Acts 1-14

Tree of Life Version

When Will Yeshua Restore the Kingdom?

1 I wrote the first volume, Theophilus, about all that Yeshua began to do and teach— ² up to the day He was taken up, after He had given orders by the Ruach ha-Kodesh to the emissaries He had chosen. ³ To them He showed Himself to be alive after His suffering through many convincing proofs, appearing to them for forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

⁴ Now while staying with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father promised—which, He said, “you heard from Me. ⁵ For John immersed with water, but you will be immersed in the Ruach ha-Kodesh not many days from now.”

⁶ So when they gathered together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

⁷ He said to them, “It is not your place to know the times or seasons which the Father has placed under His own control. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Ruach ha-Kodesh has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

⁹ After saying all this—while they were watching—He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ While they were staring into heaven as He went up, suddenly two men stood with them in white clothing. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you keep standing here staring into heaven? This Yeshua, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Appointing a New Emissary

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives^[a] (which is near Jerusalem, a Shabbat day’s journey^[b]). ¹³ When they had entered, they went up to the upper room where they were staying—Peter and John and Jacob and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; Jacob son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judah son of Jacob. ¹⁴ All these with one mind were continuing together in prayer—along with the women and Miriam, Yeshua’s mother, and His brothers.

¹⁵ In those days, Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (the number of names all together was about a hundred and twenty) and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers,^[c] the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Ruach ha-Kodesh foretold by the mouth of David, concerning Judah—who became a guide to those who seized Yeshua. ¹⁷ For he was counted among us and received his share of this office.” ¹⁸ (Now this man Judah bought a field with the reward of his wickedness. Falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle and his intestines splattered out. ¹⁹ And it became known to all those living in Jerusalem, so in their own language that field was called Akeldama^[d]—that is, ‘Field of Blood.’) ²⁰ For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

²¹ “Therefore one of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Yeshua went in and out among us— ²² beginning with His immersion by John until the day He was taken up from us—must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

²³ So they nominated two—Joseph, called Barsabbas (also called Justus), and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show us which of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to take the position in this office as emissary, from which Judah turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was added to the eleven emissaries.

The Ruach Fills the Disciples

2 When the day of Shavuot^[g] had come, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And tongues like fire spreading out appeared to them and settled on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and began to speak in other tongues as the Ruach enabled them to speak out.

⁵ Now Jewish people were staying in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound came, the crowd gathered. They were bewildered, because each was hearing them speaking in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “All these who are speaking—aren’t they Galileans? ⁸ How is it that we each hear our own birth language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those living in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ^{[h] 10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jewish people and proselytes), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own tongues the mighty deeds of God!” ¹² And they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Others, poking fun, were saying, “They are full of sweet new wine!”

Peter Speaks to the Shavuot Crowd

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: “Fellow Judeans and all who are staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. ¹⁵ These men are not drunk, as you suppose—for it’s only the third hour of the day! ^{[i] 16} But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words! Yeshua ha-Natzrati—a Man authenticated to you by God with mighty deeds and wonders and signs God performed through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Yeshua, given over by God’s predetermined plan and foreknowledge, nailed to the cross by the hand of lawless men, you killed. ²⁴ But God raised Him up, releasing Him from the pains of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held by it. ²⁵ For David says about Him,

²⁹ “Brothers, I can confidently tell you that the patriarch David died and was buried—his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ So because he was a prophet and knew God had sworn with an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne, ^{[l] 31} David saw beforehand and spoke of Messiah’s resurrection—that He was not abandoned to Sheol, and His body did not see decay.^[m]

³² “This Yeshua God raised up—we all are witnesses! ³³ Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God and receiving from the Father the promise of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, He poured out this—what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens; yet he himself says,

³⁶ “Therefore let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him—this Yeshua whom you had crucified—both Lord and Messiah!”

Teshuvah—Thousands Immersed

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the emissaries, “Fellow brethren, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the removal of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away—as many as Adonai our God calls to Himself.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them and kept urging them, saying, “Save yourselves from this twisted generation!” ^{[o] 41} So those who received his message were immersed, and that day about three thousand souls were added.

New Covenant Community Begins

⁴² They were devoting themselves to the teaching of the emissaries and to fellowship, to breaking bread and to prayers. ⁴³ Fear lay upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were happening through the emissaries. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together, having everything in common. ⁴⁵ They began selling their property and possessions and sharing them with all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day they continued with one mind, spending time at the Temple and breaking bread from house to house. They were sharing meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord was adding to their number^[p] those being saved.

A Lame Beggar Walks

3 Now Peter and John were going up to the Temple at the ninth hour,^[q] the time of prayer. ² A man lame from birth was being carried—every day they used to put him at the Temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg for tzedakah from those entering the Temple. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he began asking to receive tzedakah.

⁴ But Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you—in the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiach ha-Natzrati, get up and walk!” ⁷ Then grabbing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ Jumping up, he stood and began walking; and he went with them into the Temple, walking and leaping and praising God!

⁹ Now all the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰ They began to realize he was the one who used to sit begging for tzedakah at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and astonishment over what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks at the Temple

¹¹ While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people together came running toward them in the place called Solomon’s Portico. ¹² But when Peter saw, he responded to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us—as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant^[r] Yeshua—the One you handed over and disowned before Pilate, though he had decided to release Him. ¹⁴ But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. ¹⁵ You killed the Author of life—the One God raised from the dead! We are witnesses of it. ¹⁶ Now through faith in the name of Yeshua, His name has strengthened this man whom you see and know. Indeed, the faith through Yeshua has given this man perfect health in front of you all.

¹⁷ “Now brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders did. ¹⁸ But what God foretold through the mouth of all His prophets—that His Messiah was to suffer—so He has fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent, therefore, and return—so your sins might be blotted out, ²⁰ so times of relief might come from the presence of Adonai and He might send Yeshua, the Messiah appointed for you. ²¹ Heaven must receive Him, until the time of the restoration of all the things that God spoke about long ago through the mouth of His holy prophets. ²² Moses said, ‘Adonai your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. Hear and obey Him in all that He shall say to you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul that will not listen to that Prophet shall be completely cut off from the people.’ ^{[s] 24} Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken from Samuel on have announced these days. ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and also of the covenant that God cut with your fathers,^[t] saying to Abraham, ‘In your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ ^{[u] 26} God raised up His Servant and sent Him first to you, to bless you all by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Standing Before the Sanhedrin

4 As Peter and John were speaking to the people, the kohanim and the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees came up to them. ² They were indignant because Peter and John were teaching the people and announcing in Yeshua the resurrection of the dead. ³ So they grabbed them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

⁵ On the next day, the rulers and elders and Torah scholars were gathered together in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas the kohen gadol was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all those who were of high-priestly descent. ⁷ When they had placed Peter and John in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or in what name did you do this?”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are on trial today for a mitzvah done for a sick man, as to how this fellow was healed, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiach ha-Natzrati—whom you had crucified, whom God raised from the dead—this one stands before you whole. ¹¹ This Yeshua is ‘the stone—rejected by you, the builders—that has become the chief cornerstone.’ ^{[v] 12} There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!”

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and figured out they were laymen without training, they were amazed. They began to realize that these men had been with Yeshua. ¹⁴ But seeing the healed man standing with them, they had nothing to say in response. ¹⁵ When they had ordered Peter and John to go out of the council chamber, they began to confer with one another, ¹⁶ saying, “What shall we do with these men? For indeed, it’s obvious to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has happened through them, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so it won’t spread any further among the people, let’s warn them not to speak anymore to anyone in this name.”

¹⁸ So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Yeshua. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. ²⁰ For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

²¹ After threatening them again, they let them go—finding no way they could punish them on account of the people, because they all were glorifying God for what had happened. ²² For the man in whom this miracle of healing had happened was more than forty years old.

Prayer for Courage

²³ As soon as they were released, Peter and John went to their own people and reported all that the ruling kohanim and elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “O Sovereign Master, ‘You made heaven and earth and the sea, and everything in them.’ ^{[w] 25} You said by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, through the mouth of our father David Your servant,

²⁷ “For truly both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together in this city against Your holy Servant Yeshua, whom You anointed. ²⁸ They did whatever Your hand and Your purpose predetermined to happen. ²⁹ And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant Your servants to speak Your word with utmost courage— ³⁰ while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy Servant Yeshua.”

³¹ When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. And they were all filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Ruach-Filled Community Life

³² Now the whole group of those who believed was one in heart and mind. No one would say anything he owned was his own, but they had everything in common. ³³ With great power the emissaries were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Yeshua, and abundant favor was upon them all. ³⁴ No one among them was needy, for all who were owners of lands or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds ³⁵ and set them at the feet of the emissaries. And the proceeds were distributed according to the need each one had.

³⁶ Now Joseph, also called Barnabas by the emissaries (which is translated Son of Encouragement), was a Levite and native of Cyprus. ³⁷ He sold a field that he owned and brought the money and laid it at the feet of the emissaries.

Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Ruach

5 On the other hand, a man named Ananias together with his wife, Sapphira, sold a property. ² He kept back some of the proceeds, with his wife’s full knowledge, and brought part of it and set it at the feet of the emissaries.

³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Ruach ha-Kodesh and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, it was your own, wasn’t it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? How did this deed get into your heart? You haven’t lied to men but to God.”

⁵ As soon as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and died. Great fear came upon all who heard about it. ⁶ The young men got up and wrapped him in a shroud, then carried him out and buried him.

⁷ After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter responded to her, “Tell me if you sold the land for this much.”

She said, “Yes, for that much.”

⁹ Then Peter said to her, “How did you agree to test the Ruach Adonai? Look, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door—they will carry you out, too!”

¹⁰ Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came back in, they found her dead and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great fear came over the whole community and all who heard these things.

Signs and Wonders, Angelic Jailbreak, and Bold Witness

¹² Meanwhile, through the hands of the emissaries many signs and wonders were happening among the people. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. ¹³ But no one else dared to join them, though the people continued to think highly of them. ¹⁴ Yet more than ever those trusting in the Lord were added—large numbers of men and women. ¹⁵ They even carried the sick into the streets and laid them on stretchers and cots, so that when Peter passed by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Crowds were also gathering from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing those who were sick or tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.

¹⁷ But the kohen gadol rose up, and all those with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They grabbed the emissaries and put them in a public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of Adonai opened the prison doors, and leading them out he said, ²⁰ “Go, stand in the Temple and speak to the people the whole message about this Life.” ²¹ Now when they heard that, they entered the Temple at daybreak and began teaching.

When the kohen gadol and those with him arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin, even the council of elders of Bnei-Yisrael, and sent to the prison to have the prisoners brought in. ²² But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported, ²³ saying, “We found the prison locked with maximum security and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened up, we found no one inside.”

²⁴ When the captain of the Temple and the ruling kohanim heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering where this would lead. ²⁵ But someone came and reported to them, “The men you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people!” ²⁶ Then the captain went off with the officers and brought the emissaries—but not with force, because they feared they might be stoned by the people.

²⁷ When they had brought them, they placed them before the Sanhedrin. The kohen gadol questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name—and look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring on us the blood of this Man!”

²⁹ Peter and the emissaries replied, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whom you seized and had crucified. ^{[y] 31} This One God exalted at His right hand as Leader and Savior,^[z] to give repentance to Israel and removal of sins. ³² And we are witnesses of these events—as is the Ruach ha-Kodesh, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

³³ Now when they heard this, they became enraged and wanted to kill them. ³⁴ But a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Torah respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. ³⁵ Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful what you are about to do with these men. ³⁶ For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a number of men, maybe four hundred, joined up with him. He was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and came to nothing. ³⁷ After this fellow, Judah the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and got people to follow him. He also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. ³⁸ So now I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or undertaking is of men, it will come to an end; ³⁹ but if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You might even be found fighting against God.” They took his advice, ⁴⁰ called in the emissaries, flogged them, ordered them not to continue speaking in the name of Yeshua, and let them go.

⁴¹ So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were considered worthy to be dishonored on account of His name. ^{[aa] 42} And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Yeshua as the Messiah.

Appointed for Service

6 Now in those days, when the disciples were multiplying, grumbling arose^[ab] among the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily support. ² So the Twelve called together the whole group of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. ³ So, brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the Word.”

⁵ The statement pleased the whole group; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Ruach ha-Kodesh, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. ⁶ They placed these men before the emissaries; and after praying, they laid hands on them.^[ac]

⁷ The word of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem greatly multiplied; even a great number of the kohanim were becoming obedient to the faith.

Stephen’s Testimony and Martyrdom

⁸ Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen—both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and Asia^[ad]—stood up and began arguing with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Ruach by whom he was speaking.

¹¹ Then they secretly instigated men into saying, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God!” ¹² They also incited the people, the elders, and the Torah scholars; and they rushed at Stephen, seized him, and led him away to the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking words against this holy place and the Torah. ¹⁴ For we have heard him saying that this Yeshua ha-Natzrati will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” ¹⁵ Watching him intently, everyone who was sitting in the Sanhedrin saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

7 Then the kohen gadol said, “Are these things so?”

² Stephen declared, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. ³ He said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come here to the land that I will show you.’ ⁴ Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God moved him to this land where you now live. ⁵ He gave him no inheritance in it—not even a foothold—yet He promised ‘to give it to him as a possession to him and to his descendants after him,’ even though he had no child.

⁶ “But God spoke in this way, that his ‘descendants would be foreigners in a land belonging to others, and they would enslave and mistreat them for four hundred years. ⁷ But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’^[ae]

⁸ “Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.^[af] So he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and so Isaac with Jacob, and Jacob with the twelve patriarchs. ⁹ The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him. ¹⁰ He rescued him out of all his troubles and granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

¹¹ “Famine and great suffering came over all Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could find no food. ¹² But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. ¹³ On the second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh. ¹⁴ So Joseph sent and called for Jacob and all his relatives—seventy-five persons. ¹⁵ Jacob went down to Egypt and died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶ They were carried to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

¹⁷ “But as the time drew near for the promise God had sworn to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt— ¹⁸ until ‘there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.’ ^{[ag] 19} Dealing with our people with cruel cunning, this king mistreated our fathers and forced them to abandon their infants so they would not survive.

²⁰ “At this time Moses was born—extraordinary before God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house. ²¹ And when he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and raised him as her own son. ²² Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in his words and deeds.

²³ “When he was approaching forty years of age, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, Bnei-Yisrael. ²⁴ When he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he went to the defense of the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. ²⁵ He was assuming that his brothers understood that by his hand God was delivering them, but they did not understand. ²⁶ So on the next day he appeared to them as they were fighting. He tried to reconcile them in shalom, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’

²⁷ “But the one doing wrong to his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸ You don’t want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ ^{[ah] 29} At this remark, Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

³⁰ “When forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai in the flame of a burning bush. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. But when he came up to look, there came the voice of Adonai: ³² ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’^[ai]

“Moses trembled in fear and did not dare to look. ³³ But Adonai said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ³⁴ I have surely seen the oppression of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. Now come—let Me send you to Egypt.’

³⁵ “This Moses—whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed you as ruler and judge?’—is the one whom God sent as both ruler and redeemer, by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. ³⁷ This is the Moses who said to Bnei-Yisrael, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’^[aj]

³⁸ “This is the one who was in the community in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living words to pass on to us. ³⁹ Our fathers did not want to be obedient to him, but shoved him aside. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us who will go before us. For this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we have no idea what has happened to him.’^[ak]

⁴¹ “And they made a calf in those days, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. ⁴² But God turned and gave them over to serve the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the Prophets:

⁴⁴ “Our fathers had the Tent of Witness in the wilderness—just as the One speaking to Moses had directed him to make it according to the design he had seen. ⁴⁵ Our fathers received it in turn and brought it in with Joshua when they took possession of the land of the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it remained until the days of David, ⁴⁶ who found favor in God’s sight. He asked to find a dwelling place for the God^[am] of Jacob. ⁴⁷ But Solomon built a house for Him. ⁴⁸ However, Elyon does not dwell in man-made houses. As the prophet says,

⁵¹ “O you stiff-necked people! You uncircumcised of heart and ears! You always resist the Ruach ha-Kodesh; just as your fathers did, you do as well. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed the ones who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. Now you have become His betrayers and murderers— ⁵³ you who received the Torah by direction of angels and did not keep it!”

⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they became enraged and began gnashing their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God—and Yeshua standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ And he said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷ But they covered their ears; and crying out with a loud voice, they rushed at him with one impulse. ⁵⁸ Driving him out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out, “Lord Yeshua, receive my spirit!” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” After he said this, he died.^[ao]

Saul Persecutes Messiah’s Community

8 Now Saul was in agreement with Stephen’s execution. On that day a great persecution arose against Messiah’s community in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the emissaries. ² Some devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

³ But Saul was destroying Messiah’s community, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he was throwing them into prison.

The Good News Spreads to Samaria

⁴ Now those who had been scattered went around proclaiming the Word. ⁵ Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. ⁶ The crowds were paying close attention to what Philip was saying—as they both heard and saw the signs that he was doing. ⁷ For unclean spirits were coming out of many who were plagued, shrieking with a loud voice. Many paralyzed and crippled were healed also. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

⁹ Now a man named Simon had been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. ¹⁰ They all were paying special attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ¹¹ And they kept paying attention to him, because for a long time he had astonished them with his magical arts. ¹² But when they believed Philip proclaiming the Good News about the kingdom of God and the name of Messiah Yeshua, both men and women were immersed. ¹³ Even Simon himself believed; and after being immersed, he continued with Philip. And when he saw signs and great miracles happening, he was continually amazed.

¹⁴ Now when the emissaries in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the message of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵ They came down and prayed for them to receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh. ¹⁶ For He had not yet come upon them; they had only been immersed in the name of the Lord Yeshua. ¹⁷ Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Ruach ha-Kodesh.

¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the Ruach ha-Kodesh was given through the laying on of hands by the emissaries, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give this power to me, too—so that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh.”

²⁰ Peter said to him, “May your silver go to ruin, and you with it—because you thought you could buy God’s gift with money! ^{[ap] 21} You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be pardoned. ²³ For I see in you the poison of bitterness and the bondage of unrighteousness!”

²⁴ Simon replied, “Pray for me, so that none of what you have said may come upon me.”

²⁵ So when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the Good News to many Samaritan villages.

An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up, and go south on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) ²⁷ So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian eunuch—an official who was responsible for all the treasure of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians—had traveled to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸ and was now returning. Sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹ The Ruach said to Philip, “Go, catch up with this chariot.”

³⁰ Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹ “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this:

³⁴ The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.

³⁶ Now as they were going down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, water! What’s to prevent me from being immersed?”

^{37  [ar] 38} He ordered the chariot to stop. They both got down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and Philip immersed him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Ruach Adonai snatched Philip away.^[as] The eunuch saw no more of him, for he went on his way, rejoicing.

⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus. And as he passed through, he kept proclaiming the Good News to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Saul Turns from Murder to Messiah

9 Now Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples, went to the kohen gadol. ² He requested letters of introduction from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

³ As he was traveling, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ “Who are You, Lord?” Saul said.

“I am Yeshua—whom you are persecuting. ^{[at] 6} But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”^[au]

⁷ The men travelling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ^{[av] 8} Saul got up from the ground—but opening his eyes, he could see nothing. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple named Ananias in Damascus. The Lord said to him, “Ananias.”

He said, “Here I am, Lord.”

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street named Straight, and ask in the house of Judah for someone from Tarsus named Saul. For look, he is praying; ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”

¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man—how much harm he has done to your kedoshim in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the ruling kohanim to tie up all who call on Your name.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a choice instrument to carry My name before nations and kings and Bnei-Yisrael. ¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

¹⁷ So Ananias left and entered into the house. Laying hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Yeshua, the One who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming—has sent me, so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh.”

¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was immersed; ¹⁹ and when he had taken food, he was strengthened. Now for several days, he was with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ Immediately he began proclaiming Yeshua in the synagogues, saying, “He is Ben-Elohim.”

²¹ All those hearing him were amazed. They were saying, “Isn’t this the one who made havoc in Jerusalem for all those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to bring them as prisoners before the ruling kohanim?” ²² But Saul kept growing stronger, and he was confounding the Jewish people living in Damascus by proving that Yeshua is the Messiah. ²³ When many days had passed, these Jewish people plotted to kill him— ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ But the disciples took Saul by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

²⁶ When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he made attempts to join up with the disciples—but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him in and brought him to the emissaries. He described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had spoken boldly in the name of Yeshua.

²⁸ So Saul was with them, going in and out in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He was speaking and arguing with the Hellenists, but they were trying to kill him. ³⁰ When the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ So Messiah’s community throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had shalom and was built up. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, it kept multiplying.

Signs and Wonders Follow Peter

³² Peter went here and there among them all. He came down as well to the kedoshim living in Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years—he was paralyzed. ³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Messiah Yeshua heals you. Get up and pack up your bed.” Immediately, he got up! ³⁵ All who lived in Lydda and the Plain of Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translates as Dorcas). She was full of mitzvot and tzedakah, which she continually did. ³⁷ In those days, she became ill and died. When they had washed her for burial, they placed her in an upstairs room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples—hearing that Peter was there—sent two men to him, begging him, “Please come to us without delay!”

³⁹ So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. All the widows were crying, showing all the tunics and other clothing Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter sent them all outside, and he got down on his knees and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ He gave her his hand and raised her up. Then he called the kedoshim and widows and presented her alive.^[aw]

⁴² It became known throughout Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. ⁴³ So it happened that Peter stayed on in Joppa for several days with Simon, a tanner.^[ax]

The Centurion’s Vision

10 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort. ² He was a devout man, revering God with all his household. He gave tzedakah generously to the people and prayed to God continually. ³ About the ninth hour of the day,^[ay] he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

⁴ He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?”

The angel said to him, “Your prayers and tzedakah have gone up as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, also named Peter. ⁶ He is being entertained as a guest by Simon the tanner, whose house is beside the sea.”

⁷ When the angel speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a soldier from among those attached to his command. ⁸ After he explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter’s Vision

⁹ The next day, as the soldiers were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up to the rooftop to pray, at about the sixth hour. ^{[az] 10} Now he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw the heavens opened, and something^[ba] like a great sheet coming down, lowered by its four corners to the earth. ¹² In it were all sorts of four-footed animals and reptiles and birds of the air.

¹³ A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

¹⁴ But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For never have I eaten anything unholy or unclean.”^[bb]

¹⁵ Again a voice came to him, a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and the sheet was immediately taken up to heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was puzzling about what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and appeared before the gate. ¹⁸ They called out and began to ask whether Simon, also called Peter, was staying in this place as a guest.

¹⁹ Now while Peter was mulling over the vision, the Ruach said to him, “Look here, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ But get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitating, because I Myself have sent them.”

²¹ Going down to the men, Peter said, “Here, I’m the one you’re looking for. What is the reason for your coming?”

²² And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well-spoken of by all the Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you.”

²³ So Peter invited them in to be his guests. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

Peter Goes to Cornelius

²⁴ The following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

²⁶ But Peter pulled him up, saying, “Stand up! I too am just a man.”

²⁷ Talking with him, Peter went inside and found many people gathered. ²⁸ He said to them, “You yourselves know that it is not permitted for a Jewish man to associate with a non-Jew or to visit him. Yet God has shown me that I should call no one unholy or unclean. ²⁹ So I came without objection when I was sent for. I ask, then, what is the reason why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius declared, “Four days ago at this hour, I was praying minchah^[bc] in my house. Suddenly, a man stood in front of me in shining clothes. ³¹ He says, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your tzedakah remembered before God. ³² Therefore send to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “I truly understand that God is not one to show favoritism, ^{[bd] 35} but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. ³⁶ You know the message He sent to Bnei-Yisrael, proclaiming shalom through Messiah Yeshua—He is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know the message that has spread throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the immersion that John proclaimed. ³⁸ You know how God anointed Yeshua of Natzeret with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and power—how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. ³⁹ We are witnesses to all He did, both in the Judean countryside and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be visible— ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to us, witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God. We ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. ⁴² And He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify that He is the One ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about Him—that everyone who puts his trust in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

The Ruach Falls on the Gentiles

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Ruach ha-Kodesh fell on all those hearing the message. ⁴⁵ All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.

Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone refuse water for these to be immersed, who have received the Ruach ha-Kodesh just as we did?” ⁴⁸ So he commanded them to be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

Peter’s Report to Jerusalem

11 Now the emissaries and brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² But when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision took issue with him, ³ saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

⁴ So Peter began explaining to them point by point, saying, ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision—something like a great sheet coming down, being lowered from heaven by its four corners, and it came right to me. ⁶ I looked inside, considering it carefully, and saw four-footed creatures of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷ I also heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’

⁸ “But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord! For never has anything unholy or unclean entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven.

¹¹ “At that very moment, three men arrived at the house where we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² The Ruach told me to go with them without hesitating. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He reported to us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon called Peter. ¹⁴ He will speak words to you by which you will be saved—you and all your household.’

¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Ruach ha-Kodesh fell on them, just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John immersed with water, but you will be immersed in the Ruach ha-Kodesh.’ ¹⁷ Therefore if God gave them the same gift as also to us after we put our trust in the Lord Messiah Yeshua, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

¹⁸ When they heard this they became quiet, and they glorified God, saying, “Then even to the Gentiles God has granted repentance leading to life!”

Discipling in Diaspora

¹⁹ Now those scattered because of the persecution that happened in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Judeans. ²⁰ However, there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Yeshua. ²¹ The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

²² News about these things reached the ears of the community in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was thrilled. He encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with heartfelt devotion. ²⁴ For Barnabas was a good man, full of the Ruach ha-Kodesh and faith. And a large number was added to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met together with Messiah’s community and taught a large number. Now it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christianoi.”^[be]

²⁷ Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted through the Ruach that there was going to be a great famine over all the world. (This took place during the reign of Claudius.) ²⁹ So the disciples decided to send relief to those brothers and sisters living in Judea, each according to his ability. ³⁰ This they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Persecution and Deliverance

12 Now at that time Herod the king seized some from Messiah’s community to do them harm. ² He had Jacob, John’s brother, put to death with the sword. ³ Seeing it pleased the Judean leaders, he proceeded to capture Peter as well. This was during the Days of Matzah. ⁴ After seizing him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads with four soldiers each to guard him. He was intending to bring him before the people after Passover. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being offered fervently to God by Messiah’s community.

⁶ Now that very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping—bound with two chains between two soldiers, while guards before the gate were keeping watch over the prison. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He poked Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up! Quick!” And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” and he did so. Then he tells him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” ⁹ Peter went out and kept following him—he didn’t know that what was happening with the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ After they passed a first guard and a second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself. They went out and walked along a narrow street. Suddenly the angel left him.

¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for real that the Lord has sent His angel^[bf] and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Judean people were expecting.” ¹² When he realized this, he went to the house of Miriam, the mother of John (also called Mark), where many were assembled together and praying. ¹³ When he knocked on the door of the entrance gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴ Although she recognized Peter’s voice, out of joy she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. ¹⁵ They said to her, “You’re crazy!” But she kept insisting it was so. But they were saying, “It is his angel.”

¹⁶ But Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed! ¹⁷ But he motioned with his hand for them to be silent, and he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Go tell these things to Jacob and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.

¹⁸ When day came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ After Herod made a search for him and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea and stayed in Caesarea.

Herod Gets His Due

²⁰ Now it happened that Herod was furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him, united. Having won over Blastus, the king’s personal aide, they began asking for peace—because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.

²¹ On an appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes and, taking his seat upon the throne, began to make a speech to them. ²² The people were shouting, “The voice of a god and not a human!” ²³ Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down—because he did not give God the glory. And he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But the word of God kept on growing and multiplying. ²⁵ And Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, taking along John (who was also called Mark).

Sent Out from Antioch

13 Now in the Antioch community, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (brought up since childhood with Herod the Tetrarch), and Saul. ² While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Ruach ha-Kodesh said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting, praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them off.

⁴ So, sent out by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John^[bg] as a helper.

⁶ When they had gone throughout the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a man who was a magician—a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Yeshua. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, fixed his gaze on him ¹⁰ and said, “O you, full of all deceit and trickery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness—will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ^{[bh] 11} Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you,^[bi] and you shall be blind and not see the sun for awhile.” Immediately, cloudiness and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² When he saw what had happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Paul’s Message in Diaspora Synagogues

¹³ Setting sail from Paphos, Paul’s company came to Perga in Pamphylia. John left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ But they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. Entering the synagogue on the Shabbat, they sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”

¹⁶ So Paul, standing up and motioning with his hand, said, “Men of Israel and God-fearers, listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt,^[bj] and with an outstretched arm He led them out of there. ¹⁸ For about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. ^{[bk] 19} And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land as an inheritance^[bl]— ²⁰ all of this took about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² After removing him, He raised up David to be their king. He also testified about him and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do My will.’^[bm]

²³ “From this man’s seed, in keeping with His promise, God brought to Israel a Savior^[bn]—Yeshua. ²⁴ Before His coming, John had proclaimed an immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ As John was completing his service, he said, ‘What do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, whose sandal I’m not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who are God-fearers, it is to us the message of this salvation has been sent. ²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers—not recognizing Him or the sayings of the Prophets that are read every Shabbat—fulfilled these words by condemning Him. ²⁸ Though they found no charge worthy of a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised Him from the dead! ³¹ For many days He appeared to those who had come up from the Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.

³² “And we proclaim to you Good News—the promise to the fathers has arrived! ³³ For God has fulfilled this promise to the children—to us—by raising up Yeshua, as it is also written in the second psalm:

³⁴ “But since He raised Him up from the dead, never to return to decay, He has spoken in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure mercies of David.’ ^{[bp] 35} Therefore He also says in another psalm, ‘You will not permit Your Holy One to see decay.’ ^{[bq] 36} For after David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he went to sleep and was laid with his fathers and saw decay. ³⁷ But the One whom God raised up did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this One is proclaimed to you the removal of sins, including all those from which you could not be set right by the Torah of Moses. ³⁹ Through this One everyone who keeps trusting is made righteous.

⁴⁰ “Be careful, then, so that what is said in the Prophets may not come upon you:

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging them to speak these things to them the next Shabbat. ⁴³ When the synagogue meeting broke up, many of the Jewish people and God-fearing inquirers followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and trying to persuade them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ The following Shabbat, almost the entire city came together to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and tried to contradict what Paul was saying by reviling him. ⁴⁶ Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unfit for eternal life—behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were thrilled and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as had been inscribed for eternal life believed.^[bt]

⁴⁹ Now the word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they drove them out of their district. ⁵¹ But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them,^[bu] and they went on to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and the Ruach ha-Kodesh.

Mixed Crowds Believe Amidst Persecution

14 Now in Iconium, the same thing happened—they entered as usual into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large number of Jewish and Greek people believed. ² But the Jewish people who would not believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

³ So they stayed there a considerable time, speaking boldly in the Lord—who was testifying to the message of His grace, granting signs and wonders to come about by their hands. ⁴ But the population of the city split; some were with the Jewish leaders and some were with the emissaries. ⁵ Now it happened that an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jewish people, along with their rulers, to abuse and stone them. ⁶ But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding countryside. ⁷ There they proclaimed the Good News.

⁸ Now a man was sitting in Lystra without strength in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked. ⁹ This man heard Paul speaking. When Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed,