Studies have shown that overuse or wrong motives in social media participation can breed narcissism. When we rely on social media sites primarily to promote ourselves or draw attention to ourselves, it is time to take a step back.
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The Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles

{1:1} The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all thatJesus began both to do and to teach, {1:2} until the day in which hewas received up, after that he had given commandment through the HolySpirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: {1:3} To whom he alsoshowed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing untothem by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning thekingdom of God: {1:4} and, being assembled together with them, hecharged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promiseof the Father, which, [said he], ye heard from me: {1:5} For Johnindeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spiritnot many days hence. {1:6} They therefore, when they were cometogether, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore thekingdom to Israel? {1:7} And he said unto them, It is not for you toknow times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His ownauthority. {1:8} But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit iscome upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and inall Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. {1:9}And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was takenup; and a cloud received him out of their sight. {1:10} And while theywere looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stoodby them in white apparel; {1:11} who also said, Ye men of Galilee, whystand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from youinto heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going intoheaven. {1:12} Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount calledOlivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey off.{1:13} And when they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber,where they were abiding; both Peter and John and James and Andrew,Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James [the son] ofAlphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas [the son] of James. {1:14}These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with thewomen, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. {1:15} Andin these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said(and there was a multitude of persons [gathered] together, about ahundred and twenty), {1:16} Brethren, it was needful that the Scriptureshould be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spake before by the mouth ofDavid concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. {1:17}For he was numbered among us, and received his portion in thisministry. {1:18} (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of hisiniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and allhis bowels gushed out. {1:19} And it became known to all the dwellersat Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was calledAkeldama, that is, The field of blood.) {1:20} For it is written in thebook of Psalms,
Let his habitation be made desolate,
And let no man dwell therein:

and,
His office let another take.

{1:21} Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the timethat the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, {1:22} beginningfrom the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us,of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection. {1:23}And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamedJustus, and Matthias. {1:24} And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, whoknowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hastchosen, {1:25} to take the place in this ministry and apostleship fromwhich Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place. {1:26} Andthey gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he wasnumbered with the eleven apostles.

{2:1} And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were alltogether in one place. {2:2} And suddenly there came from heaven asound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the housewhere they were sitting. {2:3} And there appeared unto them tonguesparting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.{2:4} And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speakwith other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. {2:5} Now therewere dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation underheaven. {2:6} And when this sound was heard, the multitude cametogether, and were confounded, because that every man heard themspeaking in his own language. {2:7} And they were all amazed andmarvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?{2:8} And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we wereborn? {2:9} Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers inMesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, {2:10} inPhrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene,and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, {2:11} Cretans andArabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.{2:12} And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one toanother, What meaneth this? {2:13} But others mocking said, They arefilled with new wine. {2:14} But Peter, standing up with the eleven,lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, [saying], Ye men ofJudaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, andgive ear unto my words. {2:15} For these are not drunken, as yesuppose; seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day. {2:16} but thisis that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:{2:17} And it shall be in the last days, saith God,I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh:And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
{2:18} Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those daysWill I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.{2:19} And I will show wonders in the heaven above,And signs on the earth beneath;
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
{2:20} The sun shall be turned into darkness,And the moon into blood,
Before the day of the Lord come,
That great and notable [day].
{2:21} And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the

Lord shall be saved.

{2:22} Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a manapproved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs whichGod did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; {2:23}him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge ofGod, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: {2:24} whomGod raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was notpossible that he should be holden of it. {2:25} For David saithconcerning him,
I beheld the Lord always before my face;For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:{2:26} Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope:{2:27} Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades,Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption.{2:28} Thou madest known unto me the ways of life;Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance.

{2:29} Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David,that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto thisday. {2:30} Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had swornwith an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set [one]upon his throne; {2:31} he foreseeing [this] spake of the resurrectionof the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his fleshsee corruption. {2:32} This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all arewitnesses. {2:33} Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, andhaving received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hathpoured forth this, which ye see and hear. {2:34} For David ascended notinto the heavens: but he saith himself,The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,{2:35} Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

{2:36} Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, thatGod hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.{2:37} Now when they heard [this,] they were pricked in their heart,and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shallwe do? {2:38} And Peter [said] unto them, Repent ye, and be baptizedevery one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of yoursins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {2:39} For toyou is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,[even] as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. {2:40} And withmany other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Saveyourselves from this crooked generation. {2:41} They then that receivedhis word were baptized: and there were added [unto them] in that dayabout three thousand souls. {2:42} And they continued stedfastly in theapostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and theprayers. {2:43} And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders andsigns were done through the apostles. {2:44} And all that believed weretogether, and had all things common; {2:45} and they sold theirpossessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man hadneed. {2:46} And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord inthe temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food withgladness and singleness of heart, {2:47} praising God, and having favorwith all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those thatwere saved.

{3:1} Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hourof prayer, [being] the ninth [hour]. {3:2} And a certain man that waslame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at thedoor of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them thatentered into the temple; {3:3} who seeing Peter and John about to gointo the temple, asked to receive an alms. {3:4} And Peter, fasteninghis eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. {3:5} And he gave heedunto them, expecting to receive something from them. {3:6} But Petersaid, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee.In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. {3:7} And he took him bythe right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and hisankle-bones received strength. {3:8} And leaping up, he stood, andbegan to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, andleaping, and praising God. {3:9} And all the people saw him walking andpraising God: {3:10} and they took knowledge of him, that it was hethat sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they werefilled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.{3:11} And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together untothem in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. {3:12}And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel,why marvel ye at this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as thoughby our own power or godliness we had made him to walk? {3:13} The Godof Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hathglorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied beforethe face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. {3:14} Butye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to begranted unto you, {3:15} and killed the Prince of life; whom God raisedfrom the dead; whereof we are witnesses. {3:16} And by faith in hisname hath his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know: yea,the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect soundness inthe presence of you all. {3:17} And now, brethren, I know that inignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. {3:18} But the thingswhich God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christshould suffer, he thus fulfilled. {3:19} Repent ye therefore, and turnagain, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may comeseasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; {3:20} and that hemay send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, [even] Jesus:{3:21} whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration ofall things, whereof God spake by the mouth of His holy prophets thathave been from of old. {3:22} Moses indeed said, A prophet shall theLord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me. Tohim shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you.{3:23} And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to thatprophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. {3:24} Yeaand all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as manyas have spoken, they also told of these days. {3:25} Ye are the sons ofthe prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers,saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of theearth be blessed. {3:26} Unto you first God, having raised up hisServant, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you fromyour iniquities.

{4:1} And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captainof the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, {4:2} being soretroubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus theresurrection from the dead. {4:3} And they laid hands on them, and putthem in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide. {4:4} But manyof them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came tobe about five thousand. {4:5} And it came to pass on the morrow, thattheir rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together inJerusalem; {4:6} and Annas the high priest [was there], and Caiaphas,and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the highpriest. {4:7} And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired,By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? {4:8} Then Peter,filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people,and elders, {4:9} if we this day are examined concerning a good deeddone to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole; {4:10}be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in thename of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raisedfrom the dead, [even] in him doth this man stand here before you whole.{4:11} He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders,which was made the head of the corner. {4:12} And in none other isthere salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, thatis given among men, wherein we must be saved. {4:13} Now when theybeheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they wereunlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge ofthem, that they had been with Jesus. {4:14} And seeing the man that washealed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. {4:15}But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, theyconferred among themselves, {4:16} saying, What shall we do to thesemen? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought through them,is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.{4:17} But that it spread no further among the people, let us threatenthem, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. {4:18} Andthey called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in thename of Jesus. {4:19} But Peter and John answered and said unto them,Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather thanunto God, judge ye: {4:20} for we cannot but speak the things which wesaw and heard. {4:21} And they, when they had further threatened them,let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of thepeople; for all men glorified God for that which was done. {4:22} Forthe man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healingwas wrought. {4:23} And being let go, they came to their own company,and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said untothem. {4:24} And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to Godwith one accord, and said, O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven andthe earth and the sea, and all that in them is: {4:25} who by the HolySpirit, [by] the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say,Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the peoples imagine vain things?
{4:26} The kings of the earth set themselves in array,And the rulers were gathered together,
Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

{4:27} for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus,whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with theGentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, {4:28} todo whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.{4:29} And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thyservants to speak thy word with all boldness, {4:30} while thystretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may bedone through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus. {4:31} And when theyhad prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together;and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the wordof God with boldness. {4:32} And the multitude of them that believedwere of one heart and soul: and not one [of them] said that aught ofthe things which he possessed was his own; but they had all thingscommon. {4:33} And with great power gave the apostles their witness ofthe resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.{4:34} For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many aswere possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices ofthe things that were sold, {4:35} and laid them at the apostles’ feet:and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.{4:36} And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is,being interpreted, Son of exhortation), a Levite, a man of Cyprus byrace, {4:37} having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid itat the apostles’ feet.

{5:1} But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, solda possession, {5:2} and kept back [part] of the price, his wife alsobeing privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at theapostles’ feet. {5:3} But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filledthy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back [part] of theprice of the land? {5:4} While it remained, did it not remain thineown? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it thatthou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied untomen, but unto God. {5:5} And Ananias hearing these words fell down andgave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. {5:6}And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him outand buried him. {5:7} And it was about the space of three hours after,when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. {5:8} And Peteranswered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. Andshe said, Yea, for so much. {5:9} But Peter [said] unto her, How is itthat ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, thefeet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and theyshall carry thee out. {5:10} And she fell down immediately at his feet,and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead,and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. {5:11} Andgreat fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard thesethings. {5:12} And by the hands of the apostles were many signs andwonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord inSolomon’s porch. {5:13} But of the rest durst no man join himself tothem: howbeit the people magnified them; {5:14} and believers were themore added to the Lord, multitudes both of them and women; {5:15}insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laidthem on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least hisshadow might overshadow some one of them. {5:16} And there also cametogether the multitudes from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringsick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they werehealed every one. {5:17} But the high priest rose up, and all they thatwere with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they werefilled with jealousy, {5:18} and laid hands on the apostles, and putthem in public ward. {5:19} But an angel of the Lord by night openedthe prison doors, and brought them out, and said, {5:20} Go ye, andstand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.{5:21} And when they heard [this], they entered into the temple aboutdaybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were withhim, and called the council together, and all the senate of thechildren of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.{5:22} But the officers that came found them not in the prison; andthey returned, and told, {5:23} saying, The prison-house we found shutin all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we hadopened, we found no man within. {5:24} Now when the captain of thetemple and the chief priests heard these words, they were muchperplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow. {5:25} And therecame one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison arein the temple standing and teaching the people. {5:26} Then went thecaptain with the officers, and brought them, [but] without violence;for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. {5:27} And whenthey had brought them, they set them before the council. And the highpriest asked them, {5:28} saying, We strictly charged you not to teachin this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching,and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. {5:29} But Peter and theapostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men. {5:30}The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on atree. {5:31} Him did God exalt with his right hand [to be] a Prince anda Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. {5:32}And we are witnesses of these things; and [so is] the Holy Spirit, whomGod hath given to them that obey him. {5:33} But they, when they heardthis, were cut to the heart, and minded to slay them. {5:34} But therestood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor ofthe law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the menforth a little while. {5:35} And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel,take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.{5:36} For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to besomebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joinedthemselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, weredispersed, and came to nought. {5:37} After this man rose up Judas ofGalilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away [some of the]people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him,were scattered abroad. {5:38} And now I say unto you, Refrain fromthese men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be ofmen, it will be overthrown: {5:39} but if it is of God, ye will not beable to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fightingagainst God. {5:40} And to him they agreed: and when they had calledthe apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak inthe name of Jesus, and let them go. {5:41} They therefore departed fromthe presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy tosuffer dishonor for the Name. {5:42} And every day, in the temple andat home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus [as] the Christ.

{6:1} Now in these days, when the number of the disciples wasmultiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against theHebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.{6:2} And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them,and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, andserve tables. {6:3} Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among youseven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we mayappoint over this business. {6:4} But we will continue stedfastly inprayer, and in the ministry of the word. {6:5} And the saying pleasedthe whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and ofthe Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, andParmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch; {6:6} whom they setbefore the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their handsupon them. {6:7} And the word of God increased; and the number of thedisciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company ofthe priests were obedient to the faith. {6:8} And Stephen, full ofgrace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.{6:9} But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called[the synagogue] of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of theAlexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.{6:10} And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit bywhich he spake. {6:11} Then they suborned men, who said, We have heardhim speak blasphemous words against Moses, and [against] God. {6:12}And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, andcame upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, {6:13}and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speakwords against this holy place, and the law: {6:14} for we have heardhim say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, andshall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us. {6:15} And allthat sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face asit had been the face of an angel.

{7:1} And the high priest said, Are these things so? {7:2} And hesaid, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto ourfather Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,{7:3} and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thykindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. {7:4} Thencame he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and fromthence, when his father was dead, [God] removed him into this land,wherein ye now dwell: {7:5} and he gave him none inheritance in it, no,not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would giveit to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] hehad no child. {7:6} And God spake on this wise, that his seed shouldsojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them intobondage, and treat them ill, four hundred years. {7:7} And the nationto which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and afterthat shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. {7:8} And hegave him the covenant of circumcision: and so [Abraham] begat Isaac,and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac [begat] Jacob, and Jacobthe twelve patriarchs. {7:9} And the patriarchs, moved with jealousyagainst Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him, {7:10} anddelivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdombefore Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt andall his house. {7:11} Now there came a famine over all Egypt andCanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.{7:12} But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sentforth our fathers the first time. {7:13} And at the second time Josephwas made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s race became manifest untoPharaoh. {7:14} And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father,and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. {7:15} And Jacobwent down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers; {7:16} andthey were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abrahambought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem. {7:17}But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed untoAbraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, {7:18} till therearose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. {7:19} The samedealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that theyshould cast out their babes to the end they might not live. {7:20} Atwhich season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he wasnourished three months in his father’s house. {7:21} and when he wascast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her ownson. {7:22} And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of theEgyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works. {7:23} But when hewas well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit hisbrethren the children of Israel. {7:24} And seeing one [of them] sufferwrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting theEgyptian: {7:25} and he supposed that his brethren understood that Godby his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not.{7:26} And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, andwould have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why doye wrong one to another? {7:27} But he that did his neighbor wrongthrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?{7:28} Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?{7:29} And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in theland of Midian, where he begat two sons. {7:30} And when forty yearswere fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of MountSinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. {7:31} And when Moses saw it, hewondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came avoice of the Lord, {7:32} I am the God of thy fathers, the God ofAbraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst notbehold. {7:33} And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thyfeet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. {7:34} I havesurely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and haveheard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come,I will send thee into Egypt. {7:35} This Moses whom they refused,saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent [to be]both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appearedto him in the bush. {7:36} This man led them forth, having wroughtwonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wildernessforty years. {7:37} This is that Moses, who said unto the children ofIsrael, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren,like unto me. {7:38} This is he that was in the church in thewilderness with the angel that spake to him in the Mount Sinai, andwith our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us: {7:39}to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them,and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt, {7:40} saying unto Aaron,Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led usforth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.{7:41} And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice untothe idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. {7:42} But Godturned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is writtenin the book of the prophets,
Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrificesForty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?{7:43} And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch,And the star of the god Rephan,
The figures which ye made to worship them:And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

{7:44} Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in thewilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he shouldmake it according to the figure that he had seen. {7:45} Which also ourfathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on thepossession of the nations, that God thrust out before the face of ourfathers, unto the days of David; {7:46} who found favor in the sight ofGod, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. {7:47} ButSolomon built him a house. {7:48} Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in[houses] made with hands; as saith the prophet,{7:49} The heaven is my throne,
And the earth the footstool of my feet:What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord:Or what is the place of my rest?
{7:50} Did not my hand make all these things?

{7:51} Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye doalways resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. {7:52}Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killedthem that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom yehave now become betrayers and murderers; {7:53} ye who received the lawas it was ordained by angels, and kept it not. {7:54} Now when theyheard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on himwith their teeth. {7:55} But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, lookedup stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standingon the right hand of God, {7:56} and said, Behold, I see the heavensopened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. {7:57}But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, andrushed upon him with one accord; {7:58} and they cast him out of thecity, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at thefeet of a young man named Saul. {7:59} And they stoned Stephen, callingupon [the Lord], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. {7:60} Andhe kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin totheir charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

{8:1} And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose onthat day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem;and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea andSamaria, except the apostles. {8:2} And devout men buried Stephen, andmade great lamentation over him. {8:3} But Saul laid waste the church,entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them toprison. {8:4} They therefore that were scattered abroad, went aboutpreaching the word. {8:5} And Philip went down to the city of Samaria,and proclaimed unto them the Christ. {8:6} And the multitudes gave heedwith one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when theyheard, and saw the signs which he did. {8:7} For [from] many of thosethat had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: andmany that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed. {8:8} Andthere was much joy in that city. {8:9} But there was a certain man,Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed thepeople of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: {8:10}to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying,This man is that power of God which is called Great. {8:11} And theygave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with hissorceries. {8:12} But when they believed Philip preaching good tidingsconcerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they werebaptized, both men and women. {8:13} And Simon also himself believed:and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs andgreat miracles wrought, he was amazed. {8:14} Now when the apostlesthat were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,they sent unto them Peter and John: {8:15} who, when they were comedown, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: {8:16}for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptizedinto the name of the Lord Jesus. {8:17} Then laid they their hands onthem, and they received the Holy Spirit. {8:18} Now when Simon saw thatthrough the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given,he offered them money, {8:19} saying, Give me also this power, that onwhomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. {8:20} ButPeter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hastthought to obtain the gift of God with money. {8:21} Thou hast neitherpart nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.{8:22} Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, ifperhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee. {8:23} For Isee that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond ofiniquity. {8:24} And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to theLord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me. {8:25}They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of theLord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villagesof the Samaritans. {8:26} But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip,saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth downfrom Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert. {8:27} And he arose andwent: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority underCandace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, whohad come to Jerusalem to worship; {8:28} and he was returning andsitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. {8:29} Andthe Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.{8:30} And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet,and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? {8:31} And he said, Howcan I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to comeup and sit with him. {8:32} Now the passage of the Scripture which hewas reading was this,
He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb,So he openeth not his mouth:
{8:33} In his humiliation his judgment was taken away:His generation who shall declare?
For his life is taken from the earth.

{8:34} And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, ofwhom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? {8:35}And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture,preached unto him Jesus. {8:36} And as they went on the way, they cameunto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, [here is] water;what doth hinder me to be baptized? {8:37} [And Philip said, If thoubelievest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, Ibelieve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.] {8:38} And he commandedthe chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water,both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. {8:39} And when theycame up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip;and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.{8:40} But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preachedthe gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

{9:1} But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against thedisciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, {9:2} and asked ofhim letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any thatwere of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound toJerusalem. {9:3} And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nighunto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out ofheaven: {9:4} and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying untohim, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? {9:5} And he said, Who artthou, Lord? And he [said], I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: {9:6} butrise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou mustdo. {9:7} And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearingthe voice, but beholding no man. {9:8} And Saul arose from the earth;and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by thehand, and brought him into Damascus. {9:9} And he was three dayswithout sight, and did neither eat nor drink. {9:10} Now there was acertain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto himin a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I [am here], Lord. {9:11}And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go to the street which iscalled Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul,a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; {9:12} and he hath seen a mannamed Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he mightreceive his sight. {9:13} But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard frommany of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem:{9:14} and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind allthat call upon thy name. {9:15} But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way:for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentilesand kings, and the children of Israel: {9:16} for I will show him howmany things he must suffer for my name’s sake. {9:17} And Ananiasdeparted, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said,Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the waywhich thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight,and be filled with the Holy Spirit. {9:18} And straightway there fellfrom his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and hearose and was baptized; {9:19} and he took food and was strengthened.And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus.{9:20} And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that heis the Son of God. {9:21} And all that heard him were amazed, and said,Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on thisname? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring thembound before the chief priests. {9:22} But Saul increased the more instrength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving thatthis is the Christ. {9:23} And when many days were fulfilled, the Jewstook counsel together to kill him: {9:24} but their plot became knownto Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they mightkill him: {9:25} but his disciples took him by night, and let him downthrough the wall, lowering him in a basket. {9:26} And when he was cometo Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and theywere all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. {9:27}But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declaredunto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spokento him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name ofJesus. {9:28} And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem,{9:29} preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake anddisputed against the Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him.{9:30} And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down toCaesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. {9:31} So the church throughoutall Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and,walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,was multiplied. {9:32} And it came to pass, as Peter went throughoutall parts, he came down also to the saints that dwelt at Lydda. {9:33}And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had kept his bedeight years; for he was palsied. {9:34} And Peter said unto him,Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise and make thy bed. Andstraightway he arose. {9:35} And all that dwelt at Lydda and in Sharonsaw him, and they turned to the Lord. {9:36} Now there was at Joppa acertain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is calledDorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.{9:37} And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died:and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. {9:38}And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter wasthere, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on untous. {9:39} And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come,they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood byhim weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made,while she was with them. {9:40} But Peter put them all forth, andkneeled down and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha,arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.{9:41} And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling thesaints and widows, he presented her alive. {9:42} And it became knownthroughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord. {9:43} And it cameto pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

{10:1} Now [there was] a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name,a centurion of the band called the Italian [band], {10:2} a devout man,and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to thepeople, and prayed to God always. {10:3} He saw in a vision openly, asit were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in untohim, and saying to him, Cornelius. {10:4} And he, fastening his eyesupon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he saidunto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial beforeGod. {10:5} And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who issurnamed Peter: {10:6} he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose houseis by the sea side. {10:7} And when the angel that spake unto him wasdeparted, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldierof them that waited on him continually; {10:8} and having rehearsed allthings unto them, he sent them to Joppa. {10:9} Now on the morrow, asthey were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went upupon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour: {10:10} and he becamehungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into atrance; {10:11} and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certainvessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four cornersupon the earth: {10:12} wherein were all manner of fourfooted beastsand creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. {10:13} Andthere came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. {10:14} But Petersaid, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common andunclean. {10:15} And a voice [came] unto him again the second time,What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. {10:16} And this was donethrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven. {10:17}Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which hehad seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius,having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, {10:18}and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, werelodging there. {10:19} And while Peter thought on the vision, theSpirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. {10:20} But arise,and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I have sentthem. {10:21} And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am hewhom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? {10:22} And theysaid, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God,and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned [of God]by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words fromthee. {10:23} So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrowhe arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren fromJoppa accompanied him. {10:24} And on the morrow they entered intoCaesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called togetherhis kinsmen and his near friends. {10:25} And when it came to pass thatPeter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, andworshipped him. {10:26} But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; Imyself also am a man. {10:27} And as he talked with him, he went in,and findeth many come together: {10:28} and he said unto them, Yeyourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew tojoin himself or come unto one of another nation; and [yet] unto me hathGod showed that I should not call any man common or unclean: {10:29}wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I asktherefore with what intent ye sent for me. {10:30} And Cornelius said,Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayerin my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel,{10:31} and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms arehad in remembrance in the sight of God. {10:32} Send therefore toJoppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth inthe house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. {10:33} Forthwiththerefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come.Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear allthings that have been commanded thee of the Lord. {10:34} And Peteropened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is norespecter of persons: {10:35} but in every nation he that feareth him,and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. {10:36} The word whichhe sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace byJesus Christ (He is Lord of all.) — {10:37} that saying ye yourselvesknow, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning fromGalilee, after the baptism which John preached; {10:38} [even] Jesus ofNazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: whowent about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of thedevil; for God was with him. {10:39} And we are witnesses of all thingswhich he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whomalso they slew, hanging him on a tree. {10:40} Him God raised up thethird day, and gave him to be made manifest, {10:41} not to all thepeople, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, [even] tous, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. {10:42} Andhe charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is hewho is ordained of God [to be] the Judge of the living and the dead.{10:43} To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his nameevery one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.{10:44} While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on allthem that heard the word. {10:45} And they of the circumcision thatbelieved were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on theGentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. {10:46} Forthey heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answeredPeter, {10:47} Can any man forbid the water, that these should not bebaptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? {10:48} Andhe commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Thenprayed they him to tarry certain days.

{11:1} Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judaea heardthat the Gentiles also had received the word of God. {11:2} And whenPeter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcisioncontended with him, {11:3} saying, Thou wentest in to menuncircumcised, and didst eat with them. {11:4} But Peter began, andexpounded [the matter] unto them in order, saying, {11:5} I was in thecity of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vesseldescending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by fourcorners; and it came even unto me: {11:6} upon which when I hadfastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of theearth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven.{11:7} And I heard also a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill andeat. {11:8} But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or uncleanhath ever entered into my mouth. {11:9} But a voice answered the secondtime out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.{11:10} And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again intoheaven. {11:11} And behold, forthwith three men stood before the housein which we were, having been sent from Caesarea unto me. {11:12} Andthe Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these sixbrethren also accompanied me; and we entered into the man’s house:{11:13} and he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house,and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter;{11:14} who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved,thou and all thy house. {11:15} And as I began to speak, the HolySpirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. {11:16} And Iremembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized withwater; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. {11:17} If then Godgave unto them the like gift as [he did] also unto us, when we believedon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?{11:18} And when they heard these things, they held their peace, andglorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God grantedrepentance unto life. {11:19} They therefore that were scattered abroadupon the tribulation that arose about Stephen travelled as far asPhoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save onlyto Jews. {11:20} But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene,who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also,preaching the Lord Jesus. {11:21} And the hand of the Lord was withthem: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. {11:22}And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which wasin Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch: {11:23}who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and heexhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave untothe Lord: {11:24} for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spiritand of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. {11:25} And hewent forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; {11:26} and when he had foundhim, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for awhole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught muchpeople, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.{11:27} Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem untoAntioch. {11:28} And there stood up one of them named Agabus, andsignified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over allthe world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. {11:29} And thedisciples, every man according to his ability, determined to sendrelief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea: {11:30} which also theydid, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

{12:1} Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands toafflict certain of the church. {12:2} And he killed James the brotherof John with the sword. {12:3} And when he saw that it pleased theJews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And [those] were the days ofunleavened bread. {12:4} And when he had taken him, he put him inprison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him;intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. {12:5}Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestlyof the church unto God for him. {12:6} And when Herod was about tobring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between twosoldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept theprison. {12:7} And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and alight shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awokehim, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.{12:8} And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thysandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment aboutthee, and follow me. {12:9} And he went out, and followed; and he knewnot that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw avision. {12:10} And when they were past the first and the second guard,they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which openedto them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through onestreet; and straightway the angel departed from him. {12:11} And whenPeter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that theLord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand ofHerod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. {12:12}And when he had considered [the thing], he came to the house of Marythe mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gatheredtogether and were praying. {12:13} And when he knocked at the door ofthe gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda. {12:14} And when she knewPeter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and toldthat Peter stood before the gate. {12:15} And they said unto her, Thouart mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And theysaid, It is his angel. {12:16} But Peter continued knocking: and whenthey had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. {12:17} But he,beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared untothem how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said,Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, andwent to another place. {12:18} Now as soon as it was day, there was nosmall stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. {12:19} Andwhen Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined theguards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he wentdown from Judaea to Caesarea, and tarried there. {12:20} Now he washighly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with oneaccord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain theirfriend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from theking’s country. {12:21} And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself inroyal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them.{12:22} And the people shouted, [saying], The voice of a god, and notof a man. {12:23} And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him,because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gaveup the ghost. {12:24} But the word of God grew and multiplied. {12:25}And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilledtheir ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark.

{13:1} Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was [there],prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, andLucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch,and Saul. {13:2} And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, theHoly Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereuntoI have called them. {13:3} Then, when they had fasted and prayed andlaid their hands on them, they sent them away. {13:4} So they, beingsent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thencethey sailed to Cyprus. {13:5} And when they were at Salamis, theyproclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they hadalso John as their attendant. {13:6} And when they had gone through thewhole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a falseprophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus; {13:7} who was with theproconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called untohim Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. {13:8} ButElymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstoodthem, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. {13:9} ButSaul, who is also [called] Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastenedhis eyes on him, {13:10} and said, O full of all guile and all villany,thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou notcease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? {13:11} And now, behold,the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeingthe sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and adarkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.{13:12} Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, beingastonished at the teaching of the Lord. {13:13} Now Paul and hiscompany set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia: and Johndeparted from them and returned to Jerusalem. {13:14} But they, passingthrough from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia; and they went into thesynagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. {13:15} And after thereading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sentunto them, saying, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for thepeople, say on. {13:16} And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the handsaid, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken: {13:17} The God ofthis people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when theysojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forthout of it. {13:18} And for about the time of forty years as anursing-father bare he them in the wilderness. {13:19} And when he haddestroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave [them] theirland for an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years:{13:20} and after these things he gave [them] judges until Samuel theprophet. {13:21} And afterward they asked for a king: and God gave untothem Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for thespace of forty years. {13:22} And when he had removed him, he raised upDavid to be their king; to whom also he bare witness and said, I havefound David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who shall do all Mywill. {13:23} Of this man’s seed hath God according to promise broughtunto Israel a Saviour, Jesus; {13:24} when John had first preachedbefore his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people ofIsrael. {13:25} And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, Whatsuppose ye that I am? I am not [he]. But behold, there cometh one afterme the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose. {13:26}Brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you thatfear God, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth. {13:27} Forthey that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew himnot, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath,fulfilled [them] by condemning [him]. {13:28} And though they found nocause of death [in him], yet asked they of Pilate that he should beslain. {13:29} And when they had fulfilled all things that were writtenof him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.{13:30} But God raised him from the dead: {13:31} and he was seen formany days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, whoare now his witnesses unto the people. {13:32} And we bring you goodtidings of the promise made unto the fathers, {13:33} that God hathfulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up Jesus; asalso it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day haveI begotten thee. {13:34} And as concerning that he raised him up fromthe dead, now no more to return to corruption, he hath spoken on thiswise, I will give you the holy and sure [blessings] of David. {13:35}Because he saith also in another [psalm], Thou wilt not give Thy HolyOne to see corruption. {13:36} For David, after he had in his owngeneration served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid untohis fathers, and saw corruption: {13:37} but he whom God raised up sawno corruption. {13:38} Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, thatthrough this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: {13:39} andby him every one that believeth is justified from all things, fromwhich ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. {13:40} Bewaretherefore, lest that come upon [you] which is spoken in the prophets:{13:41} Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish;For I work a work in your days,
A work which ye shall in no wise believe, if one declare it unto you.

{13:42} And as they went out, they besought that these words mightbe spoken to them the next sabbath. {13:43} Now when the synagoguebroke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Pauland Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in thegrace of God. {13:44} And the next sabbath almost the whole city wasgathered together to hear the word of God. {13:45} But when the Jewssaw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradictedthe things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed. {13:46} And Pauland Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the wordof God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, andjudge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.{13:47} For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying],I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles,That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the

earth.

{13:48} And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, andglorified the word of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal lifebelieved. {13:49} And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughoutall the region. {13:50} But the Jews urged on the devout women ofhonorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up apersecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of theirborders. {13:51} But they shook off the dust of their feet againstthem, and came unto Iconium. {13:52} And the disciples were filled withjoy with the Holy Spirit.

{14:1} And it came to pass in Iconium that they entered togetherinto the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitudeboth of Jews and of Greeks believed. {14:2} But the Jews that weredisobedient stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them evilaffected against the brethren. {14:3} Long time therefore they tarried[there] speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word ofhis grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. {14:4}But the multitude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews,and part with the apostles. {14:5} And when there was made an onsetboth of the Gentiles and of the Jews with their rulers, to treat themshamefully and to stone them, {14:6} they became aware of it, and fledunto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region roundabout: {14:7} and there they preached the gospel. {14:8} And at Lystrathere sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple from hismother’s womb, who never had walked. {14:9} The same heard Paulspeaking, who, fastening eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith tobe made whole, {14:10} said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thyfeet. And he leaped up and walked. {14:11} And when the multitude sawwhat Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech ofLycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. {14:12}And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he wasthe chief speaker. {14:13} And the priest of Jupiter whose [temple] wasbefore the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and wouldhave done sacrifice with the multitudes. {14:14} But when the apostles,Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprangforth among the multitude, crying out {14:15} and saying, Sirs, why doye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bringyou good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto aliving God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all thatin them is: {14:16} who in the generations gone by suffered all thenations to walk in their own ways. {14:17} And yet He left not himselfwithout witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains andfruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. {14:18}And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doingsacrifice unto them. {14:19} But there came Jews thither from Antiochand Iconium: and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, anddragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. {14:20} But asthe disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and entered into thecity: and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe. {14:21}And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made manydisciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch,{14:22} confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them tocontinue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enterinto the kingdom of God. {14:23} And when they had appointed for themelders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commendedthem to the Lord, on whom they had believed. {14:24} And they passedthrough Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. {14:25} And when they hadspoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; {14:26} and thencethey sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been committed to thegrace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. {14:27} And whenthey were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsedall things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a doorof faith unto the Gentiles. {14:28} And they tarried no little timewith the disciples.

{15:1} And certain men came down from Judaea and taught thebrethren, [saying], Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses,ye cannot be saved. {15:2} And when Paul and Barnabas had no smalldissension and questioning with them, [the brethren] appointed thatPaul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalemunto the apostles and elders about this question. {15:3} Theytherefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed throughboth Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles:and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. {15:4} And when theywere come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and theapostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God haddone with them. {15:5} But there rose up certain of the sect of thePharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, andto charge them to keep the law of Moses. {15:6} And the apostles andthe elders were gathered together to consider of this matter. {15:7}And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said untothem, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice amongyou, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel,and believe. {15:8} And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness,giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; {15:9} and he madeno distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.{15:10} Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put ayoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor wewere able to bear? {15:11} But we believe that we shall be savedthrough the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they. {15:12}And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabasand Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among theGentiles through them. {15:13} And after they had held their peace,James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me: {15:14} Symeon hathrehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them apeople for his name. {15:15} And to this agree the words of theprophets; as it is written,
{15:16} After these things I will return,And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;And I will build again the ruins thereof,And I will set it up:
{15:17} That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,{15:18} Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.

{15:19} Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that fromamong the Gentiles turn to God; {15:20} but that we write unto them,that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication,and from what is strangled, and from blood. {15:21} For Moses fromgenerations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being readin the synagogues every sabbath. {15:22} Then it seemed good to theapostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out oftheir company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas;[namely], Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among thebrethren: {15:23} and they wrote [thus] by them, The apostles and theelders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antiochand Syria and Cilicia, greeting: {15:24} Forasmuch as we have heardthat certain who went out from us have troubled you with words,subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment; {15:25} itseemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men andsend them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, {15:26} men thathave hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.{15:27} We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves alsoshall tell you the same things by word of mouth. {15:28} For it seemedgood to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burdenthan these necessary things: {15:29} that ye abstain from thingssacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, andfrom fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be wellwith you. Fare ye well. {15:30} So they, when they were dismissed, camedown to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, theydelivered the epistle. {15:31} And when they had read it, they rejoicedfor the consolation. {15:32} And Judas and Silas, being themselves alsoprophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.{15:33} And after they had spent some time [there], they were dismissedin peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. {15:34}[But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.] {15:35} But Paul andBarnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of theLord, with many others also. {15:36} And after some days Paul said untoBarnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every citywherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [and see] how they fare.{15:37} And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who wascalled Mark. {15:38} But Paul thought not good to take with them himwho withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to thework. {15:39} And there arose a sharp contention, so that they partedasunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailedaway unto Cyprus; {15:40} but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, beingcommended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. {15:41} And he wentthrough Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

{16:1} And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, acertain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess thatbelieved; but his father was a Greek. {16:2} The same was well reportedof by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. {16:3} Him wouldPaul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him becauseof the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his fatherwas a Greek. {16:4} And as they went on their way through the cities,they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of theapostles and elders that were at Jerusalem. {16:5} So the churches werestrengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. {16:6} Andthey went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having beenforbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; {16:7} and whenthey were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia;and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; {16:8} and passing by Mysia,they came down to Troas. {16:9} And a vision appeared to Paul in thenight: There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, andsaying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. {16:10} And when he hadseen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia,concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. {16:11}Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course toSamothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; {16:12} and from thenceto Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a[Roman] colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days. {16:13}And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side,where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, andspake unto the women that were come together. {16:14} And a certainwoman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one thatworshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed untothe things which were spoken by Paul. {16:15} And when she wasbaptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judgedme to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there].And she constrained us. {16:16} And it came to pass, as we were goingto the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit ofdivination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.{16:17} The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, Thesemen are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way ofsalvation. {16:18} And this she did for many days. But Paul, being soretroubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name ofJesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.{16:19} But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone,they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplacebefore the rulers, {16:20} and when they had brought them unto themagistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly troubleour city, {16:21} and set forth customs which it is not lawful for usto receive, or to observe, being Romans. {16:22} And the multitude roseup together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments offthem, and commanded to beat them with rods. {16:23} And when they hadlaid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging thejailor to keep them safely: {16:24} who, having received such a charge,cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in thestocks. {16:25} But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying andsinging hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;{16:26} and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that thefoundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all thedoors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. {16:27} And thejailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open,drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that theprisoners had escaped. {16:28} But Paul cried with a loud voice,saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. {16:29} And he calledfor lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down beforePaul and Silas, {16:30} and brought them out and said, Sirs, what mustI do to be saved? {16:31} And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, andthou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. {16:32} And they spake theword of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. {16:33} Andhe took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; andwas baptized, he and all his, immediately. {16:34} And he brought themup into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, withall his house, having believed in God. {16:35} But when it was day, themagistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go. {16:36} Andthe jailor reported the words to Paul, [saying], The magistrates havesent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace. {16:37}But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, menthat are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast usout privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.{16:38} And the sergeants reported these words unto the magistrates:and they feared when they heard that they were Romans; {16:39} and theycame and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they askedthem to go away from the city. {16:40} And they went out of the prison,and entered into [the house] of Lydia: and when they had seen thebrethren, they comforted them, and departed.

{17:1} Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia,they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: {17:2}and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbathdays reasoned with them from the Scriptures, {17:3} opening andalleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again fromthe dead; and that this Jesus, whom, [said he,] I proclaim unto you, isthe Christ. {17:4} And some of them were persuaded, and consorted withPaul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of thechief women not a few. {17:5} But the Jews, being moved with jealousy,took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering acrowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason,they sought to bring them forth to the people. {17:6} And when theyfound them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before therulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upsidedown are come hither also; {17:7} whom Jason hath received: and theseall act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is anotherking, [one] Jesus. {17:8} And they troubled the multitude and therulers of the city, when they heard these things. {17:9} And when theyhad taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. {17:10}And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night untoBeroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of theJews. {17:11} Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, inthat they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examiningthe Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. {17:12} Many ofthem therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate,and of men, not a few. {17:13} But when the Jews of Thessalonica hadknowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also,they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes.{17:14} And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as faras to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still. {17:15} Butthey that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving acommandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him withall speed, they departed. {17:16} Now while Paul waited for them atAthens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city fullof idols. {17:17} So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and thedevout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that methim. {17:18} And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophersencountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, Heseemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesusand the resurrection. {17:19} And they took hold of him, and broughthim unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is,which is spoken by thee? {17:20} For thou bringest certain strangethings to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.{17:21} (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spenttheir time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some newthing.) {17:22} And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said,Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious.{17:23} For as I passed along, and observed the objects of yourworship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWNGOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.{17:24} The God that made the world and all things therein, he, beingLord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;{17:25} neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he neededanything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and allthings; {17:26} and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on allthe face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed seasons, andthe bounds of their habitation; {17:27} that they should seek God, ifhaply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far fromeach one of us: {17:28} for in him we live, and move, and have ourbeing; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also hisoffspring. {17:29} Being then the offspring of God, we ought not tothink that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, gravenby art and device of man. {17:30} The times of ignorance therefore Godoverlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhererepent: {17:31} inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he willjudge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained;whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raisedhim from the dead. {17:32} Now when they heard of the resurrection ofthe dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerningthis yet again. {17:33} Thus Paul went out from among them. {17:34} Butcertain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysiusthe Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

{18:1} After these things he departed from Athens, and came toCorinth. {18:2} And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man ofPontus by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla,because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome: and hecame unto them; {18:3} and because he was of the same trade, he abodewith them, and they wrought, for by their trade they were tentmakers.{18:4} And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuadedJews and Greeks. {18:5} But when Silas and Timothy came down fromMacedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jewsthat Jesus was the Christ. {18:6} And when they opposed themselves andblasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood[be] upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go untothe Gentiles. {18:7} And he departed thence, and went into the house ofa certain man named Titus Justus, one that worshipped God, whose housejoined hard to the synagogue. {18:8} And Crispus, the ruler of thesynagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of theCorinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. {18:9} And the Lordsaid unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak andhold not thy peace: {18:10} for I am with thee, and no man shall set onthee to harm thee: for I have much people in this city. {18:11} And hedwelt [there] a year and six months, teaching the word of God amongthem. {18:12} But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews withone accord rose up against Paul and brought him before thejudgment-seat, {18:13} saying, This man persuadeth men to worship Godcontrary to the law. {18:14} But when Paul was about to open his mouth,Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were a matter of wrong or ofwicked villany, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:{18:15} but if they are questions about words and names and your ownlaw, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of thesematters. {18:16} And he drove them from the judgment-seat. {18:17} Andthey all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beathim before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of thesethings. {18:18} And Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, tookhis leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, and with himPriscilla and Aquila: having shorn his head in Cenchreae; for he had avow. {18:19} And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but hehimself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. {18:20}And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not;{18:21} but taking his leave of them, and saying, I will return againunto you if God will, he set sail from Ephesus. {18:22} And when he hadlanded at Caesarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down toAntioch. {18:23} And having spent some time [there], he departed, andwent through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishingall the disciples. {18:24} Now a certain Jew named Apollos, anAlexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he wasmighty in the scriptures. {18:25} This man had been instructed in theway of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taughtaccurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism ofJohn: {18:26} and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But whenPriscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expoundedunto him the way of God more accurately. {18:27} And when he was mindedto pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to thedisciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them muchthat had believed through grace; {18:28} for he powerfully confuted theJews, [and that] publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was theChrist.

{19:1} And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paulhaving passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and foundcertain disciples: {19:2} and he said unto them, Did ye receive theHoly Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did notso much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. {19:3} And hesaid, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John’sbaptism. {19:4} And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism ofrepentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him thatshould come after him, that is, on Jesus. {19:5} And when they heardthis, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. {19:6} Andwhen Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them;and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. {19:7} And they were inall about twelve men. {19:8} And he entered into the synagogue, andspake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading[as to] the things concerning the kingdom of God. {19:9} But when somewere hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before themultitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples,reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. {19:10} And this continuedfor the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heardthe word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. {19:11} And God wroughtspecial miracles by the hands of Paul: {19:12} insomuch that unto thesick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and theevil spirits went out. {19:13} But certain also of the strolling Jews,exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spiritsthe name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paulpreacheth. {19:14} And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, achief priest, who did this. {19:15} And the evil spirit answered andsaid unto them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? {19:16}And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and masteredboth of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of thathouse naked and wounded. {19:17} And this became known to all, bothJews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all,and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. {19:18} Many also of themthat had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds. {19:19}And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their bookstogether and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted theprice of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. {19:20} Somightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed. {19:21} Now afterthese things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he hadpassed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, AfterI have been there, I must also see Rome. {19:22} And having sent intoMacedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, hehimself stayed in Asia for a while. {19:23} And about that time therearose no small stir concerning the Way. {19:24} For a certain man namedDemetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought nolittle business unto the craftsmen; {19:25} whom he gathered together,with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that bythis business we have our wealth. {19:26} And ye see and hear, that notalone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hathpersuaded and turned away much people, saying that they are no gods,that are made with hands: {19:27} and not only is there danger thatthis our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of thegreat goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even bedeposed from her magnificence whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.{19:28} And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and criedout, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesus. {19:29} And the city wasfilled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into thetheatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’scompanions in travel. {19:30} And when Paul was minded to enter in untothe people, the disciples suffered him not. {19:31} And certain also ofthe Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not toadventure himself into the theatre. {19:32} Some therefore cried onething, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and themore part knew not wherefore they were come together. {19:33} And theybrought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward.And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defenseunto the people. {19:34} But when they perceived that he was a Jew, allwith one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Dianaof the Ephesians. {19:35} And when the townclerk had quieted themultitude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knowethnot that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana,and of the [image] which fell down from Jupiter? {19:36} Seeing thenthat these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to donothing rash. {19:37} For ye have brought [hither] these men, who areneither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. {19:38} Iftherefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matteragainst any man, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls: letthem accuse one another. {19:39} But if ye seek anything about othermatters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. {19:40} Forindeed we are in danger to be accused concerning this day’s riot, therebeing no cause [for it]: and as touching it we shall not be able togive account of this concourse. {19:41} And when he had thus spoken, hedismissed the assembly.

{20:1} And after the uproar ceased, Paul having sent for thedisciples and exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed to gointo Macedonia. {20:2} And when he had gone through those parts, andhad given them much exhortation, he came into Greece. {20:3} And whenhe had spent three months [there,] and a plot was laid against him byJews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to returnthrough Macedonia. {20:4} And there accompanied him as far as Asia,Sopater of Beroea, [the son] of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians,Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia,Tychicus and Trophimus. {20:5} But these had gone before, and werewaiting for us at Troas. {20:6} And we sailed away from Philippi afterthe days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days,where we tarried seven days. {20:7} And upon the first day of the week,when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed withthem, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech untilmidnight. {20:8} And there were many lights in the upper chamber wherewe were gathered together. {20:9} And there sat in the window a certainyoung man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep; and as Pauldiscoursed yet longer, being borne down by his sleep he fell down fromthe third story, and was taken up dead. {20:10} And Paul went down, andfell on him, and embracing him said, Make ye no ado; for his life is inhim. {20:11} And when he was gone up, and had broken the bread, andeaten, and had talked with them a long while, even till break of day,so he departed. {20:12} And they brought the lad alive, and were not alittle comforted. {20:13} But we going before to the ship set sail forAssos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed,intending himself to go by land. {20:14} And when he met us at Assos,we took him in, and came to Mitylene. {20:15} And sailing from thence,we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day wetouched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus. {20:16} ForPaul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have tospend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him,to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. {20:17} And from Miletus hesent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church. {20:18}And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye yourselves know,from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I waswith you all the time, {20:19} serving the Lord with all lowliness ofmind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots ofthe Jews; {20:20} how I shrank not from declaring unto you anythingthat was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house tohouse, {20:21} testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance towardGod, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. {20:22} And now, behold, Igo bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things thatshall befall me there: {20:23} save that the Holy Spirit testifiethunto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.{20:24} But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, sothat I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received fromthe Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. {20:25} Andnow, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching thekingdom, shall see my face no more. {20:26} Wherefore I testify untoyou this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. {20:27} For Ishrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God. {20:28}Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the HolySpirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which hepurchased with his own blood. {20:29} I know that after my departinggrievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock;{20:30} and from among your own selves shall men arise, speakingperverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. {20:31}Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years Iceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. {20:32} Andnow I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is ableto build [you] up, and to give [you] the inheritance among all themthat are sanctified. {20:33} I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, orapparel. {20:34} Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto mynecessities, and to them that were with me. {20:35} In all things Igave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and toremember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is moreblessed to give than to receive. {20:36} And when he had thus spoken,he kneeled down and prayed with them all. {20:37} And they all weptsore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, {20:38} sorrowing most ofall for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his faceno more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.

{21:1} And when it came to pass that were parted from them and hadset sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next dayunto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: {21:2} and having found aship crossing over unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. {21:3}And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand,we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was tounlade her burden. {21:4} And having found the disciples, we tarriedthere seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that heshould not set foot in Jerusalem. {21:5} And when it came to pass thatwe had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey; andthey all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we wereout of the city: and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, and badeeach other farewell; {21:6} and we went on board the ship, but theyreturned home again. {21:7} And when we had finished the voyage fromTyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we saluted the brethren, and abodewith them one day. {21:8} And on the morrow we departed, and came untoCaesarea: and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who wasone of the seven, we abode with him. {21:9} Now this man had fourvirgin daughters, who prophesied. {21:10} And as we tarried there somedays, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.{21:11} And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his ownfeet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jewsat Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliverhim into the hands of the Gentiles. {21:12} And when we heard thesethings, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up toJerusalem. {21:13} Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breakingmy heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die atJerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. {21:14} And when he would notbe persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. {21:15}And after these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.{21:16} And there went with us also [certain] of the disciples fromCaesarea, bringing [with them] one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple,with whom we should lodge. {21:17} And when we were come to Jerusalem,the brethren received us gladly. {21:18} And the day following Paulwent in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. {21:19}And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things whichGod had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry. {21:20} Andthey, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thouseest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of themthat have believed; and they are all zealous for the law: {21:21} andthey have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all theJews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not tocircumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. {21:22}What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that thou art come.{21:23} Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men thathave a vow on them; {21:24} these take, and purify thyself with them,and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads: and allshall know that there is no truth in the things whereof they have beeninformed concerning thee; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly,keeping the law. {21:25} But as touching the Gentiles that havebelieved, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselvesfrom things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what isstrangled, and from fornication. {21:26} Then Paul took the men, andthe next day purifying himself with them went into the temple,declaring the fulfilment of the days of purification, until theoffering was offered for every one of them. {21:27} And when the sevendays were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him inthe temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him, {21:28}crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all meneverywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; andmoreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled thisholy place. {21:29} For they had before seen with him in the cityTrophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought intothe temple. {21:30} And all the city was moved, and the people rantogether; and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of thetemple: and straightway the doors were shut. {21:31} And as they wereseeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band,that all Jerusalem was in confusion. {21:32} And forthwith he tooksoldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when theysaw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul. {21:33}Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commandedhim to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what hehad done. {21:34} And some shouted one thing, some another, among thecrowd: and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, hecommanded him to be brought into the castle. {21:35} And when he cameupon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for theviolence of the crowd; {21:36} for the multitude of the people followedafter, crying out, Away with him. {21:37} And as Paul was about to bebrought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I saysomething unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? {21:38} Artthou not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up tosedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of theAssassins? {21:39} But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, acitizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speakunto the people. {21:40} And when he had given him leave, Paul,standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; andwhen there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrewlanguage, saying,

{22:1} Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now makeunto you. {22:2} And when they heard that he spake unto them in theHebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith, {22:3} I am aJew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at thefeet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the lawof our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:{22:4} and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and deliveringinto prisons both men and women. {22:5} As also the high priest dothbear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also Ireceived letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bringthem also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.{22:6} And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nighunto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a greatlight round about me. {22:7} And I fell unto the ground, and heard avoice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? {22:8} And Ianswered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus ofNazareth, whom thou persecutest. {22:9} And they that were with mebeheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spaketo me. {22:10} And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord saidunto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told theeof all things which are appointed for thee to do. {22:11} And when Icould not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand ofthem that were with me I came into Damascus. {22:12} And one Ananias, adevout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews thatdwelt there, {22:13} came unto me, and standing by me said unto me,Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up onhim. {22:14} And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee toknow his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice fromhis mouth. {22:15} For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men ofwhat thou hast seen and heard. {22:16} And now why tarriest thou?arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.{22:17} And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem,and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, {22:18} and sawhim saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem;because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me. {22:19}And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat inevery synagogue them that believed on thee: {22:20} and when the bloodof Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, andconsenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him. {22:21} Andhe said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto theGentiles. {22:22} And they gave him audience unto this word; and theylifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from theearth: for it is not fit that he should live. {22:23} And as they criedout, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air, {22:24}the chief captain commanded him be brought into the castle, biddingthat he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for whatcause they so shouted against him. {22:25} And when they had tied himup with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is itlawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?{22:26} And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captainand told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is aRoman. {22:27} And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me,art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea. {22:28} And the chief captainanswered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said,But I am [a Roman] born. {22:29} They then that were about to examinehim straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also wasafraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.{22:30} But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore hewas accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priestsand all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set himbefore them.

{23:1} And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren,I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. {23:2}And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smitehim on the mouth. {23:3} Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee,thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law,and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? {23:4} And theythat stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? {23:5} And Paulsaid, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written,Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people. {23:6} But whenPaul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the otherPharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, ason of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I amcalled in question. {23:7} And when he had so said, there arose adissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly wasdivided. {23:8} For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. {23:9} Andthere arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Phariseespart stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: andwhat if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel? {23:10} And whenthere arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paulshould be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down andtake him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.{23:11} And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be ofgood cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, somust thou bear witness also at Rome. {23:12} And when it was day, theJews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying thatthey would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. {23:13} Andthey were more than forty that made this conspiracy. {23:14} And theycame to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have boundourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killedPaul. {23:15} Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chiefcaptain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge ofhis case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slayhim. {23:16} But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, andhe came and entered into the castle and told Paul. {23:17} And Paulcalled unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young manunto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him. {23:18} Sohe took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul theprisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man untothee, who hath something to say to thee. {23:19} And the chief captaintook him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is itthat thou hast to tell me? {23:20} And he said, The Jews have agreed toask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though thouwouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. {23:21} Do notthou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of themmore than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neitherto eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready,looking for the promise from thee. {23:22} So the chief captain let theyoung man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified thesethings to me. {23:23} And he called unto him two of the centurions, andsaid, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, andhorsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the thirdhour of the night: {23:24} and [he bade them] provide beasts, that theymight set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.{23:25} And he wrote a letter after this form: {23:26} Claudius Lysiasunto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. {23:27} This man wasseized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came uponthem with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was aRoman. {23:28} And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accusedhim, I brought him down unto their council: {23:29} whom I found to beaccused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to hischarge worthy of death or of bonds. {23:30} And when it was shown to methat there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to theeforthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee.{23:31} So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul andbrought him by night to Antipatris. {23:32} But on the morrow they leftthe horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: {23:33} andthey, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to thegovernor, presented Paul also before him. {23:34} And when he had readit, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that hewas of Cilicia, {23:35} I will hear thee fully, said he, when thineaccusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod’spalace.

{24:1} And after five days the high priest Ananias came down withcertain elders, and [with] an orator, one Tertullus; and they informedthe governor against Paul. {24:2} And when he was called, Tertullusbegan to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace,and that by the providence evils are corrected for this nation, {24:3}we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, withall thankfulness. {24:4} But, that I be not further tedious unto thee,I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few words. {24:5} For wehave found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrectionsamong all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sectof the Nazarenes: {24:6} who moreover assayed to profane the temple: onwhom also we laid hold: [and we would have judged him according to ourlaw.] {24:7} [But the chief captain Lysias came, and with greatviolence took him away out of our hands,] {24:8} [commanding hisaccusers to come before thee.] from whom thou wilt be able, byexamining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things whereof weaccuse him. {24:9} And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirmingthat these things were so. {24:10} And when the governor had beckonedunto him to speak, Paul answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hastbeen of many years a judge unto this nation, I cheerfully make mydefense: {24:11} Seeing that thou canst take knowledge that it is notmore than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem: {24:12}and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man orstirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city. {24:13}Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me.{24:14} But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which theycall a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all thingswhich are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;{24:15} having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for,that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust. {24:16}Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offencetoward God and men always. {24:17} Now after some years I came to bringalms to my nation, and offerings: {24:18} amidst which they found mepurified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but [therewere] certain Jews from Asia– {24:19} who ought to have been herebefore thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me.{24:20} Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing theyfound when I stood before the council, {24:21} except it be for thisone voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrectionof the dead I am called in question before you this day. {24:22} ButFelix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them,saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determineyour matter. {24:23} And he gave order to the centurion that he shouldbe kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any ofhis friends to minister unto him. {24:24} But after certain days, Felixcame with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, andheard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. {24:25} And as hereasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come,Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for this time; and when Ihave a convenient season, I will call thee unto me. {24:26} He hopedwithal that money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sentfor him the oftener, and communed with him. {24:27} But when two yearswere fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring togain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

{25:1} Festus therefore, having come into the province, after threedays went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. {25:2} And the chief priestsand the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and theybesought him, {25:3} asking a favor against him, that he would send forhim to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way. {25:4} HowbeitFestus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea, and that hehimself was about to depart [thither] shortly. {25:5} Let themtherefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, andif there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him. {25:6} Andwhen he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he wentdown unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, andcommanded Paul to be brought. {25:7} And when he was come, the Jewsthat had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringingagainst him many and grievous charges which they could not prove;{25:8} while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the law of theJews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.{25:9} But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Pauland said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of thesethings before me? {25:10} But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar’sjudgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done nowrong, as thou also very well knowest. {25:11} If then I am awrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse notto die; but if none of those things is [true] whereof these accuse me,no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. {25:12} ThenFestus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hastappealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go. {25:13} Now whencertain days were passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived atCaesarea, and saluted Festus. {25:14} And as they tarried there manydays, Festus laid Paul’s case before the King, saying, There is acertain man left a prisoner by Felix; {25:15} about whom, when I was atJerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me],asking for sentence against him. {25:16} To whom I answered, that it isnot the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that theaccused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity tomake his defense concerning the matter laid against him. {25:17} Whentherefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on thenext day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought.{25:18} Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought nocharge of such evil things as I supposed; {25:19} but had certainquestions against him of their own religion, and of one Jesus, who wasdead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. {25:20} And I, being perplexedhow to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go toJerusalem and there be judged of these matters. {25:21} But when Paulhad appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commandedhim to be kept till I should send him to Caesar. {25:22} And Agrippa[said] unto Festus, I also could wish to hear the man myself.To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him. {25:23} So on the morrow,when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they wereentered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principalmen of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in. {25:24}And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present withus, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews madesuit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not tolive any longer. {25:25} But I found that he had committed nothingworthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determinedto send him. {25:26} Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto mylord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and speciallybefore thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may havesomewhat to write. {25:27} For it seemeth to me unreasonable, insending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.

{26:1} And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak forthyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:{26:2} I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defensebefore thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused bythe Jews: {26:3} especially because thou art expert in all customs andquestions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear mepatiently. {26:4} My manner of life then from my youth up, which wasfrom the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all theJews; {26:5} having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willingto testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived aPharisee. {26:6} And now I stand [here] to be judged for the hope ofthe promise made of God unto our fathers; {26:7} unto which [promise]our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope toattain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!{26:8} Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise thedead? {26:9} I verily thought with myself that I ought to do manythings contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. {26:10} And this Ialso did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints inprisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and whenthey were put to death I gave my vote against them. {26:11} Andpunishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make themblaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted themeven unto foreign cities. {26:12} Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascuswith the authority and commission of the chief priests, {26:13} atmidday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above thebrightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyedwith me. {26:14} And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard avoice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, whypersecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.{26:15} And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesuswhom thou persecutest. {26:16} But arise, and stand upon thy feet: forto this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and awitness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the thingswherein I will appear unto thee; {26:17} delivering thee from thepeople, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, {26:18} to opentheir eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from thepower of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and aninheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. {26:19}Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenlyvision: {26:20} but declared both to them of Damascus first and atJerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to theGentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthyof repentance. {26:21} For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple,and assayed to kill me. {26:22} Having therefore obtained the help thatis from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great,saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;{26:23} how that the Christ must suffer, [and] how that he first by theresurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people andto the Gentiles. {26:24} And as he thus made his defense, Festus saithwith a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turningthee mad. {26:25} But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus;but speak forth words of truth and soberness. {26:26} For the kingknoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I ampersuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hathnot been done in a corner. {26:27} King Agrippa, believest thou theprophets? I know that thou believest. {26:28} And Agrippa [said] untoPaul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me aChristian. {26:29} And Paul [said], I would to God, that whether withlittle or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day,might become such as I am, except these bonds. {26:30} And the kingrose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:{26:31} and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying,This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. {26:32} And Agrippasaid unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he hadnot appealed unto Caesar.

{27:1} And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy,they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion namedJulius, of the Augustan band. {27:2} And embarking in a ship ofAdramyttium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast ofAsia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, beingwith us. {27:3} And the next day we touched at Sidon: and Juliustreated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his friends andrefresh himself. {27:4} And putting to sea from thence, we sailed underthe lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. {27:5} And when wehad sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we cameto Myra, [a city] of Lycia. {27:6} And there the centurion found a shipof Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein. {27:7} And whenwe had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty overagainst Cnidus, the wind not further suffering us, we sailed under thelee of Crete, over against Salmone; {27:8} and with difficulty coastingalong it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nighwhereunto was the city of Lasea. {27:9} And when much time was spent,and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already goneby, Paul admonished them, {27:10} and said unto them, Sirs, I perceivethat the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of thelading and the ship, but also of our lives. {27:11} But the centuriongave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than tothose things which were spoken by Paul. {27:12} And because the havenwas not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to seafrom thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter[there; which is] a haven of Crete, looking northeast and south-east.{27:13} And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they hadobtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete,close in shore. {27:14} But after no long time there beat down from ita tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo: {27:15} and when theship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way [to it,] andwere driven. {27:16} And running under the lee of a small island calledCauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat: {27:17} andwhen they had hoisted it up, they used helps, under-girding the ship;and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered thegear, and so were driven. {27:18} And as we labored exceedingly withthe storm, the next day they began to throw the [the freight]overboard; {27:19} and the third day they cast out with their own handsthe tackling of the ship. {27:20} And when neither sun nor stars shoneupon [us] for many days, and no small tempest lay on [us,] all hopethat we should be saved was now taken away. {27:21} And when they hadbeen long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, andsaid, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sailfrom Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. {27:22} And now Iexhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of lifeamong you, but [only] of the ship. {27:23} For there stood by me thisnight an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, {27:24}saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar: and lo, God hathgranted thee all them that sail with thee. {27:25} Wherefore, sirs, beof good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hathbeen spoken unto me. {27:26} But we must be cast upon a certain island.{27:27} But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven toand fro in the [sea of] Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised thatthey were drawing near to some country: {27:28} and they sounded, andfound twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, andfound fifteen fathoms. {27:29} And fearing lest haply we should be castashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, andwished for the day. {27:30} And as the sailors were seeking to flee outof the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color asthough they would lay out anchors from the foreship, {27:31} Paul saidto the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship,ye cannot be saved. {27:32} Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of theboat, and let her fall off. {27:33} And while the day was coming on,Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is thefourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.{27:34} Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for yoursafety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you.{27:35} And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanksto God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat.{27:36} Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also tookfood. {27:37} And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore andsixteen souls. {27:38} And when they had eaten enough, they lightenedthe ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. {27:39} And when it wasday, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with abeach, and they took counsel whether they could drive the ship upon it.{27:40} And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at thesame time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up theforesail to the wind, they made for the beach. {27:41} But lightingupon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and theforeship struck and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to breakup by the violence [of the waves]. {27:42} And the soldiers’ counselwas to kill the prisoners, lest any [of them] should swim out, andescape. {27:43} But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed themfrom their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should castthemselves overboard, and get first to the land; {27:44} and the rest,some on planks, and some on [other] things from the ship. And so itcame to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land.

{28:1} And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island wascalled Melita. {28:2} And the barbarians showed us no common kindness;for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the presentrain, and because of the cold. {28:3} But when Paul had gathered abundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by reasonof the heat, and fastened on his hand. {28:4} And when the barbarianssaw the [venomous] creature hanging from his hand, they said one toanother, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escapedfrom the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live. {28:5} Howbeit heshook off the creature into the fire, and took no harm. {28:6} But theyexpected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: butwhen they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss came tohim, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. {28:7} Nowin the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief manof the island, named Publius, who received us, and entertained us threedays courteously. {28:8} And it was so, that the father of Publius laysick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, andlaying his hands on him healed him. {28:9} And when this was done, therest also that had diseases in the island came, and were cured: {28:10}who also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put onboard such things as we needed. {28:11} And after three months we setsail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whosesign was The Twin Brothers. {28:12} And touching at Syracuse, wetarried there three days. {28:13} And from thence we made a circuit,and arrived at Rhegium: and after one day a south wind sprang up, andon the second day we came to Puteoli; {28:14} where we found brethren,and were entreated to tarry with them seven days: and so we came toRome. {28:15} And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, cameto meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns; whomwhen Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. {28:16} And when weentered into Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with thesoldier that guarded him. {28:17} And it came to pass, that after threedays he called together those that were the chief of the Jews: and whenthey were come together, he said unto them, I, brethren, though I haddone nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet wasdelivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans: {28:18}who, when they had examined me, desired to set me at liberty, becausethere was no cause of death in me. {28:19} But when the Jews spakeagainst it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I hadaught whereof to accuse my nation. {28:20} For this cause therefore didI entreat you to see and to speak with [me]: for because of the hope ofIsrael I am bound with this chain. {28:21} And they said unto him, Weneither received letters from Judaea concerning thee, nor did any ofthe brethren come hither and report or speak any harm of thee. {28:22}But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerningthis sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.{28:23} And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him intohis lodging in great number; to whom he expounded [the matter,]testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus,both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning tillevening. {28:24} And some believed the things which were spoken, andsome disbelieved. {28:25} And when they agreed not among themselves,they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the HolySpirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers, {28:26} saying,Go thou unto this people, and say,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand;And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:{28:27} For this people’s heart is waxed gross,And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed;
Lest, haply they should perceive with their eyes,And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And should turn again,
And I should heal them.

{28:28} Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of Godis sent unto the Gentiles: they will also hear. {28:29} [And when hehad said these words, the Jews departed, having much disputing amongthemselves.] {28:30} And he abode two whole years in his own hireddwelling, and received all that went in unto him, {28:31} preaching thekingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord JesusChrist with all boldness, none forbidding him.

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