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 believedin 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 memberof his household. He was also liberal in his charitiesto 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 calledhim 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 eatenanything unholy and impure."
010:015 Again a second time a voice was heard which said, "What Godhas purified, you must not regard as unholy."
010:016 This was said three times, and immediately the sail was drawnup 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 youare 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 brethrenfrom Jaffa going with him,
010:024 and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Corneliuswas awaiting their arrival, and had invited all his relativesand intimate friends to be present.
010:025 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him, and threwhimself at his feet to do him homage.
010:026 But Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said; "I myselfalso am but a man."
010:027 So Peter went in and conversed with him, and found alarge 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 livesare acceptable to Him.
010:036 The Message which He sent to the descendants of Israel, when Heannounced the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ—He isLord of all—that Message you cannot but know;
010:037 the story, I mean, which has spread through the length andbreadth of Judaea, beginning in Galilee after the baptismwhich 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 chosenby God—namely, to us, who ate and drank with Him after Herose from the dead.
010:042 And He has commanded us to preach to the people and solemnlydeclare that this is He who has been appointed by God to bethe Judge of the living and the dead.
010:043 To Him all the Prophets bear witness, and testify that throughHis name all who believe in Him receive the forgivenessof 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 personsbeing baptized—men who have received the Holy Spirit justas we did?"
010:048 And he directed that they should be baptized in the nameof Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with themfor 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 ofcircumcision 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 themfrom 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 impurehas 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 upagain 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 enterhis house and say, "`Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.
011:014 He will teach you truths by which you and all your familywill be saved.'"
011:015 "And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak thanthe Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon usat the first.
011:016 Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say,"`John baptized with water, but you shall be baptizedin the Holy Spirit.'
011:017 "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when wefirst believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was Ito be able to thwart God?"
011:018 This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolledthe goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentilesalso 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 vastnumber 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 proportionto his means, to the brethren living in Judaea.
011:030 This they did, forwarding their contributions to the Eldersby Barnabas and Saul.
012:001 Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain membersof 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 believethat what the angel was doing was real, but supposed thathe 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 Lordhas sent His angel and has rescued me from the power of Herodand 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 numberof people were assembled, praying.
012:013 When he knocked at the wicket in the door, a maidservant namedRhoda came to answer the knock;
012:014 and recognizing Peter's voice, for very joy she did not openthe door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing there.
012:015 "You are mad," they said. But she strenuously maintainedthat it was true. "It is his guardian angel," they said.
012:016 Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened the doorand 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 notgiven 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 Messagein the synagogues of the Jews. And they had Johnas their assistant.
013:006 When they had gone through the whole length of the islandas far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magicianand 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 sentfor 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 fromaccepting the faith.
013:009 Then Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with theHoly Spirit, and, fixing his eyes on Elymas,
013:010 said, "You who are full of every kind of craftiness andunscrupulous cunning—you son of the Devil and foe to all thatis right—will you never cease to misrepresent the straightpaths of the Lord?
013:011 The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you will be blind for a timeand unable to see the light of day." Instantly there fellupon 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 sailedto Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them andreturned to Jerusalem.
013:014 But they themselves, passing through from Perga, came toAntioch in Pisidia. Here, on the Sabbath day, they wentinto the synagogue and sat down.
013:015 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the Wardensof 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 ofthe Prophet Samuel.
013:021 Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the sonof 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 fulfilmentof His promise, has raised up a Saviour for Israel, even Jesus.
013:024 Before the coming of Jesus, John had proclaimed to all the peopleof 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 Jesusforgiveness 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 cometrue of you:
013:041 `Behold, you despisers, be astonished and perish, because I amcarrying on a work in your time—a work which you will utterlyrefuse to believe, though it be fully declared to you.'"
013:042 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the peopleearnestly begged to have all this repeated to them onthe 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 citycame 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 protestagainst them and came to Iconium;
013:052 and as for the disciples, they were more and more filledwith 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 sidingwith 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 himout 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 wentwith Barnabas to Derbe;
014:021 and, after proclaiming the Good News to the people thereand gaining a large number of converts, they retraced theirsteps 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 beencommended to the grace of God in connexion with the workwhich they had now completed.
014:027 Upon their arrival they called the Church together and proceededto 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 wasno little disagreement and controversy, until at last itwas decided that Paul and Barnabas and some other brethrenshould go up to consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalemon this matter.
015:003 So they set out, being accompanied for a short distanceby some other members of the Church; and as they passedthrough Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole storyof the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethrenwith 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 favourby 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 Hecleansed 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 Gentilesto 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 fromages long past.'
015:019 "My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpectedannoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God.
015:020 Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain fromthings 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 preachersin 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 themto you in company with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,
015:026 who have endangered their very lives for the sake of ourLord Jesus Christ.
015:027 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are themselvesbringing you the same message by word of mouth.
015:028 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to layupon 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 ofthe Lord's Message.
015:036 After a while Paul said to Barnabas, "Suppose we now revisitthe brethren in the various towns in which we have made knownthe 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 companionone who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not goneon with them to the work.
015:039 So there arose a serious disagreement between them, which resultedin their parting from one another, Barnabas taking Markand 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 brethrenfor their observance the decisions which had been arrivedat 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 westayed 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 slavegirl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomedto 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 lengththe praetors ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods;
016:023 and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jailand bade the jailer keep them safely.
016:024 He, having received an order like that, lodged them in theinner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
016:025 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymnsto God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
016:026 when suddenly there was such a violent shock of earthquakethat the prison shook to its foundations. Instantly the doorsall 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 tremblingat 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 youand your household will be saved."
016:032 And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to allwho 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 alarmedwhen 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 magistratesof 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 devotetheir 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 Lordof 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 moveand have our being; as in fact some of the poets in reputeamong yourselves have said, `For we are also His offspring.'
017:029 Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imaginethat His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anythingsculptured 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 synagogueand 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 personcalled 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 ofthe Corinthians who heard Paul believed and received baptism.
018:009 And, in a vision by night, the Lord said to Paul, "Dismissyour 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 accordmade a dead set at Paul, and brought him before the court.
018:013 "This man," they said, "is inducing people to offer unlawfulworship to God."
018:014 But, when Paul was about to begin his defence, Gallio saidto the Jews, "If it had been some wrongful act or piece ofcunning 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 judgein 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 afterthe 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 nativeof Alexandria, a man of great learning and well versedin 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 passingthrough the inland districts, came to Ephesus, where he founda few disciples.
019:002 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?"he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hearthat 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.