happened, just at that time she was taken ill and died. After washing her body they laid it out in a room upstairs.

009:038 Lud, however, being near Jaffa, the disciples, who had heard that Peter was at Lud, sent two men to him with an urgent request that he would come across to them without delay.

009:039 So Peter rose and went with them. On his arrival they took him upstairs, and the widow women all came and stood by his side, weeping and showing him the underclothing and cloaks and garments of all kinds which Dorcas used to make while she was still with them.

009:040 Peter, however, putting every one out of the room, knelt down and prayed, and then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, rise." Dorcas at once opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, sat up.

009:041 Then, giving her his hand, he raised her to her feet and, calling to him God's people and the widows, he / 7 gave her back to them alive.

009:042 This incident became known throughout Jaffa, and many believed

in the Lord;

009:043 and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa,

staying at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner.

010:001 Now a Captain of the Italian Regiment, named Cornelius,

was quartered at Caesarea.

010:002 He was religious and God-fearing—and so was every member

of his household. He was also liberal in his charities

to the people, and continually offered prayer to God.

010:003 About three o'clock one afternoon he had a vision,

and distinctly saw an angel of God enter his house, who called

him by name, saying, "Cornelius!"

010:004 Looking steadily at him, and being much alarmed, he said,

"What do you want, Sir?" "Your prayers and charities,"

he replied, "have gone up and have been recorded before God.

010:005 And now send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.

010:006 He is staying as a guest with Simon, a tanner, who has a house close to the sea."

010:007 So when the angel who had been speaking to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier who was in constant attendance on him,

010:008 and, after telling them everything, he sent them to Jaffa.

010:009 The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray.

010:010 He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance.

010:011 The sky had opened to his view, and what seemed to be an enormous sail was descending, being let down to the earth by ropes at the four corners.

010:012 In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles and birds,

010:013 and a voice came to him which said, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat."

010:014 "On no account, Lord," he replied; "for I have never yet eaten

anything unholy and impure."

010:015 Again a second time a voice was heard which said, "What God

has purified, you must not regard as unholy."

010:016 This was said three times, and immediately the sail was drawn

up out of sight.

010:017 While Peter was greatly perplexed as to the meaning of the vision which he had seen, just then the men sent by Cornelius, having by inquiry found out Simon's house,

010:018 had come to the door and had called the servant, and were asking,

"Is Simon, surnamed Peter, staying here?"

010:019 And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the vision,

when the Spirit said to him, "Three men are now inquiring for you.

010:020 Rise, go down, and go with them without any misgivings;

for it is I who have sent them to you."

010:021 So Peter went down and said to the men, "I am the Simon you

are inquiring for. What is the reason of your coming?"

010:022 Their reply was, "Cornelius, a Captain, an upright and God-fearing man, of whom the whole Jewish nation speaks well, has been divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and listen to what you have to say."

010:023 Upon hearing this, Peter invited them in, and gave them a lodging.

The next day he set out with them, some of the brethren

from Jaffa going with him,

010:024 and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius

was awaiting their arrival, and had invited all his relatives

and intimate friends to be present.

010:025 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him, and threw

himself at his feet to do him homage.

010:026 But Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said; "I myself

also am but a man."

010:027 So Peter went in and conversed with him, and found a

large company assembled.

010:028 He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean.

010:029 So for this reason, when sent for, I came without raising any objection. I therefore ask why you sent for me."

010:030 "Just at this hour, three days ago," replied Cornelius, "I was offering afternoon prayer in my house, when suddenly a man in shining raiment stood in front of me,

010:031 who said, "`Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been put on record before God.

010:032 Send therefore to Jaffa, and invite Simon, surnamed Peter, to come here. He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, close to the sea.'

010:033 "Immediately, therefore, I sent to you, and I thank you heartily for having come. That is why all of us are now assembled here in God's presence, to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to say."

010:034 Then Peter began to speak. "I clearly see," he said,

"that God makes no distinctions between one man and another;

010:035 but that in every nation those who fear Him and live good lives

are acceptable to Him.

010:036 The Message which He sent to the descendants of Israel, when He

announced the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ—He is

Lord of all—that Message you cannot but know;

010:037 the story, I mean, which has spread through the length and

breadth of Judaea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism

which John proclaimed.

010:038 It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that He went about everywhere doing acts of kindness, and curing all who were being continually oppressed by the Devil—for God was with Jesus.

010:039 "And we are witnesses as to all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. But they even put Him to death, by crucifixion.

010:040 That same Jesus God raised to life on the third day, and permitted Him to appear unmistakably,

010:041 not to all the people, but to witnesses—men previously chosen

by God—namely, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He

rose from the dead.

010:042 And He has commanded us to preach to the people and solemnly

declare that this is He who has been appointed by God to be

the Judge of the living and the dead.

010:043 To Him all the Prophets bear witness, and testify that through

His name all who believe in Him receive the forgiveness

of their sins."

010:044 While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message.

010:045 And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.

010:046 For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,

010:047 "Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to these persons

being baptized—men who have received the Holy Spirit just

as we did?"

010:048 And he directed that they should be baptized in the name

of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them

for a time.

011:001 Now the Apostles, and the brethren in various parts of Judaea,

heard that the Gentiles also had received God's Message;

011:002 and, when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the champions of

circumcision found fault with him.

011:003 "You went into the houses of men who are not Jews," they said,

"and you ate with them."

011:004 Peter, however, explained the whole matter to them

from the beginning.

011:005 "While I was in the town of Jaffa, offering prayer," he said, "in a trance I saw a vision. There descended what seemed to be an enormous sail, being let down from the sky by ropes at the four corners, and it came close to me.

011:006 Fixing my eyes on it, I examined it closely, and saw various kinds of quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.

011:007 I also heard a voice saying to me, "`Rise, Peter, kill and eat.'

011:008 "`On no account, Lord,' I replied, `for nothing unholy or impure

has ever gone into my mouth.'

011:009 "But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky,

"`What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.'

011:010 "This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up

again out of sight.

011:011 "Now at that very moment three men came to the house where we were,

having been sent from Caesarea to find me.

011:012 And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any misgivings. There also went with me these six brethren who are now present, and we reached the Centurion's house.

011:013 Then he described to us how he had seen the angel come and enter

his house and say, "`Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.

011:014 He will teach you truths by which you and all your family

will be saved.'"

011:015 "And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than

the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us

at the first.

011:016 Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say,

"`John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized

in the Holy Spirit.'

011:017 "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we

first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I

to be able to thwart God?"

011:018 This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolled

the goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentiles

also God has given the repentance which leads to Life."

011:019 Those, however, who had been driven in various directions by the persecution which broke out on account of Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message to none but Jews.

011:020 But some of them were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also and told them the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus.

011:021 The power of the Lord was with them, and there were a vast

number who believed and turned to the Lord.

011:022 When tidings of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,

they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

011:023 On getting there he was delighted to see the grace which God had bestowed; and he encouraged them all to remain, with fixed resolve, faithful to the Lord.

011:024 For he was a good man, and was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith; and the number of believers in the Lord greatly increased.

011:025 Then Barnabas paid a visit to Tarsus to try to find Saul.

011:026 He succeeded, and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole year they attended the meetings of the Church, and taught a large number of people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of `Christians.'

011:027 At that time certain Prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch,

011:028 one of whom, named Agabus, being instructed by the Spirit, publicly predicted the speedy coming of a great famine throughout the world. (It came in the reign of Claudius.)

011:029 So the disciples decided to send relief, every one in proportion

to his means, to the brethren living in Judaea.

011:030 This they did, forwarding their contributions to the Elders

by Barnabas and Saul.

012:001 Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members

of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;

012:002 and James, John's brother, he beheaded.

012:003 Finding that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also; these being the days of Unleavened Bread.

012:004 He had him arrested and lodged in jail, handing him over to the care of sixteen soldiers; and intended after the Passover to bring him out again to the people.

012:005 So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.

012:006 Now when Herod was on the point of taking him out of prison, that very night Peter was asleep between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards were on duty outside the door.

012:007 Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and, striking Peter on the side, he woke him and said, "Rise quickly." Instantly the chains dropped off his wrists.

012:008 "Fasten your girdle," said the angel, "and tie on your sandals."

He did so. Then the angel said, "Throw your cloak round you,

and follow me."

012:009 So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe

that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that

he saw a vision.

012:010 And passing through the first ward and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. This opened to them of itself; and, going out, they passed on through one of the streets, and then suddenly the angel left him.

012:011 Peter coming to himself said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord

has sent His angel and has rescued me from the power of Herod

and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."

012:012 So, after thinking things over, he went to the house of Mary,

the mother of John surnamed Mark, where a large number

of people were assembled, praying.

012:013 When he knocked at the wicket in the door, a maidservant named

Rhoda came to answer the knock;

012:014 and recognizing Peter's voice, for very joy she did not open

the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing there.

012:015 "You are mad," they said. But she strenuously maintained

that it was true. "It is his guardian angel," they said.

012:016 Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened the door

and saw that it was really he, and were filled with amazement.

012:017 But he motioned with his hand for silence, and then described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. "Tell all this to James and the brethren," he added. Then he left them, and went to another place.

012:018 When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers, as to what could possibly have become of Peter.

012:019 And when Herod had had him searched for and could not find him, after sharply questioning the guards he ordered them away to execution. He then went down from Judaea to Caesarea and remained there.

012:020 Now the people of Tyre and Sidon had incurred Herod's violent displeasure. So they sent a large deputation to wait on him; and having secured the good will of Blastus, his treasurer, they begged the king to be friendly with them again, because their country was dependent on his for its food supply.

012:021 So, on an appointed day, Herod, having arrayed himself in royal robes,

took his seat on the tribunal, and was haranguing them;

012:022 and the assembled people kept shouting, "It is the voice of a god,

and not of a man!"

012:023 Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not

given the glory to God, and being eaten up by worms, he died.

012:024 But God's Message prospered, and converts were multiplied.

012:025 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having discharged their mission, and they brought with them John, surnamed Mark.

013:001 Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there—as Prophets and teachers—barnabas, Symeon surnamed `the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother), and Saul.

013:002 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me, now at once, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them."

013:003 So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands,

they let them go.

013:004 They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit,

went down to Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.

013:005 Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God's Message

in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John

as their assistant.

013:006 When they had gone through the whole length of the island

as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician

and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,

013:007 who was a friend of the Proconsul Sergius Paulus.

The Proconsul was a man of keen intelligence. He sent

for Barnabas and Saul, and asked to be told God's Message.

013:008 But Elymas (or `the Magician,' for such is the meaning of the name)

opposed them, and tried to prevent the Proconsul from

accepting the faith.

013:009 Then Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with the

Holy Spirit, and, fixing his eyes on Elymas,

013:010 said, "You who are full of every kind of craftiness and

unscrupulous cunning—you son of the Devil and foe to all that

is right—will you never cease to misrepresent the straight

paths of the Lord?

013:011 The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you will be blind for a time

and unable to see the light of day." Instantly there fell

upon him a mist and a darkness, and, as he walked about,

he begged people to lead him by the hand.

013:012 Then the Proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, being struck with amazement at the teaching of the Lord.

013:013 From Paphos, Paul and his party put out to sea and sailed

to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and

returned to Jerusalem.

013:014 But they themselves, passing through from Perga, came to

Antioch in Pisidia. Here, on the Sabbath day, they went

into the synagogue and sat down.

013:015 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the Wardens

of the synagogue sent word to them. "Brethren," they said,

"if you have anything encouraging to say to the people, speak."

013:016 So Paul rose, and motioning with his hand for silence, said,

"Israelites, and you others who fear God, pay attention to me.

013:017 The God of this people of Israel chose our forefathers, and made the people great during their stay in Egypt, until with wondrous power He brought them out from that land.

013:018 For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a nurse, in the Desert.

013:019 Then, after overthrowing seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided that country among them as their inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years;

013:020 and afterwards He gave them judges down to the time of

the Prophet Samuel.

013:021 Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son

of Kish, a Benjamite, who reigned forty years.

013:022 After removing him, He raised up David to be their king, to whom He also bore witness when He said, "`I have found David the son of Jesse, a man I love, who will obey all My commands.'

013:023 "It is from among David's descendants that God, in fulfilment

of His promise, has raised up a Saviour for Israel, even Jesus.

013:024 Before the coming of Jesus, John had proclaimed to all the people

of Israel a baptism of repentance.

013:025 But John, towards the end of his career, repeatedly asked the people, "`What do you suppose me to be? I am not the Christ. But there is One coming after me whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten.'

013:026 "Brethren, descendants of the family of Abraham, and all among you who fear God, to us has this Message of salvation been sent.

013:027 For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, by the judgement they pronounced on Jesus, have actually fulfilled the predictions of the Prophets which are read Sabbath after Sabbath, through ignorance of those predictions and of Him.

013:028 Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence they urged Pilate to have Him put to death;

013:029 and when they had carried out everything which had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

013:030 "But God raised Him from the dead.

013:031 And, after a few days, He appeared to the people who had gone up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem and are now witnesses concerning Him to the Jews.

013:032 And we bring you the Good News about the promise made to our forefathers,

013:033 that God has amply fulfilled it to our children in raising up Jesus; as it is also written in the second Psalm, `Thou art My Son: to-day I have become Thy Father.'

013:034 And as to His having raised Him from among the dead, never again to be in the position of one soon to return to decay, He speaks thus: `I will give you the holy and trustworthy promises made to David.'

013:035 Because in another Psalm also He says, `Thou wilt not give up Thy Holy One to undergo decay.'

013:036 For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay.

013:037 But He whom God raised to life underwent no decay.

013:038 "Understand therefore, brethren, that through this Jesus

forgiveness of sins is announced to you;

013:039 and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences,

from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.

013:040 Beware, then, lest what is spoken in the Prophets should come

true of you:

013:041 `Behold, you despisers, be astonished and perish, because I am

carrying on a work in your time—a work which you will utterly

refuse to believe, though it be fully declared to you.'"

013:042 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people

earnestly begged to have all this repeated to them on

the following Sabbath.

013:043 And, when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and of the devout converts from heathenism continued with Paul and Barnabas, who talked to them and urged them to hold fast to the grace of God.

013:044 On the next Sabbath almost the whole population of the city

came together to hear the Lord's Message.

013:045 Seeing the crowds, the Jews, filled with angry jealousy,

opposed Paul's statements and abused him.

013:046 Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas said, "We were bound to proclaim God's Message to you first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the Life of the Ages—well, we turn to the Gentiles.

013:047 For such is the Lord's command to us. "`I have placed Thee,' He says of Christ, `as a light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'"

013:048 The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the Lord's Message; and all who were pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed.

013:049 So the Lord's Message spread through the whole district.

013:050 But the Jews influenced the gentlewomen of rank who worshipped with them, and also the leading men in the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district.

013:051 But they shook off the dust from their feet as a protest

against them and came to Iconium;

013:052 and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled

with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

014:001 At Iconium the Apostles went together to the Jewish synagogue and preached, with the result that a great number both of Jews and Greeks believed.

014:002 But the Jews who had refused obedience stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brethren.

014:003 Yet Paul and Barnabas remained there for a considerable time, speaking freely and relying on the Lord, while He bore witness to the Message of His grace by permitting signs and marvels to be done by them.

014:004 At length the people of the city split into parties, some siding

with the Jews and some with the Apostles.

014:005 And when a hostile movement was made by both Gentiles and Jews,

with the sanction of their magistrates, to maltreat and stone them,

014:006 the Apostles, having become aware of it, made their escape into the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe, and the neighbouring country.

014:007 And there they continued to tell the Good News.

014:008 Now a man who had no power in his feet used to sit in the streets of Lystra. He had been lame from his birth and had never walked.

014:009 After this man had listened to one of Paul's sermons, the Apostle, looking steadily at him and perceiving that he had faith to be cured,

014:010 said in a loud voice, "Stand upright upon your feet!"

014:011 So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, rent the air with their shouts in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have assumed human form and have come down to us."

014:012 They called Barnabas `Zeus,' and Paul, as being the principal speaker, `Hermes.'

014:013 And the priest of Zeus—the temple of Zeus being at the entrance to the city—brought bullocks and garlands to the gates, and in company with the crowd was intending to offer sacrifices to them.

014:014 But the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it; and tearing their clothes they rushed out into the middle of the crowd, exclaiming, "Sirs, why are you doing all this?

014:015 We also are but men, with natures kindred to your own; and we bring you the Good News that you are to turn from these unreal things, to worship the ever-living God, the Creator of earth and sky and sea and of everything that is in them.

014:016 In times gone by He allowed all the nations to go their own ways;

014:017 and yet by His beneficence He has not left His existence unattested— His beneficence, I mean, in sending you rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and joyfulness."

014:018 Even with words like these they had difficulty in preventing the thronging crowd from offering sacrifices to them.

014:019 But now a party of Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and,

having won over the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him

out of the town, believing him to be dead.

014:020 When, however, the disciples had collected round him,

he rose and went back into the town. The next day he went

with Barnabas to Derbe;

014:021 and, after proclaiming the Good News to the people there

and gaining a large number of converts, they retraced their

steps to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

014:022 Everywhere they strengthened the disciples by encouraging them to hold fast to the faith, and warned them saying, "It is through many afflictions that we must make our way into the Kingdom of God."

014:023 And in every Church, after prayer and fasting, they selected Elders by show of hands, and commended them to the Lord on whom their faith rested.

014:024 Then passing through Pisidia they came into Pamphylia;

014:025 and after telling the Message at Perga they came down to Attaleia.

014:026 Thence they sailed to Antioch, where they had previously been

commended to the grace of God in connexion with the work

which they had now completed.

014:027 Upon their arrival they called the Church together and proceeded

to report in detail all that God, working with them, had done,

and how He had opened for the Gentiles the door of faith.

014:028 And they remained a considerable time in Antioch with the disciples.

015:001 But certain persons who had come down from Judaea tried to convince the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved."

015:002 Between these new comers and Paul and Barnabas there was

no little disagreement and controversy, until at last it

was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some other brethren

should go up to consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem

on this matter.

015:003 So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance

by some other members of the Church; and as they passed

through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story

of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren

with great joy.

015:004 Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were cordially received by the Church, the Apostles, and the Elders; and they reported in detail all that God, working with them, had done.

015:005 But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees but were now believers, stood up in the assembly, and said, "Yes, Gentile believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered to keep the Law of Moses."

015:006 Then the Apostles and Elders met to consider the matter;

015:007 and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe.

015:008 And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour

by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;

015:009 and He made no difference between us and them, in that He

cleansed their hearts by their faith.

015:010 Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?

015:011 On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we, as well as they, shall be saved."

015:012 Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles through their instrumentality.

015:013 When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren,

listen to me.

015:014 Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the Gentiles

to take from among them a People to be called by His name.

015:015 And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says:

015:016 "`"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild David's fallen tent.

Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it up again;

015:017 In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord—

even all the nations which are called by My name,"

015:018 Says the Lord, who has been making these things known from

ages long past.'

015:019 "My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpected

annoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God.

015:020 Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain from

things polluted by connexion with idolatry, from fornication,

from meat killed by strangling, and from blood.

015:021 For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers

in every town, being read, as he is, Sabbath after Sabbath,

in the various synagogues."

015:022 Thereupon it was decided by the Apostles and Elders, with the approval of the whole Church, to choose suitable persons from among themselves and send them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas. Judas, called Bar-sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, were selected,

015:023 and they took with them the following letter: "The Apostles and the elder brethren send greeting to the Gentile brethren throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

015:024 As we have been informed that certain persons who have gone out from among us have disturbed you by their teaching and have unsettled your minds, without having received any such instructions from us;

015:025 we have unanimously decided to select certain men and send them

to you in company with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

015:026 who have endangered their very lives for the sake of our

Lord Jesus Christ.

015:027 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are themselves

bringing you the same message by word of mouth.

015:028 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay

upon you no burden heavier than these necessary requirements—

015:029 You must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear of these things, and it will be well with you. Farewell."

015:030 They, therefore, having been solemnly sent, came down to Antioch, where they called together the whole assembly and delivered the letter.

015:031 The people read it, and were delighted with the comfort it brought them.

015:032 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also Prophets, gave them a long and encouraging talk, and strengthened them in the faith.

015:033 After spending some time there they received an affectionate farewell from the brethren to return to those who had sent them.

015:034 []

015:035 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and,

in company with many others, telling the Good News of

the Lord's Message.

015:036 After a while Paul said to Barnabas, "Suppose we now revisit

the brethren in the various towns in which we have made known

the Lord's Message—to see whether they are prospering!"

015:037 Barnabas, however, was bent on taking with them John, whose other name was Mark,

015:038 while Paul deemed it undesirable to have as their companion

one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone

on with them to the work.

015:039 So there arose a serious disagreement between them, which resulted

in their parting from one another, Barnabas taking Mark

and setting sail for Cyprus.

015:040 But Paul chose Silas as his travelling companion; and set out, after being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord;

015:041 and he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the Churches.

016:001 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. At Lystra he found a disciple, Timothy by name—the son of a Christian Jewess, though he had a Greek father.

016:002 Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium,

016:003 and Paul desiring that he should accompany him on his journey,

took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in those parts,

for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

016:004 As they journeyed on from town to town, they handed to the brethren

for their observance the decisions which had been arrived

at by the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem.

016:005 So the Churches went on gaining a stronger faith and growing in numbers from day to day.

016:006 Then Paul and his companions passed through Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Message in the province of Asia.

016:007 When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they were about to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit this.

016:008 So, passing along Mysia, they came to Troas.

016:009 Here, one night, Paul saw a vision. There was a Macedonian who was standing, entreating him and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us."

016:010 So when he had seen the vision, we immediately looked out for an opportunity of passing on into Macedonia, confidently inferring that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to the people there.

016:011 Accordingly we put out to sea from Troas, and ran a straight course to Samothrace. The next day we came to Neapolis,

016:012 and thence to Philippi, which is a city in Macedonia,

the first in its district, a Roman colony. And there we

stayed some little time.

016:013 On the Sabbath we went beyond the city gate to the riverside,

where we had reason to believe that there was a place for prayer;

and sitting down we talked with the women who had come together.

016:014 Among our hearers was one named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods. She belonged to the city of Thyateira, and was a worshipper of the true God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she gave attention to what Paul was saying.

016:015 When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us,

saying, "If in your judgement I am a believer in the Lord,

come and stay at my house." And she made us go there.

016:016 One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave

girl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomed

to bring her owners large profits by telling fortunes.

016:017 She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of us,

crying aloud, "These men are the bondservants of the Most High God,

and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."

016:018 This she persisted in for a considerable time, until Paul, wearied out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out immediately.

016:019 But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them off to the magistrates in the public square.

016:020 Then they brought them before the praetors. "These men,"

they said, "are creating a great disturbance in our city.

016:021 They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as Romans,

are not permitted to adopt or practise."

016:022 The crowd, too, joined in the outcry against them, till at length

the praetors ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods;

016:023 and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail

and bade the jailer keep them safely.

016:024 He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the

inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.

016:025 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns

to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

016:026 when suddenly there was such a violent shock of earthquake

that the prison shook to its foundations. Instantly the doors

all flew open, and the chains fell off from every prisoner.

016:027 Starting up from sleep and seeing the doors of the jail wide open,

the jailer drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself,

supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

016:028 But Paul shouted loudly to him, saying, "Do yourself no injury:

we are all here.

016:029 Then, calling for lights, he sprang in and fell trembling

at the feet of Paul and Silas;

016:030 and, bringing them out of the prison, he exclaimed, "O sirs,

what must I do to be saved?"

016:031 "Believe on the Lord Jesus," they replied, "and both you

and your household will be saved."

016:032 And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to all

who were in his house.

016:033 Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their wounds,

and he and all his household were immediately baptized;

016:034 and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a meal for them, and was filled with gladness, with his whole household, his faith resting on God.

016:035 In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "Release those men."

016:036 So the jailer brought Paul word, saying, "The praetors have sent orders for you to be released. Now therefore you can go, and proceed on your way in peace."

016:037 But Paul said to them, "After cruelly beating us in public, without trial, Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us into prison, and are they now going to send us away privately? No, indeed! Let them come in person and fetch us out."

016:038 This answer the lictors took back to the praetors, who were alarmed

when they were told that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

016:039 Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing them out,

asked them to leave the city.

016:040 Then Paul and Silas, having come out of the prison, went to Lydia's house; and, after seeing the brethren and encouraging them, they left Philippi.

017:001 Then, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went to Thessalonica. Here there was a synagogue of the Jews.

017:002 Paul—following his usual custom—betook himself to it, and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

017:003 which he clearly explained, pointing out that it had been necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise again from the dead, and insisting, "The Jesus whom I am announcing to you is the Christ."

017:004 Some of the people were won over, and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, including many God-fearing Greeks and not a few gentlewomen of high rank.

017:005 But the jealousy of the Jews was aroused, and, calling to their aid some ill-conditioned and idle fellows, they got together a riotous mob and filled the city with uproar. They then attacked the house of Jason and searched for Paul and Silas, to bring them out before the assembly of people.

017:006 But, failing to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the other brethren before the magistrates of the city, loudly accusing them. "These men," they said, "who have raised a tumult throughout the Empire, have come here also.

017:007 Jason has received them into his house; and they all set Caesar's authority at defiance, declaring that there is another Emperor— one called Jesus."

017:008 Great was the excitement among the crowd, and among the magistrates

of the city, when they heard these charges.

017:009 They required Jason and the rest to find substantial bail,

and after that they let them go.

017:010 The brethren at once sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea,

and they, on their arrival, went to the synagogue of the Jews.

017:011 The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than those in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it was as Paul stated.

017:012 As the result many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the Greeks—gentlewomen of good position, and men.

017:013 As soon, however, as the Jews of Thessalonica learnt that God's Message had been proclaimed by Paul at Beroea, they came there also, and incited the mob to a riot.

017:014 Then the brethren promptly sent Paul down to the sea-coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.

017:015 Those who were caring for Paul's safety went with him as far as Athens, and then left him, taking a message from him to Silas and Timothy, asking them to join him as speedily as possible.

017:016 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred within him when he noticed that the city was full of idols.

017:017 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the other worshippers, and in the market place, day after day, with those whom he happened to meet.

017:018 A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him. Some of them asked, "What has this beggarly babbler to say?" "His business," said others, "seems to be to cry up some foreign gods." This was because he had been telling the Good News of Jesus and the Resurrection.

017:019 Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus, asking him,

"May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?

017:020 For the things you are saying sound strange to us.

We should therefore like to be told exactly what they mean."

017:021 (For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote

their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.)

017:022 So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus, spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are in every respect remarkably religious.

017:023 For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found also an altar bearing the inscription, `TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' "The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere, Him I now proclaim to you.

017:024 GOD who made the universe and everything in it—He, being Lord

of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries built by men.

017:025 Nor is He ministered to by human hands, as though He needed anything—

but He Himself gives to all men life and breath and all things.

017:026 He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race, for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries of their homes;

017:027 that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for Him and find Him. Yes, though He is not far from any one of us.

017:028 For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move

and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute

among yourselves have said, `For we are also His offspring.'

017:029 Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine

that His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything

sculptured by the art and inventive faculty of man.

017:030 Those times of ignorance God viewed with indulgence.

But now He commands all men everywhere to repent,

017:031 seeing that He has appointed a day on which, before long, He will judge the world in righteousness, through the instrumentality of a man whom He has pre-destined to this work, and has made the fact certain to every one by raising Him from the dead."

017:032 When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection of dead men, some began to scoff. But others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

017:033 So Paul went away from them.

017:034 A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed, among them being Dionysius a member of the Council, a gentlewoman named Damaris, and some others.

018:001 After this he left Athens and came to Corinth.

018:002 Here he found a Jew, a native of Pontus, of the name of Aquila. He and his wife Priscilla had recently come from Italy because of Claudius's edict expelling all the Jews from Rome. So Paul paid them a visit;

018:003 and because he was of the same trade—that of tent-maker—

he lodged with them and worked with them.

018:004 But, Sabbath after Sabbath, he preached in the synagogue

and tried to win over both Jews and Greeks.

018:005 Now at the time when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was preaching fervently and was solemnly telling the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

018:006 But upon their opposing him with abusive language, he shook his clothes by way of protest, and said to them, "Your ruin will be upon your own heads. I am not responsible: in future I will go among the Gentiles."

018:007 So he left the place and went to the house of a person

called Titius Justus, a worshipper of the true God.

His house was next door to the synagogue.

018:008 And Crispus, the Warden of the synagogue, believed in the Lord,

and so did all his household; and from time to time many of

the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and received baptism.

018:009 And, in a vision by night, the Lord said to Paul, "Dismiss

your fears: go on speaking, and do not give up.

018:010 I am with you, and no one shall attack you to injure you;

for I have very many people in this city."

018:011 So Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months,

teaching among them the Message of God.

018:012 But when Gallio became Proconsul of Greece, the Jews with one accord

made a dead set at Paul, and brought him before the court.

018:013 "This man," they said, "is inducing people to offer unlawful

worship to God."

018:014 But, when Paul was about to begin his defence, Gallio said

to the Jews, "If it had been some wrongful act or piece of

cunning knavery I might reasonably have listened to you Jews.

018:015 But since these are questions about words and names and your Law,

you yourselves must see to them. I refuse to be a judge

in such matters."

018:016 So he ordered them out of court.

018:017 Then the people all set upon Sosthenes, the Warden of the synagogue, and beat him severely in front of the court. Gallio did not concern himself in the least about this.

018:018 After remaining a considerable time longer in Corinth, Paul took leave of the brethren and set sail for Syria; and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had shaved his head at Cenchreae, because he was bound by a vow.

018:019 They put in at Ephesus, and there Paul left his companions behind. As for himself, he went to the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews.

018:020 When they asked him to remain longer he did not consent,

018:021 but took leave of them with the promise, "I will return to you,

God willing." So he set sail from Ephesus.

018:022 Landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and inquired after

the welfare of the Church, and then went down to Antioch.

018:023 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out on a tour,

visiting the whole of Galatia and Phrygia in order,

and strengthening all the disciples.

018:024 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native

of Alexandria, a man of great learning and well versed

in the Scriptures.

018:025 He had been instructed by word of mouth in the way of the Lord, and, being full of burning zeal, he used to speak and teach accurately the facts about Jesus, though he knew of no baptism but John's.

018:026 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Priscilla and Aquila, after hearing him, took him home and explained God's way to him more accurately.

018:027 Then, as he had made up his mind to cross over into Greece, the brethren wrote to the disciples in Corinth begging them to give him a kindly welcome. Upon his arrival he rendered valuable help to those who through grace had believed;

018:028 for he powerfully and in public overcame the Jews in argument, proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

019:001 During the stay of Apollos in Corinth, Paul, after passing

through the inland districts, came to Ephesus, where he found

a few disciples.

019:002 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?"

he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear

that there is a Holy Spirit."

019:003 "Into what then were you baptized?" he asked.

"Into John's baptism," they replied.

019:004 "John," he said, "administered a baptism of repentance, bidding the people believe on One who was to come after him; namely, on Jesus."

019:005 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;

019:006 and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.

019:007 They numbered in all about twelve men.

019:008 Afterwards he went into the synagogue. There for three months he continued to preach fearlessly, explaining in words which carried conviction the truths which concern the Kingdom of God.

019:009 But some grew obstinate in unbelief and spoke evil of the new faith before all the congregation. So Paul left them, and, taking with him those who were disciples, held discussions daily in Tyrannus's lecture-hall.

019:010 This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, heard the Lord's Message.

019:011 God also brought about extraordinary miracles through Paul's instrumentality.

019:012 Towels or aprons, for instance, which Paul had handled used to be

carried to the sick, and they recovered from their ailments,

or the evil spirits left them.

019:013 But there were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who undertook

to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had the evil spirits,

saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."

019:014 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew of high-priestly family,

who were doing this.

019:015 "Jesus I know," the evil spirit answered, "and Paul I have

heard of, but who are you?"

019:016 And the man in whom the evil spirit was sprang on two of them,

over-mastered them both, and treated them with such violence,

that they fled from the house stripped of their clothes and wounded.

019:017 All the people of Ephesus, Jews as well as Greeks, came to know

of this. There was widespread terror, and they began to hold

the name of the Lord Jesus in high honour.

019:018 Many also of those who believed came confessing without reserve what their conduct had been,

019:019 and not a few of those who had practised magical arts brought their books together and burnt them in the presence of all. The total value was reckoned and found to be 50,000 silver coins.

019:020 Thus mightily did the Lord's Message spread and triumph!

019:021 When matters had reached this point, Paul decided in his own mind to travel through Macedonia and Greece, and go to Jerusalem. "After that," he said, "I must also see Rome."

019:022 But he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia,

while he himself remained for a while in Roman Asia.

019:023 Now just at that time there arose no small commotion about

the new faith.

019:024 There was a certain Demetrius, a silversmith, who made miniature

silver sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great

gain to the mechanics in his employ.

019:025 He called his workmen together, and others who were engaged

in similar trades, and said to them, "You men well know

that our prosperity depends on this business of ours;

019:026 and you see and hear that, not in Ephesus only but throughout almost the whole province of Asia, this fellow Paul has led away a vast number of people by inducing them to believe that they are not gods at all that are made by men's hands.

019:027 There is danger, therefore, not only that this our trade will become of no account, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will fall into utter disrepute, and that before long she will be actually deposed from her majestic rank— she who is now worshipped by the whole province of Asia; nay, by the whole world."

019:028 After listening to this harangue, they became furiously angry and kept calling out, "Great is the Ephesian Diana!"

019:029 The riot and uproar spread through the whole city, till at last with one accord they rushed into the Theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were fellow travellers with Paul.

019:030 Then Paul would have liked to go in and address the people, but the disciples would not let him do so.

019:031 A few of the public officials, too, who were friendly to him,

sent repeated messages entreating him not to venture

into the Theatre.

019:032 The people, meanwhile, kept shouting, some one thing and

some another; for the assembly was all uproar and confusion,

and the greater part had no idea why they had come together.

019:033 Then some of the people crowded round Alexander, whom the Jews

had pushed forward; and Alexander, motioning with his hand

to get silence, was prepared to make a defence to the people.

019:034 No sooner, however, did they see that he was a Jew, than there arose

from them all one roar of shouting, lasting about two hours.

"Great is the Ephesian Diana," they said.

019:035 At length the Recorder quieted them down. "Men of Ephesus," he said, "who is there of all mankind that needs to be told that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

019:036 These facts, then, being unquestioned, it becomes you to maintain

your self-control and not act recklessly.

019:037 For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers

of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

019:038 If, however, Demetrius and the mechanics who support his contention have a grievance against any one, there are Assize-days and there are Proconsuls: let the persons interested accuse one another.

019:039 But if you desire anything further, it will have to be settled in the regular assembly.

019:040 For in connexion with to-day's proceedings there is danger of our being charged with attempted insurrection, there having been no real reason for this riot; nor shall we be able to justify the behaviour of this disorderly mob."

019:041 With these words he dismissed the assembly.

020:001 When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples;

and, after speaking words of encouragement to them, he took

his leave, and started for Macedonia.

020:002 Passing through those districts he encouraged the disciples

in frequent addresses, and then came into Greece, and spent

three months there.

020:003 The Jews having planned to waylay him whenever he might be

on the point of taking ship for Syria, he decided to travel

back by way of Macedonia.

020:004 He was accompanied as far as the province of Asia by Sopater the Beroean, the son of Pyrrhus; by the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; by Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and by the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.

020:005 These brethren had gone on and were waiting for us in the Troad.

020:006 But we ourselves sailed from Philippi after the days of

Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined them in the Troad,

where we remained for a week.

020:007 On the first day of the week, when we had met to break bread,

Paul, who was going away the next morning, was preaching to them,

and prolonged his discourse till midnight.

020:008 Now there were a good many lamps in the room upstairs where we all were,

020:009 and a youth of the name of Eutychus was sitting at the window. This lad, gradually sinking into deep sleep while Paul preached at unusual length, overcome at last by sleep, fell from the second floor and was taken up dead.

020:010 Paul, however, went down, threw himself upon him,

and folding him in his arms said, "Do not be alarmed;

his life is still in him."

020:011 Then he went upstairs again, broke bread, and took some food;

and after a long conversation which was continued till daybreak,

at last he parted from them.

020:012 They had taken the lad home alive, and were greatly comforted.

020:013 The rest of us had already gone on board a ship, and now we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for so he had arranged, he himself intending to go by land.

020:014 Accordingly, when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene.

020:015 Sailing from there, we arrived the next day off Chios.

On the next we touched at Samos; and on the day

following reached Miletus.

020:016 For Paul's plan was to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend much

time in the province of Asia; since he was very desirous of being

in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of the Harvest Festival.

020:017 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church to come to him.

020:018 Upon their arrival he said to them, "You Elders well know, from the first day of my setting foot in the province of Asia, the kind of life I lived among you the whole time,

020:019 serving the Lord in all humility, and with tears, and amid

trials which came upon me through the plotting of the Jews—

020:020 and that I never shrank from declaring to you anything that

was profitable, or from teaching you in public and in your homes,

020:021 and urging upon both Jews and Greeks the necessity of turning

to God and of believing in Jesus our Lord.

020:022 "And now, impelled by a sense of duty, I am on my way to Jerusalem,

not knowing what will happen to me there,

020:023 except that the Holy Spirit, at town after town, testifies to me

that imprisonment and suffering are awaiting me.

020:024 But even the sacrifice of my life I count as nothing, if only I may perfect my earthly course, and be faithful to the duty which the Lord Jesus has entrusted to me of proclaiming, as of supreme importance, the Good News of God's grace.

020:025 "And now, I know that none of you among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom will any longer see my face.

020:026 Therefore I protest to you to-day that I am not responsible for the ruin of any one of you.

020:027 For I have not shrunk from declaring to you God's whole truth.

020:028 "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has placed you to take the oversight for Him and act as shepherds to the Church of God, which He has bought with His own blood.

020:029 I know that, when I am gone, cruel wolves will come among you

and will not spare the flock;

020:030 and that from among your own selves men will rise up who will seek

with their perverse talk to draw away the disciples after them.

020:031 Therefore be on the alert; and remember that, night and day,

for three years, I never ceased admonishing every one,

even with tears.

020:032 "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace.

He is able to build you up and to give you your inheritance

among His people.

020:033 No one's silver or gold or clothing have I coveted.

020:034 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my own necessities and for the people with me.

020:035 In all things I have set you an example, showing you that, by working as I do, you ought to help the weak, and to bear in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, "`It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

020:036 Having spoken thus, Paul knelt down and prayed with them all;

020:037 and with loud lamentation they all threw their arms round his neck, and kissed him lovingly,

020:038 grieved above all things at his having told them that

after that day they were no longer to see his face.

And they went with him to the ship.

021:001 When, at last, we had torn ourselves away and had set sail,

we ran in a straight course to Cos; the next day to Rhodes,

and from there to Patara.

021:002 Finding a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and put to sea.

021:003 After sighting Cyprus and leaving that island on our left,

we continued our voyage to Syria and put in at Tyre;

for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

021:004 Having searched for the disciples and found them,

we stayed at Tyre for seven days; and, taught by the Spirit,

they repeatedly urged Paul not to proceed to Jerusalem.

021:005 When, however, our time was up, we left and went on our way,

all the disciples and their wives and children coming to see

us off. Then, after kneeling down on the beach and praying,

021:006 we took leave of one another; and we went on board, while they returned home.

021:007 As for us, our voyage was over when having sailed from Tyre

we reached Ptolemais. here we inquired after the welfare

of the brethren, and remained a day with them.

021:008 On the morrow we left Ptolemais and went on to Caesarea,

where we came to the house of Philip the Evangelist,

who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

021:009 Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses;

021:010 and during our somewhat lengthy stay a Prophet of the name of Agabus came down from Judaea.

021:011 When he arrived he took Paul's loincloth, and bound his own feet and arms with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the owner of this loincloth, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"

021:012 As soon as we heard these words, both we and the brethren at Caesarea entreated Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

021:013 His reply was, "What can you mean by thus breaking my heart with your grief? Why, as for me, I am ready not only to go to Jerusalem and be put in chains, but even to die there for the sake of the Lord Jesus."

021:014 So when he was not to be dissuaded, we ceased remonstrating

with him and said, "The Lord's will be done!"

021:015 A few days afterwards we loaded our baggage-cattle and continued

our journey to Jerusalem.

021:016 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also joined our party, and brought with them Mnason, a Cyprian, one of the early disciples, at whose house we were to lodge.

021:017 At length we reached Jerusalem, and there the brethren gave

us a hearty welcome.

021:018 On the following day we went with Paul to call on James,

and all the Elders of the Church came also.

021:019 After exchanging friendly greetings, Paul told in detail all that

God had done among the Gentiles through his instrumentality.

021:020 And they, when they had heard his statement, gave the glory to God.

Then they said, "You see, brother, how many tens of thousands

of Jews there are among those who have accepted the faith,

and they are all zealous upholders of the Law.

021:021 Now what they have been repeatedly told about you is that you

teach all the Jews among the Gentiles to abandon Moses,

and that you forbid them to circumcise their children

or observe old-established customs.

021:022 What then ought you to do? They are sure to hear that you

have come to Jerusalem;

021:023 so do this which we now tell you. We have four men here who

have a vow resting on them.

021:024 Associate with these men and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses so that they can shave their heads. Then everybody will know that there is no truth in these stories about you, but that in your own actions you yourself scrupulously obey the Law.

021:025 But as for the Gentiles who have accepted the faith, we have communicated to them our decision that they are carefully to abstain from anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood, from what is strangled, and from fornication."

021:026 So Paul associated with the men; and the next day, having purified himself with them, he went into the Temple, giving every one to understand that the days of their purification were finished, and there he remained until the sacrifice for each of them was offered.

021:027 But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from the province of Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple, set about rousing the fury of all the people against him.

021:028 They laid hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help! help! This is the man who goes everywhere preaching to everybody against the Jewish people and the Law and this place. And besides, he has even brought Gentiles into the Temple and has desecrated this holy place."

021:029 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with

him in the city, and imagined that Paul had brought him

into the Temple.)

021:030 The excitement spread through the whole city, and the people rushed

in crowds to the Temple, and there laid hold of Paul and began

to drag him out; and the Temple gates were immediately closed.

021:031 But while they were trying to kill Paul, word was taken up

to the Tribune in command of the battalion, that all Jerusalem

was in a ferment.

021:032 He instantly sent for a few soldiers and their officers,

and came down among the people with all speed. At the sight

of the Tribune and the troops they ceased beating Paul.

021:033 Then the Tribune, making his way to him, arrested him,

and, having ordered him to be secured with two chains,

proceeded to ask who he was and what he had been doing.

021:034 Some of the crowd shouted one accusation against Paul and some another, until, as the uproar made it impossible for the truth to be ascertained with certainty, the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

021:035 When Paul was going up the steps, he had to be carried

by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;

021:036 for the whole mass of the people pressed on in the rear,

shouting, "Away with him!"

021:037 When he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the Tribune, "May I speak to you?" "Do you know Greek?" the Tribune asked.

021:038 "Are you not the Egyptian who some years ago excited the riot of the 4,000 cut-throats, and led them out into the Desert?"

021:039 "I am a Jew," replied Paul, "belonging to Tarsus in Cilicia,

and am a citizen of no unimportant city. Give me leave,

I pray you, to speak to the people."

021:040 So with his permission Paul stood on the steps and motioned

with his hand to the people to be quiet; and when there was

perfect silence he addressed them in Hebrew.

022:001 "Brethren and fathers," he said, "listen to my defence which I

now make before you."

022:002 And on hearing him address them in Hebrew, they kept all

the more quiet; and he said,

022:003 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers, and, like all of you to-day, was zealous for God.

022:004 I persecuted to death this new faith, continually binding both men and women and throwing them into prison;

022:005 as the High Priest also and all the Elders can bear me witness. It was, too, from them that I received letters to the brethren in Damascus, and I was already on my way to Damascus, intending to bring those also who had fled there, in chains to Jerusalem, to be punished.

022:006 "But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus, about noon

a sudden blaze of light from Heaven shone round me.

022:007 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "`Saul, Saul,

why are you persecuting Me?'

022:008 "`Who art thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus,

the Nazarene,' He replied, `whom you are persecuting.'

022:009 "Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light,

did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.

022:010 And I asked, "`What am I to do, Lord?' "And the Lord said

to me, "`Rise, and go into Damascus. There you shall be told

of all that has been appointed for you to do.'

022:011 "And as I could not see because the light had been so dazzling,

those who were with me had to lead me by the arm, and so I

came to Damascus.

022:012 "And a certain Ananias, a pious man who obeyed the Law and bore a good character with all the Jews of the city,

022:013 came to me and standing at my side said, "`Brother Saul, recover your sight.' "I instantly regained my sight and looked up at him.

022:014 Then he said, `The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know

His will, and to see the righteous One and hear Him speak.

022:015 For you shall be a witness for Him, to all men, of what you

have seen and heard.

022:016 And now why delay? Rise, get yourself baptized, and wash off

your sins, calling upon His name.'

022:017 "After my return to Jerusalem, and while praying in the Temple, I fell

into a trance.

022:018 I saw Jesus, and He said to me, "`Make haste and leave

Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your

testimony about Me.'

022:019 "`Lord,' I replied, `they themselves well know how active I was

in imprisoning, and in flogging in synagogue after synagogue

those who believe in Thee;

022:020 and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness,

I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes

of those who were killing him.'

022:021 "`Go,' He replied; `I will send you as an Apostle to nations far away.'"

022:022 Until they heard this last statement the people listened to Paul, but now with a roar of disapproval they cried out, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He ought not to be allowed to live."

022:023 And when they continued their furious shouts, throwing their clothes into the air and flinging dust about,

022:024 the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks,

and be examined by flogging, in order to ascertain the reason

why they thus cried out against him.

022:025 But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said

to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog

a Roman citizen—and one too who is uncondemned?"

022:026 On hearing this question, the Captain went to report the matter

to the Tribune. "What are you intending to do?" he said.

"This man is a Roman citizen."

022:027 So the Tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you

a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

022:028 "I paid a large sum for my citizenship," said the Tribune.

"But I was born free," said Paul.

022:029 So the men who had been on the point of putting him under torture immediately left him. And the Tribune, too, was frightened when he learnt that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.

022:030 The next day, wishing to know exactly what charge was being brought against him by the Jews, the Tribune ordered his chains to be removed; and, having sent word to the High Priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble, he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.

023:001 Then Paul, fixing a steady gaze on the Sanhedrin, said, "Brethren, it is with a perfectly clear conscience that I have discharged my duties before God up to this day."

023:002 On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

023:003 "Before long," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me in accordance with the Law, and do you yourself actually break the Law by ordering me to be struck?"

023:004 "Do you rail at God's High Priest?" cried the men who stood by him.

023:005 "I did not know, brethren," replied Paul, "that he was the High Priest; for it is written, `Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of Thy people.'"

023:006 Noticing, however, that the Sanhedrin consisted partly of Sadducees and partly of Pharisees, he called out loudly among them, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. It is because of my hope of a resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial."

023:007 These words of his caused an angry dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly took different sides.

023:008 For the Sadducees maintain that there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge the existence of both.

023:009 So there arose a great uproar; and some of the Scribes

belonging to the sect of the Pharisees sprang to their feet

and fiercely contended, saying, "We find no harm in the man.

What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel——!"

023:010 But when the struggle was becoming violent, the Tribune,

fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by the people,

ordered the troops to go down and take him from among them

by force and bring him into the barracks.

023:011 The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul's side,

and said, "Be of good courage, for as you have borne faithful

witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear

witness in Rome."

023:012 Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and solemnly

swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.

023:013 There were more than forty of them who bound themselves

by this oath.

023:014 They went to the High Priests and Elders and said to them, "We have bound ourselves under a heavy curse to take no food till we have killed Paul.

023:015 Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make representations to the Tribune for him to bring him down to you, under the impression that you intend to inquire more minutely about him; and we are prepared to assassinate him before he comes near the place."

023:016 But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him.

So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;

023:017 and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this young

man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him."

023:018 So he took him and brought him to the Tribune, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me to him and begged me to bring this youth to you, because he has something to say to you."

023:019 Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of the hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to tell me?"

023:020 "The Jews," he replied, "have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin to-morrow for the purpose of making yourself more accurately acquainted with the case.

023:021 I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among them are lying in wait for him, who have solemnly vowed that they will neither eat nor drink till they have assassinated him; and even now they are ready, in anticipation of receiving that promise of you."

023:022 So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him. "Do not let any one know that you have given me this information," he said.

023:023 Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his orders. "Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to Caesarea, with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry, starting at nine o'clock to-night."

023:024 He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul on, so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor.

023:025 He also wrote a letter of which these were the contents:

023:026 "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor: all good wishes.

023:027 This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were on the point of killing him, when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, for I had been informed that he was a Roman citizen.

023:028 And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin,

023:029 and I discovered that the charge had to do with questions

of their Law, but that he was accused of nothing for which

he deserves death or imprisonment.

023:030 But now that I have received information of an intended attack

upon him, I immediately send him to you, directing his accusers

also to state before you the case they have against him."

023:031 So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul

and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.

023:032 The next day the infantry returned to the barracks,

leaving the cavalry to proceed with him;

023:033 and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter

to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.

023:034 Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what province he was;

and being told "from Cilicia,"

023:035 he said, "I will hear all you have to say, when your accusers

also have come." And he ordered him to be detained in custody

in Herod's Palace.

024:001 Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down to Caesarea

with a number of Elders and a pleader called Tertullus.

They stated to the Governor the case against Paul.

024:002 So Paul was sent for, and Tertullus began to impeach him as follows: "Indebted as we are," he said, "to you, most noble Felix, for the perfect peace which we enjoy, and for reforms which your wisdom has introduced to this nation,

024:003 in every instance and in every place we accept them

with profound gratitude.

024:004 But—not to detain you too long—I beg you in your forbearance

to listen to a brief statement from us.

024:005 For we have found this man Paul a source of mischief and a disturber of the peace among all the Jews throughout the Empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.

024:006 He even attempted to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.

024:007 []

024:008 You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to learn

the truth as to all this which we allege against him."

024:009 The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that

these were facts.

024:010 Then, at a sign from the Governor, Paul answered, "Knowing, Sir, that for many years you have administered justice to this nation, I cheerfully make my defence.

024:011 For you have it in your power to ascertain that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship in Jerusalem;

024:012 and that neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues, nor anywhere in the city, did they find me disputing with any opponent or collecting a crowd about me.

024:013 Nor can they prove the charges which they are now bringing against me.

024:014 But this I confess to you—that in the way which they style a heresy,

I worship the God of our forefathers, believing everything

that is taught in the Law or is written in the Prophets,

024:015 and having a hope directed towards God, which my accusers

themselves also entertain, that before long there will be

a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous.

024:016 This too is my own earnest endeavour—always to have a clear

conscience in relation to God and man.

024:017 "Now after an interval of several years I came to bring alms

to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.

024:018 While I was busy about these, they found me in the Temple purified, with no crowd around me and no uproar; but there were certain Jews from the province of Asia.

024:019 They ought to have been here before you, and to have been

my prosecutors, if they have any charge to bring against me.

024:020 Or let these men themselves say what misdemeanour they found

me guilty of when I stood before the Sanhedrin,

024:021 unless it was in that one expression which I made use of when I

shouted out as I stood among them, "`The resurrection of the dead

is the thing about which I am on my trial before you to-day.'"

024:022 At this point Felix, who was fairly well informed about the new faith,

adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When the Tribune Lysias

comes down, I will enter carefully into the matter."

024:023 And he gave orders to the Captain that Paul was to be kept

in custody, but be treated with indulgence, and that his personal

friends were not to be prevented from showing him kindness.

024:024 Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his wife,

a Jewess, and sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke

about faith in Christ Jesus.

024:025 But when he dealt with the subjects of justice, self-control, and the judgement which was soon to come, Felix became alarmed and said, "For the present leave me, and when I can find a convenient opportunity I will send for you."

024:026 At the same time he hoped that Paul would give him money;

and for this reason he sent for him the oftener to

converse with him.

024:027 But after the lapse of fully two years Felix was succeeded

by Porcius Festus; and being desirous of gratifying

the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.

025:001 Festus, having entered on his duties as governor of the province,

two days later went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

025:002 The High Priests and the leading men among the Jews immediately

made representations to him against Paul, and begged him—

025:003 asking it as a favour, to Paul's prejudice—to have him brought to Jerusalem. They were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

025:004 Festus, however, replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea, and that he was himself going there very soon.

025:005 "Therefore let those of you," he said, "who can come,

go down with me, and impeach the man, if there is anything

amiss in him."

025:006 After a stay of eight or ten days in Jerusalem—not more—

he went down to Caesarea; and the next day, taking his seat

on the tribunal, he ordered Paul to be brought in.

025:007 Upon Paul's arrival, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem

stood round him, and brought many grave charges against him

which they were unable to substantiate.

025:008 But, in reply, Paul said, "Neither against the Jewish Law,

nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed

any offence whatever."

025:009 Then Festus, being anxious to gratify the Jews, asked Paul, "Are you

willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there stand your trial

before me on these charges?"

025:010 "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal," replied Paul, "where alone I ought to be tried. The Jews have no real ground of complaint against me, as in fact you yourself are beginning to see more clearly.

025:011 If, however, I have done wrong and have committed any offence for which I deserve to die, I do not ask to be excused that penalty. But if there is no truth in what these men allege against me, no one has the right to give me up to them as a favour. I appeal to Caesar."

025:012 Then, after conferring with the Council, Festus replied,

"To Caesar you have appealed: to Caesar you shall go."

025:013 A short time after this, Agrippa the king and Bernice came

to Caesarea to pay a complimentary visit to Festus;

025:014 and, during their rather long stay, Festus laid Paul's case

before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix

left a prisoner,

025:015 about whom, when I went to Jerusalem, the High Priests

and the Elders of the Jews made representations to me,

begging that sentence might be pronounced against him.

025:016 My reply was that it is not the custom among the Romans to give up any one for punishment before the accused has had his accusers face to face, and has had an opportunity of defending himself against the charge which has been brought against him.

025:017 "When, therefore, a number of them came here, the next day I took my seat on the tribunal, without any loss of time, and ordered the man to be brought in.

025:018 But, when his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with the misdemeanours of which I had been suspecting him.

025:019 But they quarrelled with him about certain matters connected

with their own religion, and about one Jesus who had died, but—

so Paul persistently maintained—is now alive.

025:020 I was at a loss how to investigate such questions, and asked

Paul whether he would care to go to Jerusalem and there stand

his trial on these matters.

025:021 But when Paul appealed to have his case kept for the Emperor's

decision, I ordered him to be kept in prison until I could

send him up to Caesar."

025:022 "I should like to hear the man myself," said Agrippa.

"to-morrow," replied Festus, "you shall." Accordingly, the next day,

Agrippa and Bernice came in state

025:023 and took their seats in the Judgement Hall, attended by the Tribunes

and the men of high rank in the city; and, at the command

of Festus, Paul was brought in.

025:024 Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see here the man about whom the whole nation of the Jews made suit to me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

025:025 I could not discover that he had done anything for which he deserved to die; but as he has himself appealed to the Emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.

025:026 I have nothing very definite, however, to tell our Sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all— and especially before you, King Agrippa—that after he has been examined I may find something which I can put into writing.

025:027 For, when sending a prisoner to Rome, it seems to me to be absurd not to state the charges against him."

026:001 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak

about yourself." So Paul, with outstretched arm, proceeded to

make his defence.

026:002 "As regards all the accusations brought against me by the Jews,"

he said, "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being

about to defend myself to-day before you,

026:003 who are so familiar with all the customs and speculations

that prevail among the Jews; and for this reason, I pray you,

give me a patient hearing.

026:004 "The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards,

as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem,

is known to all the Jews.

026:005 For they all know me of old—if they would but testify to the fact—

how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion,

my life was that of a Pharisee.

026:006 And now I stand here impeached because of my hope in the fulfilment of the promise made by God to our forefathers—

026:007 the promise which our twelve tribes, worshipping day and night with intense devotedness, hope to have made good to them. It is on the subject of this hope, Sir, that I am accused by the Jews.

026:008 Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if God

raises the dead to life?

026:009 "I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things

in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

026:010 And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them.

026:011 In all the synagogues also I punished them many a time, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased them even to foreign towns.

026:012 "While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,

026:013 and on the journey, at noon, Sir, I saw a light from Heaven—

brighter than the brightness of the sun—shining around me

and around those who were travelling with me.

026:014 We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said to me

in Hebrew, "`Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You are

finding it painful to kick against the ox-goad.'

026:015 "`Who art Thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.

026:016 `But rise, and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you My servant and My witness both as to the things you have already seen and as to those in which I will appear to you.

026:017 I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes,

026:018 that they may turn from darkness to light and from the obedience to Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in Me.'

026:019 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;

026:020 but I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with such repentance.

026:021 "It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.

026:022 Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen,

026:023 since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

026:024 As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice,

"You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."

026:025 "I am not mad, most noble Festus," replied Paul; "I am speaking

words of sober truth.

026:026 For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters. I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.

026:027 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that

you believe them."

026:028 Agrippa answered, "In brief, you are doing your best to persuade

me to become a Christian."

026:029 "My prayer to God, whether briefly or at length," replied Paul, "would be that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day, might become such as I am—except these chains."

026:030 So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them;

026:031 and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and said, "This man is doing nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

026:032 And Agrippa said to Festus, "He might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar."

027:001 Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed over Paul and a few other prisoners into the custody of Julius, a Captain of the Augustan battalion;

027:002 and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica, forming one of our party.

027:003 The next day we put in at Sidon. There Julius treated Paul with thoughtful kindness and allowed him to visit his friends and profit by their generous care.

027:004 Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus,

because the winds were against us;

027:005 and, sailing the whole length of the sea that lies off Cilicia

and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

027:006 There Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy,

and put us on board of her.

027:007 It took several days of slow sailing for us to come with difficulty off Cnidus; from which point, as the wind did not allow us to get on in the direct course, we ran under the lee of Crete by Salmone.

027:008 Then, coasting along with difficulty, we reached a place called `Fair Havens,' near the town of Lasea.

027:009 Our voyage thus far had occupied a considerable time, and the

navigation being now unsafe and the Fast also already over,

Paul warned them.

027:010 "Sirs," he said, "I perceive that before long the voyage will

be attended with danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo

and the ship but to our own lives also."

027:011 But Julius let himself be persuaded by the pilot and by the owner rather than by Paul's arguments;

027:012 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in,

the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try

whether they could get to Phoenix—a harbour on the coast

of Crete facing north-east and south-east—to winter there.

027:013 And a light breeze from the south sprang up, so that

they supposed they were now sure of their purpose.

So weighing anchor they ran along the coast of Crete,

hugging the shore.

027:014 But it was not long before a furious north-east wind, coming down from the mountains, burst upon us and carried the ship out of her course.

027:015 She was unable to make headway against the gale; so we gave

up and let her drive.

027:016 Then we ran under the lee of a little island called Cauda,

where we managed with great difficulty to secure the boat;

027:017 and, after hoisting it on board, they used frapping-cables to undergird the ship, and, as they were afraid of being driven on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the gear and lay to.

027:018 But, as the storm was still violent, the next day they began

to lighten the ship;

027:019 and, on the third day, with their own hands they threw the ship's

spare gear overboard.

027:020 Then, when for several days neither sun nor stars were seen and the terrific gale still harassed us, the last ray of hope was now vanishing.

027:021 When for a long time they had taken but little food, Paul, standing up among them, said, "Sirs, you ought to have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete. You would then have escaped this suffering and loss.

027:022 But now take courage, for there will be no destruction of life

among you, but of the ship only.

027:023 For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the God

to whom I belong, and whom also I worship,

027:024 and he said, "`Dismiss all fear, Paul, for you must stand before Caesar; and God has granted you the lives of all who are sailing with you.'

027:025 "Therefore, Sirs, take courage; for I believe God, and am convinced that things will happen exactly as I have been told.

027:026 But we are to be stranded on a certain island."

027:027 It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Sea of Adria, when, about midnight, the sailors suspected that land was close at hand.

027:028 So they hove the lead and found twenty fathoms of water;

and after a short time they hove again and found fifteen fathoms.

027:029 Then for fear of possibly running on rocks, they threw out four

anchors from the stern and waited impatiently for daylight.

027:030 The sailors, however, wanted to make their escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow.

027:031 But Paul, addressing Julius and the soldiers, said, "Your lives

will be sacrificed, unless these men remain on board."

027:032 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship's boat and let

her fall off.

027:033 And continually, up till daybreak, Paul kept urging all on board to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been anxiously waiting for the storm to cease, and have fasted, eating little or nothing.

027:034 I therefore strongly advise you to take some food.

This is essential for your safety. For not a hair will perish

from the head of any one of you."

027:035 Having said this he took some bread, and, after giving thanks

to God for it before them all, he broke it in pieces and began

to eat it.

027:036 This raised the spirits of all, and they too took food.

027:037 There were 276 of us, crew and passengers, all told.

027:038 After eating a hearty meal they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard.

027:039 When daylight came, they tried in vain to recognise the coast.

But an inlet with a sandy beach attracted their attention,

and now their object was, if possible, to run the ship aground

in this inlet.

027:040 So they cut away the anchors and left them in the sea,

unloosing at the same time the bands which secured

the paddle-rudders. Then, hoisting the foresail to the wind,

they made for the beach.

027:041 But coming to a place where two seas met, they stranded the ship, and her bow sticking fast remained immovable, while the stern began to go to pieces under the heavy hammering of the sea.

027:042 Now the soldiers recommended that the prisoners should be killed, for fear some one of them might swim ashore and effect his escape.

027:043 But their Captain, bent on securing Paul's safety, kept them

from their purpose and gave orders that those who could swim

should first jump overboard and get to land;

027:044 and that the rest should follow, some on planks, and others

on various things from the ship. In this way they all got

safely to land.

028:001 Our lives having been thus preserved, we discovered that the island was called Malta.

028:002 The strange-speaking natives showed us remarkable kindness,

for they lighted a fire and made us all welcome because of

the pelting rain and the cold.

028:003 Now, when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and had thrown

them on the fire, a viper, driven by the heat, came out and

fastened itself on his hand.

028:004 When the natives saw the creature hanging to his hand, they said to one another, "Beyond doubt this man is a murderer, for, though saved from the sea, unerring Justice does not permit him to live."

028:005 He, however, shook the reptile off into the fire and was unhurt.

028:006 They expected him soon to swell with inflammation or suddenly

fall down dead; but, after waiting a long time and seeing

no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said

that he was a god.

028:007 Now in the same part of the island there were estates

belonging to the Governor, whose name was Publius.

He welcomed us to his house, and for three days generously

made us his guests.

028:008 It happened, however, that his father was lying ill of dysentery aggravated by attacks of fever; so Paul went to see him, and, after praying, laid his hands on him and cured him.

028:009 After this, all the other sick people in the island came

and were cured.

028:010 They also loaded us with honours, and when at last we sailed

they put supplies on board for us.

028:011 Three months passed before we set sail in an Alexandrian vessel,

called the `Twin Brothers,' which had wintered at the island.

028:012 At Syracuse we put in and stayed for two days.

028:013 From there we came round and reached Rhegium; and a day later, a south wind sprang up which brought us by the evening of the next day to Puteoli.

028:014 Here we found brethren, who invited us to remain with them for a week; and so we reached Rome.

028:015 Meanwhile the brethren there, hearing of our movements, came as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Huts to meet us; and when Paul saw them he thanked God and felt encouraged.

028:016 Upon our arrival in Rome, Paul received permission to live by himself, guarded by a soldier.

028:017 After one complete day he invited the leading men among the Jews to meet him; and, when they were come together, he said to them, "As for me, brethren, although I had done nothing prejudicial to our people or contrary to the customs of our forefathers, I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the power of the Romans.

028:018 They, after they had sharply questioned me, were willing to set

me at liberty, because they found no offence in me for which I

deserve to die.

028:019 But, at last, the opposition of the Jews compelled me to appeal

to Caesar; not however that I had any charge to bring

against my nation.

028:020 For these reasons, then, I have invited you here, that I

might see you and speak to you; for it is for the sake of Him

who is the hope of Israel that this chain hangs upon me."

028:021 "For our part," they replied, "we have not received any letters

from Judaea about you, nor have any of our countrymen come

here and reported or stated anything to your disadvantage.

028:022 But we should be glad to hear from you what it is that

you believe; for as for this sect all we know is that it

is everywhere spoken against."

028:023 So they arranged a day with him and came to him in considerable numbers at the house of the friends who were entertaining him. And then, with solemn earnestness, he explained to them the subject of the Kingdom of God, endeavouring from morning till evening to convince them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

028:024 Some were convinced; others refused to believe.

028:025 Unable to agree among themselves, they at last left him, but not before Paul had spoken a parting word to them, saying, "Right well did the Holy Spirit say to your forefathers through the Prophet Isaiah:

028:026 "`Go to this people and tell them, you will hear and hear, and by no means understand; and will look and look, and by no means see.

028:027 For this people's mind has grown callous, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might cure them.'

028:028 "Be fully assured, therefore, that this salvation—God's salvation— has now been sent to the Gentiles, and that they, at any rate, will give heed."

028:029 []

028:030 After this Paul lived for fully two years in a hired house

of his own, receiving all who came to see him.

028:031 He announced the coming of the Kingdom of God, and taught

concerning the Lord Jesus Christ without let or hindrance.

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