Bible in 90 Days

⁸ Stephen received much blessing and power from God. He did many wonderful things and signs among the people.

⁹ But some of the Jews argued with Stephen, and said he was wrong. (They belonged to the meeting place of the Free Men. They were Jews who came from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia Minor.) They did not agree with Stephen.

¹⁰ But they could not say anything against his wise words and the Spirit by whom he spoke.

¹¹ So they paid some people to say, `We have heard him say wrong things about Moses and God.'

¹² They talked to the people, the leaders, and the scribes, and made them angry. They went quickly and caught Stephen and took him into the court.

¹³ They brought in the men who told lies about him. They said, `This man is always saying wrong things about this holy place and the laws.

¹⁴ We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will break down this place and that he will change the law which Moses gave us.'

¹⁵ Then all the judges who sat in the court looked at him and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

7 Then the high priest asked, `Is this true?'

² Stephen replied, `Men, brothers and fathers, listen to me. When our father Abraham was in the country of Mesopotamia, before he lived in the country of Haran, the God who is great and wonderful came to him.

³ God said, "Leave your country and your family and come to the country that I will show you."

⁴ Then Abraham came out of the country of the Chaldeans and lived for a while in the country of Haran. After his father died, God led him from there to this country where you are living now.

⁵ But God did not give any of the land to Abraham, not even a small part. But he promised that the land would belong to him. After him it would belong to his children, even though he did not have a child then.

⁶ This is what God told Abraham. He told him that his children would travel and live in another land. They would be slaves to the people there. They would have a hard time for four hundred years.

⁷ And God said, "I will judge the people who make them slaves. After that, they will come out of that land and serve me here."

⁸ God made the agreement of circumcision with Abraham. Abraham had a son Isaac. He made the mark of circumcision on the child's body and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac had a son Jacob, and Jacob had twelve sons who were our fathers.

⁹ `Because they were jealous, they sold Joseph to be a slave in the country of Egypt. But God was with Joseph.

¹⁰ He took him out of all his troubles. He blessed him and made him wise in the eyes of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh made him president in Egypt and a ruler over all the people of his house.

¹¹ For a long, long time there was no rain in Egypt and Canaan. And so there was very little food. This caused much trouble. Our fathers had nothing to eat.

¹² Then Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt. He sent his sons on their first trip to buy some. They were our fathers of long ago.

¹³ The second time they went, Joseph told his brothers who he was. And Pharaoh found out who Joseph's family was.

¹⁴ Then Joseph sent for Jacob his father and all the family to come. There were seventy-five people.

¹⁵ So Jacob went to Egypt. There he and our fathers died.

¹⁶ They were taken back to the place called Shechem and buried. Abraham had bought a grave from the family of Hamor in Shechem. He had paid money for it.

¹⁷ `Then it was almost time for God to do what he had promised to Abraham. The family of Jacob had become very large in Egypt.

¹⁸ Then a new king who did not know Joseph ruled over Egypt.

¹⁹ This king was not kind to our fathers but he gave them a hard time. They had to put their babies outside to die.

²⁰ `Moses was born during that time. He was a very fine baby. For three months he was raised in his own father's home.

²¹ When he was put outside to die, Pharaoh's daughter took him. She raised him as her own son.

²² Moses was taught all the things the Egyptians knew. He knew how to talk and could do great things.

²³ `When he was forty years old he decided to visit his own family, the people of Israel.

²⁴ There he saw one of them being hurt by an Egyptian. So he helped him. He fought for him and knocked down the Egyptian.

²⁵ He thought his people would know that God wanted him to make them free. But they did not understand.

²⁶ The next day he saw two of his own people fighting and he wanted to make peace. "You are brothers," he said. "Why are you fighting?"

²⁷ But the one who was fighting his neighbour pushed Moses away. He said, "Who made you our ruler and our judge?

²⁸ Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?"

²⁹ When Moses heard these words, he left Egypt at once. He lived as a stranger in the country of Midian. While he was there, two sons were born to him.

³⁰ `When forty years had passed, he was in the wilderness near the hill called Sinai. There he saw fire in a small tree. An angel of the Lord was in the fire.

³¹ Moses looked at it. He was very much surprised. He came closer to look at it better. Then he heard the Lord speak to him.

³² The Lord said, "I am the God of your fathers. I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob." Moses began to shake. He was afraid to look.

³³ Then the Lord said, "Take off your shoes. You are standing on holy ground.

³⁴ I have looked and seen the trouble my people have in Egypt. I have heard them crying and I have come to make them free. Now come, I will send you to Egypt."

³⁵ `This is the same Moses the people would not accept when they said, "Who made you our ruler and our judge?" This is the one God sent to be their ruler and to make them free when he spoke through the angel in the small tree.

³⁶ It was Moses who led the people out of Egypt. He had done wonderful things and signs there, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, for forty years.

³⁷ `This is the same Moses who said, "God will raise up one of your brothers to be a prophet, as he did me. Listen to him."

³⁸ This is the same Moses who was with God's people in the wilderness at the hill called Mount Sinai. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers of long ago . It was he who received the words of life to give to us.

³⁹ `Our fathers would not obey Moses. They did not want him to lead them. They wished they were back in Egypt.

⁴⁰ They said to Aaron, "Make gods to lead us. We do not know what has happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt."

⁴¹ They made a young cow at that time and gave sacrifices to this god which was not the true God. They were very happy. What they had made pleased them.

⁴² `Then God turned away from them. He let them worship the sun, moon, and the many stars in the sky. The prophets of God wrote about it long ago. They said, "You people of Israel, did you sacrifice animals to me forty years in the wilderness?

⁴³ You carried the house of the god called Moloch and the star of the god called Rephan. You made gods of them to worship. I will carry you away to the other side of Babylon."

⁴⁴ `Our fathers had the tent for the laws of God in the wilderness. It was built the way God showed Moses to make it.

⁴⁵ Our fathers brought that tent with them when they came to this country. Joshua was their leader. God put aside the people who lived here first. Our fathers kept that tent with them until the time of David.

⁴⁶ God blessed David who asked God to let him make a better house for Jacob's God.

⁴⁷ But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

⁴⁸ But even so, God is above all. He does not live in houses that people make with their hands. The prophet says,

⁴⁹ "The Lord said, `The sky is the big chair from which I rule. I put my feet on the earth. So then, what kind of house will you build for me? Or where will I rest myself?

⁵⁰ I have made all these things myself.''

⁵¹ `You hard-hearted people! You have hearts and ears like the people who are not Jews. You always fight against the Holy Spirit just as your fathers did long ago.

⁵² What did your fathers do to the prophets of God? They made a lot of trouble for every one of them. They killed the ones who told that the Right and True One would come. He is the One you gave up to be killed. You are the killers.

⁵³ You received the law given by angels, but you have not kept it.'

⁵⁴ When the men heard what Stephen said, they were very angry. They made noises with their teeth to show they hated him.

⁵⁵ But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked at the sky and saw the greatness of God. He saw Jesus standing at God's right side.

⁵⁶ `Look,' he said, `I see the sky open. I see the Son of man standing at God's right hand side.'

⁵⁷ Then the men shouted. They put their fingers in their ears. All together they ran at Stephen.

⁵⁸ They put him out of the city and threw stones at him. (Those who had talked against him laid their clothes down by the feet of a young man named Saul.)

⁵⁹ They kept on throwing stones at Stephen. He spoke to God and said, `Oh, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'

⁶⁰ Then he kneeled down and said in a loud voice, `Lord, do not punish them for this wrong thing they are doing,' After he said this, he died.

8 Saul agreed to Stephen being killed. At that time the church people at Jerusalem had much trouble. The church people all went into Judea and Samaria. Only the apostles stayed on at Jerusalem.

² Good men buried Stephen. They were very sad because he died.

³ Saul made much trouble for the church people. He went into every house, pulled out men and women, and put them into prison.

⁴ The people who left Jerusalem went all around telling the good news about Jesus.

⁵ Then Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about Christ.

⁶ And all the people together listened to what Philip said because they heard and saw the big works which he did.

⁷ Many people who were held by bad spirits were made free from them. The spirits came out of them crying loudly. Many other sick people were healed too. People who could not stand, and others who were lame, were healed.

⁸ The people all over the city were very glad.

⁹ But there was one man named Simon, a witch-doctor, who fooled the people of Samaria. He tried to make people believe that he could do big things.

¹⁰ And all the people, young and old, listened to him. They said, `This man is a big power of God.'

¹¹ He had fooled them for a long time with his work as a witch. That is why they listened to him.

¹² But Philip came and told them about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. The people believed him. Then both men and women were baptised.

¹³ Simon believed also. When he was baptised, he went with Philip. He was very much surprised when he saw the signs and the big works which were done.

¹⁴ Then the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria believed God's word. So they sent Peter and John to them.

¹⁵ When they came to them, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶ Until that time, none of the people there had received the Holy Spirit. They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷ Then the apostles put their hands on the people and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Simon saw that the people received the Holy Spirit when the apostles put their hands on them. Then he brought money to the apostles.

¹⁹ He said, `Give me this power, too, so that anyone on whom I put my hands will receive the Holy Spirit.'

²⁰ Peter said, `May you and your money be destroyed! You thought that you could buy the gift of God with money.

²¹ You have no part in this matter. You cannot have any of this because God sees that your heart is not right.

²² Stop your wrong ways. Ask the Lord. Perhaps God will forgive you for the wrong things you wanted to do.

²³ I see that you are very bitter. Your wrong ways control you all together.'

²⁴ Simon said, `Ask the Lord for me, so that none of the things you have talked about will happen to me.'

²⁵ The apostles told the people the word of the Lord. Then they went back to Jerusalem. On the way they told the good news in many villages in Samaria.

²⁶ The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. `Get up,' said the angel. `Go south to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. It is desert there.'

²⁷ So Philip went. He saw a man from the country of Ethiopia. This man was a servant of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopian people. She gave this servant much power. He took care of her money. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship.

²⁸ Now he was on his way back. He sat in his carriage reading from the book which was written long ago by Isaiah, the prophet of God.

²⁹ The Spirit of the Lord said to Stephen, `Go over to that man in the carriage.'

³⁰ So Philip went running to him. He heard him reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. `Do you understand what you are reading?' Philip asked.

³¹ `How can I? I have no man to teach me,' he answered. He asked Philip to get into the carriage and ride with him.

³² This is what he was reading: `He was led as a sheep to be killed. A lamb says nothing while its wool is being cut, so he also says nothing.

³³ He was put down very low. He was not allowed to have a proper trial. He had no children to follow after him. For his life is taken from the earth.'

³⁴ Then the man from Ethiopia asked Philip, `Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about, himself or some other man?'

³⁵ Then Philip told him about Jesus. He began with what the man read in the book.

³⁶ While they were going along, they came to some water by the road. The man said, `See, here is water. What is there to stop me from being baptised?'

³⁷ Philip answered, `If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptised.' The man said, `I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'

³⁸ The man told the driver to stop. Then both he and Philip went down into the water, and Philip baptised him.

³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The man did not see him again, but he went on his way and was very happy.

⁴⁰ Next, Philip came to the town of Azotus. He told the good news in all the cities through which he passed. Then he came to Caesarea.

9 Saul was still very angry with the Lord's disciples. He said he would kill them. He went to the high priest.

² He asked him for letters to take to the meeting places at Damascus. In this way he was given the power to catch any men or women disciples. He could tie them and bring them back to Jerusalem.

³ He went on his way. All at once, near the city of Damascus, a light from the sky shone around him.

⁴ He fell to the ground and heard someone say, `Saul, Saul, why are you troubling me?'

⁵ Saul said, `Who are you, Lord?' The Lord said, `I am Jesus. You are troubling me.

⁶ But get up and go to the city. There you will be told what you must do.'

⁷ The men who had come with Saul stood there. They did not say a word. They heard a voice but did not see anyone.

⁸ Saul got up off the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was blind. They took his hand and led him to Damascus.

⁹ For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink.

¹⁰ A disciple named Ananias lived in Damascus. The Lord came to him in a vision and said. `Ananias.' He replied, `Here I am, Lord.'

¹¹ The Lord said, `Go into the street which is called Straight. At the house of Judas, ask for a man named Saul, from the city of Tarsus. He is there, talking with God.

¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming to him. He has seen him put his hands on him so that he may see again.'

¹³ Then Ananias replied, `Lord, often I have heard of this man. He has brought much trouble to your people at Jerusalem.

¹⁴ The chief priests have given him power in this city to put into prison all those who call on your name.'

¹⁵ The Lord said, `Go, I have chosen him to take my name to the people who are not Jews, to kings, and to the people of Israel also.

¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.'

¹⁷ Then Ananias went. He went into the house and put his hands on Saul. He said, `Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus came to you on the road while you were coming here. He has sent me to you so that you may see again, and that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

¹⁸ At once some kind of skin which had covered Saul's eyes came off. He was able to see again from then on. He got up and was baptised.

¹⁹ And when he had eaten food, he was strong again. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples at Damascus.

²⁰ Right away he went to the Jewish meeting places and told the people that Jesus is the Son of God.

²¹ All the people who heard him were surprised. They said, `This man killed the people who called on Jesus' name in Jerusalem. He came here to catch them and tie them and take them to the chief priests!'

²² But Saul became stronger and stronger. He proved that Jesus is the Christ and made it so plain that the Jews at Damascus did not know what to say.

²³ Then some time after that, the leaders of the Jews planned to kill Saul.

²⁴ But he found out that they were waiting for him. The Jewish leaders watched the gates of the city night and day. They were waiting for a chance to kill him.

²⁵ Then one night the disciples put him in a basket and let him down outside the city wall.

²⁶ When Saul came to Jerusalem, he wanted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe that he was a disciple.

²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them, `Saul has seen the Lord on the road. The Lord has talked to him. After that he told God's word in the name of Jesus, without fear at Damascus.'

²⁸ So Saul stayed with the apostles and went around in Jerusalem. He told God's word in the name of the Lord Jesus without fear.

²⁹ He talked to the Jews who spoke the Greek language. But they did not agree with Saul, and so they made plans to kill him.

³⁰ When the Christian brothers knew that, they took him to Caesarea. Then they sent him to Tarsus [the city where he was born].

³¹ After that, the churches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria were not troubled any more and they believed more strongly. The people obeyed the Lord, and the Holy Spirit helped them to believe. And many more people joined them.

³² While Peter was travelling through all the towns, he came to visit God's people who lived in the city of Lydda.

³³ There he saw a man named Aeneas who was sick. He could not stand up. He had been on his bed for eight years.

³⁴ Peter said to him, `Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!' The man got up at once.

³⁵ All the people who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In the city of Joppa there was a disciple. Her name was Tabitha. That means Dorcas or Gazelle. She did much good work and she gave many things to the poor people.

³⁷ She became sick and died. They bathed her body and put her in a room upstairs.

³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda, they sent two men and asked for him to come quickly.

³⁹ Peter got up and went with them. When he got there, they took him to the room upstairs. Women whose husbands were dead stood there crying. They showed Peter the clothes and coats that Dorcas had made for them while she was with them.

⁴⁰ Peter put them all out. He kneeled down and talked to God. He turned to the body and said, `Tabitha, get up.' She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹ He took her hand and helped her get up. Then he called in God's people and the women, and he gave her back to them alive.

⁴² All over Joppa people heard about this. Many people believed on the Lord.

⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for many days. He was with a man named Simon, who made skins into leather.

10 In Caesarea lived a man named Cornelius. He was a big captain in the army. His soldiers were called the Italian Group.

² He was a good man. He and all the people of his house obeyed God. He gave many gifts to the poor. He always talked with God.

³ About three o'clock one afternoon, he clearly saw an angel from God coming to him in a vision. `Cornelius,' said the angel.

⁴ Cornelius looked at him. He was afraid and asked, `What is it, Sir?' The angel answered him, `God has heard what you said to him. He has remembered your gifts to the poor.

⁵ Send men to Joppa to call Simon, whose other name is Peter.

⁶ He is staying with Simon, the man who makes skins into leather. His house is by the sea. Peter will tell you what you should do.'

⁷ When the angel which spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his house servants. He also called one of the soldiers who believed in God and who always helped him.

⁸ He told them carefully all about his vision. Then he sent them to Joppa.

⁹ They went the next day. They were coming near to the city. About midday, Peter went up on the flat roof of the house to talk with God.

¹⁰ He became very hungry and wanted to eat. While food was being made ready, something like a dream came over him.

¹¹ He saw the sky open. A bundle like a big blanket was tied by the corners. It was let down to earth.

¹² In the bundle were all kinds of animals and snakes and birds.

¹³ Then Peter heard a voice saying to him, `Get up, Peter. Kill some and eat.'

¹⁴ But Peter said, `No, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is not holy or not clean.'

¹⁵ Then the voice spoke to him again, saying, `What God has made clean you must not call unholy.'

¹⁶ This happened three times. Then the thing was taken up right away into the sky.

¹⁷ `I have seen a strange thing,' Peter said to himself. `I wonder what it all means.' He was thinking about all this. And the men whom Cornelius sent had asked the way to Simon's house. Now they stood at the gate.

¹⁸ `Is this where Simon Peter is staying?' they called.

¹⁹ Peter was still thinking about what he had seen. Then the Spirit of God said to him, `Three men are looking for you.

²⁰ Get up. Go down and go with them. Do not fear to go, because I have sent them.'

²¹ Then Peter went down to the men whom Cornelius had sent to him. He said, `Here I am. You are looking for me. Why have you come?'

²² They answered, `God sent a holy angel to Cornelius. He told him to call you to his house and hear what you have to say. Cornelius is a captain in the army. He is a good man. He does what is right and obeys God. All the Jews speak well of him.'

²³ Peter said, `Come in.' He had them stay as his guests. The next day he and some of the Christian brothers from Joppa went with the men.

²⁴ The day after that, they reached Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had called his family and close friends together.

²⁵ Peter was about to enter the house. Cornelius met him. He kneeled down at his feet and worshipped him.

²⁶ But Peter raised him up and said, `Please stand up. I too am only a man.

²⁷ Peter talked to him and went in with him. He saw many people who had come together.

²⁸ He began to talk with them. He said, `You yourselves know it is against our law for a Jew to visit and be friends with someone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

²⁹ So when you sent for me, I did not say "No". Now I ask, why did you send for me?'

³⁰ Cornelius answered, `Four days ago, it was just at this time, three o'clock. I was in my house talking with God. I had not eaten any food. A man stood in front of me wearing shining clothes.

³¹ He said to me, "Cornelius, God has heard what you said to him. He has remembered your gifts to the poor.

³² Send men to Joppa to call for Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, the man who makes skins into leather. His house is by the sea."

³³ So I sent for you right away. You have done well to come. Now we are all here before God to hear all that the Lord has told you to tell me.'

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak, `I really understand now. God does not love some people more than others.

³⁵ But he takes anyone who obeys him. He takes anyone who does what is right. It does not matter to what nation they belong.

³⁶ To the people of Israel God has sent the good news. He gives peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all!

³⁷ You yourselves know the story of what happened all through Judea. It started in Galilee after the baptism which John talked about.

³⁸ God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went about doing good deeds. He healed all those who were held by the devil. God was with him.

³⁹ We saw all the things which he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they hung him on a piece of wood and killed him.

⁴⁰ On the third day, God raised him up to let people see him.

⁴¹ Not all the people saw him. But God had chosen us to see and to talk about him. We saw him. We ate and drank with him after he rose from death.

⁴² He told us to tell the people that God chose him to judge both the living people and the dead people.

⁴³ All the prophets tell about him. They say, "Everyone who believes in him will have his wrong ways forgiven through his name." '

⁴⁴ While Peter was saying this, the Holy Spirit came on all those who heard the message.

⁴⁵ The believers who came with Peter were Jews. They were very much surprised that the Holy Spirit was also sent to those who were not Jews. 46,

^46-47 hey heard them speak in tongues of other languages and praise God. Then Peter said, `These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Can anyone say they may not be baptised in water?'

⁴⁸ So he said they were to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. They begged him to stay with them for a while.

11 The apostles and other Christian brothers were in Judea. They heard that some people who were not Jews had also believed God's message.

² When Peter went back to Jerusalem, the leaders of the Jews found fault with him.

³ They asked, `Why did you visit people who are not Jews? Why did you eat with them?'

⁴ Peter explained to them all that had happened from the beginning.

⁵ `I was in the city of Joppa talking with God,' he said. `Something like a dream came over me. I saw a vision. I saw a bundle like a big blanket tied by the corners. It was let down from the sky. It came down to me.

⁶ When I looked at it, I wondered about it. I saw different kinds of tame animals, wild animals, snakes, and birds.

⁷ And I heard a voice say to me, "Get up, Peter. Kill some and eat."

⁸ But I said, "No, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is not holy or clean."

⁹ Then the voice spoke from the sky a second time, saying, "What God has made clean, you must not call unholy."

¹⁰ This happened three times. Then everything was taken up into the sky again.

¹¹ Right then three men came to the house where we were. They had come from Caesarea for me.

¹² The Spirit told me to go with them and not to fear. These six brothers went with me too. We went into the man's house.

¹³ He told us that he had seen God's angel standing in his house. The angel said to him, "Send men to Joppa to call Simon whose other name is Peter.

¹⁴ He will tell you and all your family how to be saved."

¹⁵ And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he had come on us at the beginning.

¹⁶ Then I remembered that the Lord said, "John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."

¹⁷ God gave then the same gift as he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. If God gave them this gift, how could I stop him? I am only a man.'

¹⁸ When the people heard this, they were satisfied. They praised God saying, `God has allowed the people who are not Jews to turn to him and live.'

¹⁹ Some of the people had gone to other countries because of the big trouble when Stephen was killed. They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They told God's word to the Jews only.

²⁰ Some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene. They went to Antioch. They also spoke to those who were not Jews, and they told them about the Lord Jesus.

²¹ The Lord was with them. Many believed and turned to the Lord.

²² The people in the Jerusalem church heard this news. They sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.

²³ When he reached there, he saw what had been done by the power of God. He was very glad. He talked to them. He begged them all to keep on following the Lord with all their heart.

²⁴ Barnabas was a good man. He believed in God and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many people came to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to get Saul.

²⁶ When he found him, he took him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with all who believed in Jesus Christ. They taught many people. Antioch was the first place where the disciples were called Christians.

²⁷ At that time, prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.

²⁸ One of them named Agabus stood up. He told them the Spirit had shown him that much trouble would come to all the world. There would not be much food for the people. (This trouble came when Claudius Caesar was ruler.)

²⁹ Then the disciples decided to help the Christian brothers who lived in Judea. They would each one send what he could.

³⁰ They did so. They sent Barnabas and Saul to carry it to the church leaders [in Jerusalem].

12 ) At that time Herod the king caught some of the church people and troubled them.

² He killed James the brother of John with a long knife or sword.

³ He saw that this pleased the leaders of the Jews, so he caught Peter also. This happened at the Jewish feast which they had each year to remember leaving Egypt. (It was called the Passover Feast.)

⁴ After Herod had caught Peter, he put him in prison. He told four groups of soldiers to guard him. There were four soldiers in each group. He planned to bring him out for trial before the people. But he would do it after the Passover Feast.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison. And the church people asked God to help him.

⁶ The night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was tied to them with two chains. Guards were at the door of the prison.

⁷ An angel from the Lord came to him and a light shone in the prison. He hit Peter's side and woke him up. `Be quick,' he said. `Get up!' His chains fell off his hands.

⁸ `Put on your belt and your shoes,' said the angel. Peter did so. `And now,' said the angel, `put on your coat and follow me.'

⁹ Peter followed him out. He did not know that what the angel had done was true. He thought he was dreaming.

¹⁰ They passed the first and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate out to the city. It opened for them by itself. So they went all the way down a street. Then the angel left him.

¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, `Now I know truly that the Lord has sent his angel. He has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish leaders are hoping will happen to me.'

¹² And when he thought about this, he went to Mary's house. Mary was John Mark's mother. Many people were meeting there, talking to God [about Peter].

¹³ Peter knocked at the outside door. A young servant woman named Rhoda went to answer.

¹⁴ When she knew it was Peter's voice, she was very glad. She did not open the door. But she ran in and told the people that Peter was at the door.

¹⁵ They said, `You are crazy.' But she kept on saying that Peter was really there. Then they said, `It must be his angel.'

¹⁶ Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were very much surprised.

¹⁷ He put out his hand for them to be quiet. Then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, `Tell James and the brothers about this.' Then he went away to another place.

¹⁸ In the morning the soldiers tried hard to find Peter.

¹⁹ Herod had looked for him and had not found him. So he questioned the guards and ordered them to be taken away and killed. And then Peter went from Judea to Caesarea to live for a while.

²⁰ Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But they got Blastus to speak to the king for them. Blastus was one of the men who worked in the king's house. They came to Herod together. They wanted to make peace with him because their country got its food from his country.

²¹ On a certain day Herod put on his king's robes and sat on his chair and made a speech.

²² The people shouted, `A god is talking to us. He is not a man.'

²³ At once an angel from God put a bad sickness on Herod because he did not give God the praise. Worms ate him and he died.

²⁴ The word of God spread further and further and more people believed.

²⁵ Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had finished their work. They brought John Mark with them.

13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen who grew up with Herod the ruler, and Saul.

² They were worshipping the Lord and fasting [not eating food for a time]. The Holy Spirit said, `Give me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them.'

³ The men fasted and talked to God. Then they laid their hands on Barnabas and Paul and sent them on their way.

⁴ Barnabas and Saul left Antioch. The Holy Spirit sent them to the town of Seleucia. From there they went in a boat to the island of Cyprus.

⁵ When they reached the town of Salamis, they told God's word in the meeting places of the Jews. John was with them to help.

⁶ They went through all the island to the town of Paphos. There they met a witch doctor. He was a Jew named Bar-Jesus. He was not a true prophet.

⁷ This witch-doctor was with Sergius Paulus, the ruler of the country. Sergius Paulus was a wise man. He wanted to hear God's word, so he called for Barnabas and Saul.

⁸ The witch-doctor was also called Elymas. He tried to stop them. He did not want the ruler to believe the truth.

⁹ Then Saul, who is also called Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at him.

¹⁰ `You son of the devil!' he said. `You do nothing but tell lies and make much trouble. You hate everything that is right. The Lord's way is right. Will you not stop spoiling his way?

¹¹ See now, the Lord's hand is upon you. You will be blind and will not be able to see the sun for a while.' And right then something like a dark cloud came over Elymas' eyes. He went around begging someone to take his hand and lead him.

¹² The ruler saw what had happened. And he was very much surprised at the teaching about the Lord. He believed it.

¹³ Paul and his friends left Paphos in a boat. They went to the town of Perga in the district of Pamphylia. There John left them and went back to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ The others went on from Perga. They came to Antioch in the district of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the meeting house and sat down.

¹⁵ First, someone read from the books of the law and the prophets. Then the rulers of the meeting house called Paul and Barnabas and said, `Men and brothers, have you something to say that will help us? Please say it.'

¹⁶ Then Paul stood up and put out his hand. He said, `Men of Israel and you who worship and fear God, please listen to me.

¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made the people into a large tribe when they were strangers in the land of Egypt. God brought them out of Egypt by his power.

¹⁸ For forty years in the wilderness God cared for them like a father.

¹⁹ God took seven tribes out of the land of Canaan. Then he divided the land among our people.

²⁰ God gave judges to rule over them until Samuel the prophet came. About four hundred and fifty years had passed.

²¹ Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul. He was the son of Kish, a man from Benjamin's family. Saul was their king for forty years.

²² Then God took him away. He made David king over them. This is what God said about him, "David, Jesse's son, is the kind of man I love. He will do all that I want him to do."

²³ God has given Israel a Saviour from David's family, as he promised to do. His name is Jesus.

²⁴ Before he came, John [the baptiser] talked to all the people of Israel. He said they should stop doing wrong things and be baptised.

²⁵ When John was finishing his work, he said, "Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But wait, someone else will come after me. I am not good enough to untie his shoe strings."

²⁶ `Men and brothers, sons of Abraham, and all of you who worship God, the news of this way to be saved has been sent to us.

²⁷ The people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not know who this Jesus really was. They did not understand the words of the prophets of God long ago which were read every Sabbath day. But even so, they did what the prophets had said they would do. They judged him.

²⁸ They could not prove that he did anything wrong for which he should die. Yet they begged Pilate to kill him.

²⁹ They did all the things that the prophets had written about him. Then they took him down from the cross made from a tree. They laid him in a grave cut from the rock.

³⁰ But God raised him from death.

³¹ People had come with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem. They saw him many days. Now they tell people what they saw.

³² And we are bringing you this good news. God made a promise to our fathers long ago. Now he has made his promise come true.

³³ We, their children, have now received the promise. He sent Jesus just as it was written in the second, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."

³⁴ `God raised Jesus from death. His body did not go back to the grave to be spoiled. Here is what God said about it. "I will give to you the blessings which I promised David."

³⁵ `In another psalm it says, "You will not let the body of your Holy One be spoiled."

³⁶ `As for David, he did the work God wanted him to do for the people in his time. Then, after that, he died. He was buried with his fathers. His body spoiled.

³⁷ But God has raised one from death. His body did not spoil.

³⁸ `Men and brothers, understand this. It is because of this Jesus that we tell you your wrong ways will be forgiven you.

³⁹ The law of Moses could not make you free. But this man makes you free. You will not be judged if you believe in him.

⁴⁰ Be careful then, so that what the prophets said will not happen to you.

⁴¹ They said, "Look, you people who despise everything. You will look in wonder before you die. I will do something in your time. I will do something that you will not believe even if someone told you what it is." '

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas left the meeting house the people said, `Tell us these things again next Sabbath day.'

⁴³ The meeting was finished. There were many Jews, also those who were not Jews but worshipped God. They followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabus kept talking to the people and told them to keep on living in the way that will bring God's blessing.

⁴⁴ The next Sabbath day almost all of the people in that city gathered to hear God's word.

⁴⁵ The leaders of the Jews saw that many people came. They were very jealous. They talked back to Paul and said he was not telling the truth. They also said wrong things about him.

⁴⁶ But Paul and Barnabas did not fear the Jewish leaders. They said, `We had to tell God's word to you first but you will not listen to it. By that you are saying you Jews are not good enough to live for ever. So we will go to the people who are not Jews.

⁴⁷ That is what the Lord told us to do. He said, "I have made you to be a light to the people who are not Jews. You will tell people everywhere in the world how to be saved." '

⁴⁸ Those who were not Jews heard this. They were glad and they thanked God for his message. All those who had been chosen to live for ever believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord was told through all that part of the country.

⁵⁰ But the leaders of the Jews talked to the leading women who worshipped God and to the chief men of Antioch. They made plenty of trouble for Paul and Barnabas. They made them leave that part of the country.

⁵¹ So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and left them. They went on to Iconium.

⁵² And the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

14 In Iconium Paul and Barnabas did as they had done before in other places. They went into the Jews' meeting place and spoke. Many of the Jews and the other people believed.

² But the Jews who did not believe said wrong things about them. They spoiled the minds of those who were not Jews so that they hated the Christians.

³ Paul and Barnabas stayed there a long time anyway. They did not fear to talk about the Lord. The Lord proved that the message about his blessing was true. He worked through Paul and Barnabas. They did signs and wonderful things.

⁴ The people of the city were divided. Some of them agreed with the Jewish leaders. Some of them agreed with the apostles.

⁵ Then some of those people who were not Jews joined together with the Jews and their leaders. They made a plan to give the apostles much trouble and to kill them with stones.

⁶ Paul and Barnabas found out about this. So they left quickly. They went to Lystra and Derbe in the district of Lycaonia and the country around.

⁷ There they told people the good news.

⁸ At Lystra a man was sitting. He was not able to walk because he had no strength in his feet. He had never walked since he was born.

⁹ This man heard Paul speak. Paul looked at the man. He saw that the man believed he would be healed.

¹⁰ Paul said, `Stand up on your feet!' The man jumped up and walked.

¹¹ When the people saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their own language, `The gods have become like men! They have come down to visit us.'

¹² They named Barnabas, Jupiter. And they named Paul, Mercury, because he was the one who talked.

¹³ There was a temple of Jupiter in front of the city. The priest of the temple brought animals and flowers to the gates to make a sacrifice. All the people were with him.

¹⁴ But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and ran in among the people shouting.

¹⁵ They said, `Why are you people doing this? We are only men like you. You should leave these gods which cannot help you. You should turn to the living God. He made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

¹⁶ In the time that is past, God allowed all people to do what they wanted to do.

¹⁷ But even then he had some ways to make himself known. He did things that were good. He gave us rain from the sky and good harvests. And he gives you all the food you need and makes you very happy. Surely these things speak for him.'

¹⁸ By saying these things they stopped the people from making sacrifices to them.

¹⁹ Some of the Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra and won the people to their side. They threw stones at Paul. Then they carried him out of the city because they thought he was dead.

²⁰ But as the disciples gathered around him, he got up and they went back into the city. The next day Paul and Barnabas left and went to Derbe.

²¹ They told the good news to the people in Derbe. Many people believed what they taught. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium. and to Antioch.

²² They talked to the disciples to help them. They told them to keep on believing. They said, `We must go through much trouble to get into God's kingdom.'

²³ They chose leaders for them in every church. They talked with God and fasted. When they were finished, they gave the leaders over to the Lord's care, because they believed in him.

²⁴ They went through the district of Pisidia to Pamphylia.

²⁵ They told the good news to the people in Perga. Then they went to the town of Attalia.

²⁶ From there they went in a boat to Antioch. It was there that the people had given them over to God's care. They had asked him to bless them in this work. Now they had finished the work.

²⁷ When they reached the city, they called all the church people together. They told them all that God had done for them. They said, `Now God has opened the way to believe for those who are not Jews.'

²⁸ Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time with the disciples at Antioch.

15 Some men came from Judea and taught the Christian brothers. They said, `You must be circumcised with the mark made on your body in the way Moses taught us. If you are not circumcised you cannot be saved.'

² Paul and Barnabas did not agree with them. There was much talking about it. Then they decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the other men should go to Jerusalem. They would ask the apostles and church leaders there about it.

³ So the church people sent them on their way. They passed through the districts of Phoenicia and Samaria. They told them that some who were not Jews were believing in God. This news made all the Christian brothers very happy.

⁴ When they reached Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church people, the apostles, and the church leaders. They told all that God had done as he worked with them.

⁵ But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group stood up and said, `They must be circumcised [like the Jews]. We must tell them to keep all the laws of Moses.'

⁶ The apostles and the church leaders met together to talk the matter over.

⁷ After much talking about it, Peter stood up. He said, `Men and brothers, you know what happened in the first days. God chose me to tell the good news to those who are not Jews. They believed.

⁸ God knows what is in a person's heart. He proved that they believed. He gave them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.

⁹ God made no difference between them and us. He made their hearts clean when they believed.

¹⁰ So now why are you doing what God did not do? You give the disciples a hard thing to do. Our fathers could not do it. And we cannot do it.

¹¹ We believe that the Lord Jesus saves us because he is kind. And that is why he saves them.'

¹² Then all the people stopped talking. They listened to what Paul and Barnabas had to say. They told them about all the signs and wonderful things that God had helped them to do among the people who were not Jews.

¹³ When they had finished talking, James said, `Men and brothers, listen to me.

¹⁴ Simeon has told us how God came the first time to the people who are not Jews. God chose some of them to belong to him and be his people.

¹⁵ This is what the prophets of God said long ago.

¹⁶ They said, "After this, I will come back and build up again the house of David which has fallen down. I will take the broken pieces and build a house again.

¹⁷ Then all the other people will find God, even those who are not Jews but who belong to me. So says the Lord, who is doing all these things."

¹⁸ `He told us these things long ago.

¹⁹ So now, this is what I think. We should not trouble those who are not Jews but who have turned to God.

²⁰ We should write them a letter and tell them what they must not do. They must not eat food that has been given to idols. They must not have sex with someone who is not their husband or wife. They must not eat the meat of animals that are killed by choking. They must not taste blood.

²¹ Since the times of long ago there have been men who told about Moses in every city. They read his laws in the meeting places every Sabbath day.'

²² Then the apostles, and the leaders, and all the church people chose men from among themselves. They sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, whose other name was Barsabbas, and Silas. They were leaders among the Christian brothers.

²³ They sent a letter with them. It said, `The apostles, the church leaders, and the Christian brothers send greetings to the Christians who are not Jews in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

²⁴ We have heard that some of our people visited you and talked to you. They taught things that troubled you and made you believe wrong things. They said, "You must be circumcised like the Jews and keep the law." We did not tell them to teach you this.

²⁵ All of us gathered here have chosen some men. We are sending them with our dear brothers, Barnabas and Paul.

²⁶ Barnabas and Paul have been willing to die for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁷ We are sending Judas and Silas. They will tell you the same things that we have written in the letter.

²⁸ The Holy Spirit and we thought it was not good to give you a hard thing to do. But here is what you must not do.

²⁹ You must not eat food that has been given to idols. You must not eat the meat of animals that are killed by choking. You must not taste blood. You must not commit adultery. If you keep away from these things, you will do well. Goodbye.'

³⁰ So the men left and went to Antioch. There they called the people together and gave them the letter.

³¹ When the people read the letter, they were very glad. It helped them to become stronger in what they believed.

³² Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to the Christian brothers and helped them to believe more strongly.

³³ They stayed there for a while. Then the brothers sent them back to those who had sent them. They sent a greeting of peace with them.

³⁴ But Silas thought it was good to stay at Antioch.

³⁵ Paul and Barnabas stayed there too. They taught the people and told them the Lord's message. Many other men did this also.

³⁶ Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas, `Let us go back and visit the brothers in every city where we have told the Lord's message. Let us see how they are doing.'

³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them.

³⁸ But Paul did not think that they should take him. John Mark had left them when they were at Pamphylia. He had not gone along with them to do the work.

³⁹ The feeling about this matter was very strong between Barnabas and Paul, so they did not go together. Barnabas took Mark and went in a boat to Cyprus.

⁴⁰ Paul chose Silas. The Christian brothers asked the Lord to bless Paul. Then he went on his way.

⁴¹ Paul travelled through Syria and Cilicia. He helped the church people to believe more strongly.

16 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there. His mother was a Jew, a believer, and his father was a Greek.

² The Christian brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke very well of Timothy.

³ Paul wanted him to go with him. He circumcised him because all the Jews in those places knew that his father was a Greek.

^4-5 hey went from town to town and talked to the people. They told them what the apostles and church leaders at Jerusalem had said should be done. So the church people became stronger in what they believed. Every day more people joined the church.

⁶ Paul and Silas went through the district of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit said they should not tell God's word in the country of Asia Minor.

⁷ After they came to the district of Mysia, they wanted to go to the country of Bithynia but the Holy Spirit did not allow them.

⁸ So they went by Mysia and came to the city of Troas.

⁹ In the night Paul had a vision: he saw a picture like a dream. He saw a man of Macedonia standing and calling to him, `Come over into Macedonia and help us.'

¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we tried to leave for Macedonia right away. We believed that the Lord had called us to tell the people there the good news.

¹¹ So we left Troas in a boat and went straight across the water to the town of Samothrace. The next day we went to Neapolis.

¹² From there we went to Philippi. This was the big city of the district of Macedonia. It was a free city. We stayed there for some time.

¹³ On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the river. We thought this was a place where people met to talk with God. So we sat down and talked to the women who had come there.

¹⁴ One woman named Lydia listened to us. She was from the city of Thyatira, and she sold red cloth. She worshipped God. He worked in her heart and she believed what Paul said.

¹⁵ She and all the people in her house were baptised. Then she begged us and said, `If you really feel that I believe in the Lord, come and stay at my house.' And she would not allow us to say no.

¹⁶ One day we were going to the meeting place where people talked with God. We met a girl who had a bad spirit. She used to tell people what was going to happen. Her masters received much money when she did this.

¹⁷ This girl kept on following Paul and us. She was shouting, `These men are servants of the High God. They are telling us how to be saved.'

¹⁸ She did this for many days. This troubled Paul. He turned and said to the spirit in her, `In the name of Jesus Christ, I say to you, come out of her!' And the spirit came out at once.

¹⁹ Her masters saw that they had lost this way of getting money. They caught Paul and Silas and took them by force to the rulers in the court.

²⁰ When they had brought them before the judges, they said, `These men are Jews. And they are making much trouble in our city.

²¹ They are teaching people laws which we may not obey because we are Roman people.'

²² All the people standing around were against Paul and Silas. The judges tore off the clothes of Paul and Silas. They gave orders that they should be beaten.

²³ They beat them very hard. Then they put them in prison. `Take care,' they said to the prison guard. `Be sure that these prisoners do not run away.'

²⁴ And so the guard put them in the back room in the prison. They locked their feet in holes cut in heavy pieces of wood.

²⁵ At midnight, Paul and Silas were talking with God. They were singing and praising God. The other prisoners were listening to them.

²⁶ Then all of a sudden the earth shook very much. Even the floor of the prison was shaking. All the doors came wide open. The things that held the prisoners all came off.

²⁷ The prison guard woke up. He saw all the prison doors open. So he took a long knife and was going to kill himself. He thought that all the prisoners had run away.

²⁸ Paul shouted, `Stop! Do not hurt yourself. We are all here!'

²⁹ The guard called for a light and went in quickly. He kneeled down before Paul and Silas, trembling with fear.

³⁰ He brought them out of the prison and said, `Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

³¹ They replied, `Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. All the people in your house must do the same.'

³² They talked to him and all the people in the house. They told them the word of the Lord.

³³ Paul and Silas had sores from the beating in prison. So that same hour of the night the guard washed them. Then he and all the people of his house were baptised.

³⁴ He took Paul and Silas to his home and gave them food to eat. He and all the people in his house were very happy. They now believed in God.

³⁵ In the morning the judges sent soldiers to the guard with a message. `Let those men go free,' they said.

³⁶ The guard told Paul. He said, `The judges have sent a message that you may go free. So now, come out and go on your way. You will have no more trouble.'

³⁷ But Paul said, `We are Romans. And they have beaten us outside where people can see. They have put us in prison without proving we have done wrong. Now, are they going to take us out of prison secretly? No, they themselves must come and take us out.'