Bible in 90 Days

Stephen Is Arrested

⁸ Stephen was a man filled with God’s favor^[a] and power. He did amazing things and performed miracles. ⁹ One day some men from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started an argument with Stephen. They belonged to a synagogue called Freedmen’s Synagogue. ¹⁰ They couldn’t argue with Stephen because he spoke with the wisdom that the Spirit had given him. ¹¹ Then they bribed some men to lie.

These men said, “We heard him slander Moses and God.” ¹² The liars stirred up trouble among the people, the leaders, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. So they went to Stephen, took him by force, and brought him in front of the Jewish council. ¹³ Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, “This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses’ Teachings. ¹⁴ We heard him say that Yeshua from Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs that Moses gave us.”

¹⁵ Everyone who sat in the council stared at him and saw that his face looked like an angel’s face.

Stephen Speaks in His Own Defense

7 Then the chief priest asked Stephen, “Is this true?”

² Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God who reveals his glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia. This happened before Abraham lived in Haran. ³ God told him, ‘Leave your land and your relatives. Go to the land that I will show you.’

⁴ “Then Abraham left the country of Chaldea and lived in the city of Haran. After his father died, God made him move from there to this land where we now live.

⁵ “Yet, God didn’t give Abraham anything in this land to call his own, not even a place to rest his feet. But God promised to give this land to him and to his descendants, even though Abraham didn’t have a child. ⁶ God told Abraham that his descendants would be foreigners living in another country and that the people there would make them slaves and mistreat them for 400 years. ⁷ God also told him, ‘I will punish the people whom they will serve. After that, they will leave that country and worship me here.’

⁸ “God gave Abraham circumcision to confirm his promise.^[b] So when Abraham’s son Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac did the same to his son Jacob, and Jacob did the same to his twelve sons (the ancestors of our tribes).

⁹ “Jacob’s sons were jealous of their brother Joseph. They sold him into slavery, and he was taken to Egypt. But God was with Joseph ¹⁰ and rescued him from all his suffering. When Joseph stood in the presence of Pharaoh (the king of Egypt), God gave Joseph divine favor^[c] and wisdom so that he became ruler of Egypt and of Pharaoh’s whole palace. ¹¹ Then a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan brought a lot of suffering. Our ancestors couldn’t find any food. ¹² When Jacob heard that Egypt had food, he sent our ancestors there. That was their first trip. ¹³ On the second trip, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. ¹⁴ Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his relatives, 75 people in all. ¹⁵ So Jacob went to Egypt, and he and our ancestors died there. ¹⁶ They were taken to Shechem for burial in the tomb that Abraham purchased in Shechem from Hamor’s sons.

¹⁷ “When the time that God had promised to Abraham had almost come, the number of our people in Egypt had grown very large. ¹⁸ Then a different king, who knew nothing about Joseph, began to rule in Egypt. ¹⁹ This king was shrewd in the way he took advantage of our people. He mistreated our ancestors. He made them abandon their newborn babies outdoors, where they would die.

²⁰ “At that time Moses was born, and he was a very beautiful child. His parents took care of him for three months. ²¹ When Moses was abandoned outdoors, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and raised him as her son. ²² So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a great man in what he said and did. ²³ When he was 40 years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. ²⁴ When he saw an Israelite man being treated unfairly by an Egyptian, he defended the Israelite. He took revenge by killing the Egyptian. ²⁵ Moses thought his own people would understand that God was going to use him to give them freedom. But they didn’t understand. ²⁶ The next day Moses saw two Israelites fighting, and he tried to make peace between them. He said to them, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you treating each other unfairly?’

²⁷ “But one of the men pushed Moses aside. He asked Moses, ‘Who made you our ruler and judge? ²⁸ Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ After he said that, Moses quickly left Egypt and lived in Midian as a foreigner. In Midian he fathered two sons.

³⁰ “Forty years later, a Messenger appeared to him in the flames of a burning bush in the desert of Mount Sinai. ³¹ Moses was surprised when he saw this. As he went closer to look at the bush, the voice of the Lord said to him, ³² ‘I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and didn’t dare to look at the bush. ³³ The Lord told him, ‘Take off your sandals. The place where you’re standing is holy ground. ³⁴ I’ve seen how my people are mistreated in Egypt. I’ve heard their groaning and have come to rescue them. So now I’m sending you to Egypt.’

³⁵ “This is the Moses whom the Israelites rejected by saying, ‘Who made you our ruler and judge?’ This is the one God sent to free them and to rule them with the help of the Messenger who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ This is the man who led our ancestors out of Egypt. He is the person who did amazing things and worked miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the desert for 40 years. ³⁷ This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet, an Israelite like me.’ ³⁸ This is the Moses who was in the assembly in the desert. Our ancestors and the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai were there with him. Moses received life-giving messages to give to us, ³⁹ but our ancestors were not willing to obey him. Instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt. ⁴⁰ They told Aaron, ‘We don’t know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. So make gods who will lead us.’ ⁴¹ That was the time they made a calf. They offered a sacrifice to that false god and delighted in what they had made.

⁴² “So God turned away from them and let them worship the sun, moon, and stars. This is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the desert for 40 years, nation of Israel? ⁴³ You carried along the shrine of Moloch, the star of the god Rephan, and the statues you made for yourselves to worship. I will send you into exile beyond the city of Babylon.’

⁴⁴ “In the desert our ancestors had the tent of God’s promise. Moses built this tent exactly as God had told him. He used the model he had seen. ⁴⁵ After our ancestors received the tent, they brought it into this land. They did this with Joshua’s help when they took possession of the land from the nations that God forced out of our ancestors’ way. This tent remained here until the time of David, ⁴⁶ who won God’s favor. David asked that he might provide a permanent place for the family of Jacob.^{[d] 47} But Solomon was the one who built a house for God.

⁴⁸ “However, the Most High doesn’t live in a house built by humans, as the prophet says:

⁵¹ “How stubborn can you be? How can you be so heartless and disobedient? You’re just like your ancestors. They always opposed the Holy Spirit, and so do you! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute? They killed those who predicted that a man with God’s approval would come. You have now become the people who betrayed and murdered that man. ⁵³ You are the people who received Moses’ Teachings, which were put into effect by angels. But you haven’t obeyed those teachings.”

Stephen Is Executed

⁵⁴ As council members listened to Stephen, they became noticeably furious. ⁵⁵ But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked into heaven, saw God’s glory, and Yeshua in the position of authority that God gives. ⁵⁶ So Stephen said, “Look, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man in the position of authority that God has given him!”

⁵⁷ But the council members shouted and refused to listen. Then they rushed at Stephen with one purpose in mind, ⁵⁸ and after they had thrown him out of the city, they began to stone him to death. The witnesses left their coats with a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ While council members were executing Stephen, he called out, “Lord Yeshua, welcome my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them.” After he had said this, he died.

8 Saul approved of putting Stephen to death.

On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. Most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

² Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him.

³ Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into prison.

Some Samaritans Become Believers

⁴ The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word. ⁵ Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah. ⁶ The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said. They listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. ⁷ Evil spirits screamed as they came out of the many people they had possessed. Many paralyzed and lame people were cured. ⁸ As a result, that city was extremely happy.

⁹ A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great. ¹⁰ Everyone from children to adults paid attention to him. They said, “This man is the power of God, and that power is called great.” ¹¹ They paid attention to Simon because he had amazed them for a long time with his practice of magic. ¹² However, when Philip spread the Good News about the kingdom of God and the one named Yeshua Christ, men and women believed him and were baptized. ¹³ Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized, he became devoted to Philip. Simon was amazed to see the miracles and impressive things that were happening.

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵ Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ (Before this the Holy Spirit had not come to any of the Samaritans. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua.) ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaritans when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered Peter and John money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me this power so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter told Simon, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy God’s gift. ²¹ You won’t have any share in this because God can see how twisted your thinking is. ²² So change your wicked thoughts, and ask the Lord if he will forgive you for thinking like this. ²³ I can see that you are bitter with jealousy and wrapped up in your evil ways.”

²⁴ Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you said will happen to me.”

²⁵ After they had boldly spoken about the message of the Lord, they spread the Good News in many Samaritan villages on their way back to Jerusalem.

Philip Tells an Ethiopian about Jesus

²⁶ An angel from the Lord said to Philip, “Get up, and take the desert road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So Philip went.

An Ethiopian man who had come to Jerusalem to worship was on his way home. The man was a eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of all the treasures of Queen Candace of Ethiopia. ²⁸ As the official rode along in his carriage, he was reading the prophet Isaiah out loud.

²⁹ The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that carriage, and stay close to it.”

³⁰ Philip ran to the carriage and could hear the official reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”

³¹ The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to sit with him in his carriage.

³² This was the part of the Scriptures that the official was reading:

³⁴ The official said to Philip, “I would like to know who the prophet is talking about. Is he talking about himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip spoke. Starting with that passage, Philip told the official the Good News about Yeshua.

³⁶ As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The official said to Philip, “Look, there’s some water. What can keep me from being baptized?”^{[e] 38} The official ordered the carriage to stop. He and Philip stepped into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official joyfully continued on his way and didn’t see Philip again.

⁴⁰ Philip found himself in the city of Azotus. He traveled through all the cities and spread the Good News until he came to the city of Caesarea.

Saul Becomes a Follower of Jesus

9 Saul kept threatening to murder the Lord’s disciples. He went to the chief priest ² and asked him to write letters of authorization to the synagogue leaders in the city of Damascus. Saul wanted to arrest any man or woman who followed the way of Christ and imprison them in Jerusalem.

³ As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

⁵ Saul asked, “Who are you, sir?”

The person replied, “I’m Yeshua, the one you’re persecuting. ⁶ Get up! Go into the city, and you’ll be told what you should do.”

⁷ Meanwhile, the men traveling with him were speechless. They heard the voice but didn’t see anyone.

⁸ Saul was helped up from the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was blind. So his companions led him into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he couldn’t see and didn’t eat or drink.

¹⁰ A disciple named Ananias lived in the city of Damascus. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

Ananias answered, “Yes, Lord.”

¹¹ The Lord told him, “Get up! Go to Judas’ house on Straight Street, and ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He’s praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

¹³ Ananias replied, “Lord, I’ve heard a lot of people tell about the many evil things this man has done to your people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Saul has come here to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to put anyone who calls on your name in prison.”

¹⁵ The Lord told Ananias, “Go! I’ve chosen this man to bring my name to nations, to kings, and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I’ll show him how much he has to suffer for the sake of my name.”

¹⁷ Ananias left and entered Judas’ house. After he placed his hands on Saul, Ananias said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Yeshua, who appeared to you on your way to Damascus, sent me to you. He wants you to see again and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸ Immediately, something like fish scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. Then Saul stood up and was baptized. ¹⁹ After he had something to eat, his strength came back to him.

Saul was with the disciples in the city of Damascus for several days. ²⁰ He immediately began to spread the word in their synagogues that Yeshua was the Son of God. ²¹ Everyone who heard him was amazed. They asked, “Isn’t this the man who destroyed those who worshiped the one named Yeshua in Jerusalem? Didn’t he come here to take these worshipers as prisoners to the chief priests in Jerusalem?”

²² Saul grew more powerful, and he confused the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Yeshua was the Messiah. ²³ Later the Jews planned to murder Saul, ²⁴ but Saul was told about their plot. They were watching the city gates day and night in order to murder him. ²⁵ However, Saul’s disciples lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall one night.

²⁶ After Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But everyone was afraid of him. They wouldn’t believe that he was a disciple.

²⁷ Then Barnabas took an interest in Saul and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas told the apostles how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also told them how boldly Saul had spoken about the one named Yeshua in the city of Damascus. ²⁸ Then Saul went throughout Jerusalem with the disciples. He spoke boldly with the power and authority of the Lord.

²⁹ He talked and argued with Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. ³⁰ As soon as the disciples found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace. The number of people increased as people lived in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Peter Heals Aeneas

³² When Peter was going around to all of God’s people, he came to those who lived in the city of Lydda. ³³ In Lydda Peter found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed and confined to a cot for eight years.

³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Yeshua Christ makes you well. Get up, and pick up your cot.” Aeneas immediately got up.

³⁵ Everyone who lived in the city of Lydda and the coastal region of Sharon saw what had happened to Aeneas and turned to the Lord in faith.

Peter Brings Tabitha Back to Life

³⁶ A disciple named Tabitha lived in the city of Joppa. Her Greek name was Dorcas. She always helped people and gave things to the poor. ³⁷ She became sick and died. Her body was prepared for burial and was laid in an upstairs room.

³⁸ Lydda is near the city of Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him. They begged Peter, “Hurry to Joppa! We need your help!”

³⁹ So Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs. All the widows stood around him. They were crying and showing Peter the articles of clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

⁴⁰ Peter made everyone leave the room.

He knelt and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!”

Tabitha opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. ⁴¹ Peter took her hand and helped her stand up. After he called the believers, especially the widows, he presented Tabitha to them. She was alive.

⁴² The news about this spread throughout the city of Joppa, and as a result, many people believed in the Lord.

⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for a number of days with Simon, a leatherworker.

Cornelius Has a Vision

10 A man named Cornelius lived in the city of Caesarea. He was a Roman army officer in the Italian Regiment. ² He and everyone in his home were devout and respected God. Cornelius gave many gifts to poor Jewish people and always prayed to God.

³ One day, about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He clearly saw an angel from God come to him and say, “Cornelius!”

⁴ He stared at the angel and was terrified. Cornelius asked the angel, “What do you want, sir?”

The angel answered him, “God is aware of your prayers and your gifts to the poor, and he has remembered you. ⁵ Send messengers now to the city of Joppa, and summon a man whose name is Simon Peter. ⁶ He is a guest of Simon, a leatherworker, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷ After saying this, the angel left. Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of those who served him regularly. ⁸ Cornelius explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa.

Peter Has a Vision

⁹ Around noon the next day, while Cornelius’ men were on their way and coming close to Joppa, Peter went on the roof to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted to eat. While the food was being prepared, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw the sky open and something like a large linen sheet being lowered by its four corners to the ground. ¹² In the sheet were all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds.

¹³ A voice told him, “Get up, Peter! Kill these animals, and eat them.”

¹⁴ Peter answered, “I can’t do that, Lord! I’ve never eaten anything that is impure or unclean.”^[f]

¹⁵ A voice spoke to him a second time, “Don’t say that the things which God has made clean^[g] are impure.”

¹⁶ This happened three times. Then the sheet was quickly taken into the sky.

¹⁷ While Peter was puzzled by the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and went to the gate. ¹⁸ They asked if Simon Peter was staying there. ¹⁹ Peter was still thinking about the vision when the Spirit said to him, “Three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Get up, and go downstairs. Don’t hesitate to go with these men. I have sent them.”

²¹ So Peter went to the men. He said, “I’m the man you’re looking for. Why are you here?”

²² The men replied, “Cornelius, a Roman army officer, sent us. He’s a man who has God’s approval and who respects God. Also, the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to summon you to his home to hear what you have to say.”

²³ Peter asked the men to come into the house and had them stay overnight.

Peter Speaks with Cornelius

The next day Peter left with them. Some disciples from Joppa went along. ²⁴ The following day they arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called his relatives and close friends together.

²⁵ When Peter was about to enter Cornelius’ house, Cornelius met him, bowed down, and worshiped Peter. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. He told him, “Stand up! I’m only a man.”

²⁷ As Peter talked, he entered Cornelius’ house and found that many people had gathered. ²⁸ He said to them, “You understand how wrong it is for a Jewish man to associate or visit with anyone of another race. But God has shown me that I should no longer call anyone impure or unclean. ²⁹ That is why I didn’t object to coming here when you sent for me. I want to know why you sent for me.”

³⁰ Cornelius answered, “Four days ago I was praying at home. It was at this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man dressed in radiant clothes stood in front of me. ³¹ He said to me, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and has remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² So send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man whose name is Simon Peter. He’s a guest in the home of Simon, a leatherworker who lives by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately. Thank you for coming. All of us are here now in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has ordered you to say.”

³⁴ Then Peter said, “Now I understand that God doesn’t play favorites. ³⁵ Rather, whoever respects God and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation. ³⁶ God sent his word to the people of Israel and brought them the Good News of peace through Yeshua Christ. This Yeshua Christ is everyone’s Lord. ³⁷ You know what happened throughout Judea. Everything began in Galilee after John spread the news about baptism. ³⁸ You know that God anointed Yeshua from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Yeshua went everywhere and did good things, such as healing everyone who was under the devil’s power. Yeshua did these things because God was with him. ³⁹ We can testify to everything Yeshua did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. People hung him on a cross and killed him, ⁴⁰ but God brought him back to life on the third day. God didn’t show him ⁴¹ to all the people. He showed Yeshua to witnesses, apostles he had already chosen. We apostles are those men who ate and drank with Yeshua after he came back to life. ⁴² He ordered us to warn the people, ‘God has appointed Yeshua to judge the living and the dead.’ ⁴³ In addition, all the prophets testify that people who believe in the one named Yeshua receive forgiveness for their sins through him.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came to everyone who heard his message. ⁴⁵ All the believers who were circumcised and who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured on people who were not Jewish. ⁴⁶ They heard these non-Jewish people speaking in other languages and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “No one can refuse to baptize these people with water. They have received the Holy Spirit in the same way that we did.” ⁴⁸ So Peter ordered that they should be baptized in the name of Yeshua Christ.

Then they asked Peter to stay with them for several days.

Peter Reports That Non-Jewish People Can Belong to the Church

11 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that people who were not Jewish had accepted God’s word. ² However, when Peter went to Jerusalem, the believers who insisted on circumcision began to argue with him. ³ They said, “You went to visit men who were uncircumcised, and you even ate with them.”

⁴ Then Peter began to explain to them point by point what had happened. He said, ⁵ “I was praying in the city of Joppa when I fell into a trance. I saw something like a large linen sheet being lowered by its four corners from the sky. The sheet came near me. ⁶ I looked into the sheet very closely and saw tame animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds. ⁷ I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill these animals, and eat them.’

⁸ “But I answered, ‘I can’t do that, Lord! I’ve never put anything impure or unclean^[h] into my mouth.’

⁹ “A voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Don’t say that the things which God has made clean^[i] are impure.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times. Then everything was pulled back into the sky again.

¹¹ “At that moment three men arrived at the house where we were staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to find me. ¹² The Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation. Six believers from Joppa went with me, and we visited Cornelius’ home.

¹³ “He told us that he had seen an angel standing in his home. The angel told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man whose name is Simon Peter. ¹⁴ He will give you a message that will save you and everyone in your home.’

¹⁵ “When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came to these people. This was the same thing that happened to us in the beginning. ¹⁶ I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ When they believed, God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Yeshua Christ. So who was I to interfere with God?”

¹⁸ When the others heard this, they had no further objections. They praised God by saying, “Then God has also led people who are not Jewish to turn to him so that they can change the way they think and act and have eternal life.”

The New Church in Antioch

¹⁹ Some of the believers who were scattered by the trouble that broke out following Stephen’s death went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and the city of Antioch. They spoke God’s word only to Jewish people. ²⁰ But other believers, who were from Cyprus and Cyrene, arrived in Antioch. They started to spread the Good News about the Lord Yeshua to Greeks. ²¹ The Lord’s power was with his followers, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

²² After the news about Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived there, he was pleased to see what God had done for them out of kindness.^[j] So he encouraged all the people to remain solidly committed to the Lord. ²⁴ Barnabas was a dependable man, and he was full of the Holy Spirit and faith. A large crowd believed in the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas left Antioch to go to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶ After finding Saul, Barnabas brought him back to Antioch. Barnabas and Saul met with the church in Antioch for a whole year and taught a large group of people. The disciples were called Christians for the first time in the city of Antioch.

²⁷ At that time some prophets came from Jerusalem to the city of Antioch. ²⁸ One of them was named Agabus. Through the Spirit Agabus predicted that a severe famine would affect the entire world. This happened while Claudius was emperor. ²⁹ All the disciples in Antioch decided to contribute whatever they could afford to help the believers living in Judea. ³⁰ The disciples did this and sent their contribution with Barnabas and Saul to the leaders in Jerusalem.

An Angel Frees Peter from Prison

12 About that time King Herod devoted his attention to mistreating certain members of the church. ² He had James, the brother of John, executed. ³ When he saw how this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter too. This happened during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ After capturing Peter, Herod had him thrown into prison with sixteen soldiers in squads of four to guard him. Herod wanted to bring Peter to trial in front of the people after Passover. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying very hard to God for him.

⁶ The night before Herod was going to bring Peter to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. His hands were bound with two chains, and guards were in front of the door. They were watching the prison.

⁷ Suddenly, an angel from the Lord stood near Peter, and his cell was filled with light. The angel nudged Peter’s side, woke him up, and said, “Hurry! Get up!” At that moment the chains fell from Peter’s hands.

⁸ The angel told him, “Put your shoes on, and get ready to go!” Peter did this. Then the angel told him, “Put your coat on, and follow me.”

⁹ Peter followed the angel out of the cell. He didn’t realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening. He thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed the first and second guardposts and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This gate opened by itself for them, so they went outside and up the street. The angel suddenly left Peter.

¹¹ When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I’m sure that the Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod and from everything the Jewish people are expecting to happen to me.”

¹² When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many people had gathered at her home and were praying. ¹³ Peter knocked on the door of the entryway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴ When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so happy that instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and reported, “Peter is standing at the door!”

¹⁵ The people told her, “You’re crazy!” But she insisted that Peter was at the door. They said, “It has to be his angel.”

¹⁶ But Peter kept knocking. When they opened the door, they were shocked to see him. ¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand to quiet them down and told them how the Lord had taken him out of prison. He added, “Tell James and the other believers about this.” Then he left and went somewhere else.

¹⁸ In the morning the soldiers were in an uproar over what had happened to Peter. ¹⁹ Herod searched for Peter but couldn’t find him. So he questioned the guards and gave orders to have them executed.

Herod’s Death

Then Herod left Judea and went to Caesarea, where he stayed for a while.

²⁰ Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They were going to meet with Herod. They had agreed on what they wanted to do: They enlisted the help of Blastus to ask Herod for terms of peace. This was because their cities depended on Herod for their food supply. (Blastus was in charge of the king’s living quarters.)

²¹ The appointed day came. Herod, wearing his royal clothes, sat on his throne and began making a speech to them. ²² The people started shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

²³ Immediately, an angel from the Lord killed Herod for not giving glory to God. Herod was eaten by maggots, and he died.

²⁴ But God’s word continued to spread and win many followers.

Barnabas and Saul Travel to Cyprus

²⁵ After Barnabas and Saul delivered the contribution to the leaders in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch from Jerusalem. They brought John Mark with them.

13 Barnabas, Simeon (called the Black), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (a close friend of Herod since childhood), and Saul were prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch.

² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for me. I want them to do the work for which I called them.” ³ After fasting and praying, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul, and released them from their work in Antioch.

⁴ After Barnabas and Saul were sent by the Holy Spirit, they went to the city of Seleucia and from there sailed to the island of Cyprus. ⁵ Arriving in the city of Salamis, they began to spread God’s word in the synagogues. John Mark had gone along to help them. ⁶ They went through the whole island as far as the city of Paphos.

In Paphos they met a Jewish man named Barjesus. He was an astrologer who claimed to be a prophet. ⁷ He was associated with an intelligent man, Sergius Paulus, who was the governor of the island. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ Elymas, whose name means astrologer, opposed them and tried to distort the meaning of the faith so that the governor wouldn’t believe.

⁹ But Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He stared at Elymas ¹⁰ and said, “You are full of dirty tricks and schemes, you son of the devil! You hate everything that has God’s approval. Quit trying to distort the truth about the way the Lord wants people to live. ¹¹ The Lord is against you now. For a while you will be blind, unable to see the light of day.”

Suddenly, Elymas couldn’t see a thing. He tried to find people to lead him. ¹² When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. The Lord’s teachings amazed him.

Paul and Barnabas Go to Antioch Near Pisidia

¹³ Paul and his men took a ship from Paphos and arrived in Perga, a city in Pamphylia. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Paul and Barnabas left Perga and arrived in Antioch, a city near Pisidia. On the day of worship they went into the synagogue and sat down.

¹⁵ After reading from Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent a message to Paul and Barnabas. The message said, “Brothers, if you have any words of encouragement for the people, feel free to speak.”

¹⁶ Then Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Men of Israel and converts to Judaism, listen to me. ¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors and made them a strong nation while they lived as foreigners in Egypt. He used his powerful arm to bring them out of Egypt, ¹⁸ and he put up with them for about forty years in the desert. ¹⁹ Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as an inheritance. ²⁰ He did all this in about four hundred and fifty years.

“After that he gave his people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.

²¹ “Then the people demanded a king, so God gave them Saul, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years ²² God removed Saul and made David their king. God spoke favorably about David. He said, ‘I have found that David, son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

²³ “God had the Savior, Yeshua, come to Israel from David’s descendants, as he had promised. ²⁴ Before Yeshua began his ministry, John the Baptizer told everyone in Israel about the baptism of repentance.^{[k] 25} When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the person you’re looking for. He will come later. I’m not even good enough to untie his sandals.’

²⁶ “Brothers—descendants of Abraham and converts to Judaism—the message that God saves people was sent to us. ²⁷ The people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers didn’t know who Yeshua was. They didn’t understand the prophets’ messages, which are read every day of worship. So they condemned Yeshua and fulfilled what the prophets had said. ²⁸ Although they couldn’t find any good reason to kill him, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ When they had finished doing everything that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God brought him back to life, ³¹ and for many days he appeared to those who had come with him to Jerusalem from Galilee. These people are now witnesses and are testifying to the Jewish people about him. ³² We are telling you the Good News: What God promised our ancestors has happened. ³³ God has fulfilled the promise for us, their descendants, by bringing Yeshua back to life. This is what Scripture says in the second psalm:

³⁴ “God stated that he brought Yeshua back to life and that Yeshua’s body never decayed. He said, ‘I will give you the enduring love promised to David.’ ³⁵ Another psalm says, ‘You will not allow your holy one to decay.’ ³⁶ After doing God’s will by serving the people of his time, David died. He was laid to rest with his ancestors, but his body decayed. ³⁷ However, the man God brought back to life had a body that didn’t decay.

³⁸ “So, brothers, I’m telling you that through Yeshua your sins can be forgiven. Sins kept you from receiving God’s approval through Moses’ Teachings. ³⁹ However, everyone who believes in Yeshua receives God’s approval.

⁴⁰ “Be careful, or what the prophets said may happen to you.

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak on the same subject the next day of worship. ⁴³ When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas talked with them and were persuading them to continue trusting God’s good will.^[l]

⁴⁴ On the next day of worship, almost the whole city gathered to hear the Lord’s word. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they became very jealous. They used insulting language to contradict whatever Paul said.

⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas told them boldly, “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject the word and consider yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we are now going to turn to people of other nations. ⁴⁷ The Lord gave us the following order:

⁴⁸ The people who were not Jews were pleased with what they heard and praised the Lord’s word. Everyone who had been prepared for everlasting life believed. ⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. ⁵⁰ But Jews stirred up devout women of high social standing and the officials of the city. These people started to persecute Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their territory.

⁵¹ In protest against these people, Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to the city of Iconium. ⁵² Meanwhile, the disciples in Antioch continued to be full of joy and the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

14 The same thing happened in the city of Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large crowd of Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up some people who were not Jewish and poisoned their minds against the believers. ³ Paul and Barnabas stayed in the city of Iconium for a long time. They spoke boldly about the Lord, who confirmed their message about his good will^[m] by having them perform miracles and do amazing things. ⁴ But the people of Iconium were divided. Some were for the Jews, while others were for the apostles.

⁵ In the meantime, Paul and Barnabas found out that the non-Jewish people and the Jewish people with their rulers planned to attack them and stone them to death. ⁶ So they escaped to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding territory. ⁷ They spread the Good News there.

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra

⁸ A man who was born lame was in Lystra. He was always sitting because he had never been able to walk. ⁹ He listened to what Paul was saying. Paul observed him closely and saw that the man believed he could be made well. ¹⁰ So Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up.” The man jumped up and began to walk.

¹¹ The crowds who saw what Paul had done shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come to us, and they look human.” ¹² They addressed Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes because Paul did most of the talking. ¹³ Zeus’ temple was at the entrance to the city. The priest of the god Zeus brought bulls with flowery wreaths around their necks to the temple gates. The priest and the crowd wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas.

¹⁴ When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they were very upset. They rushed into the crowd ¹⁵ and said, “Men, what are you doing? We’re human beings like you. We’re spreading the Good News to you to turn you away from these worthless gods to the living God. The living God made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. ¹⁶ In the past God allowed all people to live as they pleased. ¹⁷ Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.” ¹⁸ Although Paul and Barnabas said these things, they hardly kept the crowd from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ However, Jews from the cities of Antioch and Iconium arrived in Lystra and won the people over. They tried to stone Paul to death and dragged him out of the city when they thought that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

The next day Paul and Barnabas left for the city of Derbe. ²¹ They spread the Good News in that city and won many disciples. Then they went back to the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (which is in Pisidia). ²² They strengthened the disciples in these cities and encouraged the disciples to remain faithful. Paul and Barnabas told them, “We must suffer a lot to enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ They had the disciples in each church choose spiritual leaders,^[n] and with prayer and fasting they entrusted the leaders to the Lord in whom they believed.

²⁴ After they had gone through Pisidia, they went to Pamphylia. ²⁵ They spoke the message in the city of Perga and went to the city of Attalia. ²⁶ From Attalia they took a boat and headed home to the city of Antioch in Syria. (In Antioch they had been entrusted to God’s care^[o] for the work they had now finished.) ²⁷ When they arrived, they called the members of the church together. They reported everything God had done through them, especially that he had given people who were not Jewish the opportunity to believe. ²⁸ They stayed for a long time with these disciples.

Controversy about Moses’ Teachings

15 Some men came from Judea and started to teach believers that people can’t be saved unless they are circumcised as Moses’ Teachings require. ² Paul and Barnabas had a fierce dispute with these men. So Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were sent to Jerusalem to see the apostles and spiritual leaders^[p] about this claim.

³ The church sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem. As they were going through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of how non-Jewish people were turning to God. This story brought great joy to all the believers.

⁴ The church in Jerusalem, the apostles, and the spiritual leaders welcomed Paul and Barnabas when they arrived. Paul and Barnabas reported everything that God had done through them. ⁵ But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “People who are not Jewish must be circumcised and ordered to follow Moses’ Teachings.”

⁶ The apostles and spiritual leaders met to consider this statement. ⁷ After a lot of debating, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know what happened some time ago. God chose me so that people who aren’t Jewish could hear the Good News and believe. ⁸ God, who knows everyone’s thoughts, showed that he approved of people who aren’t Jewish by giving them the Holy Spirit as he gave the Holy Spirit to us. ⁹ God doesn’t discriminate between Jewish and non-Jewish people. He has cleansed non-Jewish people through faith as he has cleansed us Jews. ¹⁰ So why are you testing God? You’re putting a burden on the disciples, a burden neither our ancestors nor we can carry. ¹¹ We certainly believe that the Lord Yeshua saves us the same way that he saves them—through his kindness.”^[q]

¹² The whole crowd was silent. They listened to Barnabas and Paul tell about all the miracles and amazing things that God had done through them among non-Jewish people.

¹³ After they finished speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon has explained how God first showed his concern by taking from non-Jewish people those who would honor his name. ¹⁵ This agrees with what the prophets said. Scripture says,

¹⁹ “So I’ve decided that we shouldn’t trouble non-Jewish people who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead, we should write a letter telling them to keep away from things polluted by false gods, from sexual sins, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from eating bloody meat. ²¹ After all, Moses’ words have been spread to every city for generations. His teachings are read in synagogues on every day of worship.”

²² Then the apostles, the spiritual leaders, and the whole church decided to choose some of their men to send with Paul and Barnabas to the city of Antioch. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, who were leaders among the believers. ²³ They wrote this letter for them to deliver:

Farewell!

³⁰ So the men were sent on their way and arrived in the city of Antioch. They gathered the congregation together and delivered the letter. ³¹ When the people read the letter, they were pleased with the encouragement it brought them. ³² Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, spoke a long time to encourage and strengthen the believers.

³³ After Judas and Silas had stayed in Antioch for some time, the congregation sent them back to Jerusalem with friendly greetings to those who had sent them.^{[r] 35} Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught people about the Lord’s word and spread the Good News.

Paul and Barnabas Disagree

³⁶ After a while Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back to every city where we spread the Lord’s word. We’ll visit the believers to see how they’re doing.”

³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along. ³⁸ However, Paul didn’t think it was right to take a person like him along. John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to work. ³⁹ Paul and Barnabas disagreed so sharply that they parted ways. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to the island of Cyprus. ⁴⁰ Paul chose Silas and left after the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s care.^[s]

⁴¹ Paul went through the provinces of Syria and Cilicia and strengthened the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul in Lystra

16 Paul arrived in the city of Derbe and then went to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was Greek. ² The believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to go with him. So he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in those places and because he knew that Timothy’s father was Greek.

⁴ As they went through the cities, they told people about the decisions that the apostles and spiritual leaders^[t] in Jerusalem had made for the people. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew in numbers every day.

Paul Has a Vision

⁶ Paul and Silas went through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit kept them from speaking the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ They went to the province of Mysia and tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Yeshua wouldn’t allow this. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went to the city of Troas.

⁹ During the night Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia. The man urged Paul, “Come to Macedonia to help us.”

¹⁰ As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we immediately looked for a way to go to Macedonia. We concluded that God had called us to tell the people of Macedonia about the Good News.

Paul and Silas in Philippi

¹¹ So we took a ship from Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace. The next day we sailed to the city of Neapolis, ¹² and from there we went to the city of Philippi. Philippi is a leading city in that part of Macedonia, and it is a Roman colony. We were in this city for a number of days.

¹³ On the day of worship we went out of the city to a place along the river where we thought Jewish people gathered for prayer. We sat down and began talking to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ A woman named Lydia was present. She was a convert to Judaism from the city of Thyatira and sold purple dye for a living. She was listening because the Lord made her willing to pay attention to what Paul said. ¹⁵ When Lydia and her family were baptized, she invited us to stay at her home. She said, “If you’re convinced that I believe in the Lord, then stay at my home.” She insisted. So we did.

¹⁶ One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. ¹⁷ She used to follow Paul and shout, “These men are servants of the Most High God. They’re telling you how you can be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept doing this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned to the evil spirit, and said, “I command you in the name of Yeshua Christ to come out of her!”

As Paul said this, the evil spirit left her. ¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square. ²⁰ In front of the Roman officials, they said, “These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They’re Jews, ²¹ and they’re advocating customs that we can’t accept or practice as Roman citizens.”

²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered the guards to beat them with sticks. ²³ After they had hit Paul and Silas many times, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security. ²⁴ So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons.

²⁵ Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. All the doors immediately flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains came loose.

²⁷ The jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul shouted as loudly as he could, “Don’t hurt yourself! We’re all here!”

²⁹ The jailer asked for torches and rushed into the jail. He was trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he took Paul and Silas outside and asked, “Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?”

³¹ They answered, “Believe in the Lord Yeshua, and you and your family will be saved.” ³² They spoke the Lord’s word to the jailer and everyone in his home.

³³ At that hour of the night, the jailer washed Paul and Silas’ wounds. The jailer and his entire family were baptized immediately. ³⁴ He took Paul and Silas upstairs into his home and gave them something to eat. He and his family were thrilled to be believers in God.

³⁵ In the morning the Roman officials sent guards who told the jailer, “You can release those men now.”

³⁶ The jailer reported this order to Paul by saying, “The officials have sent word to release you. So you can leave peacefully now.”

³⁷ But Paul told the guards, “Roman officials have had us beaten publicly without a trial and have thrown us in jail, even though we’re Roman citizens. Now are they going to throw us out secretly? There’s no way they’re going to get away with that! Have them escort us out!”