Bible in 90 Days

Stephen’s Testimony and Martyrdom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saul Persecutes Messiah’s Community

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

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

The Good News Spreads to Samaria

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saul Turns from Murder to Messiah

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

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

⁵ “Who are You, Lord?” Saul said.

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

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

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

He said, “Here I am, Lord.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Signs and Wonders Follow Peter

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

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

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

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

The Centurion’s Vision

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

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

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

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

Peter’s Vision

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peter Goes to Cornelius

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

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

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

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

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

The Ruach Falls on the Gentiles

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

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

Peter’s Report to Jerusalem

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

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

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

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

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

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

Discipling in Diaspora

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

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

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

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

Persecution and Deliverance

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

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

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

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

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

Herod Gets His Due

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

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

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

Sent Out from Antioch

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

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

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

Paul’s Message in Diaspora Synagogues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mixed Crowds Believe Amidst Persecution

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

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

⁸ Now a man was sitting in Lystra without strength in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked. ⁹ This man heard Paul speaking. When Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰ he said with a loud voice, “Stand right up! On your feet!” And the man leaped up and began to walk around!

¹¹ Now the crowd, seeing what Paul had done, lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have become like men and come down to us!” ¹² And they began calling Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes” (because he was the main speaker).

¹³ The priest of Zeus, whose temple was before the front gate of the city, brought bulls and garlands; he wanted to offer a sacrifice with the people. ¹⁴ But when the emissaries Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out among the crowd, crying out ¹⁵ and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are human, just like you! We proclaim the Good News to you, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ^{[as] 16} In past generations He allowed all the nations to go their own ways. ^{[at] 17} Yet He did not leave Himself without a witness—He did good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with joy and gladness.” ^{[au] 18} Even saying these things, they barely restrained the crowd from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ But Jewish people came from Antioch and Iconium; and after they won the crowd over and stoned Paul, they were dragging him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰ But while the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went back into the city. On the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ²¹ After proclaiming the Good News to that city and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. ²² They were strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in faith, and saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ When they had handpicked elders for them in every community, and prayed with fasting, they placed them in the care of the Lord—in whom they had put their trust.

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphyllia. ²⁵ After speaking the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶ From there they sailed back to Antioch (where they had been entrusted to the gracious care of God for the work now completed). ²⁷ When they arrived and gathered together Messiah’s community, they began to report all that God had done in helping them and that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they stayed quite awhile with the disciples.

Jerusalem Council Rules on Circumcision

15 Now some men coming down from Judea were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² When Paul and Barnabas had a big argument and debate with them, the brothers appointed Paul and Barnabas with some others from among them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this issue.

³ So they were sent on their way by the Antioch community. They were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters. ⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the community and the emissaries and the elders. They reported all that God had done in helping them.

⁵ But some belonging to the party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Torah of Moses.”

⁶ The emissaries and elders were gathered together to examine this issue. ⁷ After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Good News and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Ruach ha-Kodesh—just as He also did for us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts through faith. ¹⁰ Why then do you put God to the test by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples—which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But instead, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, in the same way as they are.”

¹² Then the whole group became silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were describing in detail all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, Jacob answered, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon has described how God first showed His concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for His Name. ¹⁵ The words of the Prophets agree, as it is written:

¹⁹ Therefore, I judge not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God— ²⁰ but to write to them to abstain from the contamination of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood. ^{[ax] 21} For Moses from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him, since he is read in all the synagogues every Shabbat.”

Letter to Diaspora Communities

²² Then it seemed good to the emissaries and elders, with the whole community, to choose men from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judah (also called Barsabbas) and Silas, leading men among the brethren, ²³ and this letter along with them:

²⁴ Since we have heard that some from among us have troubled you with words disturbing to your souls,^[ay] although we gave them no such authorization, ²⁵ it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ²⁷ We therefore have sent to you Judah and Silas, who themselves will report to you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ It seemed good to the Ruach ha-Kodesh and to us not to place on you any greater burden than these essentials: ²⁹ that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. By keeping away from these things, you will do well.

Shalom!”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and when they had gathered the whole group together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and rejoiced over its encouragement. ³² Judah and Silas, prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters with a long message and strengthened them.

³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off with shalom by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. ^{34  [az] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord with many others.

New Teams Strengthen Communities

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in every city where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas was planning to take along John, called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul was insisting that they shouldn’t take him along—the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, not accompanying them in the work. ³⁹ A sharp disagreement took place, so that they split off from one another. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul selected Silas and went out, being entrusted by the brothers and sisters to the gracious care of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the communities.

16 Now Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. There was a disciple there named Timothy, son of a woman who was a Jewish believer and a Greek father, ² who was well-spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted this man to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him for the sake of the Jewish people in those places—for they all knew that his father was Greek.

⁴ As they were traveling through the cities, they were handing down the rulings that had been decided upon by the emissaries and elders in Jerusalem, for them to keep. ⁵ So Messiah’s communities were strengthened in the faith and kept increasing daily in number.

Going West to Macedonia

⁶ They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Ruach ha-Kodesh to speak the word in Asia. ^{[ba] 7} When they came to Mysia, they were trying to proceed into Bithynia, but the Ruach of Yeshua would not allow them. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

⁹ Now a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man from Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” ¹⁰ As soon as he had seen the vision, immediately we tried to go to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

¹¹ So we put out to sea from Troas and made a straight course for Samothrace, the next day on to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi—which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia as well as a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for several days.

¹³ On Yom Shabbat, we went outside the gate to the river, where we expected a place of prayer to be. We sat down and began speaking with the women who had gathered. ¹⁴ A woman named Lydia—a seller of purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearer—was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.

¹⁵ When she was immersed, along with her household, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she insisted.^[bb]

¹⁶ It so happened that as we were going to prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, who was bringing her masters much profit from her fortune-telling. ^{[bc] 17} Following after Paul and us, she kept shouting, saying, “These men are servants of El Elyon, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ She kept doing this for many days. But Paul was irritated and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Messiah Yeshua to come out of her!” And it came out of her that very moment.

¹⁹ But when her masters saw that the hope of profit was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. ²⁰ And when they brought them to the chief authorities, they said, “These men are throwing our city into an uproar! Being Jewish, ²¹ they advocate customs which are not permitted for us to accept or practice,^[bd] being Romans.”

²² Then the crowd joined in the attack on them. So the chief authorities ripped their clothes off them and commanded them to be beaten with rods. ²³ After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to guard them securely. ²⁴ Having received this charge, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.^[be]

Salvation for a Jailer’s Household

²⁵ But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a great earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors were unlocked, and everyone’s chains came loose.

²⁷ When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights and rushed in; and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ After he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ They said, “Put your trust in the Lord Yeshua^[bf] and you will be saved—you and your household!”

³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with everyone in his household. ³³ He took them that very hour and washed their wounds, and at once he was immersed—he and all his household. ³⁴ The jailer brought them to his house and set food before them, and he was overjoyed that he with his entire household had put their trust in God.

³⁵ When day came, the chief authorities sent their police officers, saying, “Release those men.”

³⁶ But the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief authorities have sent orders to release you. So come out now, and go in shalom.”

³⁷ But Paul said to the officers, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial—men who are Roman citizens—and have thrown us into prison. And now they are sending us away secretly? No! Let them come themselves and lead us out!”