Bible in 90 Days

⁸ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

⁹ Then some of those who were of the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and Cyrenians, and some from Alexandria and Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. ¹¹ Then they sent in men who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. ¹² And they moved the people and the elders and the scribes, and came upon him and caught him, and brought him to the council. ¹³ And they brought forth false witnesses, who said, This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law, ¹⁴ for we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the ordinances that Moses gave us.

¹⁵ And all who sat in the council looked steadfastly on him, and saw his face, as it were the face of an angel.

Stephen makes answer to his accusation, rebukes the hard-necked Jews, and is stoned to death.

7 Then the chief priest said, Is it really so?

² And Stephen said, Men, brethren and fathers, hearken to: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was yet in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, ³ and said to him, Come out of the country and away from your kindred, and come into the land that I will show you.

⁴ Then he came out of the land of Chaldea, and dwelt in Haran. And after that, as soon as his father was dead, God brought him into this land, in which you now dwell. ⁵ And he gave him no inheritance in it, no not the breadth of a foot, but promised that he would give it to him to possess, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

⁶ God spoke in this way: that his seed would be a dweller in a strange land, and that they would keep them in bondage and ill-treat them for four hundred years. ⁷ But the nation to whom they will be in bondage, I will judge, said God. And after that, they will come forth and serve me in this place. ⁸ And he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. And Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

⁹ And the patriarchs, having indignation, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him, ¹⁰ and delivered him out of all his adversities, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and over all his household.

¹¹ Then there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance. ¹² But when Jacob heard that there was wheat in Egypt, he sent our fathers a first time, ¹³ and then a second time, when Joseph made himself known to his brethren, and Joseph’s kindred was made known to Pharaoh. ¹⁴ Then Joseph sent and caused his father to be brought, and all his kin: seventy-five souls. ¹⁵ And Jacob descended into Egypt. And he died, both he and our fathers, ¹⁶ and were carried back into Shechem, and were put in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for money from the sons of Hamor at Shechem.

¹⁷ When the time of the promise drew near (which God had sworn to Abraham), the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, ¹⁸ till another king arose who did not know of Joseph. ¹⁹ This king dealt treacherously with our kindred, and ill-treated our fathers, and compelled them to cast out their young children so that they would not remain alive. ²⁰ At this time Moses was born, and was loved by God. He was nursed in his father’s house for three months. ²¹ When he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son. ²² And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was strong in deeds and in words.

²³ And when he was fully forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. ²⁴ And when he saw one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged the quarrel of him who had the harm done to him, and killed the Egyptian. ²⁵ For he supposed his brethren would understand that God by his hands would save them. But they did not understand.

²⁶ And the next day, he appeared to them as they were fighting, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, you are brethren; why do you hurt one another? ²⁷ But the man who was doing his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge among us? ²⁸ What, will you kill me like you did the Egyptian yesterday?

²⁹ Then at those words, Moses fled, and was a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.

³⁰ And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai an angel of the Lord, in a flame of fire in a bush. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. And as he drew near to look, the voice of the Lord came to him: ³² I am the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses trembled and dared not look. ³³ Then said the Lord to him, Put off your shoes from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have well seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and have come down to deliver them. And now, come, and I will send you into Egypt.

³⁵ This Moses – whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? – is the one God sent both a ruler and deliverer by the hands of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ And this Moses brought them out, showing wonders and signs in Egypt and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. ³⁷ This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren. Him you must hear.

³⁸ This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our fathers. This man received the word of life to give to us – ³⁹ to whom our fathers could not pay heed, but cast it from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us! As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. ⁴¹ And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. ⁴² Then God turned himself, and gave them up to worship the stars of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets: O ye of the house of Israel, did you give to me sacrifices and offerings during forty years in the desert? ⁴³ And you took to yourself the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures that you made, to worship them. And I will send you away beyond Babylon.

⁴⁴ Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed them, telling Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen. ⁴⁵ Which tabernacle our fathers received and brought with Joshua into the lands held by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the time of David. ⁴⁶ David found favour before God, and desired to make a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷ But Solomon built him a house.

⁴⁸ However, he that is highest of all does not dwell in temples made with hands, as says the prophet: ⁴⁹ Heaven is my seat, and earth is my footstool. What house will you build for me, says the Lord? Or what place is it that I should rest in? ⁵⁰ Has not my hand made all these things?

⁵¹ You stiff-necked people, and of uncircumcised hearts and ears! You have always resisted the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who told before of the coming of the Just One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered. ⁵³ And you also have received a law by the ordinance of angels, and have not kept it.

⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. ⁵⁵ But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly with his eyes into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ And he said, Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

⁵⁷ Then they gave a shout with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him all at once, ⁵⁸ and cast him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And they stoned Stephen, who was calling on the Lord and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! ⁶⁰ And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge! And when he had thus spoken, he fell asleep.

Saul persecutes the Christians. The apostles are scattered abroad. Philip comes into Samaria. Simon Magus is baptized; he dissembles. Philip baptizes the chamberlain.

8 Saul had pleasure in Stephen’s death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation that was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

² Then devout men arranged Stephen’s burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ But Saul made havoc of the congregation, and entered into every house, and drew out both men and women, and thrust them into prison.

⁴ However, those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. ⁵ Then Philip went into a city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the people gave heed to the things that Philip spoke with one accord, when they heard and saw the miracles that he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many who were possessed by them. And many who were paralyzed, and many who limped, were healed. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ And there was a certain man called Simon, who had previously practiced witchcraft and magic in that same city, and had bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he was a man who could do great things. ¹⁰ They regarded him highly, from the least to the greatest, saying, This fellow is the great power of God! ¹¹ And they set much store by him, because for a long time he had taken them in with magic.

¹² But as soon as they believed Philip’s preaching of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Then Simon himself believed also, and was baptized, and continued with Philip; and he marvelled, seeing the miracles and signs that were shown.

¹⁴ When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they arrived, prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet he had come on none of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, Give me also this power, so that whomever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.

²⁰ Then Peter said to him, May your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God might be obtained with money. ²¹ You have neither part nor fellowship in this work, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God that the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I perceive that you are full of bitter gall, and wrapped in iniquity.

²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, Pray to the Lord for me that none of these things that you have spoken will fall on me.

²⁵ And when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned toward Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is in the desert. ²⁷ And Philip arose and went on. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, who was a chamberlain, and of great authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to pray. ²⁸ And as he returned home again, sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake that chariot. ³⁰ And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? ³¹ And he said, How can I, unless I have a guide? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² The tenor of the scripture that he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to be slain, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth. ³³ Because of his humbleness, he was not esteemed. But who can number his descendants? For his life is taken from the earth.

³⁴ The chamberlain said to Philip, I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man? ³⁵ And Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and preached Jesus to him.

³⁶ And as they went on their way, they came to some water, and the chamberlain said, See, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized? ³⁷ Philip said to him, If you believe with all your heart, you may be. He answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they both went down into the water, both Philip and also the chamberlain, and he baptized him.

³⁹ And as soon as they had come out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the chamberlain saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus, and he walked throughout the country preaching in their towns until he came to Caesarea.

Paul is converted & confounds the Jews. Peter raises Tabitha.

9 And Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ But as he journeyed and came near to Damascus, suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. ⁴ And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ⁵ And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the prick. And he, both trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said to him, ⁶ Arise and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do.

⁷ The men who journeyed with him stood amazed, for they heard a voice, but saw no one. ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground and opened his eyes, but saw no one. Then they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For he is praying, ¹² and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to him and putting his hands on him, so that he may receive his sight.

¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who call on your name.

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, Go your way. For he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷ Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and put his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me, so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received sight and arose, and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food, and was comforted.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightaway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he was the Son of God. ²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the man that ravaged those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here intending to bring them as prisoners to the high priests?

  ²² But Saul increased in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that Jesus was the very Christ.

²³ And after a good while the Jews took counsel together, to kill him. ²⁴ But Paul knew they were laying in wait. And they watched at the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ Then the disciples took him by night, and put him through the wall and let him down in a basket.

²⁶ And when Saul got to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself with the disciples. But they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and explained to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and had spoken with him, and how bold he had been at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And Saul had his intercourse with them at Jerusalem, ²⁹ and acquitted himself boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. And he spoke and disputed with the Greeks, and they went about to kill him. ³⁰ But when the brethren knew of this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the congregations had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were strengthened, and walked in the fear of the Lord, and multiplied by the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

³² And it chanced that, as Peter walked throughout all the country, he came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda. ³³ And there he found a certain man named Eneas, who had been confined to his bed sick for eight years, paralyzed. ³⁴ Then Peter said to him, Eneas, may Jesus Christ make you whole! Arise, and make your bed. And he arose immediately. ³⁵ And all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.

³⁶ There was at Joppa a certain woman, a disciple named Tabitha (which, translated, is Dorcas). She was full of good works and alms-deeds that she did. ³⁷ And it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a chamber. ³⁸ Because Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent to him, imploring him not to be grieved to come to them.

³⁹ Peter arose and went with them. And when he arrived, they brought him into the chamber. And all the widows stood round about him, weeping and showing the coats and the garments that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ And Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed, and turned to the body and said, Tabitha, arise! And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and lifted her up, and called the saints and widows, and showed her alive.

⁴² And this was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. ⁴³ And it came about that Peter stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.

The vision that Peter saw. How he was sent to Cornelius. The heathen also receive the Spirit, and are baptized.

10 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a captain of the soldiers of Italy, ² a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household. He gave many alms to the people, and prayed to God always. ³ The same man saw in a vision clearly, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, Cornelius! ⁴ When he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? He said to him, Your prayers and your alms have come up into remembrance before God. ⁵ And now, send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, named also Peter. ⁶ He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside. ⁷ He will tell you what you ought to do.

When the angel who spoke to Cornelius had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those that waited on him, ⁸ and told them all the matter, and sent them to Joppa.

⁹ On the next day, as they went on their journey and drew near to the city, Peter went up upon the top of the house to pray, about the sixth hour. ¹⁰ Then he grew hungry and wanted to eat. But while they made ready, he fell into a trance, ¹¹ and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel come down to him, like a great sheet knit at the four corners. And it was let down to the earth. ¹² In it were all manner of four-footed animals of the earth, and wild beasts, and reptiles, and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: Rise, Peter; kill and eat! ¹⁴ But Peter said, God forbid, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. ¹⁵ And the voice spoke to him again the second time: What God has cleansed, do not judge common. ¹⁶ This was done three times, and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter mused in himself what this vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and were standing before the door. ¹⁸ And one called out and asked whether Simon who was also called Peter was lodged there. ¹⁹ While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are seeking you. ²⁰ Arise therefore; go down and go with them, and do not doubt. For I have sent them.

²¹ Peter went down to the men that were sent to him from Cornelius and said, I am the one you are seeking. What is the reason for your visit?

²² And they said to him, Cornelius the captain, a just man, and one who fears God and is of good report among all the people of the Jews, was told by a holy angel to send for you to come into his house and to hear words from you.

²³ Then he invited them in and lodged them. And the next day, Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And the third day, they entered into Caesarea.

Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and special friends. ²⁵ And as Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. ²⁶ But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up. For even I myself am a man.

²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. ²⁸ And he said to them, You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or visit with a foreigner. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁹ Therefore I came to you, without saying no, as soon as I was sent for. I ask therefore, why have you sent for me?

³⁰ And Cornelius said, Four days ago now I had been fasting, and at the ninth hour I was praying in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹ and said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms-deeds are remembered in the sight of God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa, and call for Simon who is also called Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon, a tanner by the seaside. ³³ As soon as he has come, he will speak to you. Then I sent for you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now we are all here present before God, to hear all the things that are commanded to you by God.

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is not partial, ³⁵ but among all peoples, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted with him.

³⁶ You know the preaching that God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord over all things. ³⁷ This preaching was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – ³⁸ how God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Which Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devils. For God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all the things that he did in the land of the Jews and at Jerusalem. But they slew him, and hung him on a tree. ⁴⁰ But God raised him up on the third day, and showed him openly – ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to us witnesses chosen before by God, who ate and drank with him after he arose from death. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who is ordained by God to be judge of the quick and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets give witness: that through his name, all who believe in him shall receive remission of sins.

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the preaching. ⁴⁵ And the men of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also shed out on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ Can any man forbid water to baptize these people, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? ⁴⁸ And he directed them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Peter explains the reason why he went in to the heathen. Barnabas and Paul preach to the heathen. Agabus prophesies of the famine to come.

11 And the apostles and the brethren that were throughout Judea heard that the heathen had also received the word of God. ² And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, ³ saying, You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!

⁴ Then Peter began and explained the matter in order to them, saying, ⁵ I was in the city of Joppa, praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, like a large linen cloth let down from heaven by the four corners; and it came to me. ⁶ When I looked into it, I considered and saw four-footed animals of the earth, and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, Arise, Peter; kill and eat. ⁸ And I said, God forbid, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has at any time entered into my mouth. ⁹ But the voice answered me again from heaven: Do not judge common those things that God has cleansed.

¹⁰ And this was done three times, and everything was taken up again into heaven.

¹¹ And behold, immediately three men came to the house where I was, sent from Caesarea to me. ¹² And the Spirit said to me that I should go with them, without doubting. Moreover, the six brethren accompanied me. And we entered into the man’s house. ¹³ And he described to us how he had seen an angel in his house, who stood and said to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, named also Peter. ¹⁴ He will speak words to you whereby both you and all your house shall be saved.

¹⁵ And as I began to preach, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as he did on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the words of the Lord, how he said John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Inasmuch then as God gave them the same gift as he did to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I should have withstood God?

¹⁸ When they heard this, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then God has granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles also.

¹⁹ Those who were scattered abroad through the affliction that arose about Stephen walked throughout till they came to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. ²⁰ But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they came to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks and preached the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

²² Reports of these things came to the ears of the congregation that was in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should continually cleave unto the Lord. ²⁴ For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas departed to Tarsus, to seek Saul. ²⁶ And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for a whole year they were with the congregation there, and taught many people. And the disciples of Antioch were the first that were called Christian.

²⁷ In those days, prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ And one of them, named Agabus, stood up and signified by the Spirit that there would be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of the Emperor Claudius. ²⁹ Then the disciples, everyone according to his ability, determined to send aid to the brethren who dwelt in Judea. ³⁰ Which thing they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James the brother of John, and puts Peter in prison, whom the Lord delivers by an angel. The shameful death of Herod.

12 In that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hand to persecute some of the congregation. ² And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. ³ And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further and took Peter also. This was during the days of sweet bread. ⁴ And when he had caught Peter, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

⁵ Then Peter was kept in prison. But prayer for him was made to God without ceasing by the congregation. ⁶ And when Herod was about to bring him out to the people, that night Peter slept between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the guards before the door kept the prison.

⁷ And behold, the angel of the Lord was there present, and a light shone in the jail. And he struck Peter on the side and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly! And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals. And so he did. And the angel said to him, Cast your mantle around you, and follow me.

⁹ And Peter came out and followed him, and did not know that it was really being done by the angel, but thought he had seen a vision. ¹⁰ When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them by its own accord. And they went out and passed down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

¹¹ And when Peter came to himself, he said, Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the Jews were waiting for. ¹² And as he considered the matter, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of one John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together in prayer.

¹³ As Peter knocked at the entry door, a maidservant named Rhoda came forth to listen. ¹⁴ And when she recognized Peter’s voice, she did not open the entry door for gladness, but ran in and said that Peter was standing before the entry. ¹⁵ And they said to her, You are mad. But she insisted that it was really so. Then they said, It is his angel. ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ And he motioned to them with his hand to hold their peace, and told them by what means the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go, and tell these things to James and to the brethren.

And he departed, and went to another place.

¹⁸ As soon as it was day, there was no little ado among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ When Herod had called for him, but not found him, he examined the guards, and commanded them to depart. And he descended from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

²⁰ Now Herod had been displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon. And they came all at once and made intercession to Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, and requested peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s land. ²¹ And upon a day appointed, Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat in his seat and made a speech to them. ²² And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!

²³ And immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the honour. And he was eaten by worms and gave up the spirit.

²⁴ And the word of God grew and multiplied. ²⁵ As for Barnabas and Paul, they went again to Jerusalem and delivered the relief, and took with them John, who was also called Mark.

Paul and Barnabas are called to preach among the heathen. Of Sergius Paulus and Elymas the magician. Paul preaches at Antioch.

13 There were in the congregation at Antioch certain prophets and teachers, such as Barnabas, and Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² As they worshipped the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. ³ Then they fasted and prayed, and put their hands on them, and let them go. ⁴ And they, after they were sent by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. ⁵ And when they had come to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John Mark to assist them.

⁶ When they had gone throughout the isle to the city of Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet who was a Jew named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He was with the proconsul of the province, one Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man called to him Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for so was his name by translation) withstood them, and sought to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

⁹ Then Saul, who also is called Paul, being full of the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him ¹⁰ and said, O full of all subtlety and deceitfulness, child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you cease not to pervert the straight ways of the Lord. ¹¹ And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a season.

And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul, when he saw what had happened, believed, and wondered at the doctrine of the Lord.

¹³ When those who were with Paul departed from Paphos by ship, they went to Perga, a city of Pamphylia; but there John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ But they wandered through the districts from Perga to Antioch, a city of the province of Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. ¹⁵ And after the law and the prophets were read, the leaders of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Men and brethren, if you have any sermon to exhort the people, do speak.

¹⁶ Then Paul stood up and beckoned with his hand and said, Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen! ¹⁷ The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a mighty arm brought them out of it. ¹⁸ And for the time of about forty years he suffered their ways in the wilderness. ¹⁹ And he destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, and divided their land to them by lot. ²⁰ And afterward he gave them judges for about 450 years, until the time of Samuel the prophet. ²¹ And after that they desired a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. ²² And after he had put him down, he set up David to be their king, of whom he reported, saying: I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart. He will fulfil all my will.

²³ From this man’s seed, God (according to his promise) brought forth to the people of Israel a saviour, one Jesus, ²⁴ when John, before his coming, had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel. ²⁵ And when John was finishing his course, he said, He whom you think that I am, I am not. But behold, there comes one after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.  

²⁶ Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whoever among you fears God, to you is this word of salvation sent. ²⁷ The inhabiters of Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know him, nor yet the voices of the prophets that are read every Sabbath day, have fulfilled the prophets in condemning him. ²⁸ And when they found no cause of death in him, yet they asked Pilate to kill him. ²⁹ And when they had fulfilled all the things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a sepulchre. ³⁰ But God raised him again from death, ³¹ and he was seen during many days by those who came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.

³² And we declare to you that the promise made to the fathers, ³³ God has fulfilled unto us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus again, even as it is written in the second psalm: You are my Son; this same day I have begotten you. ³⁴ As concerning that he raised him up from death, now no more to return to corruption, he said thus: The holy promises made to David, I will give faithfully to you. ³⁵ Therefore he says also in another place: You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption. ³⁶ However David, after he had in his time fulfilled the will of God, slept, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption. ³⁷ But he whom God raised again saw no corruption.

³⁸ Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man the forgiveness of sins is preached to you, ³⁹ and that by him all who believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware, therefore, lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the prophets: ⁴¹ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish! For I do a work in your days that you will not believe, though a man were to declare it to you.

⁴² When they came out of the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles urged them to preach the word to them between the Sabbath days. ⁴³ When the congregation broke up, many of the Jews and virtuous converts followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them, and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God. ⁴⁴ And the next Sabbath day, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the people, they were full of indignation and spoke against those things that were said by Paul, contradicting and railing on it. ⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas were bold and said, It was fitting that the word of God should first have been preached to you. But seeing you put it from you, and think yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so has the Lord commanded us: I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to be salvation to the end of the world.

⁴⁸ The Gentiles heard and were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord and believed – even as many as were appointed to eternal life. ⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord went abroad throughout all the region.

⁵⁰ But the Jews moved the devout and honourable women and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their district. ⁵¹ And they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas preach at Iconium. Some believe, some stir up a revolt. At Lystra the people want to make sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul, who refuse it and exhort the people to worship the true God. Paul is stoned. After that, he goes to Derbe, and again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

14 And it happened in Iconium that Paul and Barnabas went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great number both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, believed. ² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up and disquieted the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren.

³ They remained there a long time, and acquitted themselves boldly with the help of the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, causing signs and wonders to be done by their hands. ⁴ The people of the city were divided: part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. ⁵ When an assault was planned, both by the Gentiles and also by the Jews with their leaders, to put them to shame and to stone them, ⁶ they were aware of it, and fled to Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia and to the region that lies round about, ⁷ and there preached the gospel.

⁸ And at Lystra there sat a certain man weak in his feet, being crippled from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. ⁹ This man heard Paul preach. Paul looked at him and perceived that he had faith to be whole, ¹⁰ and said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet! And he started up and walked.

¹¹ And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, Gods have come down to us in the likeness of men! ¹² And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the preacher. ¹³ Then the priest of Jupiter, who dwelt in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the temple porch, and wanted to make sacrifice with the people.

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the people, crying out and saying, ¹⁵ Sirs, why do you do this? We are mortal men like you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them – ¹⁶ who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Nevertheless, he did not leave himself without witness, in that he showed his goodness in giving us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. ¹⁸ And with these words, they barely refrained the people from making sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But certain Jews from Antioch and lconium came there, and they won the people over, and stoned Paul and drew him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰ However, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and went into the city.

And the next day, Paul departed with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ After they had preached to that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium and Antioch, ²² and strengthened the disciples’ souls, exhorting them to continue in the faith, affirming that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. ²³ And they appointed elders by election in every congregation, and prayed and fasted, and committed them to God on whom they believed.

²⁴ And they went through Pisidia, and came into Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had preached the word of God in Perga, they descended into Attalia, ²⁶ and from there returned by ship to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. ²⁷ When they arrived and had gathered the congregation together, they described all that God had done by them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained there a long time with the disciples.

Disagreement about circumcision. The apostles bring peace to the matter at Jerusalem, and Paul and Barnabas preach at Antioch.

15 Then certain men came from Judea and taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised as observed by Moses, you cannot be saved. ² And when dissension arose, and Paul and Barnabas had set themselves hard against them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. ³ And after they were brought on their way by the congregation, they passed over Phoenicia and Samaria, telling about the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brethren.

⁴ And when they got to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the congregation, and by the apostles and elders. And they described what things God had done by them. ⁵ Then there rose up certain men of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying that it was necessary to circumcise the Gentiles, and to enjoin them to keep the law of Moses. ⁶ And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

⁷ And when there was much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, and gave to them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us. ⁹ And he put no difference between them and us, but with faith purified their hearts. ¹⁰ Now therefore why do you tempt God, and put a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, as they do.

¹² Then all the company was silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul, who told what signs and wonders God had shown among the Gentiles by them.

¹³ And afterward, while they held their peace, James spoke, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon told how God at the beginning visited the Gentiles and took out of them people for his name. ¹⁵ And to this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written: ¹⁶ After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; and that which is fallen into decay of it, I will build again; and I will set it up, ¹⁷ so that the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, even all the Gentiles upon whom my name is named, ¹⁸ says the Lord who does all these things.

Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world. ¹⁹ Therefore my recommendation is that we not trouble those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God, ²⁰ but that we write to them to keep themselves from the defilement of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses since ancient times has had those who preach him in every city, and he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.

²² Then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole congregation to send men chosen from their own company to Antioch (in Syria) with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas, called also Barsabas, and Silas, who were chief men among the brethren, ²³ and gave them letters in their hands as follows:

The apostles, elders, and brethren send greetings to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. ²⁴ Since we have heard that certain men who departed from us have troubled you with words and unsettled your minds, saying you must be circumcised and keep the law – to whom we gave no such instruction – ²⁵ it seemed therefore to us a good thing, when we came together with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also tell you the same things by mouth. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put no greater burden upon you than these necessary things, ²⁹ that is to say, to abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and fornication. From which, if you keep yourselves, you will do well. So fare ye well.

³⁰ When they departed, they went to Antioch, and gathered the whole community together and delivered the epistle. ³¹ When they had read it, the people were glad of that consolation. ³² And Judas and Silas, being prophets, exhorted the brethren with much preaching, and strengthened them. ³³ And after they had stayed there a little while, they were let go in peace from the brethren to the apostles. ³⁴ Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to remain there still. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others.

³⁶ But after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every place where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing. ³⁷ And Barnabas gave counsel to take with them John, called also Mark. ³⁸ But Paul did not think it good to take him into their company, who had departed from them at Pamphylia and not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And the dissension was so sharp between them that they separated one from the other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ and Paul chose Silas and departed, committed by the brethren to the grace of God. ⁴¹ And he went through all Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations.

Timothy is circumcised. Paul preaches at Phillipi, and there he is put in prison.

16 Then Paul went to Derbe and to Lystra. And a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a woman who was a Jewess and believed, but his father was a Greek. ² The brethren of Lystra and of Iconium spoke well of Timothy. ³ Paul wanted him to go forth with him, and took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those quarters, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went through the towns, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, as resolved by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. ⁵ And so the congregations were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

⁶ When they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, ⁷ they came to the region of Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia. But the Spirit would not permit them. ⁸ Then they went over Mysia and down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: there stood a man from Macedonia who appealed to him, saying, Come into Macedonia and help us! ¹⁰ After he had seen the vision, immediately we prepared to go into Macedonia, persuaded that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. ¹¹ Then we set sail from Troas, and with a straight course went to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is the chief city in the parts of Macedonia, and a Roman colony.

We were in that city for several days. ¹³ And on the Sabbath days we went out of the city, beside a river where people were accustomed to pray. And we sat down and spoke to the women who gathered there. ¹⁴ And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira who worshipped God, listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart so that she attended to the things that Paul said. ¹⁵ When she was baptized, and her household, she invited us, saying, If you think that I believe on the Lord, come into my house and stay there. And she constrained us.

¹⁶ And it happened as we went to prayer that a certain girl possessed with a spirit that prophesied met us, who brought her masters much income by prophesying. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, who show to us the way of salvation! ¹⁸ And she did this many days. But Paul, not pleased, turned about and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out the same hour.

¹⁹ And when her master and mistress saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace to the authorities, ²⁰ and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men are troubling our city. They are Jews, and preach customs ²¹ that are not lawful for us to receive nor to observe, seeing we are Romans.

²² And the people ran on them, and the magistrates tore their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ²³ And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely. ²⁴ Which jailer, when he had received such direction, thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.

²⁵ At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and lauding God, and the prisoners heard them. ²⁶ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken. And immediately all the doors opened, and every man’s bonds were loosed. ²⁷ When the keeper of the prison awoke out of his sleep and saw the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!

²⁹ Then he called for a light and rushed in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, ³⁰ and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ³¹ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, and your household. ³² And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds, and was baptized with all who belonged to him straightaway. ³⁴ When he had brought Paul and Silas into his house, he set food before them, and rejoiced that he with all his household believed on God.

³⁵ And when it was day, the magistrates sent their officers, saying, Let those men go. ³⁶ The keeper of the prison told this to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent word to release you; now therefore take your leave, and go in peace.

³⁷ Then Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly, without a trial, for all that we are Romans, and have cast us into prison. And now would they send us away quietly? No, not so, but let them come themselves and get us out.