9 [21:24]This is the disciple who testifies of these things and has

written them; and we know that his testimony is true. [21:25]And there

are many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written

particularly, I do not suppose the world itself could contain the books

written.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

CHAPTER I.

CHRIST'S ASCENSION, AND THE ELECTION OF AN APOSTLE IN THE PLACE OF

JUDAS.

1 [1:1]I WROTE my first account, O Theophilus, of all things which

Jesus did and taught, [1:2]till the day that having given charge to the

apostles whom he chose by the Holy Spirit he was taken up; [1:3]to whom

also he presented himself living after his suffering, by many proofs,

being seen by them during forty days, and speaking things relating to

the kingdom of God. [1:4]And assembling them, he charged them not to

depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which

[says he] you have heard from me; [1:5]that John baptized indeed with

water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit after a few days.

2 [1:6]They therefore having come together asked him, saying, Lord,

will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? [1:7]And he said

to them, It is not your [province] to know the times or seasons which

the Father has appointed by his own authority; [1:8]but you shall

receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and shall be my

witnesses both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end

of the earth. [1:9]And having said these words, as they were looking on

he was taken up, and a cloud received him from their sight. [1:10]And

as they looked steadily to heaven while he went, behold, two men stood

by them in white clothing; [1:11]and they said, Men of Galilee, why do

you stand looking at heaven? This Jesus taken up from you to heaven

shall so come in the manner in which you have seen him go to heaven.

3 [1:12]Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called [the

Mount] of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey

[distant]. [1:13]And when they came, they went up into the upper room

where staid Peter and John, and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas,

Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus and Simon the Zealot,

and Judas the [brother] of James. [1:14]All these continued with one

accord in prayer, with the women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus,

and his brothers.

4 [1:15]And in those days Peter standing up in the midst of the

brothers, said--the multitude together was about a hundred and twenty--

[1:16]Men and brothers, it was necessary that the Scripture should be

fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David,

concerning Judas who became a guide to them that apprehended Jesus;

[1:17]For he was numbered with us, and obtained the inheritance of this

service. [1:18]This man therefore purchased a field with the price of

the wickedness, and falling headlong burst in the middle and all his

bowels were poured out; [1:19]and this became known to all who lived at

Jerusalem, so that that field was called in their language Aceldamach,

which is Field of blood. [1:20]For it is written in the book of Psalms,

Let his dwelling be desolate and let no one dwell in it, and his

superintendency let another take. [1:21]It is necessary therefore that

one of the men who have gone with us all the time in which the Lord

Jesus went in and out among us, [1:22]beginning from the baptism of

John till the day on which he was taken up from us, should be made with

us a witness of his resurrection.

5 [1:23]And they proposed two; Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also

called Justus, and Matthias. [1:24]And praying, they said, Do thou,

Lord, the searcher of all hearts, show which of these two thou hast

chosen [1:25]to take the place of this service and apostleship from

which Judas fell by transgression to go to his place. [1:26]And they

cast their lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, and he was numbered with

the eleven apostles.

CHAPTER II.

THE DAY OF PENTECOST AND ITS BLESSINGS.

1 [2:1]AND when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one

mind together. [2:2]And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a

violent wind borne along, and it filled all the house where they were

sitting; [2:3]and there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire,

and [one] sat on each one of them; [2:4]and they were all filled with

the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave

them utterance.

2 [2:5]And there were Jews living at Jerusalem, pious men, of every

nation under heaven; [2:6]and when this sound was [heard], the

multitude came together and were astonished, for they each one heard

them speaking in his own language. [2:7]And they were astonished and

wondered, saying, Are not all these that speak Galileans? [2:8]And how

do we hear each one in our own language in which we were born,

[2:9]Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who live in

Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [2:10]Phrygia and

Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and the Roman

strangers, both Jews and proselytes, [2:11]Cretes and Arabs, do we hear

them speak in our tongues of the great works of God. [2:12]And they

were all astonished and perplexed, saying one to another, What does

this mean? [2:13]But others mocking said, They are full of sweet wine.

3 [2:14]But Peter standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice and

said to them, Men of Judea, and all who live at Jerusalem, be this

known to you, and attend to my words. [2:15]For these are not drunk as

you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day [9 A.M.], [2:16]but

this is what was said by the prophet; [2:17]In the last days, says God,

I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your

daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and

your old men shall dream dreams; [2:18]and upon my male servants and

upon my female servants in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and

they shall prophesy. [2:19]And I will show prodigies in heaven above

and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.

[2:20]The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood,

before the great and illustrious day of the Lord comes. [2:21]And

whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

4 [2:22]Men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus the Nazoraean, a man

approved by God to you by mighty works and prodigies and miracles,

which God performed by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves know,

[2:23]this man, delivered up by the determinate counsel and

foreknowledge of God, you have affixed to the cross, and killed by the

hand of the wicked, [2:24]him has God raised up, having loosed the

pains of death, as it was not possible that he should be held by it.

[2:25]For David says of him, I saw the Lord always before me, he is on

my right hand that I should not be moved; [2:26]therefore my heart

rejoiced and my tongue was glad, and my flesh, moreover, shall also

live in hope; [2:27]for thou wilt not leave my soul in hades, nor

suffer thy Holy One to see destruction. [2:28]Thou hast made me know

the ways of life, thou wilt fill me with joy with thy presence.

5 [2:29]Men and brothers, let me speak to you freely of the patriarch

David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to

this day. [2:30] Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God swore

with an oath to him to set a descendant of his on his throne,

[2:31]foreseeing he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that he was

not left in hades neither did his flesh see destruction. [2:32]This

Jesus has God raised up, whose witnesses we all are. [2:33]Being

therefore exalted on the right hand of God, and receiving the promise

of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured this out which you

both see and hear. [2:34]For David ascended not to heaven, but he

says, The Lord said to my lord, Sit on my right hand [2:35]till I make

your enemies your footstool. [2:36]Let all the house of Israel

therefore know certainly, that God has made this Jesus whom you

crucified both Lord and Christ.

6 [2:37]And hearing [this] they were distressed in mind, and said to

Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brothers, what shall we do?

[2:38]And Peter said to them, Change your minds, and be baptized every

one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and

you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [2:39]For the promise is

to you and your children, and to all that are afar off, as many as the

Lord our God shall call. [2:40]And with many other words he testified

and exhorted, saying, Save yourselves from this perverse generation.

7 [2:41]Then those that received his word were baptized, and there were

added on that day about three thousand souls; [2:42]and they attended

constantly to the teaching and companionship of the apostles, the

breaking of bread and the prayers. [2:43]And fear was on every soul,

and many prodigies and miracles were performed by the apostles.

[2:44]And all who believed were together and had all things common;

[2:45]and they sold their possessions and estates, and distributed them

to all as any one had need; [2:46]and continuing day by day with one

accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they

partook of food with gladness and simplicity of mind, [2:47]praising

God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added the

saved, day by day, to the assembly [church].

CHAPTER III.

THE IMPRISONMENT OF PETER AND JOHN.

1 [3:1]AND Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of

prayer, which is the ninth hour. [3:2]And a certain man lame from his

birth was carried and placed daily at the gate of the temple which is

called Beautiful, to ask charity of those going into the temple;

[3:3]who seeing Peter and John about to enter into the temple, asked to

receive a charity. [3:4]But Peter looking steadily at him with John,

said, Look on us. [3:5]And he gave his attention to them, expecting to

receive something from them. [3:6]But Peter said, Silver and gold have

I none; but what I have, this I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ

the Nazoraean, walk. [3:7]And taking him by the right hand he raised

him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened, [3:8]and

leaping up he stood and walked and entered with them into the temple,

walking and leaping, praising God. [3:9]And all the people saw him

walking and praising God; [3:10] and they knew him, that he was the one

who sat for charity at the beautiful gate of the temple, and they were

filled with wonder and astonishment at what had happened to him.

2 [3:11]And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran to them in

the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. [3:12]And

Peter seeing it answered the people, Men of Israel, why do you wonder

at this? or why do you look intently at us as if by our power or piety

we had made him walk? [3:13]The God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,

the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered

up and denied before Pilate when he decided to release him; [3:14]but

you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked a murderer to be given

you, [3:15]but killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the

dead, whose witnesses we are. [3:16]And by the faith of his name, his

name has made strong this man whom you behold and know, and the faith

which is by him has given him this entire soundness before you all.

[3:17]And now, brothers, I know that you did it without knowledge, as

did also your rulers; [3:18]but what God had before declared by the

mouth of all the prophets that his Anointed should suffer, he has so

accomplished. [3:19]Change your minds, therefore, and turn yourselves,

that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come

from the presence of the Lord, [3:20]and he send to you Jesus Christ

before appointed, [3:21]whom heaven must receive till the times of the

restoration of all things of which God has spoken by the mouth of his

holy prophets since the world began. [3:22]Moses indeed said, A prophet

shall the Lord your God raise up to you, of your brothers, like me; him

shall you hear in all things which he shall speak to you; [3:23]and

every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from the

people. [3:24]And all the prophets, from Samuel and those following him

in order, who have spoken, have also announced these days. [3:25]You

are the children of the prophets, and of the promise which God promised

to our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your offspring shall all the

families of the earth be blessed. [3:26]God having raised up his

servant has sent him to you first, to bless you by turning each [one of

you] from your evil ways.

3 [4:1]And while they were speaking to the people, the priests, and the

commander of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, [4:2]being

displeased because they taught the people and declared by Jesus the

resurrection of the dead; [4:3]and they laid hands on them and put them

in prison till the next day; for it was now evening. [4:4]But many of

those that heard the word believed, and the number of the men became

about five thousand.

4 [4:5]And on the next day the rulers, and elders, and scribes

[4:6]assembled at Jerusalem, and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas,

and John, and Alexander, and all that were of the family of the chief

priesthood, [4:7]and placing them in the midst, asked, By what power,

or by what name, have you done this? [4:8] Then Peter, full of the

Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel,

[4:9]if we are to-day examined concerning the good work done to the

sick man, by what means he has been cured, [4:10]be it known to you

all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ

the Nazoraean, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by

him has this man stood before you sound. [4:11]This is the stone

rejected by you builders, which has become the head of a corner.

[4:12]And there is salvation in no other; for there is no other name

given under heaven among men, by which we can be saved.

5 [4:13]And seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and supposing that

they were illiterate and common men, they wondered, and perceived that

they had been with Jesus; [4:14]and seeing the man standing with them

cured, they could not dispute it. [4:15]And commanding them to withdraw

from the Sanhedrim, they conferred one with another, [4:16]saying, What

shall we do to these men? for that a notable miracle has been

performed by them is manifest to all that live at Jerusalem, and we

cannot deny it; [4:17]but that it spread no further among the people,

let us threaten them severely, [and charge them] to speak no more to

any man in this name. [4:18]And calling them, they charged them not to

speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. [4:19]But Peter and John

answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to

obey you rather than God, judge; [4:20]for we cannot but tell what we

have seen and heard. [4:21]And threatening them still further, they

dismissed them, not being able to punish them, on account of the

people, because all glorified God for what was done; [4:22]for the man

was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of the cure was

performed.

6 [4:23]And being dismissed they came to their friends, and related to

them what the chief priests and elders said to them. [4:24]And when

they heard it they lifted up their voice with one consent to God, and

said, Master, thou who hast made heaven, and the earth, the sea, and

all things in them, [4:25]who by the mouth of thy servant David hast

said, Why did the nations rage and the peoples devise vain things?

[4:26]the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were assembled

together against the Lord, and against his anointed. [4:27]For of a

truth, in this city, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles

and people of Israel, were assembled together against thy holy servant

Jesus whom thou hast anointed, [4:28]to do what thy hand and counsel

before appointed to be done. [4:29]And now, Lord, look down upon their

threatenings, and grant to thy servants with all boldness to speak thy

word, [4:30]by stretching out thy hand, that cures and miracles and

prodigies may be performed by the name of thy holy servant Jesus.

[4:31]And when they had prayed the place was shaken in which they were

assembled, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the

word of God with boldness.

CHAPTER IV.

THE LIBERALITY OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS, ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA, FURTHER

PERSECUTION.

1 [4:32]AND the multitude that believed had one heart and one soul, and

none said that anything of his possessions was his; but they had all

things common. [4:33]And the apostles delivered the testimony of the

resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and great favor was

towards them all. [4:34]For no one among them was needy; for those who

possessed lands or houses sold and brought the prices of the things

sold, [4:35]and laid them at the apostles' feet; and distribution was

made to each as any one had need. [4:36]And Joseph, called Barnabas by

the apostles, which is interpreted, A son of consolation, a Levite, a

Cyprian by birth, [4:37]having land, sold it, and brought the money and

laid it at the feet of the apostles.

2 [5:1]And one Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a

possession, [5:2]and he kept back a part of the price, his wife also

being privy to it, and bringing a certain part laid it at the apostles'

feet. [5:3]But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart

that you should lie to the Holy Spirit, and that you should keep back a

part of the price of the land? [5:4]Continuing unsold was it not

yours, and when it was sold was it not at your disposal? Why did you

propose this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.

[5:5]And Ananias hearing these words fell down and expired; and great

fear was upon all who heard. [5:6]And the young men arose and laid him

out, and having carried him out buried him.

3 [5:7]And after an interval of about three hours, his wife, not

knowing what had happened, came in. [5:8]And Peter answered her, Tell

me whether you sold the field for so much? And she said, Yes; for so

much. [5:9]And Peter said to her, Why have you agreed together to try

the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those that buried your

husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out. [5:10]And she

fell down immediately at his feet, and expired; and the young men

coming in found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her

husband. [5:11]And great fear was on all the assembly [church], and on

all that heard of these things.

4 [5:12]And many miracles and prodigies were performed among the people

by the hands of the apostles; and they were all of one accord in

Solomon's porch; [5:13]and no one of the rest dared to join them, but

the people magnified them; [5:14]and believers were added the more to

the Lord, multitudes both of men and women; [5:15]so that they brought

the sick into the streets and placed them on little beds and couches,

that as Peter passed along even his shadow might overshadow some of

them. [5:16]And the multitude came together from the cities about

Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled by impure spirits, all

of whom were cured.

5 [5:17]And the chief priest arose, and all those with him, being the

sect of the Sadducees, and were filled with wrath, [5:18]and laid hands

on the apostles, and put them in the public prison. [5:19]But an angel

of the Lord opening the prison doors by night led them out and said,

[5:20]Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of

this life. [5:21]And hearing this they entered into the temple early in

the morning and taught. And the chief priest coming, and those with

him, called the Sanhedrim together, and all the eldership of the

children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

6 [5:22]But the officers going did not find them in the prison; and

returning they reported, [5:23]saying, The prison found we shut with

all safety, and the guards standing before the doors, but opening we

found no one within. [5:24]And when they heard these words, both the

priest and the commander of the temple and the chief priests doubted

concerning them, what this could mean. [5:25]But some one came and

told them, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the

temple, and teaching the people.

7 [5:26]Then the commander going away with the officers brought them

without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be

stoned; [5:27]and having brought them they placed them before the

Sanhedrim. And the chief priest asked them, [5:28]saying, We charged

you strictly not to teach in this name, and behold, you have filled

Jerusalem with your teaching, and wish to bring this man's blood on us.

[5:29]And Peter answering, and the apostles, said, It is necessary to

obey God rather than man. [5:30]The God of our fathers raised up Jesus,

whom you took and hung on a cross; [5:31]him has God exalted, a Prince

and Saviour at his right hand, to give a change of mind to Israel and

the forgiveness of sins. [5:32]And we are his witnesses of these

things, and also the Holy Spirit which God has given to those that obey

him.

8 [5:33]And when they heard this they were highly offended, and took

counsel to kill them. [5:34]But a certain Pharisee in the Sanhedrim, by

the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, in honor with all the

people, standing up requested them to put the men out a little while;

[5:35]and he said to them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what

you are about to do to these men. [5:36]For before these days Theudas

arose, saying that he was somebody, to whom a number of men, about four

hundred, adhered, who was destroyed, and all who obeyed him passed away

and came to nothing.

9 [5:37]After him arose Judas the Galilean, in the days of the census,

and drew away people after him; and he was destroyed, and all who

obeyed him were dispersed. [5:38]And now I tell you, abstain from these

men, and let them alone; because if this design, or this work, is from

men, it will be destroyed; [5:39]but if it is from God, you cannot

destroy them; lest you be found at some time to be fighting against

God. [5:40]And they were persuaded by him, and calling the apostles and

scourging them, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus,

and dismissed them. [5:41]They went therefore from the presence of the

Sanhedrim, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame

for the name of [Christ]; [5:42]and every day in the temple, and from

house to house, they ceased not teaching and preaching the good news of

Christ Jesus.

CHAPTER V.

THE APPOINTMENT OF SEVEN DEACONS, THE SERMON AND MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN,

AND A GENERAL PERSECUTION.

1 [6:1]AND in those days the disciples being multiplied, there was a

complaint of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, that their widows were

neglected in the daily service. [6:2]And the twelve calling the

multitude of the disciples, said, It is not desirable that we should

leave the word of God to serve tables. [6:3]Look out therefore,

brothers, from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Holy

Spirit, and of wisdom, whom we may set over this business; [6:4]but we

will attend continually to prayer, and the ministry of the word.

2 [6:5]And the proposition pleased all the multitude, and they elected

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, [6:6]and set them before the Apostles; and they

having prayed imposed hands on them. [6:7]And the word of God

increased, and the number of the disciples was greatly multiplied at

Jerusalem, and a great multitude of the priests obeyed the faith.

3 [6:8]And Stephen, full of grace and power, performed prodigies and

great miracles among the people. [6:9]But some members of the synagogue

called that of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of

those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen, [6:10]and

were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke.

[6:11]Then they bribed men who said, We heard him speak blasphemous

words against Moses and God. [6:12]And they stirred up both the people,

and the elders, and the scribes, and coming suddenly they seized him

and led him to the Sanhedrim, [6:13]and brought forward false witnesses

who said, This man speaks incessantly against this holy place, and the

law; [6:14]for we have heard him say, that Jesus this Nazoraean will

destroy this place and change the customs which Moses gave us.

[6:15]And all who sat in the Sanhedrin looking steadily at him saw his

face like the face of an angel.

4 [7:1]And the chief priest said, Are these things then so? [7:2]And

he said, Men, brothers, and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to

our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in

Haran, [7:3]and said to him, Go out from your country and your kindred,

and come to a land which I will show you. [7:4]Then going out from the

land of the Chaldeans, he lived in Haran. And thence, after the death

of his father, he removed into this land in which you now live.

[7:5]And [God] gave him no inheritance in it, not the breadth of a

foot, and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his

posterity after him, when as yet he had no son. [7:6]And God said thus;

that his posterity should be a stranger in a foreign land, and they

shall enslave it and treat it injuriously four hundred years; [7:7]and

the nation which they shall serve will I judge, said God, and after

that they shall come forth and serve me in this place.

5 [7:8]And he gave him the ordinance of circumcision; and so he begat

Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac, Jacob, and

Jacob the twelve patriarchs. [7:9]And the patriarchs envying Joseph

sold him into Egypt; and God was with him [7:10]and delivered him from

all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of

Pharaoh king of Egypt, and [he] made him governor over Egypt and all

his house.

6 [7:11]And there came a famine on all the land of Egypt and Canaan,

and great affliction, and our fathers found no provisions. [7:12]But

Jacob hearing that there was grain in Egypt, sent our fathers the first

time; [7:13]and the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers,

and Joseph's family was made known to Pharaoh. [7:14]And Joseph sent

and called for his father Jacob, and all the family of seventy-five

souls. [7:15]And Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, he and our

fathers; [7:16]and they carried him back to Shechem and buried him in

the tomb which Abraham bought for money of the sons of Hamor the father

of Shechem.

7 [7:17]But when the time of the promise which God made with an oath to

Abraham was at hand, the people increased and became numerous in Egypt,

[7:18]till another king arose who knew not Joseph. [7:19]This [king]

dealt deceitfully with our race, and treated injuriously our fathers,

causing their infants to be exposed that they might not be preserved

alive.

8 [7:20]At that time Moses was born, and was beautiful in the sight of

God, and was nourished three months in his father's house; [7:21]but

being exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up and nourished him as

her own son. [7:22]And Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the

Egyptians, and was mighty in his words and works. [7:23]And when he was

forty years old, it came into his mind to visit his brothers, the

children of Israel. [7:24]And seeing one injured he defended him, and

executed judgment for the oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. [7:25]And he

thought his brothers would understand that God would give them

salvation by his hand; but they understood not.

9 [7:26]On the following day also he showed himself to them as they

contended, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, you are brothers; why

do you injure one another? [7:27]But he that injured his neighbor

repelled him, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

[7:28]Will you kill me as you did the Egyptian, yesterday? [7:29]And

Moses fled at that saying, and lived a stranger in the land of Midian,

where he begat two sons.

10 [7:30]And forty years being completed there appeared to him in the

wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire, in a bush.

[7:31]And Moses seeing it, wondered at the sight; and coming near to

look at it, there was a voice of the Lord, [7:32]I am the God of your

fathers, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. And Moses being

afraid dared not look at it. [7:33]And the Lord said to him, Put off

your shoes from your feet; for the place on which you stand is holy

ground. [7:34]I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and

have heard their groaning, and have come down to deliver them; and now

come, I will send you to Egypt.

11 [7:35]This is the Moses whom they denied, saying, Who made you a

ruler and a judge? Him did God send to be a ruler and a redeemer by the

hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. [7:36]This man

brought them out, having performed prodigies and miracles in Egypt, and

at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. [7:37]This is the

Moses who said to the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up

for you, of your brothers, like me. [7:38] This is he that was with the

assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount

Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living oracles to give

us, [7:39]whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him away and

turned back in their hearts to Egypt, [7:40]saying to Aaron, Make us

gods to go before us; for this Moses who led us up out of Egypt, we

know not what has happened to him.

12 [7:41]And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to

the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. [7:42]And God

turned and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written

in the book of the prophets; Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me

forty years in the wilderness, house of Israel, [7:43]and take up the

tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of the god Rephan, figures which you

made to worship? I will even remove you beyond Babylon.

13 [7:44]Our fathers in the wilderness received the tabernacle of the

testimony, as he that spoke to Moses charged him to make it according

to the pattern which he had seen; [7:45]which also our fathers

receiving it in succession brought with Joshua into the possession of

the nations, whom God expelled before the face of our fathers till the

days of David; [7:46]who found favor with God and desired to find a

dwelling for the God of Jacob. [7:47]And Solomon built him a house.

[7:48]But the Most High dwells not in [temples] made with hands, as the

prophet says; [7:49]Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool;

what house will you build me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my

rest? [7:50]has not my hand made all these things? [7:51]Stiff necked,

and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always fight against the Holy

Spirit; as your fathers did, you also do. [7:52]Which of the prophets

did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who foretold the

coming of the Righteous One, of whom you now have become betrayers and

murderers, [7:53]who have received the law by orders of angels and have

not kept it.

14 [7:54]And when they heard these things they were enraged in their

minds and gnashed their teeth upon him. [7:55]But he being full of the

Holy Spirit, looking steadily to heaven saw the glory of God and Jesus

standing on the right hand of God, [7:56]and said, Behold, I see the

heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

[7:57]And crying with a loud voice they stopped their ears and rushed

upon him with one accord, [7:58]and casting him out of the city, stoned

him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young

man called Saul, [7:59]and they stoned Stephen, calling and saying,

Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. [7:60]And kneeling down he cried with a

loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said

this he fell asleep. [8:1]And Saul consented to his death.

15 And at that time there was a great persecution of the church at

Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad through the regions of

Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. [8:2]And pious men buried

Stephen and made a great lamentation for him. [8:3]But Saul persecuted

the church, and going from house to house, seizing men and women,

committed them to prison.

CHAPTER VI.

THE EARLY MINISTRY OF PHILIP THE DEACON, THE CONVERSION OF THE

SAMARITANS, THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH.

1 [8:4]Being scattered abroad, therefore, they went everywhere

preaching the good news of the word; [8:5]and Philip going down to a

city of Samaria preached Christ to them. [8:6]And the multitudes

attended with one accord to the things said by Philip, when they heard

him and saw the miracles which he performed. [8:7]For impure spirits

came out of many who had them, crying with a loud voice; and many

paralytics and lame persons were cured; [8:8]and there was great joy in

that city.

2 [8:9]And there was a man by the name of Simon who formerly practised

magic in that city, and astonished the nation of Samaria, saying that

he was some great person, [8:10]to whom all from the least to the

greatest attended, saying, This is the power of God which is called

great. [8:11]And they attended to him because for a long time he had

astonished them with his magic arts. [8:12]But because they believed

Philip preaching the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of

Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. [8:13]And Simon

also himself believed, and being baptized attended constantly on

Philip; and beholding the mighty works and miracles that were

performed, he was astonished.

3 [8:14]And the apostles at Jerusalem hearing that Samaria had received

the word of God, sent to them Peter and John, [8:15]who came down and

prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; [8:16]for it

had not yet fallen on any of them, only they were baptized in the name

of the Lord Jesus. [8:17] Then they laid hands on them and they

received the Holy Spirit. [8:18]And Simon seeing that the Holy Spirit

was given by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, offered them

money, [8:19]saying, Give me this power, that on whomsoever I lay my

hand he may receive the Holy Spirit. [8:20]But Peter said to him, Your

money go to perdition with you; because you have thought to purchase

the gift of God with money. [8:21]You have no part nor inheritance in

this work; for your heart is not right before God. [8:22]Turn your mind

therefore from this your wickedness, and pray the Lord if perhaps the

thought of your mind may be forgiven you; [8:23]for I see you are in

the gall of bitterness and bond of wickedness. [8:24]And Simon

answered and said, Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things

which you have said may come upon me.

4 [8:25]They then having fully testified and spoken the word of the

Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the good news to many

villages of the Samaritans. [8:26]And an angel of the Lord spoke to

Philip, saying, Arise and go to the south, by the way that leads from

Jerusalem to Gaza; this is a wilderness. [8:27]And he arose and went.

And behold a man, an Ethiopian eunuch, an officer of Candace queen of

the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasures, who had come to

Jerusalem to worship, [8:28]and he was returning and sitting in his

chariot reading the prophet Isaiah.

5 [8:29]And the Spirit said to Philip, Go forward and join yourself to

his chariot. [8:30]And Philip running forward heard him reading the

prophet Isaiah, and he said, Do you really understand what you read?

[8:31]And he said [No]; for how can I unless some one teaches me? And

he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. [8:32]And the passage of

Scripture which he was reading, was this; As a sheep is led to

slaughter, and as a lamb before one that shears him is dumb, so he

opened not his mouth. [8:33]In his humiliation his judgment was taken

away; and who will tell of his generation? for his life was taken from

the earth.

6 [8:34]And the eunuch answered and said to Philip, Of whom I pray you

does the prophet say this? of himself or of some other one? [8:35]And

Philip opening his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached

to him the good news of Jesus. [8:36]And as they went on the way they

came to a certain water, and the eunuch said, Behold water; what

hinders me from being baptized? [8:38]And he commanded the chariot to

stop, and they both went down to the water, both Philip and the eunuch,

and he baptized him. [8:39]And when they went up from the water the

Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more;

for he went his way rejoicing. [8:40]But Philip was found at Azotus,

and passing through he preached the good news to all the cities till he

came to Caesarea.

CHAPTER VII.

THE CONVERSION OF SAUL, PETER CURING AENEAS, AND RAISING DORCAS FROM

THE DEAD.

1 [9:1]BUT Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against

the disciples of the Lord, went to the chief priest [9:2]and asked of

him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of that

way, he might bring them bound, men and women, to Jerusalem. [9:3]And

he was going and had come nigh to Damascus, and suddenly a light shone

around him from heaven, [9:4]and falling on the earth he heard a voice

saying to him, Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me? [9:5]And he said,

Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. [9:6]But

arise and enter into the city, and it shall be told you what you must

do. [9:7]And the men travelling with him stood amazed, hearing indeed

the voice, but beholding no one. [9:8]And Saul arose from the earth,

and his eyes being opened he saw nothing; and leading him by the hand

they conducted him to Damascus. [9:9]And he was three days without

sight, and neither eat nor drank.

2 [9:10]And there was a certain disciple at Damascus by the name of

Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said,

Behold, I am here, Lord. [9:11]And the Lord said to him, Arise and go

to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for [a

man] by the name of Saul of Tarsus; for behold, he prays, [9:12]and has

seen a man by the name of Ananias coming and putting a hand on him,

that he might receive his sight. [9:13]And Ananias answered, Lord, I

have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your

saints at Jerusalem; [9:14]and here he has power from the chief priests

to bind all that call on your name. [9:15]But the Lord said to him, Go,

for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name both before nations

and kings, and the children of Israel; [9:16]for I will show him how

great things he must suffer for my name.

3 [9:17]And Ananias went and entered into the house, and laying hands

on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to

you on the way which you came, that you may receive sight and be filled

with the Holy Spirit. [9:18]And immediately there fell from his eyes as

it were scales, and he received his sight, and rising up was baptized,

[9:19]and having received food was strengthened.

4 And he was with the disciples at Damascus some days; [9:20]and

immediately in the synagogues he preached Jesus, that this is the Son

of God. [9:21]And all that heard him were astonished and said, Is not

this he that destroyed those who called on this name at Jerusalem, and

has come here for this purpose, that he might lead them bound to the

chief priests? [9:22]But Saul increased in power and confounded the

Jews living at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

5 [9:23]And when some days had passed, the Jews took counsel to kill

him; [9:24]and their design was made known to Saul. And they watched

the gates day and night to kill him; [9:25]but the disciples took him

by night and sent him away by the wall, letting him down in a

store-basket.

6 [9:26]And going to Jerusalem he endeavored to join the disciples; and

they all feared him, not believing that he was a disciple. [9:27]But

Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and related to them

how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and

how he had spoken boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus. [9:28]And he

was with them, entering in and going out at Jerusalem, [9:29]and

speaking boldly in the name of the Lord; and he spoke and disputed with

the Hellenists; and they undertook to kill him; [9:30]but the brothers

knowing it led him away to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus.

7 [9:31]Then had the church peace in all Judea and Galilee and Samaria,

and being built up, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the

comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. [9:32]And Peter

passing through all places, went down also to the saints living at

Lydda. [9:33]And he found there a certain man by the name of AEneas,

who had lain on a bed for eight years, and was a paralytic. [9:34]And

Peter said to him, AEneas, Jesus Christ cures you; arise and make your

bed for yourself. And he immediately arose; [9:35]and all those who

lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.

8 [9:36]And there was at Joppa a certain female disciple called

Tabitha, which being interpreted is called, Dorcas; she was full of

good works and charities which she bestowed. [9:37]And in those days

she was sick and died; and having washed they put her in an upper room.

[9:38]But Lydda being nigh to Joppa, the disciples hearing that Peter

was there sent two men to him requesting, Do not delay to come to us.

[9:39]And Peter arose and came with them; and when he had come they led

him into the upper room, and all the widows stood by weeping and

showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with

them. [9:40] And Peter putting them all out knelt down and prayed, and

turning to the body he said, Tabitha, arise! And she opened her eyes,

and seeing Peter sat up. [9:41] And giving her his hand he raised her

up, and calling the saints and widows presented her living. [9:42]And

this was known in all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. [9:43]And

Peter continued many days at Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS, AND OTHER GENTILES.

1 [10:1]AND a certain man at Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion of

the cohort which was called the Italian, [10:2]a pious man, and one

fearing God with all his house, and bestowing many charities on the

people, and praying to God always, [10:3]saw clearly in a vision, about

the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming to him, and saying to

him, Cornelius. [10:4]And looking steadily at him and being afraid, he

said, What is wanted, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and

charities have come up as a memorial before God. [10:5] And now send

men to Joppa and call for a certain Simon who is called Peter; [10:6]he

lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea. [10:7]And

when the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of the

house servants, and a pious soldier of those that attended constantly

on him, [10:8] and having related all things to them sent them to Joppa.

2 [10:9]And on the next day, as they were pursuing their journey and

had come nigh to the city, Peter went upon the house to pray, about the

sixth hour. [10:10]And he was hungry and wished to eat; and while they

were preparing a trance came upon him, [10:11]and he beheld heaven

opened, and a certain vessel like a great sheet descending, let down by

four corners to the earth, [10:12]in which were all the quadrupeds and

reptiles of the earth, and birds of heaven. [10:13]And a voice came to

him, Arise, Peter, kill and eat. [10:14]But Peter said, By no means,

Lord, for I have never eaten any thing common and impure. [10:15]And a

voice came to him again, a second time, What God has purified, regard

not common. [10:16]And this was done thrice, and immediately the vessel

was taken up to heaven.

3 [10:17]And while Peter doubted with himself what the vision which he

had seen meant, behold, even [then] the men sent by Cornelius, having

inquired for the house of Simon, stood at the gate, [10:18]and calling

aloud asked if Simon who was called Peter lodged there. [10:19]And

while Peter was considering of the vision, the Spirit said to him,

Behold, men seek you; [10:20]arise and go down and go with them without

hesitation, for I have sent them. [10:21]And Peter went down to the men

and said, Behold, I am the man whom you seek; what is the cause for

which you have come? [10:22]And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a

righteous man, and one that fears God, and esteemed by all the nation

of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to

his house and hear words from you. [10:23]Then he called them in and

entertained them.

4 And the next day he arose and went with them, and some of the

brothers from Joppa went with him. [10:24]And on the day following they

came to Caesarea; and Cornelius was expecting them, and had called

together his relations and particular friends. [10:25]And when Peter

came in Cornelius met him, and falling down at his feet worshipped him.

[10:26]But Peter raised him up saying, Arise, I also am a man.

[10:27]And conversing with him he went in, and found many come

together; [10:28]and he said to them, You know that it is not lawful

for a Jew to associate with a man of another nation, or come into his

house; and God has taught me not to call any man common or impure;

[10:29]wherefore, being sent for I also came without objecting. I ask

therefore for what reason you have sent for me? [10:30]And Cornelius

said, From the fourth hour of the day I fasted till this hour, and at

the ninth hour I was praying in my house, and behold, a man stood

before me in splendid clothing, [10:31]and said, Cornelius, your prayer

is heard and your charities are remembered before God. [10:32]Send

therefore to Joppa and call Simon who is called Peter; he lodges at the

house of Simon a tanner, by the sea, who when he has come will speak to

you. [10:33] Immediately therefore I sent to you, and you have done

well to come. Now therefore we are all present before God to hear all

things which God has commanded you.

5 [10:34]And Peter opening his mouth said, Of a truth I perceive that

God is not a respecter of persons, [10:35]but in every nation he that

fears him and does righteousness is acceptable to him. [10:36]The word

which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching the good news of

peace by Jesus Christ,--he is Lord of all,-- [10:37]you know; the word

which was [preached] through all Judea, beginning in Galilee after the

baptism which John preached, [10:38]Jesus from Nazareth, how God

anointed him with the Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good

and curing all that were subjugated by the devil, for God was with him;

[10:39]and we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the

land of Judea, and at Jerusalem, whom also they killed, hanging him on

a cross. [10:40]This [man] did God raise up on the third day, and

permitted him to be made manifest, [10:41]not to all the people, but to

witnesses chosen before by God, to us, who eat and drank with him after

he rose from the dead; [10:42]and he commanded us to preach to the

people and testify fully that he is appointed by God the judge of

living and dead. [10:43]To him all the prophets bear witness, that

every one who believes in him has forgiveness of sins through his name.

6 [10:44]While Peter was yet speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell

on all who heard the word. [10:45]And those of the circumcision who

came with Peter were astonished, that on the gentiles also the gift of

the Holy Spirit was poured out; [10:46]for they heard them speaking

with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, [10:47]Can any

forbid water that these should be baptized, who have received the Holy

Spirit as we also have? [10:48]And he commanded that they should be

baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they desired him to remain some

days.

CHAPTER IX.

PETER CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR ASSOCIATING WITH GENTILES, AND JUSTIFIED;

PREACHING TO THE GENTILES CONTINUED.

1 [11:1]AND the apostles and brothers who were in Judea heard that the

gentiles received the word of God. [11:2]And when Peter went up to

Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, [11:3]saying,

You went in to men that were uncircumcised, and eat with them.

[11:4]And Peter began and related to them in order, saying, [11:5]I was

in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw a vision in a trance, a vessel

like a great sheet descending, let down by the four corners from

heaven, and it came to me; [11:6]and looking into it attentively I

perceived and saw the quadrupeds of the earth and wild beasts and

reptiles and birds of heaven. [11:7]And I heard a voice saying to me,

Arise, Peter, kill and eat. [11:8]And I said, By no means, Lord, for

nothing common or impure has ever entered into my mouth. [11:9]And a

voice answered from heaven a second time, What God has purified do not

you regard common. [11:10]And this was done thrice, and again all were

taken up to heaven.

2 [11:11]And behold, immediately three men came to the house in which I

was, being sent for me from Caesarea. [11:12]And the Spirit told me to

go with them. And these six brothers also went with me, and we entered

into the house of the man. [11:13]And he told us how he had seen the

angel in his house standing and saying to him, Send to Joppa and call

Simon who is called Peter, [11:14]who will speak words to you by which

you shall be saved and all your house. [11:15] And when I began to

speak the Holy Spirit fell on them as also on us in the beginning.

[11:16]And I remembered the word of the Lord how he said, John indeed

baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]If therefore God gave the gift equally to them and to us, who

believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to

forbid God? [11:18] And hearing these things they were silent, and

glorified God, saying, Then to the gentiles also has God indeed given

the change of mind to life.

3 [11:19]And those scattered abroad by the affliction which commenced

with Stephen, went even to Phenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking

the word to no one but Jews only. [11:20]But some of them, Cyprians and

Cyrenians, who came to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks preaching the good

news of the Lord Jesus. [11:21] And the hand of the Lord was with them,

and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. [11:22]And a report

concerning them was brought to the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and

they sent Barnabas to go as far as Antioch; [11:23]who having come and

seen the grace of God rejoiced, and exhorted all to adhere to the Lord

with the purpose of the heart; [11:24]for he was a good man and full of

the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great multitude were added to the

Lord.

4 [11:25]And he went to Tarsus to seek for Saul, [11:26]and found and

brought him to Antioch. And he was with them, and they met a whole year

with the church and taught a great multitude; and the disciples first

took the name of Christians at Antioch.

5 [11:27]And in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to

Antioch; [11:28]and one of them, by the name of Agabus, standing up

signified by the spirit that a great famine was about to come on all

the world; which also came under Claudius Caesar. [11:29]And each of

the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send help to the

brethren living in Judea; [11:30]which they also did, sending to the

elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

CHAPTER X.

PERSECUTION BY HEROD AGRIPPA, HIS DEATH.--A.D. 44.

1 [12:1]AND at that time Herod the king put forth his hands to injure

some of the church. [12:2]And he killed James the brother of John with

the sword. [12:3]And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to

apprehend Peter also,--and it was during the days of unleavened

bread,-- [12:4]and having seized he put him in prison, committing him

to four companies of four soldiers each to guard him, wishing after the

passover to bring him before the people. [12:5]Peter therefore was kept

by the guard; but prayer was made incessantly by the church to God for

him. [12:6]And when Herod was about to bring him forward, on that

night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,

and guards kept watch before the door. [12:7]And behold, an angel of

the Lord came, and a light shone in the building; and striking Peter on

the side he awoke him saying, Arise quickly. And his chains fell off

from his hands. [12:8]And the angel said to him, Gird yourself, and tie

on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Put your cloak

about you, and follow me. [12:9]And going out he followed him, and

knew not that it was real which was done by the angel, but thought he

saw a vision. [12:10]And passing through the first guard, and the

second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened

to them of itself, and going out they went forward one street, and

immediately the angel left him. [12:11]And Peter coming to himself

said, Now I know that the Lord has really sent his angel and delivered

me from the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the Jews.

2 [12:12]And considering within himself he came to the house of Mary

the mother of John called Mark, where a great number were assembled

together and praying. [12:13]And knocking at the door of the gate, a

female servant, called Rhoda, came to listen, [12:14]and knowing the

voice of Peter she did not open the gate from joy, but ran in and told

that Peter stood before the gate. [12:15]But they said to her, You are

mad. But she asserted strongly that it was so. And they said, It is his

angel. [12:16]But Peter continued knocking; and having opened they saw

him, and were astonished. [12:17]And making signs to them with his hand

to be silent, he related how the Lord had conducted him out of the

prison, and said, Tell these things to James and the brothers. And

going out he departed to another place.

3 [12:18]And when it was day there was no small stir among the soldiers

as to what had become of Peter. [12:19]And Herod seeking and not

finding him, examined the guards, and commanded them to be put to

death, and going down from Judea to Caesarea remained [there].

4 [12:20]And he was displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians; but they

came with one accord to him, and having persuaded Blastus who was over

the king's bedchamber, desired peace, because their country was

nourished by the king's. [12:21]And on an appointed day Herod having

put on his royal apparel, and sitting on the tribunal, made a speech to

them; [12:22]and the people shouted, It is the voice of a god, and not

of a man. [12:23]And an angel of the Lord instantly smote him because

he gave not glory to God, and being eaten with worms he expired.

[12:24]And the word of God grew and was increased.

CHAPTER XI.

THE FIRST MISSION OF PAUL AND BARNABAS TO CYPRUS AND ASIA MINOR.--A.D.

46-49.

1 [12:25]AND Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having

performed the service, taking with them also John who was called Mark.

[13:1]And there were prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch;

Barnabas and Simeon called Niger [the black], and Lucius the Cyrenian,

and Manaen the foster brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

[13:2]And while they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,

Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

[13:3]Then having fasted and prayed and imposed hands on them, they

sent them forth. [13:4]They, therefore, being sent forth by the Holy

Spirit went down to Seleucia, and thence sailed to Cyprus; [13:5]and

coming to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of

the Jews; and they also had John for a servant.

2 [13:6]And having gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found

a certain magian, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus,

[13:7]who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man.

This man having called for Barnabas and Saul desired to hear the word

of God; [13:8]but Elymas the magian, for so his name is interpreted,

opposed them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith.

[13:9]But Saul, [called] also Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,

looking steadily at him [13:10]said, O full of all deceit and all

craft, son of a devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease

to pervert the right ways of the Lord? [13:11]And now, behold, the hand

of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for

a season. And immediately there fell upon him a mist and darkness, and

going about he sought guides. [13:12]Then the proconsul seeing what was

done believed, and was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

3 [13:13]And those with Paul, sailing from Paphos, went to Perga in

Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. [13:14]And

passing on from Perga, they went to Antioch in Pisidia, and going into

the synagogue on the Sabbath they sat down. [13:15]And after the

reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue rulers sent to them,

saying, Men and brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the

people, speak.

4 [13:16]And Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, said, Men of

Israel, and you that fear God, hear. [13:17]The God of this people

chose our fathers, and raised up the people in the exile in the land of

Egypt, and brought them out of it with a high arm. [13:18]And when he

had borne with their conduct forty years in the wilderness, [13:19]and

had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he distributed their

land to them by lot. [13:20]And after this he gave judges four hundred

and fifty years till Samuel the prophet. [13:21]And then they asked for

a king, and God gave them Saul the son Kish, a man of the tribe of

Benjamin, forty years; [13:22]and removing him, he raised up for them

David for a king, of whom also he said and testified, I have found

David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.

5 [13:23]Of the posterity of this man, according to his promise, has

God raised up to Israel a Saviour, Jesus; [13:24]John having preached

before his coming the baptism of a change of mind to all the people of

Israel. [13:25]And when John completed his course, he said, Who do you

suppose I am? I am not [the Christ]; but behold, there comes after me

one the sandal of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.

6 [13:26]Men and brothers, children of the race of Abraham, and you

that fear God, the word of this salvation is sent to you. [13:27]For

those living at Jerusalem, and their rulers, not knowing him and the

words of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled them by

condemning [him]; [13:28]and [although] they found no cause of death

[in him], they requested of Pilate that he might be destroyed;

[13:29]and when they had performed all things written of him, they took

him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. [13:30]But God raised

him from the dead, [13:31]and he appeared many days to those who went

up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the

people. [13:32]And we declare to you the good news of the promise made

to the fathers, [13:33]that God has fulfilled this to us their children

in raising up Jesus, as it is written also in the first psalm, You are

my son, to-day have I begotten you. [13:34]And that he raised him from

the dead never more to return to destruction, he said thus; I will give

you the sure promises of David. [13:35] Wherefore also in another place

he says, Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see destruction.

[13:36]For David, having in his generation served the will of God, fell

asleep, and was gathered to his fathers and saw destruction; [13:37]

but he whom God raised up saw not destruction. [13:38]Be it known to

you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to

you the forgiveness of sins, [13:39]and every one who believes is

justified by him from all things from which you could not be justified

by the law of Moses. [13:40] See then that what is said by the prophets

does not come upon you; [13:41] Behold, despisers, and wonder and

perish, for I perform a work in your days, a work which you shall by no

means believe even if one declares it to you.

7 [13:42]And when they had gone out, [the people] requested that these

words might be spoken to them on the next sabbath. [13:43]And the

congregation being dismissed, many of the Jews and pious proselytes

followed Paul and Barnabas, who gave them additional instructions, and

persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. [13:44]And on the

following sabbath almost all the city came together to hear the word of

the Lord. [13:45]And the Jews seeing the multitudes were filled with

envy, and contradicted the things said by Paul, disputing and

blaspheming. [13:46]And both Paul and Barnabas speaking boldly said,

It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you;

but since you cast it away, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal

life, behold, we turn to the gentiles. [13:47]For thus has the Lord

commanded us; I have set you for a light of nations, that you should be

a salvation even to the end of the earth. [13:48] And the gentiles

hearing this rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many

as were appointed to eternal life believed; [13:49]and the word of the

Lord was spread through all the country. [13:50]But the Jews excited

the pious and honorable women, and the first men of the city, and

raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out from

their limits. [13:51]And shaking off the dust of their feet against

them, they went to Iconium; [13:52] and the disciples were filled with

joy and the Holy Spirit.

8 [14:1]And at Iconium they went together into the synagogue of the

Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude of the Jews and Greeks

believed. [14:2]But the unbelieving Jews excited the minds of the

gentiles against the brothers, and made them ill-disposed. [14:3]Then

they spent a long time in speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified

to the word of his grace by granting miracles and prodigies to be

performed by their hands. [14:4]And the multitude of the city were

divided; some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles. [14:5]And

when a design was formed by the gentiles and Jews with their rulers to

treat them injuriously, and stone them, [14:6]knowing it, they fled to

the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding country,

[14:7]and preached the good news there.

9 [14:8]And there sat a certain man at Lystra, infirm in his feet, lame

from his birth, who had never walked. [14:9]This man heard Paul

speaking, who, looking steadily at him and seeing that he had faith to

be cured, [14:10]said with a loud voice, Stand up erect on your feet.

And he leaped, and walked. [14:11]And the multitude seeing what Paul

did, lifted up their voice in the language of Lycaonia, saying, The

gods have come down to us in the likeness of men; [14:12]and they

called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury, because he was a master of

eloquence. [14:13]And the priest of the Jupiter which was before the

city brought bulls and garlands to the gates, and wished to offer

sacrifices with the multitudes. [14:14]But the apostles Barnabas and

Paul hearing of it, rending their clothes ran among the multitude,

crying [14:15]and saying, Men, why do you do these things? We are also

men subject to like sufferings with you, preaching that you should turn

from these vain [services] to the living God, who made heaven and

earth, and the sea, and all things in them, [14:16]who in past

generations permitted all nations to walk in their own ways;

[14:17]although indeed he left not himself without a witness, doing

good, giving rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts

with food and gladness. [14:18]And saying these things they with

difficulty restrained the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

10 [14:19]But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded

the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the

city, supposing that he was dead. [14:20]But while the disciples stood

around him, he arose and entered into the city. And on the next day he

went away with Barnabas to Derbe. [14:21]And having preached the good

news to that city, and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra,

and Iconium, and Antioch, [14:22]confirming the souls of the disciples,

and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many

afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God. [14:23]And having

appointed them elders in every church, and having prayed with fasting,

they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

11 [14:24]And passing through Pisidia they came to Pamphylia,

[14:25]and having spoken the word in Perga they went down to Attalia,

[14:26]and thence sailed to Antioch, whence they had been commended to

the favor of God for the work which they performed. [14:27]And having

arrived, and assembled the church, they reported what God had done with

them, and that he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles.

[14:28]And they remained there not a little time with the disciples.

CHAPTER XII.

THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM ON CIRCUMCISION.--A.D. 50.

1 [15:1]AND certain persons having come down from Judea taught the

brothers, If you are not circumcised according to the custom of Moses

you cannot be saved. [15:2]There being therefore no little dissension

and disputation of Paul and Barnabas with them, they determined that

Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to the apostles

and elders at Jerusalem, concerning this question. [15:3]They,

therefore, being sent forward by the church, went to Phenicia and

Samaria, relating the conversion of the gentiles, and caused great joy

to all the brothers. [15:4]And when they came to Jerusalem they were

received by the church, and the apostles, and the elders, and related

what things God had done with them. [15:5]But some of those of the sect

of the Pharisees who had believed, rose and said, that it is necessary

to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

2 [15:6]And the apostles and elders were assembled together to see

about this matter. [15:7]And after there had been much debate, Peter

rose and said to them, Men and brothers, you know that in former days

God chose among you that the gentiles should hear by my mouth the word

of the gospel and believe. [15:8] And the heart-searching God testified

to them, giving to them the Holy Spirit even as to us, [15:9]and made

no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by the faith.

[15:10]Now, therefore, why do you try God, to put on the necks of the

disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we could bear?

[15:11]But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the

Lord Jesus in the same manner as they.

3 [15:12]And all the multitude was silent, and heard Barnabas and Paul

relate what miracles and prodigies God performed among the gentiles

through them. [15:13]And after they were silent, James answered,

saying, Men and brothers, hear me. [15:14]Simeon has related how God

first visited the gentiles to take a people for his name. [15:15]And

with this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written,

[15:16]After this will I return and build up the tabernacle of David

which had fallen down, and rebuild its ruins, and set it up,

[15:17]that the rest of men may seek the Lord, even all the nations on

whom my name has been called, says the Lord who does these things,

[15:18]known from eternity. [15:19]Wherefore I judge that we ought not

to trouble those who turned to God from the gentiles, [15:20]but to

send to them to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and

fornication, and things strangled, and blood. [15:21]For Moses from

ancient times has those who preach him in every city, being read in the

synagogues every sabbath.

4 [15:22]Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders, with all the

assembly [the church], to send delegates from themselves to Antioch

with Paul and Barnabas, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men

among the brothers, [15:23]writing by their hand, The apostles and

elders and brothers, to the brothers in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia,

who are of the gentiles, greeting. [15:24]Since we heard that some

going out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls,

to whom we gave no charge, [15:25]it seemed good to us, being of one

opinion, to send delegates to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

[15:26]men who have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ. [15:27]We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, and they will

tell you the same things by word. [15:28]For it seemed good to the Holy

Spirit, and to us, to put no greater burden upon you except these

necessary things; [15:29] that you should abstain from things

sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication,

from which if you keep yourselves you will do well. Farewell.

5 [15:30]They, therefore, being dismissed went to Antioch, and

assembling the multitude delivered the epistle. [15:31]And reading it

they rejoiced at the exhortation. [15:32]And Judas and Silas being

themselves also prophets, exhorted the brothers with much argument, and

confirmed them. [15:33]And having staid [some] time, they were

dismissed in peace by the brothers to those that sent them. [15:35]But

Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, teaching and preaching with many

others the word of the Lord.

CHAPTER XIII.

PAUL'S SECOND MISSION TO ASIA MINOR.--A.D. 51-52.

1 [15:36]AND after some days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return and

visit the brothers in every city in which we preached the word of the

Lord, [and see] how they do. [15:37]And Barnabas wished to take with

them John called Mark; [15:38] but Paul thought not best to take with

them one who deserted them at Pamphylia and did not go with them to the

work. [15:39]And there was a sharp contention, so that they separated

from each other; and Barnabas taking Mark sailed to Cyprus.

2 [15:40]But Paul choosing Silas went out, commended to the favor of

the Lord by the brothers. [15:41]And he passed through Syria and

Cilicia confirming the churches. [16:1]And he went to Derbe and Lystra.

And behold, there was a certain disciple there by the name of Timothy,

a son of a Jewish woman, a believer, but of a Greek father, [16:2]who

was commended by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. [16:3]Him Paul

wished to have go with him; and he took and circumcised him on account

of the Jews who were in those places; for all knew that his father was

a Greek.

3 [16:4]And when he went through the cities he gave them the ordinances

to observe which had been determined by the apostles and elders at

Jerusalem.

4 [16:5]Then the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased

in number daily. [16:6]And passing through Phrygia and the country of

Galatia, being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

[16:7]coming by Mysia they endeavored to go into Bithynia; and the

Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; [16:8]and passing by Mysia they

went down to Troas. [16:9]And a vision appeared by night to Paul; a

certain man of Macedonia standing, asking him, and saying, Come over

into Macedonia and help us. [16:10]And when he saw the vision we

immediately sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had

called us to preach the good news to them.

CHAPTER XIV.

PAUL AND HIS COMPANY AT PHILIPPI ON THEIR FIRST MISSION TO

EUROPE.--A.D. 52-53.

1 [16:11]AND sailing from Troas we came in a direct course to

Samothracia, and on the next day to Neapolis, [16:12]and thence to

Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, [and] a

colony. And we spent some days in that city. [16:13]And on the sabbath

we went out of the gate, by the river, where the proseuche [place of

prayer] usually was, and sitting down we spoke to the women who came

together. [16:14]And a certain woman by the name of Lydia, a dealer in

purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard, whose heart

the Lord opened to attend to the [words] spoken by Paul.

2 [16:15]And when she was baptized, and her house, she requested

saying, If you have judged me faithful to the Lord, come into my house

and stay; and she constrained us.

3 [16:16]And when we went to the proseuche, a certain female servant

having a spirit, a diviner, met us, who brought her masters much gain

by divining. [16:17]She following Paul and us, cried, saying, These men

are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us the way of

salvation; [16:18]and this she did for many days. And Paul being

grieved turned around and said to the spirit, I command you, in the

name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out of her in

that hour. [16:19]And her masters seeing that the hope of their gain

was gone, seizing Paul and Silas dragged them to the market, to the

rulers, [16:20] and bringing them before the prefects said, These men,

being Jews, greatly trouble the city, [16:21]and preach customs which

it is not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.

[16:22]And the multitude came together against them, and the prefects

tearing off their clothes gave orders to beat them with rods,

[16:23]and having inflicted many blows on them cast them into prison,

charging the jailer to keep them safely; [16:24]who, having received

such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet

fast in the stocks.

4 [16:25]But at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sung praises to God,

and the prisoners heard them. [16:26]And suddenly there was a great

earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and all

the doors were immediately opened, and the bands of all were removed.

[16:27]And the jailer awaking from sleep and seeing the doors of the

prison opened, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing

that the prisoners had escaped. [16:28]But Paul cried with a loud

voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. [16:29]And

asking for a light he sprang in, and fell down trembling before Paul

and Silas, [16:30]and bringing them out said, Sirs, what must I do to

be saved? [16:31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you

shall be saved, and your house. [16:32]And they spoke the word of the

Lord to him and all those in his house.

5 [16:33]And taking them that hour of the night, he washed them from

their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, immediately,

[16:34]and conducting them up into his house he set a table, and

rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God. [16:35]And when

it was day the prefects sent the lictors, saying, Let those men go.

[16:36]And the jailer told these words to Paul; The prefects have sent

to let you go; now, therefore, go, and depart in peace.

6 [16:37]But Paul said to him, They have beaten us publicly

uncondemned, being Romans, and cast us into prison; and now do they

privately cast us out? No, indeed: but let them come themselves and

conduct us out. [16:38]And the lictors told these words to the

prefects, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans;

[16:39]and they came and besought them, and conducting them out desired

them to leave the city. [16:40]And going out of the prison they entered

into the house of Lydia, and having seen the brothers they exhorted

them, and departed.

CHAPTER XV.

PAUL AND HIS COMPANY AT THESSALONICA, BEREA, AND ATHENS.--A.D. 53.

1 [17:1]AND travelling through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to

Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. [17:2]And

according to his custom Paul went in to them, and reasoned with them

three sabbaths from the Scriptures, [17:3]explaining and asserting that

the Christ ought to suffer and to rise from the dead; and that this

Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. [17:4]And some of them

believed and adhered to Paul and Silas; of the pious Greeks a great

multitude, and of the chief women not a few. [17:5]But the unbelieving

Jews taking certain base men of those about the markets, and exciting a

mob, disturbed the city; and coming to the house of Jason sought to

bring them out to the people; [17:6]but not finding them, they dragged

Jason and some brothers to the rulers of the city, crying, These men

who have turned the world upside down have come here also, [17:7]and

Jason has received them; and they all do things contrary to the

ordinances of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.

[17:8]And they excited the multitude and the rulers of the city hearing

these things, [17:9]and taking security of Jason and the rest they let

them go.

2 [17:10]And the brothers immediately, by night, sent away Paul and

Silas to Berea; and when they came they went into the synagogue of the

Jews; [17:11]but these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for

they received the word with all readiness, examining the Scriptures

daily [to see] if these things were so. [17:12]Many of them therefore

believed, both of honorable Grecian women, and of men not a few.

[17:13]And when the Jews in Thessalonica knew that the word of God was

preached by Paul at Berea, they came there exciting the multitudes.

3 [17:14]Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away, as if to go by

sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there. [17:15]And those conducting

Paul brought him to Athens, and receiving a charge to Silas and Timothy

to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

4 [17:16]And while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was moved

within him as he saw the city wholly devoted to idolatry. [17:17]Then

he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and those that were pious,

and in the market every day with those he met. [17:18]And some of the

Epicurean and Stoic philosophers disputed with him, and some said, What

does this trifler mean to say? And others, He seems to be a preacher of

strange demons; because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

[17:19]And laying hold of him they brought him to the Areopagus,

saying, May we know what this new teaching is which is taught by you?

[17:20]for you bring certain strange things to our ears; we wish

therefore to know what these things mean. [17:21]And all the Athenians

and the strangers living there spend their leisure in nothing else but

telling or hearing something new.

5 [17:22]And Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus said, Men of

Athens, I perceive that in all things you are extremely devoted to the

worship of demons. [17:23]For as I passed through, and observed your

objects of worship, I found also an altar on which was inscribed, TO AN

UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore you worship as unknown, this I declare to

you. [17:24]The God who made the world and all things in it, this [God]

being Lord of heaven and earth dwells not in temples made with hands,

[17:25]neither is he served by the hands of men as needing any thing,

since he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; [17:26]and he

made of one blood every nation of men to live on all the face of the

earth, determining their appointed times and the bounds of their

habitation, [17:27]that they should seek God, if perhaps they might

feel after and find him, and indeed he is not far from every one of us.

[17:28]For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own

poets have said, For we are his offspring. [17:29]Being therefore an

offspring of God, we ought not to think the Deity to be like gold or

silver or stone, a work of art and human device.

6 [17:30]Overlooking therefore the times of ignorance, God now commands

all men everywhere to change their minds, [17:31]because he has

appointed a day in which he is about to judge the world in

righteousness, by the man whom he has appointed, giving assurance to

all by raising him from the dead. [17:32]But when they heard of a

resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear

you again of this. [17:33]So Paul went out from the midst of them;

[17:34]but certain men adhering to him believed, among whom were

Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with

them.

CHAPTER XVI.

PAUL AND HIS COMPANY AT CORINTH, HIS VISIT TO SYRIA AND ASIA

MINOR.--A.D. 53-55.

1 [18:1]AND after this Paul left Athens and came to Corinth. [18:2]And

finding a certain Jew by the name of Aquila, a native of Pontus, who

had recently come from Italy, and his wife Priscilla, because Claudius

had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome, he went to them, [18:3]and

because he was of the same trade continued and labored with them; for

they were tent makers. [18:4]And he reasoned in the synagogue every

sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

2 [18:5]And when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul gave

himself wholly to preaching the word, testifying to the Jews Christ

Jesus. [18:6]But when they disputed and blasphemed, shaking his

garments he said to them, Your blood be upon your heads; I, pure, from

this time will go to the gentiles.

3 [18:7]And departing thence he came into the house of a man called

Justus, who worshipped God, and whose house adjoined the synagogue.

[18:8]And Crispus the synagogue ruler believed in the Lord, with all

his house; and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were

baptized. [18:9]And the Lord said to Paul, in a vision by night, Fear

not, but speak and be not silent, [18:10]for I am with you; and no one

shall attack you to hurt you, for I have many people in this city.

[18:11]And he remained there a year and six months, teaching among them

the word of God.

4 [18:12]And when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose with

one consent against Paul and brought him to the tribunal,

[18:13]saying, This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the

law. [18:14]And when Paul was about to open his mouth Gallio said to

the Jews, If there was any injustice or evil imposition, O Jews, I

would bear with you in a reasonable manner; [18:15] but if it is a

question of doctrine, and of names, and of your law, look to it

yourselves; for I will not be a judge of these things. [18:16]And he

drove them from the tribunal. [18:17]And they all took Sosthenes the

synagogue-ruler and beat him before the tribunal; and Gallio cared for

none of these things.

5 [18:18]And Paul having remained yet many days took leave of the

brothers, and sailed to Syria; and Priscilla was with him, and Aquila,

having shaved his head at Cenchrea; for he had a vow. [18:19]And they

came to Ephesus, and he left them there, and entering himself into the

synagogue reasoned with the Jews. [18:20]And they asking him to stay a

longer time with them he did not consent, [18:21]but taking leave of

them and saying, I will return to you again, if God will, he sailed

from, Ephesus, [18:22]and coming down to Caesarea, and going up and

saluting the church, he went down to Antioch; [18:23]and having spent

some time there he went away, passing in order through the country of

Galatia and Phrygia, confirming all the disciples.

CHAPTER XVII.

PAUL AT EPHESUS.--A.D. 55-58.

1 [18:24]AND a certain Jew by the name of Apollos, an Alexandrian by

birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, being powerful in the

Scriptures. [18:25]This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and

being fervent in spirit spoke and taught correctly the doctrines

concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John; [18:26]and this man

began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Priscilla and Aquila

hearing him took him and taught him more accurately the way. [18:27]

And he wishing to go into Achaia, the brothers sent him, and wrote to

the disciples to receive him. And when he came he helped those much who

had believed through the grace; [18:28]for he argued powerfully against

the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

2 [19:1]And when Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, passing through the

higher portions of the country, came to Ephesus, and found certain

disciples; [19:2] and he said to them, Have you received the Holy

Spirit since you believed? And they said to him, We have not heard that

there is a Holy Spirit. [19:3]And he said to them, With what then were

you baptized? And they said, With John's baptism. [19:4]Paul said, John

indeed baptized [administered] the baptism of a change of mind, telling

the people to believe on him that was to come after him, that is, on

Jesus. [19:5]And hearing this they were baptized in the name of the

Lord Jesus: [19:6]and Paul putting his hands on them, the Holy Spirit

came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. [19:7]And all

the men were about twelve.

3 [19:8]And going into the synagogue he spoke boldly, for three months,

reasoning and persuading in favor of the kingdom of God. [19:9]But

when some were hardened and believed not, speaking evil of the way

before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples from

them, and reasoned day by day in the school of one Tyrannus. [19:10]And

this was done for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the

word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

4 [19:11]And God performed unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

[19:12]so that napkins and aprons were brought from him to the sick,

and their diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

[19:13]And some of the travelling Jewish exorcists undertook to call

over those that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I

adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. [19:14]And there were some

seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this. [19:15]But

the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but

who are you? [19:16]And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped

upon them, and overcome them, and prevailed against them, so that they

escaped from his house, naked and wounded. [19:17]And this was known

both to all the Jews and Greeks who lived at Ephesus, and fear fell on

them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified; [19:18]and many

of those who believed came and confessed, and showed their practices.

[19:19]And many of those who practised secret arts brought their books,

and burnt them before all; and they computed the price of them, and

found it to be fifty thousand [didrachmas] of silver [$8,333].

[19:20]So the word of the Lord increased powerfully and prevailed.

6 [19:21]And when these things were accomplished, Paul was disposed by

the Spirit, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem,

saying, After I have been there I must see Rome. [19:22]And sending

two that served him into Macedonia, Timothy and Erastus, he continued a

time in Asia.

7 [19:23]And there was at that time no small tumult about the way [of

the Lord]. [19:24]For a certain Demetrius by name, a silversmith, who

made silver temples of Diana, and afforded his artisans no small gain,

[19:25]assembling them together and laborers of like employments, said,

Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this employment,

[19:26]and you see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but in almost

all Asia, this Paul has led away a great multitude by persuasion,

saying that things which are made by hands are not gods. [19:27]And not

only this work of ours is in danger of coming into contempt, but even

the temple of the great goddess Diana of being set at nought, and her

majesty also which all Asia and the world worships, of being destroyed.

8 [19:28]And hearing this they were full of wrath, and cried, saying,

Great is Diana of the Ephesians! [19:29]And the whole city was full of

confusion; and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, taking Gaius

and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow travellers of Paul. [19:30]And

Paul wishing to go in to the people, the disciples did not permit him;

[19:31]and some of the rulers of Asia also, who were friendly to him,

sending to him, besought him not to expose himself in the theatre.

[19:32]Some therefore cried one thing, and some another; for the

assembly was confused, and the greater part knew not for what reason

they had come together. [19:33]And they advanced Alexander from the

multitude, the Jews putting him forward; and Alexander motioning with

his hand, wished to defend himself before the people. [19:34]But

knowing that he was a Jew, there was one voice from all, for about two

hours, crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

9 [19:35]And the clerk having stilled the multitude, said, Men of

Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the

Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Diana, and of the Jove descended

[image]? [19:36]These things therefore being indisputable, it is best

to be quiet, and do nothing rashly. [19:37]For you have brought these

men here, who are neither temple-robbers nor blasphemers of your

goddess. [19:38]If, therefore, Demetrius and the artisans with him have

a charge against any, court days are held, and there are pro-consuls;

let them accuse one another. [19:39]And if you desire any thing of

other matters, let it be determined in a lawful assembly. [19:40]For

we are in danger of being called to account for the tumult of to-day,

there being no cause by which we can excuse this concourse. [19:41]And

having said these words he dismissed the assembly.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PAUL'S VISIT TO GREECE AND MACEDONIA AND HIS RETURN TO MILETUS.--A.D.

58, 59.

1 [20:1]AFTER the tumult was allayed, Paul calling the disciples and

embracing them departed to go into Macedonia. [20:2]And going through

those parts, and exhorting them with many words, he went into Greece;

[20:3]and when he had staid there three months, and a conspiracy was

formed against him by the Jews as he was about to sail to Syria, he

determined to return through Macedonia. [20:4] And there followed him

to Asia, Sopater the son of Pyrrhus of Berea, and of those of

Thessalonica, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and

Timothy, and those of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus; [20:5]these going

before waited for us at Troas. [20:6]And we sailed from Philippi,

after the days of unleavened bread, and came to those at Troas in five

days, where we staid seven days.

2 [20:7]And on the first day of the week, we being assembled to break

bread, Paul preached to them, being about to depart on the next day,

and continued his discourse till midnight; [20:8]and there were many

lamps in the upper room where we were assembled. [20:9]And a young man

by the name of Eutychus sitting in a window, falling into a deep sleep

while Paul preached long, and being overcome by sleep, fell from the

third story down, and was taken up dead. [20:10]But Paul going down

fell on him, and embracing him, said, Be not troubled, for his life is

in him. [20:11]And going up and breaking bread, and tasting it, and

conversing a long time till the break of day, he departed. [20:12]And

they brought away the child alive, and were not a little comforted.

3 [20:13]And we going before by ship sailed to Assos, being about to take

in Paul at that place; for so had he appointed, being about to go on

foot himself. [20:14]And when he met us at Assos, we took him in and

came to Mitylene, [20:15]and sailing thence, on the next day we came

opposite to Chios, and in another day we touched at Samos, and stopping

at Trogylium, on the day following we came to Miletus. [20:16]For Paul

had determined to sail by Ephesus, that it might not be necessary for

him to spend a long time in Asia; for he hastened, if it was possible

for him, to be at Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost.

4 [20:17]And from Miletus sending to Ephesus he called for the elders

of the church. [20:18]And when they had come to him, he said to them,

You know from the first day that I came into Asia, how I was with you

at all times, [20:19] serving the Lord with all humility, and tears and

trials that befell me by the conspiracies of the Jews, [20:20]how I

kept not back from declaring to you and teaching you publicly and from

house to house any thing that was profitable, [20:21]testifying both to

Jews and Greeks the change of mind to God, and the faith in our Lord

Jesus. [20:22]And behold now, I go constrained by the Spirit to

Jerusalem, not knowing the things which shall befall me there,

[20:23]except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city,

saying, That bonds and afflictions await me. [20:24]But life precious

to myself, I make of no account that I may finish my course and the

service which I received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of

the grace of God.

5 [20:25]And now, behold, I know that you all among whom I have gone

preaching the kingdom shall see my face no more. [20:26]Wherefore I

call you to witness this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men;

[20:27]for I have not kept back from declaring to you all the counsel

of God. [20:28]Take heed to yourselves, therefore, and to all the flock

in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to feed the church of

the Lord which he has purchased with his blood. [20:29]For I know that

after my departure grievous wolves will come among you, not sparing the

flock, [20:30]and of yourselves men will arise speaking perverse

things, to draw away disciples after them. [20:31]Wherefore watch,

remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not to

admonish every one of you with tears. [20:32]And now I commend you to

God, and the word of his grace, who is able to build you up and to give

you an inheritance with all the sanctified. [20:33]I have coveted no

man's silver or gold or clothing; [20:34]you yourselves know that these

hands have served my necessities and those with me. [20:35]I have

showed you all things, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and

to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, It is more

blessed to give than to receive.

6 [20:36]And having said these words he kneeled down, and prayed with

them all. [20:37]And they all wept much, and fell on Paul's neck and

kissed him, [20:38] grieving most of all for the word which he said,

that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the

ship.

CHAPTER XIX.

PAUL AND HIS COMPANY PURSUING THEIR JOURNEY TO CAESAREA AND JERUSALEM,

ETC.--A.D. 59.

1 [21:1]AND when we had torn ourselves from them we set sail, and going

in a straight course came to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and

thence to Patara. [21:2]And finding a ship crossing to Phenicia, going

on board we set sail. [21:3]And observing Cyprus, and leaving it on the

left, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to

discharge her cargo. [21:4] And finding the disciples we continued

there seven days; and they told Paul, by the Spirit, not to go on to

Jerusalem. [21:5]And when we had completed the days we went out and

proceeded on our journey, they all attending us with their wives and

children till without the city, and kneeling down on the shore we

prayed, [21:6]and having saluted each other we went to the ship, and

they returned to their homes.

2 [21:7]Having completed our voyage from Tyre we went to Ptolemais, and

having saluted the brothers continued with them one day. [21:8]And

departing on the next day we came to Caesarea, and going to the house

of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we staid with him.

[21:9]This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. [21:10]And

having continued there many days, there came down a certain prophet

from Judea by the name of Agabus, [21:11]and coming to us, and taking

Paul's girdle, and binding his hands and feet, he said, These things,

says the Holy Spirit; Thus will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that

owns this girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the gentiles.

[21:12]And when we heard these things, we and the people of the place

besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. [21:13]But Paul answered, What

do you do, to weep and break my heart? For I am ready not only to be

bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus.

[21:14]And he not being persuaded, we were silent, saying, The will of

the Lord be done.

3 [21:15]And after these days, having made preparation, we went up to

Jerusalem; [21:16]and some of the disciples from Caesarea went up with

us, conducting [us] to Mnason a Cyprian, an early disciple with whom we

lodged.

4 [21:17]And when we arrived at Jerusalem the brothers received us

gladly. [21:18]And on the following day Paul went with us to James, and

all the elders were present. [21:19]And having saluted them, he related

particularly what God had done among the gentiles by his ministry;

[21:20]and having heard, they glorified God, and said to him, You see,

brother, how many ten thousands there are of those who have believed,

among the Jews, and all are zealots of the law; [21:21]and they have

been informed of you, that you teach all the Jews among the gentiles to

apostatize from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children,

nor to walk according to the customs. [21:22]What then is [to be done]?

They will hear everywhere that you have come. [21:23]Do this,

therefore, which we tell you. We have four men having a vow upon them;

[21:24]take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses,

that they may shave their heads, and all will know that the information

which they have of you is not correct, but that you walk also yourself

keeping the law. [21:25]But concerning the gentiles who have believed,

we have sent, judging that they should avoid things offered to idols,

and blood, and things strangled, and fornication. [21:26]Then Paul

taking the men, on the following day being purified with them went into

the temple, announcing the completion of the days of purification till

an offering should be offered for each one of them.

CHAPTER XX.

PAUL'S APPREHENSION BY THE JEWS, HIS RESCUE BY THE ROMANS, HIS ADDRESS,

ETC.--A.D. 59.

1 [21:27]AND when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from

Asia seeing him in the temple excited all the multitude, and laid hands

on him, [21:28]crying, Men of Israel, help; this is the man who teaches

all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and

besides he has brought Greeks into the temple, and defiled this holy

place. [21:29]For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the

city with him, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

[21:30]And all the city was moved, and there was a concourse of the

people, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him without the temple,

and immediately the gates were shut.

2 [21:31]And while they were seeking to kill him, a report went up to

the chiliarch of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in commotion;

[21:32]who immediately taking soldiers and centurions ran down upon

them; and seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, they ceased beating

Paul. [21:33]Then the chiliarch approaching took him, and commanded him

to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had

done. [21:34]But some cried one thing, and some another, in the

multitude, and not being able to learn the truth, on account of the

tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the fortress. [21:35] And

when he was on the steps, it happened that he was borne by the

soldiers, on account of the violence of the multitude; [21:36]for the

multitude of the people followed, crying, Take him away.

3 [21:37]And being about to be carried into the fortress, Paul said to

the chiliarch, May I have permission to speak to you? And he said, Do

you understand Greek? [21:38]Are you not the Egyptian who before these

days excited a sedition, and led out into the wilderness the four

thousand men who were murderers? [21:39]And Paul said, I am a Jew, of

Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of a not undistinguished city, I beg of

you, permit me to speak to the people. [21:40]And he giving him

permission, Paul stood up on the steps, and motioned with his hand to

the people; and when there was great silence, he spoke in the Hebrew

language, and said, [22:1]Men, brothers and fathers, hear my present

defense before you. [22:2]And hearing that he spoke to them in the

Hebrew language, they kept the greater silence.

5 [22:3]And he said, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought

up in this city, instructed at the feet of Gamaliel in the accurate

interpretation of the law of our fathers, and am a zealous worshipper

of God as you all are to-day; [22:4]and I persecuted this way to death,

binding and committing to prison both men and women, [22:5]as the chief

priest also bears me witness, and all the eldership, from whom also

receiving letters to the brothers I went to Damascus, to bring those

who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 [22:6]And when I was on the way and had come nigh to Damascus, about

noon suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me, [22:7]and I

fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do

you persecute me? [22:8]And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said

to me, I am Jesus the Nazoraean, whom you persecute. [22:9]And those

that were with me saw the light, but they heard not the voice of him

that spoke to me. [22:10]And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the

Lord said to me, Arise, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told

you of all things which are appointed for you to do.

7 [22:11]And when I could not see from the brightness of that light,

being led by the hand by those with me, I came to Damascus. [22:12]And

a certain Ananias, a man [living] according to the law, approved by all

the Jews living [there], [22:13]coming and standing by, said to me,

Brother Saul, Receive your sight. And in that hour I looked upon him.

[22:14]And he said, The God of our fathers chose you to know his will,

and to see the Righteous One, and hear the voice of his mouth,

[22:15]for you shall be a witness for him to all men of what you have

seen and heard. [22:16]And now, why do you delay? Arising, baptize and

wash away your sins, calling on his name.

8 [22:17]And when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the

temple, I was in a trance, [22:18]and saw him [Christ], saying to me,

Hasten and depart immediately from Jerusalem, for they will not receive

your testimony of me. [22:19]And I said, Lord, they know that I

imprisoned and beat in the synagogues those who believed on you;

[22:20]and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was poured out, I also

stood by and consented, and kept the clothes of those that killed him.

[22:21]And he said to me, Go, for I will send you to nations far away.

9 [22:22]And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice

saying, Take away such a man from the earth; it is not fit that he

should live. [22:23] And as they cried and rent their clothes and cast

dust in the air, [22:24]the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into

the fortress, ordering that he should be examined with scourges, that

he might know for what reason they cried so against him. [22:25]But

when they extended him with cords, he said to the centurion standing

by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, a Roman, and uncondemned?

[22:26]And the centurion hearing this, went and told the chiliarch,

saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman. [22:27] And

the chiliarch came to him and said, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he

said, Yes. [22:28]And the chiliarch answered, I acquired this

citizenship for a great price. But Paul said, I am indeed, and was also

born [one]. [22:29]Then those about to examine him immediately withdrew

from him; and the chiliarch was afraid, knowing that he was a Roman,

and because he had bound him.

CHAPTER XXI.

PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIM, AND SENT TO CAESAREA FOR SAFE KEEPING.--A.D.

59.

1 [22:30]AND on the next day, wishing to know the truth in respect to

what he was accused of by the Jews, [the chiliarch] released him, and

commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrim to come together; and

bringing Paul down he set him before them. [23:1]And Paul looking

steadily at the Sanhedrim, said, Men and brothers, I have lived before

God in all good conscience to this day. [23:2]And the chief priest

Ananias commanded those standing by to strike him on the mouth.

[23:3]Then Paul said to him, God is about to strike you, whitewashed

wall; and do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me

to be struck contrary to the law? [23:4]And those standing by said, Do

you revile God's chief priest? [23:5]And Paul said, I knew not

brothers that he was a chief priest; for it is written, You shall not

speak evil of the ruler of your people.