Bible in 90 Days

Stephen Is Arrested

⁸ Stephen was full of God’s grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But he was too wise for them. That’s because the Holy Spirit gave Stephen wisdom whenever he spoke.

¹¹ Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, “We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses and against God.”

¹² So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They found witnesses who were willing to tell lies. These liars said, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law. ¹⁴ We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”

¹⁵ All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Stephen Speaks to the Sanhedrin

7 Then the high priest questioned Stephen. “Is what these people are saying true?” he asked.

² “Brothers and fathers, listen to me!” Stephen replied. “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham. At that time Abraham was still in Mesopotamia. He had not yet begun living in Harran. ³ ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said. ‘Go to the land I will show you.’ (Genesis 12:1)

⁴ “So Abraham left the land of Babylonia. He settled in Harran. After his father died, God sent Abraham to this land where you are now living. ⁵ God didn’t give him any property here. He didn’t even give him enough land to set his foot on. But God made a promise to him and to all his family after him. He said they would possess the land. The promise was made even though at that time Abraham had no child. ⁶ Here is what God said to him. ‘For 400 years your family after you will be strangers in a country not their own. They will be slaves and will be treated badly. ⁷ But I will punish the nation that makes them slaves,’ God said. ‘After that, they will leave that country and worship me here.’ (Genesis 15:13,14) ⁸ Then God made a covenant with Abraham. God told him that circumcision would show who the members of the covenant were. Abraham became Isaac’s father. He circumcised Isaac eight days after he was born. Later, Isaac became Jacob’s father. Jacob had 12 sons. They became the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel.

⁹ “Jacob’s sons were jealous of their brother Joseph. So they sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt. But God was with him. ¹⁰ He saved Joseph from all his troubles. God made Joseph wise. He helped him to become the friend of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made Joseph ruler over Egypt and his whole palace.

¹¹ “There was not enough food for all Egypt and Canaan. This brought great suffering. Jacob and his sons couldn’t find food. ¹² But Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. So he sent his sons on their first visit. ¹³ On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was. Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. ¹⁴ After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family. The total number of people was 75. ¹⁵ Then Jacob went down to Egypt. There he and his family died. ¹⁶ Some of their bodies were brought back to Shechem. They were placed in a tomb Abraham had bought. He had purchased it from Hamor’s sons at Shechem. He had purchased it for a certain amount of money.

¹⁷ “In Egypt the number of our people grew and grew. It was nearly time for God to make his promise to Abraham come true. ¹⁸ Then ‘a new king came to power in Egypt. Joseph didn’t mean anything to him.’ (Exodus 1:8) ¹⁹ The king was very evil and dishonest with our people. He treated them badly. He forced them to throw out their newborn babies to die.

²⁰ “At that time Moses was born. He was not an ordinary child. For three months he was taken care of by his family. ²¹ Then he was placed outside. But Pharaoh’s daughter took him home. She brought him up as her own son. ²² Moses was taught all the knowledge of the people of Egypt. He became a powerful speaker and a man of action.

²³ “When Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit the people of Israel. They were his own people. ²⁴ He saw one of them being treated badly by an Egyptian. So he went to help him. He got even by killing the man. ²⁵ Moses thought his own people would realize that God was using him to save them. But they didn’t. ²⁶ The next day Moses saw two Israelites fighting. He tried to make peace between them. ‘Men, you are both Israelites,’ he said. ‘Why do you want to hurt each other?’

²⁷ “But the man who was treating the other one badly pushed Moses to one side. He said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸ Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ (Exodus 2:14) ²⁹ When Moses heard this, he escaped to Midian. He lived there as an outsider. He became the father of two sons there.

³⁰ “Forty years passed. Then an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush. This happened in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹ When Moses saw the bush, he was amazed. He went over for a closer look. There he heard the Lord say, ³² ‘I am the God of your fathers. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ (Exodus 3:6) Moses shook with fear. He didn’t dare to look.

³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals. You must do this because the place where you are standing is holy ground. ³⁴ I have seen my people beaten down in Egypt. I have heard their groans. I have come down to set them free. Now come. I will send you back to Egypt.’ (Exodus 3:5,7,8,10)

³⁵ “This is the same Moses the two men of Israel would not accept. They had said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ But God himself sent Moses to rule the people of Israel and set them free. He spoke to Moses through an angel. The angel had appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ So Moses led them out of Egypt. He did wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for 40 years in the desert.

³⁷ “This is the same Moses who spoke to the Israelites. ‘God will send you a prophet,’ he said. ‘He will be like me. He will come from your own people.’ (Deuteronomy 18:15) ³⁸ Moses was with the Israelites in the desert. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai. Moses was with our people of long ago. He received living words to pass on to us.

³⁹ “But our people refused to obey Moses. They would not accept him. In their hearts, they wished they were back in Egypt. ⁴⁰ They told Aaron, ‘Make us a god who will lead us. This fellow Moses brought us up out of Egypt. But we don’t know what has happened to him!’ (Exodus 32:1) ⁴¹ That was the time they made a statue to be their god. It was shaped like a calf. They brought sacrifices to it. They even enjoyed what they had made with their own hands. ⁴² But God turned away from them. He let them go on worshiping the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets. There it says,

⁴⁴ “Long ago our people were in the desert. They had with them the holy tent. The tent was where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. Moses had made the holy tent as God had commanded him. Moses made it like the pattern he had seen. ⁴⁵ Our people received the tent from God. Then they brought it with them when they took the land of Canaan. God drove out the nations that were in their way. At that time Joshua was Israel’s leader. The tent remained in the land until David’s time. ⁴⁶ David was blessed by God. So David asked if he could build a house for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷ But it was Solomon who built the temple for God.

⁴⁸ “But the Most High God does not live in houses made by human hands. As God says through the prophet,

⁵¹ “You stubborn people! You won’t obey! You won’t listen! You are just like your people of long ago! You always oppose the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your people didn’t try to hurt? They even killed those who told about the coming of the Blameless One. And now you have handed him over to his enemies. You have murdered him. ⁵³ The law you received was given by angels. But you haven’t obeyed it.”

Stephen Is Killed

⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they became very angry. They were so angry they ground their teeth at Stephen. ⁵⁵ But he was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw God’s glory. He saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ⁵⁶ “Look!” he said. “I see heaven open. The Son of Man is standing at God’s right hand.”

⁵⁷ When the Sanhedrin heard this, they covered their ears. They yelled at the top of their voices. They all rushed at him. ⁵⁸ They dragged him out of the city. They began to throw stones at him to kill him. The people who had brought false charges against Stephen took off their coats. They placed them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ While the members of the Sanhedrin were throwing stones at Stephen, he prayed. “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” he said. ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees. He cried out, “Lord! Don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he died.

8 And Saul had agreed with the Sanhedrin that Stephen should die.

The Church Is Treated Badly and Scattered

On that day the church in Jerusalem began to be attacked and treated badly. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ² Godly Jews buried Stephen. They mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged away men and women and put them in prison.

Philip Goes to Samaria

⁴ The believers who had been scattered preached the word everywhere they went. ⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria. There he preached about the Messiah. ⁶ The crowds listened to Philip and saw the signs he did. All of them paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ Evil spirits screamed and came out of many people. Many people who were disabled or who couldn’t walk were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Evil Magician

⁹ A man named Simon lived in the city. For quite a while he had practiced evil magic there. He amazed all the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great. ¹⁰ And all the people listened to him, from the least important of them to the most important. They exclaimed, “It is right to call this man the Great Power of God!” ¹¹ He had amazed them for a long time with his evil magic. So they followed him. ¹² But Philip announced the good news of God’s kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. So men and women believed and were baptized. ¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere. He was amazed by the great signs and miracles he saw.

¹⁴ The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people in Samaria had accepted God’s word. So they sent Peter and John to Samaria. ¹⁵ When they arrived there, they prayed for the new believers. They prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them. And they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Simon watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John. ¹⁹ He said, “Give me this power too. Then everyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered, “May your money be destroyed with you! Do you think you can buy God’s gift with money? ²¹ You have no part or share in this holy work. Your heart is not right with God. ²² Turn away from this evil sin of yours. Pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ I see that you are very bitter. You are a prisoner of sin.”

²⁴ Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me. Pray that nothing you have said will happen to me.”

²⁵ Peter and John continued to preach the word of the Lord and tell people about Jesus. Then they returned to Jerusalem. On the way they preached the good news in many villages in Samaria.

Philip and the Man From Ethiopia

²⁶ An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. “Go south to the desert road,” he said. “It’s the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position in charge of all the wealth of the Kandake. Kandake means queen of Ethiopia. This official had gone to Jerusalem to worship. ²⁸ On his way home he was sitting in his chariot. He was reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹ The Holy Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot. Stay near it.”

³⁰ So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” Philip asked.

³¹ “How can I?” he said. “I need someone to explain it to me.” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³² Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading. It says,

³⁴ The official said to Philip, “Tell me, please. Who is the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip began with that same part of Scripture. He told him the good news about Jesus.

^36-37 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The official said, “Look! Here is water! What can stop me from being baptized?” ³⁸ He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the official went down into the water. Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. He went on his way full of joy. ⁴⁰ Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he traveled all around. He preached the good news in all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea.

Saul Becomes a Believer

9 Meanwhile, Saul continued to oppose the Lord’s followers. He said they would be put to death. He went to the high priest. ² He asked the priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus. He wanted to find men and women who belonged to the Way of Jesus. The letters would allow him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ On his journey, Saul approached Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground. He heard a voice speak to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you opposing me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus,” he replied. “I am the one you are opposing. ⁶ Now get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there. They weren’t able to speak. They had heard the sound. But they didn’t see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind. He didn’t eat or drink anything.

¹⁰ In Damascus there was a believer named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision. “Ananias!” he said.

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying. ¹² In a vision Saul has seen a man come and place his hands on him. That man’s name is Ananias. In the vision, Ananias placed his hands on Saul so he could see again.”

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I’ve heard many reports about this man. They say he has done great harm to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Now he has come here to arrest all those who worship you. The chief priests have given him authority to do this.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will announce my name to the Gentiles and to their kings. He will also announce my name to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”

¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. He placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Right away something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. And he could see again. He got up and was baptized. ¹⁹ After eating some food, he got his strength back.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the believers in Damascus. ²⁰ Right away he began to preach in the synagogues. He taught that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Isn’t he the man who caused great trouble in Jerusalem? Didn’t he make trouble for those who worship Jesus? Hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² But Saul grew more and more powerful. The Jews living in Damascus couldn’t believe what was happening. Saul proved to them that Jesus is the Messiah.

²³ After many days, the Jews had a meeting. They planned to kill Saul. ²⁴ But he learned about their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates closely in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers helped him escape by night. They lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

²⁶ When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the believers. But they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really one of Jesus’ followers. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him to the apostles. He told them about Saul’s journey. He said that Saul had seen the Lord. He told how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also said that Saul had preached without fear in Jesus’ name in Damascus. ²⁸ So Saul stayed with the believers. He moved about freely in Jerusalem. He spoke boldly in the Lord’s name. ²⁹ He talked and argued with the Greek Jews. But they tried to kill him. ³⁰ The other believers heard about this. They took Saul down to Caesarea. From there they sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. The church was strengthened and grew larger. That’s because they worshiped the Lord and the Holy Spirit helped them.

Peter Heals Aeneas and Dorcas

³² Peter traveled around the country. He went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. ³³ There he found a disabled man named Aeneas. For eight years the man had spent most of his time in bed. ³⁴ “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up! Roll up your mat!” So Aeneas got up right away. ³⁵ Everyone who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him. They turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In Joppa there was a believer named Tabitha. Her name in the Greek language is Dorcas. She was always doing good and helping poor people. ³⁷ About that time she became sick and died. Her body was washed and placed in a room upstairs. ³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa. The believers heard that Peter was in Lydda. So they sent two men to him. They begged him, “Please come at once!”

³⁹ Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him crying. They showed him the robes and other clothes Dorcas had made before she died.

⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out of the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned toward the dead woman. He said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and especially the widows. He brought her to them. They saw that she was alive. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa. Many people believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for some time. He stayed with Simon, a man who worked with leather.

Cornelius Calls for Peter

10 A man named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a Roman commander in the Italian Regiment. ² Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly. ³ One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. He saw clearly an angel of God. The angel came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

⁴ Cornelius was afraid. He stared at the angel. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to poor people are like an offering to God. So he has remembered you. ⁵ Now send men to Joppa. Have them bring back a man named Simon. He is also called Peter. ⁶ He is staying with another Simon, a man who works with leather. His house is by the sea.”

⁷ The angel who spoke to him left. Then Cornelius called two of his servants. He also called a godly soldier who was one of his attendants. ⁸ He told them everything that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.

Peter Has a Vision

⁹ It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. ¹¹ He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners. ¹² It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it. ¹³ Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

¹⁴ “No, Lord! I will not!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’ ”

¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, “Do not say anything is not pure that God has made ‘clean.’ ”

¹⁶ This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.

¹⁷ Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate ¹⁸ and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. “Simon,” he said, “three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Get up and go downstairs. Don’t let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them.”

²¹ Peter went down and spoke to the men. “I’m the one you’re looking for,” he said. “Why have you come?”

²² The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Then Cornelius can hear what you have to say.” ²³ Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius

The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along. ²⁴ The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them. He had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. As a sign of respect, he fell at Peter’s feet. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said. “I am only a man myself.”

²⁷ As he was talking with Cornelius, Peter went inside. There he found a large group of people. ²⁸ He said to them, “You know that it is against our law for a Jew to enter a Gentile home. A Jew shouldn’t have any close contact with a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and ‘clean.’ ²⁹ So when you sent for me, I came without asking any questions. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered, “Three days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me. ³¹ He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer. He has remembered your gifts to poor people. ³² Send someone to Joppa to get Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of another Simon, who works with leather. He lives by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you right away. It was good of you to come. Now we are all here. And God is here with us. We are ready to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak. “I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same,” he said. ³⁵ “He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened all through the area of Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism. ³⁸ You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil’s power. God was with him.

³⁹ “We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross. ⁴⁰ But on the third day God raised him from the dead. God allowed Jesus to be seen. ⁴¹ But he wasn’t seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to tell people that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets tell about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ Some Jewish believers had come with Peter. They were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ They heard them speaking in languages they had not known before. They also heard them praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can keep these people from being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Peter Explains His Actions

11 The apostles and the believers all through Judea heard that Gentiles had also received God’s word. ² Peter went up to Jerusalem. There the Jewish believers found fault with him. ³ They said, “You went into the house of Gentiles. You ate with them.”

⁴ Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story. ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying,” he said. “There I had a vision. I saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down from heaven by its four corners. It came down to where I was. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth. There were also wild animals, reptiles and birds. ⁷ Then I heard a voice speaking to me. ‘Get up, Peter,’ the voice said. ‘Kill and eat.’

⁸ “I replied, ‘No, Lord! I will not! Nothing that is not pure and “clean” has ever entered my mouth.’

⁹ “A second time the voice spoke from heaven. The voice said, ‘Do not say anything is not pure that God has made “clean.” ’ ¹⁰ This happened three times. Then the sheet was pulled up into heaven.

¹¹ “Just then three men stopped at the house where I was staying. They had been sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² The Holy Spirit told me not to let anything keep me from going with them. These six brothers here went with me. We entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house. The angel said, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon Peter. ¹⁴ He has a message to bring to you. You and your whole family will be saved through it.’

¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them. He came just as he had come on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the Lord’s words. ‘John baptized with water,’ he had said. ‘But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ God gave them the same gift he gave those of us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”

¹⁸ When they heard this, they didn’t object anymore. They praised God. They said, “So then, God has allowed even Gentiles to turn away from their sins. He did this so that they could live.”

The Believers in Antioch

¹⁹ Some believers had been scattered by the suffering that unbelievers had caused them. They were scattered after Stephen was killed. Those believers traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. But they spread the word only among Jews. ²⁰ Some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch. There they began to speak to Greeks also. They told them the good news about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The Lord’s power was with them. Large numbers of people believed and turned to the Lord.

²² The church in Jerusalem heard about this. So they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad. He told them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. ²⁴ Barnabas was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Large numbers of people came to know the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶ He found him there. Then he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church. They taught large numbers of people. At Antioch the believers were called Christians for the first time.

²⁷ In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them was named Agabus. He stood up and spoke through the Spirit. He said there would not be nearly enough food anywhere in the Roman world. This happened while Claudius was the emperor. ²⁹ The believers decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. All of them helped as much as they could. ³⁰ They sent their gift to the elders through Barnabas and Saul.

An Angel Helps Peter Escape From Prison

12 About this time, King Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church. He planned to make them suffer greatly. ² He had James killed with a sword. James was John’s brother. ³ Herod saw that the death of James pleased some Jews. So he arrested Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in prison. Peter was placed under guard. He was watched by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put Peter on public trial. It would take place after the Passover Feast.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison. But the church prayed hard to God for him.

⁶ It was the night before Herod was going to bring him to trial. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. Two chains held him there. Lookouts stood guard at the entrance. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared. A light shone in the prison cell. The angel struck Peter on his side. Peter woke up. “Quick!” the angel said. “Get up!” The chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” Peter did so. “Put on your coat,” the angel told him. “Follow me.” ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison. But he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed the first and second guards. Then they came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself. They went through it. They walked the length of one street. Suddenly the angel left Peter.

¹¹ Then Peter realized what had happened. He said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent his angel. He set me free from Herod’s power. He saved me from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

¹² When Peter understood what had happened, he went to Mary’s house. Mary was the mother of John Mark. Many people had gathered in her home. They were praying there. ¹³ Peter knocked at the outer entrance. A servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. ¹⁴ She recognized Peter’s voice. She was so excited that she ran back without opening the door. “Peter is at the door!” she exclaimed.

¹⁵ “You’re out of your mind,” they said to her. But she kept telling them it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”

¹⁶ Peter kept on knocking. When they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. ¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet. He explained how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said. Then he went to another place.

¹⁸ In the morning the soldiers were bewildered. They couldn’t figure out what had happened to Peter. ¹⁹ So Herod had them look everywhere for Peter. But they didn’t find him. Then Herod questioned the guards closely. He ordered that they be put to death.

Herod Dies

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. ²⁰ He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they got together and asked for a meeting with him. This was because they depended on the king’s country to supply them with food. They gained the support of Blastus and then asked for peace. Blastus was a trusted personal servant of the king.

²¹ The appointed day came. Herod was seated on his throne. He was wearing his royal robes. He made a speech to the people. ²² Then they shouted, “This is the voice of a god. It’s not the voice of a man.” ²³ Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But God’s word continued to spread and many people believed the message.

Barnabas and Saul Are Sent Off

²⁵ Barnabas and Saul finished their task. Then they returned from Jerusalem. They took John Mark with them. 13 ¹ In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius from Cyrene. Simeon was also called Niger. Another was Manaen. He had been brought up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Saul was among them too. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me,” he said. “I have appointed them to do special work.” ³ The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.

Events on Cyprus

⁴ Barnabas and Saul were sent on their way by the Holy Spirit. They went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ They arrived at Salamis. There they preached God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled all across the island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jew named Bar-Jesus. He was an evil magician and a false prophet. ⁷ He was an attendant of Sergius Paulus, the governor. Paulus was a man of understanding. He sent for Barnabas and Saul. He wanted to hear God’s word. ⁸ But the evil magician named Elymas opposed them. The name Elymas means Magician. He tried to keep the governor from becoming a believer. ⁹ Saul was also known as Paul. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas. He said to him, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You cheat people. You use all kinds of tricks. Won’t you ever stop twisting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to go blind. For a while you won’t even be able to see the light of the sun.”

Right away mist and darkness came over him. He tried to feel his way around. He wanted to find someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. He was amazed at what Paul was teaching about the Lord.

Paul Preaches in Pisidian Antioch

¹³ From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ The Law and the Prophets were read aloud. Then the leaders of the synagogue sent word to Paul and his companions. They said, “Brothers, do you have any words of instruction for the people? If you do, please speak.”

¹⁶ Paul stood up and motioned with his hand. Then he said, “Fellow Israelites, and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! ¹⁷ The God of Israel chose our people who lived long ago. He blessed them greatly while they were in Egypt. With his mighty power he led them out of that country. ¹⁸ He put up with their behavior for about 40 years in the desert. ¹⁹ And he destroyed seven nations in Canaan. Then he gave the land to his people as their rightful share. ²⁰ All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then the people asked for a king. He gave them Saul, son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled for 40 years. ²² God removed him and made David their king. Here is God’s witness about him. ‘David, son of Jesse, is a man dear to my heart,’ he said. ‘David will do everything I want him to do.’

²³ “From this man’s family line God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus. This is what he had promised. ²⁴ Before Jesus came, John preached that we should turn away from our sins and be baptized. He preached this to all Israel. ²⁵ John was coming to the end of his work. ‘Who do you suppose I am?’ he said. ‘I am not the one you are looking for. But there is someone coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’

²⁶ “Listen, fellow children of Abraham! Listen, you Gentiles who worship God! This message of salvation has been sent to us. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the prophets’ words come true. These are read every Sabbath day. ²⁸ The people and their rulers had no reason at all for sentencing Jesus to death. But they asked Pilate to have him killed. ²⁹ They did everything that had been written about Jesus. Then they took him down from the cross. They laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead. ³¹ For many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about Jesus.

³² “We are telling you the good news. What God promised our people long ago ³³ he has done for us, their children. He has raised up Jesus. This is what is written in the second Psalm. It says,

³⁴ God raised Jesus from the dead. He will never rot in the grave. As God has said,

³⁵ In another place it also says,

³⁶ “David carried out God’s purpose while he lived. Then he died. He was buried with his people. His body rotted away. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not rot away.

³⁸ “My friends, here is what I want you to know. I announce to you that your sins can be forgiven because of what Jesus has done. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin. Moses’ law could not make you right in God’s eyes. ⁴⁰ Be careful! Don’t let what the prophets spoke about happen to you. They said,

⁴² Paul and Barnabas started to leave the synagogue. The people invited them to say more about these things on the next Sabbath day. ⁴³ The people were told they could leave the service. Many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Many Gentiles who faithfully worshiped the God of the Jews did the same. Paul and Barnabas talked with them. They tried to get them to keep living in God’s grace.

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath day, almost the whole city gathered. They gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they became very jealous. They began to disagree with what Paul was saying. They said evil things against him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. “We had to speak God’s word to you first,” they said. “But you don’t accept it. You don’t think you are good enough for eternal life. So now we are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ This is what the Lord has commanded us to do. He said,

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad. They honored the word of the Lord. All who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole area. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders stirred up the important women who worshiped God. They also stirred up the men who were leaders in the city. The Jewish leaders tried to get the women and men to attack Paul and Barnabas. They threw Paul and Barnabas out of that area. ⁵¹ Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet. This was a warning to the people who had opposed them. Then Paul and Barnabas went on to Iconium. ⁵² The believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Iconium

14 At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue as usual. They spoke there with great power. Large numbers of Jews and Greeks became believers. ² But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up some of the Gentiles who were there. They turned them against the two men and the new believers. ³ So Paul and Barnabas spent a lot of time there. They spoke boldly for the Lord. He gave them the ability to do signs and wonders. In this way the Lord showed that they were telling the truth about his grace. ⁴ The people of the city did not agree with one another. Some were on the side of the Jews. Others were on the side of the apostles. ⁵ Jews and Gentiles alike planned to treat Paul and Barnabas badly. Their leaders agreed. They planned to kill them by throwing stones at them. ⁶ But Paul and Barnabas found out about the plan. They escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding area. ⁷ There they continued to preach the good news.

Paul Preaches in Lystra

⁸ In Lystra there sat a man who couldn’t walk. He hadn’t been able to use his feet since the day he was born. ⁹ He listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked right at him. He saw that the man had faith to be healed. ¹⁰ So he called out, “Stand up on your feet!” Then the man jumped up and began to walk.

¹¹ The crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian language. “The gods have come down to us in human form!” they exclaimed. ¹² They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul was the main speaker. So they called him Hermes. ¹³ Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.

¹⁴ But the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes. They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted, ¹⁵ “Friends, why are you doing this? We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them. ¹⁶ In the past, he let all nations go their own way. ¹⁷ But he has given proof of what he is like. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their seasons. He provides you with plenty of food. He fills your hearts with joy.” ¹⁸ Paul and Barnabas told them all these things. But they had trouble keeping the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.

¹⁹ Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won the crowd over to their side. They threw stones at Paul. They thought he was dead, so they dragged him out of the city. ²⁰ The believers gathered around Paul. Then he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch

²¹ Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in the city of Derbe. They won large numbers of followers. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. ²² There they helped the believers gain strength. They told them to remain faithful to what they had been taught. “We must go through many hard times to enter God’s kingdom,” they said. ²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church. The elders had trusted in the Lord. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted. They placed the elders in the Lord’s care. ²⁴ After going through Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas came into Pamphylia. ²⁵ They preached the good news in Perga. Then they went down to Attalia.

²⁶ From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch. In Antioch they had been put in God’s care to preach the good news. They had now completed the work God had given them to do. ²⁷ When they arrived at Antioch, they gathered the church together. They reported all that God had done through them. They told how he had opened a way for the Gentiles to believe. ²⁸ And they stayed there a long time with the believers.

Church Leaders Meet in Jerusalem

15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch. Here is what they were teaching the believers. “Moses commanded you to be circumcised,” they said. “If you aren’t, you can’t be saved.” ² But Paul and Barnabas didn’t agree with this. They argued strongly with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem. Some other believers were chosen to go with them. They were told to ask the apostles and elders about this question. ³ The church sent them on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria. There they told how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made all the believers very glad. ⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church welcomed them. The apostles and elders welcomed them too. Then Paul and Barnabas reported everything God had done through them.

⁵ Some of the believers were Pharisees. They stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must obey the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ After they had talked it over, Peter got up and spoke to them. “Brothers,” he said, “you know that some time ago God chose me. He appointed me to take the good news to the Gentiles. He wanted them to hear the good news and believe. ⁸ God knows the human heart. By giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, he showed that he accepted them. He did the same for them as he had done for us. ⁹ God showed that there is no difference between us and them. That’s because he made their hearts pure because of their faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why are you trying to test God? You test him when you put a heavy load on the shoulders of Gentiles. Our people of long ago couldn’t carry that load. We can’t either. ¹¹ No! We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus. The Gentiles are saved in the same way.”

¹² Everyone became quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul. They were telling about the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon Peter has explained to us what God has now done. He has chosen some of the Gentiles to be among his very own people. ¹⁵ The prophets’ words agree with that. They say,

¹⁹ “Now here is my decision. We should not make it hard for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Here is what we should write to them. They must not eat food that has been made impure by being offered to statues of gods. They must not commit sexual sins. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not drink blood. ²¹ These laws of Moses have been preached in every city from the earliest times. They are read out loud in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”

A Letter Is Written to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles, the elders and the whole church decided what to do. They would choose some of their own men who were leaders among the believers. They would send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. So they chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. They were leaders among the believers. ²³ Here is the letter they sent with them.

The apostles and elders, your brothers, are writing this letter.

We are sending it to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

Greetings.

²⁴ We have heard that some of our people came to you and caused trouble. You were upset by what they said. But we had given them no authority to go. ²⁵ So we all agreed to send our dear friends Barnabas and Paul to you. We chose some other men to go with them. ²⁶ Barnabas and Paul have put their lives in danger. They did it for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ So we are sending Judas and Silas with them. What they say will agree with this letter. ²⁸ Here is what seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us. We will not give you a load that is too heavy. So here are a few basic rules. ²⁹ Don’t eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. Don’t drink blood. Don’t eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And don’t commit sexual sins. You will do well to keep away from these things.

Farewell.

³⁰ So the men were sent down to Antioch. There they gathered the church together. They gave the letter to them. ³¹ The people read it. They were glad for its message of hope. ³² Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to give strength and hope to the believers. ^33-34 Judas and Silas stayed there for some time. Then the believers sent them away with the blessing of peace. They sent them back to those who had sent them out. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas Do Not Agree

³⁶ Some time later Paul spoke to Barnabas. “Let’s go back to all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord,” he said. “Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. ³⁸ But Paul didn’t think it was wise to take him. Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. He hadn’t continued with them in their work. ³⁹ Barnabas and Paul strongly disagreed with each other. So they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul chose Silas. The believers asked the Lord to give his grace to Paul and Silas as they went. ⁴¹ Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia. He gave strength to the churches there.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe. Then he went on to Lystra. A believer named Timothy lived there. His mother was Jewish and a believer. His father was a Greek. ² The believers at Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey. So he circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who lived in that area. They all knew that Timothy’s father was a Greek. ⁴ Paul and his companions traveled from town to town. They reported what the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had decided. The people were supposed to obey what was in the report. ⁵ So the churches were made strong in the faith. The number of believers grew every day.

Paul’s Vision of the Man From Macedonia

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled all through the area of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit had kept them from preaching the word in Asia Minor. ⁷ They came to the border of Mysia. From there they tried to enter Bithynia. But the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia. Then they went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia standing and begging him. “Come over to Macedonia!” the man said. “Help us!” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news there.

Lydia Becomes a Believer in Philippi

¹¹ At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together. ¹⁴ One of the women listening was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia, and her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul’s message. ¹⁵ She and her family were baptized. Then she invited us to her home. “Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?” she asked. “If you do, come and stay at my house.” She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

¹⁶ One day we were going to the place of prayer. On the way we were met by a female slave. She had a spirit that helped her tell people what was going to happen. She earned a lot of money for her owners by doing this. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us around. She shouted, “These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became upset. Turning around, he spoke to the spirit that was in her. “In the name of Jesus Christ,” he said, “I command you to come out of her!” At that very moment the spirit left the woman.

¹⁹ Her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone. So they grabbed Paul and Silas. They dragged them into the market place to face the authorities. ²⁰ They brought them to the judges. “These men are Jews,” her owners said. “They are making trouble in our city. ²¹ They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can’t accept or take part in.”

²² The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped and beaten with rods. ²³ They were whipped without mercy. Then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put Paul and Silas deep inside the prison. He fastened their feet so they couldn’t get away.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was a powerful earthquake. It shook the prison from top to bottom. All at once the prison doors flew open. Everyone’s chains came loose. ²⁷ The jailer woke up. He saw that the prison doors were open. He pulled out his sword and was going to kill himself. He thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ “Don’t harm yourself!” Paul shouted. “We are all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called out for some lights. He rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out. He asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus. Then you and everyone living in your house will be saved.” ³² They spoke the word of the Lord to him. They also spoke to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night, the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Right away he and everyone who lived with him were baptized. ³⁴ The jailer brought them into his house. He set a meal in front of them. He and everyone who lived with him were filled with joy. They had become believers in God.

³⁵ Early in the morning the judges sent their officers to the jailer. They ordered him, “Let those men go.” ³⁶ The jailer told Paul, “The judges have ordered me to set you and Silas free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”

³⁷ But Paul replied to the officers. “They beat us in public,” he said. “We weren’t given a trial. And we are Roman citizens! They threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and personally lead us out.”