1•1The first account [that] I made, O Theophilus, [was] about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, •2until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. •3To them also he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking about the kingdom of God. •4And while assembling¹ with [them] he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to keep waiting for the promise of the Father, which, [he said], "†you heard from me, •5because John indeed baptized² [in] water, but †you shall be baptized² in the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

•6Therefore when they had come together, they started questioning him, saying, "Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" •7And he said to them, "It is not for †you to know times or seasons which the Father has set by [his] own authority. •8But †you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on †you; and †you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the farthest part of the earth." •9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. •10And while they were looking intently into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, •11and they said, "Men of Galilee, why do †you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from †you into heaven, will come like this, in the [same] way as †you saw him go into heaven."

•12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath [day's] journey away. •13And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas [the son] of James. •14All these with one accord were continuing constantly in prayer,³ with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Acts 1

•15And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers⁴ (now the number of individuals⁵ in the group was about a hundred and twenty), and said, •16Men [and] brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. •17Because he was numbered among us, and obtained [his] portion in this ministry. •18(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of [his] unrighteousness; and falling facedown⁶ he burst open in the middle and all his internal organs poured out. •19And it became known to all who dwelt in Jerusalem, so that that field was called in their own language Hakeldamach,⁷ that is, Field of Blood.) •20For it is written in the book of Psalms,

and

•21Therefore [one] of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, •22beginning from the baptism¹⁰ of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these [men] has to become with us a witness to his resurrection." •23And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. •24And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all [men], show which one of these two you have chosen •25to take the place¹¹ in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to [his] own place." •26And they drew [chance] lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven¹² apostles.

2•1And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together in the group. •2And suddenly a sound came from heaven like a violent wind rushing along, and it filled the whole

Acts 2

house where they were sitting. •3And there appeared to them tongues as if of fire, dividing [among them]; and [a tongue] sat on each one of them. •4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other tongues, just as the Spirit was giving them to speak.

•5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,¹ devout men from every nation under heaven. •6And when this sound happened, the multitude came together, and they were confused, because each one was hearing them speaking in [his] own language. •7And they were astounded and marveled, saying,² "Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? •8And how are we each hearing in our own language in which we were born? •9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those who dwell in Mesopotamia, and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, •10and Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, •11Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our [own] tongues [about] the majestic works of God." •12And they were all astounded and puzzled, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" •13But others mocking were saying, "They are filled with sweet wine."

•14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and spoke out to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to †you, and give ear to my words. •15For these [men] are not drunk, as †you suppose, for it is [only] the third hour of the day; •16but this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

Acts 2

•22"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazorean, a man attested to †you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through him in †your midst, just as †you †yourselves know—•23this [Jesus], delivered up in accordance with the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, †you fastened [to the cross] and killed⁴ through the hands of lawless [men]. •24[But] God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. •25For David says regarding him,

•29"Men [and] brothers, I may say to †you with frankness about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. •30Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would seat [one] of his descendants⁶ on his throne, •31he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he⁷ was neither left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. •32This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. •33Therefore, having been exalted at the right [hand] of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which †you both see and hear. •34For David did not ascend into the heavens; but he himself says,

•36Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom †you crucified."
_______________
³Joel 2:28-32
⁴Other ancient manuscripts add taking [him]
⁵Ps. 16:8-11
⁶Lit., fruit of his abdomen; other ancient manuscripts read he would raise up the Christ to seat [one] of his descendants according to the flesh
⁷Other ancient manuscripts read his soul
⁸Ps. 110:1

Acts 2

•37Now when they heard [this] they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of⁹ the apostles, "Men [and] brothers, what should we do?" •38And Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of †you must be baptized¹⁰ on the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of †your sins, and †you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. •39For the promise is to †you and to †your children and to all those who are far off, as many as the Lord our God may call." •40And with many other words he testified and was exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation." •41Then those who accepted his word were baptized,¹⁰ and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.

•42And they were continuing constantly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. •43And fear was coming on every soul; and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.¹¹ •44And all who believed were in the group and¹² were having all things in common; •45and they were selling [their] possessions and belongings and dividing them among all, as anyone had need. •46And every day, continuing constantly with one accord in the temple [courtyard] and breaking bread in various houses, they were sharing food with great joy and simplicity of heart, •47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding¹³ to [their] group every day those who were being saved.

3•1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple [complex] at the hour of prayer, the ninth [hour]. •2And a certain man who had been crippled from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they used to lay daily at the temple [complex's] door which is called Beautiful to ask for charity from those entering into the temple [complex]. •3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he started asking to receive charity. •4And Peter looked intently at him, with John, and said, "Look at us." •5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. •6But Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, this I give to you; in the

Acts 3

name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and start walking!" •7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and instantly his feet and ankles were made strong. •8And jumping up he stood and started walking and entered into the temple [courtyard] with them, walking and jumping and praising God. •9And all the people saw him walking and praising God, •10and started recognizing him, that he was the one who sat [asking] for charity at the Beautiful Gate of the temple [complex]; and they were filled with amazement and surprise at what had happened to him.

•11And as he¹ was holding on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the colonnade called Solomon's, greatly amazed. •12And when Peter saw [it] he responded to the people, "Men of Israel, why are †you marveling at this, or why are †you looking intently at us, as though by [our] own power or reverence we had made him walk? •13The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob,² the God of our fathers, glorified his servant³ Jesus, whom †you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release [him]. •14But †you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a man who was a murderer to be granted to †you, •15and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead. Of this we are witnesses. •16And his name, on the basis of faith in his name, has made this man strong whom †you see and know; and the faith which is through Jesus⁴ has given [this] man this perfect health in the presence of †you all.

•17"And now, brothers, I know that †you acted in ignorance, as [did] also †your rulers. •18But what God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ was to suffer, he fulfilled like this. •19Repent therefore, and turn again, in order for †your sins to be blotted out, so that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, •20and that he may send the Christ appointed for †you, [that is], Jesus, •21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from an age [long ago].⁵ •22Moses said,⁶ 'The Lord †your God will raise up for †you a prophet from †your brothers like me.⁷ †You shall listen to him in all that he speaks to †you. •23And it shall be [that] every soul that does not listen to

Acts 3

that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.'⁸ •24And indeed all the prophets, from Samuel and those who came after him, as many as have spoken, also proclaimed these days. •25†You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God issued to †your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'⁹ •26God, having raised up his Servant,¹⁰ sent him to †you first, to bless †you in turning away each [of †you] from †your wickedness."

4•1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests¹ and the captain of the temple [complex] and the Sadducees came upon them, •2irritated because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. •3And they laid hands on them and put [them] in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. •4But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

•5Now it happened on the next day that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, •6with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John² and Alexander, and as many as were of high-priestly descent. •7And when they had set them in the midst, they started inquiring, "By what power or by what name did †you do this?" •8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,³ •9if we are being examined today on the basis of a good deed done to a lame [man], by what means he has been made well, •10let it be known to †you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, whom †you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this [man] is standing before †you healthy.⁴ •11This is the stone which was scorned by †you builders, but which has become the head of the corner.⁵ •12And there is salvation in no one else,⁶ for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we have to be saved."

Acts 4

•13Now when they observed the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they started marveling; and [then] they started recognizing them, that they had been with Jesus. •14And seeing the man who had been cured standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. •15But when they had commanded them to go outside the council,⁷ they started conferring with one another, •16saying, "What should we do with these men? For that indeed a notable sign has been done through them [is] apparent to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny [it]. •17But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us threaten them to speak no more to any man in this name." •18And [so] they called them and commanded them not to speak out nor teach at all in the name of Jesus. •19But Peter and John answered by saying to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to †you rather than to God, †you must judge; •20for we cannot keep from speaking [about] the things which we have seen and heard." •21And when they had further threatened them, they released them, finding no way how they might punish them, because of the people; because all [the people] were glorifying God on account of what had been done. •22For the man on whom this sign of healing had been done was more than forty years old.

•23When they were released they went to [their] own [companions] and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. •24And when they heard [it], they raised their voice to God with one accord and said, "[O] Master, you [are] the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, •25who by the mouth of our father David, your servant,⁸ did say through the Holy Spirit,⁹

•27For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant⁸ Jesus, whom you
_______________
⁷Greek Sanhedrin
⁸Lit., boy
⁹Other ancient manuscripts omit our father; some also omit the Holy Spirit and read through the mouth of David, your servant, did say
¹⁰Ps. 2:1-2

Acts 4

anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, •28to do whatever your hand and your intention had predestined to happen. •29And now, Lord, look on their threats, and give your slaves [the courage] to keep speaking your word with all boldness, •30while you are stretching out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are being done through the name of your holy servant⁸ Jesus." •31And when they had implored [God], the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and started speaking the word of God with boldness.

•32Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] was saying that any of the things belonging to him was [his] own, but they had all things in common. •33And with great power the apostles were giving [their] testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,¹¹ and great grace was on them all. •34For neither was there anyone needy among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses were selling [them], and bringing the proceeds of what was sold •35and laying [it] at the apostles' feet; and it was being distributed to each as anyone had need. •36And Joseph who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas (which means, when translated, Son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, •37sold a field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid [it] at the apostles' feet.

5•1But a certain man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, •2and he kept back [part] of the proceeds with his wife's knowledge, and brought a certain part and laid [it] at the apostles' feet. •3But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart for you to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back [part] of the proceeds of the land? •4While it remained [unsold], did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, was it [not] at your disposal? Why have you contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." •5And when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came on all who heard [of it]. •6And the young men rose and wrapped him up and carried [him] out and buried [him].

Acts 5

•7Now an interval of about three hours passed and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. •8And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether †you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." •9But Peter [said] to her, "Why did †you agree together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband [are] at the door, and they will carry you out." •10And instantly she fell down at his feet and expired. And when the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried [her] out and buried [her] beside her husband. •11And great fear came on the whole church, and on all who heard of these things.

•12Now many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Colonnade. •13Now none of the rest dared to join them, but the people were holding them in high esteem. •14And more [than ever] believers were being added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, •15so that they were even carrying out the sick into the streets, and laying [them] on cots and pallets, that as Peter came by at least [his] shadow might fall on some of them. •16And a multitude was also coming together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were being troubled by unclean spirits, and they were all being cured.

•17But the high priest rose up and all those who were with him, that is, the sect of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy •18they laid hands on the apostles and put them in public custody. •19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the jail doors and brought them out and said, •20"Go and stand in the temple [courtyard] and start speaking to the people all the words of this Life." •21And when they heard [this], they entered into the temple [courtyard] about daybreak and started teaching.

Now the high priest came and those who were with him and called together the council¹ and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. •22But when the officers came, they did not find them in the jail, and they returned and reported, •23saying, "We found the prison locked in all security and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened [it] we found no one inside." •24Now when² the captain of the temple [complex] and the chief priests heard these words, they were puzzled about them, [as to] what would come of this. •25And someone

Acts 5

came and told them, "Behold, the men whom †you put in jail are standing in the temple [courtyard] and teaching the people." •26Then the captain went with the officers and brought them, [but] without violence, for they were afraid of the people, lest they should be stoned [by them].

•27And when they had brought them, they set [them] before the council.¹ And the high priest questioned them, •28saying, "Did we not strictly command †you not to be teaching in this name?³ And behold, †you have filled Jerusalem with †your teaching and †you intend to bring this man's blood on us." •29But Peter and the apostles answered by saying, "It is necessary to obey God rather than men. •30The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom †you killed by hanging [him] on a tree. •31God exalted him at his right [hand as] Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. •32And we are witnesses⁴ to these things, and [so is] the Holy Spirit whom God has given⁵ to those who obey him."

•33Now when they heard [this] they were cut [to the heart] and wanted to kill them. •34But a certain Pharisee in the council¹ named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, stood up and commanded to put the men⁶ outside a little while. •35And he said to them, "Men of Israel, †you take care what †you are about to do with these men. •36For before these days Theudas arose, claiming himself to be somebody, [and] a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed and all who were obeying him were disbanded and came to nothing. •37After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the registration and drew away [some of the] people after him; he also perished, and all who were obeying him were scattered. •38And now, I say to †you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this intention or this work is of men, it will be destroyed; •39but if it is of God, †you will not be able to destroy them. [So do this] lest †you might even be found fighting against God!"

•40And [so] they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat [them] and commanded [them] not to be speaking in the name of Jesus, and released [them]. •41Then they went away from the presence of the council,¹ rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer

Acts 5

6•1Now in these days when the disciples were multiplying [in number], there arose grumbling among the Hellenists¹ against the Hebrews² because their widows were being neglected in the daily ministry [of distribution]. •2And the twelve called for the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not fitting that we should leave aside the word of God to be serving tables. •3Now,³ brothers, look for seven men from among †you who are well spoken of, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this need. •4But we will continue constantly in prayer and in the ministry of the word." •5And the saying was pleasing before all the multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. •6These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid [their] hands on them.

•7And the word of God was growing; and the number of the disciples was being multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a large crowd of the priests were being obedient to the faith.

•8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. •9And some of those from the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and debated with Stephen. •10But they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. •11Then they secretly instigated men who said, "We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God." •12And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came on [him] and seized him and brought [him] to the council,⁴ •13and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases speaking words against this holy place and the law; •14for we have heard him saying that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place, and will change the customs

Acts 6

which Moses delivered to us." •15And looking intently at him, all who sat in the council⁴ saw [that] his face [was] like the face of an angel.

7•1And the high priest said, "Is this so?" •2And [Stephen] said: "Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, •3and said to him, 'Depart from your land and your relations and go into the land which I will show you.'¹ •4Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Haran. And after his father died, [God] removed him from there into this land in which †you are now dwelling. •5And [yet] he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him,² though he had no child. •6And God spoke like this, that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, and [those people] would enslave them and ill-treat [them] four hundred years. •7'And the nation to which they are enslaved I will judge,' said God, 'and after that they shall come out and serve me in this place.³ •8And he gave them the covenant of circumcision. And so [Abraham] became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac [became the father of] Jacob, and Jacob [of] the twelve patriarchs.

•9"And the patriarchs, being jealous of Joseph, sold [him] into Egypt; but God was with him, •10and rescued him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he appointed him governor over Egypt and all his household. •11Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. •12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first [time]. •13And at the second [visit] Joseph again made [himself] known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. •14And Joseph sent and called to [him] Jacob his father and all [his] relations, seventy-five souls. •15And Jacob went down into Egypt. And he died, he and our fathers, •16and they were taken back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

Acts 7

•17"But as the time of the promise was nearing, which God had made to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt •18until there arose over Egypt⁴ another king, who had not known Joseph. •19He dealt craftily with our race and ill-treated our fathers by making [them] expose their babies, in order that they might not be kept alive. •20At this time Moses was born, and was beautiful before God. He was brought up for three months in [his] father's house; •21and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter picked him up and brought him up as her [own] son. •22And Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in his words and works.

•23"Now when he was forty years old, it came to his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. •24And seeing one [of them] being wronged, he defended [him] and avenged [that] oppressed [man] by striking down the Egyptian. •25Now he was supposing that the brothers would comprehend that God was giving them salvation through his hand, but they did not comprehend. •26And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting and tried reconciling them to peace, saying, 'Men, †you are brothers, why are †you wronging one another?' •27But the one who was wronging his neighbor pushed him aside, saying, 'Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? •28You do not wish to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, [do you]?'⁵ •29And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

•30"Now when forty years had passed, an angel⁶ appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. •31And when Moses saw [it] he started marveling at the sight; and as he went close to look, the voice of the Lord came, •32'I [am] the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.'⁷ And Moses trembled and would not dare to look. •33And the Lord said to him, 'Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. •34I have surely seen the ill-treatment of my people that are in Egypt and heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.'⁸

•35"This Moses whom they refused, saying, 'Who appointed you a ruler and a judge?'⁵—him God sent [as] both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.

Acts 7

•36He led them out, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. •37This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'God⁹ will raise up for †you a prophet from †your brothers like me.'¹⁰ •38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and [with] our fathers; and he received living oracles to give to us. •39Our fathers were not willing to be obedient to him, but pushed [him] aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, •40saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods which will go before us; for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'¹¹ •41And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and started being merry in the works of their hands. •42But God turned and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets:

•44"Our fathers had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, just as the One who spoke to Moses ordered him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. •45Also our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua in the possessing of [the land of] the nations which God thrust out from the presence of our fathers. [So it was] until the days of David, •46who found favor in the sight of God and asked [permission] to find a dwelling place for the house¹⁴ of Jacob. •47But [it was] Solomon [who] built a house for him. •48Yet the Most High does not dwell in [houses] made with hands; just as the prophet says,

Acts 7

•51"[†You people who are] stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, †you always resist the Holy Spirit. As †your fathers [did], so [do] †you. •52Which of the prophets did †your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who proclaimed beforehand about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom †you have now become the betrayers and murderers, •53[†you] who received the law as enacted through angels and did not observe [it]."

•54Now as they heard these things they were being cut to their hearts, and they started gnashing [their] teeth at him. •55But being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right [hand] of God; •56and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right [hand] of God." •57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped up their ears and rushed on him with one accord. •58And they threw [him] outside the city and started stoning [him]. And the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man called Saul. •59And they stoned Stephen as he called on [God] and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." •60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 8•1And Saul was consenting to his killing.

And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. •2And devout men buried Stephen, and made great mourning over him. •3But Saul started trying to destroy the church; entering the various houses and dragging off both men and women, he was putting [them] in jail.

•4Then those who were dispersed went about proclaiming the good news of the word. •5Now Philip went down to the city¹ of Samaria, and started preaching the Christ to them. •6And the crowds with one accord started paying attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard [him] and saw the signs which he was doing. •7For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, were

Acts 8

coming out of many who had [them]; and many who were paralyzed and crippled were cured. •8And there was much joy in that city.

•9But there was a certain man named Simon who had been previously practicing magic in the city and astounding the nation of Samaria, claiming himself to be somebody great. •10They all were paying attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This [man] is the power of God which is called Great."² •11And they were paying attention to him, because for a considerable time he had astounded them with his magic. •12But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the gospel about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized,³ both men and women. •13Now even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized³ was continuing constantly with Philip. And observing signs and great miracles being done, he was astounded.

•14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, •15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; •16for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized³ into the name of the Lord Jesus. •17Then they started laying [their] hands on them and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. •18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit⁴ was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, •19saying, "Give me also this authority, so that whomever I lay [my] hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." •20But Peter said to him, "May your silver go to destruction with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God with money! •21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. •22Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and implore the Lord whether perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. •23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of unrighteousness." •24And Simon answered by saying, "†You implore the Lord for me, that nothing of what †you have said may come on me."

•25Then when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started returning to Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Acts 8

•26But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Rise and go toward the south⁵ to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desolate [road]. •27And he rose and went. And behold, a man who was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship. •28And he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. •29And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go close and join this chariot." •30And Philip ran to [him], and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you really understand what you are reading?" •31And he said, "Why, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he appealed to Philip to come up and sit with him. •32Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this:

•34And the eunuch answered Philip by saying, "I implore you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about some other [person]?" •35And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture he proclaimed to him the gospel [about] Jesus. •36And as they were going along the road they came on some water, and the eunuch said,* "See, [here is] water! What prevents me from being baptized?"^3,7 •38And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized³ him. •39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch did not see him any more, for he kept going on his way rejoicing. •40But Philip was found at Azotus, and as he went through, he was proclaiming the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
_______________
³Greek baptizō means immerse
⁵Or, at noon
⁶Is. 53:7-8
⁷Other ancient manuscripts add all or most of verse 37, •37And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." And he answered by saying, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Acts 9

9•1But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest •2and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring [them] bound to Jerusalem. •3Now as he was journeying it happened [that] he was nearing Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. •4And he fell on the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,¹ Saul,¹ why are you persecuting me?" •5And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; •6but rise and enter into the city, and it will be told you what you have to start doing." •7And the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. •8And Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing;² and they led him by the hand and brought [him] into Damascus. •9And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

•10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Behold, [here] I [am], Lord." •11And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas for a [man] of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, •12and in a vision³ he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him so that he might receive his sight." •13But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; •14and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." •15But the Lord said to him, "Go, because he is a chosen vessel to me to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; •16for I will show him how much he has to suffer on behalf of my name." •17And Ananias departed and entered into the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul,¹ the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me that you might receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." •18And immediately [something] like scales fell from his eyes and he received his sight. And he rose and was baptized,⁴ •19and took food and was strengthened.

Acts 9

Now for some days he was with the disciples in Damascus. •20And immediately in the synagogues he started preaching Jesus, that he is the Son of God. •21And all who heard [him] were astounded and were saying, "Is not this the one who made a wreak in Jerusalem of those who call on this name? And he has come here for this [purpose], so that he might bring them bound before the chief priests." •22But Saul kept increasing even more in power and confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus by proving that this [Jesus] is the Christ.

•23And when a considerable number of days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, •24but their plot became known to Saul. Now they were also watching the gates both day and night, to kill him; •25but his disciples took [him] by night and let him down through the wall, lowering [him] in a [large] basket.⁵

•26And when he had come to Jerusalem he started trying to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe that he was a disciple. •27But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. •28And he was coming in and going out with them at Jerusalem, •29speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. And he was speaking and debating with the Hellenists; but they were undertaking to kill him. •30And when the brothers found out [about it], they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

•31Then the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was being multiplied.

•32Now it happened that as Peter was going through all [the cities], he came down also to the saints who dwelt at Lydda. •33And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been lying on a pallet for eight years and was paralyzed. •34And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your [bed]." And immediately he rose. •35And all those who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Acts 9

•36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which, when translated, is to say, Dorcas.⁶ She was full of good works and acts of charity that she was doing. •37Now it happened [that] in those days she became sick and died; and when they had bathed [her], they laid her in an upper room. •38Now since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him appealing to [him], "Come to us without delay." •39And Peter rose and went with them. When he had come, they led him to the upper room. And all the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and cloaks which Dorcas made while she was with them. •40But Peter put them all outside and fell to [his] knees and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. •41And he gave her [his] hand and lifted her up. And calling the saints and the widows he presented her alive. •42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. •43Now it happened [that] he stayed for a considerable number of days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.

10•1Now [there was] a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, •2a reverent [man] and one who feared God with all his household, did many acts of charity for the people, and was always imploring God [in prayer]. •3About approximately the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, "Cornelius." •4And looking intently at him he was afraid, and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial before God. •5And now send men to Joppa, and send for a certain Simon who is surnamed Peter; •6he is lodging with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is beside the sea." •7And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household servants and a reverent soldier from among those who constantly waited on him, •8and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

•9Now the next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. •10And he became hungry and was wishing to eat; but

Acts 10

while they were preparing [food], a trance came on him, •11and he observed* the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, like a large sheet, being let down by four corners onto the earth. •12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky. •13And there came a voice to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." •14But Peter said, "Certainly not, Lord; because I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean." •15And the voice [came] to him again a second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." •16And this happened three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.

•17Now while Peter was being puzzled within himself as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked for Simon's house, stood by the gate •18and called out and started inquiring whether Simon who was surnamed Peter was lodging there. •19And while Peter was pondering on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three¹ men are seeking you. •20Now rise and go down, and go with them with no doubting, because I have sent them." •21And Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one †you are seeking; what [is] the reason for which †you are here?" •22And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a just and God-fearing man, who is well testified of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you [to come] to his house, and to hear a message from you." •23Therefore he called them in and gave [them] lodging.

And the next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. •24And on the next day he² entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. •25And when it happened [that] Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at [his] feet and worshiped [him]. •26But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man myself." •27And as he talked with him, he went in and found many [people] gathered [there]. •28And he said to them, "†You know that it is unallowable for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone of another nation; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. •29So also when I was sent for, I came without objection. Therefore I inquire for what reason †you sent for me."

Acts 10

•30And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, at this hour, I was praying³ at the ninth [hour] in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, •31and said,* 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity have been remembered before God. •32Send therefore to Joppa and call for Simon who is surnamed Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, beside the sea.'⁴ •33Therefore I sent to you at once, and you have done well by coming. Now then, we are all here before God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

•34And Peter opened [his] mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God is not one who shows partiality, •35but in every nation the one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. •36[As for] the word which he sent⁵ to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), •37†you know the message that has spread throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism⁶ which John preached. •38[†You know about] Jesus who was from Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. •39And we [are] witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and Jerusalem. Him indeed they killed by hanging [him] on a tree; •40[but] God raised him on the third day and granted for him to become visible, •41not to all the people but to witnesses who had been previously selected by God, [that is], to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. •42And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the One who has been appointed by God [to be] judge of the living and the dead. •43To him all the prophets testify that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

•44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. •45And the believers who came with Peter from among the circumcised were astounded, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. •46For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter responded, •47"No one can forbid water for baptizing⁷ these [people] who have received the Holy Spirit just as we also [have], [can they]?" •48And he commanded them to be baptized⁷ in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Acts 11

11•1Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had accepted the word of God. •2And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, [some] from among the circumcised started quarreling with him, •3saying, "You went in to men who were uncircumcised and ate with them." •4But Peter began and started explaining to them in order: •5"I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, like a large sheet, being let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me. •6Looking intently into it I started considering [it] and saw four-footed animals of the earth and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the sky. •7And I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' •8But I said, 'Certainly not, Lord; because a thing common or unclean has never entered into my mouth.' •9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has cleansed, you must not call common.' •10Now this happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. •11And behold, at once three men stood by the house in which we were,¹ sent to me from Caesarea. •12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction.² And these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man's house. •13And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send³ to Joppa and send for Simon who is surnamed Peter; •14he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' •15And as I began speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as also on us at the beginning. •16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he used to say, 'John indeed baptized⁴ [in] water, but †you shall be baptized⁴ in the Holy Spirit.' •17If then God gave them the same⁵ gift as [he] also [gave] to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" •18And when they heard this they were quiet. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance into life."

•19Now those who were dispersed because of the tribulation that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews only. •20But

Acts 11

there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch started speaking to the Greek-speaking people⁶ also, proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus. •21And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. •22and word about them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel⁷ to Antioch. •23When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and started exhorting them all to keep remaining [true] to the Lord with purpose of heart,⁸ •24because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. •25And [Barnabas]⁹ went to Tarsus to seek for Saul; •26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they assembled with the church, and taught a considerable crowd and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

•27Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. •28And one of them named Agabus stood up and started indicating through the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine over all the inhabited [earth]; this happened in [the days] of Claudius. •29And the disciples determined, each of them according to his ability, to send [relief] for the ministry [of distribution] to the brothers who dwelt in Judea; •30and they did so, sending [it] to the elders through the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

12•1Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to ill-treat [them]. •2And he killed James the brother of John with the sword; •3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now [this] was [during] the days of Unleavened Bread. •4And when he had seized him, he put [him] in jail, and delivered [him] to four squads of four soldiers [each] to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. •5Therefore Peter was being kept in jail; but prayer for him was being made earnestly to God by the church.

•6And on that [very] night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were keeping the jail. •7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by [him], and a light shone in the cell; and he struck

Acts 12

Peter's side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off [his] hands. •8And the angel said to him, "Tie [your belt] and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said* to him, "Throw your cloak around [you] and start following me." •9And he went out and started following him; and he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but kept thinking he was seeing a vision. •10Now when they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them by itself, and they went out and went one street farther; and immediately the angel departed from him. •11And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I truly know that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and [from] all the expectation of the Jewish people."

•12And when he realized [this], he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is surnamed Mark, where a considerable number had gathered together and were praying. •13And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. •14And recognizing Peter's voice, from joy she did not open the gate but ran in and told that Peter was standing in front of the gate. •15And they said to her, "You are crazy!" But she kept insisting that it was so. And they started saying, "It is his angel!" •16But Peter continued knocking; and when they opened [the door], they saw him and were astounded. •17But motioning to them with [his] hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the jail. And he said, "Tell these things to James and to the brothers." And he departed and went to another place.

•18Now when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. •19And when Herod had sought for him and did not find him, he examined the guards and commanded [for them] to be led away [to execution]. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and started staying [there].

•20Now Herod was furiously angry with the residents of Tyre and Sidon; and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they kept asking for peace, because their country was receiving its food from the king's [country]. •21And on an appointed day Herod put on his royal apparel and sat on the judgment seat and started making an oration to them. •22And the mob was calling out, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" •23And instantly an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and expired.

Acts 12

•24But the word of God kept growing and multiplying.

•25And Barnabas and Saul returned when they had fulfilled [their] ministry in Jerusalem,¹ taking along with [them] John who was surnamed Mark.

13•1Now in the church there at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. •2And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Come now, set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." •3Then after fasting and praying and laying [their] hands on them they sent [them] off.

•4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. •5And when they arrived in Salamis, they started proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they also had John [as their] assistant. •6And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man who was a magician, a Jewish false prophet, whose name [was] Bar-Jesus. •7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. •8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. •9But Saul, who [is] also [called] Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him •10and said, "O [you who are] full of all deceit and all fraud, [you] son of the devil, [you] enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? •11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] on you, and you shall be blind and not see the sun for a time." And instantly mist and darkness fell on him and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. •12Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had happened, since he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

•13Now Paul [and] those around [him] set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem; •14but they passed on from Perga and came

Acts 13

"Men of Israel, and those who fear God, listen. •17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during [their] sojourn in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. •18And for about forty years time he put up with¹ them in the wilderness. •19And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave [them] their land as an inheritance, [all this taking] about four hundred and fifty years. •20And after these things he gave [them] judges until Samuel the prophet. •21And then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. •22And when he had removed him, he raised up David as a king for them; to whom he also testified and said, 'I have found David the [son] of Jesse [to be] a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'² •23From this man's offspring God has in accordance with [his] promise brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus.³ •24Before his coming John had previously preached a baptism⁴ of repentance to all the people of Israel. •25And as John was finishing [his] mission, he kept saying, 'What do †you suppose that I am? I am not [he]. But behold, One is coming after me, a sandal of [whose] feet I am not worthy to unloose.

•26"Men [and] brothers, sons of the race of Abraham, and those among †you who fear God, to us⁵ the word of this salvation has been sent out. •27For those who dwell in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know him and [did not know] the statements of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled [these] by condemning [him]. •28And although they found [him guilty of] no crime deserving death, [yet] they asked Pilate to have him killed. •29And when they had accomplished all that had been written about him, they took [him] down from the tree, and laid [him] in a tomb. •30But God raised him from the dead; •31he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. •32And we proclaim to †you the good news about the promise given to the fathers, •33that this God has fulfilled to us their⁶ children by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second⁷ psalm,

Acts 13

•42And as they went out, [the people]¹² started appealing that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath. •43And when [the meeting of] the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and worshiping proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and kept urging them to continue in the grace of God.

•44Now the coming sabbath almost all the city gathered together to hear the word of the Lord.¹³ •45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and started contradicting the things being spoken by Paul, and blaspheming. •46And Paul and Barnabas spoke

Acts 13

out boldly and said, "It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to †you. Since †you push it aside, and judge †yourselves not worthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. •47For so the Lord has commanded us, [saying],

14•1Now it happened [that] in Iconium they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a large multitude believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. •2But the Jews who were disobedient stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their souls against the brothers. •3Therefore they remained for a considerable time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who was testifying to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be done through their hands. •4But the multitude in the city was divided; and some were [siding] with the Jews, and some with the apostles. •5And when there was an attempt by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat [them] and to stone them, •6they became aware of [it] and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the region around [them]; •7and there they were proclaiming the gospel.

•8And in Lystra there was a certain man sitting, who was unable [to use his] feet; [he had been] a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. •9He listened to Paul speaking; [and Paul], looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, •10said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he jumped up and started walking. •11And when the

Acts 14

crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" •12And they started calling Barnabas "Zeus," and Paul "Hermes," since he was the chief speaker. •13And the priest of Zeus, whose [temple] was in front of the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. •14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard [of it], they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out •15and saying, "Men, why are †you doing these things? We also are men, with feelings like †you, who are proclaiming the gospel, to turn †you from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. •16In past generations he allowed all the nations to keep going their [own] ways. •17And yet he did not leave himself without witness, since he did good and gave †you¹ rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling †your hearts with food and gladness." •18And by saying these things, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

•19But Jews came along from Antioch and Iconium; and they persuaded the crowds, and stoned Paul and dragged [him] outside the city, supposing that he was dead. •20But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up and entered into the city. And on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

•21And when they had proclaimed the gospel to that city and had made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, •22strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and [saying] that through many tribulations we have to enter into the kingdom of God. •23And when they had selected elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commited them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. •24And having passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. •25And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; •26and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. •27And when they arrived, and gathered the church together, they started reporting how much God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. •28And they stayed [there] for not a little time with the disciples.

15•1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless †you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, †you cannot be saved". •2And when Paul and

Acts 15

Barnabas had no small discord and controversy with them, [the disciples] appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this controversy. •3Therefore being assisted on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling [about] the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were causing great joy among all the brothers. •4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported how much God had done with them. •5But some of the believers from the sect of the Pharisees rose up, and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses."

•6And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. •7And after there had been much controversy, Peter rose and said to them, "Men [and] brothers, †you know that in the old days God made a choice among †you,¹ that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. •8And God who knows the heart testified to them, giving [them] the Holy Spirit just as [he] also [did] to us; •9and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. •10Now therefore why are †you putting God to the test by laying a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? •11But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they also [will]."

•12And all the multitude was silent; and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. •13And after they became silent, James responded by saying, "Men [and] brothers, listen to me. •14Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of [them] a people for his name. •15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

Acts 15

•22Then it seemed [good] to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. [They sent] Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, •23and wrote [the following letter to be taken] by their hand: "The apostles and the elders, brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, rejoice.⁵ •24Since we have heard that some who went out⁶ from us have troubled †you with words, unsettling †your souls,⁷ to whom we did not give [any] orders, •25it has seemed [good] to us, having come to one accord, to send chosen men to †you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, •26men who have risked their lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. •27Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell [†you] the same things by word [of mouth]. •28For it has seemed [good] to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on †you no greater burden than these necessary things: •29that †you abstain from [meat] sacrificed to idols and [from] blood and [from] things strangled and [from] sexual immorality.⁸ If †you keep †yourselves from these, †you will do well. Farewell."

•30Therefore, when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. •31And when they read [it], they rejoiced at the exhortation. •32And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brothers with

Acts 15

many words and strengthened [them]. •33And after they had spent [some] time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.⁹ •35But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the good news of the word of the Lord, with many others also.

•36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Come now, let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and [see how] they are." •37And Barnabas was also wanting to take with [them] John called Mark. •38But Paul kept thinking that it was not worthwhile to take with [them] this one who had withdrawn from them at Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. •39And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from one another. And Barnabas took Mark [with him] and sailed away to Cyprus, •40but Paul picked Silas and departed, being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. •41And he started going through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

16•1And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but [his] father [was] a Greek. •2He was [well] testified of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. •3Paul wished for him to go with him; and he took [him] and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. •4And as they were going through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to observe which had been decided on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. •5Therefore the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and they were increasing in numbers every day.

•6And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. •7And when they had come to Mysia, they kept attempting to go into Bithynia, and [yet] the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. •8And [so], passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. •9And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: a certain man of

Acts 16

Macedonia was standing [there] and appealing to him and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." •10And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the gospel to them.

•11Now¹ setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the following [day] to Neapolis, •12and from there to Philippi, which is a first [rate] city of the district² of Macedonia, [and] a [Roman] colony. We were staying in this city some days. •13And on the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we were supposing³ there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and started speaking to the women who had come together. •14And a certain woman was listening named Lydia, a seller of purple cloth, [who was] from the city of Thyatria [and was] one who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to the things being spoken by Paul. •15And when she was baptized,⁴ and her household, she appealed to [us], saying, "If †you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she strongly urged us.

•16Now is happened [that] as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain maid who had a [clairvoyant] Python spirit met us, who was bringing her owners much gain by divination. •17She kept following Paul and us and crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to †you⁵ the way of salvation." •18And she was doing this for many days. But Paul was irritated, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her." And it came out [that very] same hour.

•19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they took hold of Paul and Silas and dragged [them] into the marketplace before the rulers; •20and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are especially troubling our city. •21And they are proclaiming customs which it is not permissible for us to accept or do, since we are Romans."

Acts 16

•22And the crowd rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore the clothes off them and started commanding [the police] to beat [them] with rods. •23And when they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw [them] into jail, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. •24Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner jail and secured their feet in the stocks.

•25But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. •26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and instantly all the doors were opened and everyone's bonds were unfastened. •27When the jailer was awake and saw that the jail doors were open, he drew [his] sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. •28But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here." •29And he asked for lights and rushed in, and trembling [with fear] he fell down before Paul and Silas, •30and brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?" •31And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." •32And they spoke the word of the Lord⁶ to him together with all those in his house. •33And he took them in that [same] hour of the night, and bathed [their] wounds, and he was baptized⁴ right then, he and all his [family]. •34And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he was overjoyed with all his household that he had believed in God.

•35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, "Release those men." •36And the jailer told these words to Paul, [saying], "The magistrates have sent to release †you; now therefore come out and go in peace."⁷ •37But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman [citizens], and have thrown [us] into jail; and do they now throw us out secretly? No, indeed! But they must come themselves and bring us out." •38The police told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman [citizens]. •39And they came and apologized to them. And they brought [them] out and started asking [them] to depart from the city. •40And they went out of the jail, and went to [the house of] Lydia; and when they had seen the brothers, they exhorted [them] and went away.

Acts 16

17•1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. •2And in accordance with Paul's custom, he went in, and for three sabbaths he lectured to them from the scriptures, •3explaining and pointing out that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying], "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to †you, is the Christ." •4And some of them were persuaded, and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas—both a large multitude of the worshiping Greeks and not a few of the prominent women.¹ •5But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, they started setting the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the mob. •6And when they could not find them, they started dragging Jason and some [of the] brothers to the rulers of the city, crying, "These [men] who have upset the inhabited [earth] have come here also. •7Jason has received them [as guests]; and they are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." •8And the crowd and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. •9And when they had received a bond from Jason and the rest, they released them.

•10And the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away during the night to Beroea; [and] when they arrived they started going into the synagogue of the Jews. •11Now these [Jews] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, [for] they accepted the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily [to see] if these things were so. •12Therefore many of them believed, and [so did] not a few of the respectable Greek women and of the men. •13But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul in Beroea also, they came there too, stirring up and troubling² the crowds. •14And then the brothers immediately sent Paul off to go as far as to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy remained there. •15And those who conducted Paul brought [him] as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

Acts 17

•16Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. •17Therefore he started lecturing in the synagogue to the Jews and those who worshiped [God], and in the marketplace every day to those who chanced to be there. •18Now also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers started conversing with him. And some were saying, "What possibly is this parrot³ wishing to say?" And others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign demigods"⁴—because he was proclaiming the gospel of Jesus and the resurrection.⁵ •19And they took hold of him and brought [him] to the Areopagus, saying, "Can we know what this new teaching [is] that is being spoken about by you? •20For you bring some strange things to our ears; we want to know therefore what these things mean." •21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing except telling something or hearing something new.

•22And Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I observe that in all respects †you [are] very religious. •23For as I passed along, and observed the objects of †your worship, I found also an altar on which had been inscribed, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore †you revere as unknown, this I proclaim to †you. •24The God who made the world and all the things in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, •25nor is he cared for by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything. •26And he made from one⁶ every nation of men to be dwelling on all the face of the earth, having determined fixed periods and the boundaries of their dwelling, •27that they should be seeking God,⁷ if perhaps they might feel after him and find [him]. And [yet] he is really not far from each one of us, •28for,

as even some of †your poets⁹ have said,

Acts 17

•32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some started mocking; but others said, "We will hear you again about this also." •33So Paul went out from their midst. •34But some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

18•1After these things he¹ departed from Athens and went to Corinth. •2And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. He went to [see] them; •3and because he was of the same trade he started staying with them and working, for by trade they were tentmakers. •4And he was lecturing in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuading Jews and Greeks.

•5Now when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul started completely devoting himself to the word,² testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. •6And when they opposed and slandered [him],³ he shook out [his] clothes and said to them, "†Your blood [be] on †your [own] heads! I [am] clean [from that responsibility]. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." •7And he moved on from there and went to the house of one named Titius⁴ Justus, who worshiped God; his house was next door to the synagogue. •8And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with his whole household; and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.⁵ •9And the Lord said to Paul at night through a vision, "Quit being afraid, but keep speaking and do not keep quiet, •10because I am with you, and no one shall attack you to ill-treat you; because I have many people in this city." •11And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Acts 18

•12But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord made an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, •13saying, "This [man] is persuading men to worship God contrary to the law." •14But when Paul was about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were [a matter of] some wrong or wicked fraud, O Jews, by reason I would put up with †you; •15but if it is [a matter of] controversies about words and names and †your [own] law, †you will see [to it] †yourselves; I do not intend to be a judge of these things." •16And he drove them from the judgment seat. •17And they all⁶ took hold of Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and started beating him in front of the judgment seat. And none of these things mattered to Gallio.

•18Now [after this] Paul stayed a considerable number of days longer, [and then] told the brothers good-bye and sailed for Syria, and with him [were] Priscilla and Aquilia. At Cenchreae he sheared off [the hair on his] head, for he had a vow. •19And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and lectured to the Jews. •20And when they asked [him] to stay for a longer [period of] time, he did not give his consent; •21but he told them good-bye and said,⁷ "I will return again to †you, God willing," and he set sail from Ephesus. •22When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and [then] went down to Antioch.

•23And after spending some time [there] he departed and went through one place after another in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

•24Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man who was well versed in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. •25He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus,⁸ although he knew only the baptism⁹ of John. •26And he began speaking boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God¹⁰ more

Acts 18

accurately. •27And when he wanted to go over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged [him], and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, •28for he was vigorously refuting the Jews in public, showing through the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

19•1Now it happened [that] while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. And he found some disciples, •2and said to them, "Did †you receive the Holy Spirit when †you believed?" And they said to him, "But we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit." •3And he said, "Into what then were †you baptized?"¹ And they said, "Into John's baptism."² •4And Paul said, "John baptized¹ with a baptism² of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the One who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." •5And when they heard [this], they were baptized¹ into the name of the Lord Jesus. •6And when Paul had laid [his] hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they started speaking in tongues and prophesying. •7And there were about twelve of them in all.

•8And he entered into the synagogue and was speaking boldly for three months, lecturing and persuading [as to] the things³ about the kingdom of God; •9but when some kept being hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he withdrew from them, and took the disciples with [him], and lectured daily in the school of Tyrannus.⁴ •10And this continued for two years, so that all those who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

•11And God was doing extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, •12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were being carried away from the skin of his [body] to the sick, and the diseases were departing from them and the evil spirits were going out.

Acts 19

•13But some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure †you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." •14Now seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this. •15But the evil spirit answered by saying to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but who are †you?" •16And the man in whom the evil spirit was jumped on them, subdued all [of them], and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. •17And this became known to all who dwelt at Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell on them all; and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. •18Many also of those who believed started coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. •19And a considerable number of those who practiced the occult arts brought their books together and started burning them in the sight of all; and they counted up the value of them and found [it came to] fifty thousand silver [coins]. •20So the word of the Lord kept growing and prevailing mightily.

•21Now after these things were finished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I also have to see Rome." •22And having sent into Macedonia two of those serving him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a time.

•23Now during that period there arose no little stir concerning the Way. •24For a certain [man] named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver models of the temple of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen. •25These he gathered together, with the workmen of such occupations, and said, "Men, †you know that from this business we get our prosperity. •26And †you observe and hear that not only at Ephesus but throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable crowd, saying that [gods] made with hands are not gods. •27And not only is there danger that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be reckoned as nothing, and that she is even going to be deposed from her majesty, she whom all Asia and the inhabited [earth] worship."

•28And when they heard [this] they were filled with anger, and started crying out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" •29And the city was filled with the confusion; and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions. •30Now Paul kept wanting to go in among the mob, but the disciples

Acts 19

would not let him. •31And some of the Asiarchs⁵ also, who were friends of his, sent to him and were appealing to [him] not to venture into the theater himself. •32Now then, different [people] were crying out different things; for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know on what account they had come together. •33And [some] of the crowd concluded [that it was because of] Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and was wishing to make a defense to the mob. •34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from [them] all as they cried out for about two hours, "Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians!" •35And when the town clerk had calmed the crowd, he said,* "Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great⁶ Artemis, and of the [image] that fell from Zeus [in heaven]? •36Therefore, since these things are undeniable, †you have to be calm and do nothing rash. •37For †you have brought these men [here] who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our⁷•38Therefore if Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, marketplace court sessions are going on, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another. •39But if †you seek anything further,⁸ it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. •40For indeed we are in danger of being charged with rioting concerning today, there being no cause [for it]. About this we shall not be able to give account for this disorderly gathering." •41And when he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

20•1And after the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and having exhorted [them] said good-bye and departed to go to Macedonia. •2And when he had gone through those parts and had exhorted them with many words, he came to Greece, •3and he spent three months [there]. When a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he resolved to return through Macedonia. •4And Sopater of Beroea, [the son] of Pyrrhus,¹ was accompanying him;² and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe,³ and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. •5Now these went on⁴ and were waiting for us at Troas, •6but we

Acts 20

sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

•7And on the first [day] of the week, when we⁵ had gathered together to break bread, Paul was lecturing to them, intending to depart on the next day; and he kept prolonging [his] speech until midnight. •8And there were a considerable number of lamps in the upper room where we had gathered. •9And a certain young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He was overwhelmed with a deep sleep as Paul keep lecturing for a long [time]; and being overwhelmed by the sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. •10But Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing [him] said, "Quit making a commotion, for his life is in him." •11And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed [with them] for a considerable while, until dawn, and so departed. •12And they took the boy away alive, and were not a little comforted.

•13But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for so he had arranged, intending himself to go on foot. •14And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. •15And sailing from there we came the following [day] opposite Chios; and the next [day] we touched at Samos; and⁶ the [day] after that we came to Miletus. •16For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

•17And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. •18And when they came to him, he said to them:

"†You †yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with †you all the time, •19serving the Lord with all humility and [with] tears and [with] trials which happened to me through the plots of the Jews; •20how I did not shrink from disclosing to †you anything that was profitable, and teaching †you in public and in [†your] various houses, •21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance to God and of faith in our Lord Jesus.⁷ •22And now, behold, I am going

Acts 20

bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what shall meet me there; •23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. •24But I do not consider my life of any account, [nor as] precious to myself, in order that I might accomplish my mission⁸ and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. •25And now, behold, I know that all †you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more. •26Therefore I testify to †you this day that I am clean from [the responsibility for] the blood of [†you] all, •27for I did not shrink from disclosing to †you all of God's intention. •28Take care [as] to †yourselves and all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made †you supervisors,⁹ to keep shepherding the church of God¹⁰ which he purchased with [his] own blood.¹¹ •29I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among †you, not sparing the flock; •30and from among †you †yourselves will arise men speaking perverted things, to be drawing away the disciples after them. •31Therefore keep watching, remembering that for three years I did not cease admonishing each one night and day with tears. •32And now¹² I commit †you to God¹⁰ and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [†you] up and to give [†you] the inheritance among all those who have been sanctified. •33I coveted no one's silver or gold or clothing. •34†You †yourselves know that these hands attended to my needs and to those who were with me. •35In all things I have shown †you that by laboring like this one has to keep helping the weak, and to keep remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

•36And when he had said these things, he fell to his knees and prayed with them all. •37And there was considerable weeping by all; and falling on Paul's neck, they started kissing him, •38being pained most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they were going to see his face no more. And they were accompanying him to the ship.

Acts 21

21•1Now it happened [that] when we had parted from them and set sail, we ran a straight course and came to Cos, and the next [day] to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.¹ •2And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. •3And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we kept sailing to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload [its] cargo. •4And having found the disciples, we stayed there seven days. They kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to go on to Jerusalem. •5Now it happened [that] when our days [there] were ended, we departed and started going on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until [we were] outside the city; and falling to [our] knees on the beach we prayed •6and said good-bye to one another. And we went on board the ship, and they returned to [their] own [homes].

•7And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them [for] one day. •8And the next day we departed and came to Caesarea; and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was [one] of the seven, and stayed with him. •9And he had four virgin daughters, who prophesied. •10And while we were staying [there] many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. •11And coming to us he took Paul's belt and bound his [own] feet and hands, and said, "The Holy Spirit says these things, 'Like this shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man to whom this belt belongs and deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.'" •12And when we heard these things, both we and the local residents started appealing to him not to go up to Jerusalem. •13Then Paul answered, "What are †you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." •14And since he was not persuaded, we quieted down and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."

•15And after these days we made preparations and went up to Jerusalem. •16And [some] of the disciples from Caesarea went with us also, bringing [us] to [the house of] a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

•17And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. •18And the following [day] Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present. •19And having greeted them, he

Acts 21

started relating each and every one of the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. •20And when they heard [it], they started glorifying God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; and they are all zealous for the law, •21and they have been told² about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles [to commit] apostasy from Moses, telling them not to be circumcising [their] children nor walking in the customs. •22What then is [to be done]? They will certainly hear³ that you have come. •23Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who have [taken] a vow on themselves; •24take these [men] and purify [yourself] along with them and pay the expenses for them, so that they may shave [their] heads, and all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told² about you but [that] you yourself also stay in line [as one] who keeps the law. •25But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter⁴ with our judgment that⁵ they should keep themselves [from meat] sacrificed to idols and [from] blood and [from] what is strangled⁶ and [from] sexual immorality." •26Then Paul took the men, and the day after that he purified [himself] with them and went into the temple [complex], to give notice as to [when] the fulfillment of the days of purification [would be], [that is], until the offering would be offered for each one of them.

•27Now when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple [complex], started stirring up all the crowd, and laid hands on him, •28crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching all [men] everywhere against the people and the law and this place; and in addition, he also brought Greeks into the [inner] temple [courtyard], and he has defiled this holy place." •29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, [and] they supposed that Paul had brought him into the [inner] temple [courtyard]. •30And the whole city was aroused, and the people ran together; and they took hold of Paul and dragged him outside the [inner] temple [courtyard], and immediately the doors were shut. •31And as they were trying to kill him, information came to the colonel⁷ of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in confusion. •32He at once took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them; and when they

Acts 21

saw the colonel and the soldiers, they ceased beating Paul. •33Then the colonel came near and took hold of him, and commanded [for him] to be bound with two chains. And he started inquiring who he might be and what he had done. •34And different [people] in the crowd were calling out different things; and as he could not know for certain because of the uproar, he commanded for him to be brought into the barracks. •35And when he came to the steps, it turned out that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; •36for the multitude of the people were following, crying out, "Away with him!"

•37And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said* to the colonel, "May I be permitted to say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? •38Then are you not the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up a revolt and led four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" •39But Paul said, "Indeed I am a man [who is] a Jew, from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; I implore you, permit me to speak to the people." •40And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with [his] hand to the people; and when there was a great silence, he addressed [them] in the Hebrew language, saying:

22•1"Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defense [which I] now [make] to †you."

•2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet. And he said*:

•3"I am a man [who is] a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as †you all are today. •4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to jail both men and women, •5as even the high priest and all the [Jewish] eldership testify [about] me. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and I was journeying to Damascus to bring those who were there also bound to Jerusalem to be punished.

•6"Now it happened [that] as I was journeying and coming near to Damascus, about noon a bright light from heaven suddenly shone around me. •7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice

Acts 22

saying to me, 'Saul,¹ Saul,¹ why are you persecuting me?" •8And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.' •9Now those who were with me indeed saw the light² but did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me. •10And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there it will be told you about all things that have been appointed for you to do.' •11And as I could not see because of the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came to Damascus.

•12"And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well testified of by all the Jews who dwelt [there], •13came to me, and standing by [me] said to me, 'Brother Saul,¹ receive your sight.' And in [that] same hour I received my sight and looked up at him. •14And he said, 'The God of our fathers has selected you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; •15because you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. •16And now why do you delay? Rise and have yourself baptized,³ and your sins bathed away, calling on his name.'

•17"Now it happened [that] when I had returned to Jerusalem and I was praying in the temple [complex], I fell into a trance •18and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' •19And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I was jailing and beating those who believed on you. •20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself also was standing by and consenting,⁴ and keeping the cloaks of those who were killing him.' •21And he said to me, 'Go; because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

•22Now they were listening to him until this word; and [then] they raised their voices, saying, "Away with such a [fellow] from the earth! For it is not proper for him to live." •23And as they cried out and threw off [their] cloaks and threw dust into the air, •24the colonel commanded for him to be brought into the barracks, and said for him to be interrogated by whipping, so that he might find out for what reason they were crying out like this against him. •25But when they had stretched him out [to be flogged]⁵ with the straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it

Acts 22

permissible for †you to whip a man who is a Roman [citizen], and uncondemned?" •26Now when the centurion heard [this], he went to the colonel and told [him], saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman [citizen]." •27And the colonel came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman [citizen]?" And he said, "Yes." •28And the colonel answered, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum." And Paul said, "But indeed I was born [a citizen]." •29Then immediately those who were about to interrogate him withdrew from him; and the colonel also was afraid, when he found out that Paul was a Roman [citizen] and that he had bound him.

•30But on the next day, wanting to know for certain why [Paul] was being accused by the Jews, he loosed him,⁶ and commanded the chief priests and all the council⁷ to come together, and he brought Paul down and set [him] before them. 23•1And Paul, looking intently at the council,¹ said, "Men [and] brothers, I have conducted [myself] before God in all good conscience up to this day." •2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to hit him on the mouth. •3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to hit you, [you] whitewashed wall! Indeed, are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and [yet] in violation of the law you command for me to be hit?" •4And those who stood by said, "Are you reviling God's high priest?" •5And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

•6But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he started crying out in the council,¹ "Men [and] brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am being judged." •7And when he had said this, discord arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided. •8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess [them] all. •9And there arose a great outcry; and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' side stood up and started fighting it out [with them], saying, "We find nothing evil in this man. And [what] if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?"² •10And when much discord arose, the colonel, afraid lest Paul would be torn

Acts 23

to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and seize him from their midst and bring [him] into the barracks.

•11And the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Have courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you have to testify also at Rome."

•12And when it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. •13And there were more [than] forty who made this conspiracy. •14They went to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a strict curse to taste no [food] until we have killed Paul. •15Now therefore, †you, along with the council,¹ make a report to the colonel, in order that he may bring him down to †you,³ as though †you were going to determine the [case] about him more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near."

•16Now when the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, he went and entered into the barracks and told Paul. •17And Paul called for one of the centurions and said, "Bring this young man to the colonel; for he has something to tell him." •18Therefore he took him and brought [him] to the colonel and said*, "Paul the prisoner called for me and asked [me] to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you." •19And the colonel took him by the hand, and going aside started inquiring [of him] privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" •20And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council¹ tomorrow, as though [there was] going to be an inquiry⁴ somewhat more exactly about him. •21However, you should not be persuaded by them; for there are lying in ambush for him more [than] forty men of them who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you." •22Then the colonel sent the young man away, commanding [him], "Divulge to no one that you have made a report of these things to me."

•23And he called for a certain two of the centurions and said, "For the third hour of the night get ready two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as

Acts 23

Caesarea. •24And provide mounts that they may put Paul on and bring [him] safely to Felix the governor." •25[And] he wrote a letter which had this pattern [to it]:

•26"Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, rejoice.⁵ •27This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came on them with the soldiers and rescued [him], having learned that he was a Roman [citizen]. •28And wanting to know the charge on which they were accusing him, I brought [him] down to their council.^1,6 •29I found that he was accused about controversies of their law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment. •30And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, commanding⁷ his accusers also to state before you [what they have] against him."⁸

•31Then the soldiers, in accordance with what they had been ordered, took Paul and brought [him] during the night to Antipatris. •32And the next day they let the horsemen go on with him and they returned to the barracks. •33When they came to Caeasrea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. •34And⁹ having read [the letter], he asked from what province he was. And when he learned that [he was] from Cilicia •35he said, "I will hear you whenever your accusers also arrive." [And] he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's palace.¹⁰

24•1And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a certain attorney [named] Tertullus. They made a report to the governor against Paul; •2and when he was called, Tertullus began accusing [him], saying, "Since through you we are experiencing much peace, and since through your provision reforms are taking place in this nation, •3in every way and everywhere we welcome [this], most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. •4But, that I may not detain you any further, I appeal to you in your fairness to hear us briefly. •5For we have found this man [a] pestilent [fellow], and [one who] causes discord among all the Jews throughout the inhabited [earth], and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazoreans. •6He even tried to profane the

Acts 24

temple, but we seized him.¹ •8By examining [him] yourself you will be able to find out from him about all these things of which we accuse him." •9And the Jews also joined in the attack, claiming that these things were so.

•10And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul responded: "Realizing that for many years you have been a judge for this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. •11As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. •12And they did not find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing discord among a crowd in the temple [courtyard] nor in the synagogues, nor in the city. •13Neither can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. •14But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I so serve the God of [our] fathers, believing all the things written in the law and in the prophets, •15having a hope in God which these themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection² of both the righteous and the unrighteous. •16In [view of] this, I also always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and [toward] men. •17Now after many years I came bringing to my nation gifts of charity and offerings. •18[While I was engaged] in this, they found me purified in the temple [courtyard], not with a crowd nor with a disturbance. But some Jews from Asia— •19they ought to be here before you and be accusing [me], if they have anything against me. •20Or else let these [men] themselves say what wrong they found when I stood before the council,³ •21unless [it is] about this one statement which I cried out while standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before †you today.'"

•22But Felix, who knew rather accurately about the Way, put them off, saying, "Whenever Lysias the colonel comes down, I will determine †your case." •23[Then] he ordered the centurion to keep him [in custody] but to have a relaxation [of restrictions] and to prevent none of his own [companions] from attending to⁴ him.

•24Now after some days Felix came with [his] own wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess; and he sent for Paul and heard him [speak] about faith in Christ Jesus. •25And as he lectured about

Acts 24

righteousness and self-control and future judgment, Felix became afraid and responded, "Go away for the present; but when I get an opportunity I will call for you." •26At the same time also he hoped that money would be given him by Paul.⁵ Therefore he also used to send for him quite frequently and converse with him. •27But when two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

25•1Then when Festus had come into the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. •2And the chief priests and the prominent [men] of the Jews made a report to him against Paul; and they started appealing to him, •3asking for a favor against him, so that he would have him sent to Jerusalem, since they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. •4Then Festus answered that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go [there] soon. •5"Therefore," he said*, "let those in power among †you go down with [me], and if there is anything wrong with the man, let them accuse him."

•6And when he had stayed among them not more [than] eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and the next day he sat on the judgment seat and commanded for Paul to be brought in. •7And when he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against [him] which they could not prove. •8Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all." •9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul by saying, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged on these [charges] before me?" •10But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged; to the Jews I have done no wrong, as indeed you very well know. •11If then I am a wrongdoer, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing in these charges of which they accuse me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." •12Then Festus, when he had talked it over with [his] council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go."

•13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to greet Festus. •14And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying,

Acts 25

"There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix; •15when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews made a report about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. •16To them I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man¹ before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and gets a chance [to make his] defense concerning the charge [against] him. •17When therefore they came together here, I did not put it off, but on the next [day] I sat on the judgment seat and commanded for the man to be brought in. •18When the accusers stood up, they were bringing no charge about him of the evils² which I was supposing •19but they were having certain controversies with him about [their] own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, [but] whom Paul was claiming to be alive. •20And since I was puzzled [about how to proceed with] the investigation concerning these things, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be judged there concerning these things. •21But when Paul had appealed that he might be kept [in custody] for the decision of the emperor,³ I commanded for him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar." •22And Agrippa [said] to Festus, "I was [just] wanting to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said*, "you shall hear him."

•23Therefore, on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered into the auditorium with both colonels and the eminent men of the city. And at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. •24And Festus said*, "King Agrippa and all men who are present with us; †you observe this [man] about whom all the multitude of the Jews pled with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying [aloud] that he ought not to live any longer. •25But I perceived that he had done nothing worthy of death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor,³ I decided to send him. •26[However], I do not have anything certain to write to [my] lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before †you, and, especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after there has been an examination, I may have something to write. •27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not also to indicate the charges against him."

26•1And Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and started making his defense:

Acts 26

•2"I consider myself blessed, King Agrippa, [that it is] before you I am going to make my defense today concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, •3especially since you are one who is knowledgable in all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I implore you to listen to me patiently.

•4"So then, my matter of life from [my] youth, spent from the beginning among my [own] nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. •5They have known me for a long time, if they would be willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I have lived [as] a Pharisee. •6And now I stand [here] and am judged for hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, •7to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve [God] night and day. About this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! •8Why is it considered incredible by [any of] †you that God raises the dead?

•9"So then, I myself thought that I had to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazorean. •10Indeed I did this in Jerusalem; and I shut up many of the saints in jails, having received the authority from the chief priests, and when they were killed I cast my vote against [them]. •11And I punished them often in all the synagogues and kept trying to compel [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged at them, I was persecuting [them] even to foreign cities.

•12"In this [situation] I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. •13At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, with more brightness than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. •14And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul,¹ Saul,¹ why are you persecuting me? [It is] hard for you to keep kicking against the goads.' •15And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. •16But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this [purpose], to select you as an attendant and a witness both to the things in which you have seen me² and to those in which I will appear to you, •17rescuing you from the people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you •18to open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light and [from] the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a portion among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.'

Acts 26

•19"Therefore, [O] King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, •20but started declaring first in Damascus, and also at Jerusalem and [throughout] all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. •21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple [courtyard] and were trying to kill [me]. •22Therefore, since I have had the help that comes from God to this day, I stand [here] testifying both to small and great, saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses said was going to happen: •23that the Christ [was] subject to suffering, [and] that, by [being] the first [to experience] the resurrection of the dead, he was going to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles."

•24And as he was making his defense in these [words], Festus said* with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy; [your] great learning is turning you crazy." •25But Paul said*, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and reasonableness. •26For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. •27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." •28And Agrippa [said] to Paul, "With little [effort]³ you are trying to persuade me to make [me]⁴ a Christian!" •29And Paul [said], "I would pray to God that, both with little and with great, not only you but also all who hear me today might become such as I indeed am—except for these bonds."

•30And the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them; •31and when they had withdrawn, they were speaking with one another, saying, "This man is doing nothing worthy of death or imprisonment." •32And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."

27•1And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Emperor's¹ Regiment. •2And going aboard a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail for the places along [the coast of] Asia, we put to sea,

Acts 27

and Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica was with us. •3And the next [day] we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul benevolently, and gave [him] permission to go to his friends and be cared for. •4And putting to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against [us]. •5And when we had sailed through the sea which is along [the coasts of] Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. •6And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and put us on board. •7Now we sailed slowly for a considerable number of days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us [to go on], we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. •8And coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

•9Now as considerable time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous because even the fast had already gone by, Paul kept making a recommendation, •10saying to them, "Men, I perceive that the voyage is going to be [made] with injury and much loss, not only of the load and the ship, but also of our lives." •11But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain than by the things being said by Paul. •12And since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority reached a decision to put to sea from there, if somehow they could possibly arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, looking toward² the southwest and toward² the northwest, and winter [there].

•13And when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained [their] purpose, they raised [anchor] and started coasting along Crete, close inshore. •14But not long after, a hurricane-like wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from the island.³ •15And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way [to it] and were being driven. •16And running under the lee of a certain small island called Cauda,⁴ we were able with difficulty to get the boat under control; •17after hoisting it up, they used cables⁵ to undergird the ship. And fearing lest they should run aground on [the shallow sandbanks of] the Syrtis [Gulf], they lowered the gear, and so were being driven. •18And since we were being exceedingly storm-tossed, the next [day] they started

Acts 27

throwing [the cargo] overboard; •19and the third [day] they threw out with their own hands the tackle of the ship. •20And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm lay on [us], all hope that we might be saved was finally being taken away.

•21And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood in their midst and said, "Men, [†you] ought to have taken my advice, and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. •22And now I recommend that †you cheer up; for there will be no loss of life among †you, but [only] of the ship. •23For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, •24saying, "Quit being afraid, Paul; you have to stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.' •25Therefore, cheer up, men, for I have faith in God that it will be so in the same way as it has been told me. •26But we have to run aground on some island."

•27Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven about in the [sea of] Adria, about midnight the sailors started suspecting that they were approaching some land. •28So they took a sounding and found [the depth to be] twenty fathoms;⁶ and when they had gone a little farther and taken a sounding again, they found [it to be] fifteen fathoms.⁶ •29And fearing lest we run aground somewhere against [some] rough places, they threw out four anchors from the stern, and started praying for day to come. •30And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under the pretense that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, •31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these [men] stay in the ship, †you cannot be saved." •32Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.

•33And until day was about to break, Paul kept appealing to [them] all to take [some] food, saying, "Today [is] the fourteenth day that †you have continued waiting without food, having taken nothing. •34Therefore I appeal to †you to take [some] food; for this is for †your safety; for not a hair shall perish from the head of any of †you." •35And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all and broke [it] and began eating. •36And they also all

Acts 27

became cheerful and took [some] food [themselves]. •37(Now we were in all two hundred and seventy-six⁷ persons⁸ in the ship.) •38And when they had eaten enough food, they started lightening the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

•39Now when it was day, they could not recognize the land, but they started noticing a bay that had a beach, on which they resolved, if they possibly could, to bring the ship ashore.⁹ •40And [so] they cast off the anchors and left [them] in the sea, at the same time unfastening the lashings [that had held] the rudders [out of the water]; and hoisting the foresail to the blowing [wind] they started making for the beach. •41But striking a sandbank¹⁰ they ran the vessel aground; and the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves. •42And the soldiers' intention was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape; •43but the centurion, intending to save Paul, prevented them [from carrying out their] intention. And he commanded those who could swim to throw [themselves] overboard first and get to the land, •44and the rest [to float in], some on planks and some on certain things from the ship. And so it happened [that] all came safely to the land.

28•1And after we were safe, we then found out that the island was called Malta.¹ •2And the natives² were not showing us merely ordinary benevolence, for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the rain that had set in³ and because of the cold. •3And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put [them] on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. •4And when the natives² saw the beast hanging from his hand, they started saying to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he got safely out of the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." •5However, he shook off the beast into the fire and suffered no harm. •6And

Acts 28

they kept expecting that he was going to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but when they had been expecting [this] for a long [time] and observed nothing unusual happening to him, they changed their minds and started saying that he was a god.

•7Now in the [neighborhood] around that place were lands belonging to the chief [man] of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and lodged [us] hospitably for three days. •8Now it happened [that] the father of Publius lay suffering from fever and dysentery; Paul went in to him and prayed, and putting [his] hands on him healed him. •9And when this had happened, the rest [of the people] on the island who had sicknesses also started coming and being cured. •10They also honored us with many honors; and when we set sail, they put on board the things that we needed.

•11And after three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, [a ship] of Alexandria, with a figurehead of Zeus' Sons, [Castor and Pollux]. •12And putting in at Syracuse, we stayed [there] for three days. •13Casting off from there we⁴ arrived at Rhegium; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. •14There we found brothers, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. •15And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet⁵ us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. •16And when we entered into Rome,⁶ Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.

•17Now it happened [that] after three days he called together those who were prominent [men] of the Jews; and when they had come together, he started saying to them, "Men [and] brothers, although I had done nothing against the people or the customs of [our] fathers, [yet] I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. •18When they had examined me, they wanted to release [me], because there was no crime deserving death in me. •19But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—not that I had anything to accuse my nation

Acts 28

of. •20For this reason therefore I have called for †you to see [†you] and speak with †you, for [it is] because of the hope of Israel [that] I am bound with this chain." •21And they said to him, "We have neither received [any] letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers coming [here] reported or spoken anything evil about you. •22But we consider it worthwhile to hear from you what you think; for indeed concerning this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against."

•23And when they had appointed a day for him, [even] more [of them] came to him at [his] lodging. He kept expounding [the matter] to them from morning until evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. •24And some were being persuaded by what he said, but others were disbelieving. •25And as they disagreed with one another, they started leaving, after Paul had said one statement: "Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to †your⁷ fathers, •26saying:

•28Therefore, let it be known to †you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; and they will listen."⁹

•30And he stayed there two whole years in [his] own rented lodging,¹⁰ and welcomed all who came to him, •31preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, [and] unhindered.